Social News 21/5 Vietnam, US foster people-to-people exchange   The Vietnam-US Friendship Society organised a gathering in Hanoi on May 20, ahead of the upcoming visit of US President Barack Obama to Vietnam. At the event, Chairman of the association Nguyen Tam Chien, who is also former ambassador to the US, recalled milestones of the two countries’ cultural and people-to-people exchanges in the past 60 years, which he considered an origin of mutual understanding. Chien expected the two peoples to jointly take part in more activities in the fields of science, art and literature. Vietnamese and US participants shared their stories of working with the other side and proposed measures to boost the ties further. Currently, 19,000 Vietnamese students are pursuing education in the US. About 500,000 Americans arrive in Vietnam annually, including tourists, entrepreneurs and students. Two bombs defused in Đắk Nông Province The military command of Central Highlands province of  Đắk Nông has successfully defused two bombs believed to have been dropped by the US Army during the war. Both bombs are of the MK82 type, 1.33m high and 27.3 in diameter. Each bomb weighs 227kg and contains 87.2kg of Tritonal explosives. They each have a blast radius of 300m. The bombs were discovered last weekend by farmers in the Krông Nô and Gia Nghĩa townships when they were digging holes to plant trees. Upon hearing from the local residents, the relevant agencies visited the site and retrieved both bombs, taking them to a safer location to be defused. A cluster bomb explosion in Quảng Trị killed one deminer and injured another, both technical staff of the Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of the War (RENEW) project and Norwegian People’s Aid. The accident occurred on Wednesday when the technical team was searching for cluster munitions and other explosive weapons in a rice field where local farmers had just finished harvesting their rice. Both casualties were transported to the local hospital for treatment. However, Ngô Thiên Khiết, 45, died from his serious injuries, while Nguyễn Văn Hảo, 43, was transferred to Huế Central Hospital for further treatment. Cluster munitions have accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the total casualties in Quảng Trị Province, according to statistics from the Legacies of War Coordination Centre. Breeders commit to not use banned substances More than 400 households in the southeast region of Việt Nam yesterday signed a commitment not to use banned chemical substances such as lean-meat agents that have harmful side-effects. They also pledged to use piglets with clear origins and utilise safe animal feed and water in breeding. If diseased livestock were detected, they would inform the relevant agency and not put the infected animals on sale in the market. The signing took place at a workshop held by the Department of Livestock Production (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) and the Animal Husbandry Association of Việt Nam in southern Đồng Nai Province with the participation of over 400 farm breeders from southeast provinces and experts on animal husbandry. Speaking at the workshop, Nguyễn Văn Trọng, depty head of the Department of Livestock Product, said the use of banned substances in animal husbandry has worried consumers and it threatened the health of the whole community. Despite efforts made by state management agencies over the past few years, banned chemical substances are still being used by some, and this affects the business of honest breeders, he said. The use of banned substances in animal husbandry would face harsher punishment once the new criminal code took effect on July 1, he said. The close coordination of state agencies, farm owners and breeding households was vital to minimise the use of banned substances, Trọng said, adding that supervision of society was still also necessary. A lot of measures for effective and safe breeding were also discussed at the conference. Participants agreed that application of the Vietnamese Good Animal Husbandry Practices should be expanded. This can help the animal husbandry sector manage food safety from breeding, through slaughter to processing. The practices would help control the use of banned substances and antibiotics. The use of lean-meat agents was banned in Việt Nam in 2002. They include salbutamol, clenbuterol and ractopamine that stimulate growth and quickly develop lean meat in cattle. It may lead to an increase in heart disease and cancer in humans. Ship caught transporting petrol without legal papers The Border Guard of the Mekong Delta province of Tiền Giang yesterday arrested a ship transporting 2.1 million litres of petrol without legal papers proving the fuel’s place of origin. The Kim Minh 04 ship, captained by Võ Văn Chiến from the Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp, was stopped in the coastal area between HCM City and Tiền Giang Province. Chiến said the vessel was owned by Văn Khoa Trade and Services Ltd. Company in the Mekong Delta City of Cần Thơ. He said the petrol was being transported from the Cái Mép-Thị Vải warehouse in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu to the Hải Hà Road and Waterway Transport Ltd. Company in the northern province of Thái Bình. Chiến failed to present legal documents for the petrol. The case is being investigated. Beach handball tournament takes place at Mỹ Khê Eight men’s and women’s teams from HCM City, Hà Nội, Bình Định and Yên Bái are competing in the National Beach Handball Championship at Mỹ Khê beach. Teams are competing in a round-robin format for the top ranking place. The event will come to a close today (May 20th). According to event’s organising committee, the best players would be called for the national team competing at the Asian Beach Games in Đà Nẵng this October. ILO pledges to support Vietnam in TPP The International Labour Organisation (ILO) will support Vietnam and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) to fine-tune laws with ILO labour standards during the country’s engagement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Director of the ILO Office in Hanoi Chang Hee Lee made the statement at a working session with President of the VGCL Bui Van Cuong in Hanoi on May 19. He hailed the VGCL for its remarkable contributions to national construction and renovation, expressing his belief that the organisation will overcome difficulties to better ensure labour rights in the future. Cuong thanked the ILO and Chang Hee Lee himself for supporting Vietnamese trade unions. He said he hopes to receive more assistance from the ILO to better support workers as well as contribute more to global trade union movements. The VGCL is preparing a project to renew trade union activities, which appeals for constructive ideas from the ILO, he said. Vietnam became a member of the ILO in 1992 and has ratified 21 ILO conventions.- Vientiane hosts Vietnam-Laos amateur art programme A Vietnam-Laos amateur art programme was held in Vientiane on May 19 to celebrate the 126th birthday of Vietnam’s late President Ho Chi Minh. Attending the event were Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Savankhon Razmontry, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Manh Hung, representatives from both Vietnamese and Lao offices, and the Vietnamese community in Laos. Speaking at the event, Hoang Xuan Hai from the Vietnamese Embassy, hailed the significance of the programme in boosting solidarity between the Vietnamese community and Laotians in Vientiane. The twenty-one performances praised late President Ho Chi Minh, the beauty of the Vietnamese land and people and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos. They also helped mutual understanding and educated both Vietnamese and Lao people on the countries’ relations.- Siemens Technology Day in Vietnam Siemens Vietnam, part of global industrial conglomerate Siemens AG, yesterday hosted Siemens Technology Day catered to the customers in power sources, transmission and distribution fields. The event attracted more than 100 participants who were updated with latest engineering products and technologies presented by Siemens’ leading experts from Germany as well as from several regional countries. The seminar covered diverse issues related to power sources, transmission and transformers, high-voltage products, digital power network, medium and low-voltage products. The event provided a useful platform where the customers could share experiences and reported their concerns to Siemens, helping the company to become more knowledgeable about the customers to be able to further improve services quality in the upcoming time. In the past more than three decades, Siemens Vietnam has successfully deployed a raft of important power projects throughout Vietnam and accompanied its customers to ensure stability of power sources, parallel to boosting power transmission and distribution efficiency. Vietnam Airlines updates website Vietnam Airlines launched an updated version of its official website at www.vietnamairlines.com on May 17, with a new interface that is modern, lively, interactive, friendly, and convenient for users. It was designed in line with technology trends from around the world, featuring hero banners, lively effects, systematic information arrangement, and multiple infographics that make it easy for users to find what they are looking for. The updated website is suitable for all devices. Island, mountainous localities hold early elections More than 300 officers and soldiers in Ly Son island district, the central province of Quang Ngai, on May 20 cast their ballots to elect deputies to the 14 th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for 2016-2021, two days ahead of the official polling date. Among the voters, hailing from seven armed force units based in the locality, are young soldiers who have gone to the poll for the first time. Many of them expressed their excitement and honour to vote for the deputies. Ngo Thai Duong, a private first class of the Ly Son district Military Command, said he hopes that competent and virtuous people will be elected to help develop the nation. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Ngoc Quan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the local Military Command, said relevant agencies and units in the district joined hands to ensure security and safety before, during and after the election. Ly Son has more than 16,640 voters who will cast their ballots at 22 polling stations. The same day, over 28,500 voters in 34 underprivileged communes in the mountainous districts of Tuong Duong, Que Phong, Ky Son and Con Cuong, in the central province of Nghe An, exercised their right to vote. At polling station No. 5 in Huu Khuong commune, Tuong Duong district, from 6 a.m., ethnic minority voters in their traditional costumes, together went to the poll with smiles on their faces. Vi Hoang Tan, 76, in San hamlet, said although he had took part in many general elections, each time has given him a special feeling. “I anticipated the election day and pinned high hope on the approved candidates,” he said, extending his wish that the elected deputies will fulfill their tasks and contribute their voice to the national programme on new-style rural area building as well as exclusive policies towards ethnic groups in special difficulties. As the poorest commune in Nghe An, Huu Khuong is one of the six ahead-of-schedule polling stations in Tuong Duong. Voters in the communes have put aside their private business to go to the poll. Ballot boxes were sent to houses of those who are unable to reach the polling stations like the sick and the elderly. Ukraine workshop highlights Vietnam’s struggle for independence A workshop on Vietnam’s struggle for independence and freedom was held in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 19, on the occasion of President Ho Chi Minh’s 126th birthday (May 19, 1890-2016). Speaking at the event, Nguyen Phan Hong Hai, Vietnam’s Charge d’affaires in Ukraine, highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s role and contributions to the development of Vietnamese history as well as in the course of world history. The diplomat said President Ho Chi Minh is a symbol of the friendship and unity between Vietnam and Ukraine, who laid solid foundations for the traditional and multifaceted cooperation relationship between the two countries. The workshop is also an occasion helping Ukrainian people, especially young people, get a more profound understanding of Vietnamese people’s heroic struggle for independence and freedom, traditional cultural characteristics as well as the achievements from the present reform. Participants at the conference shared the view that President Ho Chi Minh’s ideologies of equity and humanity, particularly the idea of “Nothing is more valuable than independence and freedom”, still keep their value today.- First exhibition on Vietnam’s tertiary education underway in Laos Thirty-seven Vietnamese universities, colleges and language centres took part in an exhibition in Laos on May 20, to introduce their facilities to local students. Jointly organised by Vietnamese and Lao education ministries, the exhibition featured various information on tertiary curricula and scholarships. Most participating establishments offered Lao students incentives, including tuition fee reduction and free accommodation. Lao Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Kongsy Sengmany stressed the exhibition practically contributes to the realisation of a cooperation pact between the two ministries. It informs Lao students on tertiary education in Vietnam, helping them pick the most suitable options, he said. The minister said he looks forward to further educational engagement between Vietnam and Laos. According to Nguyen Xuan Vang, head of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam is paying heed to improving quality and international integration in education. Vietnam now hosts more than 20,000 international students studying languages, culture, traditional medicine and finance, among other subjects. Vietnamese tertiary education facilities have so far offered 400 joint educational programmes with 100 foreign partners. Previously, on May 19, the two ministries held an educational forum on international cooperation gathering representatives from universities of both sides. Election work thoroughly prepared in remote, border localities Voters in the border district of Ngoc Hoi, the central Highlands of Kon Tum, are ready for the upcoming elections of the 14th National Assembly (NA) and all-level People’s Councils for 2016-2021, according to Pham Van Thanh, secretary of the district’s election committee. Thanh said preparations for the elections were carried out thoroughly by the district’s election committee from early February, while campaigns to the elections were also held. In disadvantaged and ethnic minority areas, mobile broadcasting and election posters were arranged. The efforts aimed to ensure safety and transparency for the elections, especially in the border locality, which is home to residents following various religions. Ngoc Hoi border Laos and Cambodia to the west. Gia Y Chanh living in Bo Y commune, Ngoc Hoi district said through various forms of communications, locals were well informed of the elections. To support armed forces operating in Ngoc Hoi district to perform both their right to vote and their duty to ensure safety for the elections, officers and soldiers from the district’s Military Command and police, and Engineering Brigade 270 will vote early on May 21. Election-related works have been also prepared in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai’s Mu Cang Chai district, where most of the 32,316 voters are Mong people, with many illiterate. To ensure successful elections, local authorities focused on promoting communications through different means, especially running broadcasting programmes in the Mong language. According to Le Ngoc Minh, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee’s Mu Cang Chai chapter, many measures were used to ensure the best organisation for the elections. Kien Giang: Voters in Tho Chau island commune go to the poll Voters in Tho Chau island commune, Phu Quoc district in southern Kien Giang province, on May 19 casted their ballots to elect deputies for the 14th National Assembly and People's Council at all levels for the 2016-2021 term. This is the only island commune of Kien Giang that has casted ballots three days earlier than the day of the elections nationwide. The island commune has 1,650 voters. From 6am, many voters gathered at polling stations to attend a flag-saluting ceremony and then cast their votes. Beyond the dock, fishermen operating in the Tho Chau maritime area returned to the island to go to the poll. Some soldiers garrisoning in the Tho Chau commune who went to the poll for the first time said they feel honoured to join the voting, expressing their hope that elected deputies will make contributions to the national defence and construction. Chairman of the Tho Chau communal People’s Committee Do Van Dung said the local Election Committee created possible favourable conditions for all locals to perform their citizen right and duty. Located approximately 120km from Phu Quoc Island district and 210km southwest of the mainland, Tho Chau comprises eight small islands, with Tho Chu being the biggest island. The island commune contributes significantly to national defence and security. Fishing and fish farming are main contributors to the locality’s economic growth. The locality exports about 2,000 tonnes of cuttlefish and 4,000 tonnes of fish, earning over 17 billion VND (765,000 USD) every year. Early NA voting in Quang Nam’s remote, border areas Residents in remote and border areas of central Quang Nam province on May 19 cast votes to elect deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021, three days ahead of the nationwide election date. Chairman of the Tan Hiep communal People’s Committee Nguyen Van An said more than 2,000 locals voted for deputies to the NA and the provincial People’s Council, over 1,900 others voted for deputies to the People’s Council of Hoi An city and nearly 1,700 voted for deputies to the communal People’s Council. Chairman of the Nam Giang district People’s Committee Alang Mai said there are 28 polling stations in the locality, adding that among communes joining the election, six border Laos and one is in an especially disadvantaged situation. The election has become a true festival of the people, he stated. Inspecting the process, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee and Chairman of the provincial Election Committee Dinh Van Thu said the outcomes of the early and May 22 voting will be reported to the relevant Central agency. The voting started at 7am and closed at 1:30pm in 49 polling stations across the province, 7 hours earlier than the scheduled deadline, said Director of the provincial Department of Home Affairs and permanent member of the provincial Election Committee Nguyen Huu Sang. Ha Giang border voters look toward NA election Residents in Vi Xuyen border district of the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang are anticipating the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and the People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021 slated for May 22. Chairman of the Lao Chai communal People’s Committee Vien Nguyen Duyen said the locality is holding an education campaign to raise public awareness of the election’s significance, partly by hanging banners with slogans in villages’ meeting halls. The communes also launched an emulation movement to celebrate the event, he said, adding that entrance to polling stations have been decorated with banners, slogans, flags and flowers. Local youth unions have also responded to the election by establishing voluntary youth groups riding motorbikes to disseminate relevant information. Voter Giang Seo Thang, 63, hoped that to-be-elected deputies will use their capability and take full responsibility as “servants of the people”. Voter Nguyen Xuan De, 73, wished that deputies would devise appropriate policies to improve people’s lives. Largest Ho Chi Minh memorial site overseas inaugurated in Thailand The largest commemorative site for President Ho Chi Minh outside Vietnam was inaugurated in Nachok village, Muang district, in Thailand’s northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom on May 19, the date of the late President’s birthday. The event was attended by more than 3,000 people from high-ranking delegations of the Vietnamese Party, the Government, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand, representatives from the Thai Foreign Ministry, Thai people and Vietnamese expats in Thailand. Construction on the 12,000 square metre site began on March 28, 2014. At total cost of 50 million Thai baht (1.4 million USD), 45 million Thai baht of which was donated by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his visit to the Thai-Vietnamese Friendship Village in 2013. The Vietnamese styled memorial site was built to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary activities in Nakhon Phanom province. Nakhon Phanom, located 800 kilometres northeast from the capital Bangkok, still holds numerous objects, memory and images of the Vietnamese leader, who spent the longest of his time in Thailand (1928-1929) living here. At the event, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Party Central Committee Office Nguyen Van Nen highlighted that the memorial site is a significant historical-cultural construction and a symbol for the traditional friendship between the two nations. He noted that the Vietnamese Party, Government and people always respect support provided by the Thai Government and Nakhon Phanom province for President Ho Chi Minh as well as their efforts to preserve the Vietnamese leader’s memorial site in the country. He thanked the Thai Government, Nakhon Phanom authorities, the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association and Vietnamese expats for their supports during the construction of the site as well as the organisation of the inaugural ceremony on the occasion of President Ho Chi Minh’s 126th birthday and the 40 th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand. The memorial site will help Vietnamese generations further their understanding about the late President’s revolutionary career and the sound friendship between the two nations, he added. For his part, Governor of the Nakhon Phanom Somsai Vitdamrong hailed the participation of the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation in the inaugural ceremony. He spoke highly of Vietnamese expats’ contributions to developing provincial socio-economy and enhancing friendship relations, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the Thai province and Vietnamese localities. Earlier, Nen and the Vietnamese delegation met with leader of the Vietnamese People in Thailand, briefing the Vietnamese expats about the nation’s socio-economic situation and results of the 12th National Party Congress. He appreciated efforts made by the Vietnamese expats in stabilising lives and integrating into Thai society, contributing to developing both nations while expressing his hope that they will further their efforts to build a solid community and serve as a bridge to promote Vietnam-Thailand relations. In commemoration of the President’s 126th birthday (May 19, 1890-2016), Vietnamese expats in Algeria, South Africa, Mozambique and Singapore offered incense to the late President. VNA offers cheap airfares on domestic routes The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced on May 19 that it will launch a promotion program on some domestic routes. Under the plan, passengers can book one-way tickets at the special prices of VND299,000 on routes, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City-Buon Ma Thuot; as well as flights on the route connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Nha Trang at VND399,000. The special price of VND499, 000 is applied to the routes, Hanoi-Dong Hoi; HCM City-Da Nang, Da Lat, Phu Quoc; and flights between Hanoi-Pleiku, HCMC-Hue at VND599,000. One-way tickets on routes, Hanoi-HCMC, Da Lat, Can Tho will be respectively VND799,000, VND999,000 and VND1,099,000. The promotional airfares do not include taxes, fees and surcharges. The information of the promotional program will be updated constantly on every Tuesday at its official website www.vietnamairlines.com Health tourism conference opens in HCMC The 2016 Gangnam Health Tourism Conference was launched at Sofitel Saigon Plaza in Ho Chi Minh City, yesterday with the participant of over 20 top Korean hospitals and Vietnamese beauty salons, private hospitals. The conference aimed to build and develop international cooperation relations in health care between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea. Speaking at the conference, Ms Shin, Yeon Hee –Major of Gangnam-Gu said Gangnam-gu is one of the most attractive cities in Korea. Each year the city welcomes over 8 million foreign visitors and is not only the center for business, culture and art but also for IT, education, medical care & service and finance. 2,400 medical centers are located in Gangnam-gu and innumerable number of national and foreign patients visits Gangnam-gu to receive the finest medical care. “International tourists visiting the city increase 20 percent each year and the city is home to 80 percent surgery and dermotology clinics in Seoul”, she added. Ms. Bae, Keun Hee –Medicaltourism Team Manager from Pulic Health Center said last year the city received 5,6 million international visitors including Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese and is expected to reach over 8 million in 2016 and 10 million in 2018. “The conference is not only chance to exchange & introduce Gangnam’s health tourism sector to HCMC but also to set up cooperation between Gangnam-gu health organizations and Ho Chi Minh City’s health & tourism sectors. Ms Bae, Keun Hee appreciated highly the Ho Chi Minh City’s development potential hoping that in the upcoming times, the two cities will continue cooperate and exchange experiences in all fields”.   VFF leader visits Buddhist dignitaries, followers in HCM City Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man has extended his best wishes to Buddhist dignitaries and followers in Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of Buddha’s 2560th birthday. During his May 19 meeting with representatives from the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Executive Council’s HCM City Office, the VFF leader praised efforts of the VSB in encouraging Buddhist monks, nuns and followers to actively contribute to the country’s construction, development and reform. He said he hopes Buddhist dignitaries and followers nationwide will further promote great national unity, and continue responding to and actively implementing emulation movements, especially in international integration and new-style rural area building, national sovereignty safeguarding, environmental protection as well as in social activities. On behalf of the VBS, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Chairman of the VBS Executive Council thanked the Party, State and the VFF for their attention to the VBS’s activities, affirming that the VBS Executive Council, all dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers, in and outside the country, will maintain unity and promote Vietnamese Buddhism’s tradition, and join nation-building and safeguarding as well. The VBS will do its best to realise the set duties in the coming time, especially calling on Buddhist dignitaries and followers across the country to perform their citizen right and duty in the upcoming 14th National Assembly and People's Council at all levels elections, he stressed. Reservoirs in Binh Dinh dry up As many as 71 out of 161 reservoirs in the central province of Binh Dinh have run dry due to the prolonged drought. Most of them are located in the districts of Hoai Nhon, Phu Cat, Phu My, Hoai An, Tay Son, Vinh Thanh, Van Canh and An Lao. The total water volume in the rest reaches 303 million cubic metres, accounting for 52 percent of their full capacity, and 86 percent of that in 2015. Chairman of the Hoan An district People’s Committee Hoang Phi Long said his district has instructed localities to cultivate other crops than rice on over 300 hectares. Dredging canals and ponds is being conducted to ensure a water supply for the 3,350 hectares of the Summer – Autumn crop, Long said. Secretary of the Van Canh district Party Committee Le Ba Thanh said prolonged drought has dried up the Ha Thanh river, affecting dozens of hectares of crops in the locality. Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Phan Trong Ho said the locality plans to cultivate rice on 40,750 hectares and other crops on 13,024 hectares in the Summer-Autumn crop. However, currently, nearly half of the area has been due to lack of water, Ho said. Thousands of households across the province have also suffered from drinking water shortages. Up to 10,000 households or 41,000 people are forecast to fall into this situation in the peak dry season from mid June to late August.- Organisations support farmers affected by drought A number of organisations signed a joint action programme in Hanoi on May 19 to support farmers affected by drought, saltwater intrusion, and massive seafood death. The signatories include the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee along with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, the Vietnamese Farmers Association, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Association of Vietnamese War Veterans, the Vietnam Red Cross Society, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Vietnam Fisheries Association. President of the VFF Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said with the goal of strengthening a closer and more effective coordination, the involved parties agreed to directly support 450,000 households with 1.8 million people who are suffering from water shortages. Due to massive fish deaths in central provinces, 12,500 fishing boats have yet to head back out to sea, affecting 63,000 fishermen, he said, adding that the Government has put forth a programme to assist locals with rice, money and loans. In the next three or four months, it is urgent to help 6,000 households buy social insurance cards and enable their children to go to school, he said, adding that this requires close coordination between relevant agencies. Accordingly, the involved parties will mobilise necessary financial resources in June 2016 and transfer the money to support the affected localities next month, he said. The action programme aims to supply fresh water for around 45,000 families affected by saltwater encroachment in the Mekong Delta, and drought in the Central Highlands and south central region, while purchasing health insurance cards for around 6,000 underprivileged households affected by massive fish deaths in central provinces. The involved parties will also inspect the delivery of the State’s urgent assistance to fishermen in central Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue provinces in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Decision 772/QD-TTg issued on May 9, 2016. Vietnam to devote its best to implement 2030 Agenda goals Vietnam will mobilise all resources for the achievement of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong on May 19. He made the remarks at the start-up workshop on “Rolling-out of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Vietnam” held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi on the same day. Vietnam has committed itself to supporting and joining the implementation of the goals, Phuong affirmed. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator, stressed that the goals should be fulfilled with innovative and effective solutions and comprehensive approaches. It also requires the support and commitments of the country’s leaders, she added. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York in September last year, which sets out a global development vision and global partnership, alongside actions required for sustainable development across the globe over the next 15 years. It is composed of 17 goals and 169 specific targets to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change. The Vietnamese Government has also defined sustainable development as the constant goal of socio-economic development, and has focused efforts on poverty reduction, child care, health care, education and gender equality. The country has received praise from the international community for its accomplishments in implementing Millennium Development Goals. Project on fostering Vietnam-Laos border management reviewed A joint project on increasing and upgrading border markers along the Vietnam – Laos border was reviewed at a conference in Hanoi on May 19, aiming to better the management of the border in the future. The event was jointly organised by Vietnam’s National Border Commission under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to Head of the Commission’s Western Border Department Thai Xuan Dung, the project was jointly developed by Vietnam and Laos in 2004. It aims to upgrade the network of Vietnam – Laos border markers and complete the relevant legal framework, Dung said. Under the project, up to 1,002 border markers and stakes were built, and the database of the border maps was upgraded to facilitate border management. A number of agreements have been signed on demarcation and border management, contributing to developing the traditional friendship and special solidarity between the two nations, Dung said. Vietnam and Laos share a border of about 2,340 km that runs across 10 Vietnamese provinces: Dien Bien, Son La, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Kon Tum. The line also passes by 10 Lao provinces: Phongsaly, Luang Prabang, Houaphan, Bolykhamsay, Khammoune, Savannakhet, Salavan, Xiengkhouang, Sepon and Attapeu. Vietnam-Cambodia economic partnership can grow more strongly: diplomat Vietnam and Cambodia have reaped impressive results in economic cooperation, which still has much room to flourish even more, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du said. He made the remark in the opening speech of a forum in Phnom Penh on May 19 that gathered some 100 representatives of Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia. He said the traditional friendship, close proximity and optimum conditions provided by the two Governments have facilitated trade and investment partnerships between the neighbouring countries in recent years. The ambassador said the forum was to review Vietnamese investments in Cambodia, and update Vietnamese enterprises about the local Government’s new support policies for foreign companies. The businesses could also raise their voice to ask the two Governments for better conditions for their investment and business activities in Cambodia. Youn Heng, Director of the Investment Project Evaluation and Incentives under the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), spoke highly of Vietnamese enterprises’ contributions to local development. He also gave the latest information about his country’s investment policy such as business licence granting procedures, the Law on Investment, and the organisation of the CDC. Nguyen Bao, head of Vietnam’s Trade Office in Cambodia, reported that Vietnamese firms have had 183 investment projects totaling 2.85 billion USD in Cambodia so far. Vietnam remains among the top five foreign investors in its neighbour. Meanwhile, bilateral trade reached 3.37 billion USD in 2015, and the two sides are striving to record 5 billion USD in trade revenue in the near future. Vietnam is currently the third biggest trade partner of Cambodia. It has had the largest number of tourists to Cambodia in recent years. Meanwhile, Vietnam is also a favourite foreign holiday destinations of Cambodians, Bao noted. Lao musician writes about President Ho Chi Minh President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morals and lifestyle as well as the beauty of Vietnam and its people are once again featured through a symphony composed by Lao national artist Duangmyxay Lykaya. The Vietnamese Cultural Centre in Laos held a ceremony on May 19 to receive the symphony, named “Ho Chi Minh - Mat troi soi sang muon doi” (President Ho Chi Minh - the sun enlightens life). On behalf of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, Charge d’Affaires Hoang Xuan Hai said that numerous art works raving about President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam-Lao special relations have been produced by Lao artists. “Ho Chi Minh - Mat troi soi sang muon doi” given to the Vietnamese Cultural Centre on the occasion of President Ho Chi Minh’s 126 th birthday has a great value, Hai noted, expressing his hope that a performance of the symphony will be delivered to the public soon. At the event, musician Duangmyxay Lykaya highlighted that his musical works have been composed with respect for President Ho Chi Minh, a beloved friend of Laos. Inspiration for the songs came from his visits to places where President Ho Chi Minh pursued his revolutionary career like Pac Bo cave and Nha Rong Wharf, he added. Musician Duangmyxay Lykaya has composed a line-up of musical works praising President Ho Chi Minh such as “Hong Ha-Mekong” (Red River-Mekong River), “Bong sen do” (Red lotus), “Nho Chu tich Ho Chi Minh suot doi” (Remember President Ho Chi Minh) and “Nguoi bac cua chung ta” (Our uncle), which have been performed at significant events in both nations. Azerbaijan, Vietnam relations commended Azerbaijan and Vietnam share several cultural similarities despite the distance which separates the two countries, said participants at the recent conference entitled The Parallels of Azerbaijani and Vietnamese Cultures. The conference was held on May 17 by the Azerbaijani History and Culture Research Centre in Vietnam, and the Azerbaijan Embassy. Participants at the conference said that even though the two countries were not large, they had thousands of years of history, and were very resilient during wars against foreign invaders. Multiculturalism, for the two countries, has been the way to peace and stability. Participants said that inhabitants of the two countries have several common traditions. They both attach much attention to the role of family, and are very hospitable. During the event, speeches from leaders, teachers, researchers, and young students were presented, highlighting the cooperation of the two countries in different sectors including sport, and cinematography. The two countries set up close relations in 1959 when President Ho Chi Minh visited Azerbaijan. The President wanted the oil-savvy Azerbaijan to help Vietnam train cadres in this sector. This country has also helped Vietnam in the training of theatre directors and athletes. At the conference, Vietnamese associate professor Bui Minh Tri, member of the Vietnam Writers Association, expressed his admiration for Azerbaijani’s rich literary tradition. He said he found several similarities between the poetry of Azerbaijan’s famous poets Mirza Shafi Vazeh, and Nezami in Vietnam’s famous poets Nguyen Du and Xuan Dieu. Dao Xuan Tien, Director of Azerbaijani History and Culture Research Centre in Vietnam, wishes that a Vietnamese cultural centre would soon be opened in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to promote cultural cooperation between the two countries. He also highlighted the importance of promoting cultural exchanges between Vietnamese students studying in Azerbaijan Azerbaijanis. Azerbaijan Ambassador to Vietnam Anar Imanov said that the conference would be held annually. During the first conference of this kind last year, he also said he would finance the translation of literary works from Vietnamese to Azerbaijani and vice versa. Also last year, the Azerbaijani journal IRS Heritage, which focuses on the Central Asian country’s heritage and culture, has been published in Vietnamese. The journal is aimed at acquainting readers with the past and present of Azerbaijan, along with its economical and cultural life. Hue in the eyes of foreign watercolour painters Nearly 60 watercolour paintings of Hue, an ancient citadel of Vietnam, are on display at the Imperial City in Hue City, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. Launched on May 19, the exhibition showcases works that depict the beauty of Hue’s architectures and landscapes from the perspectives of 29 painters from Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and China. The works were created during a four-day painting event organised by the International Watercolour Society in the city from May 15-18. Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre Phan Thanh Hai said the event is important to the city’s fine arts industry which provides an opportunity for local and overseas artists to meet and exchange ideas for the development of the sector.- Workers get food poisoning Dozens of workers at a company in southern Trà Vinh Province were hospitalised yesterday morning with suspected food poisoning. As of 10:30am, more than 50 workers from Việt Trần Ltd were transported to Trà Vinh General Hospital with symptoms such as nausea, stomach ache and diarrhea. Initial investigations revealed that the workers ate a meal at the company’s canteen yesterday afternoon before beginning their over-time work. Việt Trần Company is involved in manufacturing and exporting products such as ink film for fax machines, barcode ribbons and printer ribbons at Long Đức Industrial Zone in the province’s Trà Vinh City. The meals the workers ate the day before were the likely cause of a mass food-poisoning incident, doctors said. By 11:30am the same day, all the workers were discharged, having made a full recovery. Ninh Thuan improves nutrition among children, mothers Health workers in the central province of Ninh Thuan have been trained to treat malnourished children who have limited access to nutritious foods and fresh water due to the prolonged drought. During a May 18-19 training course, held by the UN Children’s Fund in Vietnam and the National Institute of Nutrition, they also learnt how to improve nutrition for pregnant and lactating mothers. Following the course, undernourished children aged from six to 59 months in the locality will receive medical check-ups. Under the financial and technical support of the UN Children’s Fund in Vietnam , nutritious products have been transported to local health centres and will be provided for malnourished children and pregnant and nursing mothers. According to the provincial Health Department, the drought has made thousands of pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five years old in Ninh Thuan face a shortage of nutritious foods. Ninh Thuan is one of the 18 cities and localities nationwide worst affected by drought since 2015. 16 implicated in VND5 billion meter fraud at Hanoi gas station Hanoi police have completed an investigation and proposed criminal charges against 16 people involved in a long-running meter fraud scheme at a gas station since 2014. The accused are 13 managers and employees of the gas station in Hai Ba Trung District and three men who sold meter-rigging electronic chips. On December 24, market management officers made surprise checks at the station on Tran Khat Chan Street, owned by Hanoi Fuel JSC, and discovered electronic chips attached to some of the pumps there. The chips allegedly reduced the gasoline amount pumped into a vehicle by around 5%, authorities said. Hanoi officials inspect a gas station in December last year. A total of 13 managers and employees of this station and three other men are involved in a long-running meter fraud scheme. According to investigators, the people at the station, including the manager Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, in April 2014 decided to buy three chips for VND75 million (US$3,360). Ngo Duc Toan, the buyer, reportedly bought them at a flea market for VND1.5 million. The group also bought three remote control units in June that year from another man, Ngo Tuan Anh, to be able to manipulate the system from afar. By the time the case was busted last December, the station had stolen at least VND5 billion worth of fuel from customers. Each of the employees reportedly pocketed around VND500,000 per shift, while their manager got a fixed monthly sum of up to VND15 million. They have surrendered more than VND1.6 billion. In May 2015, an employee from the station was reassigned to be head of a sister station in Gia Lam District. He has also been accused of installing electronic chips for swindling. This second case is still being investigated. Vietnam culinary arts promoted in Osaka The Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka has recently held a cooking class to introduce the country’s gastronomy to Japanese and international friends. The event attracted the participation of staff of the consulate general, representatives from local authorities, Sakai city, the Japan-Vietnam friendship association and Japanese friends.   At the event, international and Japanese friends showed their keen interest in Vietnamese fresh and fried spring rolls and other traditional dishes and highlighted the hospitability of representatives from the consulate general. The event also helped international friends learn more about Vietnamese culture, people and land. Exhibition celebrates 10th anniversary of RoK Culture Centre’s establishment Over 40 royal and ordinary folk paintings and traditional handicrafts from the Republic of Korea (RoK) are being exhibited from May 18 to June 17 at the RoK Culture Centre, 49 Nguyen Du, Hanoi to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the centre’s establishment. The displayed items showcase the nature, profound respect to the king and the motherland, and commemoration to sages, reflecting the life and spirit of RoK people, praying for happiness, banishing woes, wishing for unity and prosperity in families and showing love for children. The exhibition also highlights works by RoK artisan Jung Seung Hui, an assistant of Kim Man Hui - the only RoK artisan recognised as intangible cultural heritage - who has made numerous contributions to developing and continuing the RoK’s traditional folk painting. This is the first time her works have been exhibited in Vietnam, a country with similar traditions and folk painting culture. At the exhibition’s opening ceremony, visitors experienced an ancient Seoul space and enjoyed a traditional meal of RoK people. They also joined classes on how to draw RoK traditional paintings and cook royal dishes with directions by RoK artisans and culinary experts. Director of the RoK Culture Centre expressed his hope that the exhibition would help Vietnamese people further understand the RoK’s cultural heritage, contributing to enhancing cultural exchanges between the two countries via folk painting. Documentary heritage on show in Hue An exhibition featuring a collection of UNESCO-recognized documentary heritage found in Vietnam is on in Hue City, the Vietnam News Agency reports. Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, director of the Hue Relics Conservation Center, said the “World Documentary Heritage” is a program formerly known as the “Memory of the World” of UNESCO to conserve cultural heritage by collecting documents in forms such as books, films, records and scripts. The event is showcasing four documents recognized as world heritage by UNESCO, including the woodblocks of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the Le and Mac Dynasties’ stone stele records of royal examinations (1442-1779), Vinh Nghiem Pagoda’s woodblocks in the northern province of Bac Giang, and the Nguyen Dynasty’s pearl blocks. Formosa’s wastewater discharge monitored An automatic monitoring center that supervises wastewater discharge at the Formosa steel complex in Ha Tinh Province was put into operation on May 18, according to the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment. All data about wastewater discharge at the complex in Vung Ang Economic Zone in the north-central province will be transmitted to the department’s automatic monitoring center. Monitoring will be carried out round the clock and data will be updated every two minutes. If any parameter is found to be higher than the permissible level, the department would take samples for testing. The parameters to be measured for wastewater discharge at the complex are chemical oxygen demand (COD), temperatures, pH and total nitrogen. Formosa Ha Tinh Steel plans to test run the first blast furnace at the steel complex worth up to US$10 billion in phase one next month. The furnace is designed to produce some four million tons of steel annually. The steel complex covering more than 3,300 hectares consists of six blast furnaces having an annual combined capacity of 22.5 million tons, a 1,600MW thermal power plant and a port able to handle 30 million tons of cargo a year. Workers to show off skills at national contest Contestants from across Vietnam will show off their vocational skills in 25 professions at the ninth National Skills Competition, slated for May 23 – 30. Fifty-eight delegations with 498 competitors have registered to take part in the event so far, according to the Directorate of Vocational Training under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. The 25 professions include electro mechanics, cooking, welding, hairstyling, mobile robotics, automobile technology, website designing, restaurant services and civil carpentry. There are three competition venues in Hanoi, one in nearby Ha Nam province and one in the central city of Hue. The Vocational Training Directorate said the organisers will apply more advanced technologies in this year’s event. The best contestants will represent Vietnam at the 11th ASEAN Skills Competition in Malaysia this September and the 44th World Skills Competition in the UAE in October 2017. The National Skills Competition is held biennially. Citizen reception improved ahead of election Hectic preparations for the elections of the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils are underway in citizen reception offices all over Vietnam. Efforts are being made to settle complaints and petitions and educate the citizens on their right to vote. In the first 3 months of this year, the Central Citizen Reception Committee of the Government Inspectorate received more than 5,900 citizens, who came to report on 1,560 cases. In April alone, the committee received more than 2,600 citizens, 52% more than in the same period last year. Head of the committee Nguyen Hong Diep said, “This is an opportunity for the administrations at central and local levels to review their performance in the previous tenure and set out future directions. We help local administrations and candidates to work out their plans of action, which should target the people’s needs”. Citizen reception personnel also came to talks with the people on pending issues. Even leaders of the Government Inspectorate had on-site meetings with citizens. In Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ninh province, inspection teams have been established to check how citizens’ queries are addressed and how their petitions are settled, as Election Day nears. Nguyen Hong Diep noted, “Whenever there is any complaint about election work and candidates, we follow the Law on Election to deal with complainants and forward the problems to the National Electoral Council in accordance with the law. We also communicate with people about their voting rights. If citizens are unable to vote, we will work with relevant agencies to provide mobile ballot boxes for them to exercise their rights”. The Central Citizen Reception Committee has collaborated with the Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Bar Federation to organize a free legal consultation programs. Since early this year, hundreds of lawyers have participated in 4 legal support programs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, helping to resolve complaints and disseminate legal information to the public. Red Cross to deliver emergency aid to drought-hit localities The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) will provide fresh water and assistance in cash to residents in four provinces suffering from drought and saltwater intrusion, during May and June. The VRCS Central Committee said the beneficiary localities are the southern provinces of Long An and Ben Tre, the central province of Ninh Thuan and Gia Lai province in the Central Highlands region. As many as 3,520 households facing water shortage will be provided with water, while 2,550 others affected by drought and saltwater intrusion will receive cash to purchase clean water and foods for a period of two months. The activity is part of a project on emergency aid to people suffering from drought and saltwater intrusion. The project worth 4 billion VND (173,000 USD) is funded by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.- Drought takes toll on coffee plantation in Central Highlands More than 115,000 hectares of coffee trees across the Central Highlands are suffering water shortages, as recent rains failed to ease drought. As a result, bean yield is expected to reduce by between 30 and 70 percent this harvest compared to normal. Dak Lak has borne the brunt of the drought, with 4,399 hectares of the total 56,138 hectares of dry coffee plantation completely ruined. Ruined areas need at least four years of recovery to be ready for harvest again. Half of Dak Lak’s 600 reservoirs have dried out, and locals have been urged to water their coffee trees just enough for them to survive the dry season. Most irrigation projects and streams in the region have run out of water, while the level of groundwater has decreased by between 5 and 8 metres in some localities. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri