Ho Chi Minh City proposes amendment to Labour Code



Ha Noi, May 5 (VNA) -- Ho Chi Minh City experts have recommended amendment or supplementation of 78 issues related to the Labour Code and under-law documents in an effort to ensure the signing of labour contracts for 95 percent of the working people and trade union presence in 80 percent of foreign-invested businesses in the next five years.

The city has managed to get labour contracts for 800,000 working people and social insurance for more than 625,000 workers in the past six years of implementing the Labour Code.

Buddha's 2,545 Birthday Celebrated


Ha Noi, May 6 (VNA) -- Buddha's 2,545th birthday was celebrated in Ba Da Pagoda in Ha Noi on May 6 (the 14th day of the fourth lunar month).

Most Venerable Thich Tam Tinh, Chairman of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), and Buddhist dignitaries and followers attended the celebration. Also present were President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front's Ha Noi branch Pham Loi and representatives from the municipal authorities.

PM Phan Van Khai and Pervez Musharraf hold talks



Ha Noi, May 3 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai held talks with Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf shortly after his arrival here today, May 3, for a three-day official visit to Viet Nam.

Also present at the talks were, on the Pakistani side, Prof. Dr Atta Ur Rehman, Minister of Science-Technology; Tariq Ikram, Secretary of State for Trade; Inam Ul Haque, Foreign Ministry Secretary, and other senior officials.

Pakistani leader arrives for official visit to Vietnam



Ha Noi, May 3 (VNA) -- Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Gen. Pervez Musharraf arrived in Ha Noi today, May 3, beginning a three-day official friendship visit to Viet Nam.

The Pakistani leader and his wife and entourage were welcomed at a grand ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in the presence of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his wife and other senior Government officials.

The military band struck up the national anthems of the two countries.

FM Spokeswoman on S.Korean soldier's killing of VN civilians



On May 3rd, 2001, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh, answering question for Viet Nam's viewpoint on South Korean public opinions' demand for an investigation into South Korean soldiers' killings of Vietnamese civilians during the Viet Nam war, said:

"We think that the most practical way to get rid of a haunted memory of the past is that those countries which were Viet Nam's erstwhile foes should have practical deeds to help settle the war consequences in Viet Nam, especially through their effective cooperation with Viet Nam."

Trans-Asia highway to pave the way for prosperity in Southern VN


Ha Noi, May 1 (VNA) -- Vietnamese residents whose homes are located near National Highway 1A in Ho Chi Minh City or Highway 22A in Tay Ninh province are looking forward to seeing the completion of the Trans-Asia highway which links HCM City with Phnom Penh.

The highway, part of a subregional co-operation programme initiated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will boost trade between Cambodia and Viet Nam and thereby benefit residents who live along these highways.

Int'l cooperation programs on post-graduate training



Ha Noi, April 30 (VNA) -- With 27 international cooperation programmes on post-graduate training carried out in 15 universities and colleges, Viet Nam had seven people given doctorate degrees and 1,542 others given master's degrees in the 1996-2000 period.

As these programmes are going on, 36 others are expected to be presented with Ph.D. degrees and 1,301, MA degrees, according to a recent confernece held by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).

Living standars improve in Ho Chi Minh City



Ha Noi, April 29 (VNA) -- The living conditions of people in Ho Chi Minh City have improved with 20.2 per cent of the population spending an average of VND540,000 per month, up 29.8 per cent on 1996.

According to the municipal General Statistics Office, during the last five years the proportion of people with low living standards fell from 10.9 per cent in 1996 to 8.7 per cent last year, while those with medium living standards rose from 35.7 per cent to 37.8 per cent in the same period.

Programme on overseas training from MOET



Ha Noi, April 29 (VNA) -- The Ministry of Education and Training, MoET, plans to select 4,380 people to be sent abroad for training from now to 2005 with fundings from the State budget.

The government has approved a programme on overseas training of scientists and technicians which costs between VND 100 billion and VND 300 billion (USD 20.69 million) a year.

Party leader and Thai PM affirm to boost ties


Ha Noi, April 25 (VNA) -- Both Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra affirmed the two countries' desire to constantly boost their friendship and cooperation, especially in agriculture, tourism, science and technology.

Nong Duc Manh was receiving the Thai PM in Ha Noi on April 25 during the later's two-day official visit to Viet Nam.

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