Young doctors give free-of-charge health examination to residents of Sin Ho district in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - New medical graduates could be required to work for three to five years at healthcare centres in outlying regions to meet a critical lack of doctors and help improve healthcare services there. Pham Van Tac, Director of the Personnel Department under the Ministry of Health, said the proposed initiative would require graduates to work at district and commune-level healthcare centres, particularly in Vietnam’s 62 most disadvantaged districts. “In the future, the requirement could be included in a law on social responsibilities and obligations of medical workers,” Tac told the Nhan Dan (People’s) newspaper, adding that this would be a condition for a license to practice medicine. In 2013, … [Read more...]

President of the VFF Central Committee Tran Thanh Man speaks at the meeting on July 24  to review the movement of calling for the public to express gratitude to revolutionary contributors (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – More than 197 billion VND (8.7 million USD) has been donated to the Gratitude Fund, which is an outcome of a movement beginning in late April to call on all people to express gratitude to revolutionary contributors. The movement is to mark 70 years of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947). The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee said on July 24 that 18,958 houses have been built or repaired for contributors to the revolution at a total cost of 736 billion VND (32.4 million USD). About 207,980 gift packages worth over 121 billion VND (5.3 million USD) have also been presented to policy beneficiary families and revolutionary … [Read more...]

A view of the extension of Le Van Luong street in the urban district of Thanh Xuan, southwest of Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Government Inspectorate (GI) has released findings of egregious wrongdoing in the implementation of a number of BT (Build-Transfer) and BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) infrastructure and environmental projects in Hanoi. The GI recommended holding Hanoi authorities accountable for the faults. The GI said all BT projects were behind schedule and had entailed significant cost overruns. It said contractors were “not sufficiently capable of mobilising capital” and also blamed a “failure to disburse budget in accordance with set schedule.” Seven BT projects caused massive loss – the construction of Yen So wastewater treatment plant, Le Van Luong Road extension, southern main road of Ha Tay, a street connecting Le Duc Tho and Xuan … [Read more...]

Former Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavath (Source: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – The Lao Ministry of Education and Sports hosted a talk with students of its schools and the National University of Laos about the special ties between Laos and Vietnam on July 24. The event was meant to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the signing of Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. Speaking at the event, former Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavath reviewed milestones in bilateral ties and support that Vietnam has provided for Laos in the fields of politics, education, economy, transport, national defence and security. He lauded the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation for bringing benefits to Laos, helping the country stay on track of stability and development until now. The former leader asked students and … [Read more...]

National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien (R) welcomes President of the Board of Audit of Japan Teruhiko Kawato on July 24 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien valued the cooperation between the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) and the Board of Audit of Japan while receiving a delegation of the Japanese board in Hanoi on July 24. Hien said the SAV, founded by the NA of Vietnam, operates independently and in line with law. It audits the management and use of public finance and assets, helping to ensure the transparency of the State’s financial activities and prevent corruption. Leaders of the Vietnamese parliament always create the best possible conditions for the SAV to perform its duties, he affirmed. He asked the two audit agencies to step up coordination in auditing joint projects of Vietnam and Japan and … [Read more...]

Hanoi (VNA) – Hoa Phat Group (HPG) expects to hand over apartments of the Mandarin Garden 2 to buyers at the end of this year. Mandarin Garden 2 covers an area of nearly 13,000 sq.m  with four buildings of between 17 and 30 storeys.  The 1.5 trillion VND (66 million USD) project has 640 apartments. In the first half of this year, HPG earned more than 21 trillion VND (924 million USD) and posted after-tax profit of 1.53 trillion VND (67.3 million USD), up 36 percent and 14 percent year-on-year, respectively. The group’s performance during the reviewed period was mainly driven by construction steel and steel pipes. It produced more than 1 million tonnes of construction steel, representing a year-on-year rise of 33 percent against the same period last year, completing more than half of the yearly target. Since the beginning of this … [Read more...]

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the event (Source: VNA)  Ha Tinh (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held a working session with authorities of Ha Tinh on July 24 to discuss ways to build the central province into one of the major industrial hubs in the country. Speaking at the event, the PM underscored the importance of Vung Ang Economic Zone, which he said, should be developed into an industrial centre for not only Ha Tinh but also the central region in the near future. He suggested supplementing the provincial master plan, with a focus on Vung Ang Economic Zone, while continuing to improve business climate, facilitate businesses’ land access and save their time and costs. The Government leader called for further attention to support industry, engineering and chemical industries, tourism, disaster and climate change response. He asked Ha … [Read more...]

The construction of the first ultra-clear float glass factory in Vietnam starts in Tan Thanh district, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, on July 24 (Photo: baoxaydung.com.vn) Ba Ria-Vung Tau (VNA) – The construction of an ultra-clear float glass factory, the first of its kind in Vietnam, kicked off at the Phu My 2 Industrial Park in Tan Thanh district, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, on July 24. Phase I of the plant, owned by the Phu My Ultra Clear Float Glass Co. Ltd, will be carried out from now to 2018 and has total investment of 2.6 trillion VND (about 114.4 million USD). When operational, it is set to produce 600 tonnes of the product a day. Phase II will be built from 2019 to 2022, raising the factory’s capacity to 900 tonnes per day. China’s Kaisheng Science & Technology Group Co., one of the three founders of the Phu My company, … [Read more...]

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (front, third, right) inspects the waste treatment system of Formosa on July 24 (Photo: VNA) Ha Tinh (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has inspected the waste treatment area and production line of Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Limited Company (FHS) in Ha Tinh province, asking the firm must consider the environmental matter to be a vital factor to the implementation of its large-scale steel project. During his working session on July 24 leaders of FHS, which was responsible for the marine environmental incident in four central provinces last year, the PM said the steel plant has been so far the largest foreign investment project in Vietnam with over 11 billion USD; however, it caused the biggest maritime environmental incident in the country. He recognised the efforts of relevant ministries, sectors and localities in addressing the incident … [Read more...]

At the event (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The State-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) held a ceremony in Hanoi on July 24 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Day of Invalids and Martyrs (July 27). Speaking at the event, member of the Party Central Committee and VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi said since its establishment on September 15, 1945, the VNA has always been loyal to the Party and people’s revolutionary cause. During the national liberation and construction, the agency’s correspondents and technicians were present at the most fierce battlefields to cover victories of the army and people across the country and expose crimes and plots by enemies. More than 260 VNA journalists and martyrs lost their lives to the war, which was a great loss but also a pride of the VNA - the first press agency awarded the titles of the hero of the people’s armed forces and … [Read more...]

The US Department of Commerce end its anti-dumping investigation on polyester fibre imported from Viet Nam. — Photo cafef.vn The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced the termination of the anti-dumping investigation on polyester fibre imported from Viet Nam. Earlier, on June 20, DOC officially initiated the investigation on polyester fibre imported from Viet Nam, China, India, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (China), based on petitions filed by DAK Americas LLC, Nan Ya Plastics Corporation and Augira Polymers. The plaintiffs alleged that polyester staple fibre products were being shipped to the United States at prices lower than their normal value. In addition, the dumping had caused significant damage to the domestic industry due to price depression. The scope of the investigation covers fine denier polyester staple fibre, not carded or combed, measuring less than 3.3 decitex in diameter, coded … [Read more...]

Vietnam’s fast-food segment has become much more competitive as a huge number of chains arrive in the country, but some are now reviewing their business activities while others are departing.  Analysts say that as Vietnam is an emerging market, investors need to follow a reasonable path in order to reap the benefits. Most fast-food brands in Vietnam are “giants” but not all can succeed here.  “Meeting the tastes of customers, which are rapidly changing along with the development of society, is one of the biggest challenges for any business,” Mr. Nguyen Huy Thinh, General Manager of McDonald’s in Vietnam, told VET. Learn to compete McDonald’s opened its first outlet in Vietnam in 2014 and quickly found favor. Mr. Nguyen Bao Hoang was appointed to bring the Big Mac to Vietnam as a Developmental Licensee, with the contract signed the result … [Read more...]

“Strong manufacturing and FDI, an improving construction sector, and robust domestic demand continue to underpin activity [in Vietnam],” Mr. Ranil Salgado, Assistant Director, Asia and Pacific Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), told the recent launch of its World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He added that the country’s headline inflation reached 5 per cent year-on-year in late 2016 - early 2017, reflecting rises in health and education cost, and had fallen close to the 4 per cent target by June this year. The IMF forecasts that Vietnam’s growth will be 6.3 per cent in 2017 and the same in 2018. Higher long-term growth would require more forceful reforms to create a level playing field for the private sector, upgrade the country’s institutions, and reorient its growth model, to be led by the private sector, before rapid aging sets in, according to … [Read more...]

LONDON (Reuters) - Three decades after approval of the first-ever AIDS treatment, HIV medicine is seeing a new wave of innovation with scientists reporting positive data on Monday for improved drug cocktails and a novel experimental vaccine. Adding to optimism is the success of antiretrovirals in preventing infection - an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - as well as growing hopes for an eventual "functional" cure that may keep the virus at bay without drugs. Researchers believe such advances are necessary to stay ahead of a virus that can all too often develop resistance to medicines, despite the use since 1996 of three- or four-drug combinations that mean HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence. "New products are needed. The Achilles heel for us is drug resistance because the virus is incredibly quick to mutate," Linda-Gail Bekker, deputy director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre in South Africa, … [Read more...]

A recent deadly fire in Hanoi has raised warnings about house extensions that block emergency exits. At 1.45 am on July 19, a mother and her child were killed after a fire broke out at their house on Vong Street. According to the firefighters, the house owners extended the living space on the second, third and fourth floors with so-called tiger cages so the residents couldn't escape via the blocked balconies. The tiger cage is a common means to enlarge the living space by 10 to 12 square metres in the urban areas. Residents at new apartment buildings said they had to block the balconies to prevent thieves from entering and children from accidentally falling out. Nguyen Ngoc Chau, head of the Fire Department no. 8, said the residents in old and new apartment buildings and residential houses usually seek out measures to prevent thieves but not fire. They reinforce the windows and balconies with no clear standards. As a result, their only exit is the one staircase and front … [Read more...]

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue (L) shakes hands with Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison (Photo: VNA) Sydney (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue held working sessions with some Australian officials on July 24 to seek measures to further foster partnership between the two countries. At a meeting with Treasurer Scott Morrison, Deputy PM Hue, who is on a visit to Australia from July 23-25, highly valued Australia’s commitment to continue providing development assistance to Vietnam in various fields such as environment, the improvement of livelihoods for mountainous and rural areas, climate change response, and gender equality. Morrison lauded Vietnam’s role as the host of the APEC 2017 with many important meetings. Vietnam has also devised the agenda for the event, which received high approval from member economies, he said. He affirmed … [Read more...]

Vietnam aims to cut the number of traffic accidents and deaths by 5-10 percent every year and lower the number of severe crashes related to coaches and motorbikes between 2016 and 2020. Vietnam aims to cut the number of traffic accidents and deaths by 5-10 percent annually between 2016 and 2020. The objectives are parts of a recently approved national target programme on road safety, fire prevention and control and countering crime and drug trafficking for 2016 – 2020. The programme focuses on handling traffic safety violations on several key roads and ensuring order at selected train stations to reduce accidents, particularly at railway crossroads.  It also aims to improve traffic flow in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City and prevent traffic jams from lasting more than 30 minutes. In addition, the programme will develop wireless and wireline information networks for the Ministry of Public Security and connect the … [Read more...]

Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury left Hanoi on July 24, successfully concluding her five-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) welcomes Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury During her stay, she held talks with NA Chairwoman Ngan, and paid courtesy visits to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang. She also paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, and laid wreaths at the Monument to War Heroes and Martyrs. At the talks and meetings, both sides agreed that the two countries’ traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation have developed continually since they set up their diplomatic ties 44 years ago.  The political relations between the two countries have been tightened through visits and … [Read more...]

The Southern Institute of Ecology and the Danang Tourism Association have jointly sent a proposal to the Danang authorities to preserve the current scenery of Son Tra Peninsula and demolish the foundations of 40 illegally-constructed villas. The foundations of 40 illegally-constructed villas The proposal gained approval from all attendants at the conference about preserving and developing the eco-system of Son Tra Peninsula. All attendants reached consensus that since Son Tra has at least 1,010 different plants, 21 huge fungal species, 700 to 1,300 red-shanked douc, and rare herbal plants that need to be preserved, there must be measures to protect Son Tra. The Southern Institute of Ecology and the Danang Tourism Association suggested banning any new construction projects and quickly demolishing foundations of 40 villas under construction. The investors must also have measures to prevent erosion during the rainy … [Read more...]

Many people in Ha Giang Province have complained about the abject lack of waste treatment facilities after tonnes of rubbish was dumped into a local stream. Rubbish pulled into the stream On July 20, the public was enraged after a video clip showed how tonnes of rubbish were dumped into Quang Stream in Vinh Quang Village, Tan Quang Commune, was posted on the internet. It is discovered that a company signed a contract with Tan Quang Commune to collect the rubbish. The rubbish dump they were supposed to use was already full. It's unclear whether the company decided to pull the rubbish into the stream or not.   The residents in Tan Quang Commune have filed complained about the dumping site for years to no avail and finally decided to send a letter to Ha Giang Province Party Secretary Trieu Tai Vinh. On July 23, an excavator was sent to collect and bury the rubbish that is still on the bank of the stream. But in reality, the … [Read more...]