Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia to be connected by railway

13:01' 26/06/2007 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Railway Agency is designing a project to build two railways from Vietnam to Laos and Cambodia. These are projects in the transport and railway development strategy of Vietnam to 2020, which was approved by the Prime Minister, and part of the trans-Asia and ASEAN railway network as well. The two projects have had feasibility research reports. The first project is the Saigon – Loc Ninh route to Cambodia, which is 130km in length. The Vietnam Railway Agency and two Chinese partners, the China Mechanical Equipment Import Export Corporation (CMC) and the China Railway Construction Corporation (SRCC), are performing research on this project. This route will be 1m-wide railroad, with 12 stations, the first is Di An Station in southern Binh Duong Province and the last is the border-gate station of Hoa Lu. The total investment of this project is around VND3,918 billion (US$244.875 million). The second project is the Vung Ang – Mu Gia (Ha Tinh province) to Laos, with 119km in length, and 1m width. This route will also have 12 stations, seven tunnels, and 24 bridges, totalling VND4,523 billion ($282,687 million) of investment. According to Nguyen Van Doanh, Vice Head of the Vietnam Railway Agency, when being completed, the projects will open great opportunities for transport and trade cooperation among Indochina countries and to the region. For Vietnam, the projects will help promote economic development of some provinces, especially the Vung Ang port area in Ha Tinh province. To connect railways, not only does Vietnam have to build railroads, but also Laos and Cambodia have to build railroads to their borders with Vietnam, Mr Doanh said. After finalising research, the three countries will negotiate about the construction and use of border-gate stations. (Source: Viet Nam Net

Buoi Market

06:42' 26/06/2007 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge - Located in Yen Thai Village, Buoi Ward, Tay Ho District, an area once famous for traditional crafts such as papermaking, silk weaving, malt cooking, mulberry growing, etc, the Buoi Market is one of a few markets in Hanoi retaining its tradition of special market days on the auspicious 4th and 9th days of each lunar month. It was once the place where people from different craft villages gathered and exchanged their goods. As described in ancient documents, the Buoi Market consisted of 15 stalls selling different kinds of paper made by villagers in the Ke Buoi area, including tissue paper from Yen Thai Village, inferior tissue paper from Ho Khau Village, litmus paper from Dong Xa Village and xe paper from Yen Hoa Village. Also, many kinds of farming tools, such as ploughs, hoes, spades, etc., were also sold at the market to serve farmers in neighbouring areas. Other products, such as An Phu malt, Xuan Dinh confectionary, Vong green rice flakes, were available in the market. Store owners from Hanoi often go to the market to buy products to resell in their shops. Candy made in Lu Village is a popular item. Children of all ages enjoy the tasty keo bot (flour candy), keo vung (sesame candy), keo lac (peanut candy), popcorn and rice crisps sold by an elderly lady with black teeth and wearing a triangular kerchief on her head. Other goods can be found at the market, such as shrimp and fish from the Red River and West Lake, vegetables from many villages nearby the To Lich and Nhue Rivers and specialities from other parts of the country. Probably the most sought after items on sale at the market are various kinds of fruit trees, flowers and ornamental Plants from famous villages around the West Lake , like Yen Phu, Nghi Tam, Quang Ba, Nhat Tan, Tay Tuu and Phu Thuong. On auspicious days, the number of seedlings is tenfold that of regular days. Therefore, one can find any seedling of beautiful flowers, such as rose, lily, climbing rose, jasmine, hibiscus, etc, fruit trees such as Xuan Dinh sapodilla, Canh orange, Dien grapefruit or even shade trees. With its typical features, Buoi Maket is, indeed, an interesting place attracting a lot of Hanoians. (Source: Viet Nam Net)

Keeper of 2,000 music instruments

06:30' 26/06/2007 (GMT+7)

Duc Dau is playing a traditional drum VietNamNet Bridge – Though people call him crazy, Duc Dau, who once borrowed 200 million dong just to buy musical instruments, only knows that he has to satisfy his passion for them. Duc Dau can strike one as a son of the mountains, since his 200 sq.m house on Street 2, Ward 7, Go Vap District, HCM City, is crowded with Central Highlands drums, flutes, and gongs. He also hangs pieces of ethnic minority’s brocade all over the house, not the mention his habit of dressing in Central Highlands clothes. Born in 1957, Dau spent his childhood years in Hanoi, where he was drawn toward the beautiful sounds of the monochord and singers of traditional theatre and music. At 13 years of age, he begged his father to make him a monochord and explored it on his own. And in 1974, for the first time, Duc Dau watched a Central Highlands troupe’s performance. It was then the healthy voice of the gongs, and the sweet sound of the T’rung that captivated Dau. So the following year, he applied for the College of Military Arts and Culture. After college, he worked for the Political Bureau Musical and Dance Troupe, and later the Institute of Musical Research, and then founded Phu Dong Band in 1980. Throughout all these years, Duc Dau has had chances to meet and learn from the best experts of Vietnamese music like professor Tran Van Khe or musician Luu Huu Phuoc. And whenever he “smells” talented artisans or strange instruments, he sets out to search for them at all costs. And Dau has many fond memories to tell about his journeys. Once, a family in the Central Highlands province of Dac Lac owned an ancient oak drum, for which Dau offered to pay them VND13million. The family agreed to sell only to change their mind later, insisting on giving him back the money and taking the drum back. So Dau had to stay there for a whole week to persuade them. “I promised them I would protect their drum very carefully. I would love it as I love myself. And they agreed to sell at last. It was their holy treasure,” Dau recalled. The result of all of his wandering is that now Dau has more than 2,000 ethnic instruments falling into 200 types. “When words are all said, it is music that is our way of expressing ourselves, “Dau said, explaining the beauty of musical instruments and his passion. It is in his small house that Dau has once surprised the Australian band The Beatles F2 with his powerful drums, as well as musical experts from UNESCO, who had to exclaim, “These are truly treasures.” Duc Dau is busy these days with many invitations from abroad inviting him to introduce Vietnamese traditional music and instruments to foreign friends. And whenever he goes, his performances receive roaring applause. Two years ago, when he first performed in the US, his own work written for the traditional music orchestra called Stone’s Breath completely won over Senator John Kerry. And a recent trip is a successful journey to Singapore under the World Bank’s invitation. At present, Duc Dau gives 2 performances at noon and in the evening at Rex Hotel every day to serve tourists. And what is his dream now? He wants very much to work with some individuals or groups to open a society where traditional music performances and classes will be delivered to the public, especially the young. (Source: Viet Nam Net)

Insurance companies seek permission to increase capital

06:41' 26/06/2007 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge – A lot of insurance companies have asked for permission to increase capital to improve their financial capability, according to the Ministry of Finance. The applications all were made to the Ministry of Finance in the first quarter of 2007. Insurers asking to increase capital included Bao Viet, Bao Minh, Vinare, Bao Long, Vien Dong, BIC, and newly licenced companies like Toan Cau, Bao Nong, Bao Tin. Insurers are rushing to increase their capital in order to have the capital levels stipulated by Government Decree 45. The decree, dated March 27, 2007, says that non-life insurance companies must have at least VND300bil in legal capital (the previously applied level was VND70bil), while life insurance companies must have at least VND600bil in legal capital instead of VND140bil. Brokerage insurance companies must have the minimum legal capital of VND4bil. The insurance companies which have been previously established and do not have the required capital level must raise their capital within three years after the date the decree went into effect. However, according to Phung Dac Loc, Secretary General of the Vietnam Insurance Association, the strict requirements stipulated in the decree are not the main reasons insurers want to increase their capital. In fact, insurers want to become stronger to get ready for the fierce competition to come. Among the companies, BIC (BIDV Insurance Company) has asked for the biggest capital increase. BIDV, the mother bank, has decided to inject VND300bil more in the insurance company to raise the chartered capital of the insurer to VND500bil in June 2007. Pham Quang Tung, BIC Director, said that the required capital levels might be high for local companies, but they proved to be relatively low compared to those of companies in regional countries. Insurers need to increase their capital in order to become financially stronger. Mr Tung said that with the stock market’s development, it was not a difficult task nowadays to increase capital. (Source: Viet Nam Net)

Int’l media documents Viet Nam-US relationship

07:13' 26/06/2007 (GMT+7)

President Nguyen Minh Triet and Fabian Núñez, the Speaker of the California State Assembly (Photo: Tuan Nguyen). VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet’s recently concluded trip to the US is continuing to receive prominent coverage from the world's media outlets. Japanese media in particular ran stories calling talks between Vietnamese President Triet and US President George W.Bush at the White House on June 22 a new step in the countries relationship, as both sides look to the future and brush aside any residual bitterness from the Vietnam War. The “Yomiuri” daily said that during the meeting, President Bush welcomed increasingly warming relations with Vietnam, and spoke highly of Vietnam’s transformation into one of the world's fastest growing economies. Hong Kong’s respected “Tai Yang” newspaper also published an article on June 24 stating that the Vietnam-US relations have been on the rise and are expected to be cemented further as Vietnam is striving to speed up its "open policy" in order to gain higher growth rate. Thailand’s “The Nation” wrote an editorial piece on the vastly changed landscape of political relations between the two countries stating that talks are now held in an atmosphere of openness that was reflected by Vietnam's willingness to discuss and hold future dialogue with the US on human rights issues. Entitled “Welcome Vietnam,” a commentary on Italy’s “IPS” news agency said that the signing of the Vietnam-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between the two would usher in a new era of increased US investment into the Southeast Asian country. (Source: Viet Nam Net)

Big changes in Vietnam-US relations

06:29' 26/06/2007 (GMT+7)

John McAuliff, Executive Director of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development VietNamNet Bridge – John McAuliff, Executive Director of the US’ Fund for Reconciliation and Development (FRD), has kept an eye on Vietnam for many decades. CNN invited him to comment on the US visit by Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet on June 23. This is a loose translation of the interview with John McAuliff in Tuoi Tre Newspaper. What changes do you see in the relationship between Vietnam and the US? We can see big changes in the relationship between the two countries, not only in economics but in other fields. For example, both sides want stability in the region. Extreme Islam is a big problem in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia at present. These are big countries in ASEAN and they are facing security instability while Vietnam is the only one with a big city in the region that doesn’t have this problem. In the US’ point of view on stability in this region, Vietnam – in many aspects – is the most reliable place in term of security in the next 30-40 years. In addition, Vietnam has a very significant geopolitical position in the region in the eyes of many big countries. How do you compare President Nguyen Minh Triet’s visit to previous visits to the US by other leaders of Vietnam? This visit was prepared better and more precisely in many issues. The four-page insert on Vietnam in The Wall Street Journal can be seen as a success and a very good preparation. There was a big change when the Vietnamese President had meetings with many leaders of the US House of Representatives and Senate. President Nguyen Minh Triet was willing to answer the questions of journalists. He also had many more activities with the public, in which people were allowed to come in and out freely and to raise their opinions and questions. I attended some events and I saw that the President handled those events very well. It can’t be said that the visit is 100% successful but it is clear that he is the representative of a new generation of leaders, who are familiar with and better understand the way of thinking and lifestyle of American people. Do you think that some sensitive issues on which the two sides still have differences such as religion, human rights and some US congressmen often raising those issues could affect bilateral relations? I don’t think so. There are many other things that are more important in the relations between the two countries at present, for example economic, cultural, political interests. In addition, the community of around two million Vietnamese in the US also wants better ties with Vietnam and these are important things to help overcome hindrances in the bilateral ties. President Nguyen Minh Triet and President George Bush at the White House (photo: AP) Does the Vietnam War still have influences on the relations between the two countries? I think it influences American people rather than Vietnamese people. Vietnam has the tradition of building peaceful and friendly ties with countries that it defeated while struggling against invasion. What is the most positive sign in the visit by President Nguyen Minh Triet? Is it the signing of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)? I think it is the meeting at the White House between the two Presidents. The visit by President Bush to Vietnam to meet President Nguyen Minh Triet in November 2006 was also as important as the visit by President Triet this time. This is the recognition at the highest level that the relationship between the two countries has completely normalised. The re-affirmation of the two leaders about economic, education, cultural ties is the foundation for the two sides to further develop bilateral relations. The signing of the TIFA is a long-term basis for future bilateral economic cooperation. The US President mentioned the Agent Orange issue. Though the US Congress is the agency that ratifies the funding, President Bush’s direct confirmation of this issue to the press is a confirmation in principle. It is a small amount of money but it is a very important sign. How do you feel about President Nguyen Minh Triet? I have never had a personal meeting with President Nguyen Minh Triet but through what I saw at meetings held by AIG and Asia Society, I see that President Triet has performed his role very well. He has personal attractiveness, made contact with audiences and his speeches are full of information. He knows how to keep balance between Vietnam’s actual difficulties and potentials. That’s a very intelligent way. For very sensitive issues like human rights he also has outspoken and open answers. Even when there was an extremist at the event held by Asia Society, President Nguyen Minh Triet still kept his calm and handled the case very well. (Source: Viet Nam Net)