VNA
Entrepreneurs praise government's support
As many as 96% of entrepreneurs nationwide expressed their approval for the
way in which the government has co-operated with, and created favourable
conditions for their businesses, reported the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (VCCI) at a meeting between Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and
nearly 500 entrepreneurs in Hanoi on September 13.
According to VCCI's recent survey of entrepreneurs' operations, 82% of the
petitions submitted to government agencies over the past year have been
solved and 88% of the petitioners said they were satisfied with the results.
These figures are a vast improvement when compared with a few years ago in
1998 when only 40% of petitions were satisfactory resolved and in 1999 when
only 60% of petitions were satisfactorily resolved.
However, approval for the efforts of ministries and agencies' stood at lower
rates with the Trade Ministry receiving approval from 96% of entrepreneurs;
the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, 92%; the Ministry of
Planning and Investment, 87%; the General Taxation Department, 80%; and the
Public Security Ministry, 79%.
The entrepreneurs also praised the prime minister's six major solutions to
boost socio-economic development in 2001: speeding up the implementation of
the Enterprise Law, amending the Land Law, approving the Customs Law,
supplementing the decree to encourage domestic investment and the decree on
imports and exports, preparing to promulgate a new decree on small and
medium-sized enterprises, renewing the credit mechanism, supporting
enterprises' international integration, and re-structuring State-owned
enterprises.
By the end of August, about 26,000 enterprises had registered to be
established under the Enterprise Law, equal to 58% of enterprises
established in the 1991-1999 period. In 2000, the total registered capital
and added capital reached VND 25 trillion. The growth rate of industrial
production recorded by the non-State economic sector was 18.3% in 2000 and
19.3% in the first eight months of this year.
However, some provisions of the Enterprise Law need reworking because a
number of entities registered but did not operate or failed to inform
relevant agencies of their changes in addresses or forms of business
operations. A number of businesses which had registered to provide
entertainment services became dens of social vice such as drug-related
crimes and prostitution.
Nearly 20 entrepreneurs presented to the prime minister their suggestions
relating to customs procedures, value-added tax, policies to encourage
investment and exports, and policies on prices and trade promotion.
The meeting, jointly organised by the VCCI and the Government Office, will
last until September 14.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Khai visited the Centre for Development of
Information Technology of the Institute of Post and Telecommunications
Technology. (VNA)
****
Vice president attends global summit of women
Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, head of the Vietnamese delegation, attended
the opening ceremony of the Global Summit of Women in Hong Kong, China, on
September 13.
Addressing the ceremony, Ms Binh said that the process of globalisation has
been creating new development opportunities for all countries and
individuals, both men and women, but also poses great challenges to
humankind.
She stressed that the globalisation has widened the gap between rich and
poor countries in the world as well as between rich and poor people in each
nation. Women and children in developing and underdeveloped countries are
those suffering most from the process.
Ms Binh noted that all citizens, especially women and children, are happy
only in peace and mutual respect among nations and only when governments pay
due attention to sustainable development and equality between men and women.
She affirmed that the Vietnamese government has always exerted efforts to
facilitate all people's participation in and contribution to national
socio-economic development and the improvement of living conditions. Almost
all Vietnamese women are actively participating in economic, social,
cultural, and political activities, Ms Binh said, adding that many of them
are holding leading positions in agencies and enterprises.
According to statistics, Vietnamese women account for 20% of leading
officials and managers and head 30% of rural households. They are also
dynamic in managing small and medium-sized enterprises and implementing
hunger eradication and poverty reduction programmes, the vice president
said.
She was among 400 female entrepreneurial and governmental leaders from 50
countries around the world attending the summit. (VNA)
****
Chinese vice minister discusses regional co-operation
Talks were held in Hanoi on September 12 on separate occasions between
visiting Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation Sun Zhenyu
and Trade Minister Vu Khoan, Industry Minister Dang Vu Chu and Agriculture
and Rural Development Deputy Minister Cao Duc Phat.
Minister Vu Khoan and Vice Minister Sun Zhenyu compared notes on bilateral
co-operation and co-ordination at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation
(APEC) forum and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the rapid development of
bilateral trade in the recent past. They reached agreement on several
measures to obtain the target of increasing two-way trade to US $5 billion
by 2005.
Regarding the forthcoming APEC meeting scheduled for Shanghai in October,
both sides were of the same view to maintain the voluntary principle of APEC
members.
Mr Khoan told the Chinese guest that Vietnam hopes China will become a WTO
member soon and support Vietnam's joining this world biggest trade
organisation.
Industrial co-operation projects between Vietnam and China was the focus of
the talks between Industry Minister Dang Vu Chu and Vice Minister Sun
Zhenyu.
Minister Chu informed his guest that Chinese-assisted projects, including
the upgrade of Thai Nguyen Steel Plant and Ha Bac Fertiliser Factory, have
been carried out effectively. The Vietnamese minister asked the Chinese side
to provide official development assistance funds for the implementation of
three new projects, namely the Sinh Quyen copper factory and the Cao Ngan
and Rao Quan thermal power plants.
Deputy Minister Sun pledged China would help Vietnam in conformity with its
capacity and expressed the hope that the two sides would better their
co-ordination to fulfil on-going projects as scheduled.
The Chinese guest welcomed the study tour by a group of specialists of the
Vietnamese Industry Ministry to China in October.
* Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and Vice
Minister Sun Zhenyu focused their discussion on how to boost trading in farm
produce between Vietnam and China.
Both sides were of the same view that potential of agriculture co-operation
between the two countries has yet been fully tapped.
Deputy Minister Phat said Vietnam hopes to receive Chinese assistance in
developing high-yield rice strains, applying China's technology, boosting
co-operation in farm produce processing, and building high-tech agricultural
production zones.
The Chinese official welcomed study tours by Vietnamese agriculture experts
to promote experience sharing between the two sides. (VNA)
****
Ambassador to UN condemns terrorist attacks in US
Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Chau, head of Vietnam's Permanent Mission to the
United Nations, has condemned the terrorist attacks on New York City and
Washington DC, on Tuesday, September 11.
He reacted with revulsion at the terror attacks, which killed thousands at
the World Trade Centre and the Defence Department's headquarters the
Pentagon. Ambassador Chau made the statement at the opening ceremony of the
56th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 12.
He also expressed the support of Vietnam and other Asian countries' in the
recently approved UN resolution on condemning international terrorist
actions.
Ambassador Chau also expressed profound sympathy to the American government,
people and families of victims over the huge loss in life and property
caused by the attacks. (VNA)
****
'Human Rights Act' should be abolished: war veterans
The Vietnam War Veterans' Association (VWVA), the Vietnam Peace Committee
and the Vietnam-US Association (VUSA) have strongly condemned the US House
of Representatives' passing of the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act'.
They claimed that the act distorted the real situation in Vietnam, severely
violated Vietnam's sovereignty, and brazenly interfered with the country's
internal affairs.
The three organisations described the Act as a serious violation not only of
the United Nations Charter but also of the fundamental principles of
international law and ordinary morality.
In its statement released on September 13, the VWVA stressed that it was the
US which had used army troops, bombs, and toxic chemicals to conduct a
brutal and ruthless war against Vietnam, committing countless crimes and
leaving long-term and serious problems for the Vietnamese people. The US is
not in a position to speak about independence, democracy and human rights in
Vietnam after the countless violations to the human rights of Vietnamese
people it committed during the war. It has no right to interfere with
Vietnam's internal affairs, the statement said.
It noted that Vietnamese war veterans, who had fought for national
independence, freedom, and sovereignty as well as for legitimate human
rights, resolutely demand that the act be abolished. The VWVA made clear
that they continue to protect the sacred human rights of the Vietnamese
people.
The Peace Committee, for its part, expressed indignation with regard to the
passing of the Vietnam Human Rights Act by the US House of Representatives.
It said: "The United States, which provoked a brutal aggressive war in
Vietnam, trampled on the Vietnamese people's fundamental rights, and left
long-term and serious problems in Vietnam, is not in a position to preach
human rights."
The committee called upon peace fighters, organisations, and individuals
worldwide, particularly the US peace movement, to voice against and take
action to prevent the approval of the act by the US Senate.
Meanwhile, VUSA said the passing of the Vietnam Human Rights Act brought
negative impacts upon the Vietnam-US relations, and ran counter to both
nations' aspiration to develop a co-operative, friendly, and mutually
understanding relationship.
It emphasised that Vietnam-US relations could be developed only on the basis
of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, non-intervention into
each other's internal affairs, equitable co-operation, and mutual benefit.
VUSA called on organisations, individuals and political circles in the
United States to prevent the approval and promulgation of the erroneous act.
(VNA)
****
Flood losses counted in Mekong delta
Floodwater has submerged as many as 28 districts and townships of Long An,
Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho and Tien Giang provinces, killing
65 people, including 28 of Dong Thap, 27 of An Giang, three of Long An, four
of Can Tho and three of Kien Giang as of September 11.
Nearly 140,000 households, 27 clinics and 57 head offices were inundated;
248 houses collapsed; 3,600 houses damaged and 546 schools were inundated,
causing the schooling suspension of about 177,000 pupils.
Floodwater also damaged 325 hectares for aqua-culture and nearly 5,000 fish
breeding ponds
In addition, over 117 kilometres of highways, and 1,400 kilometres of
inter-district and inter-commune roads were flooded. Floodwater also damaged
371 bridges and broke 100 kilometres of dyke.
Localities have evacuated nearly 16,000 out of nearly 30,000 households in
need to safe places.
****
Whirlwind hits Dong Thap
A whirlwind, along with heavy rains, in upstream districts of Tan Hong, Hong
Ngu, Tam Nong, Thanh Binh of Dong Thap pulled down 63 houses, some
classrooms, two medical boats and some small boats of local people.
The young volunteer force have been mobilised in time to help people in
need. No one was reported dead. The whirlwind pulled down five high voltage
pylons. Besides, the heavy rains and whirlwind caused rough waves along the
river banks of Hong Ngu, Tam Nong and Tan Hong, eroding 60 kilometres of the
river bank. The whirlwind has affected the lives of 2,340 households in Sa
Dec and Cao Lanh.
****
Armed forces help flood victims
Armed forces stationed in Hung Dien B, Tan Hung district, Long An province
have saved over ten people from being swept away by floodwater since the
start of this year�s flood season.
Tan Hung district has equipped the soldiers with one motor boat with
lifebuoys to help the victims in Hung Dien B area.
Long An province�s Youth Union force, in co-ordination with the provincial
armed forces, has helped people to evacuate 1,008 houses, repair 180 houses
and strengthen 8,100 metres of dyke. Youth Union members and young people of
An Phu district , and border guards and other local forces have helped local
people to repair 113 houses, evacuated 150 houses, strengthened dykes and
built 1,340 metres of road. The Youth Unions of Cho Moi district have
evacuated 63 households in inundated areas to safe places. In addition, the
provincial Youth Unions at all levels have joined in maintaining local
security and order.
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