As many as 34,774 ASF infected pigs were culled (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has signed a decision to form a national steering committee on the prevention and control of African Swine Fever (ASF), which is headed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. The committee is tasked with supporting the Government to direct and regulate the coordination among ministries, ministry-level agencies and relevant units in preventing and fighting ASF across the nation. It will help the Prime Minister to connect with ministries, Government and Party agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the community to mobilise resources for the implementation of urgent plans to prevent and combat the epidemic, while supervising the realisation of the plans. Members of the committee, including representatives from various ministries, media agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, and a number of organisations, will bear responsibilities … [Read more...] about National steering committee set up to combat African Swine Fever
FAO: Vietnam should raise high alert on African Swine Fever
Albert T.Lieberg, of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Vietnam. (Photo courtesy of FAO) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - African Swine Fever (ASF) has spread among 20 provinces and cities in Vietnam with nearly 25,000 pigs culled in an attempt to stop the disease from reaching the southern farms that produce the industry’s largest amount of pork. Vietnam News had an interview with Dr. Albert T.Lieberg, Representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Vietnam, on prevention and response plans. Q: What is your assessment of Vietnam’s efforts to respond to and prevent the further spread of African Swine Fever (ASF)? A: The Vietnamese Government has been preparing to combat ASF since August 2018 when the virus affected large part of China. In particular, a prevention plan was formulated in November 2018 to combat ASF including a response plan to address a possible outbreak within the country. The Government has … [Read more...] about FAO: Vietnam should raise high alert on African Swine Fever
Vietnam denounces Taiwan’s live-fire drill in South China Sea
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Thursday: "The fact that Taiwan, despite Vietnam’s protest, has repeatedly performed live-fire drills in the seas surrounding the Ba Binh (internationally known as Itu Aba) Island in the Truong Sa Islands of Vietnam is a serious violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelago." "It threatens peace, stability, safety, and maritime security as well as inducing tension and complicating the situation in the East Sea," Hang said at a press briefing, using the Vietnamese name for the South China Sea. Taiwan's coast guards announed on March 12 to perform live-fire drills on the Itu Aba Island from March 20 to 21, using 120 mortars, 40 anti-air cannons and anti-armor AT4 weapon. Hang said that Vietnam has full legal grounds and historical evidence to assert "indisputable sovereignty" over the Spratly and Paracel archipelagoes in accordance with international law. "Once again, Vietnam vehemently protests and asks … [Read more...] about Vietnam denounces Taiwan’s live-fire drill in South China Sea
Danang International Fireworks Festival shortened
The annual Danang International Fireworks Festival will be cut in half from two months to one this year according to local authorities. Illustrative photo Huynh Van Hung, director of Da Nang’s Department of Culture and Sports, announced at a recent press meeting that the festival would start on June 1 and wrap up on July 6, taking place every Saturday. "We previously wanted the festival to last throughout the summer holiday in order to attract more tourists, but it had created difficulties for the organisers," Hung explained. Competing in this year's festival, themed Stories by the Rivers, eight teams from Italy, Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Holland, the U.K., China and Vietnam will present pyrotechnic displays over five nights with different themes - Origin, Seed, Love, Colors and Going out to Sea. Vietnam and Russia teams will compete in the opening night on June 1, following by Brazil and Belgium on June 8, Finland and Italy on June 15, and England and China … [Read more...] about Danang International Fireworks Festival shortened
Vietnam under growing pressure to catch up with productivity of regional peers
The Hanoitimes - Productivity movement so far has been too small, scattered and only partially implemented, and did not reach the critical point to change the national mindset and produce visible results. Breakthrough in productivity key for Vietnam to avoid middle-income trap: Expert Vietnam's labor productivity improves, but still lags behinds Asian peers Low productivity poses risks to Vietnam economy The gap between productivity level of Vietnam and regional peers has widened, placing growing pressure for Vietnam to catch up with those in the region, according to Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). Overview of the workshop. Source: Nguyen Tung. “Vietnam’s labor productivity remains low compared to regional countries,” Loc said at a workshop discussing ways to improve Vietnam’s productivity jointly-held by VCCI and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on March 21. … [Read more...] about Vietnam under growing pressure to catch up with productivity of regional peers