Pressing issues heat up Government’s press conference

Hanoi (VNA) – The hack on Vietnam Airlines’ website, Formosa’s illegal dumping of waste and preferential loans from China loans for highway building were hot topics at the Government’s regular press conference on August 2.

Regarding the Vietnam Airlines’ hack at 4pm on July 29, Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan said about two hours prior to the attack, the Vietnam Computer Emergency Response Team and his ministry’s Authority of Information Security issued a warning.

Shortly after the cyber-attack, they sent staff to Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports to deal with the problem, and the two airports resumed normal operations on August 1.

The ministry ordered all ministries, localities and major companies enhance information security, he said.

Tuan said the hackers issued a political message and proclaimed themselves 1937CN chen from China, but the group has denied any involvement.

An investigation is necessary to identify the perpetrators, he said, adding that Vietnam’s information safety is ensured but it needs better capacity to prevent similar hacks in the future.

Information safety cannot be secured if people depend solely on one technology or one business, and there are not any devices that users can completely put their trust in, he said with regard to some countries’ claims of Chinese telecom companies being information safety risks.

The ministry will examine and improve control of equipment at State agencies while setting up strict requirements for equipment procurement, he said.

The illegal dumping of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Co. Ltd’s waste in the central province of Ha Tinh was also brought up at the press conference.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said some waste samples had cyanide concentration exceeding the permissible level.

The dumping of waste, even non-toxic industrial waste, was illegal. The violation of the dumper, the Ky Anh environment company, was organised and serious, he said.

The environment ministry transferred the Ky Anh case to police for further investigation, and this firm will be stringently punished. Formosa also broke laws by not sorting waste and transferring waste to an incapable treatment company.

Ha said that Formosa releases many types of waste, so his ministry needs to examine the waste.

Two mobile laboratories have been sent to control Formosa’s waste and help it deal with wastewater system problems, he added.

On the Van Don – Mong Cai highway project in the northern province of Quang Ninh, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Dao Quang Thu said this is an important project that can boost socio-economic development in the province and region.

The Government wants funding for the project, which China suggested be part of the two countries’ cooperation.

However, the ministry wants discussions and negotiations on more issues, especially the selection of contractors and loan interest rates and conditions. It is looking for capital sources from China and other sources, Thu said.-VNA