Vietnam and the world in the week

State President makes first visit to the Philippines

During his visit on October 26-28, President Truong Tan Sang and his Philippine counterpart Benigno S. Aquino III discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas, especially economics, trade, investment, the maritime economy, education and tourism.

Filipino President Aquino (R) welcomed President Sang in Manila (Photo: Reuters)

The leaders maintained that both Vietnam and the Philippines have great potential for expanding cooperation and they should make a greater effort to raise two-way trade from the current US$2 billion to US$3 billion by 2016. 

They released a joint communiqué reaffirming their commitment to develop the bilateral relationship comprehensively.

On the occasion, Vietnam and the Philippines signed of four agreements, namely the Vietnam-Philippines Action Plan for the period 2011-2016, the Memorandum of Understanding for the Enhancement of Mutual Cooperation and Information Sharing between the Vietnamese People’s Navy and the Philippine Navy, the Memorandum of Agreement on the Establishment of a Hotline Communication between the Vietnam Marine Police and the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Vietnam-Philippines Tourism Cooperation Plan for 2012-2015 between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Department of Tourism of the Philippines. 

2011 marks the 35^th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Philippines.

Key socio-economic issues top National Assembly session

Lawmakers were interested in the Government plan to restructure the economy

Deputies to the current session of the National Assembly gave opinions on a number of key socio-economic development issues. They included a land use plan from 2011 to 2015 and a land zoning plan until 2020, implementation of State budget and allocations in 2011 and estimates for 2012, the use of Government bond sales, and crime prevention and control. They also discussed bills on archives and measurements, complaints and denunciations.

The lawmakers suggested that the Government redouble its efforts to curb inflation to single-digit levels if it wants to achieve 6-percent GDP growth in 2012. Inflation this year is forecast to exceed 18 percent compared to 12 percent last year.

They also called for better management of public debt, saying priority should be given to investment in rural infrastructure and poverty reduction efforts. 

Stem cell therapy is successfully used against EB disease

The National Paediatrics Hospital announced the initial success in its first stem cell therapy treatment for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), making it only the second medical institution in the world to successfully treat the generic skin disease.

Children with EB lack a protein that anchors the outer layer of skin to the body, resulting in very fragile skin that peels off with minor friction or trauma. They suffer painful wounds and infections which can be fatal.

Nguyen Viet Anh, 4, who underwent a bone marrow transplant, received tissue taken from his 10-year-old sister, on September 16 to stimulate the production of healthy skin cells. The boy had a severe form of EB, which caused his toes to stick together each other and the skin inside his mouth to peel off. After the operation, he is in good health condition and expects to leave the hospital in two weeks. 

The University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital in the US was the world’s first medical institution to use bone marrow to treat EB.

Transport Ministry proposes changing work hours in Hanoi

Traffic congestion has become more serious in big cities like Hanoi

The Ministry of Transport has submitted to the Government a plan to change work hours for employees, students and businesses in Hanoi in an effort to ease chronic traffic congestion in the city.

Accordingly, the normal working day for municipal and State agency officials, kindergarten pupils and school students will start one hour later than usual.

Over the past few days, the plan has captured the attention of Hanoians, especially those who have small children. It is predicted that this will certainly have a domino effect on the daily lives of millions of city residents. However, the issue will never be addressed in Hanoi and other big cities if there is no strong commitment from local people.

Nguyen Quoc Hung, director of the Hanoi Municipal Department of Transport, stressed the need to adjust work hours to ease traffic congestion, but said more studies are necessary to minimise social impact. He suggested that the plan first be tried out on university students and businesspeople.

National Symphony Orchestra performs in the US

The Vietnam Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) gave its first performances at the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York and Symphony Hall in Boston.

Under the baton of conductor Honna Tetsuji, the Adagio for Strings by US composer Samuel Barber, Symphony No.8 G Major Op.88 by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, and two Vietnamese folk songs Trong com and Ly hoai nam specially arranged for the orchestra received thunderous applause from the audiences.

The VNSO tour aimed to present Vietnamese culture and art to Americans and promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Javan rhino becomes extinct in Vietnam

WWF Vietnam and the International Rhino Foundation confirmed that the critically endangered Javan Rhino has been wiped out in Vietnam.

A WWF Vietnam report said the announcement was based on genetic analysis of 22 dung samples collected by a Cat Tien National Park-WWF survey team between 2009 and 2010. Scientists confirmed that the samples belonged to the rhinoceros that was found dead in the park in April 2010, shortly after the survey was completed.

Scientists say that poaching was the likely cause of the last rhino’s death. It had been shot in the leg and its horn sliced off.

It was believed that the Javan rhinoceros had been wiped out in Vietnam by 1988. However, up to 15 individuals were later found to be living in Cat Tien in 1989. International efforts were made to conserve the remaining rhino population in Cat Tien, but failed to stop the poaching. The WWF has urged Vietnam to do more to protect its endangered species.

Powerful quake shakes Turkey

A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake jolted eastern Turkey on October 23, killing hundreds of people and injuring more than 1,000. Dozens of buildings collapsed into piles of twisted steel and chunks of concrete.

Ercis, a mountain town in Van province close to the Iranian border, was the hardest hit, Up to 30 buildings collapsed in the town, and 10 others in Van province. Hundreds of prisoners escaped when a prison collapsed there. 

Rescue workers were mobilised to search for survivors trapped in the rubble. The earthquake shut down electricity and water supplies in several areas. More than 100 aftershocks shook the area after the quake, including one with a magnitude of 6.1.

Thousands of local people were homeless when overnight temperatures dropped to 2-5^oC. Rescue helicopters shuttled to carry tents, food and medicine to the affected area.

In 1999, two quake struck industrial parks and residential areas in the north-west part of Turkey, killing about 20,000 people. Another quake hit Van province in 1976, claiming more than 3,800 lives.

Historic Thai floods threaten capital

Floods continue to threaten Bangkok after they already swept through 26 provinces in Thailand.

The Thai Government has called on citizens to keep calm and follow instructions as floodwaters reached Bangkok’s historical Grand Palace – a historical site – and Don Muong airport.

Thousands are leaving the capital as the country's worst floods in decades have inundated many parts of the city. Rescue forces are working around the clock to move people stranded in flooded areas to higher ground.

The flooding has interrupted supermarket supply chains. Residents are stocking up on supplies, leaving store shelves empty of essentials.

Thailand’s central plains have been inundated for months, closing several industrial parks, crippling manufacturing, and killing hundreds.

On October 25, the Thai cabinet announced a US$10.5 billion fund to help rebuild the country - mainly aimed at small and medium businesses, small vendors and individuals.

Europe seals debt crisis deal

Huge public debts are shouldering the burden on the Eurozone

Europe sealed a last-ditch deal to fix its festering debt crisis following days of talks in Brussels. Eurozone leaders agreed to pledge new funds for Greece and push banks to share the pain.

The toughest chapter in the four-point plan was a deal between Eurozone leader and the Institute of International Finance banking lobby to force private investors to take a 50 percent loss on Greece’s debt.

The deal aims to slice a whopping 100 billion euros off the 350-billion-euro debt pile hampering Greece, which also won new pledges of a 100-billion-euro loan over the next three years.

The move is expected to help Greece improve its finances and cut public debts from 160 percent of its GDP at present to 120 percent by 2020.

Eurozone leaders also agreed to increase capital for the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) from the current 440 billion euros to 1,000 billion.

World population hits 7 billion

The world’s 7-billionth citizen is expected to be born in India on October 31.

According to the United Nations Population Fund, the number of people in the world reached 1 billion in 1800, then 2 billion in 1925. The human population has grown from 3 billion to just under 7 billion within the last half century.

The Asia-Pacific region has the highest population growth. In China, the world’s most populous nation, each couple is allowed to have one baby. If this policy had not been put into effect, the world’s 7-billionth citizen would have been born five years ago, according to a Chinese demographer.

Rapid population growth is an immense burden on the planet.