Delegates discuss on the reform of the investment climate in APEC member economies at the Investment Experts’ Group (IEG) meeting held in HCM City on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa Promoting trade and investment and reforming the investment climate in APEC member economies were discussed at the Investment Experts’ Group (IEG) meeting held in HCM City on Monday as part of the ongoing third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting and related meetings. The two-day meeting held under the aegis of the Committee of Trade and Investment saw officials from 21 APEC members and experts from international organizations take part. “One of the big topics is of course the examination of the next generation’s trade investment issues, which is something that APEC members identify as the issue for the future, and we are going to look at them from the investment perspective,” IEG convener Maxim Berdichevsky, … [Read more...]

Delegates discuss ways to enhance regulators’ expertise as it relates to the WTO agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) in the Asia-Pacific region at a workshop held in HCM City on August 21. — VNS Photo Bo Xuan Hiep Improving the ability of regulators to conform to the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will help APEC economies avoid trade impediments and have better access to international markets, experts said at a workshop held on Monday in HCM City. Ninety delegates from 21 APEC-member economies met to discuss ways to improve regulatory expertise and skills in developing technical regulations. The workshop was held within the framework of the third Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3) now being held in the city. Nguyen Van Khoi, deputy director general of Viet Nam’s Department of Standards, Standardisation, Metrology and Quality under the Ministry of Science … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Dr Hong-Sang Jung, executive director of the APEC Climate Center, speaks to Viet Nam News on the sidelines of the APEC Food Security Week in Can Tho about the significance of utilising climate information to develop sustainable agriculture in APEC economies. Dr Hong-Sang Jung, executive director of the APEC Climate Center, speaks to Viet Nam News on the sidelines of the APEC Food Security Week in Can Tho What are the main focuses of the APEC Climate Center? Please tell us about some of its notable activities since establishment? The APEC Climate Centre’s roles focus on three main areas. One is providing climate prediction information. We collect information about temperature and rainfall, etc. This information is mainly used by meteorological agencies in developing economies to produce their own climate … [Read more...]

Thousands of local and foreign tourists flocked to Bùi Viện Walking Street in the popular backpacker area of HCM City’s District 1 as it officially welcomed walkers at its grand opening last night. Hitting the street: Thousands of local and foreign tourists flocked to Bùi Viện Walking Street as it officially opened to tourists last night. - VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp The street will be reserved exclusively for pedestrians from 7pm to 2am at weekends. During this time, vendors will be allowed to display their merchandise on the pavement, but not on the road. Two stages for live music performances will also be set up at the two ends of the street, promoting both Vietnamese folk songs and international music. In addition, tourists will enjoy free Wi-Fi services, … [Read more...]

A Vietnamese scientist has invented and successfully tested a firefighting liquid that can douse fire in one-tenth of a second, which will be a great help in controlling widespread blazes. Testing new firefighting liquid. - Photo courtesy of Dr Doãn Hà Thắng The liquid will make it much easier and faster to stamp out a large fire compared to traditional methods of firefighting that use materials such as water, carbon dioxide and foam. Dr Doãn Hà Thắng, one of the first Vietnamese scientists being trained in plasma physics in Japan, has invented the material based on global research on extinguishing fire using space technology. Thắng is chief of Việt Nam Space Committee’s Office and the “founding father” of Việt Nam’s first English-teaching … [Read more...]

The Committee on Trade and Investment held a workshop on Strengthening Transparency and Participation in the Process of Negotiation of Trade Agreements in HCM City on Sunday. – VNS Photo Hoang Nam There is a lack of information about policy in trade negotiations in some countries and territories, and experience shows that many would like to have a voice in the process, an APEC workshop heard. The Committee on Trade and Investment held a workshop on strengthening transparency and participation in the process of negotiation of trade agreements in HCM City on Sunday within the framework of the third Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3) and related meetings. Speaking at the workshop, moderator Filipe Lopeandia, head of the TPP Department and OECD Department at the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “This worshop directly focuses on a general debate on how different economies are conducting their trade negotiations … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam News reporter Hoang Anh talks to Chuck Searcy, Vice President of Project RENEW and Co-chair of the Agent Orange Working Group. Chuck Searcy, Vice President of Project RENEW and Co-chair of the Agent Orange Working Group. — Photo pbs.org When did you come to Viet Nam and what motivated your decision? The first time I came to Viet Nam was in 1967, as a 20-year-old soldier in the US Army. The year I spent in the war had a profound impact on me. That experience made me hate war. I saw the lies used by the US government to win support from the American people to continue the war, and I saw the death and destruction, the pain and the sorrow being caused to American families, but especially the terrible and tragic costs to the Vietnamese people. When I left the war zone in 1968, I knew that … [Read more...]

Workshop participants at an APEC’s SOM 3 meeting discuss best practices to identify illegal timber and wood products. — Photo apect2017.vn Eliminating illegal timber from supply chains and the global timber trade requires the use of best practices and tools that can precisely identify illegal products, experts said at a two-day workshop held during the third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM-3), which began yesterday in HCM City. Dr Nguyen Van Ha, deputy director general of Viet Nam Administration of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that stronger anti-smuggling activities conducted by local customs departments would be the most effective measure to prevent the illegal timber trade. He said that Vietnamese customs’ offices had improved their risk management systems by recording information on enterprises that violate regulations on the trade of … [Read more...]

Delegates take a group photo at the workshop. – VNS Photo Thu Ngan Developing standards systems in addition to connecting and sharing experiences with members will help APEC economies successfully develop smart cities, heard a workshop on “Best practices sharing of standards and conformity assessment implementation on smart cities in APEC region” held in HCM City on Friday. Hosted by Viet Nam’s Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ), the conference was one of the first two of the Sub-committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) on the opening day of SOM 3. The workshop, an initiative by Viet Nam that was approved at SOM 1, aimed at connecting APEC members and promoting and sharing the application of standards and conformity assessment of products, services and management systems related to the sustainable development of smart cities in APEC. More than 100 delegates took part in … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Culture researcher Huu Ngoc has been awarded Grand Prize at the Bui Xuan Phai - For the Love of Ha Noi Awards for lifelong research and huge contribution to popularising Ha Noi culture.  Doyen of culture: Chairman of Ha Noi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (left) and Vietnam News Agency General Director Nguyen Duc Loi fetes veteran culture researcher Huu Ngoc. — Photo thethaovanhoa.vn In 70 years of writing, the researcher has penned about 34 books in foreign languages including A Sketch of Ha Noi Culture in English and French. The book was a special present to the leaders at the 7th Francophone Meeting in Ha Noi in 1997.  At that time, it was the first book introducing Ha Noi to foreigners since 1945. It was reprinted in 2010 on the occasion of celebrating Thang Long - Ha Noi’s 1000th … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – A collection of 130 photos of women by noted Vietnamese photographer Nguyen Quoc Dung is being published this month in a retrospective of his 20-year career. A sexy woman in old brassieres. The collection, entitled “Mua Nang Phai” (Season of Faded Sunlight, includes black and white, color and photoshopped photos capturing Vietnamese women in traditional ao dai (long dress) and ao yem (brassieres). “These are the best photos I have taken in the past 20 years,” Dung, who is better known as Dzung Art, told Viet Nam News. “At first, I took photos of women in traditional costumes to collect materials for drawings. The more photos I took, the more inspiration I found and the more encouragements I got from audiences.” The photos reflect Dung’s start as a painter, being a combination of … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Auricular acupuncture is a good option for the treatment of smoking addiction as Viet Nam every year has more than 30,000 people die due to diseases caused by smoking, Asso.Prof Nguyen Thi Tan, dean of Faculty of Traditional Medicine at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, told Viet Nam News. A doctor from the HCM City Traditional Medical Institute is using auricular acupuncture to treat diseases caused by smoking. — Photo: Che Trung/VNS “With the technique, four one-millimetre or 1.5- millimetre needles are inserted into four acupuncture points on the external ear surface,” Tan said at the sideline of a conference on Saturday (August 12) on application of auricular acupuncture and hydro-acupuncture, in which vitamins and medicine are injected into body points for … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Nam Tra My District in Quang Nam Province will host the first monthly Ngoc Linh ginseng market from September 29 to October 1. Promising root: Ngoc Linh ginseng harvested at a mountain farm in Nam Tra My District.  The chairman of the district people’s committee, Ho Quang Buu, told Viet Nam News the market in the south central province would provide a meeting point for tourists, investors, traders and local growers of Panax vietnamensis, better known as Vietnamese ginseng. He said the market, to be held every month between the 10th and 12th, would help boost the sale of local medical herbs, farm produce and forestry products, as well as improve the living standard of ethnic groups in the mountainous district. “We will allocate the culture and sport centre in the district to display … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – A Folk Music Festival is being held every Saturday on an open stage at the Dong Xuan Market in the capital city. The event is organised by the Viet Nam Art and Folk Music Development Centre, and features some 80 performances by individuals and folk music clubs in Ha Noi, HCM City and several northern provinces. Illustrative image -- File photo The centre was established in 2006 to revive traditional music genres such as ca tru (ceremonial singing) and xam (blind busker singing). Musician Thao Giang - one of the centre’s founders, has been working hard to revive xam.  His piece, Ke Chuyen Ngay Mua (Telling Stories during the Crop Season) is always part of the repertoire of Vietnamese art troupes when they perform abroad. Giang spoke to Viet Nam News about his work.  Why did you choose … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – The central province plans to build a sculpture park in the My Son Sanctuary to honour people for their contributions to preserving and restoring its cultural heritages, earning them the UNESCO recognition. Ancient: A Cham tower at the UNESCO-recognised world heritage My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam Province. The province plans to build a statue park in the area.  The Chairman of Duy Xuyen District’s People’s Committee, Nguyen Cong Dung told Viet Nam News the park will be designed as a destination for tourists when visiting Cham towers complex in My Son. ‘We have been collecting opinions and ideas in making an official design for the park. It will serve as a part of introduction of the My Son Sanctuary and history of preservation of the heritage,” Dung said. “The best … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Two stones found at a construction site in Quang Ngai City last week are vestiges of a complex of Cham Towers that used to stand in the area more than a millennia ago, officials believe. Historical vestige: A stone found on a construction site has been identified as being part of a Cham Tower built between the 10th and 11th centuries in what is Quang Ngai Province today. Photos: Huyen Trang/VNS Nguyen Dang Vu, Director of the provincial Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, told Viet Nam News that the two stones – 80cm and 1.3m long – are thought to be from the Chanh Le Tower, built in the 10th or 11th century. He said the two stones were unearthed when workers were digging at a construction site on Le Huu Trac Street. “These stones are left from the ruined Cham tower in the province. … [Read more...]

In the first seven months of 2017, Viet Nam’s pepper export volume was estimated at 145,000 tonnes and valued at $800 million, up 20.4 per cent in volume but down 18.2 per cent in value against the same period last year. — Photo tingialai.com Domestic pepper prices have been fluctuating abnormally from late July until now, with the VPA blaming price manipulating measures used by Chinese businesses. On July 28, pepper prices in the morning ranged from VND80,000 to VND86,000 (US$3.5 - $3.8) per kilo, then dropped to VND82,000 per kilo in the early afternoon. Currently, pepper prices are still bouncing up and down. Tran Huu Thang, a pepper farmer in the southern province of Dong Nai, said pepper prices in the province dove sharply to VND75,000 per kilo three weeks ago, however, on August 8, the prices rose to VND95,000 per kilo. Some pepper export enterprises attribute this price fluctuation … [Read more...]

Domestic pepper prices have been fluctuating abnormally from late July until now, with the VPA blaming price manipulating measures used by Chinese businesses. In the first seven months of 2017, Việt Nam’s pepper export volume was estimated at 145,000 tonnes and valued at $800 million, up 20.4 per cent in volume but down 18.2 per cent in value against the same period last year. - Photo tingialai.com On July 28, pepper prices in the morning ranged from VNĐ80,000 to VNĐ86,000 (US$3.5 - $3.8) per kilo, then dropped to VNĐ82,000 per kilo in the early afternoon. Currently, pepper prices are still bouncing up and down. Trần Hữu Thắng, a pepper farmer in the southern province of Đồng Nai, said pepper prices in the province dove sharply to VNĐ75,000 per kilo three … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – A number of dorms at universities in HCM City have set up programmes to offer free or low-cost dormitory rooms for eligible students. Co May Dormitory on the campus of Nong Lam University in Thu Duc District this year will provide free accommodations for 100 poor students with high scores on the National High School Graduation Examination.  Students from poor families such as Nguyen Minh Nghia from the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap are given first priority.  “My brother and I study at university, but my family is too poor to afford the costs for our tuition and accommodation,” Nghia told Viet Nam News. Nghia, a second-year student at the HCM City University of Architecture, studies at a branch campus in the outlying district of Thu Duc near Binh Duong Province. During … [Read more...]

A view of Chu Lai Port in the central province of Quang Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Tinh Quang Nam Province has put into operation the Chu Lai Port as a key logistics hub for the central and Central Highlands region after a one-year upgrade and expansion. The project carried out by the Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) included the expansion of the berth upstream, the expansion and upgrading of the warehouse system and the completion of infrastructure, Tran Huu Hoang, Director of THACO Logistics Co., Ltd and Director of Chu Lai Port told Viet Nam News. The project cost VND120 billion (US$5.2 million), raising the level of investment to build Chu Lai Port from 2010 to the present to nearly VND800 billion, he said. “The port hosted 150 cargo ships with a total 600,000 tonnes of cargo including 23,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in the first six months this year,” said … [Read more...]