Hue to be a tourism hotspot on its ownAlways a premier tourism destination in the country, Hue city plans to take it up several notches with a renewed focus on longer stays by both domestic and international visitors in the former imperial capital. Efforts by local tourism authorities have already borne fruit and they are confident of building on their success in the coming years. He said this happened because of an intensified focus on tourism and diversification of tourism products, offering more choices to visitors. “The business community and local residents have lent their hands to developing tourism, helping highlight traditional Hue tourism products while creating new services. They’ve also stressed that the authentic identity of Hue needs to be maintained amidst all the changes that are introduced to reinvigorate the local tourism industry.

Low freight volume, debts sinking VN shipping firmsVietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese shipping firms have been losing their domestic market share to foreigners. Many shipping firms have been repeatedly reporting lossesVosco, one of the largest Vietnamese shipping firms, has been repeatedly reporting losses since 2012, though its revenue has been higher than VND1 trillion a year. Meanwhile, they cannot satisfy requirements from clients because their fleets are mostly bulk ships and lack container ships. An expert said that most Vietnamese shipping firms focus on exploiting dry and bulk cargo, but container transportation has become common globally. In order to become more competitive, Vietnamese shipping firms need container ships, better supply chains, infrastructure and logistics systems.

Vietnam, active member of Greater Mekong Sub-region programmeA senior official of the Asian Development Bank has said Vietnam has been an active member of the Greater Mekong Sub-region programme. He also spoke highly of the Vietnamese government’s efforts to host the 6th Greater Mekong Summit, which will take place in Hanoi from March 29-31, including the first-ever GMS Business Forum. The official also revealed that the Greater Mekong Sub-region is expected to receive 66 billion USD in investment to strengthen regional economic cooperation in the next five years. The GMS cooperation was launched in 1992 as an initiative of the ADB. The GMS Cooperation Programme is the most complete cooperation programme that involves Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and China’s Yunnan and Guangxi provinces.

Parents advised to begin sex and gender education at early ageVietNamNet Bridge - Alarmed about the increasing adolescent abortion rate and the average age of the first sexual experience, experts have urged parents to begin giving sex and gender education lessons to their children at an early age. Among high school students who reported having had sex, 29.5 percent of males reported not using a condom the last time. In the US, programs on sex education, reproductive health and sexuality education have been carried out in an effective way. “I suggest that parents prepare for sex education right after their children’s birth,” Nam said. RELATED NEWSNew education program calls for reform in sex educationSchools neglect teaching students about sex educationChi Mai

Non-smoke industry producing far much smoke in Ha Long BayVietNamNet Bridge - Within three hours, more than 100 volunteers from IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) recently collected 2.5 tons of waste on Ang Du Beach of Ha Long Bay. What’s happening in Ha Long Bay? Ha Long Bay is seeking recognition as the world’s natural heritage. “Ironically, when heritage sites bring trillions of dong in revenue to localities, the management boards of the heritage sites cannot allocate a budget for biodiversity supervision,” she said. RELATED NEWS$316 million undersea tunnel planned in Ha Long CityBig real estate developers pour money into Ha LongMai Chi

Jacqueline Woodson: US teen author wins $600,000 Astrid Lindgren prizeUS teen author Jacqueline Woodson said it was "awesome" to win The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest prize for children's writing. Woodson tackles issues such as racism and sexual identity -- Photo: MARTY UMANSHer books include National Book Prize winner Brown Girl Dreaming, a memoir of her childhood written in verse. Woodson is the 15th recipient of the prize, named after the Swedish creator of Pippi Longstocking. The Lindgren jury said: "Jacqueline Woodson introduces us to resilient young people fighting to find a place where their lives can take root. "Jacqueline Woodson captures a unique poetic note in a daily reality divided between sorrow and hope."

The Netherlands is currently the biggest export market of Việt Nam in the EU. With 305 projects worth nearly $8.2 billion, the Netherlands now ranks 11th among the 126 countries and territories investing in Việt Nam. At their talks, the leaders reached a consensus that the co-operation between the National Assembly of Việt Nam and the House of Representatives the Netherlands has unceasingly been growing. The Speaker showed her special interests in the role of women in the political life in Việt Nam, especially the female legislators’ contributions to the NA. She invited the Speaker to visit Việt Nam in the coming time and the host leader accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Project to develop Mekong Delta’s tourism adapted to climate changeThe People’s Committee of Can Tho city, the Novaland Group, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBBank) have teamed up to implement a project on developing the Mekong Delta’s tourism adapted to climate change. The parties in this project hope to build suitable models to international standards to tap into the Mekong Delta’s tourism potential while preserving local cultural identities. The Mekong Delta is the biggest rice, fruit and aquatic production hub of Vietnam. He said he encourages ideas of developing eco-tourism and community-based tourism and bringing into play the Mekong Delta’s identities. He voiced his belief that with the BCG’s prestige and network, the firm will help the Mekong Delta become a magnet for domestic and foreign investors.

Vietnam, France seek to step up defence partnershipDeputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh met with senior officers from the French Ministry of Defence to discuss a wide range of measures to boost defence cooperation between Vietnam and France. Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi VinhThe meetings took place on the occasion of the official visit to France by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong from March 26-28. The Deputy Defence Minister proposed specific measures such as increasing all-level delegation exchanges, sharing defence strategic issues, and promoting cooperation in training, defence industry, military trade, medical military, peacekeeping activities, and post-war consequences settlement, among others. Agreeing with the Vietnamese leader’s opinions, Minister of Defence Florence Parly showed her belief in outcomes of bilateral cooperation in the coming time. The two sides agreed on key orientations to ratchet up bilateral defence ties, mutual support at multilateral forums, participation in UN peacekeeping force, and the possibility of France’s participation in ADMM , and more.

Over 8,000 enterprises established in MarchAs many as 8,082 enterprises were established in March with total registered capital of nearly 81.16 trillion (3.57 billion USD), reported the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI). Business establishment procedures are handled at the single-window section of the Department of Planning and Investment of Binh Duong provinceThe figures represent a rise of 2.8 percent in the number of enterprises and an 18 percent drop in the registered capital compared with February.On average, the registered capital of individual businesses decreased by 20.3 percent to 10 billion (440,000 USD). The number of registered labourers for the new businesses in the reviewed period saw a modest decline of three percent to 68,979.Besides this, 1,801 firms returned to operation in March, down 22.3 percent from the previous month.According to the MoPI, the country saw 26,785 new enterprises in the first three months of this year, with total registered capital of around 278.49 trillion VND (12.26 billion USD).The number was up 1.2 percent and while capital rose 2.7 percent as compared with the same period last year, said the MoPI.Average registered capital in each enterprise established in the first quarter was 10.4 billion VND, a year-on-year increase of 1.5 percent. The number of workers employed in newly established enterprises was 225,389 people, down 22.7 percent from the same period last year.A total of 8,449 enterprises resumed operations in the first three months, while 8,115 ceased operations or were awaiting dissolution and 3,321 others completed dissolution procedures.-VNA

Keeping inflation rate below 4 percent feasible: Deputy PMThe consumer price index (CPI) in 2018 is forecast to rise by 3.41 percent, 3.55 percent and 3.9 percent under the scenarios created by the aide group of the Government’s Steering Committee on Price Management. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue says that keeping inflation rate below 4 percent is feasible. “Stabilising the macro-economy coupled with addressing the increase in the prices of public services, the target of keeping inflation rate under 4 percent this year is achievable”, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, who headed the Government’s Steering Committee on Price Management, affirmed at a meeting on March 27. Hue ordered ministries and sectors to follow the scenario of the CPI growth rate of 3.55 percent to take specific measures and solutions. It should join hands with relevant ministries and branches to build prices of the non-public irrigation products and services.

Vietnam hosts WMO regional training on public weather servicesA regional training workshop on public weather services opened in Hanoi on March 27 for countries participating in the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)’s Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP). A regional training workshop on public weather services opened in Hanoi on March 27 for countries participating in the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)’s Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration ProjectThe workshop aimed to discuss the system for delivering weather reports and coordination mechanism between national hydro-meteorological agencies and communication, risk management authorities in WMO member states. It also provided training on effective weather forecasting and warning for the public and on how to communicate with the media and evaluate public feedback. It introduced forecasting products and financial cooperation with the SWFDP and provided guidelines to develop an online weather service portal. It also saw delegates exchanging views on management of disaster risk reduction in VietnamAta Husain, a WMO representative, said the workshop will share knowledge and experience in training for WMO colleagues in an attempt to improve quality of national forecast services in Vietnam.

Party chief expects French enterprises to succeed in VietnamVietnam hopes French enterprises will do successful business in the Southeast Asian country in the long run, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong said at a meeting with representatives from the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF) in Paris on March 27. Pierre Gattaz said many French businesses participating in the event have signed a lot of big contracts with Vietnamese partners. At present, more than 200 French businesses are active in Vietnam. Vietnam is keen to beef up cooperation with French companies and hopes they will expand collaboration with Vietnam in the coming time, the Party leader said. At the meeting, representatives of the Vietnamese Government and French businesses talked concrete issues to seek effective cooperation solutions in each field.

Vietnam showcases traditional culture, cuisine in TurkeyThe Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey has promoted the country’s sight-seeing destinations, culture and cuisine at the third international travel fair Travel Expo Ankara. Foreign tourists in VietnamIt formed part of a series of events to mark the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties. The four-day Travel Expo Ankara took place last week, bringing together 81 cities and provinces across Turkey, 20 foreign representative agencies in Ankara, tour operators, universities and local popular hotels and restaurants. The booth of Vietnam featured publications and video clips showcasing Vietnam’s tourism, culture and people and documentaries on late President Ho Chi Minh during the exhibition from March 22-25. Also on display were photos of Vietnam’s beautiful landscapes, handicrafts, Dong Ho folk paintings, water puppets, traditional costumes and traditional dishes like “pho”, “nem” (spring rolls), “banh xeo” (Vietnamese pancakes), tea and coffee.

Party chief’s Cuba visit consolidates mutual political trustThe State visit to Cuba by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong from March 28-30 aims to consolidate mutual political trust and step up bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and investment in a more pragmatic and effective manner. It also reflects solidarity and friendship between the Party, State and people of Vietnam and Cuban Party, State and people. The bilateral political ties have been reflected through the regular exchange of visits between the two countries’ Party, State and Government leaders. Party chief’s visit to Cuba to preserve historic legacy, lift brotherhoodCuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera. High-level mutual visits between Vietnam and Cuba in the past demonstrated the two nations’ strong political relations, the ambassador said.