Blockchain technology traces farm produce origin in VietnamVietNamNet Bridge - Blockchain technology is an important solution to trace the responsibilities of involved parties in the farm produce supply chain. In Vietnam, where consumers face risks from food of unknown origin, tracing farm produce with QR codes helps consumers, producers and distributors. Traceability is the ability to identify and track a product unit in the supply chain, i.e. There are only two ministerial circulars on the issue with simple regulations which stipulate the producers’ responsibility to provide information. With QR code, technology solution providers may somehow interfere with the supply chain and change information about products.

Companies ‘strategic’ share sales raise eyebrowsLast month Halcom Viet Nam announced a list of investors who it said are set to buy its shares this year. The 16 investors will buy a total of 24.5 million shares at a price of VNĐ10,000 each, acquiring between 50,000 and 10 million shares each. Intriguingly, many of them including HID, have sold their stakes to strategic partners at several times higher than the market price. Often, the strategic sale pushes up the sales and the price of the company’s shares on the market. Market value is calculated by multiplying a company’s shares outstanding by its current market price.

VN Gov’t strives to boost business environmentRecent policies have underscored the Government’s efforts to improve Viet Nam’s business environment and national competitiveness. Production of screws, bolts and nuts at Vit Viet Industry Production and Trading Joint-Stock Company, a medium-sized firm based in HCM City. According to Resolution 19 issued last week, key goals on improving business indicators include jumping from 8th to 18th on the World Bank’s global Doing Business Index, channelling capital to start-up companies and paying extra attention to business dispute and bankruptcy resolution. Maximum repayment time is up to seven years, which comes with additional financial support, clear procedures and transparent documentation. The fund has also approved bank lending for 15 SME-related projects with total capital of nearly VND150 billion ($6.6 million).

The VN Index has erased 13.6 per cent since it hit the record high of 1,204.33 points on April 9. Some 267.8 million VHM shares, worth VND31.57 trillion, were traded through advance negotiations between foreign investors. The massive trading amount of VHM shares helped Viet Nam’s stock market trading value exceed $1 billion for the first time, reaching VND35.83 trillion ($1.59 billion). According to securities firms, the short-term gaining momentum of the stock market is short-lived as large-cap stocks are having mixed performances and there are no signs of improvement in investors’ confidence. Energy stocks played the main role to drive the markets upward last week following the increases of crude prices on global trade.

Conference of Vietnamese Young Scientists held in RoKThe fifth annual Conference of Vietnamese Young Scientists (ACVYS 2018) took place in the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Sejong University in Seoul on May 20. Organised by the Vietnamese Students’ Association in the RoK (VSAK), the event was in response to Vietnam Day of Science and Technology (May 18). VSAK Chairman Vu Duc Luong said the conference offers a channel connecting Vietnamese young scientists with Korean scientists and managers, thereby facilitating technological transfer between the two countries. He added that Vietnamese young scientists publish thousands of scientific research works on prestigious international magazines each year such as SCI, SCIE, ISI and some of them play crucial roles in the RoK’s key national projects. The Vietnamese student community in the RoK is the second largest with over 20,000, nearly 7,000 of them are pursuing tertiary education.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc talks with workers at IZs in Red River DeltaPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a dialogue in Ha Nam on May 20 with nearly 1,000 workers at industrial zones (IZ) in the Red River Delta. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the dialogueHe said the activity needs to be made regular to promptly deal with workers’ concerns following two similar dialogues in the southeastern and central regions. About health care for workers, the PM urged the Health Ministry to work with departments and localities to improve workers’ health, firstly by establishing a network of hospitals and medical stations near industrial zones. Businesses must pay attention to improving working conditions, offer regular health check-ups and lunches to workers, he said. The VGCL signed agreements with 18 corporations to bring products and services to workers with 5-25 percent discount.

Vietnam attends second Asia-Europe Political ForumVietnam actively joined in discussions of the second Meeting of the Asia-Europe Political Forum (AEPF) and the 30th Meeting of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) Standing Committee, which took place on May 17-19 in London, the UK. At the second Meeting of the Asia-Europe Political Forum (AEPF) held on May 17-19 in the UKThe Vietnamese delegation was led by Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Nguyen Manh Cuong. Representatives from political parties focused their discussions on the Asia-Europe partnership and the role of political parties in regional cooperation and connectivity. They stressed that political parties’ collaboration will contribute to solving regional and global challenges, including those on security, development and climate change. The AEPF adopted the London Statement while the ICAPP Standing Committee approved an action plan for the ICAPP.-VNA

Yen Bai: 'Crystal cloud' exhibition, paragliding festival openThe northern mountainous province of Yen Bai opened two special events in the stunning Mu Cang Chai terraced rice fields on May 19, featuring an exhibition with crystal clouds and a paragliding festival. The colourful crystal clouds create a garden of 400m2 in the middle of the magnificent terraces, providing an attractive experience for tourists visiting Mu Cang Chai. The event is held by the Vietwings Hanoi Paragliding Club and Mu Cang Chai authorities from May 19 to 20. Terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai are beautiful all year round. During the harvest in October, the golden rice fields stand out amidst green forests.

Vietnam protests use of force in Gaza StripVietnamese Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of the Vietnam Permanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, has stressed that Vietnam protests the use of force in the Gaza Strip. Concluding the session, with 29 votes in favour, two against and 14 abstentions, members of the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force against civilians, requesting the end of violence. The council decided to form an independent commission of inquiry to investigate violations of human right and humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip. Reports on investigation results should be delivered in the UN Human Rights Council’s 39th and 40th sessions slated for September 2018 and March 2019 respectively. On May 14, 60 demonstrators in Gaza were killed by Israeli forces, marking the highest one-day death toll in the territory since the 2014 hostilities.

More capital to be poured into Mekong Delta to address erosionsPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to the provision of 1.5 trillion VND (65.9 million USD) from the standby 2018 State budget for Mekong Delta localities to address urgent dyke erosion threatening life and property of local residents. The leader agreed with a proposal to use 36 million USD from official development assistance (ODA) capital for the WB9 and GMS1 projects to establish the Mekong Delta climate change prevention fund. The information was highlighted in the Government Office’s announcement on the outcomes of the Prime Minister’s meeting with representatives of 13 Mekong Delta localities in Hanoi on May 9. The Mekong Delta holds an important strategic position and is home to over 20 million people. The allocation of capital from the State budget to Mekong Delta localities aims to help them build urgent and important facilities.-VNA

School student lives his passion for physicsWhen the organisation board of the 19th Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) announced the names of the contestants receiving special prizes, Tran Duc Huy stepped up to receive the award. Trần Đức Huy (centre) was awarded with a gold medal presented by Asian Physics Olympiad President Leong Chuan Kwek (second from left). Trần Đức Huy, a student of Hanoi-Amsterdam Gifted High School, won gold medal in the 19th Asian Physics Olympiad. He also plans to appear for the university entrance exams in Việt Nam before seeking opportunities of studying abroad to further pursue his passion for physics. The 19th Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO), held in Việt Nam on May 6-13, attracted the participation of 188 contestants from 25 countries and territories.

Economists oppose golf course proposals, say investors are engaging in land speculationVietNamNet Bridge - Local authorities have proposed adding tens of golf course projects to the program on golf course development, a move many economists oppose. Investors still want to build golf courses though golf courses don’t bring high profits as it is very difficult to attract players. Doan said that scandals related to golf course development in Phu Yen, Vinh Phuc and Ninh Thuan, in which investors used the land allocated to develop golf courses for other purposes. Doan doubts that the large land plots investors expect to be allocated are what they target when registering to develop golf courses. RELATED NEWSConditions to replace state planning in golf course developmentDozens of golf projects proposed by local authoritiesMai Chi

Taking on the Ironman challengeVietnam News talks to Anne-Catherine Schaub-Jones about her experience of taking part in Ironman, the largest international multi-sport event in the country, recently held in Da Nang. What do you think is the key to this challenge and how long did you train? My bigger challenge was to learn how to swim freestyle. — Photo courtesy of Schaub-JonesWas your family supportive? But time management and discipline are very important to be able to train long term and be consistent.

Vietnam, Mexico build new partnership in 21st century: AmbassadorFor over four decades, the traditional friendship and all-round cooperation between Vietnam and Mexico have been reinforced and developed in many fields from politics-diplomacy, economy-trade to culture, education and health care, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Nguyen Hoai Duong. Mexico is now the third largest trade partner of Vietnam in Latin American region, while Vietnam is the seventh most important partner of Mexico in Asia, noted the ambassador. He declared that Vietnam always creates optimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from Mexico, to run long-term and stable business in Vietnam. He held that the bilateral economic and trade ties will be elevated through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in which both countries are signatory members. On the occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy also launched a photo space introducing the nation and people of Vietnam to local and international friends.-VNA

Vietnam Festival 2018 opens in TokyoThe Vietnam Festival 2018 kicked off at Yoyogi park in the Japanese capital of Tokyo on May 19 on the occasion of the 128th birth anniversary of late President Ho Chi Minh. Besides Tokyo, the Vietnam Festival will be organised in other localities across Japan, including Fukuoka, Aichi, Osaka, Kanagawa, and Saitama, within this year, Cuong added. Deputy head of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association Motoyoshi Ryoikichi told the Vietnam News Agency that the bilateral ties are in a flourishing period. The Vietnam festival was first held in Japan in September 2008, becoming the biggest-ever festival of Vietnam held in the country, attracting 150,000 visitors in just three days. Since then, the festival has been organised annually and become the largest cultural exchange event between the two countries.