Former general director of Việt Á Company admits paying former minister off

HÀ NỘI — Former general director of Việt Á Company Phan Quốc Việt admitted paying Nguyễn Thanh Long, former minister of health to win contracts with Centres for Disease Control (CDCs), but insisted he only paid him directly on one occasion. Việt told Hà Nội's People Court on Friday that on other occasions, Nguyễn Huỳnh, former deputy director of the Price Management Department of the Drug Administration (under the Ministry of Health), acted as a middleman. "Long told me to discuss business with Huỳnh because he wanted to keep a low profile," Việt told the court. Việt also admitted that his claims for patent ownership of the testing kits were against the law because they were the State's property. Chu Ngọc Anh, former minister of science and technology, admitted taking a small gift from Phan Quốc Việt but claimed to be unaware of the $200,000 in it.