New momentum for sci-tech cooperation with France, CubaThe recent visits to France and Cuba by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong created new momentum to promote cooperation in science and technology. He said Vietnam and France signed 12 agreements, including in research, training and technological transfer in outer space cooperation. The two sides agreed to focus on developing intellectual property and digital transfer in the context of the fourth Industrial Revolution and work toward a new cooperation framework on science and technology. Meanwhile, during the Party leader’s State visit to Cuba from March 28-30, the two countries signed a new cooperation deal in science and technology to promote bilateral cooperation in this field, along with an action plan for 2018, 2019, 2020 and the following years to exchange institutions and policies. He expressed his belief that deeper cooperation in science and technology between Vietnam and Cuba will make significant contributions to the bilateral traditional friendship.

Geleximco has proposed two thermal power projects so far. Vinacomin affirmed that the government has assigned Vinacomin to develop the $2.1 billion Quynh Lap I Plant and has been taking steps to implement the project. In May 2017, Vinacomin signed an MOU with Geleximco-Kaidi and KOSPO from South Korea to develop Quynh Lap I. EVN also said it has been assigned by the government to implement Quang Trach I and the $2.4 billion Quang Trach II projects, and it has kicked off implementation. RELATED NEWSVietnam accepts to live with coal thermopower - for nowExpert: 14 thermal power plants in Mekong Delta too muchThanh Lich

Grindr defends HIV-related data sharingGay dating app Grindr has defended itself after outcry over how it shared data with two external companies. On Monday it emerged the app had, among other things, provided information on HIV status, including date last tested. Grindr said the data was shared in line with standard industry practices, and that it felt the app had been unfairly singled out. The most sensitive information was encrypted, Grindr said - though a Norwegian campaign group said the sharing of other, unencrypted, data amounted to a potential privacy intrusion. The BBC understands the Grindr had already stopped sharing information with Apptimize, and was in the process of winding down its work with Localytics.

Foreign OTAs dominate Vietnam’s online travel marketGlobal online travel agencies (OTAs) currently hold up to 80% of Vietnam’s online travel market share, said Nguyen Van Tuan, head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). Over the past two years, personal and group experience travel booked using smartphones to search information has been on the rise, replacing travel agents. Visitors often book flights tickets or rooms through OTAs.At the meeting, Tuan cited VECOM’s information as saying that OTAs such as Agoda.com, booking.com, Traveloka.com and Expedia.com account for up to 80% of Vietnam’s online travel market share.Most foreign visitors who come to Vietnam and domestic holidaymakers use foreign OTAs. The association has nearly 4,000 members nationwide, but just a small number among those specialising in tourism technology development.“We’ll soon set up a club to discuss online travel issues. This is expected to help boost the co-operation among members in this area,” Binh noted.Dtinews/Nguoi Lao Dong

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stresses growth qualityPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasised the need to ensure the quality of growth and people’s living standards at the same time while addressing the Cabinet’s meeting in Hanoi on April 2. The Government is resolved to achieve the growth rate of at least 6.7 percent in 2018. However, ensuring growth quality is an important task of ministries, agencies and localities,” he said. The leader attributed the country’s first-quarter growth rate of 7.38 percent, the highest level over the past decade, to drastic actions taken by the Government. PM Phuc said the Asian Development Bank and some other financial institutions forecast Vietnam’s economic growth rate at about 6.7 percent in 2018, which matches the Government’s calculation.

Vietnam shooting team aim for medals at ASIAD 2018Vietnamese shooting team will strive to win medals at the Asian Games (ASIAD) 2018 to be held in Indonesia in August, Secretary General of the Vietnam Shooting Federation Nguyen Thi Nhung has said. Vinh and his team will be training in the RoK from April 7-20 and compete at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup from April 20 – 30, before playing at the ASIAD 2018. In 2018, the Vietnam Shooting Federation will organise numerous national shooting competitions to horn athletes’ skills and find talents for the national team. More than 200 Vietnamese athletes will compete in 20 of the 40 sports at the ASIAD 2018. In the ASIAD Games in Incheon, the Republic of Korea in 2014, Vietnam won one gold, 10 silver and 25 bronze medals to rank 21.

Vietnam’s economy enjoys auspicious startVietnam’s economy enjoyed a more sustainable growth in the first quarter of the year with a strong economic expansion of 7.38 percent, the best first-quarter performance in the last decade. Nearly 7,900 businesses added 485.5 trillion VND to their capital while 8,449 others resumed operations. Also, domestic production was stimulated by a surge of 9.9 percent in retail sales and revenue of consumption services to more than 1 trillion VND (44 million USD). In the period, non-state investment totalled 138.8 trillion VND (6.1 billion USD), or 41.9 percent of the total investment, much higher than foreign direct investment which made up 26.5 percent. The robust achievements were spurred by sound economic growth in Quarter 4 of 2017, new opportunities from stable economic development and efforts of the business community and drastic state management.

Nearly VND21 trillion for economic, industrial zonesThe Prime Minister has recently approved the Target Programme on investing in infrastructure in coastal economic zones; border gate economic, industrial and high-tech areas, industrial clusters and high-tech agricultural areas for the 2016-2020 period. Between now and 2020, construction on 200 – 250 kilometres of major roads, water drainage and concentrated wastewater treatment facilities in 16 coastal economic zones will be completed. Up to 200 – 220 kilometres of major roads in 21 border economic zones will be built, including nine key border economic areas with huge exports-imports. Others include wastewater treatment facilities for 35 - 40 industrial zones and 30 - 35 industrial clusters in poor and extremely poor areas and rainwater drainage and electricity supply for three high-tech areas and six high-tech agricultural areas. The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to appraise and allocate State funding for projects for 2016-2020 and each year, and partner with the Finance Ministry to review the progress of projects under the programme and report to the Prime Minister each year.-VNA

Cabinet meeting: Greater efforts needed to achieve minimum of 6.7% growth in 2018At a regular government meeting in Hanoi on April 2, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked cabinet members to expand upon growth scenarios for 2018 in the aim of reaching a growth rate of at least 6.7%. Regarding socio-economic performance in the first quarter of 2018, the PM said that some basic indicators yielded strong results, with GDP in the first quarter reaching its highest growth rate in many years at 7.38%. The industry and construction sectors grew by 9.7%, more than double the rate of the corresponding period in 2017. Average CPI in the first quarter of 2018 soared by 2.66% over the same period last year. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) of Vietnam hit 51.6 points in March as announced by Nikkei on April 2, Phuc said.

Saline intrusion attacks Ninh ThuanVietNamNet Bridge – Water and agricultural land in Nhon Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District of the south central province of Ninh Thuan has been contaminated with high saline levels, affecting local production and livelihoods. Water and soil are saline in Nhon Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District of the south central province of Ninh Thuan Province. Aquatic production bases are located in centralised area of Ninh Thuan Province but the water treatment system has not been completed. The communal committee also proposed local authorities finish setting up infrastructure for the centralised aquatic production area, harmonise benefits of agricultural development and environmental protection. He also asked local authorities would assess salinity level in the water and soil to have solutions and help farmers.

Illegal logging bedevils central provincesVietNamNet Bridge – Two illegal logging cases were discovered in the central province’s Dong Giang and Nam Giang districts in March, with 77 big trees chopped down. Thanh was blamed by the provincial Party Inspection Committee for his negligence on illegal logging cases in recent years. Thanh said the province will investigate the illegal logging cases and uncover suspected collusion among local rangers and illegal loggers, timber traders and buyers. Tuan said six illegal logging cases were prosecuted, while 20 other cases have been under investigation. Several officials in the district were punished for those illegal logging operations.

Compulsory social insurance for expats to go ahead despite firms’ concernsVietNamNet Bridge – A controversial rule requiring foreign workers in Vietnam to make social insurance payments is likely to be put into practice soon, several months after the Government’s issuance of a decree to implement the new provision of the Law on Social Insurance 2014, which came into effect on January 1 this year. Meanwhile, all of them already pay social insurance in their home country. Cost increaseMany foreign enterprises, however, have complained that compulsory social insurance for foreign workers will increase employment costs for enterprises, especially those who have a large number of foreign workers. “Until now, enterprises using foreign workers have already enjoyed certain preferential policies in terms of tax and social insurance,” he said. The implementation of regulation, however, faces a tough road ahead, given the fact that a large number of enterprises have already evaded paying social insurance for their Vietnamese employees, leaving a social insurance debt of trillions of dong.

Vietnamese Painter’s Artworks Set For Auction at Sotheby’sVietNamNet Bridge – Two paintings by the late Vietnamese artist Nguyen Huyen have been sold at a Hong Kong auction for almost US$22,000. Under the hammer: Portrait of an Old Vietnamese Gentlemen by Nguyen Huyen. The artwork went under the hammer yesterday at Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction house. This confirms the large range of influence the Vietnamese art market has around the world, especially in Hong Kong. The decision of auctioning off Huyen’s artworks was made by Sotheby’s after many of his paintings were displayed and sold at an exhibition at Vietnamese Chon’s Auction House.

Russia wants to see more Vietnamese tourists during World CupFootball-loving Vietnamese tourists can visit Russia with ease for this year’s FIFA World Cup which takes place from June 14 to July 15. Volga River Cruise is one among recommended tours for Vietnamese tourists to discover Russia. “Especially for the championship in Russia, 12 stadiums have been made ready, meeting all modern requirements. Natalia Shafinskaya, director of the centre, revealed the destinations in 11 Russia cities that will host games. “The Russian centre in Hanoi also organises Russian language courses with the theme of tourism and sports to meet the demand of Vietnamese tourists who want to travel to see the World Cup,” she added.

Davis Cup begins today in HanoiVietnam is the No 1 seed in Group A of the Davis Cup, Asia/Oceania Zone Group III, which begins today in Hanoi. National champion Pham Minh Tuan practises in Hanoi in preparation for the Davis Cup. Group B gathers together Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Among them, Kuwait, world No 73, is ranked as the top seed. The two winners of the last-four rounds will be promoted to Group II for next season.