Transport

JICA gives recommendations on development of Da Nang’s port

April 14, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

In their end-of-term report, JICA experts identified the urban planning for the area surrounding Lien Chieu Port, a transport connectivity plan, a plan to find suitable locations for terminals, the feasibility of a public-private partnership, a model for effective management and operation of this port, and an appropriate investment plan harmonising interests of both State and private sector.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Le Quang Nam said the Prime Minister, in his decision to give the in-principle approval, requested the municipal People’s Committee to promptly carry out procedures to select capable investors to build and run terminals of Lien Chieu Port in line with legal regulations.

He said JICA’s participation and assistance in preparing for the project are highly necessary that will create a prerequisite for the development of this port.

Shimizu Akira, Chief Representative of the JICA Vietnam Office, said Lien Chieu Port should be put into use as soon as possible, adding that the consultancy group will take into account the city’s opinions to perfect the port development plan.

He also expressed his hope for continued cooperation from local authorities in this issue.

The common infrastructure component of the Lien Chieu Port project was approved in principle by the Prime Minister on March 25, 2021, aiming to build infrastructure for common use in the port so as to create a foundation for developing a seaport in the Lien Chieu area.

It is expected to have total investment of more than 3.4 trillion VND (147.4 million USD) and be carried out from 2021 to 2025.

Source: VNA

Hanoi sparkles with nocturnal serenity

April 14, 2021 by e.vnexpress.net

Thanh Nien Street, located between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake , is brightly lit at dusk.

The street is renowned for its beauty, with the blackboard trees that line it providing ample shade and its ancient temples adding a sense of spiritual tranquility.

Tran Quoc Pagoda is seen at 7 p.m.

Located on a small peninsula on the east side of West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, at nearly 1,500 years, is known as the oldest pagoda in the capital.

Adding to the architectural beauty and historical significance of the pagoda is a Bodhi tree said to be the “offspring” of the original tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment in India.

Long Bien Bridge, a symbolic Red River crossing, was designed and built by French firm Daydé-Pillié in September 1898. It opened to traffic in 1902, running more than 1,691 meters, with a rail track in the middle and road transportation on either side.

During the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the bridge had some of its parts damaged and even destroyed by enemy bombing. The Vietnamese government fixed the damage, building the spans still in use today.

Octagon House, built in 1901, used to host the French army’s trumpet shows. The structure lies inside the Ly Thai To flower garden area, encompassing the streets of Dinh Tien Hoang, Le Lai, Le Thach and Ngo Quyen.

Turtle Tower, an iconic symbol of Hanoi in the middle of Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, shines at night.

Hoan Kiem Lake, which spreads across 12 hectares (30 acres), is named for the legend of a golden turtle god showing up at the lake to take back a sword it had given King Le Loi in the 15th century to help fight Chinese invaders.

Hanoi’s St. Joseph Cathedral is located at 40 Nha Chung Street. Built between 1884 and 1888, it has been a place of worship for Catholics in the capital for more than a century.

The Chuong Duong Bridge interchange at night.

Connecting Hoan Kiem District and Long Bien District, Chuong Duong Bridge is 1,230 meters long with four two-way traffic lanes.

Built from 1983 to 1986, the bridge was the first in Vietnam designed and built without foreign technical assistance.

Hanoi Museum, part of Vietnam National Convention Center, is located on Pham Hung Street in Nam Tu Liem District. The building was completed in 2010 with an inverted pyramid design.

A view of Landmark 72 and other high-rise buildings amid the foggy cityscape.

Landmark 72 on Pham Hung Street is the country’s second highest building, after Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Nhat Tan Bridge, also known as Vietnam – Japan Friendship Bridge, was inaugurated in January 2015. It runs a length of 8.9 kilometers (5.5 miles) across Red River and has five spans representing the capital’s five ancient gates.

Photos by Nghiem Dinh Chinh

SBV continues tightening control over property loans due to credit growth

April 14, 2021 by english.thesaigontimes.vn

SBV continues tightening control over property loans due to credit growth

The Saigon Times

An overall view of an online conference on credit on April 14. SBV pledged to continue to tighten control over property loans due to credit growth – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – The central State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has pledged to tighten control over credit for some risky sectors, including property, it was announced at a teleconference on credit activities held by the central bank on April 14.

As of March, credit had grown by 2.93% against the end of 2020 and by 1.3% year-on-year. The demand for credit is expected to rise in the coming months, said Nguyen Tuan Anh, head of the Department of Credit Policies for Economic Sectors at SBV.

Between January and February, credit for the agro-forestry-fishery sector and the industry and construction sector amounted to VND777 trillion, up 0.16%, year-on-year, and VND2,615 trillion, up 1.13%, respectively.

As for risky sectors, as of February, loans for the real estate sector had reached 1,835 trillion, up 2.13% against 2020, while credit for the securities business dropped by 6.9%.

Apart from the tight control over credit for risky sectors, including property, securities and Build-Transfer transport projects, the central bank also continued to enhance the credit risk management of consumer loans and lending for personal needs to ensure the safety of banking operations, Anh said.

As of March 15, real estate outstanding loans growth at 2.13% was higher than the banking sector’s credit growth rate, so the central bank has monitored and issued warnings to credit institutions.

Nguyen Hoang Minh, deputy director of the central bank’s HCMC branch, said that since the beginning of 2021, credit for the property sector in HCMC had risen by 2%, with outstanding loans amounting to VND350 trillion, some 13.5% of the total outstanding loans.

Capital flows into the risky sector were controlled, the local media reported, citing Minh.

To enhance control over the risky sectors, risk management of BOT and BT transport projects and consumption, the central bank has adopted certain regulations, including applying the risk coefficient imposed on the real estate sector at 200% and on the securities business at 150% and revising up the risk coefficient on consumer loans worth VND4 billion or more.

HCMC proposes appointment of expressway project’s main investor to Binh Phuoc

April 14, 2021 by sggpnews.org.vn

Illustrative Photo (Source: SGGP)

In a previous working session with Binh Phuoc Province’s leaders in last December, the then PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc delegated the provincial People’s Committee to implement the project under the public–private partnership (PPP) mode.

He also asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment in coordination with the Ministries of Finance, and Transport to allocate financial resources collected from the State budget in the Mid-term public investment plan for the 2021-25 period.

On March 18, the governments of HCMC and its neighboring province of Binh Phuoc had a working session on the construction project of HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway. On this occasion, the two sides agreed to establish a steering committee for the project.

Accordingly, the HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway is about 70 km long with 6-8 lanes, connecting HCMC and the Southern provinces of Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc. The stretch in HCMC is 1.5km long, expected to link up to Ring Road No.2 at Go Dua Intersection in Thu Duc City. The section running through Binh Duong Province is 57km long while the section running through Binh Phuoc Province is 11.5km long.

The project costing VND36,000 billion (US$1.55 billion), including around VND17,000 billion (SU$736.5 million) coming from the State budget will be kicked off before 2030.

Binh Phuoc Province will take responsibility for carrying out the project; organizing working sessions on investment modes, capital resources, building the overall plan for the project with ministries, departments and localities.

HCMC proposes appointment of expressway project's main investor to Binh Phuoc ảnh 2

At a working session on the construction project of HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh expressway between HCMC and Binh Phuoc Province that is held on March 18. (Photo: SGGP)

By Quoc Hung – Translated by Kim Khanh

Drug trafficker caught in Dien Bien

April 14, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Exhibits of the case at the investigation agency (Photo: VNA)

Dien Bien (VNA) – A man was arrest ed on April 13 in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien for smuggling 30 bricks of heroin weighing 10.5kg, according to the provincial police.

The provincial drug crime investigation police office in cooperation with police in Tuan Giao and Nam Po districts apprehended Ha Quang Hiep, 43, in Dien Bien district when he was transporting the drugs.

Hiep admitted he had bought the drugs from a person in the Vietnam-Laos border area.

Police also seized a 80cm-long sword and other related exhibits./.

VNA