Vietnam officials visit US aircraft carrierAn inter-sectoral official delegation from Vietnam visited US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson on March 3-4 when the ship passed through the international waters near the country’s coast. US aircraft carrier USS Carl VinsonThe visit was made under an invitation of the US Embassy in Vietnam. The Vietnamese officials were introduced to the ship’s operation, and given a chance to learn about crew members’ life and work on the ship. Since 2009, Vietnam has sent officials to visit the US’s aircraft carriers when they went through the international waters near the country’s coast. Recently, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh also visited the USS George H.W.Bush aircraft carrier (CVN-77) during an official visit to Norfolk city in the US state of Virginia from February 21-22.-VNA

First photos of VN President's State visit to BangladeshVietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse arrived in Dhaka capital city of Bangladesh on March 4, starting a three-day State visit to Bangladesh. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse arrived in Dhaka at 16:00 on March 4 (local time), starting a three-day State visit to Bangladesh. President Quang and his spouse were greeted by Bangladeshi President Mohammad Abdul Hamid with a 21-gun salute during an official welcome ceremony at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The visit takes place at a time when Vietnam and Bangladesh are celebrating the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties. Earlier the same day, President Tran Dai Quang wrapped up his three-day State visit to India.

The Chief Executive Officer of Nal Japan, Inc said he thinks many Vietnamese youngsters living and studying in Japan have a desire for success. With long-term strategies and all-out efforts, Tuan Anh and his colleagues opened up Nal Vietnam in 2013 and then Nal Japan one year later. However, he still dreams of supporting Vietnamese start-ups in Japan. With Vietnamese cyclos taking visitors for a city tour in Japan in a very Vietnamese way, her own brainchild, RAROMA, has step by step made its name in the country. Mai Hoai Giang, Chief Executive Officer of RAROMA said “My idea of bringing cyclos to Japan was triggered as I saw Vietnamese stuff and services here in Japan but not cyclos.

Spiritual tourism needs more boostSpiritual tourism has become an indispensable part in spiritual life for many people. Using these advantages, the Northern province has promoted spiritual tourism as its key tourism product. To date, Ninh Binh is considered a highlight in spiritual tourism among localities in the Red River Delta region, with spiritual tourism activities taking place year round. According to Bui Van Manh, Deputy Director of Ninh Binh Tourism Department, the province has two tourism products: eco-tourism and spiritual tourism. Le Cong Nang from Vietrantour said to promote spiritual tourism as an attractive tourism product, localities should work closely with travel agencies to have completed services.

Scientists successfully hatch turtle eggs on Cham IslandVietNamNet Bridge - October 8, 2017 was a great landmark for turtle conservation experts, when 420 sea turtle individuals were hatched from 450 eggs and released to the sea. The 450 eggs laid by turtles on Con Dao Island were carried to Cham Island, where they hatched. On Con Dao Island, turtle eggs are considered ‘forbidden goods’, which illegal hunters sell to tourists at the exorbitant price of VND200,000-300,000 per egg. October 8, 2017 was a great landmark for turtle conservation experts, when 420 sea turtle individuals were hatched from 450 eggs and released to the sea. Finally, Ai and his co-workers decided to hatch the Con Dao Island-laid eggs on Cham Island after gaining experience from the experiments.

Ambassador: Vietnam-Bangladesh relations witness great stridesVietnam-Bangladesh relations have witnessed great strides in all fields, from politics, trade, economy to culture and people-to-people exchanges, since the establishment of diplomatic ties 45 years ago (February 17, 1973), said Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangladesh Tran Van Khoa. President Tran Dai Quang is visiting Bangladesh from March 4-6. President Tran Dai Quang is scheduled to hold talks with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and meet with President Mohammad Abdul Hamid and Speaker of the Bangladeshi Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, he added. Statistics from the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) showed that two-way trade soared from 14 million USD in 2002 to 388.1 million USD in 2012 and over 900 million USD in 2017. During a working session with Bangladeshi Food Minister Qamrul Islam, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said two-way trade remains below expectations of both sides.

Vietnam’s high-ranking military delegation visits MalaysiaA high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army, led by Sen. Lieut. Gen Phan Van Giang, Chief of the VPA’s General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defence, is paying an official visit to Malaysia from March 4-6. Gen Phan Van GiangThe visit is being made at the invitation of Chief of Malaysian Army Gen. Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi. During the visit, the two sides will discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern and review the cooperation between the two armies in the recent past. They will also deliberate measures to step up cooperation in the coming time, including the implementation of the outcomes of the official visit to Malaysia in 2016 by the Vietnamese Minister of National Defence, thus developing military cooperation more effectively and practically on a par with the strategic partnership between the two countries.-VNA

Korean Minister of Land to visit Vietnam, SingaporeKorean Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi will visit Vietnam and Singapore next week to support local companies' bids for infrastructure projects and expand economic ties with the Southeast Asian nations, according to the Yonhap News Agency. During the four-day trip starting on March 5, Kim will meet senior officials and businesspeople in transport and construction industries. In Vietnam, the minister is scheduled to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in construction, urban development and transportation, and discuss ways to expand infrastructure collaboration. Later, she will head to Singapore to seal another MoU on housing and city development, as well as smart city projects. Korean investors show more interest in Southeast Asian countries as a way to diversify their export markets in the face of growing protectionism from major trade partners, including the US and China.

Lack of funds hinders SMEs’ growthMicro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for nearly 97 per cent of the total number of businesses in HCM City, with more than 90 per cent of newly-established ones every year belonging to this category. A steel company at the Tan Tao industrial park in HCM City. Due to their lack of resources, small and medium-sized enterprises cannot upgrade technology or invest in research and development. Do Phuoc Tong, chairman of the HCM City Association of Mechanical Electrical Enterprises, told Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper that most mechanical enterprises are SMEs or household businesses. But local enterprises have to pay 10 per cent import tariff on the same stuff.

Firms face probable delisting after three-year lossesA number of listed companies risk being forced to leave the stock market after they reported losses for three consecutive years. It also reported cumulative losses of VND268 billion in the two previous years. In 2015 and 2016, KHL reported losses of VND2.74 billion and VND57.3 billion, respectively. Textbook Printing and Simco Song Da also announced losses for three consecutive years in 2017, but their losses declined sharply to around VND1 billion each. On the other end of spectrum, Sai Son Cement JSC (SCJ) and Song Da 7 JSC (SD7) returned to profitability in 2017 after two years of incurring losses.

VN, Thailand top seeds at 2018 AFF CupViet Nam and Thailand are the top seeds in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup, which will be organised later this year. Viet Nam are No 1 seed at the 2018 AFF Cup. According to AFF, Việt Nam are the second strongest team in the region, after Thailand, the reigning champions. AFF Cup is the most important sports event for Việt Nam this year. Park has returned to Việt Nam after a short holiday in South Korea, his home country.

F1 to arrive in Vietnam in 2019International media have published articles reporting that Formula 1 could have three new Grand Prix events next season, as Miami, Buenos Aires and Hanoi are close to confirming a deal. Hà Nội would be next destination for F1 in 2019. — Photo wheels24.co.zaAccording to Auto Motor und Sport, it is likely that the Vietnamese capital will be part of next year’s F1 schedule, and the track will be street circuit. “According to our information, Hà Nội and Miami will almost certainly be on the calendar next year. In Buenos Aires, financing of the track renewal and entry fee is not yet clear,” wrote correspondent Michael Schmidt on wheels24.co.za.

Lime craze could leave sour taste for farmersChopping down the sugarcane following seasons of disappointing low prices, farmers in the barren land of Long An Province turned their eyes to seedless limes in hope of better harvests. But the lime craze might be getting out of control.— Photo danviet.vnLuu Khanh Cuong, a lifelong farmer in Ben Luc District, last year transformed nearly two hectares of sugarcane field into seedless lime garden. If I don’t grow limes, what can I plant for survival?” Cuongtold the Countryside Today newspaper. The rush to grow limes is spreading across province and even reached the furthest district of Thạnh Hóa which borders Cambodia. Cuong said that the fruit price had never fallen to such a prolonged low as the eight to nine months in 2017.

Automated customs to roll out nationwideThe automated customs system is expected come into operation at all seaports and airports by the end of the third quarter of 2018, according to the Viet Nam Customs. The automated customs system is expected come into operation at all seaports and airports by the end of the third quarter of 2018, according to the Viet Nam Customs.— Photo baohaiquan.vnThe system will accelerate the connection and information exchange between the agency and businesses, the Tien phong (Vanguard) newspaper reports. The draft decree of issues related to NSW and ASEAN Single Window (ASW) will be completed and proposed to the Ministry of Justice by the Viet Nam Customs. Based on the evaluations of efficiency conducted by provincial and city customs departments, the system will establish connections for information exchange among the State agencies and about 180 enterprises,” said Le Duc Thanh, deputy head of Department of Information Technology and Customs Statistics. In December 2017, the automated customs system was first run in the northern port Hai Phong City by the Ministry of Finance and Viet Nam Customs.

Personnel training a must for new economyPersonnel training, especially the development of high-quality human resources, will be critical to meeting the demands of the fourth industrial revolution, experts say. Personel training, especially high-quality human resources, will be critical in meeting the demands of the fourth industrial revolution, experts said. Thus, the quality of trained human resources does not meet the requirements of society. In the face of rapid changes caused by the fourth industrial revolution, the economy must boost investment, exploit all resources effectively and gradually move from a cheap labour force into a more skilled one. In the past, the training of high quality human resources such as university students took time and money.