Politics

Protecting living environment, people's health - top goal of Vietnam: spokesperson

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has reiterated Vietnam's consistent stance that protecting the living environment and people's health is always the top goal, without sacrificing the environment for economic growth, in response to the information that some US congressmen sent a letter of protest to the Taiwanese (China) authorities saying Vietnam's handling of the Formosa case was not satisfactory.
Protecting living environment, people's health - top goal of Vietnam: spokesperson ảnh 1Fishermen and border guards collect and bury dead fish washed ashore in 2016. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has reiterated Vietnam's consistent stance that protecting the living environment and people's health is always the topgoal, without sacrificing the environment for economic growth, in response to the information that someUS congressmen sent a letter of protest to the Taiwanese (China) authoritiessaying Vietnam's handling of the Formosa case was not satisfactory.

The official stated that Vietnam is determined to eliminatesprojects that cause environmental pollution, ensure the quality of the livingenvironment, protect biodiversity and ecosystems, and build a green, circular,and environmentally friendly economy.

According to her, immediately after a marine environmentalincident taking place in four central provinces of Vietnam in 2016, the Party,Government, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers drastically directed relevantministries, sectors and localities to work on the case, investigate the causes and deploy concerted solutions to tackle the incident and stabilise the lives of people in the affectedareas.

In the face of clear scientific evidence, the Hung NghiepFormosa Ha Tinh iron and steel company limited accepted responsibility forcompensating damages according to regulations, and apologised to the people andGovernment of Vietnam.

Under the PM’s assignment and direction, the Ministry ofNatural Resources and Environment (MONRE) established a supervisory council andan inter-sectoral supervision group to monitor Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh’s work to address the consequences of the marine environmental incident in the four central provinces.

Between July 2016 and now, the council and group have closely monitored and conducted periodical and irregular inspections of thecompany’s implementation of its environment protection commitments, the spokesperson said, adding that the PM alsoissued a decision approving a scheme on determining the damage, providing compensation, supporting the restoration of production, and ensuring social security forpeople affected by the marine environmental incident in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, QuangTri, and Thua Thien – Hue provinces.

Hang said according to the MONRE’s latest report, after six years of conductingthe inter-sectoral monitoring mechanism, the company’s remedy of violations hasbeen completed and its commitments on environmental protection have been fullyimplemented. Currently, the firm’s production activities as well as the livesof people in the area have returned to normal./.  
VNA
#Foreign Ministry spokesperson #Le Thi Thu Hang #environmental protection #Formosa #vietnam #vietnam news agency #vietnamplus Vietnam
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