Over 12.7ha of remediated land at the Đà Nẵng International Airport, part of a major Agent Orange clean-up project, will be returned to the Ministry of Transport under an agreement signed on Wednesday. A 12.7ha area of dioxin contaminated land has been returned to the Transport Ministry after cleaning the soil of dioxin. VNS Photo Công Thành The agreement was signed by representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, Air Defence-Air Force Command (ADAFC) and the US Agency of International Development (USAID). This is the second portion of land to be turned over for new development as part of expansion of the Đà Nẵng International Airport, while USAID and the Ministry of National Defence continue their collaboration to clean up dioxin contaminated soil and sediment at … [Read more...]

Nearly 80 professors, scientists and researchers from 17 countries gathered at an international conference themed “Star formation in different environments” in Binh Dinh province (Source: Dailymail)   Binh Dinh (VNA) – Nearly 80 professors, scientists and researchers from 17 countries gathered at an international conference themed “Star formation in different environments” that opened at the International Centre of Interdisciplinary Science Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon city, the central province of Binh Dinh, on August 7. As part of activities of the 13th “Rencontres du Vietnam” (Meet Vietnam) science programme, the event also drew the participation of 30 Vietnamese students who love science from universities across the country. The conference, to last until August 12, is jointly held by the Meet Vietnam Association, … [Read more...]

Together with strong interests in real estate, construction, and manufacturing, Singaporean investors have been trending towards healthcare and renewable energy projects in Vietnam to cash in on rising local demand and the government’s supporting policies. Bich Thuy reports. Singaporean firms are finding robust opportunities in a wide variety of local industries In April, SHS Holdings and Singapore’s Sinenergy Holdings signed a memorandum of understanding with Ninh Thuan province to develop a $360 million solar power and high-tech agriculture complex. The 300MW solar farm project is slated for completion in July 2019. That same month, Singapore-based The Blue Circle and Vietnam’s TSV commenced work on the Dam Nai wind farm in Ninh Thuan, marking the official entry of The Blue Circle into the local renewable … [Read more...]

Banks disburse VND9 trillion for fishing boat building programThuy Dung HANOI – Commercial banks have disbursed VND9 trillion (US$400 million) to build 761 new offshore fishing boats and upgrade 40 deteriorating ones under a program launched three years ago by the Government. However, the program’s success has been discounted by recent irregularities over the building of steel vessels in central provinces, heard a conference held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Hanoi on August 1. At the conference to review the implementation of the Government’s Decree 67/2014/ND-CP dated July 7, 2014, representatives of coastal provinces said 761 fishing boats had been put into use under the program, including 301 steel, 53 composite and 407 wooden ships. Banks have signed credit deals to lend more than VND9.9 trillion to build and upgrade fishing boats, and have disbursed over VND9 trillion. The outstanding loans for fishermen as of now total some … [Read more...]

The investigation into and trial of many major cases monitored by the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption must be accelerated in the remaining months of 2017 as directed by the committee at its 12th meeting in Hanoi on July 31. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the 12th meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption on July 31 The committee pointed out seven focal task groups for the rest of the year, including the continued leadership over and direction of the implementation of the Party and the State’s regulations on anti-corruption, and making stronger changes in this work, especially at the grassroots level. It will order more examination, inspection and auditing, particularly in corruption-prone fields. The committee required prompt inspection, clarification of the cause and responsibility, and strict handling of organisations and individuals with violations at nine big … [Read more...]

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the 12th meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption on July 31 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The investigation into and trial of many major cases monitored by the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption must be accelerated in the remaining months of 2017 as directed by the committee at its 12th meeting in Hanoi on July 31. The committee pointed out seven focal task groups for the rest of the year, including the continued leadership over and direction of the implementation of the Party and the State’s regulations on anti-corruption, and making stronger changes in this work, especially at the grassroots level. It will order more examination, inspection and auditing, particularly in corruption-prone fields. The committee required prompt inspection, clarification of the cause and responsibility, and … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – The central Binh Dinh Province received its first-ever Science Avenue following a naming ceremony co-organised by provincial People’s Committee and the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) on Thursday. Professor Gerard’t Hooft (second, right) and Professor Tran Thanh Van (first right) have a chat following a ceremony held to name the Science Avenue in coastal city of Quy Nhon. — Photo tuoitre.vn The Science Avenue connects National Highway 1D and the science and education urban area located in Zone II in coastal city of Quy Nhon’s Ghenh Rang Ward. The 192ha urban area is home to the ICISE, a scientific space complex and research institutes.  Speaking at the ceremony, co-owner of 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics Professor Gerard’t Hooft said it … [Read more...]

Tanh’s real name is Phan Ngoc An, born on August 9,1943, in Phuoc Thuan commune, Tuy Phuoc district, central Binh Dinh province. Tanh has registered his residency in Lien Tri Pagoda, at 153 Luong Dinh Cua street, precinct 2, Ho Chi Minh City. He has been an accomplice of Thich Quang Do for quite a long time. Thanks to that he holds some “key positions” in the so-called organisation “Unified Vietnam Buddhist Church” which has not been licensed by the government. From 1978-1986, Tanh was sent to the re-education camp on the charge of carrying out subversive activities. In 1987, Tanh was set free and continued to practise in Lien Tri Pagoda. Instead of feeling ashamed of what he had done, Tanh continued to carry out activities against the regime on orders from Thich Quang Do and Vietnamese reactionary forces exiled abroad. On October 2,1992 Tanh was caught red-handed distributing anti-government documents and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and … [Read more...]

They intended to oppose the authorities and undermine the Party and State’s policy on national unity. They also deliberately acted against Buddha’s teaching to support their own political moves. Bonze Thich Huyen Quang became seriously ill last month. Some elements from southern locations such as Quang Do, Vien Dinh and Khong Tanh, calling themselves Buddhists, visited him in Nguyen Thieu monastery in Binh Dinh province where he was receiving medical treatment. Under the pretext of taking care of the Bonze, they attempted to make the situation ever more confounded. Even when Huyen Quang’s health became critical, they continued to put pressure on his followers to take him to Ho Chi Minh City or Hue. Then, before Huyen Quang’s death, they claimed the right to organise his funeral and arrange the leading positions in the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam. Those moves were aimed at legalising and publicising the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam. To develop … [Read more...]

Senior Buddhist monk Thich Huyen Quang was admitted to Binh Dinh General Hospital on May 27 due to his breathing difficulties and heart failure. He had received medical treatment and good care from the doctors, his assistants and followers until he passed away on July 5 at the age of 90. While he was in hospital, representatives from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Executive Councils of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha chapters in Binh Dinh, Thua Thien-Hue and Khanh Hoa provinces and other localities visited to inquire into his health and they all wished him a quick recovery.However, several elements who claimed to represent the Paris-based International Buddhist Information Bureau made slanderous charges against the local authorities and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, saying that the administration is to blame for no religious freedom in Vietnam. In fact, they have recently worked in cahoots with other reactionaries wearing monk’s robes … [Read more...]

After a day of touring the province's capital of Quy Nhon, some 16 kilometers from the re- sort, tired travelers often can't wait to get to their final destination - the Life Spa of the four-star resort, which recently received the "Vietnam's Best Wellness Resort" award from Vietnam Economic Times. The spa oasis in the garden across a wooden bridge has five outdoor treatment bungalows, three indoor suites, six bathtubs, showers, lemon-grass scented steam baths, dry sand and salt sauna, and outdoor ponds. Manager Ronald Ganswindt waits at the spa to advise guests on the treatments they need. The dry sand and salt sauna may be a priority to detoxify the body and revitalise the skin. The therapist digs a hole to cover guests neck-deep in a mixture of sea salt and white sand. A heater underneath the mixture helps the body release toxins, leaving guests with a refreshed feeling, despite the heat. A steam bath with lemon-grass scent and a body massage follow the sauna and shower. For the … [Read more...]

Sixty tourists have visited Cham temple towers in Tuy Phuoc district and Quang Trung museum in Tay Son district. The remaining 40 travellers toured Quy Nhon city. The cruise ship then continued its journey to Danang city and Halong Bay. This is the third time the cruise ship has arrived at Quy Nhon port since December 29, 2014, bringing a total of 327 foreign visitors to Binh Dinh province. Star Pride has carried out many sea tours in Vietnam. After receiving tourists from Haiphong or Ho Chi Minh City, it will take them to other cities and provinces to discover Vietnam’s people and landscape. In 2014, Binh Dinh received two million arrivals for the first time. The figure is forecast to increase considerably this year. … [Read more...]

In recent years Quy Nhon, the capital of Binh Dinh Province, has emerged as a picturesque coastal city with rich tourism, economic and scientific research potential. Despite its limited area, the city abounds in lush greenery. At its very heart lies a six-hectare green urban space zone which is situated on Nguyen Tat Thanh and An Duong Vuong Streets and stretches to the beaches in Quy Nhon Bay. The green space was created with help from the local government. Ho Quoc Dung, chair of the provincial People’s Committee, said the urban green space is the fruit of the concerted resolve made by generations of provincial and municipal leaders for more than 20 years. “Our predecessors were well aware that allowing short-term investment or rampant construction of high-rises would add money to the provincial budget, but at the permanent cost of the city losing its identity and tourist appeal,” he noted. “It was a bold decision to turn the over-6-hectare plot at the primest … [Read more...]

The eco-friendly vehicles, worth around VND300 million (US$13,390) each, can reach a maximum speed of 30 kilometers per hour and carry 12 people, including the driver. Assembled in China based on Danish technology, these electric cars need a break to recharge after every 110 kilometers. Besides visiting popular local tourist destinations, the cars travel around five main streets in Quy Nhon, which is the capital of Binh Dinh Province: Nguyen Tat Thanh, Xuan Dieu, An Duong Vuong, Le Hong Phong, and Phan Boi Chau. The service, provided by local tour operator Eden JSC, costs VND20,000 (US$0.89) per ticket, and is offered from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm every day. The electric car model has been adopted in other places in Vietnam, namely Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sam Son Town in northern Thanh Hoa Province, Dong Hoi in central Quang Binh Province, and Cua Lo Town in central Nghe An Province. Hanoi, which is the country’s first locale to pilot electric cars in its Old Quarter in Hoan Kiem … [Read more...]

The reduction resulted in total earnings of US$327 million compared with the same period last year. Vietnamese tuna products were exported to 100 countries and territories, including the US, Japan, Israel and Canada, as well as the EU and the ASEAN region. From the first day to August 15, the tuna export value to the EU and Japan, two key export markets of local tuna products, fell by 23 % to $65.4 million and by 23.8 % to $12.8 million, respectively, against the same period last year. Meanwhile, the nation gained year-on-year growth of 13.8 % in tuna export value to reach $120 million for exports to the US and 8.8 % to reach $21.6 million for exports to the ASEAN region. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), tuna exports by this year-end have not shown signs of recovery, while the global demand for tuna has dropped and the supply of tuna has increased. Therefore, this year could be the third consecutive year of reductions in tuna exports, the … [Read more...]

The key projects included one by the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to develop the Rusvietpetro Joint Venture Company with a total investment of US$2.02 billion to explore and exploit oil and gas in Russia. PetroVietnam had also invested a total of US$125 million in another oil exploitation project in Russia. Another large project by a Vietnamese investor in Russia involved building the Hanoi Moscow Trading Centre, with a total investment of US$190 million. Meanwhile, the agency reported by the end of September that Russian investors had registered to invest US$1.96 billion in 114 projects in Vietnam. Russia has ranked 17th on the list of 105 nations and territories investing in Vietnam. Russia has made its largest investment in the processing and manufacturing sector, with US$1.13 billion, accounting for 58% of its total investment in the country, distributed amongst 37 projects. Two other sectors receiving large Russian investments were mining and real estate, with … [Read more...]

The fever has also spread to 40 out of 63 communes and wards in the southern province of Ninh Thuan with nearly 300 cases. New outbreaks have been also reported Quy Nhon city, in Binh Dinh province. In mid-June, the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute have supervised the epidemic in three provinces of Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Binh Dinh and instructed local centers to use chemicals to kill mosquito larva on a large scale. It is worrying that July and August are the high seasons for dengue fever in the central region. So far, the Ministry of Health has not allocated any funds to local areas although some provinces have actively spent their budget on prevention activities. At the same time, many children have been hospitalized due to the hot weather. Most of the children have either pneumonia, respiratory disorders, high fevers, diarrhoea or dengue fever. In Quang Ngai province, nearly 130 children are undergoing treatment at the provincial hospital’s pediatrics department. Bac Kan … [Read more...]

The first workshop of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) has been jointly organised from Sept. 14-16 by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Da Nang City People’s Committee and the Rockefeller Foundation. Representatives from 10 cities in Thailand, India, Indonesia and Vietnam selected to join the ACCCRN project also took part in the workshop. Da Nang City, Can Tho City and Binh Dinh province in Vietnam are among the 10 targeted areas. The workshop agenda covered a series of issues related to climate change in Vietnam, its national response and policies, climate change scenarios, national programmes, climate change vulnerability in participating cities, an overview of India by ACCCRN, as well as lessons learned by Vietnam. … [Read more...]

The first person who died after three days in hospital with fever and breathing difficulties was a 46-year-old woman from Krong Pac District’s Hoa An Commune. The second patient, aged 42, from Dong Tam Commune, Dong Phu District, fell ill on Tuesday, was admitted to the provincial General Hospital on Friday and died on Saturday. Both had tested positive for the A/H1N1 flu virus at their local hospitals. The Ministry of Health is yet to confirm the reason for the deaths and if it is proved that they both died from swine flu, the number of fatalities from the virus in Vietnam will rise to nine. Meanwhile, the Tran Quang Dieu High School in Hoai An District, Central Binh Dinh Province has become the third in the province to have a field hospital erected on the premises to treat its pupils. The school has more than 50 pupils suspected of contracting the A/H1N1 flu virus. All the schools with suspected cases of A/H1N1 in An Nhon District of the same province have been closed until the … [Read more...]

Nguyen van Le, deputy head of the district committee for flood and storm control, said that there was no big loss to property as islanders had reinforced their homes and public works before the storm made landfall. However, more than 40 hectares of newly transplanted garlic were completely destroyed by the strong winds. Quang Ngai province evacuated 450,000 residents from low-lying areas to safe zones. It also asked all primary and secondary schools in flood-prone districts to close until the storm moves further inland and weakens into a tropical depression. Experts fear that the torrential rains that began on November 1 could trigger widespread flooding in the region. Mirinae, which produced sustained winds of 100km/h, tore off thousands of roofs, snapped power lines and brought down trees in Phu Yen province. It also lashed the coastal districts of Tuy An, Song Cau, Dong Hoa and Tuy Hoa city with heavy rains. Torrential rains plus rising flood tiles submerged many parts of the … [Read more...]