VITM 2018: Vietnam’s travel companies adapt to Industry 4.0Businesses from 43 provinces and cities across Vietnam will participate in the sixth Vietnam International Travel Mart – VITM 2018 – from March 29 to April 1, seeking to learn about tourism trends in the fourth industrial revolution. Visitors at the fifth Vietnam International Travel Mart. Under the theme of “Online travel, Vietnam tourism looks toward the fourth industrial revolution,” the VITM 2018 will contain numerous activities encouraging enterprises to gain access to and grasp business opportunities in the digital era. A seminar themed “Online travel – inevitable trend of Vietnam’s tourism” will take place, together with pavilions for 10 online travel agencies. Following the success of VITM 2017, an international street food festival will be held as well, offering visitors with signature street food of Vietnam and other countries.

The guest described the Vietnamese government’s de-dollarization as a proper policy and suggested maintaining a zero-percent interest rate for the US dollar. The professor is on a working visit to Vietnam as asked by the coordinating board of the Vietnam Initiative at the Indiana University. HCM City treasures ties with Cambodia’s Phnom PenhSecretary of the ​HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (third, right) and Phnom Penh’s Governor Khuong Sreng (third, left). He congratulated Cambodian people on their great achievements, and the Cambodian People’s Party on its victory at the fourth senate election in February 2018. At the conference, NA Chairwoman Ngan and VFFCC President Man signed a coordination regulation (amendment) between the two bodies.

Ancient Japanese coins found in central provinceThe provincial museum of central Ha Tinh province has announced the discovery of some Nagasaki metal coins at archeological sites in the locality. The Nagasaki coins found in central Ha Tinh province. Nagasaki trade coins were inscribed with ancient Chinese characters copied from the Sung Dynasty (960-1279). The coins found in Ha Tinh had shapes and sizes similar to those in descriptions of Nagasaki trade coins and they remain in quite good condition. The coins are preserved at Ha Tinh Museum for further study.-VNA

AFC Cup: FLC Thanh Hoa draws 0-0 with Indonesia’s Bali UnitedFLC Thanh Hoa of Vietnam drew 0-0 with Bali United of Indonesia in the fourth round match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup 2018 at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on March 13. Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung of FLC Thanh HoaEarlier, FLC Thanh Hoa lost 1-3 to Bali United on the away ground, ranking third in Group G with three points after one win and two consecutive losses. Meanwhile, Bali United was placed second, with one point higher than FLC Thanh Hoa. Meanwhile, coach Widodo Cahyono Putro of Bali United said his team won the first leg match but admitted that FLC Thanh Hoa were a strong team. With the draw on March 13, FLC Thanh Hoa still ranked third in Group G with four points.

Cherry blossom - yellow ochna flower festival to open in Quang NinhThe 2018 Cherry blossom – Yen Tu yellow ochna flower festival will take place in the northern province of Quang Ninh from March 24-28, as part of National Tourism Year 2018. The yellow ochna flower is indigenous to the area near Yen Tu Mountain. He founded the first Vietnamese School of Buddhism called “Thien Tong” or Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen on the 1,068m-high Yen Tu Mountain. The Cherry blossom – Yen Tu ochna flower festival has drew the participation of many Vietnamese and Japanese businesses and visitors over the years. It promotes the images of Yen Tu relic site and the yellow ochna flower, along with introducing cherry blossoms and Japanese culture to attendees.

Vietnam, Australia to set up strategic partnership in PM’s visitPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will sign the Joint Statement on establishing the Vietnam – Australia Strategic Partnership during the former's visit to Australia, creating the political and legal framework for the two countries' relations to develop in the coming time. The following is the full text of the interview:In 2015, both Vietnam and Australia have mentioned the establishment of a Strategic Partnership. During my official visit to Australia this time, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and I will sign the Joint Statement on establishing the Vietnam – Australia Strategic Partnership, creating the political and legal framework for the two countries' relations to develop in the coming time. In this spirit, Vietnam welcomes the Australian Governor-General's visit to Vietnam in May 2018 and considers this visit an important foreign affairs event of 2018. In this context, the establishment of the Vietnam-Australia Strategic Partnership will bring about new opportunities for businesses of both countries.

Teacher forced to kneel to parents as tension mounts at schoolsVietNamNet Bridge - Educators complain that teaching has become a ‘dangerous profession’ as teachers have to bear too much pressure from superiors and parents. The report sent to the school's management boardThe scandal is about a decision made by the teacher who asked students to kneel in the class for mistakes they had made. After hearing about the punishment, parents visited the school to meet the teacher, criticized her severely, and forced her to kneel. After hearing about the punishment, parents visited the school to meet the teacher, criticized her severely, and forced her to kneel.In a report sent to the school’s management board, the teacher said she was aware of her error and apologized to students and parents. However, the apology was not accepted.“You forced my son to kneel though he was not faulty.

PM visits Waikato University, wrapping up visit to New ZealandPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Waikato University, a leading educational facility in the world, on March 14 morning (local time) before wrapping up his official visit to New Zealand. PM Phuc also introduced the socio-economic situation in Vietnam to the students at Waikato University. The PM invited the Waikato students to visit Vietnam - a country with rich culture, a thousand-year history, and the learning tradition. At the exchange, he fielded questions about Vietnam’s policy to attract and use talents, especially overseas Vietnamese students with excellent performance. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (front, first) visits Waikato UniversityForty Vietnamese students and 26 graduate ones are studying at the Waikato University, mainly in the majors of economics and education.

Le Tuan Minh tops HDBank chess tournament after sixth roundInternational Master Le Tuan Minh defeated Grandmaster Gordievsky Dmitry of Russia at the HDBank International Chess Open Tournament’s sixth-round match in Hanoi on March 13 to replace his rival at the top position. Two others are No.2 seed GM Wang Hao of China and No.4 seed GM Mareco Sandro of Argentina. Also in the sixth round, Vietnam’s GM Le Quang Liem, who is seeded No.1, drew India’s Erigasi Arjun. After seven editions in Ho Chi Minh City, this is the first time the HDBank Cup International Open Chess tournament has been held in Hanoi. It is the biggest professional chess tourney in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and a competition in the World Chess Federation’s system.

Snacks market in VN worth $500 millionVietNamNet Bridge - The Vietnamese snack market, with value of $518 million in 2015, is expected to be worth $1 billion by 2020, experts say. The Vietnamese snack market was valued at $518 million in 2015Processed snacks account for 33 percent, nuts 30 percent and potato chips 24 percent. The Vietnamese snack market revenue may reach $700 million in 2017. The Vietnamese snack market, with value of $518 million in 2015, is expected to be worth $1 billion by 2020. The snack market, however, is getting crowded with the arrival of many brands from all over the world.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/3Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee granted investment certificates to 19 projects yesterday for the first investment stage in 2018, including 15 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects. The dialogue consisted of two sessions discussing business opportunities, advantages and disadvantages for services, tourism and transportation. Business representatives from both countries also expected the newly signed CPTPP to further promote bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation. During the period, nine projects increased their investment capital by 153.45 million USD, including two projects outside industrial parks with 23 million USD added. Other statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that Viet Nam’s steel exports to the US in particular had surged.

Reform may see labourers paid for their productivityVietNamNet Bridge – Businesses will likely narrow the pay gap among labourers and recalculate salary scales based on productivity at work instead of seniority, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has said. In the first option, the regulation of five per cent pay gap at every wage rate would be discarded. The pay gap between wage rates must encourage labourers to improve their professional and technical skills, accumulate experience and develop their talents. This meant that enterprises would use wage funds to increase wages for hard-working labourers with high productivity instead of increasing the wages for all labourers. With the new pay gap of three per cent, labourers’ lives would be very hard, he said.

Bus stops need renovating to attract ridersVietNamNet Bridge – After years of decline, in 2017 the number of bus riders in Hanoi increased by more than three per cent, however experts say improved bus stops and shelters will make public transport even more attractive. “Bus shelters? The situation is worse at the bus stop in front of Nuoc Ngam bus station. Worsen in the suburbanIn outlying areas, bus stops and shelters are put too near main roads, posing threats of traffic accidents for both bus riders and drivers. Bus stops and shelters also connect bus routes and other means of public transportation such as bus rapid transit (BRT) or metro.

ILDC wants to develop $6-billion deep seaport complex in Soc TrangInternational Local Development Consortium (ILDC) from France intends to develop a $6-billion deep seaport complex in the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam. According to Chuyen, the province received numerous planning documents from investors proposing to develop the deep seaport in the province. ILDC promised to take the seaport of the complex into operation by 2026 to exploit domestic routes. Compared to other locations in the Mekong River Delta, Soc Trang possesses huge potential for seaport and shipping development as well as waterway transport. The corporation consists of over 30 leading international companies with expertise in ecological, urban, and industrial development.

Bac Lieu bird sanctuary faces high risk of firesThe Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu is facing a level-4 risk of fires, which is likely to be raised to level 5, the level of extreme danger, said the sanctuary management board on March 13. Bac Lieu bird sanctuary faces high risk of fires. (Photo: Tabalo.org)​The lengthy hot spell brought high temperatures to the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary that dry canals and make plants more flammable, putting it on high alert for firesIn response to the situation, the management board has worked on shifts round the clock to watch out for the possible fires, cleared bushes and dredged canals over the past month. Located in Nha Mat ward, the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary is only 7km from downtown Bac Lieu city. The 130-hectare park is home to over 60,000 birds, belonging to about 100 species, many of which are in danger.-VNA