B: In our office, Tet means a lot more work than usual. We are completing special productions for the biggest celebration of the year, so our studios will be busy recording programs late into the evening.

A: In addition to our broadcast work, the VOV staff has been devoting time to charity work, in the national tradition of “haves helping have-nots”. Tet is a sacred celebration and fortunate people want to share their luck, prosperity, and compassion with others.

Children at Huoi Moi 2 primary school

B: VOV’s Youth Union and Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) gave Tet gifts to50 children at Huồi Mới 2 primary school, Nghe An province. It’s one of 6 schools that VOV and Vinalines helped build in 2016.

A: We went there a week before Tet because we wanted to create for the children a Tet atmosphere with new, warm clothes, confectioneries, and traditional Tet food items. The trip helped young reporters understand what life is like in Vietnam’s remote mountain areas.

B: A group of VOV reporters and overseas Vietnamese delivered Tet gifts to children at centers for homeless and disabled children in Bac Kan and Cao Bang province. The gifts included confectionaries, milk, toys, and warm clothes.

The children have new coat and enjoy a meal with Tet dishes - Chung cake, pork paste, spring roll, and frozen meat.

A: If you’ve listened to our programs this month, you’ve heard a lot of stories about charity activities to help disadvantaged people. A charity market was held at Thong Nhat park in Hanoi to bring a warmer Tet to the poor.

B: The market gathered essential goods needed for Tet – clothes, confectioneries, candies, jams, pork pies, sticky rice, green beans, bamboo shoots, fish sauce, cooking oil, fruits, and household commodities.

A: The Vietnamese Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village in Son Tay district, Hanoi, with funding from philanthropists, prepared 2,000 Chung cakes and 1,000 confectionery boxes for  needy people, ethnic minority people, and disaster victims in Thua Thien-Hue and Lai Chau province.

B: These activities have spread love and compassion. Now let’s read letters and reports we received during the week. Ram Babu Kumar of India listened to VOV on January 31 on 7280 khz. He said the program started with very beautiful voices welcoming listeners to the Voice of Vietnam. The news, Current Affairs, and the Letter Box were informative and interesting.

A: Here I have greetings from Mahesh Jain, an Indian Dx’er: “I really liked the broadcast with a touch of sports activities involving Vietnam's football player Tien Dung, who emerged as a hero. It is indeed a double happiness for Vietnam as well as the global listener community of VOV. It is also good news that VOV has organized listeners’ meetings. I hope some day you will organize a listeners’ meeting in India. Thanks again for making my day by including my letter on World Radio Day in the program on January 24.”

B: Richard Lemke of Canada told us that he has received several QSL cards and VOV souvenirs – a wooden lady figurine and a wall calendar for 2018. We’re glad to know that you’ve got our gifts and QSL cards to add to your Dx’ing collection. 

A: We welcome Goutam Mandal’s return to his Dx’ing hobby and listening to VOV after a long break.  We’ll send you our 2018 program schedule. Kalab Abbas of Pakistan said he appreciates our program because “VOV5 delivers news, views, and cultural shows from the heart of Vietnam. The Letter Box always keeps in touch with its loyal radio listeners and shares their opinions on air through the pleasant voices of the VOV5 presenters.” He added “Please play the bamboo flute in your listeners’ letters reply show.”

A: P.S. Sekar of India is one of our regular listeners. He asked us this week about the role Vietnam’s sea and islands play in its economy, specifically Ly Son island.

B: Vietnam has a 3,260km coastline,1 million square km of Exclusive Economic Zone, and over 3,000 islands. Vietnam’s28 coastal cities and provinces account for 41% of its land area and nearly half of its population. The sea and islands have become an important sector economically and militarily. With its huge potential, the government hopes to see the marine economy account for 53 to 55% of GDP.

A view from Ly Son island in Quang Ngai province

A: The marine economy includes seaports, beaches, coastal cities, sea economic zones, and logistics centers. Other offshore sectors are petroleum, aquaculture, tourism, logistics, and maritime transportation. Vietnam’s sea strategy to 2020 targets becoming strong and rich from a sea economy with sustainable development. Large islands like Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Truong Sa, Phu Quy, and Ly Son have upgraded their transportation, electricity, and communications infrastructure. Industrial parks, seaports, fishing ports, and tourism zones have been built along the coast from Quang Ninh to Ca Mau province for economic connectivity and national defense.

Ly Son island

B: Ly Son Island sits 30km off the coast of Quang Ngai province. Electronics shops, mobile phones, internet services, and power facilities have mushroomed on the island. Hotels, guest houses, restaurants, and tourism services have been rapidly developed as islanders seek prosperity from tourism rather than labor intensive farms.

A: Power plant shave ended the island’s dependence on electricity from the mainland. Speed-boats and cargo ships are tying the island closer to the mainland for trade, tourism, and investment.

B: It takes only an hour to travel by speed-boat from the island to Sa Ky port on the mainland. Trade with the island is increasing. There are now 109 hotels and guest houses and 56 homestay businesses providing 650 rooms to more than 1,000 tourists a day. 25 per cent of visitors to Quang  Ngai province also come to Ly Son Island.

A: Thanks to all you listeners for your feedback on our programs. We welcome your letters at: English Section, VOVWorld, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Our email address is englishsection@vov.org.vn. Thank you for listening. Please join us again next Wednesday for another edition of the Letter Box. Goodbye.