Trinh Chan Tran, an overseas Vietnamese candidate, was the first runner-up. The second runner-up was Ben Tre Province candidate Nguyen Thi Ngoc Bich.

Earlier tonight, 14 girls chosen for the final round of the Miss Vietnam Beauty Pageant 2004 deserve to be honored as they represent Vietnamese womens beauty, commented the pageants panel of judges.

Out of the 21 candidates attending the qualifying round, 14 girls were chosen to compete on October 30 in the Tuan Chau Resort of Ha Long city in Quang Ninh Province, said organizers.

These girls approach perfect beauty, said Miss Bui Bich Phuong, herself a former Miss Vietnam who is also one of the contests judges.

The 14 candidates who won a chance to go to the final beauty contest are considered to have a high intellect. They are actresses, university and post-graduate students.

The poet and judge Duong Xuan Nam said the panel of judges had one month to observe the candidates and one week to make their decisions. In his opinion, the results were very precise, adding that the judges had done their work thoroughly.

According to organizers, this years regulations required judges to contact and observe all candidates in everyday situations.

On October 28, 21 girls from many parts of Vietnam entered the qualifying round held in a huge 12,000- seat- stadium built in Tuan Chau Park in Quang Ninh Province. The preparations for the event as well as the elegant performances of the candidates satisfied most of the audience.

"Vietnamese girls are so beautiful!" said a leader from China's Xinhua News Agency, expressing his admiration for the Miss Vietnam candidates.