50% cut of agricultural land use taxes




Ha Noi, June 14 (VNA) -- Farmer households in communes with special difficulties in mountainous and remote areas and poor farmer households nationwide will be exempted from tax on land use this year.

The government will also cut 50 percent of the tax rate on agricultural land use for all farmer households, cooperatives, businesses, and socio-economic establishments growing rice and coffee in 2001.

PM encourages poverty reduction efforts



Ha Noi, June 7 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has called for further efforts to accelerate the implementation of the Government's on-going socio-economic development programme for poor communes in mountainous and remote areas referred to as Programme 135.

The programme, which has been underway in 2,325 communes nationwide since July 1998, had to turn out sustainable outcomes, the PM noted.

PM visits Japan to boost bilateral cooperation



June 4 (VNA) -- The current working visit to Japan by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for the "Asia's Future" seminar from June 4-8 is expected to boost the multi-faceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Japan.

Bank Executives pledge reforms


Ha Noi, June 2 (VNA) -- The State Bank Governor and his aides who run the country's four major banks all have pledged to restructure the banking system so as to ensure investment capital to serve the national yearly economic growth target of at least 7.2 percent in the first decade of the 21st century.

State Bank Governor, Le Duc Thuy, told Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) daily that the national banking system, including credit institutions, would concentrate on restructuring its apparatus and upgrading infrastructure facilities.

Party Gen. Secretary highlights deployment of Party Resolution



Ha Noi, June 1 (VNA) -- Communist Party leader Nong Duc Manh again emphasized that economic development is the central task and Party building is the key task, and that should be firmly grasped while the Ninth Party Congress's Resolution is translated into social life.

The Resolution must be implemented in accordance with characteristics of each locality, ministry, and agency through their short-term and plans of long-term action, Manh said in an interview with Viet Nam News Agency (VNA) correspondent this week.

Cabinet members focus on administrative reform


Ha Noi, June 1 (VNA) -- Cabinet members met in Ha Noi on May 31 and June 1 to discuss administrative reform programme for the 2001-2010 period.

The two-day monthly meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was attended by President Tran Duc Luong, representatives of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, the Viet Nam Farmers' Association, and others.

Anti-drug month targets adolescents



Ha Noi, June 2 (VNA) -- An "Anti-Drug Month Among Adolescents" was launched in Ha Noi on June 2 to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal drug use and to discuss preventive measures among school students, unemployed urban adolescents, and rural youth.

PM Phan Van Khai leaves for Japan



Ha Noi, June 3 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai left Ha Noi today, June 3, for a seminar entitled "Asia's Future" in Japan.

The working visit was made at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister J. Koizumi and the Chairman of the Japan Economic Times (Nihon Keizai Shimbun - Nikkei).

PM Khai is accompanied by Minister-Director of the Government Office Doan Manh Giao, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dinh Bin, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc and other government officials.--VNA

FM Spokesperson: " No prisoners of conscience in Vietnam"


A spokesman for Vietnam's Foreign Ministry on May 31, reaffirmed that there are no so-called "prisoners of conscience" in Vietnam.

The spokesman made the remark while responding to queries by correspondents of AFP (France) and the Vietnamese language department of Radio BBC (Britain) on Vietnam's reaction to an annual report on the world human rights situation, issued by the Amnesty International on May 30.

Textile and garment cooperation among ASEAN




Ha Noi, May 31 (VNA) -- Cooperation among ASEAN countries' textile and garment industries in their process of integration into AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) was the theme of a conference, the first of its kind in Viet Nam so far, held in Ha Noi on May 31.

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