Mekong Delta set to double catfish farming


Ho Chi Minh City, Feb. 5 (VNA) -- Despite the on-going row between Viet Nam and the U.S. over catfish dumping, local farmers are pushing ahead on an investment plan to double the amount of catfish produced in the next five years in the provinces along the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.

The provinces have recently introduced a two-year master plan to boost tra and basa (the most popular varieties of Vietnamese catfish) production and consumption in the region, in order to meet the fishery sector's target of 3 billion USD in export turnover for 2005.

Viet Nam calls for joint efforts to peacefully solve Iraq issue

VIET NAM CALLS FOR JOINT EFFORTS TO PEACEFULLY SOLVE IRAQ ISSUE


Ha Noi, Feb. 6 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has called for concerted efforts to solve the Iraq issue by peaceful means, saying "UN weapons inspectors need more time to give their own conclusion."

"All parties concerned should cooperate in an active way to solve the Iraq issue by peaceful means," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh on Thursday.

Pilgrims seek spriritual high


Ha Noi, Feb. 5 (VNA) -- The Tet (lunar new year) festival is always an ideal occasion for visiting pagodas in Vietnamese cultural life.

"We come home to visit our relatives, seek local business opportunities and travel throughout the country to visit ancient communal houses and pagodas," a group of Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) said when they recently returned to the country.

State President praises overseas Vietnamese

Ha Noi, Jan. 29 (VNA) -- President Tran Duc Luong on Wednesday praised overseas Vietnamese for having granted continuous contributions to developing the homeland.

He said the Party and the State highly valued contributions made by overseas Vietnamese in all fields, particularly in scientific and technological domains.

He told representatives of the overseas Vietnamese community at a meeting in Ha Noi today that the Party and the State have always considered overseas Vietnamese as an integral part and great source of the nation.

Viet Nam wishes for a peaceful solutioin to Iraq issue

Ha Noi, Jan. 30 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has expressed its wish for a peaceful solution to the Iraq issue.

"We hope for the Iraq crisis to be solved in a peaceful manner on the basis of respecting Iraq's independence and territorial integrity and conforming with the UN Charter and international law," said spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Phan Thuy Thanh in Ha Noi on Thursday.

Central Highland's biggest water park inaugurated

Dac Lac, Jan. 28 (VNA) -- The biggest water park in the Central Highlands was put into operation in Buon Ma Thuot town, Dac Lac province, on Sunday.

The 5-ha park was built at a cost of 13 billion VND (867,000 USD).

Earlier, the Dai Vinh Gia Trang ecological tourism area, covering more than 3ha in Pleiku town, the Central Highlands Gia Lai province, was also put into operation. It is run by a private company which made an initial investment worth 200,000 USD in the area.

Viet Nam maintains high economic growth in January

Ha Noi, Jan. 28 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's socio-economic development in January is on the right track as it was in the last months of 2002, said Planning and Investment Minister Vo Hong Phuc at a monthly cabinet meeting in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

"In January, industrial production grew 14.9 percent year-on-year, of which the state-owned sector recorded an increase of 9.7 percent; the non-state sector, 21.5 percent and the foreign-invested sector, 16.3 percent," the minister told the cabinet.

Viet Nam slams Human Rights Watch's report


Ha Noi, Jan. 23 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has again lashed out at the Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s January 21 allegations, which said "Viet Nam has continued its crackdown on ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands".

"There is no truth in these allegations," foreign ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh stated on Thursday, while responding to queries from correspondents, who asked about Viet Nam's reaction to the HRW's accusations.

Viet Kieu ignores world economic woes to return home for new year



HCM CITY — Members of the overseas Vietnamese community have defied economists’ predictions and are visiting Viet Nam for Tet (Lunar New Year) in much greater numbers than expected, said an official.

The acting head of the Department for Community Research and General Work at the Overseas Vietnamese Committee, Tran Van Thinh said that the arrivals were expected to at least equal last year’s figure of 360,000, despite an uncertain world situation that had prompted economists to predict a big drop in visiting Viet kieu this year.

Party Central Committee closes 7th plenum

PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE CLOSES SEVENTH PLENUM


Ha Noi, Jan. 21 (VNA) -- The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee closed its seventh plenum (second phase) in Ha Noi on Tuesday after nine days of sitting.

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