Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
In the recent decade, China has imported tra fish mostly from Vietnam and sold them to Russia and Europe.
Vice Chairman of An Giang province’s People’s Committee Tran Anh Thu said An Giang had held fact-finding trips to tra fish breeding countries. Compared to India, China and Bangladesh, Vietnam fared better in terms of both quantity and quality of tra fish.
However, Vietnam’s export of the fish are facing several obstacles, including a loose connection between processing and trading businesses and farmers, while many farmers fail to meet firms’ requirements for food hygiene and safety.
According to the VPA, another problem for the tra fish sector is a decline in the quality of fries, low water levels in rivers in Mekong Delta localities and saltwater intrusion in coastal provinces.
At the same time, trade and technical barriers remain, for example new regulations in the Chinese market, and stipulations in the European Union – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
VPA Vice President Vo Hung Dung said the EVFTA will enable the Vietnamese fisheries sector, including tra fish, to expand export markets and enhance competitiveness.
To develop the sustainability of tra fish sector, the VPA urged firms to improve product quality, comply with tra fish breeding and processing requirements in line with the Government’s Decree No.55/2017/ND-CP.
They were advised to build trademark for Vietnamese tra fish, and develop new selling channels in both domestic and international markets.
To navigate demanding markets such as Europe, the US and the Middle East, An Giang has formed a 600ha intensive farming zone using advanced technologies, and is working on three other zones.
According to VNA, due to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam only earned nearly 1.04 billion USD from tra fish export in nine months of this year.
As of late October, over 1.5 billion fries were released in the Mekong Delta. Fry prices also increased in October after falling in the past nine months.
Hanoi marks former royal citadel’s UNESCO recognition
The Thang Long heritage conservation centre in Hanoi hosted a ceremony on November 23 to commemorate 10 years of former Thang Long royal citadel in Hanoi capital recognised as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO, the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported.
Leaders of Hanoi’s administration burn incense at Kinh Thien Palace inside the former royal citadel at the ceremony. (Photo: Hanoimoi)
Addressing the event, Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the Hanoi administration, said the capital officially recognised the efforts made by scientists and experts to conserve the site.
He voiced the administration’s commitment to working alongside other localities and international organisations to develop heritage values over the long term.
An art performance was subsequently held at the site, with a drum beating show and performances held to re-enact historical stories of the former royal citadel.
The Hanoi administration presented certificates to honour individuals and collectives for their great contributions to conserving the site.
A wide range of activities are set to be held over the coming few days in order to celebrate the event. A photo exhibition and a workshop featuring the world cultural heritage site are also scheduled to be organised at the citadel.
This year Hanoi has celebrated 1,010 years of its former Thang Long citadel, now Hanoi capital, 75 years since the founding of UNESCO, and 15 years of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (on November 23).
According to VOV, on July 31, 2010, the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO, meeting in Brazil, adopted a resolution recognising Vietnam’s former Thang Long royal citadel as a world cultural heritage site. It coincided with the 1,000th anniversary of the former royal citadel celebrated in the same year.
Work on Long Thanh international airport to start next month
Construction of the proposed Long Thanh international airport in the southern province of Dong Nai is expected to start next month as promised by the State-owned Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the airport’s main developer, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
A rendering of the Long Thanh International Airport plan in the southern province of Dong Nai. (Photo courtesy of Airports Corporation of Vietnam)
Lai Xuan Thanh, chairman of ACV, which operates 22 airports across the country, said the first phase of the airport, with an investment of more than 4.6 billion USD, is projected to be completed by 2025.
ACV will need to raise about 99 trillion VND (4.28 billion USD), or 90 percent of total capital needed for the first phase of the airport.
It is set to have 36.6 trillion VND (1.57 billion USD) by 2025, or 37 percent of the investment, and the rest from commercial loans and bonds.
The corporation has been working with 12 domestic and international credit institutions to borrow the remaining at an interest rate of 5-5.5 percent a year with a loan term of 15 years.
In addition, the Government has proposed that the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corp should be the investor of the control tower and other safety features.
The Government has also proposed building two additional roads to enhance better connections between the city and the new airport.
Dong Nai province has already handed over 1,800 hectares to make way for the airport. The corporation is making a detailed plan for the construction.
According to Thanh, ACV is also the developer of other key projects such as the third terminal at Tan Son Nhat international airport in HCM City, and the expansion of the international terminal at Hanoi’s Noi Bai international airport.
The government last week officially approved the first phase of the airport.
The project has four component projects such as the headquarters of State management agencies, flight management services, essential airport facilities, and other works.
ACV will invest in the first runway, taxiways, a terminal, an aircraft parking space, and other major infrastructure at the airport.
The investment was approved by the National Assembly in 2017, which also issued a resolution on compensation and resettlement of and support for affected individuals and organisations.
The airport will be built in three phases over three decades, and is expected to become the country’s largest airport.
In the first phase, one runway with a length of 4,000m, taxiways, an apron, and a passenger terminal with other auxiliary works with a total floor area of 373,000 sq.m will be built to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo each year.
The airport is expected to have four runways, four passenger terminals, and other auxiliary works to ensure a capacity of 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo a year by 2040.
Covering a total area of more than 5,580ha, the airport will straddle six communes in Long Thanh district. It is expected to cost 336.63 trillion VND (14.47 billion USD).
The airport work requires more than 5,000ha of land and more than 364ha elsewhere to build two resettlement sites.
Around 4,800 households and 26 organisations are expected to be relocated to make way for it.
According to VNA, located 40km to the east of HCM City, the Long Thanh airport is expected to relieve overloading at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City, the country’s largest airport./.