Halong city to become a tourism hub




Ha Noi, Feb. 3 (VNA) -- A Government decision will make Ha Long city in the northern border province of Quang Ninh a tourism, transport and commercial hub for the northern region with the maintaining its status as the major supplier of coal to the entire country.

Average yearly economic growth of between 16 and 17 percent and a yearly USD 2,000 per capita share of Gross Domestic Product from now to 2010 are part of the plans for the city.

Paper industry in Vietnam


Ha Noi, Feb. 3 (VNA) -- Economists forecast that Viet Nam's yearly paper consumption will surge by an average of 10.4 percent to meet the growing demand of about 80-million people between now and 2010.

They say the country will need 870,000 tonnes of paper by 2005 and 1,250,000 tonnes by 2010 making it an ideal market for investors.

The economists quote a Government report saying that it will boost the paper industry in an effort to make it a key economic sector in the next ten years.

Life expectancy in Vietnam expands to 80 in future



Ha Noi, Feb. 3 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's average life expectancy is likely to increase from 66 at present to 80 years by 2050, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) forecasts.

The number of elderly people in Viet Nam has increased remarkably over the past five years: From 1.2 million to almost six million now, accounting for 7.5 percent of the nation's population - a rate higher than that of other developing countries.

New composite planks for flood-prone areas



Ha Noi, Feb. 3 (VNA) -- Scientists from the Ho Chi Minh City Materials Sub-institute of the National Natural Science and Technology Centre have successfully produced composite planks from waste materials.

These planks will be used to build houses in flood-prone areas, especially the Mekong delta because of their durability in water.

Production of one sq.m. of composite plank is estimated to cost between VND 30,000-35,000.

A plan for mass production of the planks has been approved.--

Cataract surgery for 100,000 people in this year

SURGERY FOR 100,000 CATARACT SUFFERERS THIS YEAR


Ha Noi, Feb. 4 (VNA) -- Viet Nam plans to provide cataract surgery for 100,000 people this year.

The target was set at a workshop to discuss blindness prevention and ophthalmology in Vung Tau city, southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

The workshop, which drew 230 professors, doctors and ophthalmologists nationwide, prove a venue for surgeons to exchange their experiences in applying the most advanced technique in eye surgery and plan to prevent blindness in 2001 and the next five years.

Regulation for employment of HIV/AIDS carriers



Ha Noi, Feb. 4 (VNA) -- The Public Health and the Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministries have promulgated regulations listing occupations prohibited to HIV/AIDS carriers. They include medical services, cosmetic and orthopaedic surgery which involve employees in directly dealing with human blood and fluid.

But employers are not allowed to make employees in these occupations have HIV/AIDS tests and they are obliged to arrange suitable work for, or retrain, HIV/AIDS infected workers whose test results must be kept confidential.

Excerpts from draft report to Congress VIIII: Great Unity


(Take 4 of 4)


Ha Noi, Feb. 2 (VNA) --

VIII. Bringing into Play the Strength of All-people Great Unity

Exercising great unity among different ethnic and religious groups, classes, strata, backgrounds, sexes, ages in all parts of the country, party members and non-party people, working and retired people and all members of the Vietnamese nation whether they reside at home or abroad.

Excerpts from draft report to Congress VIIII: External relations

(Take 3 of 4)


Ha Noi, Feb. 2 (VNA) --

V- Development of Culture, Education-training, Science-technology and Environmental Protection

1- Development of education-training is one of the most important motives to boost the national industrialization and modernization cause, a prerequisite to human resource development, and a fundamental factor to develop society and boost economic growth rapidly and sustainably.

Excerpts from draft report to Congress VIIII: Socialism

(Take 2 of 4)


Ha Noi, Feb. 2 (VNA) --

III. Major Issues on the Path towards Socialism

Experiences and achievements recorded over the past 15 years of renovation have proved the soundness of the Platform approved by the Seventh CPV Congress and shed more light on the road towards socialism in Viet Nam. The Communist Party and people of Viet Nam are determined to advance towards socialism on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought.

Excerpts from draft report Congress VIIII: Prospect in future

(
Take 1 of 4)


Ha Noi, Feb. 2 (VNA) -- The following are excerpts from the political report drafted by the eighth Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee, which will be made public on Feb. 3 for comments from the entire people before it is submitted to the ninth National CPV Congress, scheduled for March this year.

I. Viet Nam in the 20th Century and its Development Prospect in the 21st Century.

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