VNA
A seminar on Uncle Ho
A seminar on Uncle Ho entitled �Uncle Ho - Seeking Path for National
Salvation at the age of 20� was held at Sai Gon port in Ho Chi Minh city, on
June 4, by the Municipal Party Committee�s Department of Ideology and
Culture.
All reports at the seminar agreed that the day when young Nguyen Tat Thanh,
later President Ho Chi Minh, left the country to seek a way for national
salvation 90 years ago (June 5, 1911) is an event of great significance to
the Vietnamese people, to the cause of liberation of oppressed nations and
to the world revolutionary movement.
The revolutionary life of President Ho Chi Minh has always been a bright
example to the Vietnamese people, especially young generations, to follow
for the cause of construction and defence of a socialist Vietnam.
Earlier, on June 3, Ho Chi Minh Museum�s branch and the city�s Youth Union
co-organised a seminar entitled �Uncle with 20-year-old generation� which
attracted many revolutionaries and outstanding young people.
Over 300 children joined revolutionary veterans in an exchange �Stories
about Uncle Ho� held by Ho Chi Minh City Children�s House.
****
NA continues to pass part of Road Traffic Draft Law
National Assembly deputies, after discussion, approved articles 14 to 18 of
the draft Law on Road Traffic with 85.2% in favour and articles 19 to 25
with 82% in favour at the plenary meeting chaired by NA Vice Chairman Nguyen
Phuc Thanh yesterday, the 11th working day of the on-going session.
During the discussion, the minister of transport and communications, Le Ngoc
Hoan explained and received opinions raised by deputies.
Also, Head of the Supreme People's Procuracy, Ha Manh Tri, read a statement
on the explanation and reception of ideas contributed by deputies on the
amended and supplemented Criminal Code, draft
In the afternoon, deputies held group discussions on the amended and
supplemented draft Criminal Code.
Today, NA deputies continue their discussion for the approval of the Road
Traffic Bill.
****
PM Khai arrives in Japan
PM Phan Van Khai visits Nambu Enterprise.
A government delegation led by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai arrived in Tokyo
on June 4 to begin their working visit.
The prime minister is accompanied by Minister and Head of the Government
Office Doan Manh Giao; Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Dinh Bin and
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc.
The 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 co-operation
between Vietnam and Japan.
The visit, the second by PM Khai to Japan, is an exchange of high-level
visit between the two countries' leaders. Annually, Vietnam and Japan
conduct high-level meetings. The former Prime Ministers of Japan Tomiichi
Murayama, Ryutaro Hashimoto and Keizo Obuchi visited Vietnam in August 1994,
January 1997 and December 1998, respectively. Since 1993, Vietnam's Party
General Secretary, Prime Minister, National Assembly Chairman, and Foreign
Minister have made visits to Japan.
The diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and Japan was established in
1973 and has blossomed since 1992, when Japan resumed its Official
Development Assistance (ODA) to Vietnam. The bilateral co-operation in
politics, economics, and cultural exchange has been increasingly extended.
Japan is the first trade partner of Vietnam with two-way trade reaching US
$3.5 billion in 1999, US $4.8 billion in 2000, and US $1.44 billion in the
first four months of this year. Japan currently has 311 valid projects in
Vietnam with a combined capital of US $3.93 billion, ranking third among
foreign investors after Singapore and Taiwan. Vietnam and Japan are
conducting negotiations on agreement of investment protection to boost
Japan's investment in Vietnam.
Japan is also the biggest ODA supplier to Vietnam, with more than US $7.5
billion, granted in the 1992-2000 period, including US $900 million as
non-refundable aid. In the 2000 fiscal year, Japan committed US $800
million, representing 40% of all ODA capital pledged by international donors
for Vietnam. Japan's long-term assistance programme in Vietnam focuses on
five major fields: human resource development and institutionalisation
building, development and upgrade of communication and power facilities,
infrastructure facility construction for agricultural and rural development,
education and health care development, and environmental protection.
In addition, Japan is a potential market for Vietnam's labour export. By
late last year, more than 5,570 Vietnamese workers were working in Japan.
The two countries have co-operated in programmes on culture and education,
the ASEAN-Japan youth programme, cultural delegation exchanging programmes
and non-refundable cultural aid projects, promoting their mutual
understanding and co-operation.
In tourism, the number of Japanese visitors is increasing with about 160,000
Japanese tourists arriving in Vietnam last year, or year-on-year increase of
33%.
During the 1994-1999 period, the Japanese government donated JPY 9.5 billion
to help Vietnam build 195 primary schools in natural disaster-prone
mountainous and coastal provinces. The Japanese government also grants about
50 scholarships every year to Vietnamese students to study in Japan.
Appreciating Japan's assistance and co-operation, Vietnam has always
attached importance to the development of its relations with Japan. For its
part, Japan supports Vietnam's open policies and its integration into the
regional and world economies. The two countries have co-ordinated and
supported each other at regional and world forums such as the Asia-Pacific
Economic Co-operation Forum, the World Trade Organisation, and the ASEAN
Regional Forum. (VNA)
****
Vietnamese football needs more FIFA aid: Deputy PM
Deputy PM Nguyen Tan Dung receives FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said he hoped that the International
Federation of Football Associations, FIFA, would give more assistance to
Vietnam, particularly in training young footballers.
The deputy prime minister said the aid would ensure Vietnam has a strong
national squad that can compete in regional and world football tournaments.
He was speaking at a reception yesterday reserved for FIFA President Joseph
Sepp Blatter, who is currently visiting Vietnam.
Deputy Prime Minister Dung thanked FIFA and its president for their
effective help in developing Vietnam's football. He further affirmed that
the Vietnamese government has always paid attention to the development of
football but still needs the sponsorship, assistance and co-operation of
friendly countries and organisations, particularly FIFA.
For his part, president Blatter said that FIFA has provided a US $1 million
financial assistance programme for Vietnam to train young footballers over
four years, and a US $375,000 project to build new headquarters for the
Vietnam Football Federation.
He also pledged to further help Vietnam develop football in the coming years
and expressed his confidence that Vietnamese football would make more
achievements.
****
Green, clean Hue basks in world spotlight
In what is an unprecedented honour, Vietnam�s ancient city of Hue has been
chosen by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to celebrate World
Environment Day today with other three cities in the world.
"It is a great honour, and it proves that the environment protection
movement in Vietnam has made remarkable contribution to global environment
protection," said director of Hue City�s science, Technology and Environment
Department (DoSTE), Doctor Do Nam.
A number of events are scheduled for Thua Thien-Hue city on this occasion
along with Torino in Italy, Havana in Cuba and Nairobi in Kenya.
Under the Connect with the World Wide Web of Life initiative, numerous
programmes have been being organised in Hue City and throughout the country,
including meetings; student environmental competition, signing ceremonies
for new environmental protection projects; television specials and cultural
exchanges.
Other activities include a seminar on ecological use of energy and on
environmental pollution; treatment of hospital waste and rubbish; a
volunteer youth forum; a film festival; a painting and photograph exhibit;
bicycle parade and kite-flying performance; and Green Sundays to mobilise
youth, students and people to make the cities cleaner places.
Additionally, a meeting to celebrate World Environment Day is being
organised on the banks of the Huong River. In attendance will be a number of
leaders, authorities from various international organisations and embassies
in Vietnam and local people.
It is not mere good fortune that Hue has won this recognition - far from it.
The people and various organisations there have seized control of
environmental issues and have consistently worked towards preserving their
ecology.
The DoSTE has played an important role in the environment protection
movement in Hue city, said Do Nam.
Some important initial results of the city�s concerns have already been
recorded by concerned ministries such as environment education; about 38% of
rural people had access to clean water last year; hundred of Sao La were
spotted in Thua Thien - Hue; and Bac Hai Van and Phong Dien natural reserve
projects were set up.
Further, the marine sector has made great strides in sustainable use of
natural resources; the industries sector not only manages natural resources
but is also seized of environmental issues and the tourism sector is
focussed on an ecologically viable development.
Remarkably, the environmental issue is always in the public domain in Hue.
TV, newspapers, the radio have all been actively involved in the
environmental movement. Articles and news on environmental issues in the
mass media have increased remarkably.
Environmental concerns are sought among the communities by running special
campaigns relating to environment issues like Mangrove Land Day, World
Cleaning Day, Safe Water and Environmental Hygiene Week or World Environment
Day.
Non-governmental organisations - (NGOs) and international invested or-
assisted projects in science, technology and environment have also
contributed to creating favourable conditions for environmental protection.
A pilot model of Green Productivity for a traditional crafts village Van Cu,
a modern waste filling at Huong Thuy District�s Thuy Phuong Commune and a
hospital-wastes kiln at Hue Central Hospital are such projects.
Even social organisations are involved - the Hue�s Composers� Association
exhorts its members to compose songs on environmental protection.
Finally, the city�s Photographers Association along with Bach Ma National
Park held an exhibition called Bach Ma Ecological Impression. (VNS)
****
Measures sought to fight AIDS among street children
Vietnam is beefing up HIV/AIDS control among street children, who have
little knowledge about sexually-transmitted diseases.
At a conference held in Hanoi last Saturday, the participants highlighted
various measures to reduce the risk of contracting HIV, which included
reducing the number of street children, alleviating poverty, and
implementing socio-economic development programmes.
These measures should be taken in tandem with join efforts to step up drug
and prostitution control, as well as sex, sexual behaviour, HIV/AIDS, and
reproductive health education.
Social surveys conducted in the four major cities of Hanoi, Haiphong, Da
Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, have shown that almost all street children were
born into poor and less-educated families and were thus more vulnerable to
social vices as well as labour and sexual abuse.
In Ho Chi Minh City, about 22% of street children have used drugs and had
early sexual relations so that they are easily lured into drugs, drug
trafficking and exposed to sexual abuse. They lack sufficient knowledge of
safe sexual relations and sexually-transmitted diseases.
The conference held by the Vietnam AIDS Committee and the US Centre for
Disease Control (CDC). (VNA)
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