Trans-national money laundering case brought to light

Central city of Da Nang’s police have brought to light a case of money laundering via Vietnamese banks.

The laundering was conducted by two Mozambicans and a Congolese who had exchanged 295,650 GBP for Vietnamese dong.

Da Nang police turned an eye to the case when they were reported on the simultaneous opening of two bank accounts at a commercial bank branch in Da Nang on Sept. 20 by Baggio Carlitos Linska, a Mozambican citizen, who withdrew all 4.1 billion VND from the accounts as soon as they were activated.

Tracing the origin of the money, the police also discovered the transfer of more than 3.34 billion VND into a bank account opened by Niaty Lokasso Djamba, a Congolese, in southern Ba Ria Vung Tau province.

The sums were found to be stolen from a foreign bank account then transferred into two commercial banks in Da Nang city and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, Vietnam.

Two Mozambicans have been detained while the Congolese is still at large.

The case is now under further investigations by the Ministry of Public Security and the Interpol.-

Quang Ngai’s universities enroll Lao students

Quang Ngai (VNA) – Twenty students from the Lao province of Champassak arrived in the central province of Quang Ngai on Oct. 2 to start a college education at the province’s universities.

The province will also receive 10 students from Sekong province of Laos on Oct. 15.

The enrollment of Lao students is part of a cooperation between Quang Ngai province and southern Laos .

The students will study industrial electrics, information technology, finance and banking from 2008-2013.

At the welcoming ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Quang Thich said that the province will create most favourable conditions for Lao students.-

Netherlands funds Da Nang’s water supply project

The Dutch Embassy in Vietnam recently signed a contract with the central Da Nang city to help improve the city’s water supply service between 2008 and 2015.

The project aims to halve the number of local residents who are facing water shortages by 2015 and to enhance the Da Nang Water Supply Company’s planning and financial capacity.

Between now and 2010, the Netherlands will grant more than 2.7 million EUR to the project, while the city will contribute a further 280,000 EUR.

The project is expected to help Da Nang realise its plans to become an environmentally-friendly city in the near future.-

HCM City detects goods labelling violations

HCM City (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Department made a statement on Oct. 3 stating it had discovered a large number of labelling violations at the premises of a handbag production company in District 12.

While inspecting the contents of warehouses at Neocare Inc. Vietnam Co, Ltd, the market management forces found over 3,000 handbags bearing Adidas labels in the company’s warehouses.

Company managers could not provide any legal documentation relating to the batch of goods.

Authorities sealed the exhibits, which are suspected of violating the Adidas trademark.

Last month, the same department detected a further two goods labelling violations.-

Gov’t asks for closer management of cross-border trade

Hanoi (VNA) – The Government has issued a written request for closer control of cross-border trade in an effort to combat smuggling, counterfeiting and trade fraud.

In a dispatch sent to the Ministries of Industry and Trade, Public Security, Finance, and Transport and Communications, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai asked them to revise a number of related regulations to make them more appropriate to reality.

The targeted regulations include a governmental decision on the management of border trade, with amendments and supplements suggested to focus on commodities eligible for exemption from import tariffs and the management of small businesses in border areas.

Another governmental decision regarding state agencies’ responsibilities and their coordination in market management and the prevention of trafficking and illegal trade will also be subject to amendments.

Additionally, a joint circular of the Ministry of Finance and related agencies is set to be revised to strengthen the control of cross-border imports, while that of the Ministry of Transport and Communication is to be amended to allow a greater degree of management of vehicles with Laotian registration plates.-

Congratulations on Germany’s National Day

State President Nguyen Minh Triet sent a message of congratulations on Oct. 2 to his German counterpart, Horst Koehler to mark Germany’s National Day which falls on Oct. 3.

On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem also cabled a congratulatory message to German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier.-

Defence Minister wraps up visit to Belarus

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh returned to Hanoi on October 2 after an official visit to the Republic of Belarus .

During the visit, the Vietnamese minister held talks with his Belorussian counterpart Maltsev Semenovich, to share experiences in building and organising their armed forces and improving military training.

The two sides discussed ways to cooperate in the field of military science and visit exchange so as to strengthen the traditional friendship between the two armies and peoples.

The Vietnamese minister also met Belorussian President Alexander Lukashenko and visit the country’s Military Academy.-

Park inaugurated arousing locals’ cheers

Hanoi (VNA) – A green park was cheerfully inaugurated at the heart of Hanoi on Oct. 3 to serve the people in the crowded district of Hoan Kiem.

The Hang Trong public park was set up at 42 Nha Chung street, the area of land that was controversially claimed by the Hanoi bishopric over recent time.

According to Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee Hoang Cong Khoi, construction of the park, which also encompasses a library and other facilities, began on Sept. 19 under the Prime Minister’s instruction.

“The park will provide an open air space for people of all walks of life, especially the elderly and children, in the very densely populated ward of the capital city,” Khoi said.

Present at the inauguration ceremony, Pham Thi Hoan, a 62-year old resident on Hang Trong street, said the park is a restful place for Hang Trong ward, where business activities are booming, and constitutes a peaceful and greenery environment for relaxation.

Living on nearby Nha Tho Street, Nguyen Dinh Phung said it was a great idea to convert the land area into a park as it offers another outdoor playing ground for children from a number of schools located on surrounding areas, like Trang An, Tran Quoc Toan and Tan Trao.-

German diplomat speaks highly of ties with Vietnam

The German Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Conrad Cappell praised relations with Vietnam , with both the entire nation and the Vietnamese community in his country, during a meeting to mark Germany ’s National Day on October 3.

“Germany has great faith in Vietnam , the most dynamic economy in the region. We highly respect the major contributions made by the Vietnamese community in Germany and have great expectation of the close bilateral relations at both governmental and grassroots levels,” said the diplomat.

He described Vietnam as an ideal destination for German-funded projects, especially in terms of economy and culture.

Cappell added that the Vietnamese community in Germany , currently numbering more than 100,000 plus tens of thousands of former students and guest workers from Vietnam, have created advantageous conditions for an ever-green bilateral relationship.

The municipal Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association President, Tran Thanh Long, attached importance to cooperation in technological infrastructure, education-training and culture between Germany and the southern economic hub.

On the same day, the municipal Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association launched a monthly bulletin entitled “Vietnam-Germany destination” and a website www.hoivietduc.org.vn , aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.–

Vietnam active in environmental protection

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has taken the initiative and been active in environmental protection and international integration, thus contributing to the cooperation between countries both regionally and globally for the common good.

Vice Head of the Environment General Department Le Ke Son made the remark at a press briefing held in Hanoi on Oct. 3 to announce the country’s hosting of a number of regional environmental conferences in October.

He said the East Asian Environmental Ministers’ Meeting, one of the October events, will be convened in accordance with the idea put forward by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the East Asian Summit in Singapore in 2007.

The conference will issue a joint statement regarding East Asian countries’ priorities for cooperation in dealing with climate change and protecting the environment.

The statement will stress the importance of the exchange of information, experiences and technical assistance to develop environmentally-sustainable cities in the region.

The participants will also discuss issues related to the preservation of biodiversity, the management of water resources, oceans and the rural environment, and the improvement of the public’s awareness of environmental issues.

In addition to the East Asian ministerial meeting, other events include the 11th unofficial ASEAN Environmental Ministers’ Meeting, the 7th ASEAN plus three (the Republic of Korea , China and Japan ) Environmental Ministers’ Meeting, and the fourth Trans-boundary Haze Conference.

These will take place in Hanoi from Oct. 6-11, with the participation of some 200 domestic and international delegates.

An East Asian businesses’ forum on environmental protection and sustainable development, and a award ceremony to present award recognising environmentally-sustainable cities in ASEAN member nations will also be held during this time.-