Vietnam today marked the 67th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 22nd anniversary of National Resistance Day.

National Tourism Year program until 2017 will generate momentum for Vietnam’s inbound and outbound tourism. Since 2002, the program has brought concrete socio-economic results to localities and improved people’s awareness about tourism development.

The Vietnam Catholic Unity Committee held a get-together on Monday in Hanoi to mark Christmas 2011.

The People’s Army newspaper today ran an editorial on the strength of national great unity to mark the 65th anniversary of Vietnam’s Resistance Day which falls on December 19th.

Vietnam aims to have 80% of its businesses having their own websites to update information about their products and promotion activities while half of providers of water, electricity, telecommunications and media will accept e-payment by 2015.

The 17th ASEAN Transportation Ministers’ Meeting has opened in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to gear up for the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha told reporters in Hanoi on Thursday that the commitment was delivered at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2011.

Vietnam and the UN have released the 2011 Vietnam Industrial Competitiveness Report. The document says that in order to restructure the industrial sector, the Vietnamese government should focus on five key areas. These include re-thinking industrial policies and strategies; diversifying high-value added industrial products; developing human resources for industrial production; developing new technologies; and directing foreign investment to the manufacturing sector. According to the report, free trade is one of major momentums for economic growth, but not enough for economic restructure. The report also advised the Vietnamese government to give priority to developing its high-tech industries. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang suggested that Vietnam meet the challenge of global integration by analyzing and assessing its industrial competitiveness with 10 other countries. He said this report will create a firm foundation for policy makers to address core sectors and sharpen their competitive edge.

The volume of overseas remittances to Vietnam is estimated to reach nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars this year, 1.6 billion USD more than last year. According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnamese guest workers have sent home about 1.8 billion USD over the past year. Overseas remittances are expected to increase prior to the New Year festival.

Titled “Vietnam and the East Sea”, the 40-page publication covers comprehensive issues relating to Vietnam’s waters in the East Sea, Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa-Paracel and Trường Sa-Spratly archipelagos.