Vietnam set to get $2.8 bn in aid next year

Tue, 11/23/2004 - 16:51

International donors are likely to pledge about $2.8 billion in development aid to Vietnam in 2005, similar to this year's amount, the World Bank said on Tuesday, Nov 23.
"There is no reason to expect any drastic decline in aid," director of the World Bank in Vietnam, Klaus Rohland told a news conference ahead of a donor meeting in Hanoi next week.

Last December, international donors, including the Asian Development Bank, Japan and the European Union, agreed to provide nearly $2.84 billion to Vietnam in 2004.

FDI shows positive signs

Tue, 11/23/2004 - 16:26

Sai Gon Times Daily,

By QUOC HUNG - HCMC

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is getting more active in the country, with disbursements in the year to date having risen to a record high since the Asian financial and economic crisis in 1997-98.

Over the past 10 months, foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) have disbursed US$2.37 billion, up 5.3% year-on-year and equivalent to 85% of the year’s target, says Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy head of the Foreign Investment Department of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

Overseas Vietnamese flock to Vietnam to make movies

Fri, 11/19/2004 - 11:11

With low production costs and a desire to tell stories about Vietnam, two more overseas Vietnamese film directors have decided to return to their homeland to shoot their film projects.
The overseas Vietnamese film directors have followed the footsteps of many other fellow directors in choosing Vietnam to produce their films and the increasing trend is expected to breathe new life into the country’s film industry.

Vietnam asks China not to place oil rig in its waters

Fri, 11/19/2004 - 10:59

(VNA) Vietnam has called on China not to install an oil rig in Vietnam's territorial waters, announced a Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Friday, Nov. 19.

According to China's Sanya Marine Radio, China’s Kantan offshore drilling rig 3, towed by the Nanhai ship 215 from Shanghai, is to be installed at a site on the East Sea 63 nautical miles from the Vietnamese coast and 67 nautical miles from China's Hainan island, the spokesman told Vietnam News Agency.

Vietnamese National Assembly passes competition law

Wed, 11/10/2004 - 16:00

Vietnam's National Assembly (NA) passed the new Competition Law with 77.89 percent voting in favor on Nov. 9, the fourteenth day of the month-long National Assembly session.

Many of the NA deputies' suggestions during the ongoing session were added to the bill, according to the NA lawmaking group.

One such recommendation is that when imposing fines on organizations and individuals who violate the competition law, the government should also cancel their business licenses.

Vietnam Buddhist Sangha celebrates 23rd anniversary

Mon, 11/08/2004 - 18:41

A delegation of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs visited the headquarters of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) on their 23rd anniversary Nov. 7.

During a visit to VBS headquarters at the Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi, Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Ngo Yen Thi extended his best wishes to VBS dignitaries, monks and nuns.

Mr. Thi praised the great contributions made by the VBS to national construction and defense during the past 23 years.

Nearly 2,000 AO child victims and disabled children rehabilitated

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 12:07

10/27/2004 -- 10:46(GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Oct. 27 (VNA) - Nearly 2,000 Agent Orange child victims and disabled children have, since 2001, been rehabilitated at 26 centres in 20 provinces and cities across the country.

These rehabilitation centres were built under a project jointly carried out by the Viet Nam Fund in Support of Children and the National Committee for Population, Family and Children.

Literary, art circles delighted at VN's joining Berne Convention

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 12:03

Literary, art circles delighted at Viet Nam's joining copyright convention
10/27/2004 -- 20:37(GMT+7)

Ha Noi (VNA) - The majority of the literary and art circles in Viet Nam were enthusiastic about the country's joining the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works on Oct. 26, said Vu Manh Chu, Head of the Culture and Information Ministry's Literary-Art Copyright Department.

Berne copyright convention comes into effect in VN

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 11:47

Beginning on October 26, foreign books translated into Vietnamese might be more difficult to find in bookstores throughout the country as the Berne Convention becomes effective in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam has officially become the 156th member of the international treaty on the protection of copyrights in literature, science and arts publication.

Under the convention, Viet Nam has to respect and protect the copyright reservations for works of literature, arts and science from 155 other member nations and in return, its works will be protected in those countries as well.

Five more projects licensed in Dung Quat

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 11:45

QUANG NGAI — The Dung Quat Economic Zone Management Authority in the central province of Quang Ngai has granted business licenses to five new investment projects. The new initiatives in the Economic Zone (EZ) will bring with them a registered capital of VND304.1 billion (nearly US$19.3 million).

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