China will import $8 billion of goods and attract $600 billion of foreign investment in the next five years, foreign minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

China's overseas investment will reach $750 billion in the next five years, the foreign ministry said in a statement on its website, citing Wang at a conference in Vietnam.

Wang said China would widen market access and open up its financial sector.

The practices of unilateralism and protectionism would be a form of regression, and not only would they lead to a dead end, they would damage one's own interests, he said.

Wang said China would widen market access and open up its financial sector.

China will import $8 billion of goods and attract $600 billion of foreign investment in the next five years, foreign minister Wang Yi said on Friday. China's overseas investment will reach $750 billion in the next five years, the foreign ministry said in a statement on its website, citing Wang at a conference in Vietnam. Wang said China would widen market access and open up its financial sector. The practices of unilateralism and protectionism would be a form of regression, and not only would they lead to a dead end, they would damage one's own interests, he said.

China to import goods worth $8 billion in next five years: Foreign minister Wang Yi

As tension between the US and China continues the South China Sea, the US embassy in Hanoi said the Trump administration has delivered six patrol boats and equipment worth $20 million to Vietnam.

The embassy said it "will serve to deter bad actors from committing crimes against or near Vietnam".

Recently, the USS Carl Vinson entered Vietnam for first time since the end of the war in 1975. Both the US and Vietnam have rebuilt defence and bilateral ties even as China's clout in the region as grown in the past decade.

The move demonstrates US support for a "strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to international security and the rule of law", the embassy statement added.

However China's presence in the region continues to grow. Barely three weeks after the Vinson’s visit, the Vietnamese government bowed to Chinese pressure and canceled a major oil drilling project in disputed South China waters, Reuters reported.

China is reportedly conducting military drills in the area including sending aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait and flying jets between Japan’s southernmost islands, a move which has alarmed neighbours in the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

As a result, the US has increased its presence and sent in fighter jets and its Naval feet in the area. In a bid to push back the US, China said it plans to conduct monthly military exercises in the South China Sea.

China has in fact gone ahead an built several military posts on disputed atolls and reefs, transforming the area into military hotspot.

&nbspMischief Reef is now a well-armed Chinese military base.

China has in fact gone ahead an built several military posts on disputed atolls and reefs, transforming the area into military hotspot.

As tension between the US and China continues the South China Sea, the US embassy in Hanoi said the Trump administration has delivered six patrol boats and equipment worth $20 million to Vietnam. The embassy said it "will serve to deter bad actors from committing crimes against or near Vietnam". Recently, the USS Carl Vinson entered Vietnam for first time since the end of the war in 1975. Both the US and Vietnam have rebuilt defence and bilateral ties even as China's clout in the region as grown in the past decade. The move demonstrates US support for a "strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to international security and the rule of law", the embassy statement added. However China's presence in the region continues to grow. Barely three weeks after the Vinson’s visit, the Vietnamese government bowed to Chinese pressure and canceled a major oil drilling project in disputed South China waters, Reuters reported. China is reportedly conducting military drills in the area including sending aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait and flying jets between Japan’s southernmost islands, a move which has alarmed neighbours in the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. As a result, the US has increased its presence and sent in fighter jets and its Naval feet in the area. In a bid to push back the US, China said it plans to conduct monthly military exercises in the South China Sea. China has in fact gone ahead an built several military posts on disputed atolls and reefs, transforming the area into military hotspot. &nbspMischief Reef is now a well-armed Chinese military base.

Amid tensions over South China Sea, US delivers patrol boats to Vietnam

A fire in a Ho Chi Minh City apartment block killed 13 people in the early hours of Friday, state media and a fire department official in the Vietnamese economic hub said.

The blaze at Carina Plaza on Vo Van Kiet Street in the city also left 27 others injured, said the fire department official, who did not want to be identified.

&quot;Most of the victims died from smoke inhalation, but we also found people who had died jumping from high windows,&quot; the official said.

&quot;The injured are in stable condition now and we are still searching the block to make sure no one is still trapped in there.&quot;

The fire began at around 1:00 a.m. (1800 GMT Thursday) at the basement of the block and quickly spread to engulf the building, trapping hundreds of residents, according to the fire official.

More than 30 fire engines and 200 firefighters were at the site and the fire was extinguished after an hour, he said.

The official Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday that the six-year-old block was made up of 736 separate apartments.

The fire began at around 1:00 a.m. (1800 GMT Thursday) at the basement of the block and quickly spread to engulf the building, trapping hundreds of residents, according to the fire official

A fire in a Ho Chi Minh City apartment block killed 13 people in the early hours of Friday, state media and a fire department official in the Vietnamese economic hub said. The blaze at Carina Plaza on Vo Van Kiet Street in the city also left 27 others injured, said the fire department official, who did not want to be identified. "Most of the victims died from smoke inhalation, but we also found people who had died jumping from high windows," the official said. "The injured are in stable condition now and we are still searching the block to make sure no one is still trapped in there." The fire began at around 1:00 a.m. (1800 GMT Thursday) at the basement of the block and quickly spread to engulf the building, trapping hundreds of residents, according to the fire official. More than 30 fire engines and 200 firefighters were at the site and the fire was extinguished after an hour, he said. The official Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday that the six-year-old block was made up of 736 separate apartments.

Apartment blaze in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City kills 13, injures 27

Former Vietnamese premier Phan Van Khai, who helped strengthen ties with the US and drive market reforms that ignited the communist country's economy, died on Saturday at the age 85, the government said.

A Soviet-trained economist from southern Vietnam, Khai held office for nine years starting in 1997, a period of reform that saw Vietnam transform into one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing economies.

Khai also made history as the country's first post-war leader to visit Washington in 2005, a landmark trip that helped cement ties between the former wartime foes.

A government statement announcing the former premier's death in the early hours of Saturday hailed his "spirit of innovation".

He "brought into play the capabilities of the whole economic sector, especially the private sector, in parallel with the opening up and international integration (of the country)," the statement said.&nbsp

It did not detail the cause of Khai's death, though his health has reportedly been ailing for several weeks.&nbsp

While the former premier helped open the communist country's economy and launch it onto a world stage, his administration made no departure from Vietnam's repressive one-party rule at home, where independent media is banned and critics are routinely jailed.

His government was also plagued by corruption.&nbsp

Born on December 25, 1933, in Ho Chi Minh City's suburban Cu Chi district, Khai became a political activist at 14 by joining a children's revolutionary movement against the French colonial regime.

He later joined the communist party at age 26, shortly before being sent to study in Moscow from 1960 to 1965.

He became the mayor of Ho Chi Minh city in 1985, and six years later entered Vietnam's top decision-making body, the politburo.

Before taking office as prime minister, Khai was deputy premier to his patron and mentor Vo Van Kiet from 1991-97.

Former Vietnamese premier Phan Van Khai, who helped strengthen ties with the US and drive market reforms that ignited the communist country's economy, died on Saturday at the age 85

Former Vietnamese premier Phan Van Khai, who helped strengthen ties with the US and drive market reforms that ignited the communist country's economy, died on Saturday at the age 85, the government said. A Soviet-trained economist from southern Vietnam, Khai held office for nine years starting in 1997, a period of reform that saw Vietnam transform into one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing economies. Khai also made history as the country's first post-war leader to visit Washington in 2005, a landmark trip that helped cement ties between the former wartime foes. A government statement announcing the former premier's death in the early hours of Saturday hailed his "spirit of innovation". He "brought into play the capabilities of the whole economic sector, especially the private sector, in parallel with the opening up and international integration (of the country)," the statement said. It did not detail the cause of Khai's death, though his health has reportedly been ailing for several weeks. While the former premier helped open the communist country's economy and launch it onto a world stage, his administration made no departure from Vietnam's repressive one-party rule at home, where independent media is banned and critics are routinely jailed. His government was also plagued by corruption. Born on December 25, 1933, in Ho Chi Minh City's suburban Cu Chi district, Khai became a political activist at 14 by joining a children's revolutionary movement against the French colonial regime. He later joined the communist party at age 26, shortly before being sent to study in Moscow from 1960 to 1965. He became the mayor of Ho Chi Minh city in 1985, and six years later entered Vietnam's top decision-making body, the politburo. Before taking office as prime minister, Khai was deputy premier to his patron and mentor Vo Van Kiet from 1991-97.

Vietnam's reformist ex-Prime Minister Phan Van Khai dies at age 85

A US aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam today for the first time since the end of the war, as the former foes bolster military ties in the face of Beijing&#39;s build-up in the disputed South China Sea.

The USS Carl Vinson will make a four-day port call to the central city of Danang for a highly symbolic trip that will include a visit to a centre for victims of Agent Orange, the toxic defoliant sprayed over large swathes of land by the US during the Vietnam war.

But ongoing tensions in the South China Sea loom over the trip as Beijing continues to build artificial islands capable of hosting military installations -- much to the chagrin of Vietnam and other claimants to the sea.

Though the US is not a claimant to the resource-rich waterway, it has long lobbied for freedom of navigation in the sea to counter China&#39;s growing influence. 
Analysts say the port call, which follows a visit to the Philippines last month, is a chance for the United States to flex its military muscle in Asia.

&quot;It&#39;s a US push... To demonstrate a massive naval presence in the South China Sea area to China, that the US is staying engaged,&quot; Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP ahead of the trip.

Vietnam remains the most vocal claimant in the region after the Philippines backed off under China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte. Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea.

Duterte has refused to implement a landmark 2016 international tribunal ruling in Manila&#39;s favour over its competing claims with Beijing.

&quot;The Philippines has just rolled over, China is continually militarising and if the US doesn&#39;t maintain a presence in the region, Vietnam&#39;s got nowhere to hide,&quot; Thayer said.

The visit is also being touted as a key landmark between the former bitter enemies, whose relations have seen an extraordinary turnaround since the end of the war in 1975.

Though US ships have regularly docked in Vietnam in the past, this is the first time an aircraft carrier will make a port call to the country.

Vietnam&#39;s foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said the visit will &quot;contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the region&quot;.

The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson is home to 5,300 sailors, pilots and crew and 72 aircraft and will be in Danang -- once a key US airbase -- until its departure on Friday.

The visit includes friendly basketball and soccer matches between US sailors and locals, along with an orphanage visit and navy band concerts.

The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson is home to 5,300 sailors, pilots and crew and 72 aircraft and will be in Danang

A US aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam today for the first time since the end of the war, as the former foes bolster military ties in the face of Beijing's build-up in the disputed South China Sea. The USS Carl Vinson will make a four-day port call to the central city of Danang for a highly symbolic trip that will include a visit to a centre for victims of Agent Orange, the toxic defoliant sprayed over large swathes of land by the US during the Vietnam war. But ongoing tensions in the South China Sea loom over the trip as Beijing continues to build artificial islands capable of hosting military installations -- much to the chagrin of Vietnam and other claimants to the sea. Though the US is not a claimant to the resource-rich waterway, it has long lobbied for freedom of navigation in the sea to counter China's growing influence. Analysts say the port call, which follows a visit to the Philippines last month, is a chance for the United States to flex its military muscle in Asia. "It's a US push... To demonstrate a massive naval presence in the South China Sea area to China, that the US is staying engaged," Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP ahead of the trip. Vietnam remains the most vocal claimant in the region after the Philippines backed off under China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte. Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea. Duterte has refused to implement a landmark 2016 international tribunal ruling in Manila's favour over its competing claims with Beijing. "The Philippines has just rolled over, China is continually militarising and if the US doesn't maintain a presence in the region, Vietnam's got nowhere to hide," Thayer said. The visit is also being touted as a key landmark between the former bitter enemies, whose relations have seen an extraordinary turnaround since the end of the war in 1975. Though US ships have regularly docked in Vietnam in the past, this is the first time an aircraft carrier will make a port call to the country. Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said the visit will "contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the region". The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson is home to 5,300 sailors, pilots and crew and 72 aircraft and will be in Danang -- once a key US airbase -- until its departure on Friday. The visit includes friendly basketball and soccer matches between US sailors and locals, along with an orphanage visit and navy band concerts.

US Navy sends Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to Vietnam in historic visit

President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang arrived in Delhi a short while ago. Quang is on a three-day visit to India which will come to an end on March 4.

The Vietnamese President visited the famous Mahabodhi Temple earlier today. Quang will hold talks with President Ram Nath Kovind and interact with eminent Indian businessmen.&nbsp;

President Quang, during his visit, aims to strengthen ties with India in the wake of growing Chinese influence.&nbsp;

The Vietnamese President is leading an 18-member delegation, including ministers, party leaders, and businessmen.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vietnam in 2016 when the two countries signed 12 agreements covering crucial sectors like IT, space, double taxation among others.

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

President Quang, during his visit, aims to strengthen ties with India in the wake of growing Chinese influence

President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang arrived in Delhi a short while ago. Quang is on a three-day visit to India which will come to an end on March 4. The Vietnamese President visited the famous Mahabodhi Temple earlier today. Quang will hold talks with President Ram Nath Kovind and interact with eminent Indian businessmen. President Quang, during his visit, aims to strengthen ties with India in the wake of growing Chinese influence. The Vietnamese President is leading an 18-member delegation, including ministers, party leaders, and businessmen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vietnam in 2016 when the two countries signed 12 agreements covering crucial sectors like IT, space, double taxation among others. (With inputs from ANI)

Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang arrives in Delhi  

Ton Sinh Thanh, Vietnam&#39;s ambassador to India, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-china-sea-row-will-take-necessary-measures-to-safeguard-sovereignty-says-china-30488">said today President Tran Dai Quang</a> who will be visiting India next week will be discussing the South China issue with PM Modi.

&quot;Vietnam is one of the few countries in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-china-sea-china-accuses-us-warship-of-violating-its-sovereignty-30143">South-East Asia that is raising its voice</a> against China flexing its muscles in the South China Sea. China claims a number of territories and islands as its own over the South China Sea,&quot; Ton Sinh Thanh said.

Vietnam along with several other countries including Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines have questioned China&#39;s sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea.

In fact, the US administration has deployed several ships including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in a bid to thwart China&#39;s attempt to dominate the area along the South China Sea.

The international tribunal at The Hague had earlier ruled that China has no historic claim over the waters, despite this reports say the Communist country continues to build large-scale military infrastructure along the disputed islands to the dismay of its neighbour.

The area is also huge trading point as an estimated $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

Vietnam along with several other countries have questioned China's sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea.

Ton Sinh Thanh, Vietnam's ambassador to India, said today President Tran Dai Quang who will be visiting India next week will be discussing the South China issue with PM Modi. "Vietnam is one of the few countries in South-East Asia that is raising its voice against China flexing its muscles in the South China Sea. China claims a number of territories and islands as its own over the South China Sea," Ton Sinh Thanh said. Vietnam along with several other countries including Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines have questioned China's sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea. In fact, the US administration has deployed several ships including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in a bid to thwart China's attempt to dominate the area along the South China Sea. The international tribunal at The Hague had earlier ruled that China has no historic claim over the waters, despite this reports say the Communist country continues to build large-scale military infrastructure along the disputed islands to the dismay of its neighbour. The area is also huge trading point as an estimated $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

'South China Sea will be discussed during President's visit to India,' says Vietnam ambassador to India

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War.

The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China.

The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam&#39;s defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a US&nbsp;aircraft carrier could bring the most US&nbsp;forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975.

Mattis cheered the planned port visit during talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.

&quot;Thank you for the increasing partnership, with our aircraft carrier coming into Danang here in March,&quot; Mattis said.

Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the carrier visit was discussed by Mattis and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and Vietnam&#39;s defence ministry was seeking final approvals from national leaders.

&quot;We expect it will be approved,&quot; Davis said.

The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in Vietnam will be welcomed by an emerging network of countries that are nervously eyeing China&#39;s military rise, particularly its assertive stance and island-building activities in the South China Sea.

The busy waterway is a vital global trade route linking Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe.

In particular, the militaries of US, Japan, India and Australia are working more closely together as a &quot;quad&quot; of liberal democracies across what they now term the &quot;Indo-Pacific&quot; &ndash; moves driven by mistrust of China.

US&nbsp;Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris last week described China as a &quot;disruptive transitional force in the Indo-Pacific&quot; after meetings with Japanese and Indian military leaders in New Delhi.

India, Japan and Australia have all boosted military relations with Vietnam in recent years, with New Delhi providing advanced training for its emerging submarine forces and jet fighter pilots.&nbsp;

Backroom Diplomacy

Thursday&#39;s confirmation of the US&nbsp;aircraft carrier visit to Danang caps months of backroom military diplomacy between Hanoi and the Pentagon, diplomats said.

The prospect surfaced when US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House last May, and talks continued when Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met Mattis in Washington in August.

Vietnam&#39;s Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh became the country&#39;s highest-ranking official to tour a US carrier when he led 11 Vietnamese officials to watch flight operations aboard the USS Carl Vinson off southern California last October, the US&nbsp;Navy said at the time.

Although no US&nbsp;aircraft carrier has been to Vietnam since the end of the war, other, smaller US&nbsp;warships have made high-level visits as ties improved in recent years.

That includes a 2016 visit by submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain to Cam Ranh Bay, which was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War.

The planned carrier visit was &quot;highly significant&quot;, said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

&quot;It is a potent symbol of the way the defence relationship has moved forward against the backdrop of China&#39;s rising power,&quot; Storey added.

Decades after the US&nbsp;war in Vietnam, ties between the United States and the Communist-ruled state are increasingly seen through shared concern over China&#39;s aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year.

Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China&#39;s territorial claims and has been buying US military hardware, such as an armed, Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The ship, one US official said, was larger than anything Vietnam had in its navy.

&quot;(Vietnam) does have one of the region&#39;s fastest growing economies and so freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to them economically and of course in their security efforts,&quot; Mattis said before arrival on Wednesday.

US&nbsp;ties with Vietnam have developed significantly in the decades since they normalised ties in 1995. Still, there were vivid reminders of the history of conflict during Mattis&#39; visit.

That included a stop by Mattis on Tuesday to a US&nbsp;Defense Department office in Hanoi that seeks to recover the remains of US&nbsp;troops killed in the conflict.

About 1,293 US&nbsp;military personnel are still unaccounted for, a US&nbsp;official said.

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War. The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China. The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam's defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a US aircraft carrier could bring the most US forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975. Mattis cheered the planned port visit during talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam. "Thank you for the increasing partnership, with our aircraft carrier coming into Danang here in March," Mattis said. Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the carrier visit was discussed by Mattis and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and Vietnam's defence ministry was seeking final approvals from national leaders. "We expect it will be approved," Davis said. The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in Vietnam will be welcomed by an emerging network of countries that are nervously eyeing China's military rise, particularly its assertive stance and island-building activities in the South China Sea. The busy waterway is a vital global trade route linking Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe. In particular, the militaries of US, Japan, India and Australia are working more closely together as a "quad" of liberal democracies across what they now term the "Indo-Pacific" – moves driven by mistrust of China. US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris last week described China as a "disruptive transitional force in the Indo-Pacific" after meetings with Japanese and Indian military leaders in New Delhi. India, Japan and Australia have all boosted military relations with Vietnam in recent years, with New Delhi providing advanced training for its emerging submarine forces and jet fighter pilots. Backroom Diplomacy Thursday's confirmation of the US aircraft carrier visit to Danang caps months of backroom military diplomacy between Hanoi and the Pentagon, diplomats said. The prospect surfaced when US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House last May, and talks continued when Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met Mattis in Washington in August. Vietnam's Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh became the country's highest-ranking official to tour a US carrier when he led 11 Vietnamese officials to watch flight operations aboard the USS Carl Vinson off southern California last October, the US Navy said at the time. Although no US aircraft carrier has been to Vietnam since the end of the war, other, smaller US warships have made high-level visits as ties improved in recent years. That includes a 2016 visit by submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain to Cam Ranh Bay, which was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War. The planned carrier visit was "highly significant", said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. "It is a potent symbol of the way the defence relationship has moved forward against the backdrop of China's rising power," Storey added. Decades after the US war in Vietnam, ties between the United States and the Communist-ruled state are increasingly seen through shared concern over China's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year. Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China's territorial claims and has been buying US military hardware, such as an armed, Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter. The ship, one US official said, was larger than anything Vietnam had in its navy. "(Vietnam) does have one of the region's fastest growing economies and so freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to them economically and of course in their security efforts," Mattis said before arrival on Wednesday. US ties with Vietnam have developed significantly in the decades since they normalised ties in 1995. Still, there were vivid reminders of the history of conflict during Mattis' visit. That included a stop by Mattis on Tuesday to a US Defense Department office in Hanoi that seeks to recover the remains of US troops killed in the conflict. About 1,293 US military personnel are still unaccounted for, a US official said.

US aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam in post-war first

The stage is set in New Delhi, India for two days ASEAN-India commemorative summit, an international meet to commemorate 26 years of&nbsp;India-ASEAN relations and its partnership.

Heads of all ten ASEAN member countries will be in India to attend the summit two-day summit from 25-26 of January.

Heads of ASEAN member countries, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei would start arriving in the country on January 25.

During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to have a bilateral meeting with leaders of ASEAN nations.

The ASEAN heads will be received by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind and will be followed by lunch at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The leaders coming from ASEAN member countries will also attend Republic day parade and will make a walk in Mughal garden which would be followed by a formal photo shoot.

During the Summit Tour de Exhibition of 20 paintings of ASEAN-India Artists&rsquo; Camp will also be on display inside Mumtaz Hall.

Several cultural programmes will also be organised in honour of the ASEAN leader.

India and ASEAN have celebrated 25 years of their Dialogue Partnership, 15 years of Summit Level interaction and 5 years of Strategic Partnership in 2017.

Heads of all ten ASEAN member countries will be in India to attend the summit two-day summit from 25-26 of January

The stage is set in New Delhi, India for two days ASEAN-India commemorative summit, an international meet to commemorate 26 years of India-ASEAN relations and its partnership. Heads of all ten ASEAN member countries will be in India to attend the summit two-day summit from 25-26 of January. Heads of ASEAN member countries, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei would start arriving in the country on January 25. During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to have a bilateral meeting with leaders of ASEAN nations. The ASEAN heads will be received by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind and will be followed by lunch at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The leaders coming from ASEAN member countries will also attend Republic day parade and will make a walk in Mughal garden which would be followed by a formal photo shoot. During the Summit Tour de Exhibition of 20 paintings of ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp will also be on display inside Mumtaz Hall. Several cultural programmes will also be organised in honour of the ASEAN leader. India and ASEAN have celebrated 25 years of their Dialogue Partnership, 15 years of Summit Level interaction and 5 years of Strategic Partnership in 2017.

Heads of ASEAN countries to participate in two-day summit in Delhi

North Korea is flouting sanctions by exporting coal, iron, steel and other banned commodities, earning nearly $200 million in revenue last year, a UN report said Friday.

A UN panel of experts also found evidence of military cooperation by North Korea to develop Syria&#39;s chemical weapons programs and to provide Myanmar with ballistic missiles.&nbsp;

North Korea &quot;continued to export almost all the commodities prohibited in the resolutions, generating nearly $200 million in revenue between January and September 2017,&quot; said the report by the experts seen by AFP.

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<h5>North Korea &#39;continued to export almost all the commodities prohibited in the resolutions, generating nearly $200 million in revenue between January and September 2017&#39;</h5>
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Coal shipments were delivered to China, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam by ships using &quot;a combination of multiple evasion techniques, routes and deceptive tactics,&quot; said the report.

The Security Council last year adopted a series of resolutions to tighten and expand exports bans aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea&#39;s military programs.

The United States led the push for tough economic sanctions after North Korea&#39;s sixth nuclear test and a series of ballistic missile launches that raised fears that the US mainland could soon be within reach.

Seven ships have been barred from ports worldwide for violating UN sanctions with coal and petroleum transfers, but the experts said much more must be done to confront &quot;these rampant illicit activities.&quot;

The panel found that North Korea &quot;is already flouting the most recent resolutions by exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries, and the international banking system.&quot;

Arming Syria, Myanmar 
Syria and Myanmar are continuing cooperation with North Korea&#39;s KOMID corporation, the country&#39;s main arms exporter, which is on a UN sanctions blacklist, the report said.

The panel uncovered more than 40 previously unreported shipments from North Korea between 2012 and 2017 to front companies for Syria&#39;s Scientific Studies Research Council, also known as CERS, a key institute for Syria&#39;s chemical program.&nbsp;

The investigations reveal &quot;substantial new evidence&quot; concerning Pyongyang&#39;s military cooperation with Damascus, including at least three visits by North Korean technicians to Syria in 2016.

A visit by a North Korean technical delegation in August 2016 involved the &quot;transfer of special resistance valves and thermometers known for use in chemical weapons programs,&quot; said the report.

A member-state that was not named told the panel that North Korean &quot;technicians continue to operate at chemical weapons and missile facilities at Barzei, Adra and Hama&quot; in Syria, said the report.

Syria however told the panel that there were no North Korean technicians in its territory and that the only experts it was hosting from the country were involved in sports.

A member-state, which was not named, also notified the panel that Myanmar had received &quot;ballistic missile systems from (North Korea) in addition to a range of conventional weapons, including multiple rocket launches and surface-to air missiles&quot;.&nbsp;

North Korean diplomats, in particular trade representatives, continue to provide logistical support for arms sales and help organize exchanges for military technicians, it said.

While sanctions have been significantly broadened, this &quot;expansion of the regime is yet to be matched by the requisite political will&quot; to implement the measures, the experts said.

The panel of experts said 2018 offered a &quot;critical window of opportunity before a potential miscalculation with disastrous implications for international peace and security.&quot; 
&nbsp;

Coal shipments were delivered to China, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam by ships using 'a combination of multiple evasion techniques, routes and deceptive tactics,' a UN report said

North Korea is flouting sanctions by exporting coal, iron, steel and other banned commodities, earning nearly $200 million in revenue last year, a UN report said Friday. A UN panel of experts also found evidence of military cooperation by North Korea to develop Syria's chemical weapons programs and to provide Myanmar with ballistic missiles. North Korea "continued to export almost all the commodities prohibited in the resolutions, generating nearly $200 million in revenue between January and September 2017," said the report by the experts seen by AFP. North Korea 'continued to export almost all the commodities prohibited in the resolutions, generating nearly $200 million in revenue between January and September 2017' × Coal shipments were delivered to China, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam by ships using "a combination of multiple evasion techniques, routes and deceptive tactics," said the report. The Security Council last year adopted a series of resolutions to tighten and expand exports bans aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea's military programs. The United States led the push for tough economic sanctions after North Korea's sixth nuclear test and a series of ballistic missile launches that raised fears that the US mainland could soon be within reach. Seven ships have been barred from ports worldwide for violating UN sanctions with coal and petroleum transfers, but the experts said much more must be done to confront "these rampant illicit activities." The panel found that North Korea "is already flouting the most recent resolutions by exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries, and the international banking system." Arming Syria, Myanmar Syria and Myanmar are continuing cooperation with North Korea's KOMID corporation, the country's main arms exporter, which is on a UN sanctions blacklist, the report said. The panel uncovered more than 40 previously unreported shipments from North Korea between 2012 and 2017 to front companies for Syria's Scientific Studies Research Council, also known as CERS, a key institute for Syria's chemical program. The investigations reveal "substantial new evidence" concerning Pyongyang's military cooperation with Damascus, including at least three visits by North Korean technicians to Syria in 2016. A visit by a North Korean technical delegation in August 2016 involved the "transfer of special resistance valves and thermometers known for use in chemical weapons programs," said the report. A member-state that was not named told the panel that North Korean "technicians continue to operate at chemical weapons and missile facilities at Barzei, Adra and Hama" in Syria, said the report. Syria however told the panel that there were no North Korean technicians in its territory and that the only experts it was hosting from the country were involved in sports. A member-state, which was not named, also notified the panel that Myanmar had received "ballistic missile systems from (North Korea) in addition to a range of conventional weapons, including multiple rocket launches and surface-to air missiles". North Korean diplomats, in particular trade representatives, continue to provide logistical support for arms sales and help organize exchanges for military technicians, it said. While sanctions have been significantly broadened, this "expansion of the regime is yet to be matched by the requisite political will" to implement the measures, the experts said. The panel of experts said 2018 offered a "critical window of opportunity before a potential miscalculation with disastrous implications for international peace and security."

North Korea flouting sanctions, earned $200 mn from banned exports: UN

A US-based Indian engineer married his gay lover on December 30 in a traditional ceremony at Yavatmal, Maharashtra.

The two got married only a few days before the Supreme Court agreed to review criminalisation of homosexuality.&nbsp;

Yavatmal native Hrishi Mohankumar Sathawane (40) married Vinh, reportedly from Vietnam, at a hotel just a few steps away from the office of the superintendent of police.

Hrishi, who holds a BTech from IIT-Bombay, currently lives in California and has a US green card.&nbsp;

According to Hrishi&#39;s social media page, he got engaged to Vinh in mid-2017 and married later in October.&nbsp;

Although his parents were initially against his homosexual affiliation, he successfully convinced them and took their blessings before getting married.&nbsp;

The photo of the couple has made rounds on the internet.

Superintendent of Police, Yavatmal, Amarsingh Jadhav first said he did not want to comment, but later added he had ordered an investigation.

Yavatmal native Hrishi Mohankumar Sathawane (40) married Vinh, said to be from Vietnam got married at a hotel just a few steps away from the office of the superintendent of police

A US-based Indian engineer married his gay lover on December 30 in a traditional ceremony at Yavatmal, Maharashtra. The two got married only a few days before the Supreme Court agreed to review criminalisation of homosexuality. Yavatmal native Hrishi Mohankumar Sathawane (40) married Vinh, reportedly from Vietnam, at a hotel just a few steps away from the office of the superintendent of police. Hrishi, who holds a BTech from IIT-Bombay, currently lives in California and has a US green card. According to Hrishi's social media page, he got engaged to Vinh in mid-2017 and married later in October. Although his parents were initially against his homosexual affiliation, he successfully convinced them and took their blessings before getting married. The photo of the couple has made rounds on the internet. Superintendent of Police, Yavatmal, Amarsingh Jadhav first said he did not want to comment, but later added he had ordered an investigation.

US-based Indian engineer marries gay lover in Maharashtra

China on Thursday objected to Vietnam&#39;s invitation to India to invest in oil and natural gas sector in the disputed South China Sea + (SCS), saying it is firmly opposed to infringement of its rights using development of bilateral ties as an &quot;excuse&quot;.

Vietnam&#39;s Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh on Tuesday had told an Indian news channel that his country would welcome Indian investments in the South China Sea.

Responding to remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: &quot;China does not object to the development of normal bilateral relations of relevant countries in our neighbourhood&quot;.

&quot;But China firmly opposes relevant party to use it as an excuse to infringe upon China&#39;s legitimate rights and interests in the SCS and impair regional peace and stability,&quot; Lu said.

Ton had also said defence cooperation is one of the important and effective areas of cooperation between India and Vietnam and India can be helpful in expanding Vietnam&#39;s defence capabilities.

China has been opposing India&#39;s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exploring oil+ in wells claimed by Vietnam in the SCS for years. India has been asserting that the ONGC&#39;s exploration is a commercial operation and not connected with the dispute.

China claims almost all of the SCS while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims.

Oil exploration in the SCS is a sensitive issue in the Vietnam-China relations. There were anti-China riots in Vietnam when China tried to deploy oil rigs in an area claimed by Vietnam a few years ago.

India, which is ramping up ties with Vietnam, calls for freedom of navigation in the SCS through which trillions of dollars of trade happens every year.

Vietnam's Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh had said that his country would welcome Indian investments in SCS

China on Thursday objected to Vietnam's invitation to India to invest in oil and natural gas sector in the disputed South China Sea + (SCS), saying it is firmly opposed to infringement of its rights using development of bilateral ties as an "excuse". Vietnam's Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh on Tuesday had told an Indian news channel that his country would welcome Indian investments in the South China Sea. Responding to remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "China does not object to the development of normal bilateral relations of relevant countries in our neighbourhood". "But China firmly opposes relevant party to use it as an excuse to infringe upon China's legitimate rights and interests in the SCS and impair regional peace and stability," Lu said. Ton had also said defence cooperation is one of the important and effective areas of cooperation between India and Vietnam and India can be helpful in expanding Vietnam's defence capabilities. China has been opposing India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exploring oil+ in wells claimed by Vietnam in the SCS for years. India has been asserting that the ONGC's exploration is a commercial operation and not connected with the dispute. China claims almost all of the SCS while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. Oil exploration in the SCS is a sensitive issue in the Vietnam-China relations. There were anti-China riots in Vietnam when China tried to deploy oil rigs in an area claimed by Vietnam a few years ago. India, which is ramping up ties with Vietnam, calls for freedom of navigation in the SCS through which trillions of dollars of trade happens every year.

China objects to Vietnam's call for Indian investment in South China Sea

A Vietnamese court has jailed nine people for &quot;attempting to overthrow the state&quot;, official media reported Friday, the latest heavy sentence doled out in a harsh crackdown this year against activists in the one-party state.

Communist Vietnam routinely jails its critics, but 2017 has been particularly grim for dissidents, with at least 15 arrested and several others sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Nine people were convicted on Thursday for attempting to overthrow the government and for anti-state propaganda -- a charge rights groups have slammed for being vaguely worded and used to crush dissent -- in central Binh Dinh province.

They were accused of distributing leaflets &quot;defaming leaders and calling for the government to be overthrown&quot;, according to an online report Friday from ANTV, the official police television channel, citing the indictment.

Ta Tan Loc, 42, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while his eight accomplices got between three and 13 years, ANTV reported.

The court accused the group of having links to an overseas &quot;reactionary&quot; group, the channel added, without providing details.

Vietnam&#39;s government is accused of scaling up arrests and convictions of critics since a new conservative leadership took control last year.

Some observers have said the US withdrawal earlier this year from the Trans-Pacific Partnership -- a sprawling multinational trade agreement -- also removed incentives for the Vietnamese government to ease up on dissidents.

Amnesty International reports that at least 15 people have arrested this year, though several other activists have been convicted and jailed, joining scores of activists already in prison.

All independent media is banned in Vietnam, and the government has called for increased internet control as critics have moved onto social media to voice discontent.

A top general said this week that 10,000 cyber-warriors have been deployed to fight &quot;wrongful views&quot; and anti-state propaganda online, a move decried by rights groups.

Nine people were convicted on Thursday for attempting to overthrow the government and for anti-state propaganda

A Vietnamese court has jailed nine people for "attempting to overthrow the state", official media reported Friday, the latest heavy sentence doled out in a harsh crackdown this year against activists in the one-party state. Communist Vietnam routinely jails its critics, but 2017 has been particularly grim for dissidents, with at least 15 arrested and several others sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Nine people were convicted on Thursday for attempting to overthrow the government and for anti-state propaganda -- a charge rights groups have slammed for being vaguely worded and used to crush dissent -- in central Binh Dinh province. They were accused of distributing leaflets "defaming leaders and calling for the government to be overthrown", according to an online report Friday from ANTV, the official police television channel, citing the indictment. Ta Tan Loc, 42, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while his eight accomplices got between three and 13 years, ANTV reported. The court accused the group of having links to an overseas "reactionary" group, the channel added, without providing details. Vietnam's government is accused of scaling up arrests and convictions of critics since a new conservative leadership took control last year. Some observers have said the US withdrawal earlier this year from the Trans-Pacific Partnership -- a sprawling multinational trade agreement -- also removed incentives for the Vietnamese government to ease up on dissidents. Amnesty International reports that at least 15 people have arrested this year, though several other activists have been convicted and jailed, joining scores of activists already in prison. All independent media is banned in Vietnam, and the government has called for increased internet control as critics have moved onto social media to voice discontent. A top general said this week that 10,000 cyber-warriors have been deployed to fight "wrongful views" and anti-state propaganda online, a move decried by rights groups.

Nine jailed in Vietnam for 'attempt to overthrow state'

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 59-year-old Korean man from Sydney for allegedly working as an economic agent for North Korea, reports said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Chan Han Choi was the first person in Australia charged with working as a black-market agent, brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction.&nbsp;

He had reportedly been getting income from the North Korean government for sale of ballistic missile technology to foreign entities, reports further claimed.&nbsp;

Choi has broken the UN and Australian sanctions and has also been charged with attempts to brokering the sale of coal from North Korea to groups in Indonesia and Vietnam, media reports say.&nbsp;

The 59-year-old has been charged under the 1995 Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act for being in touch with top officials from North Korea.&nbsp;

The arrested man is facing six charges in connection with the acts.

There was no threat to Australians and that the man was not considered a &quot;spy&quot;, AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told the media in Sydney on Sunday.

&quot;This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose,&quot; he said.

&quot;At the end of the day, he would sell whatever he could to make money for the North Korean government&quot; and is believed to have endeavored to sell gemstones and other product as well.

The man who has been identified as Choi Han Chan, a 59-year-old from Sydney's Eastwood, allegedly breached United Nation's sanctions and Australian federal law, and has been charged with brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 59-year-old Korean man from Sydney for allegedly working as an economic agent for North Korea, reports said on Sunday. Chan Han Choi was the first person in Australia charged with working as a black-market agent, brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction. He had reportedly been getting income from the North Korean government for sale of ballistic missile technology to foreign entities, reports further claimed. Choi has broken the UN and Australian sanctions and has also been charged with attempts to brokering the sale of coal from North Korea to groups in Indonesia and Vietnam, media reports say. The 59-year-old has been charged under the 1995 Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act for being in touch with top officials from North Korea. The arrested man is facing six charges in connection with the acts. There was no threat to Australians and that the man was not considered a "spy", AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told the media in Sydney on Sunday. "This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose," he said. "At the end of the day, he would sell whatever he could to make money for the North Korean government" and is believed to have endeavored to sell gemstones and other product as well.

Sydney man charged with acting as agent for North Korea

A US&nbsp;soldier who deserted to North Korea more than half a century ago, but who was eventually allowed to leave the secretive state, has died in Japan aged 77.

One of the Cold War&#39;s strangest dramas began in 1965 when&nbsp;Charles&nbsp;Robert&nbsp;Jenkins, then a 24-year-old army sergeant nicknamed &quot;Scooter&quot; from tiny Rich Square in North Carolina, disappeared one January night while on patrol near the demilitarised zone between the two Koreas.

At an emotional court martial in Japan in 2004,&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;- who had never gone to high school - said he deserted to avoid hazardous duty in South Korea and escape combat in Vietnam.

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<h5>You don&#39;t say no to North Korea. You say one thing bad about Kim Il-sung and then you dig your own hole because you&#39;re gone,&#39;&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;told his court-martial, referring to the founder of the secretive state</h5>
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&quot;It was Christmas time, it was also cold and dark. I started to drink alcohol. I never had drunk so much alcohol,&quot; he said in a thick Southern accent, choking back sobs.

He drank 10 beers, took his men on patrol and told them to wait while he checked the road below. He then walked towards North Korea, holding a rifle with a white t-shirt tied around it. He said he had planned to go to Russia and turn himself in and had not expected North Korea to keep him.

While in North Korea, where he taught English to soldiers and portrayed an evil US&nbsp;spy in a propaganda film,&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;met and married Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman 20 years his junior who had been kidnapped by North Korea to help train spies.

Fear for his safety and the family he built with Soga made it impossible to refuse any demands made on him,&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;said.

&quot;You don&#39;t say no to North Korea. You say one thing bad about Kim Il-sung and then you dig your own hole because you&#39;re gone,&quot;&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;told his court-martial, referring to the founder of the secretive state.

Soga was allowed to return to Japan in 2002 and&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;followed with their two North Korean-born daughters in 2004.

After serving a token 30-day sentence for desertion,&nbsp;Jenkins&nbsp;moved with his family to Sado, Soga&#39;s rural hometown, late in 2004. He subsequently worked in a gift shop and wrote a book about his experiences in North Korea.

A Sado town official confirmed his death but could give no further details.

At an emotional court martial in Japan in 2004,?Charles Robert Jenkins?-- who had never gone to high school -- said he deserted to avoid hazardous duty in South Korea and escape combat in Vietnam

A US soldier who deserted to North Korea more than half a century ago, but who was eventually allowed to leave the secretive state, has died in Japan aged 77. One of the Cold War's strangest dramas began in 1965 when Charles Robert Jenkins, then a 24-year-old army sergeant nicknamed "Scooter" from tiny Rich Square in North Carolina, disappeared one January night while on patrol near the demilitarised zone between the two Koreas. At an emotional court martial in Japan in 2004, Jenkins - who had never gone to high school - said he deserted to avoid hazardous duty in South Korea and escape combat in Vietnam. You don't say no to North Korea. You say one thing bad about Kim Il-sung and then you dig your own hole because you're gone,' Jenkins told his court-martial, referring to the founder of the secretive state × "It was Christmas time, it was also cold and dark. I started to drink alcohol. I never had drunk so much alcohol," he said in a thick Southern accent, choking back sobs. He drank 10 beers, took his men on patrol and told them to wait while he checked the road below. He then walked towards North Korea, holding a rifle with a white t-shirt tied around it. He said he had planned to go to Russia and turn himself in and had not expected North Korea to keep him. While in North Korea, where he taught English to soldiers and portrayed an evil US spy in a propaganda film, Jenkins met and married Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman 20 years his junior who had been kidnapped by North Korea to help train spies. Fear for his safety and the family he built with Soga made it impossible to refuse any demands made on him, Jenkins said. "You don't say no to North Korea. You say one thing bad about Kim Il-sung and then you dig your own hole because you're gone," Jenkins told his court-martial, referring to the founder of the secretive state. Soga was allowed to return to Japan in 2002 and Jenkins followed with their two North Korean-born daughters in 2004. After serving a token 30-day sentence for desertion, Jenkins moved with his family to Sado, Soga's rural hometown, late in 2004. He subsequently worked in a gift shop and wrote a book about his experiences in North Korea. A Sado town official confirmed his death but could give no further details.

US soldier who defected to North Korea in 1965 dies

A court in Vietnam on Thursday upheld a 10-year jail sentence for a prominent blogger convicted of publishing propaganda against the state, her lawyer said, the latest move in a crackdown on critics of the one-party state.

Despite sweeping economic reform and increasing openness towards social change, including gay, lesbian and transgender rights, Vietnam&#39;s ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism.

In recent months, it has targeted critics whose voices have been amplified by social media in a country that ranks among Facebook&#39;s top ten, in terms of users.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-blogger-sentenced-to-10-year-prison-over-a-facebook-post-18318">Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 37, known as &quot;Me Nam&quot; (Mother Mushroom)</a>, who gained prominence for blogging about environmental issues and deaths in police custody, was found guilty in June for distributing what police called anti-state reports.

A court in the central city of Nha Trang upheld Quynh&#39;s sentence, one of her lawyers said.

&quot;This sentence is not objective and is unfair,&quot; Ha Huy Son told Reuters by telephone. &quot;Quynh said she is innocent and she carried out her right as a citizen.&quot;

Her mother was denied access to the hearing, he added. The mother could not immediately be reached for comment.

In March 2009, Quynh spent nine days in police detention for receiving funds from Viet Tan, a California-based activist group which Vietnam calls a terrorist group, to print T-shirts with slogans against a major bauxite project, police said.

Quynh has also spoken out against a subsidiary of Taiwan&#39;s Formosa Plastics Corp that caused one of Vietnam&#39;s biggest environmental disasters in April.

On Monday a prominent rights lawyer who has represented Quynh said the bar federation in the southcentral province of Phu Yen had revoked his licence to practice law just days before Quynh&#39;s appeal hearing.

Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 37, was found guilty in June for distributing what police called anti-state reports

A court in Vietnam on Thursday upheld a 10-year jail sentence for a prominent blogger convicted of publishing propaganda against the state, her lawyer said, the latest move in a crackdown on critics of the one-party state. Despite sweeping economic reform and increasing openness towards social change, including gay, lesbian and transgender rights, Vietnam's ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism. In recent months, it has targeted critics whose voices have been amplified by social media in a country that ranks among Facebook's top ten, in terms of users. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 37, known as "Me Nam" (Mother Mushroom), who gained prominence for blogging about environmental issues and deaths in police custody, was found guilty in June for distributing what police called anti-state reports. A court in the central city of Nha Trang upheld Quynh's sentence, one of her lawyers said. "This sentence is not objective and is unfair," Ha Huy Son told Reuters by telephone. "Quynh said she is innocent and she carried out her right as a citizen." Her mother was denied access to the hearing, he added. The mother could not immediately be reached for comment. In March 2009, Quynh spent nine days in police detention for receiving funds from Viet Tan, a California-based activist group which Vietnam calls a terrorist group, to print T-shirts with slogans against a major bauxite project, police said. Quynh has also spoken out against a subsidiary of Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corp that caused one of Vietnam's biggest environmental disasters in April. On Monday a prominent rights lawyer who has represented Quynh said the bar federation in the southcentral province of Phu Yen had revoked his licence to practice law just days before Quynh's appeal hearing.

Vietnam court upholds prominent blogger's 10-year jail term, lawyer says

Vietnam and the United States signed a series of energy and aviation deals Sunday during a visit to Hanoi by US president Donald Trump, who railed against Washington&#39;s yawning trade deficit with the fast-growing nation.

Trump was in the communist capital at the tail-end of his swing through Asia where he has promoted his &quot;America First&quot; mantra on global trade -- prioritising &quot;fair&quot; bilateral deals over sprawling multilateral pacts.&nbsp;

Several agreements were signed during his state visit Sunday, including those covering the natural gas sector, transport and aviation.&nbsp;

National carrier Vietnam Airlines signed a deal worth $1.5 billion for engines and support services from US firm Pratt &amp; Whitney.

&quot;(The agreement) will further reinforce the important economic, trade and investment partnership between Vietnam and the United States,&quot; airline CEO Duong Tri Thanh said in a statement.&nbsp;

Low-budget Vietnamese carrier VietJet, best known for its bikini-clad flight attendants, also signed a deal for engines and maintenance services with Pratt &amp; Whitney worth $600 million.

Trump is seeking to boost exports of American goods and services as part of a campaign pledge. He won office with strong support from blue-collar US workers.

He has accused Vietnam and China, two key Asian manufacturing hubs, of stealing American jobs and blamed previous US administrations for allowing trade deficits to grow unchecked.

On Sunday Trump again complained about the United States&#39; gaping trade deficit with Vietnam, worth $32 billion in 2016.

&quot;We have to get rid of the trading imbalance, we can&#39;t have a trade imbalance,&quot; he said at the beginning of a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

&quot;We have to take care of American companies and we have to take care of American workers,&quot; he added, in comments likely to play well with his base back home.

American energy firms Alaska Gasline Development Corporation and AES Corporation also signed deals Sunday, along with US truck company Navistar, though no details were provided.&nbsp;

Vietnam has eagerly sought to drum up trade and investment with the United States since Trump came to power, especially after he withdrew from the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal from which Vietnam stood to gain enormously.&nbsp;

The US is a leading export market for Vietnam, whose booming manufacturing sector has largely driven dizzying economic growth in recent years.

US exports to Vietnam have soared in the past decade, increasing ninefold to more than $10 billion in 2016, according to the US Trade Representative. Vietnam&#39;s exports to the United States over the same period rose around fivefold.

(Also See: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-vietnam-offers-to-mediate-on-south-china-sea-dispute-24021">Trump in Vietnam offers to &#39;mediate&#39; in South China Sea dispute</a>)

Vietnam and the United States signed a series of energy and aviation deals Sunday during a visit to Hanoi by US president Donald Trump, who railed against Washington's yawning trade deficit with the fast-growing nation.

Vietnam and the United States signed a series of energy and aviation deals Sunday during a visit to Hanoi by US president Donald Trump, who railed against Washington's yawning trade deficit with the fast-growing nation. Trump was in the communist capital at the tail-end of his swing through Asia where he has promoted his "America First" mantra on global trade -- prioritising "fair" bilateral deals over sprawling multilateral pacts. Several agreements were signed during his state visit Sunday, including those covering the natural gas sector, transport and aviation. National carrier Vietnam Airlines signed a deal worth $1.5 billion for engines and support services from US firm Pratt & Whitney. "(The agreement) will further reinforce the important economic, trade and investment partnership between Vietnam and the United States," airline CEO Duong Tri Thanh said in a statement. Low-budget Vietnamese carrier VietJet, best known for its bikini-clad flight attendants, also signed a deal for engines and maintenance services with Pratt & Whitney worth $600 million. Trump is seeking to boost exports of American goods and services as part of a campaign pledge. He won office with strong support from blue-collar US workers. He has accused Vietnam and China, two key Asian manufacturing hubs, of stealing American jobs and blamed previous US administrations for allowing trade deficits to grow unchecked. On Sunday Trump again complained about the United States' gaping trade deficit with Vietnam, worth $32 billion in 2016. "We have to get rid of the trading imbalance, we can't have a trade imbalance," he said at the beginning of a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. "We have to take care of American companies and we have to take care of American workers," he added, in comments likely to play well with his base back home. American energy firms Alaska Gasline Development Corporation and AES Corporation also signed deals Sunday, along with US truck company Navistar, though no details were provided. Vietnam has eagerly sought to drum up trade and investment with the United States since Trump came to power, especially after he withdrew from the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal from which Vietnam stood to gain enormously. The US is a leading export market for Vietnam, whose booming manufacturing sector has largely driven dizzying economic growth in recent years. US exports to Vietnam have soared in the past decade, increasing ninefold to more than $10 billion in 2016, according to the US Trade Representative. Vietnam's exports to the United States over the same period rose around fivefold. (Also See: Trump in Vietnam offers to 'mediate' in South China Sea dispute)

Trump rails at Vietnam trade imbalance as deals signed in Hanoi

US President Donald Trump will not hold a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam, the White House said Friday after the two countries sent mixed messages about the encounter.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump&#39;s former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials -a charge Moscow denies.

Both leaders are attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the city of Danang and there had been conflicting indications as to whether a face-to-face was on the cards.

&quot;Regarding a Putin meeting, there was never a meeting confirmed, and there will not be one that takes place due to scheduling conflicts on both sides,&quot; press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters just before Air Force One touched down in the Vietnamese beach resort city.

However, Moscow on Friday was holding out for a potential meeting between the two leaders, who will be in Vietnam for the next two days.

&quot;There is no clarity yet,&quot; Putin&#39;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, adding that officials were &quot;continuing&quot; attempts to agree on a meeting.

Both Moscow and Trump had previously suggested that talks were likely to take place.

On Sunday the US president said &quot;it&#39;s expected we&#39;ll meet with Putin&quot; to discuss North Korea&#39;s nuclear ambitions.

Four days later Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian news agencies that the two would hold a meeting in Vietnam with the time and place still to be determined.

But hours later US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said no decision had been made on talks, which would be the first between the two men since they met at the G20 summit in Germany in July.

Trump&#39;s relationship with Moscow has haunted the first year of his administration.

His former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia.

Russia has denied allegations of interfering in the US election last year that brought Trump to power.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump's former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials -a charge Moscow denies

US President Donald Trump will not hold a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam, the White House said Friday after the two countries sent mixed messages about the encounter. Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump's former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials -a charge Moscow denies. Both leaders are attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the city of Danang and there had been conflicting indications as to whether a face-to-face was on the cards. "Regarding a Putin meeting, there was never a meeting confirmed, and there will not be one that takes place due to scheduling conflicts on both sides," press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters just before Air Force One touched down in the Vietnamese beach resort city. However, Moscow on Friday was holding out for a potential meeting between the two leaders, who will be in Vietnam for the next two days. "There is no clarity yet," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, adding that officials were "continuing" attempts to agree on a meeting. Both Moscow and Trump had previously suggested that talks were likely to take place. On Sunday the US president said "it's expected we'll meet with Putin" to discuss North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Four days later Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told Russian news agencies that the two would hold a meeting in Vietnam with the time and place still to be determined. But hours later US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said no decision had been made on talks, which would be the first between the two men since they met at the G20 summit in Germany in July. Trump's relationship with Moscow has haunted the first year of his administration. His former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia. Russia has denied allegations of interfering in the US election last year that brought Trump to power.

Trump will not meet with Putin in Vietnam: White House

U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Vietnam on Friday for a summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) nations, the fourth leg of his 12-day Asia trip.

The White House has said Trump will set out a US vision for a &ldquo;free and open Indo-Pacific region&rdquo; in a speech in the beach resort of Danang.

Trump arrived from China, where he praised Chinese leader Xi Jinping as &ldquo;highly respected&rdquo; and Chinese media had declared the visit had set a &ldquo;new blueprint&rdquo; for handling US-China relations and differences.

The White House has said Trump will set out a US vision for a 'free and open Indo-Pacific region' in a speech in the beach resort of Danang

U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Vietnam on Friday for a summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) nations, the fourth leg of his 12-day Asia trip. The White House has said Trump will set out a US vision for a “free and open Indo-Pacific region” in a speech in the beach resort of Danang. Trump arrived from China, where he praised Chinese leader Xi Jinping as “highly respected” and Chinese media had declared the visit had set a “new blueprint” for handling US-China relations and differences.

Trump arrives in Vietnam for summit of Asia-Pacific leaders

The death toll from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/27-dead-as-typhoon-damrey-batters-vietnam-23533" target="_blank">typhoon that struck Vietnam</a> at the weekend has risen to at least 49, the government said on Monday.

After Typhoon Damrey&#39;s winds tore off roofs, felled trees and ripped up electricity poles, heavy rains brought floods to central Vietnam just days before the region is due to host the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.

The Communist state&rsquo;s Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention said 49 people had been killed and 27 were missing. It did not say how the victims died, but said most casualties were in Khan Hoa province near the city of Nha Trang, where the storm made landfall on Saturday.

Nearly 2,000 homes had collapsed and more than 80,000 had been damaged, it said. Roads that had been flooded or washed away caused traffic jams across several provinces.

In Danang, authorities called on soldiers and local people to clean up after the rains so that the beach resort would be ready for delegates to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeetings, which started on Monday.

Although the rain continued, organisers said the schedule had not been disrupted.

Danang will host U.S. President Donald Trump from Nov. 10, as well as China&rsquo;s President Xi Jinping, Russia&rsquo;s President Vladimir Putin and counterparts from other APEC members.

The storm moved from the coastal area into a key coffee-growing region of the world&rsquo;s biggest producer of robusta coffee beans. The typhoon had damaged some coffee trees at the start of the harvest season, farm officials said. But farmers in Daklak, the heart of the region, said the damage was limited.

Floods killed more than 80 people in northern Vietnam last month, while a typhoon wreaked havoc in central provinces in September. The country of more than 90 million people is prone to destructive storms and flooding due to its long coastline.

After Typhoon Damrey's winds tore off roofs, felled trees and ripped up electricity poles, heavy rains brought floods to central Vietnam just days before the region is due to host the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders

The death toll from the typhoon that struck Vietnam at the weekend has risen to at least 49, the government said on Monday. After Typhoon Damrey's winds tore off roofs, felled trees and ripped up electricity poles, heavy rains brought floods to central Vietnam just days before the region is due to host the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders. The Communist state’s Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention said 49 people had been killed and 27 were missing. It did not say how the victims died, but said most casualties were in Khan Hoa province near the city of Nha Trang, where the storm made landfall on Saturday. Nearly 2,000 homes had collapsed and more than 80,000 had been damaged, it said. Roads that had been flooded or washed away caused traffic jams across several provinces. In Danang, authorities called on soldiers and local people to clean up after the rains so that the beach resort would be ready for delegates to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeetings, which started on Monday. Although the rain continued, organisers said the schedule had not been disrupted. Danang will host U.S. President Donald Trump from Nov. 10, as well as China’s President Xi Jinping, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and counterparts from other APEC members. The storm moved from the coastal area into a key coffee-growing region of the world’s biggest producer of robusta coffee beans. The typhoon had damaged some coffee trees at the start of the harvest season, farm officials said. But farmers in Daklak, the heart of the region, said the damage was limited. Floods killed more than 80 people in northern Vietnam last month, while a typhoon wreaked havoc in central provinces in September. The country of more than 90 million people is prone to destructive storms and flooding due to its long coastline.

Death toll from Vietnam storm nears 50

At least 27 people have died and nearly two dozen are missing after Typhoon Damrey barrelled into Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, damaging tens of thousands of homes and submerging highways days before the country welcomes world leaders to the APEC summit.&nbsp;

The storm, which made landfall on Saturday, is the worst in decades to strike the country&#39;s southern coastal region, an area normally spared the typhoons that usually hit further north.

More than 40,000 homes were damaged as heavy rains and 130 kph (80 mph) winds tore through the area, leaving 27 dead and 22 reported missing, according to the disaster management office.

Coastal Khanh Hoa province, home to the popular white sand Nha Trang beach, was hardest hit with 16 dead and 10 injured, the government said.

More than 30,000 people, including foreign tourists, were evacuated from the area ahead of the storm.&nbsp;

Photos showed residents wading through knee-deep floodwater, as toppled electricity poles and trees blocked roads.

Some 300 ships were wrecked, according to the government, while local authorities said Phu Yen Province&#39;s Tuy Hoa city had never suffered such devastation before.

There were also reports of minor damage around 500 kilometers north in Danang, the coastal city which will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next weekend.

A local resident told that strong winds and rain had torn down signs promoting the APEC gathering, which will bring together leaders including US President Donald Trump and China&#39;s Xi Jinping.

It will be Trump&#39;s first visit as president to the Southeast Asian nation.&nbsp;

&quot;Now city people are joining hands with authorities to clean up the mess to make the city look nicer for the APEC week,&quot; said Tran Huy, as dark clouds loomed above.

An hour&#39;s drive south in Hoi An, an atmospheric port city and a popular stop on Vietnam&#39;s tourist circuit, a local resident said floodwater was up to 1.5 metres in some parts of town.

&quot;Water has started to rise in the Old Quarter,&quot; resident Dinh Thi Xuan Hoa told the state-run VNExpress, referring to a section of the city recognised as a World Heritage site for its architecture.

&quot;Foreign tourists were transferred by boats to hotels in the higher area,&quot; she added.&nbsp;

The spouses of some APEC leaders are scheduled to pay a visit to Hoi An next week, according to the culture ministry.&nbsp;

Vietnam has been pummelled by a dozen major storms since the start of 2017, with at least 240 people reported dead or missing in floods and landslides.

Some 80 were killed in the weeks after Typhoon Doksuri battered central provinces in September, destroying thousands of homes and triggering severe floods.&nbsp;

The World Bank said natural disasters have killed more than 13,000 people and caused more than $6.4 billion in property damage to Vietnam over the past two decades.

At least 27 people have died and nearly two dozen are missing after Typhoon Damrey barrelled into Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, damaging tens of thousands of homes and submerging highways days before the country welcomes world leaders to the APEC summit.?

At least 27 people have died and nearly two dozen are missing after Typhoon Damrey barrelled into Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, damaging tens of thousands of homes and submerging highways days before the country welcomes world leaders to the APEC summit. The storm, which made landfall on Saturday, is the worst in decades to strike the country's southern coastal region, an area normally spared the typhoons that usually hit further north. More than 40,000 homes were damaged as heavy rains and 130 kph (80 mph) winds tore through the area, leaving 27 dead and 22 reported missing, according to the disaster management office. Coastal Khanh Hoa province, home to the popular white sand Nha Trang beach, was hardest hit with 16 dead and 10 injured, the government said. More than 30,000 people, including foreign tourists, were evacuated from the area ahead of the storm. Photos showed residents wading through knee-deep floodwater, as toppled electricity poles and trees blocked roads. Some 300 ships were wrecked, according to the government, while local authorities said Phu Yen Province's Tuy Hoa city had never suffered such devastation before. There were also reports of minor damage around 500 kilometers north in Danang, the coastal city which will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next weekend. A local resident told that strong winds and rain had torn down signs promoting the APEC gathering, which will bring together leaders including US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping. It will be Trump's first visit as president to the Southeast Asian nation. "Now city people are joining hands with authorities to clean up the mess to make the city look nicer for the APEC week," said Tran Huy, as dark clouds loomed above. An hour's drive south in Hoi An, an atmospheric port city and a popular stop on Vietnam's tourist circuit, a local resident said floodwater was up to 1.5 metres in some parts of town. "Water has started to rise in the Old Quarter," resident Dinh Thi Xuan Hoa told the state-run VNExpress, referring to a section of the city recognised as a World Heritage site for its architecture. "Foreign tourists were transferred by boats to hotels in the higher area," she added. The spouses of some APEC leaders are scheduled to pay a visit to Hoi An next week, according to the culture ministry. Vietnam has been pummelled by a dozen major storms since the start of 2017, with at least 240 people reported dead or missing in floods and landslides. Some 80 were killed in the weeks after Typhoon Doksuri battered central provinces in September, destroying thousands of homes and triggering severe floods. The World Bank said natural disasters have killed more than 13,000 people and caused more than $6.4 billion in property damage to Vietnam over the past two decades.

27 dead as Typhoon Damrey batters Vietnam

The death toll from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/floods-landslides-in-vietnam-kill-37-people-thousands-evacuated-21322" target="_blank">devastating floods and landslides in the north and central Vietnam</a> has jumped to 54, officials said Friday, in one of the deadliest weather disasters to hit the country in years.

Rescuers were desperately searching for 39 people still missing after heavy rains pounded several provinces this week, with forecasters warning of another major storm heading toward the country.&nbsp;

This week&#39;s catastrophes destroyed thousands of properties and wiped out swathes of farmland, including outside Hanoi where part of a river dyke collapsed and flooded nearby communities. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Our whole village lost all our fish and vegetables in the water,&quot; 63-year-old farmer Ngo Van Thanh told state-controlled VNExpress.

Villages, roads and homes across several provinces remained submerged Friday, as authorities tried to clear roads and reach isolated residents in the mountainous north, which was hit by deadly landslides.&nbsp;

Northern Hoa Binh province -- where a state of emergency was declared this week -- was the hardest hit with 17 dead and 15 missing, followed by central Thanh Hoa province where 14 were killed, Vietnam&#39;s Disaster Management Authority said.

Thousands of police and soldiers were deployed to help search efforts, reinforce dykes and hand out food as the death toll jumped from 37 people on Thursday. &nbsp;

Vietnam has already been hit by severe rain and storms this year, with nearly 170 people dead or missing before the latest bout of bad weather. Typhoon Doksuri killed 11 people and caused widespread destruction last month when it slammed into central Vietnam. &nbsp;

The country is routinely hit by tropical storms from May to October, frequently lashing its central coast. More than 150 people died when Tropical Storm Ketsana tore through the country in 2009. &nbsp;

This week's catastrophes destroyed thousands of properties and wiped out swathes of farmland, including outside Hanoi where part of a river dyke collapsed and flooded nearby communities

The death toll from devastating floods and landslides in the north and central Vietnam has jumped to 54, officials said Friday, in one of the deadliest weather disasters to hit the country in years. Rescuers were desperately searching for 39 people still missing after heavy rains pounded several provinces this week, with forecasters warning of another major storm heading toward the country. This week's catastrophes destroyed thousands of properties and wiped out swathes of farmland, including outside Hanoi where part of a river dyke collapsed and flooded nearby communities. "Our whole village lost all our fish and vegetables in the water," 63-year-old farmer Ngo Van Thanh told state-controlled VNExpress. Villages, roads and homes across several provinces remained submerged Friday, as authorities tried to clear roads and reach isolated residents in the mountainous north, which was hit by deadly landslides. Northern Hoa Binh province -- where a state of emergency was declared this week -- was the hardest hit with 17 dead and 15 missing, followed by central Thanh Hoa province where 14 were killed, Vietnam's Disaster Management Authority said. Thousands of police and soldiers were deployed to help search efforts, reinforce dykes and hand out food as the death toll jumped from 37 people on Thursday. Vietnam has already been hit by severe rain and storms this year, with nearly 170 people dead or missing before the latest bout of bad weather. Typhoon Doksuri killed 11 people and caused widespread destruction last month when it slammed into central Vietnam. The country is routinely hit by tropical storms from May to October, frequently lashing its central coast. More than 150 people died when Tropical Storm Ketsana tore through the country in 2009.

Vietnam flood and landslide toll hits 54

&nbsp;A court in&nbsp;Vietnam&nbsp;jailed&nbsp;dissident&nbsp;Nguyen Van Oai for a further&nbsp;five&nbsp;years&nbsp;on Monday for violating the terms of his probation after a spell in prison, his lawyer said.

Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the Communist-ruled country&#39;s biggest crackdown&nbsp;on&nbsp;activists&nbsp;in&nbsp;years.

Oai, 36, was arrested in January while on probation after a 2013 sentence for activities aimed at overthrowing the government. He had been released in 2015.

On Monday, the people&#39;s court in Nghe An, central&nbsp;Vietnam, also found him guilty of resisting security personnel in performing their duty. He was given another four&nbsp;years&nbsp;on probation as well as the prison sentence.

&quot;Oai said he was innocent and he would appeal,&quot; his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, told Reuters.

The court made no immediate comment.

Despite sweeping economic reforms and growing openness to social change,&nbsp;Vietnam&#39;s Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism.

Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the Communist-ruled country's biggest crackdown?on?activists?in?years.

A court in Vietnam jailed dissident Nguyen Van Oai for a further five years on Monday for violating the terms of his probation after a spell in prison, his lawyer said. Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the Communist-ruled country's biggest crackdown on activists in years. Oai, 36, was arrested in January while on probation after a 2013 sentence for activities aimed at overthrowing the government. He had been released in 2015. On Monday, the people's court in Nghe An, central Vietnam, also found him guilty of resisting security personnel in performing their duty. He was given another four years on probation as well as the prison sentence. "Oai said he was innocent and he would appeal," his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, told Reuters. The court made no immediate comment. Despite sweeping economic reforms and growing openness to social change, Vietnam's Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism.

Vietnam jails dissident in crackdown on activists

The Vietnam government imprisoned a 37-year-old woman activist, Tran Thi&nbsp;Nga, holding her&nbsp;guilty of&nbsp;criticising the country&#39;s leadership over a Facebook post.&nbsp;

Thi Nga, a mother of four kids, was charged under Vietnam&rsquo;s Article 88, for &quot;spreading propaganda against the state&quot;. The government also charged her for producing&nbsp;videos supporting her campaign against environmental pollution, police brutality and illegal land confiscation.&nbsp;

The Vietnamese Communist Party has ruled the country for almost 43 years now and has very little patience when it comes to freedom of expression.&nbsp;

Tran Thi Nga began her human rights activism after being mistreated at her previous job&nbsp;in Taiwan. She began working as a housemaid at the age of 20 and it was only after changing several jobs did she realise&nbsp;the hardships and ill treatment involved in her chosen occupation.

Back in her country, Thi Nga began her crusade against oppression&nbsp;faced by people who worked as housemaids. However, her efforts have landed her in prison as she was ordered to serve a nine-year sentence, followed by five years of probation.&nbsp;

Earlier in June, another woman blogger named Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, a human rights activist was sentenced to a&nbsp;10-year prison term on the similar charges.&nbsp;

The two arrests have infuriated human rights organizations in Vietnam which now believes that people can no longer criticise the government in the country.&nbsp;

According to a report, Amnesty International, a human rights organization in the UK attacked the Vietnam government and said:&nbsp;&ldquo;The government is destroying the lives of brave individuals and their families simply to intimidate others from raising their voice.&rdquo;

The &#39;Human Rights Watch&#39; has also demanded her release.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Vietnamese activist <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TranThiNga?src=hash">#TranThiNga</a> sentenced to 9 years in one-day trial. 
Chilling warning to dissidents<a href="https://t.co/3qYzE1q6NL">https://t.co/3qYzE1q6NL</a> <a href="https://t.co/xmjgO8mYvG">pic.twitter.com/xmjgO8mYvG</a>
&mdash; Human Rights Watch (@hrw) <a href="https://twitter.com/hrw/status/890455713797025792">July 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Thi Nga, a mother of four kids, was charged under Vietnam?s Article 88, for 'spreading propaganda against the state'.

The Vietnam government imprisoned a 37-year-old woman activist, Tran Thi Nga, holding her guilty of criticising the country's leadership over a Facebook post. Thi Nga, a mother of four kids, was charged under Vietnam’s Article 88, for "spreading propaganda against the state". The government also charged her for producing videos supporting her campaign against environmental pollution, police brutality and illegal land confiscation. The Vietnamese Communist Party has ruled the country for almost 43 years now and has very little patience when it comes to freedom of expression. Tran Thi Nga began her human rights activism after being mistreated at her previous job in Taiwan. She began working as a housemaid at the age of 20 and it was only after changing several jobs did she realise the hardships and ill treatment involved in her chosen occupation. Back in her country, Thi Nga began her crusade against oppression faced by people who worked as housemaids. However, her efforts have landed her in prison as she was ordered to serve a nine-year sentence, followed by five years of probation. Earlier in June, another woman blogger named Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, a human rights activist was sentenced to a 10-year prison term on the similar charges. The two arrests have infuriated human rights organizations in Vietnam which now believes that people can no longer criticise the government in the country. According to a report, Amnesty International, a human rights organization in the UK attacked the Vietnam government and said: “The government is destroying the lives of brave individuals and their families simply to intimidate others from raising their voice.” The 'Human Rights Watch' has also demanded her release. Vietnamese activist #TranThiNga sentenced to 9 years in one-day trial. Chilling warning to dissidentshttps://t.co/3qYzE1q6NL pic.twitter.com/xmjgO8mYvG — Human Rights Watch (@hrw) July 27, 2017 ×

Vietnam: Woman blogger gets nine-year prison term over Facebook post

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