NDO - Smart factories will be the focus of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) but Vietnamese enterprises have not fully prepared for entering the revolution which is expected to dramatically change the world's manufacturing industries. Dr. Nguyen Phu Cuong, Director of the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) made the statement at the seminar themed 'Digital enterprise - on the way to Industry 4.0' in Hanoi on July 20. The event was jointly held by MOIT, the German Embassy in Vietnam, Siemens, and the German Industry and Commerce Vietnam (GIC/AHK Vietnam) with the participation of more than 100 managers, policymakers, corporate leaders and experts. Cuong said that with the strong development and integration of modern science and technology achievements at an advanced level, Industry 4.0 is forecasted to significantly change the production process in the world in the near future. However, a survey conducted … [Read more...]

Military-run telecoms group Viettel earned VND1 trillion ($41.2 million) in pre-tax profits from its overseas investments in the first half of 2017, a massive jump of 156 percent from the same period last year. During the first six months, its revenue rose 25 percent to VND14 trillion with the highest growth recorded in Peru at 82 percent, followed by Burundi at 38 percent, East Timor at 29 percent and Haiti at 15 percent, according to a report reviewing Viettel’s overseas businesses in nine markets around the world. The positive results came from revenue generated by mobile phone services, especially new services such as 4G, e-wallets and large IT projects for governments and businesses. Those projects include a fiber optical network throughout East Timor, a population management system for Laos, a transmission channel for the Mozambique Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and a tax payment system for Burundi. In … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Vo Van Thuong has affirmed that the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) wants to further foster ties with the Communist Party of Italy (CPI). During a reception in Hanoi on July 19 for CPI General Secretary Mauro Alboresi, Thuong said the CPV is determined to build a strong and transparent Party consistent with the policy of extending ties with major political parties worldwide. Alboresi, for his part, said Vietnam’s achievements over the past three decades provide a source of great inspiration for Italian communists and progressive forces which are fighting for a better world and communist ideals. He said the CPI will work to reinforce friendship and cooperation between the two Parties, countries and peoples in the future, adding that the CPI highly values Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Vo Van Thuong has affirmed that the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) wants to further foster ties with the Communist Party of Italy (CPI). During a reception in Hanoi on July 19 for CPI General Secretary Mauro Alboresi, Thuong said the CPV is determined to build a strong and transparent Party consistent with the policy of extending ties with major political parties worldwide. Alboresi, for his part, said Vietnam’s achievements over the past three decades provide a source of great inspiration for Italian communists and progressive forces which are fighting for a better world and communist ideals. He said the CPI will work to reinforce friendship and cooperation between the two Parties, countries and peoples in the future, adding that the CPI highly values Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by … [Read more...]

Military-run telecom Viettel Group reported a significant profit and revenue figures generated by its investments in nine foreign countries in the first half of 2017. Viettel’s Bitel brand in Peru posted the highest growth rate among the company’s overseas markets with 82 per cent RELATED CONTENTS: Rosy Viettel outlook strangled by competition in Cambodia Telecom sector revenue on target Viettel: Success story in business and defence Viettel looking back at ten years of development 4G services set to spark mobile price war Viettel deploys largest OCS system … [Read more...]

Viettel’s current size and strength is thanks to its scientific projects and technology innovation that have the potential to influence Vietnamese policies and thereby become new motivations for other enterprises established after Viettel to learn and flourish in the future. Minister Chu Ngoc Anh was not tight-fisted with compliments for Viettel's achievements RELATED CONTENTS: Viettel deploys largest OCS system ever Viettel accelerating foreign expansion Following BKAV, Viettel aims to make luxury smartphone Viettel sets 4G world record in ‘impossible’ time Viettel holds upper hand in final phase … [Read more...]

Organized by the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) under the MST, AWGIPC 53 will focus on the ASEAN’s action program on intellectual property (IP) for the 2016-2025 period and IP cooperation between ASEAN and its partners. Delegates at AWGIPC 53 in Laos. (Photo: aseanip.org) On the sidelines of the meeting, the NOIP and the Quang Ninh provincial Department of Science and Technology will jointly study and exchange experience on geographical indication- related registration and protection in Quang Ninh province with the aim of implementing geographical indication initiatives in the ASEAN’s action program on IP for the 2016-2025 period. ASEAN promotes their IP cooperation through activities of the AWGIPC which convenes three times a year. The group’s operation is based on the ASEAN framework agreement on IP cooperation, which was approved at the fifth ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand in … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – Talented students, teachers and observers are taking part in the sixth ASEAN Plus Three Junior Science Odyssey (APT JSO-6) event, which is taking place in Vietnam for the first time with the theme “Renewable Energy For Life”. The event opened in Hanoi on July 11 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN this year. In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Quoc Khanh said this year’s theme of “Renewable Energy for Life” demonstrates that the development of renewable energy is essential to ensuring energy security, environmental protection, coping with climate change and improving public health. It is among the aims of the ASEAN Plus Three for the Gifted in Science (ACGS)’s annual event to encourage and nurture gifted students in the field of science and technology, he added. The event attracts about 180 students, teachers and observers from ten ASEAN countries and its three partner … [Read more...]

PARIS: A monsoon-like rainstorm dumped a record amount of rain on Paris, flooding streets, snarling traffic and briefly forcing the closure of metro stations, officials said Monday (Jul 10). The storm dumped the most rain on Paris over a one-hour period since reliable record-keeping began AFP/Christophe DELATTRE The national weather service Meteo France said 6.8cm of rain fell in a violent two-hour storm late Sunday, dramatically ending days of hot and humid weather. A record-breaking 4.9cm fell in one hour, equivalent to three weeks' rainfall in an average July, the agency said. The previous one-hour record for rainfall in Paris was set on Jul 2, 1995, when 4.7cm were recorded. Sunday's downpour forced the closure of about 15 stations due to flooding, three of which remained shuttered early Monday, … [Read more...]

NDO – A series of international scientific conferences on cosmology and experimental research on neutrino opened at International Centre of Interdisciplinary Science Education (ICISE), in the city of Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh province, on July 10. The opening gathered together honoured guests from Quy Nhon provincial People’s Committee, the French Embassy in Vietnam and over 120 scientists from 20 countries around the world. These are two of a series of 18 international conferences on space science, to be held at ICISE in 2017, which are part of the 13th Meeting Vietnam 2017. Scientific conferences are held to discuss issues studied in cosmic radiation, dark energy, massive objects in the universe, neutrinos in the atmosphere, and problems in Neutrino accelerators. Parallel to the conference, the class "Vietnam school on neutrino" will also organised with the participation of more than 20 young Vietnamese scientists and is supported by leading Neutrino … [Read more...]

The 3rd Việt Nam International Fingerstyle Guitar Festival will be held in Hà Nội and HCM City on July 18 & 19. His own style: Belgian guitarist Jacques Stotzem. - Photo fanart.tv.com Five artists will perform at the festival: American Justin King; Belgian Jacques Stotzem; Spaniard Augstin Amigo; Japanese Akihiro Tanaka and Vietnamese Duy Phong.  Phong will perform two Vietnamese pieces Tóc Ngắn (Short Hair) and Mẹ Yêu Con (Mother Loves Her Child). Tóc Ngắn is a popular song first brought out by A-listed pop singer Mỹ Linh in 2000. It was arranged by Phong. Mẹ Yêu Con was composed by Nguyễn Văn Tý in 1956. It is one of the most loved songs about maternal love. Tý used lullabies from the north and emotional lyrics … [Read more...]

NDO – The Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, was presented with the Labour Order first class at a ceremony held in Hanoi on July 8. The Order is the noble reward from the Party and State in recognition of the significant contributions the directorate has made to the nation over the past 55 years. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam attended the event and granted the Labour Order to the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality. Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh affirmed that the directorate, along with the metrology systems across the country, is an effective tool of State management and is among the leading sectors directly serving socio-economic development. Quality measurement standards help to ensure equality in commercial transactions while the use of advanced management systems help enterprises to raise their productivity, quality and competitiveness … [Read more...]

Viet Nam’s regulations on the standard and condition of foreign equipment, facilities and technological lines to be imported to the country are facing objections from foreign enterprises. Police officers inspect a warehouse that stores illegally imported electronic parts. A number of enterprises and associations have requested the Prime Minister to loosen up regulations on the matter, which were stated in Circular 23, issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) in November 2015, according to Đỗ Hoài Nam, director of MoST’s department of technology appraisal, examination and assessment. These associations, especially the Japanese Association in Việt Nam, said that the strict regulations are preventing new foreign investments from coming to Việt Nam, such as a new wave of Japanese enterprises planning to move their entire factories to the country, Nam said. “The … [Read more...]

Nguyen Toan Thang, director of the city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, spoke at a recent meeting with city leaders about the proposals. HCM City has three landfills that have stopped receiving garbage, covering a total area of about 118ha, including Dong Thanh landfill in Hoc Mon District, Go Cat in Binh Tan District and Phuoc Hiep in Cu Chi District. These landfills still contain more than 25 million tonnes of waste. Six investors, mostly local, have submitted proposals to the city. Some investors have proposed resolving all the buried waste and using the land to build golf courses and parks. Thắng said the city was considering the proposals. Meanwhile, most households living near the Đông Thạnh landfill in Hóc Môn District have not been informed about the plan to close the landfill to make way for property projects. Tran Van Uoc, who lives next to the landfill, said “The landfill has … [Read more...]

HCMC to seal fuel pump meters to curb tax lossesVan Nam HCMC – Authorities in HCMC will start a project in September to seal fuel pump meters at gas stations citywide to prevent tax losses and fraud. The city government on Tuesday approved a plan for strengthening the capacity of fuel tax management. In the plan, the Tax Department of the city will propose establishing a unit responsible for issuing and managing seals in accordance with the law. Fuel trading enterprises will get a notice five days before the pump meters at their gas stations are sealed. The Tax Department will conduct snap inspections into gas stations to make sure the seals are intact. The department will inform the Department of Science and Technology of violations and propose sanctions. The plan is aimed at improving fuel trade and tax collections, raising awareness of compliance with regulations, creating a level playing field for fuel traders and protecting the interests of consumers. The city … [Read more...]

Hi-tech agriculture encounters multiple obstaclesThuy Dung HANOI – Hi-tech agriculture, though identified as the right thing to do with the agricultural sector, is facing a slew of barriers like limited access to markets and loans. Mere investments in hi-tech agriculture are insufficient to enhance the competitiveness of agricultural products, Le Thanh, head of the Institute of Vietnam Organic Agricultural Economics, said at a seminar in Hanoi on Tuesday. He stressed hi-tech agriculture is technically a production method, not an economic model, so it should be treated as part of the value chain. If investors inject a staggering VND3-4 trillion into hi-tech agriculture without having outlets, it would become a heavy burden for enterprises and banks, he explained. Tran Van Tan, deputy head of the Credit Department under the State Bank of Vietnam, said the application of advanced technology to produce clean products is unprecedented in Vietnam, so there … [Read more...]

The Australia Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC) concluded that it would stop investigations and not to impose countervailing duty on aluminium extrusions imported from Viet Nam, according to the Viet Nam Competition Authority (VCA) on Tuesday. ADC concludes that the dumping margin for Vietnamese cooperative exporters ranges from 7.7 per cent to 18 per cent while for uncooperative exporters is 34.9 per cent. - Photo cafef.vn The ADC, which is under the Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, completed the investigation into the alleged dumping of certain aluminium extrusions exported to Australia from Malaysia and Viet Nam. Accordingly, ADC concludes that the dumping margin for Vietnamese cooperative exporters ranges from 7.7 per cent to 18 per cent while for non-cooperative exporters is 34.9 per … [Read more...]

In addition to boosting auto manufacturing co-operation with Belarus, Vietnam has furthered its energy and industrial co-operation ties with Russia. Oil and gas remains a priority co-operation area between Vietnam and Russia, source: VNA During State President Tran Dai Quang’s first official visits to Belarus and Russia from June 26 to July 1, he and leaders of both countries agreed to grow trade and investment co-operation under new commitments. On Quang’s June 28-July 1 visit to Russia, the two countries agreed to continue deepening their co-operation in oil refining, petrochemicals, and the production and sale of gas engine fuel on the Vietnamese market. Russia will also supply liquefied natural gas to the Vietnamese market. “We examined opportunities for new projects and agreed on … [Read more...]

Organized every five years by the HCM City Writers Association, this year’s event attracted more than 100 writers born in the 1980s from HCM City and the Mekong River Delta. Huynh Trong Khang, 23, popular for his novel Mo Phan Tuoi Tre (Tomb of Youth), said that his works respected readers and that he always tried to deepen his knowledge to produce quality works that can enhance readers’ tastes. “Never allow yourselves to fall behind,” Khang said. Young writers taking part in a field trip in HCM City as part of the fourth meeting for young writers organized by the city’s Writers Association. Photo: courtesy of Writers Association. Nguyen Dinh Minh Khue, Head of the Young Pen Club at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said: “Young writers are focusing a lot on youth’s feelings such as love, hatred, heartbreaks and loneliness.” Some of the books have … [Read more...]

NDO – Trade ties between Vietnam and the European Union (EU) have grown rapidly in recent times, with Vietnam always recording a significant trade surplus with this vast market. However, the EU is a market with strict requirements in terms of quality and safety standards, which not all Vietnamese businesses are capable of satisfying. Hence, the official visit made to the EU by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc from July 4-12 is expected to create a new impulse for strengthening Vietnam-EU trade relations in an extensive fashion. Huge potential According to the European Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), the EU accounts for a large proportion in trade ties between Vietnam and Europe. Notably, Vietnam-EU trade revenues increased 11 times, from US$4.1 billion in 2000 to over US$45 billion in 2016. In the first five months of 2017, two-way trade reached US$19.6 billion, representing an over-13.6% increase year on year, with Vietnam … [Read more...]