Vietnam PM Chairs National Meeting on Environment after Formosa Incident

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had reiterated not to barter environment for economic growth at a national online meeting on environmental protection held on Aug 24 after the country’s most serious environmental incident caused by Taiwan-invested Formosa Plastics Group. PM Phuc said authorities from central to provincial levels need keep a close watch on environmental protection in making master plan on urban development and in licensing investment projects to ensure no recurrence. The PM blamed Vietnam’s legal loopholes and mismanagement for environmental violations. Regarding the environmental incident in the central region which Formosa poisoned by releasing untreated toxic waste into the sea, he said local authorities are irresponsible for the mission they are in charge of. Earlier, Mr. Phuc announced that Vietnam would shut down Formosa Hung Nghiep Ha Tinh Steel Corporation if any recurrence found. It is unsure if Vietnam is determined to protect environment and strictly punish violators but the amount of $500 million which Formosa pledged to compensate damage it caused is believed trivial, unable to cover part of short-term consequences. After the sea was poisoned, hundreds of thousands of people lost income as they have no other ways to improve livelihood, living on the state’s modest allowance. In another move, Ha Tinh Department of Natural Resources and Environment on Aug 23 proposed the government not allowing Formosa to take commercial run. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment earlier said that Formosa had completed only 32 out of 58 categories required for environmental protection. So far 59 firms are operating in dealing with environmental dirtying, according to the data released by a police general. (Chinhphu.vn Aug 24, Plo.vn Aug 25, VnEconomy.vn Aug 24)