Thứ Sáu, 31 tháng 10, 2014

EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 1-10 (daily updated)

Melting Pot 6: Art & Music Festival
08 and 09 Nov, 12 pm – 11 pm
Saigon Outcast
188/1 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, Dist 2, HCMC
First of all, we are super excited for the return of Melting Pot: Art and Music Festival at Saigon Outcast! For those who don’t know, Melting Pot is an incredible weekend that gathers the Saigon community, both locals and expats, to celebrate talent and creativity for a good cause.
This is a community event that happens twice a year and invites everyone in Saigon to showcase and share their talent in music, dance, cooking, art, and more!
All proceeds go to our initiatives. Half of the funds raised will be donated to Saigon Children’s Charity and the other half will be used to restore/renovate public schools and facilities for children in District 2.
If you would like to be part of Melting Pot on Nov 8-9, we are looking for the following:
- Volunteers: Production team, entrance booth, crew
- Artists/Bands
- Dancers
- Performers of any kind
- Photographers
- Vendors
- Graffiti artists
- Art exhibitions
Please also let us know here or email mara.calibara@gmail.com if you would like to sign up.
At this Melting Pot we are introducing a theme. Our theme is ‘Celebration of Cultures’. This will be a great weekend to embrace the different countries that we all represent and get to know a little bit more about different cultures. Come to the festival representing your home country or maybe your favorite country! This city is so diverse it’s time we celebrated it.
Entry: 100,000 VND (minimum donation)
Half of the funds from the previous Melting Pot has been assigned to restoring the public pool in An Phu, which is mostly used by kids for swimming lessons.
Workshop Creative Documentary Level-2 with Jamie Maxtone-Graham
Deadline: 03 Nov 2014
Goethe-Institut Hanoi
56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
You are invited to the workshop titled Creative Documentary Level-2 with Jamie Maxtone-Graham at Hanoi DOCLAB. We would select a small group of filmmakers to apply specialized techniques in a particular project. The workshop activities including screening and analyzing finished works definitely brings practical experience for potential filmmakers.
When: Every Sat – 10 weeks – From Nov 2014 – Jan 2015
Where: DocLab, Goethe Institut Ha Noi 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Cost: 1,500,000 VND // (have discounted 75%)
Class: 10-12 people
Instructor: Jamie Maxtone-Graham worked for more than 20 years as a cinematographer in New York and Los Angeles on feature films, commercials, documentaries and episodic television. He has a long list of film credits internationally, in Vietnam and the region.
Deadline for registration: 03 Nov 2014 (early registration, early interview)
Please fill out and send the Registration Form, along with your CV and ideas to hanoidoclab@gmail.com titled: “workshop level 2 registration-FULL NAME”
Link to Registration Form
If you’re interested in getting news, announcements from DOCLAB for its activities, workshops, and schedule of film screenings, etc., please email us at hanoidoclab@gmail.com to subscribe to DOCLAB news.
Flute Recital with Nguyen Ly Huong
Sat 08 Nov 2014, 8 pm
L’Espace
24 Trang Tien, Hanoi
You are invited to the classical flute recital with Nguyen Ly Huong – First Prize for wooden trumpet concerto at National Chamber Music Spring Competition and First Prize at the 1st International Flute Contest in Nanning (China).
Ly Huong began her career as a flutist in 2000, at the age of 10.  Since 2006, she has received numerous awards and performed at hundreds of national concerts with Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra from Vietnam National Opera and Ballet, Symphony Orchestra from Hue Academy of Music. The flute recital will feature famous compositions by Chaminade, Honegger, Prokoviev and Dring at L’Espace.
Program:
A. Honegger : Danse de la chèvre.
Pièce chinoise: Night flute.
C. Chaminade: Concerto for flute and piano Op. 107
S. Prokofiev: Sonate for flute D Major Op. 94 (mouv. 1 et 2).
- Moderato
- Scherzo
M. Dring: Trio for flute, oboe and piano.
- Allegro
- Andante semplice
- Allegro giocoso
Attending artists:
Flute: Ly Huong; Oboe: Hoang Tung; Piano: Thai Linh
Tickets
Ticket price: 160 000 VND
Special price for members of L’Espace and students: 80 000 VND
Tickets are available at L’Espace.
KOTO Bike Ride 2014
Sat 08 Nov 2014, 6 am
Son Tinh Camp, Ba Vi, Hanoi
KOTO Bike Ride is a annual fundraising event of KOTO, where all proceeds will be used to support the continued work of providing hopes and brighter future to at-risk and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
Have you been waiting for the Hanoi’s best bike ride event of 2014?
Join 2014 KOTO BIKE RIDE to participate in the most exciting ride on Saturday, November 08th in support of at-risk and disadvantaged youth through KOTO training program!
KOTO Bike Ride aims to raise fund for KOTO to cover the rental expense of training centres and housing for 200 trainees for 01 year.
Our 50km charity cycle route will head to the west of Hanoi capital and take us to the beautiful Dong Mo Lake where the last 10 minutes of your ride will be taken by boat. Upon arrival, we will have time to explore leafy forests on the island, enjoy fruit-picking or take a dip in the fresh water of Dong Mo Lake.
The warm hospitality and continuous cheering of KOTO staff and trainees will accompany cyclists throughout the ride and will spur on even the most tired cyclist. The ride will conclude with a hearty meal serving by our thankful trainees.
For more information and register, please email kotobikeride@koto.com.au or call Ms Ngân (093 221 2390) or Mr Long (0986 52 6068).
Screening of Film “Amitiés Sinceres”
Fri 07 Nov 2014, 8 pm
L’Espace
24 Trang Tien, Hanoi
You are invited to the film screening “Amitiés Sinceres” (France, 2012, 104 mins) directed by Stéphan Archinard, François Prévot-Leygonie. A funny, sensible and insightful comedy movie which successfully cultivates happiness in friendship and love.
For more information about synopsis, please see L’Espace website (in French) or refer to the Vietnamese version of this post.
Language: French with Vietnamese subtitle.
Ticket price: 40 000 VND
Special price for members of L’Espace and students: 20 000 VND
Tickets are available at L’Espace.
Special Film Program of the Science Film Festival 2014
Fri 07 Nov 2014, 6.30 pm
Goethe-Institut Hanoi
56-58 Nguyễn Thái Học
Ba Đình, Hà Nội
You are invited to the screening of “When Björk Met Attenborough” and “Biophilia” – two extraordinary Films about Music, Nature and Technology, in the framework of Science Film Festival 2014.
What happens when an award-winning musician meets a legendary broadcaster and naturalist, and they start to investigate and discuss the connection which exists between music and nature?
Islandic experimentalist singer Björk and naturalist Sir David Attenborough have admired each other’s work for years but this is the first time they have discussed their mutual love of music and the natural world on screen.
In this remarkable documentary “When Björk Met Attenborough”, Björk explores our unique relationship with music and discovers how technology might transform the way we engage with it in the future. David Attenborough explains how music exists in the natural world and speaks about his own passion for music.
This unique documentary is followed by the screening of Björk’s cutting-edge music project “Biophilia” that explores where nature, music and technology meet.
Program
6.30 p.m: documentary film “When Björk Met Attenborough”
7.15 p.m: tea break
7.30 p.m.: music documentary film “Biophilia”
Exhibition “Beautiful Handicrafts of Tohoku, Japan” in Hanoi and HCMC
HCMC:
Opening: Fri 31 Oct 2014, 9 am
Exhibition: 31 Oct – 10 Nov 2014, 9 am – 6 pm
The Exhibition Hall (Ho Chi Minh City Museum)
Hanoi:
Opening: Fri 12 Dec 2014, 6 pm
Exhibition: 12 – 22 Dec 2014, 8.30 am – 4.45 pm
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, in cooperation with Consulate-General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City, proudly present a travelling exhibition “Beautiful Handicrafts of Tohoku, Japan” from 31 October – 22 December in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Supervised by curator Ryuichi Matsubara “Beautiful Handicrafts of Tohoku, Japan” is an exhibition planned to mark the March 11 anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. The Tohoku region, known for its beautiful mountains and seascapes as well as its rich local culture and history, suffered damage and destruction of unprecedented proportions. Much was lost, and manufacturing and handicraft culture were hard hit. People in local areas affected by the disaster, however, have been working closely together to rebuild, intent on restoring peace and normality to their lives as soon as possible.
The displays present works of mingei members included Kanjiro Kawai, Shoji Hamada, Keisuke Serizawa and Shiko Munakata with various genres—ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, metalwork, wood and bamboo crafts, etc.—allowing visitors to enjoy the diverse and exquisite world of Tohoku traditions.
The works included in the exhibit present an opportunity to discover anew the high level of traditional craft techniques nurtured in the Tohoku region and the functional beauty of daily implements used since ancient times in Japan. The art and craftsmanship of these works also help us to better appreciate the folk wisdom derived from lives lived close to nature and the manual skills and dexterity cultivated out of that wisdom.
It is our hope that viewers will enjoy the undeniable beauty and the highly developed handicraft techniques of Tohoku craftsmanship products.
This exhibition will travel to Ho Chi Minh City from 31 October – 10 November at Exhibition Hall (92 Le Thanh Ton, District 1), and Hanoi from 12-22 December at Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh).
Free admission.
Israeli Film Festival 2014
In Hanoi: 01 – 05 Nov 2014
National Cinema Center
87 Lang Ha Str, Hanoi
In HCMC: 06 – 10 Nov 2014
BHD Star Cineplex ICON68
Bitexco Building, 2 Hai Trieu, Ben Nghe, HCMC
Israeli Film Festival 2014 will take place in Hanoi and HCMC. The festival will bring local audience 5 carefully selected films with many exciting, touching and inspiring moments that will offer a window to Israeli cultures, lives, and experience.
Film Schedule in Hanoi
1 Nov 2014
8 pm: Foreign Letters
- Exclusive for guests in the opening screening
2 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: Foreign Letters
+ 8 pm: Broken Wings
3 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: Something Sweet
+ 8 pm: The matchmaker
4 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: Someone to run with
+ 8 pm: Broken Wings
5 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: The matchmaker
+ 8 pm: Someone to run with
Film Schedule in HCMC
6 Nov 2014
8 pm: Foreign Letters
- Exclusive for guests in the opening screening
7 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: Foreign Letters
+ 8 pm: Broken Wings
8 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: Something Sweet
+ 8 pm: The matchmaker
9 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: Someone to run with
+ 8 pm: Broken Wings
9 Nov 2014
+ 6 pm: The matchmaker
+ 8 pm: Someone to run with
Detail about films in Israel Film Festival 2014
Ticket
Free admission for everyone. The opening screening in Hanoi (01 Nov) and HCMC (06 Nov) exclusive for guests. We hope for your understanding.
To receive the ticket:
+ In Hanoi, please contact: Ms. Lý Thu Hương. Tel: 0989586820, email: consular@hanoi.mfa.gov.il (at least 3 days prior to the screening).
+ In HCMC, free tickets will be distributed at BHD Cineplex ICON 68, Bitexco ICON68, no. 2 Hai Trieu, Dist 1, HCMC in one day: Sun 01 Nov 2014 (at 9 am)(please contact Mr.Trần Trương Quang, Tel: 0909692293 or Ms Bảo An, Tel: 0913213114 for more information)
Playday – Playground in the City
Sun 02 Nov 2014
American Club
19–21 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
Welcome all the children and parents come to Playday/Playground in the City. A Free Playground within one day for the children to have fun in Hanoi.
List of activities in Playday:
1. Movement and Creative Playground
Free Admission.
Sun 02 Nov 2014, 7.30 am – 6.30 pm
(In addition to provided toys, parents could bring more to fill up the “free playground” and bring them back at the end of the event)
2. Photo exhibition “Playground in the city”
Sun 02 Nov 2014, 7.30 am – 6.30 pm
3. Improvised Installation Art in the city center
Sun 02 Nov 2014 - all the day
Somewhere alse in the city center
4. Workshop “How to make playground”
(Registration required before 24 Oct 2014)
Sat 01 Nov 2014, 2 pm – 5 pm
Exhibition “78 Rhythms” by Nguyen Huy An
Opening: Thu 30 Oct 2014, 6 pm
Exhibition: 30 Oct – 22 Nov 2014
Galerie Quynh
65 Đề Thám, District 1, HCMC
You are invited to “78 rhythms” – a solo exhibition by Hanoi-based artist Nguyen Huy An. Known for his quiet performances of transforming the most mundane and familiar of materials into simple and poetic artworks, Nguyen Huy An is among the most innovative artists of his generation. While focusing on new and recent work, the artist’s first exhibition at the gallery will also include the acclaimed work ‘The Roads’ (2007), presented in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time.
Whether measuring the streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter with black thread, collecting dust on the Vinh Tuy Bridge, condensing the monstrous structure of a skyscraper into a humble stack of paper, or obsessively painting the same village pond for over a decade, Huy An creates a personal visual archive of memories and histories that relate to the social and political contexts of the sites he records. The artist states, ‘’In the context of a growing economy, it is important to look at and realize how modernity, and by extension the passage of time, casts shadows on our existence and engenders zones of darkness in our collective psychology.’’ Negotiating the tension between a nostalgia for nature and the inexorable juggernaut of human progress, Huy An resorts to measuring as a means of self-contraction – as an act of reifying memories and ideas, and relocating, re-contextualizing and reducing concrete structures, creating forms that appear more humanistic.
Nguyen Huy An has an artistic predilection for dark materials: the melancholic color of dark and moody spaces where the artist has lived, the black color of clothes and hair, the sadness of his grandmother, his mother, his sisters and other women in his life. Huy An’s work is, in an intricate and profound way, the color of night like the nostalgic shadows hanging over life’s ordinary objects.
ABOUT NGUYEN HUY AN
Born in 1982 in Hanoi, Nguyen Huy An is among the most dynamic and innovative artists of his generation. He has participated in a number of exhibitions and performance art festivals including Disrupted Choreographies, Carré d’Art – Musée d’Art Contemporain, Nimes, France (2014); If The World Changed, Singapore Biennale (2013); sounds of dust (somniloquy), 943 Studio Kunming, China (2011); Anatomy of an assembly line with an error, Nha San Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam; Lim Dim, Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway (2009); Tam Ta, San Art, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2009); and the Nippon International Performance Art Festival (NIPAF), Tokyo, Japan (2007).
In 2010 Huy An co-founded with artists Vu Duc Toan and Hoang Minh Duc the performance art collective The Appendix Group (Phu Luc). The group has performed in festivals in Vietnam, Singapore and China.
Exhibition of Vietnamese Contemporary Fine Art in London
‘Vietnamese Vibes: Harmonies of Space and Time”
Exhibition: 31 Oct – 08 Nov 2014
Gallery Talk and Reception: Saturday November 1 at 3 pm
Guy Peppiatt/Stephen Ongpin Gallery
6 Masons Yard, Duke St, St James’s London UK SW1V 6BU
As part of her international exhibition schedule, Raquelle Azran is once again exhibiting in the annual Asian Art in London event. This event is considered one of the most prestigious in London, and is coordinated with the British Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, and Asian auctions at Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
Raquelle Azran is exhibiting a group show of 5 Hanoi artists working in watercolor on handmade paper and lacquer on wood: Phung Pham, Trinh Tuan and Vu Duc Trung with lacquer paintings, and Vu Thu Hien and Dinh Thi Tham Poong with watercolors on paper.
The gallery talk, Habits of Harmony in Vietnamese Fine Art, will discuss principles of harmony on several levels: within an individual artwork, among artworks within an artist’s body of work, as part of Asian philosophy and culture, and as a feature of fusion of Vietnamese and Western art. The talk will be followed by a reception, hosted by newly appointed Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Van Thao.
Autumn Mini Fair
01 and 02 Nov 2014, 9.30 am – 6 pm
Cosmo Cafe
10 Khuc Hao, Hanoi
Our Autumn Minifair gathers 13 outstanding Hanoian handmade/craft and vintage brands together and connects them with craft & vintage lovers in town. In the most friendly atmosphere you might ever find, the Minifair will take place on 01 and 02 Nov.
Beside the main event, indulge yourself in a variety of giveaways, deals and vouchers from all the participating crafts & vintage brands.
Free entrance. Parking fee for motorbike: 5,000 VNĐ.
Artist Talk by Nguyen Huy An
Sat 01 Nov 2014, 3 pm
Galerie Quynh
65 Đề Thám, District 1, HCMC
You are invited to an artist talk by Nguyen Huy An on the occasion of his current solo show ‘78 rhythms’. Nguyen Huy An will discuss the major themes in the exhibition and the experiences that have inspired his practice.
Huy An’s work is the manifestation of emotions and ideas on the materials of everyday life: a bundle of entangled thread tucked in the corner of two walls, dust and dirt stuck on the surface of a string of tapes, or plain sheets of papers stacked on top of one another. This manifestation could be manifold; sometimes it is about the tension between time and space, the past and the present, the nostalgia for nature and the inexorable juggernaut of human progress.
During the artist talk, Huy An will urge the audience to reflect on the context of a growing economy that estranges human beings from the values of life that they’ve grown up embracing. The artist states, “It’s important to look and realize how modernity, and by extension the passage of time, casts shadows on our existence and engenders zones of darkness in our collective psychology.” The artist will also touch on the connection between the North and the South and the exhibition being a presentation of Hanoi in the heart of Saigon, one that “opens up conversations on our history, our current state of being and hopefully, our future.”
Born in 1982 in Hanoi, Nguyen Huy An is among the most dynamic and innovative artists of his generation. He has participated in numerous exhibitions and performance art festivals including Disrupted Choreographies, Carré d’Art – Musée d’Art Contemporain, Nimes, France (2014); If The World Changed, Singapore Biennale (2013); sounds of dust (somniloquy), 943 Studio Kunming, China (2011); Anatomy of an assembly line with an error, Nha San Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam; Lim Dim, Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway (2009); Tam Ta, San Art, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2009); and the Nippon International Performance Art Festival (NIPAF), Tokyo, Japan (2007).
In 2010 Huy An co-founded with artists Vu Duc Toan and Hoang Minh Duc the performance art collective The Appendix Group (Phu Luc). The group has performed in festivals in Vietnam, Singapore and China. Nguyen Huy An lives and works in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Exhibition “Corner To be Seen”
Opening: Sat 01 Nov 2014, 5 pm
Exhibition: 01 – 30 Nov 2014
Heritage Space
Dolphin Plaza, 17 Tran Binh, My Dinh, Ha Noi
You are invited to the exhibition “Corner To be Seen” by painter Tran Trung Thanh.
A portfolio of 15 artworks during 9 years (from 2005 to 2014) will be featured in this solo exhibition. Not only giving strong visual impression, these paintings always raise different questions toward contemporary life, the perspective of each people, especially the youth and conflict between nature – human, violence – love, history – present. They all result from personnel-point-of-view.
Free admission.
Exhibition “Junction”
Opening: Sat 01 Nov 2014, 5 pm
Exhibition: 01 – 24 Nov 2014
Mai Gallery
3th floor, 112 Hang Bong Str, Hanoi
VNN
 S Korea export potential mostly untapped

 
Workers check quality of shrimp at Mien Trung (Central) Seafood Import Export JSC. - VNA/VNS Photo An Dang
HCM CITY (VNS) - South Korea has high demand for fisheries and farm produce, making it a promising market for Viet Nam, according to the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade).
Speaking at a Korean market access seminar held in HCM City on Wednesday, Bui Thi Thanh An, deputy director of Vietrade, said however farm exports to Korea remain very modest, accounting for around 10 per cent of the country's total exports.
To expand exports to the market, Vietnamese products need to meet strict requirements in terms of quality and technical standards, she said.
"A number of firms have exported their products to difficult markets like the US, EU, and Japan, and I think they will do well in this market (Korea) in the coming time."
Experts from leading Korean food companies like Shinsegae, CJ, and Pulmuone spoke to more than 100 local entrepreneurs about purchasing trends and procedures in the Korean agro-fisheries sector.
Yeong Hun Kim, manager of Pulmuone Food Co Ltd, said Korea's seafood imports are rising every year.
Viet Nam has surpassed China to become the biggest shrimp exporter to Korea, he said.
White-leg shrimp is very popular in his country and Korean importers are looking for Vietnamese suppliers, he said.
Processed products like shrimp crayfish, shrimp flake, butterfly shrimp, squid ring/bar/bal, fish, salmon, and squid cutlets are also in great demand, he revealed.
To penetrate the Korean market, besides ensuring product quality, Vietnamese firms also need to focus more on packaging, he said.
Since Korean consumers tend to be concerned about the health aspects of food and safety of packaging materials, the type of plastics used in packaging should be carefully considered and good materials should be used, he warned.
Bui Thi Thanh Duyen, business development director at Thanh Thai Gia Trading Investment Company, who specialises in tea and coffee, said apart from studying the demand and consumers' taste in the market, knowing Korean language is also important.
An said that the seminar, which was organised by Vietrade and the ASEAN-Korea Centre, was meant to help Vietnamese firms understand the Korean market and the specific requirements of importers there.
The seminar also featured a training in packaging for local firms and business-to-business meetings.
Chung Hae-moon, secretary general of the ASEAN-Korea Centre, said trade between Viet Nam and Korea has grown strongly in the recent past to reach US$27.3 billion last year, a year-on-year increase of 38 per cent, he said.
Viet Nam exports garment and textile, farm produce, and fisheries products to South Korea and imports electronic components, machinery and equipment, and other capital goods.
Oh Jae Hack, the South Korean envoy in HCM City, said the two countries are negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement, which is expected to be concluded by the end of this year.
Once it comes into effect, the two countries would have more opportunities to boost investment and trade, he said.
Bilateral trade is expected to top $70 billion by 2020, the target set by the two governments, he said. - VNS
Political News 31/10

Hai Duong receives national honour
President Truong Tan Sang yesterday (Oct 30) conferred the Independence Order (second class) upon Hai Duong city to celebrate its 210th founding anniversary.

 Hai Duong, citadel Thanh Dong, defence industry, global peacekeeping
President Truong Tan Sang yesterday conferred the Independence Order (second class) upon Hai Duong city to celebrate its 210th founding anniversary. 

In 1804, under the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty's King Gia Long, the main town of Hai Duong was moved from Mao Dien, in today's Cam Giang district, to Han village where the major citadel Thanh Dong was built.
Today the 19th century citadel, once called Thanh Dong, is Hai Duong - a city consisting of 21 communes and wards and a population of 187,000.
The city received the award for excellent accomplishments achieved in recent decades.
Located in the heart of the northern economic region, Hai Duong enjoys an annual growth rate of 10 per cent. It is home to 3,200 companies, three industrial parks and five industrial clusters with 150 projects that provides 40,000 jobs.
At the ceremony, Sang asked local authorities and residents to review the city's socio-economic achievements and shortcomings in order to sustain its growth.
Viet Nam, Myanmar bolster military ties
Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, met the Chief of Staff of Myanmar Air Force, General Khin Aung Myint yesterday.
Ty, who is also Deputy Defence Minister, noted that relations between the Viet Nam People's Amy and the Myanmar Armed Forces had recently progressed, with more regular exchanges of delegations at all levels.
Armed forces from both countries deepened their partnership in personnel training, the defence industry and sharing information on search and rescue operations.
General Khin Aung Myint said that since Myanmar was focusing on enhancing its defence strength, the country's armed forces and air force in particular wished to receive more support from Viet Nam.
VN, Lao veterans reunite in Ha Noi
More than 300 former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts who fought in Laos during the war against the French and the Americans met in Ha Noi yesterday (Oct 30) to mark the 65th anniversary of their day to remember.

Hai Duong, citadel Thanh Dong, defence industry, global peacekeeping
More than 300 former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts who fought in Laos during the war against the French and the Americans met in Ha Noi yesterday. 

As part of an agreement between the Vietnamese and Lao Parties, States, armies and peoples, a command unit of the Vietnam People's Army was sent to Laos to join its fight for national liberation from 1945-1975.
During the 30 years, generations of Vietnamese overcame numerous hardships with their Lao comrades, resulting in the success of the Lao revolution.
Nearly 35,000 Vietnamese soldiers died on Lao soil, while 60,000 returned home as war invalids.
Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Cung said that even though many years had passed, the effort remained a proud milestone.
Lao Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Chansamon Channhalat agreed that the special military alliance had stood the test of time.
NA Chairman greets IT experts
The National Assembly feels application of information technology (IT) will provide fresh momentum for socio-economic development, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said yesterday.

Hai Duong, citadel Thanh Dong, defence industry, global peacekeeping
NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has a reception for delegates to the Asian-Oceania Computing Industry Organisation conference on Information and Communication Technology which ended today in Ha Noi and the central city of Da Nang

Hung was speaking at a reception for delegates to the Asian-Oceania Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO) conference on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which ended today in Ha Noi and the central city of Da Nang.
He expressed the hope that the delegates would continue to promote the application of information technology in all sectors.
He noted that IT applications have touched all aspects of life in Viet Nam, including farming, in recent years.
NA leader receives ASOCIO ICT Summit 2014 delegates
National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung confirmed that the NA wholeheartedly backs the strengthening of the application of information technology in socio-economic development in Vietnam.
In a reception on October 30 for delegates to the Vietnam ASOCIO ICT Summit 2014, which is currently taking place in Hanoi and the central city of Danang, he asked for their continued support in enhancing the application and development of IT in Vietnam in the future.
Noting that Vietnam’s IT was booming, he said the industry affected almost all parts of society, including agriculture. It has fuelled economic growth and supported the management of the State, he said.
The NA Chairman said the summit provided a chance for participants to exchange information on and experience in expanding the application of IT in various fields, including transport, healthcare, economics and institutions.
The delegates briefed their host on the outcomes of the summit, during which they developed a joint vision for ICT as a new growth method, opportunity and fundamental basis for national development in each country, as well as the shortest path to prosperity.
The four-day event, organised annually by the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO), focussed on ICT as a new paradigm for socio-economic development and agricultural restructuring.
This is the second time Vietnam hosted the summit, the largest ICT event in Asia and Oceania.
Established in 1984, ASOCIO’s 29 members and guest members comprise more than 10,000 ICT companies and account for approximately US$350 billion of ICT revenue in the region.
Vietnam active in global peacekeeping
Vietnam’s participation in the UN peace-keeping missions since last June demonstrates the country’s serious and long-term commitment to contribute more to the maintenance of international peace and security.
Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN made the remarks at the fourth committee of the 69th session of the General Assembly on “Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects”.
The diplomat said the success of UN peacekeeping operations requires strict adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and universally recognised guidelines, including respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference.
She suggested employing peaceful means to address disputes and conflicts in a sustainable and comprehensive manner as well as ensuring safety and security for peacekeepers.
She assured that Vietnam looks forward to working with other troop-contributing countries, the UN and other partners in a bid to ensure strong, effective UN peacekeeping missions, and contribute to durable peace around the world.
Vietnamese delegates attend Indonesian Golkar Party’s 50th anniversary
A Vietnamese Communist Party delegation attended the Indonesian Go lkar Party ’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Jakarta on October 28.
Over 10,000 politic al supporters and representatives from other political parties attended the ceremony to mark the party’s founding half a century ago.
Vice head of the Office of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC), Bui Van Thach, presented congratulatory telegrammes from the CPVCC to the Golkar Party’s Chairman Bakrie.
Bakrie pledged to boost the ties between the two parties as a contribution to the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia.
As part of the visit, the Vietnamese delegation attended meetings with the President of the Lower House and the Vice President of the Upper House of Indonesia.
Since its establishment in 1964, the Party has played an important role in the country’s development and become the second biggest political party in the Indonesian parliament.
Chief of General Staff meets Myanmar Air Force chief
Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, had a meeting with the Chief of Staff of Myanmar Air Force, General Khin Aung Myint, in Hanoi on October 30.
Ty, who is also Deputy Defence Minister, noted that relations between the Vietnam People’s Amy and the Myanmar Armed Forces have recently progressed, with more regular exchanges of delegations at all levels.
Armed forces from both countries deepened their partnership in personnel training, the defence industry and search and rescue information sharing, he said.
On his part, General Khin Aung Myint stated that since Myanmar was focussing on enhancing its defence strength, the country’s Armed Forces and Air Force in particular wished to receive more support from the Vietnam People’s Army.
Source: VNN/VNS/VNA/VOV
 Tax talks highlight policy deficiencies

 
Customs officers check goods at My Thoi Port, An Giang Province. - VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hung
HA NOI (VNS) - Difficulties in tax and customs policies topped the agenda of the dialogue that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) conducted with enterprises yesterday.
The annual event, which aims to provide the business community with latest information on tax and customs issues, drew the participation of a large number of companies and was considered the most frank and open meeting between State officials and enterprises concerning solutions to problems and difficulties facing enterprises.
This was the opportunity for enterprises to have a direct dialogue with the leaders of the MoF, as well as customs and taxation administrators.
At the dialogue, Doan Duy Khuong, VCCI deputy chairman, said the Government was actively promoting economic restructuring and growth to speed up the country's socio-economic development and international integration.
Khuong added that Viet Nam was developing its market economy and delving deeper into international integration.
Besides implementating World Trade Organisation commitments and free trade agreements, Viet Nam is currently negotiating for trade agreements with leading economic giants such as the United States and European Union, as well as Canada, Russia, China and South Korea.
Also, with the establishment of the ASEAN economic community next year, Viet Nam will become a bridge linking Asean economies with regional and the global markets.
Deputy Finance Minister Do Hoang Anh Tuan said the dialogue was one of the annual MoF activities that aimed to help businesses overcome difficulties in tax and customs declarations, as well as assist the MoF in collecting petitions from businesses to effectively reform administrative procedures in the field of taxes and customs.
Tuan told participants that although the economic growth rate increased by 5.8 per cent year-on-year, an estimated 57,000 businesses were either dissolved or suspended operations because of difficulties in business performance. Only 29 per cent of businesses are profitable, he added.
Tuan said the number of exporters remained unchanged, and the foreign direct investment sector remained the largest contributor to export turnover at 66 per cent.
Viet Nam's ongoing trade negotiations are expected to bring advantages as well as challenges, he added, and urged participants to discuss good policies as well as difficulties with current mechanisms and make recommendations that would assist businesses in overcoming challenges.
Cao Anh Tuan, deputy director of the General Department of Taxation (GDT), provided updates on tax policy, tax administration and measures to ease difficulties of corporate and individual taxpayers.
To help taxpayers overcome difficulties, the MoF, GDT and Government have issued circulars, decrees and dispatches. In addition, the MoF has submitted to the Government and the National Assembly a draft law on Special Consumption Tax and supplemented five laws on VAT, as well as corporate income tax, personal income tax, resource tax and tax administration.
The amendments are also related to the limit on expenses for advertising, marketing, trade, promotion and reception, and are expected to cut about 80 hours of administrative tax and customs procedures.
Regarding tax reform implementation, an estimated 416,689 enterprises, accounting for 85.5 per cent of the total number, have so far filed electronic tax declarations, and it is expected that by the end of this year, about 95 per cent of businesses will file electronic tax declarations.
The GDT has worked with Vietcombank and Agribank, as well as BIDV, MB and Vietinbank, to carry out e-tax payment. This model has been carried out in 18 provinces and is expected to be implemented in the remaining provinces soon.
Vu Ngoc Anh, GDT deputy general director, provided updates on the new contents of the Customs Law which the National Assembly passed last June and which will take effect in January.
Specific examples
Pham Thi Loan, chief executive officer of Viet A Group, said customs authorities needed to review their performance after post-clearance inspection to generate incentives for businesses.
Loan revealed that her company imported optical cable for the domestic electronics and telecommunications industry with identification numbers at zero per cent. However, customs authorities applied a three-per cent tax on her company.
She noted that the post-clearance inspection aimed to avoid trade fraud by companies, but authorities' performance has made it more difficult for businesses.
Loan also submitted her petition calling on agencies to effectively improve procedures for handling complaints from businesses and thoroughly review the tariff list to avoid saddling businesses with concerns and losses.
Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy general secretary of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, said about 90 per cent of businesses always encountered problems in post-clearance inspection and alarming systems of overdue tax on the electronic payment system.
Nam added that businesses now expected the implementation and coordination of customs and tax authorities to be consistent to make it easier for all concerned. - VNS
Extra classes at preschool burden parents, kids in Ho Chi Minh City


Kids are pictured practicing martial arts during an extra class at the 7A preschool in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. Tuoi Tre
Parents of preschool students in Ho Chi Minh City are feeling ‘dizzy’ because their kids must attend numerous extra-curricular classes, also called ‘talent classes’ in some schools, featuring a number of subjects such as painting, music, and even martial arts.
“Schools have opened many extra-curricular classes while many preschool children can’t even pronounce well,” one parent complained.
“My kid has been in kindergarten for around one month,” she added. “He has not even gotten acquainted with the main schedule and still does not want to go to school, so how can he attend any extra-curricular classes?”
Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondents have investigated and recorded the fact that most preschools in the city have extra-curricular or ‘talent classes’ that cost even more than the main courses.
“Last year I sent my kid to three extra-curricular classes including organ, painting and English,” T., whose child studies at a famous preschool in Phu Nhuan District, said.
“After a year learning those, she couldn’t remember anything so I did not register her for any of those kinds of classes this year, but her teacher keeps asking me whether I have registered my child,” she added.
The teacher said learning extra-curricular subjects will be good for her kid, T. shared.
Talent classes are often organized after 9:00 am and 2:00 pm, with two sessions per week. Each session lasts around 30 to 45 minutes.
At many preschools, teachers have asked parents to send their kids to as many classes as they can, while some allow students to take part in a maximum of three subjects.
M., a parent from Go Vap District, signed her child up for five extra-curricular classes.
“The school has not announced the extra-curricular schedule so I have no idea how my kid studies at school,” M. said. “Those classes cost four times more than the main courses.”
T. Thuy, another parent from District 3, added that she is not sure if her daughter wants to study at school since she is very little.
At several schools where too many ‘talent classes’ have been run, students who do not register for the classes have to leave the classrooms, which are for their registered friends to study those subjects.
A principal of a preschool in Binh Thanh District said students who do not join the extra classes will take part in outdoor activities or play in the corner of the room if it rains.
“Parents should let them into those classes,” she added. “It would be better for them.”
The situation has raised eyebrows and prompted questions from parents on why extra-curricular classes are held when the main courses are supposed to be going on, and why children not registered for those 'talent classes' have to leave the room.
Beneficial cooperation
Almost all preshools offering extra-curricular classes in Ho Chi Minh City enjoy cooperation with local talent clubs and centers.
This arrangement works as schools provide facilities and students, while the centers offer programs and teachers.
The benefits will be divided between the two sides based on their own agreements.
One preschool said its split is 50-50, while a smaller school in Binh Thanh District gets just 30 percent of the profit from the cooperation.
At some schools, teachers also receive commission or gifts if they convince parents to send their children to these classes.
“In fact, not every teacher gets a commission or gift to force parents to register their kids,” a preschool principal said.
However, some teachers let the material benefits persuade them and keep forcing parents to bring their kids to the classes, he added.
“At preschools parents are not afraid of the principals, but they are afraid of the teachers who directly take care of their kids,” he shared.
According to Dr. Phan Thi Thu Hien, dean of the faculty of pre-school education of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Pedagogy, the dense extra-curricular program will have a negative effect on children physically and psychologically.
She said that the main program for students in preschool has seven different subjects which offer knowledge about many topics, so the extra-curricular classes can only play an additional role.
Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, head of preschool education at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, admited that the extra-curricular teaching has helped to discover young talent and meet demand from parents who are unable to send their kids to talent clubs or centers.
“However, schools have to ensure the rooms for those extra classes as well as pay attention to managing them,” she stated. “They also need to remind their teachers not to suggest or force parents to send their kids to these classes.”
“Each student is not allowed to study more than three extra subjects per week,” she added.
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