Pilgrims seek spriritual high


Ha Noi, Feb. 5 (VNA) -- The Tet (lunar new year) festival is always an ideal occasion for visiting pagodas in Vietnamese cultural life.

"We come home to visit our relatives, seek local business opportunities and travel throughout the country to visit ancient communal houses and pagodas," a group of Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) said when they recently returned to the country.

State President praises overseas Vietnamese

Ha Noi, Jan. 29 (VNA) -- President Tran Duc Luong on Wednesday praised overseas Vietnamese for having granted continuous contributions to developing the homeland.

He said the Party and the State highly valued contributions made by overseas Vietnamese in all fields, particularly in scientific and technological domains.

He told representatives of the overseas Vietnamese community at a meeting in Ha Noi today that the Party and the State have always considered overseas Vietnamese as an integral part and great source of the nation.

Viet Nam wishes for a peaceful solutioin to Iraq issue

Ha Noi, Jan. 30 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has expressed its wish for a peaceful solution to the Iraq issue.

"We hope for the Iraq crisis to be solved in a peaceful manner on the basis of respecting Iraq's independence and territorial integrity and conforming with the UN Charter and international law," said spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Phan Thuy Thanh in Ha Noi on Thursday.

Central Highland's biggest water park inaugurated

Dac Lac, Jan. 28 (VNA) -- The biggest water park in the Central Highlands was put into operation in Buon Ma Thuot town, Dac Lac province, on Sunday.

The 5-ha park was built at a cost of 13 billion VND (867,000 USD).

Earlier, the Dai Vinh Gia Trang ecological tourism area, covering more than 3ha in Pleiku town, the Central Highlands Gia Lai province, was also put into operation. It is run by a private company which made an initial investment worth 200,000 USD in the area.

Viet Nam maintains high economic growth in January

Ha Noi, Jan. 28 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's socio-economic development in January is on the right track as it was in the last months of 2002, said Planning and Investment Minister Vo Hong Phuc at a monthly cabinet meeting in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

"In January, industrial production grew 14.9 percent year-on-year, of which the state-owned sector recorded an increase of 9.7 percent; the non-state sector, 21.5 percent and the foreign-invested sector, 16.3 percent," the minister told the cabinet.

Viet Nam slams Human Rights Watch's report


Ha Noi, Jan. 23 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has again lashed out at the Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s January 21 allegations, which said "Viet Nam has continued its crackdown on ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands".

"There is no truth in these allegations," foreign ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh stated on Thursday, while responding to queries from correspondents, who asked about Viet Nam's reaction to the HRW's accusations.

Viet Kieu ignores world economic woes to return home for new year



HCM CITY — Members of the overseas Vietnamese community have defied economists’ predictions and are visiting Viet Nam for Tet (Lunar New Year) in much greater numbers than expected, said an official.

The acting head of the Department for Community Research and General Work at the Overseas Vietnamese Committee, Tran Van Thinh said that the arrivals were expected to at least equal last year’s figure of 360,000, despite an uncertain world situation that had prompted economists to predict a big drop in visiting Viet kieu this year.

Party Central Committee closes 7th plenum

PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE CLOSES SEVENTH PLENUM


Ha Noi, Jan. 21 (VNA) -- The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee closed its seventh plenum (second phase) in Ha Noi on Tuesday after nine days of sitting.

Party General Secretary closes 7th plenum


Ha Noi, Jan. 21 (VNA)-- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Nong Duc Manh on Tuesday delivered a speech at the closing session of the seventh plenum of the Party Central Committee.

Manh called for national unity in implementing the policy towards the ethnic minorities.

The Party leader said:

Vietnamese goods present in 200 foreign markets

Ha Noi, Jan. 14 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has so far exported goods to more than 200 foreign markets.

The five leading staples - cruide oil, garments and textiles, aquatic products, footwear and rice - have contributed around 60 percent of the country's export value. Garments and textiles, aquatic products, and footwear annually fetch more than 1.5 billion USD each.

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