‘Yellow autumn' draws visitors to Mu Cang Chai

VietNamNet Bridge – In autumn, the fields of Mu Cang Chai turn varying shades of brilliant yellow and are filled with life as ethnic Mong farmers, wearing traditional attire, harvest the abundance of ripe rice and shoulder bags of the grain home over mountains and hills and across swinging suspension bridges.

Making hay: Mong farmers in traditional attire harvest a bumper rice crop. (Photo: VNS)

Terraced fields, which rise and fall on hills and mountainsides as well as streams and rivers, are beautiful all year round. Visitors in March are treated to the sight of glittering ponds. Locals transplant rice seedlings from April to May. After that, all hills are covered by an everlasting green. Rice fields start to turn yellow with ripeness from early September. "Harvest lasts from now to mid October. You will see the full beauty of terraced fields during that time," says Vang A Doi, chairman of the De Xu Phinh Commune People's Committee.
Terraced rice fields are visible from virtually everywhere in the district as they expand over 2,200ha, including 500ha in Che Cu Nha, La Pan Tan and De Xu Phinh communes. The terraced fields in these villages were recognised as a national heritage in 2007 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
A trek through these villages offers a fabulous view inside the lives of the Mong people. Young boys are often seen joyfully playing on the roadside. In the distance, huts used to provide cover as farmers watch over their harvest dot the vista.
From Trong Tong Hamlet in La Pan Tan, terraces pour onto each other from above like yellow stairs calling people to heaven.
"As I think about the wonder of Mu Cang Chai, I find it hard to restrain my happiness as I take in the beauty before my eyes. In fact, this scene has inspired me to love life and labour. I love my country more because of the simple things it offers," says 20-year-old Bui Xuan Giang, an adventurous traveller.

Misty mountain: Clouds shroud the Khau Pha mountain pass to present a picturesque fairy tale scene. — File Photo

Rice fields are not only a source of food and income for the Mong; they are an intrinsic part of their culture and of Mu Cang Chai, which is itself a quiet district on the bank of the Nam River. "If any one asks me where I plan to go this autumn, I will reply without hesitation that I plan on visiting Mu Cang Chai, a district in Yen Bai Province, some 300km north of Ha Noi," says Giang.
To reach Mu Cang Chai from Ha Noi, you should follow the beautiful route of Road 32. Do not forget to stop at Tu Le Town in Van Chan District on harvest days to enjoy the outstanding flavour of sticky rice with chicken. In this town, local people harvest unripe rice to make green rice flakes which have the aromatic flavour that speaks of the beginning of autumn.
At this time, some of the rice fields scattered in the valley are turning a dark yellow which brings a sweet-scented ambience throughout the vast valley.
After leaving Tu Le, you will follow the Khau Pha mountain pass to travel the 27km between Van Chan and Mu Cang Chai. The name of the mountain pass literally means "sky's horn".
In the morning, the pass is typically hidden in a thick fog, making it impossible to see more than two metres in front of you.
"Sometimes, I have to close my eyes because of the curves. However, when I reach the summit, where cool breezes blow throughout the year, I have a sense that I've reached the gates of heaven and am standing on a cloud. In fact, when I stand at the top of Khau Pha pass, I can barely believe my eyes. Off in the distance, I see rooftops peeking out among tree covered hills and yellow rice fields. The fluffy clouds swirling below me are like a beautiful props from a fairy tale," says Giang.

Mellow yellow: In autumn, the fields of Mu Cang Chai turn varying shades of brilliant yellow. (Photo: VNS)

In addition to terraced fields, Mu Cang Chai was blessed with naturally beautiful flora and fauna and outstanding geographic features, including vast mountain ranges with high peaks which have protected the people for ages, says Doi. With forest area covering 80,000ha, researchers have found 22 reptile species, 127 bird species and 53 animal species, notably 200 individual black lemurs. There are animal reserves in Mu Cang Chai's Che Tao, De Xu Phinh and Pung Luong hamlets.
"I used to think that Mu Cang Chai was an isolated and desolate land with ethnic people living silently near the base of the mountain. However, my mind changed when I finally had the change to visit," says Giang.
Giang recommends a stop at the Giang stream in Van Chan for a soak in the jacuzzi to relax after a long day of adventure. You can also buy some aromatic San Tuyet tea to take home as a gift for family and friends at home.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Hong Kong and Vietnam Tourism Ambassadors vote for Ha Long Bay

VietNamNet Bridge – In her first business trip as Vietnam’s Tourism Ambassador, actress Ly Nha Ky and Hong Kong Tourism Ambassador, famous singer and actress Joey Yung, held T-shirts with Ha Long Bay pictures to call for Hong Kong people to vote for this landscape as the new world natural wonder.

From the left: Hong Kong billionaire Anne Shek, Ly Nha Ky, Vietnam’s Consul General in
Hong Kong Nguyen Thi Nha and a Hong Kong businesswoman.





Ly Nha Ky (white ao dai) in Hong Kong.

Ly Nha Ky’s business trip to Hong Kong on October 9 was her first event at the Asian Tourism Ministerial Forum. In front of Hong Kong investors, journalists and artists and some Vietnamese investors in Hong Kong, the Vietnam Tourism Ambassador spoke about the beauty of Ha Long Bay, the way to vote for this site and presented attendants with T-shirts with Ha Long pictures.

Ly Nha Ky and Mr. Luis Chavit Singson.

On October 12 in Manila, the Philippines, Ky met with Luis Chavit Singson, national security advisor and governor of Ilocos Sur province. The Filipino official said he would call for his citizens to vote for Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay. His wife was also very keen on this activity.

Ky also talked with Xuede Lu, director of the Asian Development Bank, who committed to organize an event for his staffs to vote for Ha Long Bay.

Ly Nha Ky and Xuede Lu, director of the Asian Development Bank.

Earlier, Ky met with over 500 students of the Hanoi Tourism College, on October 6.

Two American economic professors share 2011 Nobel Prize for Economics

Two American economic professors shared 2011 Nobel Prize for Economics, announced Staffan Normark, Permanent Secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Monday.

The screen pictures show US Thomas Sargent (R) and Christopher Sims who were awarded the 2011 Nobel economics prize in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 10, 2011. The two American economists won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Economics, announced Staffan Normark, Permanent Secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Monday. (Xinhua/Liu Yinan)

"The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for 2011 to Thomas J. Sargent from New York University of USA and Christopher A. Sims from Princeton University of USA for their empirical research on cause and effect in the macroeconomy," said Normark. This year's Laureates in economic sciences have developed methods for answering many questions regarding the causal relationship between economic policy and different macroeconomic variables such as GDP, inflation, employment and investments, the Nobel Committee said in a statement.
Policy affects the economy, but the economy also affects policy. The expectations of the private sector regarding future economic activity and policy influence decisions about wages, saving and investments
Economic-policy decisions are influenced by expectations about developments in the private sector, the statement explained.
The Laureates' methods can be applied to identify these causal relationships and explain the role of expectations. This makes it possible to ascertain the effects of unexpected policy measures as well as systematic policy shifts, the statement said.
Sargent has shown how structural macroeconometrics can be used to analyze permanent changes in economic policy such as macroeconomic relationships when households and firms adjust their expectations concurrently with economic developments.
Sargent has also examined the post-World War II era, when many countries initially tended to implement a high-inflation policy, but eventually introduced systematic changes in economic policy and reverted to a lower inflation rate, according to the statement.
Sims has developed a method based on so-called vector autoregression to analyze how the economy is affected by temporary changes in economic policy and other factors.
Sims and other researchers have applied this method to examine, for instance, the effects of an increase in the interest rate set by a central bank.
It usually takes one or two years for the inflation rate to decrease, whereas economic growth declines can be reverted to its normal development at a slower pace.
The Nobel Committee said that although the two carried out their research independently, their contributions are complementary in several ways.
The laureates' seminal work during the 1970s and 1980s has been adopted by both researchers and policymakers throughout the world. Today, the methods developed by Sargent and Sims are essential tools in macroeconomic analysis, the committee said.
Born in 1943 in the United States, Sargent got his Ph. D from Harvard University in 1968 and is Professor of Economics and Business at New York University.
Sims is also a U.S. citizen and graduated from Harvard University in the same year as a Ph. D. He is Professor of Princeton University in the United States.
The two laureates will equally share the 10 million Swedish kronor (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars) prize.
The economics award, established in 1968 and officially called The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, is the last of the six prizes announced this year. It is not part of the original crop of Nobel Prizes set out in Alfred Nobel's 1895 will.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

South Korea taps into Viet Nam tourism

VietNamNet Bridge – Ten South Korean travel agents attended a conference and art performance in Ha Noi last Friday to promote their country's tourism potential.

During the event, the agents introduced MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition) tours, developed with high economic efficiency throughout South Korea.

An exhibition on Seoul, Daejeon and Jeju travel took place alongside the seminar while Korean culture and dancing was presented during a MICE night.

Over the past five years, the number of Vietnamese tourists to South Korea had doubled while Viet Nam promised to become a key tourism market in the near future, said Sim Hye-ryun, a representative of the Korean Tourism Organisation in Viet Nam.

South Korea, in co-operation with Viet Nam, is voting for both Jeju Island and Ha Long Bay to become two of the seven new natural wonders of the world.

* Vietnam Airlines adds nearly 850 flights for Tet

The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, has announced it will arrange an additional 846 flights for the upcoming Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

The airline said it will provide 155,600 more seats on seven major air routes. It forecasts that passenger demands over Tet will increase by 11 percent on the HCM City-Hanoi route and by 20 percent on the HCM City-Da Nang route, compared to the same period last year. 
Vietnam Airlines will increase the number of flights on five air routes from HCM City to Hai Phong, Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku, Quy Nhon, and Nha Trang with 13,200 additional seats, up nearly 34 percent from last year.
Vietnam Airlines spokesperson, Le Hoang Dung, says that the plan will hopefully resolve the annual Tet overload. The airline is considering increasing flights during future Tet holidays to meet passengers’ greater demand for travel.

* Foreign pianists ready to play at new festival

Pianists from the US, Bulgaria, Singapore, South Korea and Ukraine will join talented pianists from across Viet Nam to perform at the first-ever piano festival, to be held in HCM City on October 18-23.

Organised to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the HCM City Conservatory of Music, the festival will feature a programme of performances, workshops and master classes.

Pianist Vo Bao Lac Nhan, a lecturer at the Maison Stepman music centre in Brussels, Belgium, will conduct a workshop on piano history on October 18. He will deliver presentations about the art of composing music and contrast different piano performance styles.

Another workshop on the 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist and conductor Franz Liszt will be held on October 19 to commemorate his 200th birthday, 1811-1886.

Master classes conducted by foreign musical experts will be held on October 20.

Piano performances at the festival will include talented students from the HCM CityConservatory of Music playing on October 21-23. Vietnamese guest artists from the Viet Nam National Academy of Music, Hue Conservatory of Music, as well as foreign artists will also perform during the festival.

VietNamNet/VOV/VNS
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NOIP: the British group will win the lawsuit

VietNamNet Bridge – Regarding the lawsuit raised by the British group Interbrand Group against two Vietnamese companies for illegally using “interbrand”, NOIP believes that the victory will belong to the British group.  A British group sues Vietnamese companies for illegally using “interbrand”     Interbrand Group's head office in London In the interview given to Saigon Tiep thi, Nguyen Thanh Hong, Head of the Enforcement and Appeal Division under the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) said that he believes that the British group will win the case.  The defendants have affirmed that they have not “copied” the brand of Interbrand Group, because their companies were established before the day NOIP granted the trademark registration certificate to Interbrand Group on May 6, 2010?  Interbrand Group is a famous brand which is protected in accordance with the article 6bis of the Paris Convention, which means that the famous brand still can be protected even if it is not registered. The registration does not create famous trademark. Even the registered trademarks can be cancelled by famous trademarks, therefore, it is not important if the brands have been registered or not.  The representative from Vietnamese Inter Brand Media said that the company has a legal basis to ask for the cancellation of the validity of the IP right certificate granted to Interbrand Group in Vietnam?  The cancellation will not occur. Interbrand Group has been well known worldwide and it has been using its brand in Vietnam since 2001. The group has also carried out a lot of activities in Vietnam. Moreover, in the age of globalization, Vietnamese enterprises cannot say these or that brands have not been present in Vietnam. The concept of getting in or out, therefore, does not have much significance in the Internet era.  However, the principles you have mentioned still have not let Vietnamese companies be convinced. They said that Vietnamese famous brands such as Phu Quoc fish sauce or Buon Ma Thuot coffee still may be lost to foreigners, just because they are late in registering the brands…  Vietnamese people think “famous brand” means that the brand is well known by everyone. Meanwhile, “Interbrand” is the brand famous in the filed of brand valuation and branding consultancy, i.e that it may be not well known to normal consumers. In this case, Interbrand can be recognized as the brand which is popularly used, and this is enough to bring a victory to Interbrand Group.  Regarding the Phu Quoc fish sauce and Buon Ma Thuot coffee brands, Vietnamese businessmen should pose a question for themselves: that if Vietnam does not recognize Interbrand as a famous brand in Vietnam, will it have reasons to ask China to recognize Phu Quoc or Buon Ma Thuot as famous brands in China?  As such, everything is clear already. Why hasn’t the court brought the case into trial yet?  If the case is tried in a foreign country, it would finish soon, and the Vietnamese companies would be the looser. However, as Vietnamese enterprises’ degree of legal knowledge remains low, the case still needs to be tried by the court. There are a lot of legal precedence cases in foreign countries. The UK, for example, has hundreds-of-year history in intellectual property. Therefore, Interbrand would just need to refer to the similar cases which occurred in the past, to obtain victory in the case.  What do you think should the Vietnamese defendants do in this case?  If the case is brought to the case, Interbrand Group will surely win the case, and the Vietnamese enterprises will be forced to change their names and stop using “Interbrand”. I think that the best solution now for Vietnamese enterprises is negotiating with the British group and persuading the group to allow to keep the Vietnamese names. If the Vietnamese companies continue using “Interbrand”, they will be considered as “stealing brands” from others.  Source: SGTT 

Tourism growth in Vietnam depends on better infrastructure

Growth of tourism in the country depends on adequate and appropriate infrastructure, which serves the needs of tourists and encourages further investment by enterprises in the competitive tourism industry.

The government had tried to help the tourism industry to mobilize investment capital for infrastructure with its strategic promotional program “Vietnam tourism development, 2001-2010” that eventually attracted investments for 316 projects.

However, progress on many of these projects has either stalled or stopped and in many cases the construction progress is moving at a snails pace. Most of the projects face difficulties such as lack of capital and lack of synchronization and coordination between investors and local authorities.

Saigon Tourist, Vietnam's leading tourism company, currently runs 70 hotels and resorts nationwide. The travel corporation has implemented many projects, such as the four-star Sai Gon-Vinh Long hotel with a capital investment of VND157 billion, the four-star Sai Gon- Rach Gia hotel at VND177 billion and the five-star Sai Gon-Phu Quoc tourist complex worth US$85 million.

However, any investment by tourism companies in hotels and resorts will not yield the desired profits if local authorities do not pay attention to the basic infrastructure such as electricity, water and road transport, said Mr. Tran Hung Viet, general director of Saigon Tourist.

Recently the Ministry of Transport approved the construction of an airport project at a total investment cost of VND3.4 trillion in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.

Neighboring provinces and cities are also calling on investors to build regional airports or expand and upgrade existing domestic airports to international status, even without any specific requirement.

The demand for airports by the Mekong Delta provinces and cities is not even rational, added Mr. Viet.

Economic experts say that local authorities will suffer huge losses if airports only fly one or two planes per day. Provinces need to spend more on excellent roadways and river traffic to make travel faster and more comfortable for tourists.

In addition, the government should encourage local authorities to join hands with each other to link traffic infrastructure across provinces to develop effective means to transport tourists and create favorable conditions for potential investors.

SGGP

Afghan women's rights 'at risk' after war decade

Women's rights in Afghanistan risk being forgotten as international troops withdraw and the government struggles for a peace deal 10 years after the Taliban were ousted, Oxfam said Monday.

Afghan schoolgirls clad in burqas pay attention to their male teacher in the outskirts of Herat province in June 2011. Afghan society is still strongly male-dominated, with men the decision-makers in family life, many women still wearing the burqa, and forced marriages common


In a new report the NGO said women's rights had improved in Afghanistan since the October 2001 US-led invasion, particularly access to education, with 2.7 million girls now in school compared to a tiny number under the Taliban.
But it also warned of an "uncertain future" and a "downward slide," citing increasing violence against women and fears that any future peace deal with the Taliban could "sacrifice" the gains.
"Women in Afghanistan have achieved real progress in areas such as political participation, the rule of law, and education since 2001 but these hard-won gains remain fragile," Oxfam's report said.
"With the imminent withdrawal of international forces, there is a risk that the government may sacrifice women's rights in order to secure a political deal with the Taliban and other armed opposition groups."
All 140,000 foreign combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, handing control of security to Afghan forces.
President Hamid Karzai is currently reviewing his strategy of trying to talk peace with the Taliban after the assassination of his peace envoy Burhanuddin Rabbani, which experts say has dealt a heavy blow to hopes of reconciliation.
The US and other countries made restoring women's rights a key priority in Afghanistan after the October 7, 2001 invasion which ousted the Taliban in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the US.
Under the militant Islamist regime, women were banned from working outside the home, forced to wear burqas and had to be escorted by a male relative whenever they left their houses.
Major gains have been made in the last decade, Oxfam said.
Some 42 percent of primary school age girls are enrolled in school and Afghanistan has one of the world's highest rates of parliamentary female representation at 28 percent, albeit thanks to a quota system.
However, Oxfam warned such improvements were under threat as "women are increasingly caught between a spreading insurgency, a government that is willing to sacrifice women's rights and an international community focused on rapidly reducing its military presence in Afghanistan".
It also pointed to a sharp divide between experiences and attitudes in urban and rural areas in what is one of the world's poorest countries.
The report highlighted disturbing levels of violence against women and said that a key law criminalising practices such as honour killings and child marriage was only being implemented in 10 out of 34 Afghan provinces.
Some 87 percent of Afghan women say they have suffered "physical, sexual or psychological violence or forced marriage," Oxfam said, while self-immolation still happens.
The Taliban also continue to attack girls' schools and limit the movements of women in areas which they control, the report added.
It accused Karzai's fragile government of a "willingness to sacrifice women's rights for political ends" in order to gain the support of hardliners and bolster its own position.
Oxfam urged officials to ensure that any future peace deal with the Taliban involves women and guarantees women's rights.
"Women are working as doctors, lawyers and businesswomen and girls are at school," said report co-author Orzala Ashraf Nemat.
"But what is life going to be like for us in the next 10 years? Already life is getting tougher for Afghan women. Afghan women want peace -- not a stitch-up deal that will confine us to our homes again."

Source: AFP