Vietnam, Kuwait hold third political consultationDeputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam Vu Hong Nam and Assistant Foreign Minister Ali Suleiman Al-Saeed of Kuwait co-chaired the third Vietnam – Kuwait political consultation in Hanoi on March 19. They agreed to continue delegation exchanges at all levels and improve the efficiency of the existing cooperation mechanisms like the Vietnam-Kuwait joint committee and political consultation between the two foreign ministries, creating a new impetus for the wide-ranging cooperation between the two countries. They stressed that focus should be channeled into economic cooperation to bolster trade exchange, investment, ODA and labour collaboration via information exchange on trade policies and opportunities. Besides, businesses from the two countries should receive favourable conditions to further connections, join trade promotion activities and ink labour cooperation deals. The consultation took place in an open and trusty manner and concluded successfully, contributing to enhancing the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Kuwait.-VNA

HCM City Book Festival 2018 opensThe 10th HCM City Book Festival, themed “Books – Culture, Integration and Development”, opened at the Le Van Tam Park in District 1 on March 19. Delivering his opening remark, General Director of the Saigon Culture Company Truong Van Hien, head of the organising board, said this is a special festival featuring culture. It is not only a festival of book lovers but also an activity honouring reading culture. The largest-ever volume of over 300,000 book titles are introduced to visitors, up 27 percent against 2016. Visitors will also have a chance to meet and exchange with young singers and writers, and enjoy discounts of up to 50 percent.

US antidumping duties on Vietnam’s frozen fish fillets unfair: MinistryVietnam’s frozen Tra fish fillets will be subject to antidumping duties of 2.39 – 7.74 USD per kilogramme from the United States, according to a US decision which the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) claimed unfair and providing unduly excessive protection. Vietnam’s frozen tra fish fillets will be subject to antidumping duties of 2.39 – 7.74 USD per kilogramme from the United States. It will have negative impacts on Vietnam’s fish exports to the US, the ministry said. According to a report of the Directorate of Fisheries of Vietnam, the country’s tra fish output hit 1.2 million tonnes in 2017, a year-on-year rise of 5.1 percent. The export turnover of tra fish is expected to reach 2 – 2.2 billion USD in 2018, making up 31.5 percent of the fishery industry’s total export value.-VNA

Antiwar POW, son wage peace in VietnamVietNamNet Bridge – On March 19, a special exhibition commemorating an important element of the US movement against the American war in Vietnam will open in Ho Chi Minh City. It is called “Waging Peace: US Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed America’s War in Vietnam”. On June 16, 1968, flying off the aircraft carrier AMERICA on his twenty-first mission over North Vietnam, Dad parachuted from the spent hulk of his burning F-4J, which had been hit by a missile. Imprisoned in Hanoi, Dad had time to listen to his conscience. The Waging Peace exhibit in Ho Chi Minh City will help restore those voices to our memory of the war years.

Late, milder summer predictedSummer is predicted to come later with cooler temperatures this year according to Le Thanh Hai, vice head of the National Centre for Hydro-meteorology Forecast. Late, milder summer predictedAccording to Hai, there will be more cold spells in the next two to three months but they will weaken. "The cold spells in May will mainly cause rain, strong winds and hail in the northern region," he said. The northern region will experience hot weather starting from late April while the central coast will have cool weather until May. The storms will appear in typical patterns with two to the north, three in the central region and one in the south.

Justice Minister clarifies ways to improve legal document qualityMinister of Justice Le Thanh Long fielded questions on measures to improve the progress and quality of draft laws and legal documents at the ongoing 22nd session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee in Hanoi on March 19. Although the verification quality has been gradually improved, the feasibility of some policies and regulations in draft documents hasn’t received due attention. Since the beginning of the 14th parliament in mid-2016, the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries and sectors have issued 368 documents among the 481 needed-to-be-built documents stipulating details of the promulgated laws. The minister attributed the slow issuance of those documents to the big number of law contents that the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries and ministry-level agencies have to make detail regulations on. They should also report their document making progress to the Government and the Prime Minister so as to solve any difficulties arising in a timely manner while publicising the progress on the Government portal, he added.-VNA

Vietnam expects stronger foreign investment flow in CPTPP periodVietNamNet Bridge - Economists are optimistic about foreign investment in Vietnam, both foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign portfolio investment (FPI), in 2018 and upcoming years. With CPTPP, Vietnam will have more opportunities to export farm produceCan Van Luc, a finance expert, said that CPTPP will have a big impact on three business sectors in Vietnam, including trade, service and investment. Japan, Australia and New Zealand have recently boosted investment in Vietnam, which is expected to increase in the time to come, especially from Australia and New Zealand. Regarding FPI, Luc said the stock market witnessed strong foreign cash flow in 2017 with foreign investors’ net purchases reaching $1.7 billion in the year. I think the foreign investors’ net purchases will be $2.5-3 billion this year after reaching $1.7 billion last year,” Luc said.

Mozart’s great symphony to be performed in VietnamThe Symphony No. 41 of Mozart will be performed in VietnamThe concert will be conducted by Meritorious Artist Tran Vuong Thach, a talented and experienced conductor, who is also director of the theatre. It is the longest piece of music Mozart ever composed. The work – with another name “Jupiter Symphony”, is considered as one of the best known symphonies in the music history of human. Mozart was able to use his mastery and conviction to express sorrow, humor, or joy in his works of music.

Argentina imposes 31% duty on VN’s ceramic tilesArgentina’s Ministry of Production has issued a decree to apply an anti-dumping duty of 31.15 per cent on ceramic tiles imported from Viet Nam. Argentina imposes 31% duty on ceramic tiles imported from Viet Nam. The anti-dumping duty on imported ceramic tiles from China, India, Malaysia and Brazil are 27.7 per cent, 75.8 per cent, 32 per cent and 48.2 per cent, respectively. On August 18, 2016, Argentina began an anti-dumping investigation on ceramic tiles imported from Viet Nam, India, Malaysia, Brazil and China. Ceramic tile is the fourth Vietnamese product investigated by Argentina, after spokes, motorbikes and air-conditioners.

Viet Nam, Australia sign pact to develop macadamiaThe Viet Nam Macadamia Association (VMA) and Australia Macadamia Society have signed a co-operation agreement to develop the macadamia industry of the two countries. The Viet Nam Macadamia Association (VMA) and Australia Macadamia Society signed a co-operation agreement to develop the macadamia industry. Nguyen Duc Huong, vice chairman of VMA, said the association had promoted macadamia development, thus helping people in the Central Highlands and western north to escape poverty. Studies also showed that macadamia cultivation was suitable for the western north region. He also said the government should have detailed studies on applying technologies and building technical standards in planting, processing and preservation on a par with international standards to develop macadamia not only for the local market but also for exports.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc wraps up visits to New Zealand, AustraliaPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived in Hanoi early in the morning March 19, concluding his official visits to New Zealand and Australia where he also attended the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, at the invitation of his New Zealand and Australian counterparts Jacinda Andern and Malcolm Turnbull. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (R) receives Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouseDuring his trip to New Zealand from March 12-14, PM Phuc had a series of activities in Auckland – the largest city of the country. PM Phuc held talks with New Zealand PM Andern, during which the two leaders discussed orientations to deepen the bilateral comprehensive partnership. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull signed the Joint Statement on establishing the Vietnam – Australia Strategic PartnershipPM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull signed the Joint Statement on establishing the Vietnam – Australia Strategic Partnership. The outcomes of the summit would be important development orientations for the ASEAN-Australia strategic partnership in the new period, it wrote.

Socail News 18/315 years of community football program in Thua Thien-HueThe recent success of Vietnam’s squad at the Asian Football Confederation U23 Championship is expected to attract strong investment to the development of youth football in Vietnam. At a recent conference on tourism development, provincial leaders and businesses agreed that the city should diversify nighttime entertainment. Vietnamese students surpass Chinese peers to top regional education rankingA new report shows Vietnamese students perform best academically in East Asia and the Pacific and surpass even some from developed countries outside the region. By third grade, however, Vietnamese students are way ahead of their low- and middle-income peers in math. Vietnamese students also came 22nd in mathematics and 32nd in reading.

Safeguard duty on fertilisers divides expertsOn March 7 the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Decision No.686/QD-BCT with safeguards against the import of diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate fertilisers. On March 7 the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Decision No.686/QD-BCT with safeguards against the import of diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate fertilisers. Some experts agreed with the decision, saying farmers should not be afraid of the possibility of an increase in fertiliser prices after the safeguard measures are implemented. Bad debt burden persistsLast year was a good one for Việt Nam’s banking sector with many lenders reporting big profits and lower bad debt ratios. Despite their great performance with regard to bad debts, banks have been warned by experts that their bad debt burden would continue this year.

Australia bushfire: Dozens of buildings feared lost in TathraMore than 70 homes and buildings are feared to have been destroyed in a bushfire in Australia, authorities say. The bushfire in Tathra, New South Wales, following hot and windy conditions -- Photo: SIMONE WARDThe fast-moving fire engulfed the New South Wales (NSW) coastal town of Tathra late on Sunday local time. Authorities said locals were evacuated to a nearby town and there were no reports of anyone missing. In Tathra, about 450km (280 miles) south of Sydney, four people were treated for smoke inhalation and one firefighter was injured, authorities said. In September, Australians were warned to prepare for a dangerous bushfire season after one of the driest winters on record.

Vietnam leaves impression at tourism fair in CanadaVietnam’s booth attracted thousands of visitors at the 24th Travel and Vacation Show in Ottawa, Canada, which was held from March 17-18. Overseas Vietnamese students and the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada have also contributed to the bilateral relations by joining various cultural exchange programmes in the country, he added. Several activities was organised at the fair, such as introduction of local foods, a conference on ASEAN culture and “ASEAN Happy hour,” an activity jointly held by ASEAN embassies in Canada. The fair was also part of the 45th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Canada diplomatic ties, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Nguyen Duc Hoa. The Ottawa Travel and Vacation Show is the biggest tourism exhibition in Canada.