In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended that 11 July be observed by the international community as World Population Day, a day to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. The theme of this year’s World Population Day is Vulnerable Populations in Emergencies. Continue reading World Population Day
Dear Friends,
Let’s talk a little about TPP and trade agreements in general:
– In general, trade agreements are good for all signatory countries. They allow the member countries to move their competitive products and services into other member countries (which otherwise they may not be able to move, because of import tariff, import quota or other import barriers).
– In general, trade agreements are better for the poorer countries. Example: See the statistics of US trade with Vietnam below, with the bilateral US-VN Trade Agreement:
Millions of dollars
| Month | Exports | Imports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2015 | 528.0 | 2,693.4 | -2,165.3 |
| February 2015 | 505.2 | 2,330.2 | -1,825.0 |
| March 2015 | 598.0 | 3,214.9 | -2,616.9 |
| April 2015 | 520.4 | 2,990.0 | -2,469.5 |
| TOTAL 2015 | 2,151.6 | 11,228.4 | -9,076.8 |
Source: http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5520.html
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| Staff at Foster Electronics Company in Quang Ngai Province work on a headphone production line. — VNA/VNS Photo Vu Sinh |
HA NOI (VNS) — Viet Nam’s electronics sector is becoming a force in Asia. While electronics exports from Asia rose by 17 per cent between 2010-14, Viet Nam’s contribution ballooned by about 10 times, according to Singapore-based DBS group research.
The country has leapfrogged the Philippines and Thailand and will likely overtake Singapore to become the fifth largest electronics exporter in the region over the next two years. Continue reading VN electronics exports expand
July 7, 2015
Countering China’s Gradual Creation of a Fait Accompli in the South China Sea:
Providing Civilian Air Patrol Capability by Utilizing the U.S.-Japan Alliance
Hiroshi Waguri
Increased tensions over China’s maritime sovereignty claims in the Western Pacific pose a challenge for the international system. A confrontation between China and Japan in the East China Sea continues mainly between Japan’s national coast guard ships and China’s government and civilian fishery vessels, but it seems to have reached a kind of moderate stalemate as the two governments have resumed working-level talks aimed at establishing a maritime communication mechanism between Japan and China. While the situation bears watching, U.S. statements reiterating that Article V of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, which obligates the United States to defend Japan, applies to the Senkaku islands, as well as the continuous presence of Japan’s coast guard and Maritime Self-Defense Forces around the islands, must have played a major role in achieving the current relative stability. Continue reading CSIS: Countering China’s Gradual Creation of a Fait Accompli in the South China Sea
Japan,Philippines, South China Sea
AMTI – For the first time since the Second World War, a Japanese naval reconnaissance plane landed on the western most Philippine island of Palawan to take part in a training exercise with the Philippine Navy (PN) from June 22 to June 26. On June 21, a Maritime Self-Defense Force (MDSF) P3-C Orion with 20 crew members from Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture arrived in the Philippines to take part in a training exercise that showed the increasing tempo of Philippine-Japan maritime security cooperation. Continue reading Philippine Navy and Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Forces in the South China Sea
By Youssouf Abdel-Jelil*, TNN
Wednesday, June 24, 2015 06:00
Nearly 15 years ago, the global community, including Vietnam, rallied behind eight goals in the hopes of building a better and more prosperous world. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set measurable targets and a 2015 deadline for achieving them. Continue reading Major strides made by Vietnam on MDG agenda, but substantial unfinished business remains
AMTI – In 2002, ASEAN and China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) that promised to “enhance favourable conditions for a peaceful and durable solution of differences and disputes among countries concerned.” Unfortunately, thirteen years on, the claimant countries are no closer to a solution for any of the disputes, while coercive and other unilateral acts are steadily accumulating into serious tensions. What is needed now is a Code of Conduct (COC) that not only overcomes the DOC’s weaknesses but also addresses the new challenges that have arisen since 2002. Continue reading A fair and effective Code of Conduct for the South China Sea
By Ngan Anh, TN News
HANOI – Friday, June 26, 2015 15:11
While the government hopes the free trade agreement with South Korea will bring benefits to Vietnam, businesses fear it will bring them more losses than gains.
The FTA signed last month is expected to boost Vietnam’s exports to Korea and more than double bilateral trade over the next five years, the government said. Continue reading Vietnamese firms unenthusiastic about FTA with South Korea
TN News – Saturday, February 01, 2014 00:00
Urgent actions needed to improve the situation, according to the World Bank
Huynh Thanh Long said he and his neighbors close all their doors and windows whenever they are at home but that doesn’t keep the awful stink from the Ba Bo Canal out of the house.
“Pollution often forms a thick layer of foam on the surface of the flowing water,” said the resident of Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc District. Continue reading In Vietnam, unsustainable ‘modernization’ too much for sanitation services
THOAI TRAN/TTN – UPDATED : 06/28/2015 16:45 GMT + 7
A transnational e-commerce floor for agro-product trade between Vietnam and China will benefit both sellers and buyers in the two countries, a Chinese trade official said at a recent workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.
The electronic platform will enable more Vietnamese fisheries and agricultural products to get access to the 1.36 billion-strong market more quickly and prevent trade fraud, said Li Zhenmin, commercial and economic counselor at the Chinese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.
“We should take advantage of the Internet to provide more transparent market information for the enterprises of the two nations,” Li said at the “Enhance Business Cooperation and Boost Exports to the Chinese Market” workshop held Friday by the Ho Chi Minh City branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Continue reading Vietnam, China should establish transnational e-commerce floor for agro-products: official
Part of the coastline in Dong Thap Province in the Mekong Delta is threatened by the sea. Photo: Tien Trinh
The Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s biggest farming region, is losing 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of land to erosion every year as land accretion fails to make up for areas being washed away, new evidence suggested. Continue reading Mekong Delta is losing thousands of acres of land to erosion
By Marvin Ott • June 24, 2015
cogitASIA – China’s campaign of overt territorial expansion in the South China Sea constitutes an increasingly urgent strategic challenge to the United States and its security partners in Southeast Asia. Absent effective countermeasures, the predictable future for the South China Sea will include China’s piecemeal seizure of additional territory and its further deployment of naval and air assets until it has de facto control of all the South China Sea within the “nine-dash line” demarcated on Chinese maps. International maritime passage through the South China Sea will be subject to Chinese regulation and approval. Continue reading An Operational South China Sea Strategy for the United States
By Hua Xuyen Huynh, TNN
HOI AN – Thursday, June 25, 2015 18:42
Tourists on Cu Lao Cham, Hoi An. Photo: C.T.V
Facing the recent huge influxes of tourists, Hoi An’s authorities have decided to allow only 3,000 people to visit its Cu Lao Cham Islands every day, saying the biosphere recognized by UNESCO needs to be protected.
The new rule is slated to take effect on July 1. Continue reading Vietnam’s ancient town to limit number of visitors to popular islands to preserve biosphere
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| A number of tourist spots like Co To Island, Can Gio Biosphere Reserve and Mu Cang Chai mountainous commune are included in the list of restricted border areas. — File Photo |
HA NOI (VNS) — Starting July 11, non-Vietnamese citizens will be required to obtain permits from the Immigration Management Office of the Ministry of Public Security to enter certain areas along the border.
The new requirement is mentioned in a recent regulatory circular covering border region operations. Continue reading Foreigners need border permits
TTN -UPDATED : 06/22/2015 14:41 GMT + 7
While lowlands and canal systems are crucial for the drainage of Ho Chi Minh City, large areas of such land plots have been zoned for realty projects, whose developers do not hesitate to fill the waterways to serve construction.
The real estate developers, however, do not violate any laws in doing so as they have been allowed by local authorities to fill canals when obtaining the investment license.
In some projects, the developers are required to create lakes for water moderation to prevent flooding in case of heavy downpours, but not all businesses comply with the requirement. Continue reading Filling canals to develop projects raises environmental concerns in Ho Chi Minh City
