Buddha's birth anniversary celebrated nationwide

Wed, 05/29/2002 - 00:25


Buddha's 2,546th birth anniversary was celebrated on May 26, or the 15th day of the fourth lunar month in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces throughout the country.

At the Quan Su pagoda in Hanoi, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, deputy president of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) read a letter from VBS President Most Venerable Thich Tam Tich. The message expressed hope for more contributions to the nation and good preparations for the fifth national VBS congress from Buddhist dignitaries and followers in and outside the country.

List of winning candidates to National Assembly announced

Wed, 05/29/2002 - 00:23


The Electoral Council has made public the list of 498 winning candidates of the May 19 National Assembly elections.

The election of deputies to the eleventh National Assembly was a great success with 99.73% of the total registered 49,902,976 voters casting their ballots, Deputy National Assembly Chairman Mai Thuc Lan told a press briefing in Hanoi on Saturday.

Mr Lan, also head of the election information board, added that the high turnout reflected voters' high sense of responsibility and political awareness.

Deputy PM praises international assistance

Wed, 05/29/2002 - 00:20

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam said that the assistance from international donors, World Bank and associations of businesses had helped Vietnam carry out socio-economic development strategies and plans as well as the strategy for reducing poverty and eradicating hunger.

Mr Cam was addressing the closing ceremony of the mid-term Consultative Group Meeting for Vietnam held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 24.

Vietnam's gross domestic product (GDP) growth has reached 7.5% and the number of poor households has been halved, noted Mr Cam.

Freedom of religion in Vietnam

Fri, 05/24/2002 - 18:10

Vietnam is a country of diverse religious and spiritual beliefs, with more than 30,000 houses of worship throughout the country.

Every person in Vietnam is free to practice the religion of his or her choice. This is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The constitution adopted after the complete independence and reunification of Vietnam, ensures that freedom of religion and belief is an inalienable right of our citizens, which must be respected by our government.

Structure of Religions in Vietnam

FM Spokeswoman rejects USCIRF report on religion in VN

Fri, 05/24/2002 - 12:07

On May 17, 2002, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh answered question from the Voice of Vietnam " Please provide Vietnam's response to "Report 2002" by the US Commission for International Religious Freedom.

Answer:

Public opinion can not accept the US Commission for International Religious Freedom continuing to pass judgment on religious situations in other countries, flagrantly interfering into their internal affairs.

Textile industry calls for elimination of all quota restrictions

Wed, 05/22/2002 - 23:35

Ha Noi, May 21 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's textile industry has called on the United States and the European Union to eliminate all quantity restrictions imposed on textile imports from Viet Nam, said Le Quoc An, Chairman of the Viet Nam Textile and Garment Association.

Mr. An was speaking at the 35th meeting of the International Textile and Clothing Bureau (ITCB) in Ha Noi on Monday.

He also called on ITCB member countries to support Viet Nam in removing restrictions that the U.S. Government might impose on apparel imports from Viet Nam.

Vietnam steps up economic reform

Wed, 05/22/2002 - 23:32


Tokyo, May 21 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's government will further improve the country's business environment and create favourable conditions for every enterprise to have access to capital, technology transfer and other resources for its development, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem.

"Fully mobilizing internal strengths, renewing technology, increasing the quality of human resources, raising the competitiveness of goods and services, and improving the business and investment environment are vital for Viet Nam's economic growth," Khiem stressed.

Annoucement of list of projects calling for foreign investment

Mon, 05/20/2002 - 12:08

Ha Noi, May 20 (VNA)-- Industrial and tourism sectors hold the important places in the list of 228 projects calling for foreign investments during the 2001-2005 period signed by the Prime Minister on May 17.

The oil and gas sector calls for foreign investment in a USD 17 million project on post-petrochemical products, an industrial gas project in the Hoa Khanh industrial park in central Da Nang city, a USD 12 million product-sharing contract for exploration and exploitation of new oil fields.

High turnout of the 11th National Assembly election on May 19

Mon, 05/20/2002 - 12:06

Ha Noi, May 20 (VNA) -- The national turnout of the 11th National Assembly election on May 19 reached 98.85 percent, reported the Information Board of the Electoral Council in a press release available on May 20. Voters will chose 498 representatives from 759 candidates.

The press release said 49,211,275, of the registered 49,783,769, voters nationwide went to the polls.

Feedback from all over the country has shown voters' satisfaction with the preparation of the election, which, most said, complied with law.

Vietnamese religious delegation visit the U.S

Fri, 05/17/2002 - 01:22

Washington, May 16 (VNA) -- The largest and most diverse ever religious delegation of Viet Nam has paid a visit to the U.S. A high-level delegation of dignitaries from the Buddhist Sangha, the Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church (Southern region), of Vietnam and a delegation of the government's Committee for Religious Affairs, the Government's Office have visited New York and Washington DC.

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