New highways to cut Mekong Delta–HCM City travel time

The most important segment of the Mekong Delta highway system, the My Thuan – Can Tho highway, will kick off by the end of the year.
The most important segment of the Mekong Delta highway system, the MyThuan – Can Tho highway, will kick off by the end of the year.

The highway in the delta will link the region with Ho Chi Minh City and the southern key economic region.

"Thepre-feasibility report for the 24-km My Thuan – Can Tho highway will besubmitted to the Ministry of Transport and the Prime Minister thismonth," Duong Tuan Minh, general director of the Cuu Long Corporationfor Investment, Development and Project Management of Infrastructure(CIDP) was quoted as saying in Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Thoughthe Ministry of Transport approved the project years ago, it did notstart because of a lack of capital and poor financial planning.

"An effective financing plan is the most important factor in attracting investors," Minh added.

Theproject has been adjusted from four lanes and 27.5 metres wide at acost of 12 trillion VND (564 million USD) to two lanes and 13.75 metreswide at 6 trillion VND (282 million USD).

The Cuu Long CIDP hasalso suggested that the Government spend State funds for groundclearance compensation for the next construction phase, which includesfour lanes and expenditures to support investors.

The project is planned to be built in the fourth quarter this year and will be completed by 2018.

TheMinistry of Transport's No 7 Project Management Unit is also setting upa construction project for My Thuan No 2 bridge, which will allowtravel on the Trung Luong - My Thuan highway.

The management unit plans to open the bridge in 2018, along with the Trung Luong – My Thuan highway.

"Itmeans that by 2018, along with the 51.5-km Trung Luong – My Thuanhighway, which was built in this February, My Thuan – Can Tho highwaywill help cut travel time from HCM City to Can Tho to 1 hour and 45minutes instead of the current four hours," Minh said.

In addition, in the fourth quarter, the 55-km Lo Te – Rach Soi (from Can Tho to Kien Giang) will start construction.

"The Republic of Korea Government has agreed to sponsor 200 millionUSD for the project. Another 94 million USD will be provided by theVietnamese Government," Minh said.

In the first stage, two lanes will be built but later it will be expanded to a highway.

By 2017, the road will connect with Vam Cong bridge, which links Dong Thap and Can Tho provinces, and Cao Lanh bridge.

When completed, these projects will create the second key road system along with the current National Road No 1.-VNA

See more

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

ASEAN’s goods, culinary culture promoted in Europe

The ASEAN Committee in Prague (ACP) launched an "ASEAN Food Corner" on October 22, aiming to promote the culinary culture and introduce goods from ASEAN countries to consumers in the Czech Republic and Europe at large.

If the plan is approved, public employees will enjoy a continuous 9-day Tet break from January 25 to February 2 next year. (Photo: VNA)

2025 Lunar New Year holiday plan submitted to PM

The Ministry of Labour – Invalids and Social Affairs on October 22 submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister regarding the schedule for the 2025 Lunar New Year (Tet) – Vietnam’s largest traditional celebration – and other national holidays.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Kien Giang continues to take firm stand against IUU fishing

The Standing Board of the Party Committee of southern Kien Giang province has called for strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, part of a broader national effort to have the “yellow card” warning lifted by the European Commission (EC).

Yen Bai city in the northern province of Yen Bai is severely affected by Typhoon Yagi. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam receives EU’s humanitarian aid for Typhoon Yagi victims

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) Central Committee has received humanitarian response and early recovery support from the European Union and its member states through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)' Emergency Appeal to assist the Vietnamese people affected by Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent floodings.

Conscripted Vietnamese workers honoured with ceremony in France (Photo: VNA)

Conscripted Vietnamese workers honoured with ceremony in France

A solemn ceremony was held on October 20 in the southern city of Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture of France, to mark the 10th anniversary of the memorial dedicated to Indochinese workers who came to work in the Camargue region during World War II.

At the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between Bac Lieu and Uiseong county, Gyeongsangbuk-do province on sending local labourers to the RoK to work seasonally under the form of locality-to-locality collaboration between the two countries in the 2023 - 2027 period. (Photo: VNA)

Bac Lieu, Korean locality sign labour cooperation agreement

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on October 21 signed a cooperation agreement with Uiseong county, Gyeongsangbuk-do province of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on sending local labourers to the RoK to work seasonally under the form of locality-to-locality collaboration between the two countries in the 2023 - 2027 period.

(Photo: VNA)

Tien Giang strives to reduce poverty rate to 0.87% this year

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committees at all levels in the southern province of Tien Giang have collaborated with agencies and organisations to speed up social security programmes, aiming to reduce the province's poverty rate to 0.87% this year, said Vice President of the provincial VFF Committee Huynh Van Hai.

The Chinese sailor is rushed to FV (Franco-Vietnamese) Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment as soon as he is brought to the shore. (Photo: VNA)

Chinese sick sailor on vessel AMIS STAR provided with first aid

A ship from the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMRCC) on October 20 provided first aid to critically-ill Chinese sailor on a Liberia-flagged vessel off the coast of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau before bringing him to the shore for further treatment.

At the meeting between Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang and UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam respects right to freedom of belief, religion: official

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang highlighted Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting and protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion for all people, while meeting with UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif in his recent trip to Switzerland.