Politics 

The Prime Minister last week asked relevant ministries to work with Singapore partners to conduct a thorough research in preparation for developing the Thi Vai International General Port and Logistics Complex. PM Nguyen Tan Dung in his dispatch urged the Ministry of Planning and Investment and other related ministries to team up with Singapore researchers for the task and submit the report to both countries' governments as soon as possible.

- The National Assembly held a debate on complaints and petitions by the public in Hanoi yesterday. The assembly heard reports from the Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court, the Director of the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Government Chief Inspector to the National Assembly. According to the reports, the majority of complaints centred around land development compensation grievances, with the frequency of complaints on the rise particularly in Hanoi, HCM City, Da Nang, Can Tho and Ha Tay provinces. 

- United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam John Hendra has praised Vietnamese government's for its impressive achievements in controlling the avian influenza, and in preparing for the eventuality of a human influenza pandemic.

- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Dung said that Vietnamese agencies are considering abolishing a decree on administrative surveillance. 

- Vietnam has welcomed reports on UN reforms by Secretary General Kofi Annan and urged the world governing body to increase representatives from developing countries to the UN Secretariat. Counsellor Vuong Dinh Van said in a statement on November 1 that the UN must improve working conditions for its staff, and pay much attention to their training and retraining.

- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, in the November 1 visit to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, asked the region to work with Vietnamese provinces to accelerate border trade and installation of border landmarks in the coming months.

- President Nguyen Minh Triet on October 31 sent a message of condolence to Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo over the plane crash which occurred on October 29, killing many people.

- National Assembly deputies on October 31 passed the resolution on estimates of State budget revenues, spending and balance for fiscal 2007. The budget for the next year will be around VND300,900 billion and the spending is estimated at VND354,900 billion. The overspending is planned at VND 56,000 billion, equivalent to 5% of GDP.

Business

- A new Ministry of Finance regulation, effective as of November 1, closed a legal loop-hole that gave some consulting firms an unfair advantage in acquiring shares in equitising State-owned enterprises. Circular 95 provides that a financial consulting organization, which helps a State-owned enterprise evaluate its net worth and set the price of stocks for an initial public offering, is no longer allowed to acquire stock in the enterprise.

- Difficulties in acquiring public and 'privileged' land plots from government agencies have hindered the growth of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), according to experts. The land issue may affect the government's efforts to double the total number of enterprises currently operating in the country from around 250,000 to 500,000 by 2010, according to reports released by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

- The Vietnam Pepper Association has warned farmers against expanding areas under pepper cultivation, asking them to attend to quality rather than to look beyond the current 500,000ha so as to avoid a glut. High export prices resulting in high profits this year have lured farmers into expanding their cultivation areas, but the association said they should seek ways to increase productivity and improve quality to make the most of the crop.

- The Prime Minister last week asked relevant ministries to work with Singapore partners to conduct a thorough research in preparation for developing the Thi Vai International General Port and Logistics Complex. PM Nguyen Tan Dung in his dispatch urged the Ministry of Planning and Investment and other related ministries to team up with Singapore researchers for the task and submit the report to both countries' governments as soon as possible.

- Australian businessmen have praised Vietnam's achievements in developing its economy, including investment environment, forecasting a new investment wave for the country, mainly in agriculture, industry and services, after its accession to the WTO. At a Vietnam investment promotion conference held in Sydney on November 2, the businessmen, who included Vietnamese living in Australia, especially welcomed Vietnam's administrative reform and policies aimed at abolishing discrimination against foreign investors.

- The Ministry of Trade predicts that Vietnam will succeed in controlling its inflation in 2006 to fulfil the target of keeping it below 7 percent. Inflation rose 0.2 percent in October, or 5.4 percent in the first 10 months, a smaller increase than expected, despite upward pressures on consumer prices including damage from Typhone Xangsane and an increase in the minimum wage.

- The Ministry of Transport and Communications has decided to spend VND1.5 trillion ($93.8 million) on upgrading the HCM City - Long An province - My Tho City section of National Highway 50, said Tien Giang province's Department of Transport and Communications. The Ministry has also approved a project to upgrade the My Tho City - Ben Tre province section of National Highway 60. The project will cost about VND218 billion ($13.6 million). Both projects will commence in the first half of next year. 

- Lilama 18, a subsidiary of the Vietnam Machinery Installation Corporation (Lilama), and Seam Cement Co. Ltd. signed a contract to build a cement plant in Cambodia's Kampot province on October 30. The plant will cost $6 million and have a capacity of 1 million tonnes of clinker per year. Lilama 18 also continues to bid for other contracts for building cement and electric plants in Cambodia. 

- A $10 million joint venture will be established to implement gold exploitation and mining projects in Tien Thuan area, central Binh Dinh province. An agreement to this effect was signed between representatives from New Zealand's Zedex Group and a local company, Biotan Mineral Co., in Binh Dinh province on November 1. The joint venture's headquarters will be located in Quy Nhon city. 

- Two-way trade between Vietnam and Cambodia is expected to hit the $1 billion mark in 2006 as the figure in the first nine months exceeded $600 million. The information was announced by the Vietnamese Ministry of Trade at a meeting of the steering board for Vietnam-Cambodia border trade held in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh on November 1.

- The Prime Minister issued on October 30 a decision on establishment of the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG). Under the Decision No 249/2006/QD-TTg, the VRG will be set up on the basis of restructuring and reorganising of the Vietnam Rubber Corporation. The decision also stipulates VRG's business activities, management mechanism, as well as its relationship with subsidiaries.

- The Ministry of Trade has issued an import tax rate of 0 percent to be applied to Cambodian agricultural products imported into Vietnam. The zero import tax rate will be applicable to 40 Cambodian agricultural categories, including those made from cassava, sweet potato, cashew nuts, pepper, rice, corn, soybeans, peanut, castor beans, sesame, seaweed, sugar cane, and raw rubber. These products have to be collected manufactured or fully processed in Cambodia.

- The Vietnam Red Cross (VNRC) will launch the second phase of a foreign funded project designed to raise the people's awareness of the threat of avian influenza to the community. The second phase of the project, on avian influenza prevention and preparation for possible bird flu pandemic in Vietnam, will last till March 2007 in ten high-risk cities and provinces, said the VNRC in a workshop on November 1.

- An overall inspection of the production of fresh milk products in Vietnam has been completed but the results can’t be released yet, said the chief inspector of the Ministry of Health, Tran Quang Trung.

- The Song Da Construction Corporation has submitted to the Ministry of Construction a plan to form the Song Da Group, the first ever construction and industry group in Vietnam. The group will undertake installation and construction work (40%), industrial production (40%) and provide services (20%). 

- Steel prices are forecast to see slight increases in November despite big stocks. Currently, one kilogramme of steel is selling at VND7,600 in the north and VND8,000 in the south. 

- The State Bank of Vietnam said it had licenced the importation of 20,000kg of gold in October in order to meet increased domestic demand. 

- Taiwan’s Tung Kuang Industry Company has decided to list its shares at the HCM City Securities Trading Centre (HSTC) after six months of listing at the Hanoi Securities Trading Centre. The company plans to list 3,281,854 shares at HSTC beginning of November 10, the face value of which will be equivalent to 20% of the company’s chartered capital. 

- Seafood exports have been slow due to barriers set up in some key export markets. The total export turnover was $195mil in October, much lower than the September level of $292mil. 

- The Ministry of Trade has released a dispatch saying that while waiting for relevant authorities to discuss the conditions for authorised scrap import, the General Department of Customs would clear the consignments of scrap steel imported prior to July 1, 2006. 

- On October 30, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed a decision approving a plan to set up the Vietnam Rubber Group. 

- New Zealand’s ZEDEX group and Vietnamese BIOTAN yesterday signed an agreement to set up a joint venture, the Binh Dinh – New Zealand Gold Company Ltd. The company, which has the investment capital of $10mil, will undertake projects on gold exploration and exploitation. 

- Ben Thuy Shipyard, a member of the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin), yesterday began building two 6,800 DWT ships ordered by the Binh Dinh Industrial Shipping Company. The two ships are estimated to cost VND210bil ($13.125mil). 

- The State Bank of Vietnam has announced the basic interest rate for November at 8.25% per annum, which remains unchanged compared to October’s level. Meanwhile, VND interest rates saw increases of 0.03-0.17% per annum in the inter-bank market.  

- Dong A Bank’s Securities Company has announced it will raise its chartered capital from VND50bil ($3.12mil) to VND135bil ($8.43mil). Meanwhile, Saigon Securities Incorporated will try to issue VND500bil ($31.25mi) worth of convertible bonds to raise its chartered capital from VND500bil ($31.25mil) to VND1tril ($62.5mil). 

- The stock market yesterday bounced back with the VN Index closing at 521.38 points, up by 9.84 points. The four bluechips, STB, VNM, VSH and REE, all saw their prices increase. 

- Paper, cement, power and fertiliser producers all have been stunned by the news that coal prices will rise by 150%. The Vietnam Cement Corporation has sent a document to the Government and relevant authorities, asking for a reconsideration of the decision.  

- Paddy and rice prices are skyrocketing in the domestic market as the result of low yield. In the southern province of An Giang, the price of rice material for processing has soared to VND3,950/kg ($0.24), up by VND600-800/kg.  

Social 

- Some 100 Vietnamese young people representing youth organisations nationwide joined their Chinese peers for a friendly exchange programme starting at the Huu Nghi border gate in northern Lang Son province on November 1.

- A conference was held in Da Lat city of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on November 1 to discuss measures to compile and revise curriculums and textbooks for teaching nine major ethnic minority languages in the Central Highlands. The conference, jointly organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Training, helped improve working ability of textbook and dictionary compilers and State managers in localities inhabited by a large population of ethnic minority people, thus raising the effectiveness of training. So far, eight ethnic minority languages have been taught at primary and secondary boarding schools for ethnic students in 30 provinces and cities. 

- The Investigation Police Bureau under the Ho Chi Minh City Police, have caught red-handed a Chinese citizen for making illegal international calls. In April 2006, Song Long Guo, 25, entered HCM City for purpose of tourism and inquiring into the city's telecom equipment market. While in HCM City, Guo rented an apartment, No. 302 of Block 151 in Precinct 11 of Phu Nhuan district, where he installed telecom equipment for re-routing international calls into Vietnam without paying connection fees, and only paying at local call rates. He did the same thing in his temporary residence in Le Van Sy street, Precinct 11, Phu Nhuan district. 

- Thuong Nguyen Foshee, an American passport holder, was arrested on Sept. 10, 2005, for violating Vietnamese law, said Le Dung, the spokesman of Vietnam's Foreign Ministry on October 31. 

- Trade and tourism activities are ready for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, which is scheduled to take place in the Capital city from November 12-19, stated Hanoi authorities.

- The Chinese People's Liberation Army Publishing House and its partner, the Vietnam People's Army Publishing House, have shared experiences in improving publication quality and discussed their future cooperation. Colonel Yu Dan, head of a delegation from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Publishing House, who is on a visit to Vietnam from October 31- November 5, informed Lieutenant General Pham Hong Thanh, deputy director of the Politics General Department of the Vietnam People's Army, of the results of bilateral cooperation at a reception in Hanoi on November 1.

- Vietnam's power shortage is estimated to range between 152 million and 1.5 billion kWh in 2007, according to Dang Huy Cuong, Director of the National Load Dispatch Centre, at a meeting on power supply in Hanoi on November 1.

- Vietnam's population is increasing by the average size of a province or over one million people each year, says a population expert. Nguyen Dinh Cu, head of the National Economics University's Population Research and Social Affairs Institute, also reveals that the country's population density is six to seven times higher than the standard world density.

- The General Statistics Office has announced a proposed budget for the 2009 National Population and Housing Census of over VND255bil (about US$16mil), 2.8 times higher than that of the 1999 census.

- The Supreme People's Procuracy has asked the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court to bring to court seven defendants involved in a terrorism case, with Nguyen Huu Chanh acted as a leader. The agency proposed the prosecution of the seven defendants for the terrorism crime in accordance with Article 84 of Vietnam's Criminal Code. 

Lifestyle, Travel & Sports

- The Vietnamese – English bilingual photo book ‘Hoang Thanh Thang Long’ (Thang Long Imperial Citadel) was published recently by the Culture and Information Publishing House. With nine chapters and more than 200 photos depicting a huge number of relics and objects excavated in ancient Thang Long land, the book is not only an artistic work, but also a valuable document for scientists and all those who are interested in Vietnamese history and the history of Thang Long – Hanoi.

- HCM City’s Fine Art Association allowed young artists to organise an exhibition of visual art at its office on November 1. The exhibition saw the participation of more than 30 young artists. This is a preparatory step for the fine arts festival for young artists to be held in Hanoi in early 2007. 

- Vietnamese-American photographer Liza Nguyen will display her photos of such renowned places as Dien Bien Phu, My Lai, Khe Sanh, Hue, Cu Chi and Saigon at L’Espace centre in Hanoi from November 11 to December 9. 

- Chairwoman of the International Committee of Friendship Villages Rose Marie Hohn Mizo described the Friendship Village as a symbol of international solidarity, cooperation and mutual understanding between nations during an international conference held in the Ha Tay Friendship Village on the outskirts of Hanoi on Nov. 1. The meeting saw the participation of representatives from Committees of Friendship Villages from Germany, Canada, France and the United States, as well as a number of international experts and volunteers.

- Three students in HCM City won the first ever "Finding future designers" program, held by Parkson Vietnam Co. during the past two months, to look for talent for its Designing Center at the Parkson in HCMC's District 1. Fashion collections of three young fashion designers Ngo Quynh Phuong from Ton Duc Thang University, Le Van Dung from Hong Bang University and Nguyen Vu Cam Ly from HCMC University of Architecture won the three highest prizes after many rounds of exams and challenges. 

- Two foreign corporations are planning to build a marine park at Ha Long Bay – a World Heritage. Head of Ha Long Bay’s Management Board, Ngo Hung said that the provincial People’s Committee had approved the project of Indochina Capital and Korea’s Fine to set up the park. The sea-palace-shaped park is to be located on the Lom Bo and East Me Cung islands on a site of about 10ha.

- Under the programme of introducing French movies for free to Hanoi audiences every Thursday, this week at the French Cultural Centre L’Espace, Hanoians will have a chance to watch the famous French films “Fighting to the end” and “The great trip of Jules Verne”. The films will be shown on November 2 and 10.

- Three handicraft products made by Vietnamese artisans have won the "Seal of Excellence" 2006 prize of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The prize winners, including two pottery vases produced by the Tran Minh Kinh and Chuc Hung pottery kilns and a lacquer bowl by the Kim Ma workshop, were selected from 13 entries submitted from Vietnam.

- Vietnamese tourism authorities are conducting a survey to start an overland tour to neighboring Laos. Officials from the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism (VNAT), central Nghe An province’s tourism department, and 11 outbound tour agencies are evaluating a road route through central Vietnam. If the tour appears viable, Vietnamese tourism authorities will set it up in collaboration with foreign travel companies to attract more overland tourists from Laos and other countries.

- In a recent meeting, Quang Nam Province’s leaders asked Hoi An authorities to seek ways to move all business operations to the outer edge of the ancient town. A large number of business households concentrated in the centre of the town are threatening the preservation of Hoi An.

- The tourism sector of Hanoi has completed its preparatory work to welcome delegations to the APEC summit due to take place in Hanoi in mid-November and serve tourists to the city during the time. 

- Ho Chi Minh City welcomed 1.868 million foreign tourists in the first ten months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 13 percent. The figure included 198,000 foreigners visiting the city in October representing a rise of 16 percent over the same period last year, or 81 percent of this year's plan. October is the first month of the tourist season in HCM City, which annually lasts until April of next year.  

- A conference on Asian Cup 2007 will be held in Vietnam from November 4-6. The Asian Football Federation organises the event to provide Southeast Asian countries with information and experiences on organising Asian Cup, one of the most important football events in the region. 

- Annuall football tournament for ethnic minority youths in Vietnam's Central Highlands region, which is sponsored by Thanh Nien newspaper, will be held in the central highland province of Dac Lac on November 4-7. The tournament will include teams from the central highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Dac Nong and host Dac Lac province competing in a single round robin. 

- Vietnam will host the Bach Viet Cup football tournament for their last chance to take on international competition before the 15th Asian Games (ASIAD) in December. The championship kicks off on November 15 at HCM City's Thong Nhat Stadium, with teams from Indonesia, Finland, Cameroon and Vietnam.

- Ala'a Khshen scored two goals as Iraq defeated Vietnam 3-1 during the AFC Youth Championship held in India at Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday. Vietnam is third with three points while Malaysia has yet to register a point. Vietnam is in the same group as Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

- The annual football tournament for ethnic minority youth in Vietnam's Central Highlands region will be held in the Central Highlands province of Dac Lac from Nov. 4-7. The tournament will include teams from the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Dac Nong and host Dac Lac province competing in a round robin format.

- Former national champion Nguyen Vu Quan took the last national team ticket to compete at the 14th Asian Chinese Chess Team Championship, scheduled to take place in Vietnam's southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on November 3-6.

- The Ha Noi People's Committee on Tuesday awarded nearly VND1bil (US$62,500) to athletes, coaches and disabled athletes who excelled at the National Sports Games and the National Sports Meet for the Disabled. Gold medallists received VND2mil; silver medal winners took VND1mil; and those awarded bronzes got VND500,000, while coaches of gold medallists were granted VND1mil.

- Fencers Nguyen Thi Nhu Hoa and Nguyen Thi Ngan have recovered from their injuries to participate in the 15th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Qatar this December. Southeast Asian Games champion Nhu Hoa, who will compete in the epee event, suffered a leg injury at September's world championship in Italy, while her teammate sustained a back injury.

Sci-tech, Health & Environment 

- The High-Tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City expects to earn $2.5 billion in export revenues by 2010 against this year's projected $20 million.

- The National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza, donors and international organisations held a meeting in Hanoi on November 1 to set up a Partnership for Avian and Human Influenza Control to support Vietnam in fighting bird flu. The partnership will facilitate Vietnam's implementation of the Integrated National Operational Programme for Avian and Human Influenza 2006-2010, which is also called Green Book.

- The Ministry of Health (MoH) has launched a campaign to educate young people on health and social issues while providing them with medical services and advice. Doctor Nguyen Duc Vinh, an official from MoH's Reproductive Health Department, says young people face challenges such as traffic accidents; smoking, alcohol and drug abuse; study pressure, malnutrition, abortions, and unsafe sex. The next national census will be conducted on April 1, 2009, with the participation of more than 250,000 pollsters. 

VietNamNet Bridge