Hainan eastern ring high speed railway

A ceremony marking the handover was held April 9 at the offices of the 3rd Regional Coast Guard in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

Attending the ceremony were Vietnam Coast Guard commander Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Son, U.S. Consul General Marie Damour and other officials, the U.S. embassy said in a Facebook post Saturday.

Lt. Gen. Son said that Vietnam highly appreciated the U.S. gesture and considered the event “an important milestone of the Vietnam-U.S. partnership,” helping Vietnam improve its law enforcement capacity at sea.

The cooperation between the coast guards of both countries has strengthened in recent years.

In 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard handed over the Hamilton-class (the second-largest class of vessels in the U.S. Coast Guard) USCGC Morgenthau cutter to the Vietnam Coast Guard under their Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program. The ship was then commissioned for the Vietnam Coast Guard and renamed CSB 8020.

The U.S. has also sold a total of 24 Metal Shark high-speed patrol boats and is overhauling the USCGC John Midgett, another Hamilton-class vessel, to hand it over to Vietnam.

At a press conference in Hanoi, outgoing U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink had remarked that security cooperation was developing strongly between the two countries, especially between the two militaries.

He said that Vietnam and the U.S. have worked together to implement a United Nations resolution on North Korea and to promote a common stance on the East Sea. The U.S. has assisted Vietnam in building its defense capacity, especially maritime capabilities, and supported Vietnam in sending peacekeeping personnel to South Sudan.

Referring to East Sea disputes, Kritenbrink had stressed that the U.S. always stood by its partners and allies in building an international order based on rules, and opposed ” the provocative actions of China with the other countries in the region.”

Vice Chairman of the Hung Yen Provincial People’s Committee, Bui The Cu, said that after four years of implementing Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU, dated October 4, 2016 by the Executive Committee of the 18th Hung Yen Provincial Party Committee on the Hung Yen transport development programme 2016-2020, with a vision to 2030, the transportation system in the province has witnessed many changes with rapid development.

Works and roads at national, provincial and district levels have been renovated and upgraded to form a relatively synchronous transport infrastructure network, contributing to changing Hung Yen’s face and bringing a new position to the province, while ensuring national defence and security for the province’s socio-economic development.

Typically, the first phase of the route linking the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway to the Cau Gie -Ninh Binh highway has brought about high efficiency, connecting many roads in Hung Yen province with the national highway system which crosses the northern region. In the vicinity of this road, there are three industrial zones, including a clean zone, covering more than 143 ha, the Industrial Zone No. 3, covering over 159 ha and the 263 ha Industrial Zone No. 1, belonging to the Ly Thuong Kiet Industrial Park and Urban Service Area, approved by the Prime Minister to be added to the planning of industrial parks in Vietnam by 2020. This has created breakthroughs in attracting investment serving socio-economic development in Hung Yen province in the coming years.

Implementing Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU regarding Hung Yen’s transport development programme for the 2016-2020 period, with a vision to 2030, the local authorities have solidified the objectives, tasks and solutions to implement the resolution, including plans to invest in the development of a comprehensive, modern and sustainable transportation system, ensuring the continuity and linking various modes of transport and localities in Hung Yen with each other, as well as connecting its urban and rural areas, connecting Hung Yen with Hanoi and other provinces in the northern key economic region. The province is also concentrating on completing the construction, renovation, upgrading and putting into operation many important roads, such as a road linking the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway with the Cau Gie – Ninh Binh expressway, the Hung Ha and La Tien Bridges, the ĐT 376 route (provincial Road No. 200), and the dyke system to the left of the Red River.

The rural transport infrastructure in Hung Yen has seen a high investment level in association with promoting new rural area construction. Since 2016, Hung Yen has poured more than VND3.7 trillion into renovating and upgrading over 190 km of district roads and bridges and more than 241 km of communal roads and bridges, as well as over 621 hamlet and inner-field roads, thus increasing the rate of district roads paved with asphalt or concrete to 97.7%, while the rates for communal/hamlet and inner-field roads reaching 99.2% and 84.3%, respectively. Moreover, 100% of communes have met the rural transport criteria in the set requirement criteria for the new rural area construction programme.

Hung Yen is located in the northern key economic region, with a relatively high economic growth rate, having 10 approved industrial parks and three others approved by the Prime Minister to be added to the planning of industrial parks in Vietnam by 2020, making the province a great potential destination for developing industry-services and attracting investment, especially foreign investment. Therefore, the transport network in Hung Yen needs to be developed and better connected with the major traffic system of Hanoi and across the region as a whole.

In order to complete the transport infrastructure system, Hung Yen has been preparing to commence various major projects, including Phase II of the road project linking the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway and Cau Gie – Ninh Binh bridge expressway, belt roads No. 4 and 3.5, the project to renovate and upgrade National Highway No. 39 from the Ly Thuong Kiet Intersection to Highway No. 5 connecting the province’s north-south economic axis and the interprovincial road linking Ring Road 5 of the Hanoi Capital Area in the territory of Thai Binh province with National Road No. 38B and the Hanoi – Hai Phong Expressway, crossing Hung Yen province.

For its provincial roads, Hung Yen is focusing on constructing and completing multiple projects, such as investing in renovating and upgrading the DT.387 route, extending the DH.17 to the DT.379 road, some sections of the DT.382B route (side road for the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway), and upgrading the DT.378 route covering the dyke system of the Luoc River. The province has also carried out procedures and is preparing to commence other projects, such as improving and upgrading DT.379 to a level II route, developing the north-south economic backbone project for the province using capital from the OFID, and a project on upgrading and expanding provincial road No. 378 covering the dikes along the Red River (in phase 2).

The province is also ready to invest in a number of projects, including urgent side roads on National Highways No. 5, 38 and 39, side roads connecting the Hanoi-Hai Phong and Cau Gie-Ninh Binh expressways. For district roads and rural roads, Hung Yen is striving to achieve the goal of 100% of district roads and inter-commune roads being paved with asphalt or concrete, with 100% of roads in villages and hamlets and main roads in the fields hardened, fulfilling the criteria for rural transport in the new rural area construction programme.

Hung Yen is also targeting the effective mobilisation and use of investment capital sources from the provincial concentrated budget, as well as targeted support capital sources from the Government and the relevant ministries and central agencies, in addition to Government bonds and ODA loans. It is also focusing on promoting the exploitation of capital from investors in the forms of PPP, BOT and BT for its key projects, while giving priority to the allocation of provincial reciprocal capital for transport projects under the various programmes with loans from the central budget and ODA.

Hung Yen has promoted auctions on land use rights to create capital for the development of its transport infrastructure, while making use of capital sources from the Government’s national target programmes, government bond capital and other support. It has continued to strengthen its propaganda work and mobilise organisations, investors and local people to contribute funds, land and labour days to build rural roads, especially commune, village, hamlet and inner-field roads. The province has boosted the study of preferential policies for businesses and investors to invest in transport infrastructure works, while creating favourable conditions for organisations and businesses to access and research investment projects in the form of PPP, BT and BOT.

It has also developed appropriate policies according to regulation in order to accelerate ground clearance for projects to ensure their progress and investment efficiency. Priority is being given to a rational land fund for the development of the provincial transport infrastructure, paving the way for socio-economic development, increasing land use value in the locality, thereby creating land funds to invest in developing the transport infrastructure. It has erected landmarks to plan routes according to approved planning regulations. The land use planning for transport infrastructure needs to be unified and carried out in a synchronous manner with close cooperation between the relevant departments, branches and localities in the province to carry out the site clearance effectively.

Police force patrol on Hà Nội-Hải Phòng Expressway. — VNA/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has issued a directive urging ministries and government agencies to ensure traffic safety during the national holidays marking Reunification Day and May Day.

The directive was sent to the ministries of public securities, transport, information and communications, the National Committee for Traffic Safety, news agencies and provincial and municipal people’s committees.

Under the directive, PM Chính said efforts are needed to improve the capacity of public transport services to meet increasing demand for travel during the holidays.

Transport companies, stations, airports, railway stations, terminals and inland waterways were required to strictly comply with the traffic safety regulations; promote the application of electronic ticket sales; improve service quality; reduce traffic jams, delays and illegal price hikes and at the same time, strictly comply with regulations on prevention and control of the pandemic.

The PM asked the ministries and agencies to strengthen security and order at the major traffic routes, shopping centres, entertainment venues and major tourist and festival destinations. Illegal bus stations, vehicles that fail to meet technical safety standards and carry more than the prescribed number of people will be punished, the PM said.

Traffic infrastructure will be checked, including signals, warning signs and warning equipment in places that have a high risk of traffic accidents. Tollbooths will assign more workers to collect fees quickly to reduce traffic jams.

Drivers must ensure passenger safety by driving more carefully on steep roads and through level crossings, he added.

Increased inspections should be used to strictly punish traffic regulation violators, especially those who cause traffic accidents.

Public order disturbances, illegal racing and violations against public servants on duty should be strictly dealt with, at the same safety of COVID-19 prevention for enforcement forces and people need to be ensured.

Local departments of transport were also asked to remind people of the importance of wearing helmets and obeying regulations to minimise accidents and strictly comply with anti-virus protocols.

Hotlines to receive traffic complaints should be widely publicised, he added.

The PM also requested news agencies to regularly update traffic accidents, traffic jams, information to support travel guidance during the holidays and encourage citizens to strictly comply with traffic safety regulations.

Reports on these efforts will be sent to the National Committee for Traffic Safety before 3pm on May 3 to submit to the Prime Minister. — VNS

The water level of Nậm Liệp-Minh Lương Stream in the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai rose due to heavy rain. VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Ninh

LÀO CAI — At least three people were killed in a flash flood that swept through Văn Bàn District, in the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai, over the weekend.

The bodies of two people were recovered on Saturday evening, while one remains missing.

The Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control of Văn Bàn District reported that the sudden floods affected 25 households, with furniture, motorbikes and construction materials damaged.

Two houses were swept away and dozens of others were damaged.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính issued a dispatch asking localities to focus resources on dealing with the consequences of floods and heavy rain in the northern mountainous region since Friday.

In the dispatch to the people’s committees of the six northern mountainous provinces of Lai Châu, Yên Bái, Sơn La, Hà Giang and Tuyên Quang, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, and relevant ministries and agencies, the PM extended his condolences to families of the victims, and asked the local authorities to help locals fix houses and clean the environment, and provide them with food and essential goods.

He also asked the localities to keep a close watch on developments of flooding and rain, and to review and assess the safety of homes, especially in areas at high risk of flash floods and landslides, while preparing forces, vehicles, and equipment to deal with any circumstances.

The media will continue to provide information on developments of the natural disaster, damage, and response efforts, according to the dispatch.

A super typhoon called Surigae is edging closer to the eastern part of the Philippines.

At 7am on Sunday, it was 400km from the coastal area of the central Philippines.

It is predicted to intensify its power and affect the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea).

The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control ordered authorities of coastal localities from Quảng Ninh to Cà Mau to closely follow the typhoon and report the typhoon’s development to ships offshore in the East Sea area. — VNS

A medical worker administrates a dose of a Comirnaty Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine to a woman at a new vaccination hub in Lingotto Fiere Torino Pavilion in Turin, on April 14, 2021. (MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

Rival drugmaker AstraZeneca faced a similar setback after Denmark banned its use, also over blood clot links.

Concerns over using the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines have dampen hopes that mass immunizations will lead to a swift exit from the global pandemic that has killed nearly three million people and ravaged the global economy.

Nevertheless there was some good news as BioNTech/Pfizer announced that 50 million doses that were due to arrive in Europe in late 2021 will instead start arriving as early as this month.

More than 820 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have now been administered globally. Demand continues to outstrip supply, and countries are scrambling to secure the much-needed jabs for their people.

The race to secure vaccines has sparked diplomatic rows, notably between Britain and the EU after the bloc accused London of hoarding jabs. Australia has also accused the EU of falling short on promised doses.

– Fear of blood clots –

A panel of US health experts ruled that the pause on using the J&J vaccines would continue for at least another week so they have time to assess the risk of blood clots.

Another case of the clotting disorder was reported Wednesday, bringing the total of US cases to seven — including one death — among the 7.2 million J&J doses administered in the country.

“I don’t want to send the message that there is something fundamentally wrong with this vaccine,” said Beth Bell, chair of the expert group convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“But I want to be able to understand and defend the decision that I’ve made (to continue using the vaccine or not) based on a reasonable amount of data,” she added.

Johnson & Johnson said it would delay its European rollout, again over blood clot fears — a major hit for the continent’s beleaguered immunization campaign.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it would make a recommendation on the safety of the J&J jab next week after evaluating clot links.

AstraZeneca has faced similar setbacks, with many countries now limiting its use to older people following isolated cases blood clots among younger populations, some fatal.

Denmark said Wednesday it would stop using it altogether — a European first — despite assurances from the EMA and the World Health Organization that the benefits far outweigh possible risks.

Russia’s state-run Gamaleya research institute meanwhile said there was no risk of blood clots from its Sputnik V vaccine.

Several countries, from Germany to India to Argentina, are battling a worrying spike in cases.

– River Ganges infections –

In India, more than 1,000 people tested positive for the virus after bathing in the River Ganges for the world’s biggest religious festival.

A huge crowd of worshippers packed the river banks to take a dip as part of a bathing ritual, despite India’s soaring virus cases.

“Our faith is the biggest thing for us,” Siddharth Chakrapani, a member of one of the Kumbh Mela organizing committees, told AFP, explaining why so many people entered the river.

The WHO is concerned that the pandemic could worsen in the Middle East and North Africa during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Confirmed cases in the region last week rose 22 percent and deaths by 17 percent, said Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO’s chief for the eastern Mediterranean.

In Turkey officials imposed new restrictions including a tougher overnight curfew, while in Bangladesh police patrolled the capital as a strict nationwide lockdown was rolled out.

Most European countries still face virus restrictions due to stubbornly high caseloads, but cafes and restaurants in Belgium were allowed to open their terraces starting May 8, and bars and restaurants in Switzerland can reopen starting Monday.

In Argentina however Covid-19 cases have risen fivefold compared to one month ago. President Alberto Fernandez announced that clampdown measures that include closing schools in the greater Buenos Aires area, limiting business hours, and an 8 pm to 6 am curfew.

In hard-hit Brazil, where the vaccine rollout has been chaotic and the virus is out of control, authorities said that some 1.5 million vaccinated people vaccinated have not shown up for their second jab.

Covid deaths averaged 3,000 a day in Brazil over the past week, forcing cities and states to reimpose lockdown measures.

In Japan, a spike in Covid cases forced a section of the Tokyo Olympics torch relay to be pulled from public roads.

But with just 100 days to go before the scheduled opening, International Olympic Committee vice president John Coates said that cancellation was “certainly not” on the table.

AFP

Thang Long II Industrial Zone in My Hao District, Hung Yen Province.

The provincial governments have shown further plans to establish new IPs of roughly 23,400 ha in the future, which are all in notable markets surrounding HCM City. The ready-built factory market was also buoyant, with the expected new launch of roughly 897,000 sq.m of ready-built factories by the end of 2021.

Nguyen Hong Van, JLL Vietnam’s Director of Markets, said since technology conglomerates continue to eye Vietnam for production relocation, the demand for industrial land and ready-built factory remains vibrant.

To lure foreign investments, localities in the Northern area have shown strong commitment to promote IPs, with roughly 10,500 ha of additional supply in the future, she said.

In addition to existing markets, second-tier provinces like Hung Yen, Hai Duong or further North of Hanoi like Bac Giang and Vinh Phuc are emerging as potential destinations for foreign investors, fostering the rents in those areas to speed up at an expected year-on-year growth of about 8-10 per cent.

The ready-built factory market remains upbeat, with the expected new launch of roughly 332,000 sq.m of ready-built factories by the end of 2021, predominantly in Hai Phong and Bac Ninh.

According to JLL Vietnam’s quarterly report on Vietnam’s property market in the first quarter of this year unveiled on Thursday, Dong Nai and Binh Duong accounted for the biggest supply of both industrial land and ready-built factory sectors on the property market in the first quarter of this year.

The other localities still have a long journey to catch up to Binh Duong and Dong Nai’s industrial park supply as these two are the oldest-developed industrial markets. Whilst in terms of ready-built factory supply, Dong Nai overwhelmed other provinces due to its well-developed industrial base and sufficient land bank for ready-built factory developers to penetrate, Van said.

However, the report said that no new supply of either industrial parks or ready-built factories was launched in the market in the quarter, she said.

Industrial properties in the Southern area remained significantly desirable for manufacturers to penetrate, although the pandemic still posed difficulties. Keeping the healthy demand momentum, both industrial land and ready-built factories recorded high occupancy rates at nearly 86 per cent and 82 per cent, increasing 0.60 per cent and 0.76 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2020, respectively. Of which, industrial land recorded transactions which have been negotiated since last year, whilst ready-built factories witnessed new leasing expansions of existing tenants rather than newcomers.

Industrial land remained the hottest sector for either newcomers or to meet the manufacturing expansion needs of existing investors, backed by Vietnam’s strong manufacturing fundamentals, Van said.

Therefore, most industrial park developers in Southern markets still maintained strong momentum to raise land prices reaching a new high at US$111 per sq.m per lease term, up 8.1 per cent year on year in the first quarter of this year. Whereas ready-built factory rents averaged $4.5 per sq.m per month across the region, increasing 3.1 per cent year on year, driven by the healthy demands of small and medium-sized enterprises as they expanded operations.

According to JLL Vietnam, in the first quarter, no new supply in industrial land and ready-built factories were introduced in the Northern market. The cumulative leasable land area in the market achieved roughly 9,500 ha, while the total supply of ready-built factories stood at approximately 1.8 million sq.m.

Bac Ninh and Hai Phong dominated the total supply in both sectors thanks to their strategic locations, strong footprints in the industrial market and improving business environment.

The third wave of COVID-19 swept the Northern area in late January has led to the postponement of new investments in the region, especially the lockdown in Hai Duong freezing most of the transactions in industrial parks in the first quarter.

Nevertheless, thanks to the strong influx of FDI in high-tech industries starting in the second half of 2020, the average occupancy rate of industrial parks recorded a healthy rate, reaching 75 per cent, whereas the occupancy rate of ready-built factories stood at 98 per cent in the quarter.

Given healthy demand, backed by Vietnam’s strong industrial fundamentals and combined with industrial park developers’ strong confidence in potential long-term investments, the land price continued its momentum to reach a new peak of $107 per sq.m per lease term in the first quarter, up 8.1 per cent year on year.

Meanwhile, ready-built factory rents also showed an increasing trend, at 5.8 per cent year on year, of which Bac Ninh recorded the strongest growth rate of nearly 9 per cent year on year fuelled by the launch of high-quality ready-built factories.

VNS