Public officials of the People's Committee of District 3 (HCMC) are handling administrative documents for residents. (Photo: SGGP) “The locomotive” is slowing down According to Professor - Dr. Nguyen Thi Canh, University of Economics and Law under the Vietnam National University HCMC, in 2019, the population of HCMC, excluding temporary residents, is about 9 million people. HCMC has the largest economic scale in the country, but in the past 2-3 years, due to the heavy impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the city's economy had gone down. HCMC's GRDP reached 21.92 percent of the national GDP in 2015, 22.27 percent in 2017, 21.8 percent in 2020, and 20.12 percent in 2021. Regarding the proportion of budget revenue in the area, HCMC contributed 30.49 percent to the national budget in 2016, but it was only more than 24 percent in the past two years. "HCMC's economy is going down with many indicators," Prof.-Dr. Nguyen Thi Canh emphasized. She added that in 2015, the export proportion … [Read more...] about HCMC needs new strategic resolution for development
Things to do in ho chi minh city
Constant re-planning of transport projects in Vietnam
Illustrative photo. In a pattern that seems to have prevailed for years, a transport project is usually put into operation soon after its inauguration, but then within a short time there is a need for its expansion or upgrade. What is more surprising is that even projects that are still under construction are being reconsidered for expansion or an upgrade. Such as in the case of the Hanoi Highway which has been expanded four times and still not complete. It may be that this Highway may even be further expanded. The Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh to Dau Giay Expressway was started in 2009 with an original design plan of four lanes, then soon after increased to six lanes and now being considered for eight lanes. For all we know it may also be extended to twelve lanes soon. The 17 km long metro line 1 has not yet been put into a trial operation but is being considered for an extension to include the route to Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces. More recently, the 51 km long Trung Luong … [Read more...] about Constant re-planning of transport projects in Vietnam
Vietnamese woman devotes heart, soul to saving thousands of cats, dogs from slaughter
Huynh Thi Nhu Quyen has spent the past six years saving thousands of cats and dogs from slaughterhouses in Ho Chi Minh City. About six years ago, Quyen’s dog disappeared. Fearing the worst, she turned the search for her missing dog toward local slaughterhouses. It was during this hunt, when she discovered dozens of cats and dogs locked away in cages waiting to be butchered, that she resolved to save as many cats and dogs as she could. Huynh Thi Nhu Quyen cares for cats and dogs at the rescue center in Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre On that trip she wound up buying each and every animal from the slaughterhouse. Now, more than six years later, she has saved nearly a thousand cats and dogs from sure demise. Over the years, Quyen’s rescue operation ballooned in size to the point that she was forced to move her rescues out of her home and into a shelter she built on a 2,000-squre-meter rented lot on Nguyen Thi Se Street … [Read more...] about Vietnamese woman devotes heart, soul to saving thousands of cats, dogs from slaughter
Vietnamese-Australian debuts in new K-pop girl group NewJeans
The group was launched in late July by All Doors One Room (Ador), a label under the HYBE group that represents K-pop titans BTS. Hanni, Korean-Australian singer Danielle, and three remaining Korean members - Minji, Haerin and Hyein - make up the group of five. Their ages range from 14 to 18 years old. Since their official debut on July 22, the group has dropped many MVs including "Hybe Boy," "Hurt," "Attention" and "Cookie." According to Allkpop, a website that covers news about K-pop, Hanni's appearance has become a hot topic. The site stated that many people complimented Hanni's appearance in online community posts, saying things like "She's so cute! I like her!" or "Wow, she's so pretty." According to Koreaboo, another K-pop related news site, a person commented online: "With her round face and lovely smile, she is most likely the visual of the group. She is also of interest because of her unique background - Australian of Vietnamese descent." Born in 2004, Hanni's … [Read more...] about Vietnamese-Australian debuts in new K-pop girl group NewJeans
Mexican artist finds new inspirations in Vietnam
Artist Roberto Arcuate collects waste such as plastic pipes and gives them a new life in the form of porcelain sculptures. (Photo: VNS/VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Mexican contemporary artist Roberto Arcaute has chosen Vietnam as the final destination in his journey to finish his latest installation project. The project, named Union: Narrations of a Civilisation, aims to convey a message about the environment. Its idea is to take and copy everyday waste objects and reproduce them in porcelain sculptures with all their labelling information in blue. It will feature nine sculptures generated from different waste that the artist has selected. Three sculptures are based on the selection of domestic waste that is normally generated in the home like paper, glass, plastic bottles; three others are based on the selection of urban waste that is normally generated in areas where people coexist and the rest on based on the selection of commercial waste from offices, restaurants, and … [Read more...] about Mexican artist finds new inspirations in Vietnam
Vietnam boasting buoyant real estate M&A activities
The race for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the real estate industry has continuously increased, with foreign investors sealing many deals in recent months. Vietnam boasting buoyant real estate M&A activities CapitaLand Development revealed on July 14 that it was acquiring a prime mixed-use site in Thu Duc district of Ho Chi Minh City, with an estimated gross development value of $720 million. This 8-hectare project will provide 1,100 apartments and will go into operation in 2027. A couple of weeks previously, Thai retail giant Central Retail also announced that it would invest an additional $869 million in the Vietnamese market, including developing complex projects and commercial centres over the next five years. The group also said that in the coming time, it will maintain the M&A target to accelerate its expansion in the retail real estate sector. Olivier Langlet, general director of Central Retail Vietnam, said, “We see Vietnam as one of the key … [Read more...] about Vietnam boasting buoyant real estate M&A activities
Mother Sam’s ‘superhuman strength’ supports 300 children in Vietnam
As a social contributor in the United States, Mother Sam was twice granted the presidential lifetime achievement award for her social devotion. Ai Hong Sam, a Vietnamese-American doctor, has fostered hundreds of children for a simple reason that is “allowing these orphans to call me 'mom' as they have long desired.” At that time, the Vinh Son orphanage in Thong Nhat Ward under Kon Tum Province, located in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, was struggling to survive as it was home to hundreds of orphans, who were in desperate need of nurturing. Once in a while, charitable groups or individuals paid them a visit and were able to assist in extremely difficult times. One day, a woman from distant America found out, gradually got to know them, and voluntarily took on the burden. Every single thing is confided to Mother Sam Sam and the nuns in the orphanage are sharing the tasks with one another. While the nuns are in charge of looking after the children, she travels … [Read more...] about Mother Sam’s ‘superhuman strength’ supports 300 children in Vietnam