Golf project recalled after criminal deforestation

Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung speaks at the meeting on February 26 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Ministries and agencies should speed up the implementation of tasks regarding legal documents assigned by the Government and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, so that there will be no overdue documents during the 2016-2021 tenure, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung said at a meeting on February 26. Dung, who is also head of a working group set up by the PM for the work, presided over the meeting with ministries and agencies on the building and issuance of documents that give detailed guidance on laws and ordinances, and the progress of projects in the working programme of the Government and the PM in the first quarter of this year. The meeting in Hanoi on February 26 (Photo: VNA) He suggested that agencies in charge of compiling decrees coordinate with the Government Office to collect feedback from Cabinet members and relevant ministries and agencies, and report to the PM as soon as possible. Regarding the working programme of the Government and the PM, the Government Office reported that 89 projects were to be submitted in the first quarter. As of February 25, ministries and agencies had submitted 21. Of the remainder, there are 57 projects still within deadlines and 11 overdue projects, making up 12.3 percent. The overdue projects are part of the 2020 work and transferred to January 2021./. VNA …

[Read more...] about Government strives to ensure no overdue documents from 2016-2021 tenure

Projects such as Bunge’s agribusiness are expected to increase in number through stronger US ties. Photo: Le Toan In his first few days in office five years ago, President Donald Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was a pillar of the Barack Obama administration’s pivot towards Asia. The remaining 11 member states have since reframed the agreement as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and President Joe Biden’s commitment to rebuilding relations with allies has sparked speculation about the US returning to the fold. Fitch Solutions under global ratings firm Fitch Group told VIR in a statement that Vietnamese trade would receive a surefire boost should new Biden decide to rejoin the CPTPP. “Biden stated in 2019 that the US should renegotiate parts of the CPTPP and re-assemble a coalition to counterbalance China’s perceived expansionist policies. The Trump administration withdrew from the original deal in 2017 under the pretext that it would harm US workers. A scenario where the US rejoins the CPTPP would deliver substantial tailwinds to Vietnamese exports to the US from lower tariffs in major export categories,” Fitch said. In fact, the CPTPP may offer great windfalls to the US. Statistics from law firm Duane Morris Vietnam LLC showed that the population of the CPTPP countries exceeded 513 million people as of October 2020. The CPTPP countries account for nearly 45 per cent of US total exports and 37.6 per cent of US general imports in 2014. By cutting over 18,000 taxes in regards to CPTPP, there would be a great benefit for American importers and exporters by enabling them to enter new markets. As the United States International Trade Commission estimates, the US exports of goods and services to the world would expand by $27.2 billion by 2032 thanks to the CPTPP, while US imports would expand by $48.9 billion. Oliver Massmann, general director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC, pointed out …

[Read more...] about Fresh dawn kindles for US-Vietnam relationship

But every day, even in the cold of the northern winter, he stands by the front door of his house to gaze at the forest with pride and happiness. The trees were all planted by him and his family over 50 years, and his life has been dedicated to growing and protecting them. Cao belongs to the Dao ethnic group, and lives in Tan Dan Commune in Ha Long Town of Quang Ninh Province, home to the world-famous bay. Trieu Tai Cao at his home in Ha Long in Quang Ninh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong. The Dao used to be nomadic, felling forests to meet their temporary land needs for cattle and crops before moving on. It was not until 1968 that they started to settle. By then Cao had started thinking about growing trees. He began to look around for seedlings of valuable timber trees such as ironwood, shorea and apitong. Between 1970 and 1980 he and his family planted those and other trees on 32 hectares (80 acres). They faced a lot of challenges in protecting the forest initially because there were no regulations for transferring forest lands to local residents, meaning his family had no authority to manage the forest. In 1992 the government announced a policy of handing over forests for people to maintain and exploit sustainably. "I love our family’s forest," Cao says. "Thanks to that policy, I could continue growing timber while many people around us opted for growing wattle, also known as acacia." Growing acacia takes less time and effort and starts providing an income sooner than timber. Now the forest has around 600 ironwood trees aged 40-70 years besides hundreds of other timber trees. Trieu Tien Loc in his family’s forest in Ha Long in Quang Ninh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong. "I am close to death now and have fulfilled my wish to leave the future generations a forest with such valuable trees. "Forests are humans’ lungs and should not be treated as public property. So I also wish my children and …

[Read more...] about Man spends decades growing trees, says bequest to future generations