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Tam Dao – ideal destination for holidays

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:52 pm




Tam Dao – ideal destination for holidays


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:30 (GMT+7)

About 86km from Hanoi, the Tam Dao mountain range extends for 50km with natural landscapes, a romantic and quiet atmosphere, and fresh air. It might be the ideal destination for relaxation.


Driving about an hour from Hanoi, travelers will reach Phuc Yen Town of Vinh Phuc Province. Then, for another half an hour, travelers follow a narrow road along the foot of the mountains under the shadows of pine trees to reach Tam Dao Town.    


Those who set foot in this area for the first time will be surprised to feel a change in the weather when they are about ten kilometers from Tam Dao. Being situated at a height of more than 1,000 meters above sea level, the weather in Tam Dao is similar to Sapa’s in Lao Cai Province, which offers tourists the ability to experience four seasons in one day. 


The day starts with spring winds, turns hot at noon like in the summer, has the mild weather of autumn when it turns dark, and is rather cold at night like in the winter. 


Visiting this place, tourists also enjoy the feeling of returning to nature with beautifully landscaped valleys, hills, mountains and waterfalls as well as other tourism sites such as Thac Bac (Silver Falls), Suoi Tien (Stream of the Goddess), Cau Hen Ho (Dating Bridge), Cong Troi (Gate of Heaven), Den Thanh Tran (Temple of the Tran God), and the Tam Dao National Park that has a total area of 19,000ha with many rare species of fauna and flora.


Source: VietnamNet


Source: QDND

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Developing orchard tours in Mekong Delta

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:52 pm




Developing orchard tours in Mekong Delta


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:30 (GMT+7)

With a favorable location, an interlacing river system, a variety of delicious fruits and rich indigenous culture, the Mekong Delta has many advantages to develop orchard tours. But, orchard tour development is still unproportional with the potential due to a number of planning problems. 


With 269,000 hectares of fruit, the Mekong Delta is the largest fruit growing area in Vietnam, which accounts for 70 percent of the country’s total fruit area. With a diverse range of fruits, which have high economic value such as Lo Ren Vinh Kim star apple, Hoa Loc mango, Cho Gao dragon fruit, Tan Phuoc longan and Cai Be mandarin and attractive tourist sites such as Thoi Son Island, Cai Be floating market…, the Mekong Delta has a lot of advantages to develop tourism. At a Vietnam Fruit Festival which recently took place in Tien Giang province, managers, scientists and businesses discussed weaknesses and suggested solutions to develop the region’s tourism.


According to associate professor, Dr. Luu Thanh Duc Hai, the deputy head of the Economics and Business Administration Department of the Can Tho University, Mekong Delta’s tourism should not only rely on available advantages. The delta needs to invest in infrastructure and technological development, strengthen human resources, diversify its range of tourist offerings, improve service quality, promote advertising and expand the market. In addition, it is necessary to focus on environmental protection based on inter-regional and interdisciplinary cooperation.


In reality, the Mekong Delta has not fully taken its available advantages. Nguyen Ngoc Minh, the director of the Tien Giang Province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the biggest difficulty is the lack of an overall plan for orchard development that pertains to eco-tour development. Especially, the region does not pay proper attention to transport infrastructure system, including roads to orchards. Therefore, it is necessary to have inter-regional cooperation to overcome difficulties and utilize the advantages.


According to Dr. Tran Van Ngoi, the director of the management board of the Mekong Tourism Development Project, the region’s tourism development is still unproportional with the potential. A matter of concern is cooperation among provinces to establish brands for tourist offerings and create development breakthroughs. In addition, it is necessary for the Mekong Delta to invest in infrastructure and human resources and improve tourism services towards professionalism. Unqualified tourism staff and tourist sites, which are facing with the risk of degradation, are creating a lot of obstacles to tourist attraction.


Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved the Mekong Delta Tourism Development Project to 2020. According to the project, investment capital in tourism from 2010-2015 is estimated at US$959.6 million, while US$963.7 million being demanded for the 2015-2020 period. The region is striving to attract 7.7 million tourists (including 2.7 million foreign visitors) by 2015 and 10.4 million (including 3.9 million of foreign visitors) by 2020 and create 236,600 jobs for local people. To reach the target, it is important to issue proper development policies and avoid inconsistent investment.


Source: Vietnam Economic News


 


Source: QDND

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Vietnam and Australia cooperate in mining exploration

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:51 pm




Vietnam and Australia cooperate in mining exploration


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:28 (GMT+7)

An Australian business delegation consisting of leading contractors and technology providers in the mining sector will visit Vietnam from May 10-12 to seek business opportunities.


Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Allaster Cox, emphasised that the visit aims to boost bilateral relationship and cooperation between the two countries.


“For Vietnam, a country processing a great deal of natural resources and considering mining exploration as a key factor in its future economic growth, the Australian business delegation’s visit will provide Vietnam’s industrial sector with a good opportunity to learn more about their experience and professional skills,” he said.


Ambassador Cox also expressed his wish to strengthen cooperative ties with Vietnam.


According to the Australian trade counselor in Vietnam, Tony Burchill, Australia is leading the world in the mining industry and is ready to help Vietnam develop its mining sector for mutual benefits.


About 2,500 companies and 320,000 workers in Australia are currently involved in mining exploration, and 60 percent of the world’s mining exploration software is developed in Australia.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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Vietnam to facilitate foreign share listings

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:51 pm




Vietnam to facilitate foreign share listings


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:28 (GMT+7)

Vietnam plans to facilitate foreign invested firms to list their shares on the country’s stock exchanges, says an official from the State Securities Commission. 


Nguyen Son, head of the commission’s Securities Market Development Department, said the watchdog has submitted to the government a proposal which provides detailed guidelines for foreign invested public businesses to list their shares.


“The proposal, if passed by the government, will remove obstacles for the businesses to join the Vietnamese stock market,” Son told Thanh Nien Weekly.


The new decision is appreciated but its implementation circular should be introduced earlier or plans for listing by foreign invested businesses would be stuck, said Le Ngoc Chi, deputy head of Bao Viet Securities Company’s Corporate Finance department.


Chi said many foreign invested public companies, his firm’s potential clients, were interested in the new decision which opened the door wider for them to join the Vietnamese stock market.


They are keenly awaiting the implementation circular that would allow concerned agencies to license their listings, Chi said.


She said 100 percent – Korean padding, quilting and bedding firm Everpia, which owns the Everon brand, has been waiting for nearly eight months for permission from the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange to list on the stock maket.


“We hope the Korean firm will be the first foreign invested businesses to list its entire shares on the stock exchange and it will be a good example for others,” said Chi.


Everpia Vietnam, founded in 1992 as Viko Glowin, plans to list 10.72 million shares with the book value of VND10,000 each with the assistance of Bao Viet Securities Company or BVSC, also a strategic shareholder.


In 2005, Taiwan-based Taya Electric Wire and Cable was the first foreign invested business to list its shares on the HCM Stock Exchange under the government’s pilot scheme for the FDI sector.


Seven foreign invested firms including US-based mobile sensing technology provider Full Power, ceramic producer Chang Yih, Taiwanese Aluminum product manufacturer Tung Kuang and Korean Mirae Asset Financial Group have followed the scheme so far.


Under the pilot program, foreign invested firms were allowed to list shares valued at less than 20 percent of their chartered capital.


“We hope the new circular would allow them to list the rest,” said Chi of BVSC which has helped half the foreign invested businesses that have listed their shares in Vietnam.


Economist Bui Kien Thanh said the government should support the foreign invested firms by allowing them to list all their shares on the nation’s stock exchanges where they are able to seek capital for their investments in Vietnam besides offshore financial sources.


More than 450 businesses listed their shares in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi stock exchanges as of last year, according to the commission. The share capitalization of the market was VND620 trillion (US$32.7 billion), accounting for 38 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, the commission said.


More than 11,500 foregin invested businesses are currently operating in the country, according to the Foreign Investment Agency.


Source: VietnamNet/Thanh nien


 


Source: QDND

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Government adopts six-step plan to support SMEs

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:50 pm




Government adopts six-step plan to support SMEs


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:30 (GMT+7)

The Government has issued a resolution outlining six measures to promote small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development.


These measures include increasing enterprises’ access to capital, clearing obstructions relating to getting space for building production facilities, improving enterprises’ competitiveness, accelerating administrative reforms, and building and consolidating supportive systems.


Cities and provinces have been asked to review and adjust land planning, provide timely compensation and enable site clearance for SME projects, and also consider building industrial parks for SMEs.


Local administrations have been asked to allocate more land for SMEs and do their utmost to help the sector boost production and trade.


Localities have to annually report on land that has been allocated to SMEs and for construction of industrial parks.


In the second quarter, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will issue a new circular to help SMEs with polluting facilities move out of urban and residential areas.


The Government has also asked the State Bank of Vietnam to continue adjusting monetary policies and monitoring credit activities with the aim of providing enough funds for key production and export activities, targeting in particular SME sector.


The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has been asked to plan a project to set up and run an SME development fund.


The Government has also said it will support SMEs become more competitive by increasing the application of advanced technologies, improving human resources and management, and expanding markets. 


It has required relevant ministries and agencies to solve all difficulties faced by SMEs and enhance information flow relating to the national business registration and tax registration systems. 


The MPI will prepare a project to improve capacity of the agencies in charge of realizing preferential policies for the development of SMEs.


SMEs account for 97 percent of registered enterprises nationwide. They make up 40 percent of the national GDP and employs 50 percent of the labor force.


Source: SGGP


 


Source: QDND

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Residents advised caution over rabies

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:49 pm




Residents advised caution over rabies


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:30 (GMT+7)

Medical experts have warned residents to remain cautious about rabies as the hot weather is prolonged nationwide.


Tong Thi H, 60, of Ho Chi Minh City was bitten by a dog as she returned from a trip to the local market. Considering it a small scratch, she applied some ampicillin, an antibiotic used to fight infections, but the wound swelled and ulcerated the next day.


H. was rushed to the city’s People’s 115 hospital where doctors said she was at risk for septicemia, but timely treatment saved her life.


The Tropical Disease Hospital has been receiving patients coming in for rabies vaccines recently. Dr. Nguyen Van Minh Chau, the hospital’s deputy head, advised people to get a vaccine shots as the best way to prevent rabies. He said his hospital received an average number of 600 people asking for the rabies vaccine a month.


Doctors at the Pasteur Institute and the city’s Preventive Health Center have also been administering anti-rabines vaccine to over 10 people  a day.


One effective way to prevent rabies in dogs and cats is to inoculate them, however, many families are not aware of the problem and let their pets roam free in the streets. An animal health center in Ly Chinh Thang St, District 3, has seen many people bring dogs in for treatment, but few owners bother to get the rabies vaccine.


Nguyen Thi  Kim Phuong, who is in charge of injecting dogs and cats, at the center, said over five animals are taken there for inoculation everyday, and this goes up to 10 on some days. The number is a miniscule part of the thousands of dogs kept as pets in the city.


Dr. Cao Van Thinh has advised people that in case of dog bites, they wash the wound with soap and alcohol and visit a nearby medical clinic for treatment.


Although the city People’s Committee has issued instructions to control the breeding of dogs and imposed penalties on owners who let dogs roam in the street without muzzles, residents are still being bitten by dogs in streets.


Source: VietnamNet/SGGP


 


Source: QDND

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Creating equal development opportunities for children

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:49 pm




Creating equal development opportunities for children


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:28 (GMT+7)

A month of action was launched in Ninh Binh province on May 8 to create equal opportunities for the development of all children.


Addressing the launch ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong emphasised that after ten years of implementing the movement “For the Future of Children” (2001-2010), children have enjoyed better healthcare, education, physical training and cultural services.


However, many children living in remote areas are still facing numerous difficulties and suffer child abuse.


About 4.5 million children are currently living in poor conditions and to not yet have access to healthcare, education and cultural services.


Mr Trong called on local authorities and functional agencies to create suitable action plans to improve both the spiritual and material lives of all children.


He also stressed the need to prevent child abuse and create the best conditions for children to enjoy better overall care.


The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and many other organisations and individuals presented gifts to disadvantaged children and outstanding poor students.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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Monetary, fiscal policies should act in tandem for sustainable growth: NA

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:48 pm




Monetary, fiscal policies should act in tandem for sustainable growth: NA


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:28 (GMT+7)

Monetary and fiscal policies adopted by the State Bank of Vietnam and the Ministry of Finance respectively have to compliment each other to help curb inflation, improve the balance of payments and reduce the State budget deficit, NA deputies said on Friday.


National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the opening of the 31st National Assembly Standing Committee session on May 6.


This would, in turn, ensure sustainable growth, they added.


The National Assembly Standing Committee gave its opinion on a Government report on the socio-economic situation and the State budget in 2009 and the first months of 2010.  


In the report released on the second day of the 31st session in Hanoi on May 7, the Government said 17 of 25 targets assigned by the NA had been fulfilled or exceeded in 2009.


Some impressive achievements were gained in implementing the socio-economic development plan in early months of this year, the report said.  


The foreign exchange market had been gradually stabilized and its liquidity was improved. The exchange rate of the dong to the US dollar on the free market has come close to the official transaction rate at commercial banks.  


However, the consumer price index (CPI) has risen sharply in early months, especially in essential goods that directly affect people’s lives.


In late 2009 and early 2010, most enterprises, especially small and medium-sized ones, faced difficulties in accessing loans and their production and business were drastically affected, negatively impacting economic growth in the remaining months of the year, the report said.  


The trade gap was still high at US$4.7 billion in the first four months of the year in while the balance of payments had reached US$8.8 billion last year, it noted.  


Ha Van Hien, chairman of the NA Economic Committee said, “In the context of uncertain exports, falling foreign currency reserves, rising trade gap, inflation, dong devaluation and pressure of exchange rate adjustment, stabilizing the macro economy will face great challenges.”


Regarding the State budget, the NA Finance and Budget Committee (NAFBC) said overspending at 6.9 percent of GDP should be considered a shortcoming in State budget management last year.


The NAFBC warned that managing the State budget and ensuring national financial security will become more difficult in 2010 than 2009 since the increase in budget deficit to over 5 percent of the GDP as well as the increase in issuance of Government bonds have pushed the Government debt to 44.6 percent of GDP.  


Truong Thi Mai, Chairwoman of the NA Social Affairs Committee, said, “The NA and Government are determined to reduce the budget deficit. Though the Government debt still stands at the safe threshold, it will cross this threshold in one or two years if the overspending goes unchecked.”


Source: VietnamNet/SGGP


 


Source: QDND

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First national ethnic minority congress to be held in Hanoi

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:47 pm




First national ethnic minority congress to be held in Hanoi


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:28 (GMT+7)

The first national ethnic minority congress will open at the My Dinh National Convention Centre in Hanoi on May 12 with the participation of 1,702 ethnic minority representatives.


This was announced by Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Affairs, Giang Seo Phu, at a press briefing in Hanoi on May 7.


This is the first time the Party and State is organising the ethnic minority congress on a national scale. The congress will see the attendance of both the youngest delegate, from the Odu ethnic group (12 years old) and the oldest, from the Mong ethnic group (102 years old).


Mr Phu emphasised the congress’s wish to see ethnic groups continue enhancing solidarity, effectively implement hunger eradication and poverty reduction programmes and increase people’s awareness, thus contributing to national industrialisation and modernisation.
The congress is an especially important event in the life of Vietnamese ethnic groups and confirms Vietnam is a united yet diverse nation and that the Vietnamese Party and State has a consistent policy on ethnic issues, work and solidarity.


On the threshold of the congress, the organising board will put together an incense offering ceremony at the Hung Kings’ temple, floral tributes to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and a reception given by Party and State leaders for the congress’s delegates.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND

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Hanoi intensifies measures against blue-ear pig disease

In Uncategorized on May 8, 2010 at 4:46 pm




Hanoi intensifies measures against blue-ear pig disease


QĐND – Saturday, May 08, 2010, 22:30 (GMT+7)

The Hanoi municipal People’s Committee on May 7 issued an urgent telegram asking leaders of districts and towns to establish steering boards for epidemic prevention and control and introduce effective measures again blue-ear disease in pigs.


The telegram urged localities to strictly implement preventive measures following the regulations of the Veterinary Ordinance and instructions of functional agencies to detect new outbreaks of the disease as soon as possible and prevent further contagion.


According to the Hanoi Department of Animal Health, blue-ear pig disease has spread to two more districts, Thuong Tin and Thanh Oai. Earlier, three districts – Gia Lam, Me Linh and Phu Xuyen – had been found to be hit by the epidemic.


As many as 418 pig breeding farms in 56 hamlets in 17 communes of the above five districts were reported to be infected by blue-ear disease, resulting in more than 3,770 sick pigs, including more than 2,100 deaths.


Source: VOV


Source: QDND