DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “S. Korea plans to build city in Myanmar's Thilawa port” plus 9 more

YANGON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea has planned to build a city named Myanko in Myanmar's Thilawa Port, local media reported Friday.

Myanko means Myanmar-Korea cooperation.

S. Korea will invest 5 billion U.S dollars in the city building, the Biweekly Eleven said.

A delegation led by HANA International Inc. of S. Korea and Myanmar Minister of Transport U Nyan Tun Aung had discussion in August on investments for the all-round development of the special economic zone of Thilawa Port Terminal, and introduction of bio- fuel, wind power and solar power in projects for industrial development of the port area, according to an earlier report.

Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa (MITT) is a deep sea port, 25 km south of Yangon in Myanmar. The international multi- purpose container port, fully owned by Hutchison Port Holdings ( HPH), creates many job opportunities for local nationals.

Directing at the Thilawa port, a social economic zone law was promulgated in January this year, aimed at attracting more foreign investment to develop the country's economy. The enactment of the new special economic zone law came 23 years after Myanmar promulgated its first foreign investment law in November 1988.

In addition to the Thilawa Industrial Zone, Myanmar had earlier set up 18 local industrial zones across the country to encourage private sector to run industrial enterprises for the development of the industrial sector.

So far, a total of 9,574 private industrial enterprises are in operation there.

The 18 local industrial zones are Hlaingthaya, Shwepyitha, Shwelinpan, Shwepaukkan, North Okkalapa, South Okkalapa, Dagon Seikkan, East Dagon, South Dagon, North Dagon, Thakata, Mingaladong, Yangon, Wartayar, Pyin Mapyin, Thatukan, Thit Ahchaykan and  Myaungdakar.

Myanmar's industrial sector contributes about 20 percent to the gross domestic product and private sector's contribution to the industrial sector stands at 92.36 percent, statistics show.

BRUSSELS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- NATO's airstrikes targeting an armed convoy in Sirte on Thursday likely contributed to Gaddafi's capture, an official said on Friday.

"At the time of the strike, we did not know that Gaddafi was in the convoy. We later learned that Gaddafi was in the convoy. Therefore the strike likely contributed to his capture," the official told Xinhua.

"We targeted an armed convoy, which was a legitimate military target...NATO does not target individuals and Gaddafi was not the target of this operation," he said.

NATO aircraft struck two pro-Gaddafi forces military vehicles at approximately 8:30 local time (0630 GMT) on Thursday when they fled Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte.

 BRUSSELS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- NATO airstrikes targeting an armed convoy in Sirte on Thursday likely contributed to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's capture, an official told Xinhua on Friday.

PARIS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- NATO's military operation in Libya can call an end now that Muammar Gaddafi was killed, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe was quoted by local media on Friday.

"I think we can say that the military operation is finished, that the whole of Libyan territory is under the control of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and that, subject to a few transitory measures in the week to come, the NATO operation has arrived at its end," Juppe said to Europe 1 radio from India during an official visit.

On Thursday night, Juppe said NATO operation in Libya arrived its moment to leave when the NTC claimed the liberation of all Libyan territory.

The coalition's goal was not to kill Gaddafi but "to force him to abandon power," Juppe added, expecting the NTC to capture him and judge him.

According to the NTC, a French aircraft hindered Gaddafi's convoy from escaping by firing and helped the capture of the ousted Libyan strongman.

Libyan transitional authority announced Gaddafi's death on Thursday, which deemed by several big powers, including the United States, Britain and France a major step to democracy and reconciliation in Libya where Gaddafi had ruled for 42 years.

Xi'AN, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- City planners are taking advantage of a horticulture expo to promote public awareness of environmental protection in the city of Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Exhibitions that showcase environmentally friendly ways of processing waste, a pavilion that demonstrates an energy-saving water recycling system and works of art that promote the frugal use of natural resources are on display at the ongoing International Horticultural Exposition in in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi.

"By using visible 'green exhibits,' we hope to send an invisible message to the public of what eco-friendly technology and lifestyles should be like. Hopefully, visitors will take a hint from these examples," said He Hongxing, a professor at the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology.

Public awareness for environmental protection and ecological preservation is especially important in Shaanxi, which is home to a large portion of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River. The region is prone to ecological disasters that are caused by human activity, said He, who is also the former head of the Xi'an City Planning Bureau.

More than 15 million tourists have already visited the 178-day expo, which will conclude on Oct. 22. Although no statistics are available regarding the number of local residents who have visited the expo, He said he believes its impact on local ecological awareness should not be underestimated.

To ensure that visitors to the expo park are exposed to a variety of "green" technology, gardening artists and architects have been encouraged to use materials that are renewable and environmentally friendly, according to Huang Liwen, senior designer at the expo park design office.

One example is the Chang'an Tower, a 99-meter-tall Chinese-style pagoda designed by architect Zhang Jinqiu that has served as one of the expo's landmarks.

The skeleton of the structure is out of steel and recyclable glass that can be disassembled and reused, while its air-conditioning system features a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) that fewer less greenhouse gases.

The site of the expo park itself is a demonstration of the ways in which the ecology of areas that have been badly damaged by human activity can be restored, said Ma Naixi, a professor from the Department of Environmental Science at Northwest University.

The expo is being held near Guangyun Lake, which used to be a key seaport during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). However, the lake itself disappeared many years ago, and has largely been used as a landfill since then, according to Cheng Bin, a local resident and vice general manager of the Xi'an International Horticultural Park Co.

In January 2005, the city began to refurbish the lake, channeling water from a local river to fill sand pits and planting trees. The area is now carpeted in flowers and other greenery.

"By turning this wasteland into an ecological city and a site for such a large-scale expo, we hope that both the city and the public will be more aware of how to maintain the balance between people and nature," said Cheng.

Organizers also decided to refrain from using fireworks at the expo's opening ceremony. The municipal government of Xi'an has promised that the expo park will not be used for real estate development projects after the closure of the expo.

The expo site will instead be built into a theme park and reopen to the public in April next year, according to the expo's organizing committee.

The low-carbon and environmentally friendly technology exhibited at the event will be applied to Xi'an's economic and social development in the future, said Zhang Jianzheng, a municipal government spokesman, at a press briefing on Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The flood disaster in Thailand may benefit Malaysian businesses in the tourism, health care technology and automotive sectors due to traffic diversion, Malaysian research firm OSK Research said on Friday.

"As the situation prolongs in Bangkok, tourists and medical tourists to Thailand may cancel their travel plans and instead seek out alternative destinations, such as Malaysia, which has comparable offerings in tourist attractions and medical facilities, " OSK research said in a statement.

"A good experience in Malaysia could boost the longer-term attractiveness of Malaysia even after the floods subside," it added.

Among the gainers OSK Research predicted were the Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia-based budget carrier, AirAsia and the Malaysian airport company, Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad due to higher passenger numbers triggered by the traffic diversion.

Technology-based investors and automakers leery of natural disasters may turn to Malaysia for future investments, considering the extensive damage that Thai facilities have dealt with.

Total reconstruction efforts are estimated to stand between 10. 1 billion and 17.2 billion ringgit (3.2 billion-5.46 billion U.S. dollars).

"Malaysian consumer companies may also be asked to take up the slack in food and beverage production as Thai factories would take time to resume production," the research firm said, citing Thailand's recent move to import eggs from Malaysia as an example.

The flood disaster that started in July killed over 300 people and affected over 2.3 million more in Thailand. The damage is estimated to cost at least 3.21 billion U.S. dollars and shrink the country's gross domestic product by two percent, according to local media reports.

CANBERRA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth on Friday evening has been welcomed to Parliament House at Canberra of Australia for a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Her Majesty gave her only public speech during her stay in Australia at the event attended by 700 guests, including speakers of the House and the Senate and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

The Queen said she is happy to be back in Australia, a country which she has watched growing. She said Australia had flourished and achieved excellence on the world stage, while she also acknowledged the nation's robust financial institutions and strong economy, saying it was "much admired."

Her Majesty said 2011 had been a difficult time for Australia, which suffered massive weather-related disasters at the beginning of the year, and the world leaders were all impressed by the courage and resolution shown by those affected in the face of crippling desolation.

The Queen also referred to next week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, saying it would be an occasion to discuss the challenges they face and find new ways to bring about positive change.

Meanwhile, Gillard praised the Queen for keeping her coronation pledge at age 25 to devote her life to the service of the people of Britain and the Commonwealth.

"And the life upon which you were venturing has turned out to be long, eventful and greatly productive," she told Her Majesty. " So it is that we greet you on the 16th time you have honored us with a visit to our shores."

The reception in Parliament House turned into a casual affair as Gillard started to introduce the guests to the Queen.

The guests included by sports people, businessmen, diplomats, defense force chiefs, clergymen, past and present members of parliament (MPs), and community representatives.

This is the Queen's 16th visit of Australia as monarch, and she will stay in Australia from Oct. 19 to 29.

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BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese businessman Huang Nubo, who is looking to buy a 300-square-km section of land in Iceland in order to develop an eco-resort, has applied to Beijing's commerce authorities to open a tourism development firm in Iceland.

Xu Kang, a spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce, said Friday Huang applied to open a tourism firm in Iceland with registered capital of one million U.S. dollars. The commission is expected to endorse the overseas investment project within seven workdays.

The spokesman noted that Huang's current application is unrelated to the land purchase for developing the resort, which Huang's company previously announced would require an investment of 200 million U.S. dollars.

He said that in accordance with the Offshore Investment Management Approach issued by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), any overseas investment projects with capital over 100 million U.S. dollars need sanctioned by the MOC and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

"If Huang applied to invest in the resort development project in Iceland, the Beijing commission would submit it to higher authorities for approval," said the spokesman.

The tycoon, listed by Forbes as China's 161st richest individual, entered the media spotlight in August after he proposed that the land purchase would be meant for tourism development in Iceland.

Some media reports hinted that there was a connection between Huang's land purchase plan and the Chinese government, alleging that the proposed investment by the private Chinese firm could provide a cover for China's geopolitical interests around the Arctic.

Despite the controversy, Huang Nubo said Wednesday that he is still optimistic about the project.

Huang is the chairman of Beijing-based Zhongkun Investment Group. The company shifted its focus from developing residential properties to tourism-related commercial properties several years ago.

Huang announced plans in August to build a high-end resort in Iceland, which would include a hotel and other outdoor facilities such as a golf course and racetrack.

HONG KONG, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The gold price in Hong Kong closed flat at 15,080 HK dollars per tael on Friday, according to the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society.

The price is equivalent to 1,627.05 U.S. dollars at latest exchange rate of one U.S. dollar against 7.78 HK dollars.

KATHMANDU, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali government has said that around 3.7 million children were administered vitamin "A" capsules and 3.4 million children were given medicine for tapeworm on Oct. 19 and 20 across the country as per the government's regular program, local media reported Friday.

According to Director General of the Ministry of Health and Population, Child Health Department, Rajkumar Pokhrel, at least 52, 000 women volunteers were deployed in the campaign. The ministry has been conducting the campaign twice a year since 1993 with a view to preventing different problems including eye diseases owing to the deficiency of Vitamin A in the children.

The department has claimed that child mortality rate was reduced by 20-30 percent after the launching of the program in the country.