North peaks

The session started off with a 11-point rise in the first 21 minutes of trading and remained in the green throughout the day before closing with a 17.7-point gain, the first double-digit point increase recorded in the last seven sessions.

Trading volume on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, rose 7.7 percent to VND16.02 trillion ($693.4 million), highest in the last 10 sessions. The bourse saw 358 stocks gain and 85 lose.

VN-Index now needs another 0.67-percent gain to reach the 1,194-point peak it reached on January 15 before falling to the 1,020 range.

The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks on the HoSE, saw 27 tickers gain, leading with SBT of sugar producer Thanh Thanh Cong – Bien Hoa Jsc, up 5.5 percent. This is the first gain of the ticker after six consecutive losing sessions.

It was followed by SSI of leading brokerage SSI Securities Corporation, up 5.4 percent, and BVH of insurance company Bao Viet Holdings, up 4.6 percent.

Two real estate companies were in the top 10 blue chip gainers, with TCH of Hoang Huy Investment Financial Services Jsc up 3.7 percent and VRE of retail real estate arm Vincom Retail up 3.2 percent.

All banking blue chip were in the green, led by STB of Ho Chi Minh City-based lender Sacombank, up 4.1 percent, HDB of HDBank, up 2.6 percent, and MBB of Military Bank, up 2.5 percent to the new all-time high of VND28,350.

Bucking the trend, three tickers ended in the red, led by VIC of biggest conglomerate Vingroup, down 0.5 precent, followed by PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry, down 0.2 percent and MWG of electronics retail chain Mobile World, down 0.1 percent.

Foreign investors remained net sellers for the seventh session in a row to the tune of VND209 billion, with strongest pressures on TCB of largest private lender Techcombank, HPG of steelmaker Hoa Phat Group and CTG of state-owned lender VietinBank.

Some provinces have failed to meet the Prime Minister’s deadline for site clearance for the eastern part of the North – South Highway.

Six out of 11 sections of the eastern part of North-South Highway for the period of 2017-2020, which were converted to public investment, have started. Two other sections that are also invested by the State are expected to start in May.

According to the Ministry of Transport, site clearance has been far from expectations. The Prime Minister requested that it be generally accomplished in 2020. Nevertheless, by mid-Feb 2021, all 11 sections were struggling with site clearance. As many as 624 out of 652 kilometers of the Highway, 95.6%, have been handed over. The site handover in Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Khanh Hoa provinces is much lower, 79.2%, 94.9%, 92%, and 91.5% respectively.

Around 80% of 11 resettlement areas are complete. Technical infrastructure has been slowly carried out. Only 30 – 38% of power, water, and telecommunication networks have been relocated.

The Transport Ministry planned to discuss directly with each province solutions for the required completion of site clearance.

Only 55.64 out of 63.37 kilometers of the Mai Son – NH45 expressway have been cleared and handed over to contractors. The section runs through three districts of Ninh Binh and eight of Thanh Hoa province. More than 8 out of 14.41km in Ninh Binh were handed over. The figure in Thanh Hoa was 47.46 out of 48.96km.

The main cause for delayed clearance in Ninh Binh is that Tam Diep district has failed to finalize the compensation price for different land types, identify persons qualified for job adjustment incentive scheme, and allocate resettlement area to a number of households.

Thanh Hoa has been facing difficulties in site clearance. It has the longest section of the Eastern part of North-South Highway, including Mai Son – NH45, NH45-Nghi Son, and Nghi Son – Dien Chau.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung, Deputy Director of Thanh Hoa Transport Department, said that the province has cleared 97% of the site. The slow progress was mainly due to some households’ requirements and demands beyond compensation regulations.

Inspecting the Mai Son – NH45 site with the Transport Minister Nguyen Van The on February 22, Mr. Mai Xuan Liem, Thanh Hoa Vice Chairman, said it would hand over the remaining site to contractors before March 15.

The Cao Bo – Mai Son section of the North – South Highway is expected to complete in 2021

Hard to find material sources

Apart from the slow site clearance, most contractors have faced a shortage of formation level materials (mainly soil).

Specifically, there is a lack of 1.6 million m3 of soil for Cam Lo – La Son section which passes through Quang Tri and Hue. Though there are 17 soil mines for Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet section, the supply is far below demand. The material shortage is also a problem for other sections namely Mai Son – NH45 and Phan Thiet – Dau Giay.

An additional 7 million m3 of soil and 400,000 m3 of crushed stone are needed for Nghi Son – Dien Chau section which is scheduled to launch in May.

According to some contractors, high demand for materials for the North – South Highway and section construction is being carried out simultaneously, which has led to mine owners’ increasing material prices, deepening difficulties for contractors.

Furthermore, provincial leaders have to review soil and stone mines for their approval, licensing and adjustment process. This takes a long time, affecting highway progress and quality.

Speaking about soil mine issues in his trip to inspect Mai Son – NH45 site on 22nd February, Minister Nguyen Van The demanded that provincial leaders review project and design documents to avoid the highway construction setbacks.

Vu Diep

As the plan, the entire site of 11 component projects must be handed over in 2020, but up to now, 13 localities affected by these projects have just handed over around 624.4 out of  652.92 kilometers, accounting for 95.6 percent.

That was due to difficulties in resettlement and removal of technical infrastructures for sub-projects of the North-South Expressway project.

Amidst this situation, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The requested relevant units to focus on solving difficulties in site clearance for the project. In addition, investors and project management units must report specific proposals along with difficulties of each project to the leaders of the Ministry of Transport and localities to handle.

Out of the six ongoing public investment component projects, three projects namely Mai Son – National Highway 45, Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet – Dau Giay have been relatively in good progress. Projects of Cam Lo – La Son, My Thuan 2 Bridge need to speed up the construction progress.

By Minh Duy- Translated by Huyen Huong

But the city, the country’s largest, also has a great deal of historical value related to the wars of resistance against the French and Americans to offer interest to tourists as well as locals.

One of the most fascinating destinations is Cu Chi guerrilla warfare tunnels, located about 70km from downtown HCM City.

Built by South Vietnamese liberation forces as shelter from US and Sai Gon troops during the war, the site is known over the world, but even many locals have yet to visit the tunnels.

Revolutionary spirit

First formed in 1948 during the resistance war against the French colonialists, the original network of tunnels was in Tan Phu Trung and Phuoc Vinh An wards.

Initially, the tunnels had only short paths and simple structure that were used to hide documents, weapons and resistance members deep inside the enemy-controlled area.

Only during the anti-American war were the tunnels reinforced and widened.

Beginning in 1961, when the Party Committee and headquarters of the Sai Gon-Gia Dinh Military Region of the liberation forces chose Cu Chi as an operating area, the tunnel system maximized its use for years, especially in 1966, against the Americans broadening the war in the South.

With their indomitable strength, Cu Chi’s resistance forces and local people created a system of crisscrossing tunnels with multiple floors, with more than 200km of underground trenches in total.

For a long time, the enemy attacked the base and the tunnel network relentlessly by pumping water into the tunnels, using German shepherd dogs to hunt and identify the tunnels then using bombs to destroy them.

The US forces were involved in 5,000 attacks that aimed to wipe out the Cu Chi resistance base. In addition, thousands of tonnes of various chemical toxins were sprayed on the area.

But, relying on the tunnel network, the Vietnamese liberation soldiers and Cu Chi locals were able to counter all the enemy attacks.

They engaged in 4,269 big and small fights, eliminated 22,582 enemy troops, destroyed and took over 5,168 military vehicles (mostly tanks and armoured vehicles), shot down and destroyed 256 airplanes (mainly helicopters), sank and burned 22 warships and boats, and captured 8,581 guns of all types. They also destroyed 270 enemy stations in Cu Chi District.

The Cu Chi tunnel relic site includes the Ben Duoc Tunnel (Sai Gon-Gia Dinh military base, Zone A), Sai Gon-Gia Dinh base (Zone B), and the Ben Dinh Tunnel (Cu Chi District base).

The tunnel system runs in a zig-zag shape underground, and the main route branches out in multiple directions that connect in some areas, depending on the terrain.

Many exits open to the Sai Gon River so that when emergencies occurred people could take river route to Ben Cat resistance base in Binh Duong Province.

The tunnel system is bulletproof and can withstand the weight of tanks and armoured vehicles.

Some tunnels have structures that include two to three floors. Stairs between floors have lids that go to secret vaults.

Seeking UNESCO’s recognition

Recently, the city’s authorities sent a proposal to the Ministry of National Defence to seek the UN culture agency UNESCO’s recognition for the Cu Chi Tunnels as a World Heritage Site.

Vietnam is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, My Son Sanctuary, Hoi An Ancient Town, the Complex of Hue Monuments, and the Citadel of the Ho dynasty in the central region.

The other sites are Ha Long Bay, the Trang An Landscape Complex, and Thang Long Imperial Citadel, which are located in the north.

If the Cu Chi Tunnels network is recognised, it will be the south’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2015, the historic area was recognised as a special national relic site. For tourism purposes, more than 120km out of over 200km of the tunnels have been preserved.

Le Van Liem, vice chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, said the area in the outlying Củ Chi District is a “valuable historical and cultural site that reflects outstanding military and scientific work of the Vietnamese people”.

The tunnels have been a popular tourism landmark for years, attracting thousands of visitors each day. Visitors are able to experience the resilience and unyielding will of the people who lived in the tunnels during wartime.

Dr Phan An, head of the Southern Institute of Social Sciences, said: “The Cu Chi Tunnels’ architecture is one of a kind. UNESCO World Heritage Site acknowledgement would not just introduce global friends to it, but would also be a chance for Vietnamese nationwide to appreciate the relic more.

“The site has not yet received the acknowledgement it deserves. Many HCM City residents have never visited the site despite its historical importance. Publicity is still limited, leading to inadequate attention for preservation of the relic site. Only a small part is preserved for visits and tourism.

“It runs a high risk of destruction from natural and human impact. So, if UNESCO acknowledges it as a World Heritage Site, local authorities and residents will be more responsible and collectively care for and preserve the entirety of the tunnels. At the same time, it would heighten public awareness about heritage sites like this.”

Beautiful scenery on the road from the centre of Tram Tau district to Mo Chi. The terraced field is one of the “specialties” of this land.

Often called the rooftop of Yen Bai province, Ta Chi Nhu is located in Xa Ho commune, Tram Tau district. It is part of the Pu Luong massif of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.

Slopes passing through the meadows and tea fields.

A river amongst the severe slopes

The slopes become extremely slippery when it rains.

The dwarf forest with its low foliage along the slopes’ paths.

A camp site built for visitors by Mong people at an altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level.

The camp site is about 2.5km from the peak, this journey being the most beautiful stretch during the journey. Visitors can watch the sea at sunrise and sunset as well as the beautiful landscapes from the “dinosaur spine” and the mighty valleys of Pu Luong mountain massif.

The mountain sides are covered with the pink and purple colours of “Mat Rong” grass, a very special variety found in the locality.

Horses on the path to “conquering” the peak.

Ta Chi Nhu is considered one of the most beautiful sunset views.

Many people climb to the mountain’s peak in the afternoon and see dawn at the camp site the next morning.

The most significant moment is when visitors reach the landmark at an altitude of 2,979m of Ta Chi Nhu.

A beautiful dawn scene.

Ethnic minority porters are always enthusiastic in assisting visitors.