Winners of the Vietnam Outstanding Young Faces Award 2021 were announced by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee on March 4.

The young faces were chosen from 20 nominees through secret votes.

They are Nguyen Le Thao Anh (study category); Dr. Nguyen Trong Hieu (scientific research category); Luu Duc Phong and Ho Xuan Vinh (production); Vu Gia Luyen (business - startup); Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Tien Duy (defence); Captain Le Xuan Nam (security and order); Nguyen Huy Hoang (sport); Doctor Do Doan Bach (social activities); Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien (culture and art).

An award ceremony is slated for March 26 in Hanoi. This year’s winners will each receive a cash prize of 50 million VND (2,190 USD).

The annual Vietnam Outstanding Young Faces Award is presented to 10 youngsters under 35 with excellent performances in their areas over the year.

Hoi An ancient city

Visit Vietnam Year popularises green tourism brand

The “Visit Vietnam Year - Quang Nam 2022” will offer a good chance for the tourism industry to recover after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and contribute to creating a green tourism brand of Vietnam in general and Quang Nam province in particular, especially when tourist activities are officially opened on March 15.

The opening ceremony of the national tourism programme, themed “Quang Nam – A green destination,” will take place at Ky Uc island in Hoi An Ancient Town on March 25. The closing ceremony, meanwhile, is slated for late December at the VinWonders Nam Hoi An amusement park in Thang Binh district.

During this year, the programme will feature 192 events, including 10 national-level ones, 62 organised by Quang Nam, and 120 others by 40 centrally run cities and provinces.

The province is building “satellite” tourism products near world cultural heritage sites to reduce pressure on these sites in the peak season, including the development of trade villages such as Cam Thanh coconut forest, Tra Que vegetable growing village, Kim Bong carpentry village, Thanh Ha pottery village (Hoi An); and experiencing community-based tourism in Triem Tay farmhouse (Dien Ban town), Tra Nhieu village (Duy Son), and My Son community tourism village (Duy Xuyen). Tours to the western mountainous region to learn about the cultural identity of ethnic minorities has also become attractive.

Vietnam bolsters AI application in all fields

Artificial intelligence (AI) products have been used in all sectors in Vietnam, such as public administration, transport, healthcare, banking and industries, in tandem with digital transformation.

The application of AI contributes to raising the efficiency of State mangement and the operation of businesses, helping them quickly adapt to developments of the ongoing pandemic.

In Vietnam, many applications, such as face and voice recognition and security systems, using AI technology are researched and developed by many research agencies.

The development of AI technology and supply of tools serving digital transformation aim to save costs, ensure security and safety in the fields of transport, agriculture, science and healthcare, among others.

Vietnam, Cambodia complete demarcating 84 percent of inland border in 20 years

Vietnam and Cambodia have completed the demarcation and marker planting of 84 percent of their shared border line over the two decades between 1999 and 2019, heard a conference reviewing the work held in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on March 4.

The two countries have finished the demarcation of about 1,045 km of the border line and planted 2,047 markers at 1,553 positions.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh progresses in demarcation and marker planting on land will make practical and meaningful contribution to the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations and the success of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Year – 2022, Minh noted.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son highlighted the importance of the “Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries and the 2005 Supplementary Treaty” between the two countries, which took effect on December 22 in 2020.

Flower festival will showcase Mong culture

The White Pearl Flower Festival is being held for the first time in Quan Hồ Thẩu Commune, Si Ma Cai District, in the northern province of Lào Cai, from March 5-15.

To a backdrop of thousands of white pear flowers that are in full bloom at this time of the year, the festival will include a variety of cultural, artistic and sports activities imbued with the Mông ethnic identity.

According to the organisers, the People's Committee of Quan Hồ Thẩu Commune, the opening ceremony will take place at 8 am on March 5 in Lao Chải Village. Highlight activities are the art programme Ngắm Hoa Mùa Xuân - Hái Quả Mùa Hè (Contemplating Spring Flowers – Picking Summer Fruits), and an exhibition introducing Mông specialities, traditional labour tools, musical instruments and costumes.

Many exciting sporting activities will also be held, including wooden horse racing and climbing to the 1,750m high Mount Lao Chải.

Stronger efforts to be taken in building laws related to women, children: NA Vice Chairman

The National Assembly will strengthen efforts to build laws on issues related to women and children, said Politburo member and NA Standing Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man during a meetng with the Vietnamese Women’s Association (VWU) Central Committee on March 4.

He said that in this tenure, the NA will consider the amendments and supplements to a number of laws, including the Law on Social Insurance, the Law on Health Insurance, the Employment Law, the Population Law, the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, and Gender Equality Law, with the aim of better protecting rights and interests of people, especially women and children.

He asked the VWU to work closely with NA committees and agencied to seek measures to integrate gender issues into law and policy building.

NA agencies will also coordinate with the union in building and implementing the programme to enhance the leadership capacity for 3,500 female officials, he added.

Hoi An ancient city seen from above.

Vietnam records 125,587 new infections on March 4

Vietnam registered 125,587 new COVID-19 infections on March 4, according to the Ministry of Health.

Of the new cases, 79,992 were detected in the community and 19 were imported and quarantined upon arrival.

The capital Hanoi again topped the list of localities with 21,395 transmissions. It was followed by Nghe An (6,657), Bac Ninh (6,011), Son La (4,182) and Quang Ninh (3,919).

The ministry also announced a further 97 COVID-related deaths, raising the nation's death toll since the pandemic started to 40,644.

A total of 4,246 COVID-19 patients are in serious or critical condition, including 3,418 patients requiring oxygen, 294 requiring invasive ventilation and nine on life support.

Mekong Delta farmers adapt to saline intrusion with shrimp-rice farming

Farmers have managed to turn adversity into opportunity by adapting to salinity intrusion with a shrimp-rice farming model in the island district of Tan Phu Dong.

Located in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, the island district is surrounded by the sea and the Cua Tieu and Cua Dai estuaries.

The district is affected by saltwater intrusion for about six months in the dry season when it is not suitable for growing rice.

What farmers are doing in response is to breed shrimp during this period and cultivate rice in the rainy season.

So far, this model has proven effective, generating a stable income and helping many farmers escape poverty. With this mode, they can earn an average of 50 – 60 million VND (2,200 – 2,600 USD) per hectare a year.

Bamboo Airways to carry Vietnamese from Ukraine home on March 9

Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways freshly announced that it will conduct its first repatriation flight for Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine on March 9.

The flight uses Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft for its journey from Warsaw, Poland to Hanoi.

According to a representative of Bamboo Airways, the airline is ready to operate seven routes to bring Vietnamese in Ukraine home. They are those linking Hanoi with Prague (Czech Republic), Bucharest (Romania), Warsaw (Poland), Budapest (Hungary), Bratislava (Slovakia), Moscow (Russia), and Minsk (Belarus).

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that there are currently about 7,000 Vietnamese in Ukraine, with most of them being in Kiev (800 people), Kharkiv (3,000), and Odessa (3,000).

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), the expected option is that the citizens will move by land to neighbouring countries and then flights will be organised to bring them home from there. Those in Kiev will move to Poland, in Kharkiv to Russia, and in Odessa to Moldova or Romania.

First flight repatriating Vietnamese in Ukraine to be conducted on March 6

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will conduct the first flight bringing Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine home on March 6 morning. The flight will arrive in Romania and return to Vietnam at March 7 noon.

Earlier, Vietnam Airlines chose six localities around Ukraine with one-way trip from 9-14 hours, including Warsaw, Budapest, Bratislava, Moscow, Minsk, and Bucharest.

As the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines has pioneered and participated in many major government campaigns such as carrying home hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese citizens from more than 30 countries and territories amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, evacuating workers in Libya in 2011 and 2014, supporting Vietnamese people to return home during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and taking passengers out of Europe due to a volcanic eruption in 2010.

Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 starts practical training

The Vietnam Department for Peacekeeping Operations on March 4 launched practical training for Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4, which is about to perform duties at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Addressing the opening ceremony in Hanoi, Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the department under the Ministry of National Defence, said thorough preparations have been made for the hospital which has undergone training in expertise, military, politics, and foreign languages as required by the UN.

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Truong Giang, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Military Medical University, noted practical training is necessary for assessing the field hospital’s capacity, adding that this is a good chance for its staff members to learn from foreign lecturers and experts’ experience so as to fully gear up for the coming duties.

Meanwhile, Director of the hospital Lt. Col. Vu Minh Duong pledged all-round preparations will be made to complete the training course with the best possible results.

The first Level-2 field hospital of Vietnam departed for UNMISS in October 2018, the second left for the mission in November 2019 and was replaced by the third in early 2021.

Vietnam Book Day 2022 promotes reading culture

Activities within the framework of Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2022 will take place from March 15 to April 30 under a plan which has been released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The event aims to affirm the role and importance of books in improving knowledge, skills and thinking as well as educating human personally. It also promotes reading habits in the community and honours organisations and individuals who significantly contribute to the development of a reading culture in the community.

Activities that will be held on this occasion include the launching ceremony for 2022 Reading Culture Ambassador Contest and dissemination campaigns to introduce books as well as discussions relating to books and reading culture. The building of databases, sharing electronic documents and establishments of book clubs and reading clubs will also be on the agenda.

Over 196 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Vietnam

As many as 196.3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered nationwide, according to the National COVID-19 Vaccine Portal.

Of the total, nearly 179 million doses have been injected to people aged 18 years old and above. A further 14 million people aged 18 and above have also been inoculated with booster doses, while 25 million have been given additional doses.

At present, 62 out of 63 provinces and cities have now had over 90% of the population aged 18 years and older receive two doses of vaccines.

Meanwhile, approximately 17 million doses have been given to children aged 12 to 17. About 54 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide have had over 90% of the population in this age group receive two doses of vaccines.

World Bank willing to support Hanoi’s urban transport development

The World Bank (WB) is ready to assist the capital in implementing its urban transport development and infrastructure projects, especially with regard to the urban railway system.

Carolyn Turk, WB Country Director for Vietnam, made the statement during talks with Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee, in the capital on March 4.

Turk said the WB is also keen to learn more about Hanoi's plan to integrate different means of transport into a common system in the future to ensure the bank’s support will bring about comprehensive and synchronous effects to the urban transport system of the capital.

She went on to express a keen interest in Hanoi’s co-operation proposals for wastewater treatment projects and for safe food, noting this is an issue of common concern of both sides.

Nearly VND120 billion proposed for bus and metro connection

The HCM City Department of Transport has proposed a VND118.5-billion (USD5 million) project to link local bus routes with the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line.

Under the proposal, the project will focus on building bus stops, parking lots and pedestrian paths at the metro route’s 11 elevated stations situated along the Hanoi Highway.

A 1,600-square-metre parking lot will be built at the metro route’s Van Thanh Station in Binh Thanh District.

According to the HCM City Department of Transport, to date, around 89 percent of Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro project has been completed. The route is expected to be put into operation in 2023.

Painting exhibition shows colourful Spring in mountainous areas

The beauty of Spring captivates everyone who sets foot in mountainous areas. The “Spring in the highlands” painting exhibition by artist Do Nam Cuong offers an artistic space featuring the cultural characteristics of northern mountainous provinces.

Do Nam Cuong was born in 1960. He graduated from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. He currently lives and works in Hanoi and is a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.

The “Spring in the highlands” exhibition will be open until March 8 at the Fine Art Gallery, 16 Ngo Quyen in Hanoi. 

Movie of American filmmaker living in Vietnam honored at Santa Fe Film Fest

The movie, “The Brilliant Night” by director Aaron Toronto who has been living in Vietnam nearly 20 years won titles of Best Story and Best Performance for Female actress Nha Uyen at the Santa Fe Film Festival 2022.

The film is a story telling about a funeral in a family whose members go through a night with many emotional and even shocking events.

Aaron Toronto is an American filmmaker who has lived in Vietnam for around 20 years now. He participated in many successful films in various roles such as producer (in the movies of “Em chưa 18” (Jailbait), “Truy Sat” (Chasing); screenwriter (Tam Cam, The Untold Story); deputy director (“De Mai Tinh” (Fool for Love); and editor (Teo Em). He was married to actress Nha Uyen.

One of the oldest film festivals in the world, the Santa Fe Film Festival, streams a new wave of independent films, has now continued for 20 consecutive years, and was held on February 3-13 with the participation of 168 films from 36 countries and territories.

Saltwater intrusion damage successfully prevented this season: Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta provinces say they have taken effective measures to mitigate saltwater intrusion impacts in the ongoing dry season.

This has helped ensure fresh water for agriculture production and household use in coastal areas.

The delta, which comprises 12 provinces and Cần Thơ City, is normally affected by saltwater intrusion from the sea during the dry season which lasts from December to April.

To mitigate the impact of saltwater intrusion, local authorities in the delta have proactively implemented saltwater prevention projects and properly operated irrigation works at the beginning of the dry season.

These measures have helped the delta, the country’s largest producer of rice, fruit and seafood, to protect the 2021 – 22 winter-spring rice crop and other crops from the impacts of saltwater intrusion, local authorities say.

Hanoi to complete preparations for SEA Games by March 15

The 31st SEA Games are fast approaching and the whole country is getting ready to host the event for the second time. In the capital, preparations are almost complete.

Of the 12 cities and provinces that will host the Games in May, Hà Nội is expected to have completed preparations by March 15.

There are 15 venues assigned by the Hà Nội People's Committee for maintenance, three of which are managed by the city's Department of Culture and Sports.

These three venues include the Mỹ Đình Indoor Athletics Arena, petanque court and culture house, which will be used for bodybuilding and weightlifting competitions.

The other 12 projects managed by People's Committees of districts are: Quần Ngựa Sport Palace (Ba Đình District) and sports arenas in Long Biên, Tây Hồ, Cầu Giấy, Hoàng Mai, Hà Đông, Bắc Từ Liêm, Gia Lâm, Thanh Trì, Hoài Đức, Sóc Sơn and Đan Phượng districts.

As well as these locations, Vingroup’s Royal City in Thanh Xuân District will host the Game’s bowling competition, and has met the requirements of the Bowling Federation.

All of the facilities are on-schedule for the opening of the Games, except for those in Tây Hồ and Đan Phượng districts, where sports arenas were previously used as COVID-19 treatment areas.

All facility upgrades and maintenance must be completed before the inspection by the Southeast Asian Sports Federation on March 18 and 19.

Exhibition to introduce skateboard art to HCM City

Spraying Board Vietnam, the first ever exhibition on skateboard art in the country, has opened in HCM City.

Organised by the French Institute in HCM City and Superposition, an association for the promotion of urban cultures in Lyon, France, it aims to bring the skateboard culture and urban art to local connoisseurs.

It has featured 40 works created by six French street artists Bouda, Bambi Bakbi, Don Mateo, Le Monstr, Babs, and Dodo Ose.

It has also showcased works of four Vietnamese artists, Amm Banhmi, VuiQá, Cresk, and Daes, who will take part in an art residency at Superposition in Lyon in June.

The month-long exhibition at IDECAF, 31 Thái Văn Lung Street, opens at 7pm.

Vietnam to amend aviation rules

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The has signed Decision No.236/QD-BGTVT approving a lawmaking programme to amend some regulations in the aviation sector so as to simplify procedures for business activities.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) assigns the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to amend some regulations in some decrees and submit them in May-June, in line with the government’s Decision No.1977/QD-TTg dated November 24.

In particular, the CAAV works on amendments of some regulations in decrees related to civil aviation. The decrees include Decree No.68/2015/ND-CP and Decree No.92/2016/ND-CP. The draft amendments will be submitted to the MoT within March and then to the government in June.

Moreover, the CAAV is working on a draft amending Circular No.36/2015/TTBGTVT from 2015 on managing of prices of domestic aviation transport services, which has to be completed submitted by May.

The CAAV is also assigned to amend and supplement some regulations in Circular No.01/2011/TT-BGTVT from 2011 on civil aviation safety and security for aircraft and aircraft operation, and submit to the MoT before mid-June.

According to the MoT, the country now has 22 airports, of which nine are international ones.

Mekong Delta to have over 800 kilometers of expys by 2030

The Government has targeted to develop and upgrade 830 kilometers of expressways in the Mekong Delta region by 2030. Besides, the region will have a total 4,000 kilometers of national highways in 2030.

Under a regional master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050, approved by the prime minister on March 4, a multimodal transportation system will be developed in the region to promote local and international connectivity.

Apart from the investment in expressways, the region will be home to four airports, 13 seaports, 11 inland waterway terminals for passengers and 13 others for cargo.

The Mekong Delta region is set to become a sustainable and dynamic agricultural economic hub of the country, the region and the world by 2030. Agriculture centers, economic corridors and urban areas with diverse services and industries will be developed.

Mekong Delta faces severe landslides due to sand overexploitation

The exploitation of millions of tons of sand has contributed to worsening landslides in the Mekong Delta. As of December 2021, the region experienced 621 landslide sites, with a total length of 610 kilometers.

At a seminar on the building of sand banks and plans to maintain the rivers in the Mekong Delta on March 3, Le Thanh Chuong, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the region had 147 extremely dangerous landslide sites with a total length of 127 kilometers, and 137 dangerous landslide sites totaling 193 kilometers. The rest were normal landslide sites.

An Giang, Ca Mau and Tien Giang have the most landslide sites, while most of the extremely dangerous landslide sites are in An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Tien Giang and Can Tho.

Nearly 30 deep holes have been found in the Tien and Hau rivers, mainly in An Giang’s Tan Chau and Chau Doc districts and Dong Thap’s Sa Dec City and Thanh Binh District. Some of these holes are over 40 meters deep, posing a high risk for the river banks.

Regarding the exploitation of sand, Chuong cited recent international research stating that some 50 million tons of sand was exploited in the Mekong River valley per year, with 30 million tons being exploited by Cambodia, 12.4 million tons by Vietnam, six million tons by Thailand and 1.5 million tons by Laos.

Party's Inspection Commission clarifies violations in some bodies

The Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission convened its 12th meeting from March 2-4 under the chair of its head Tran Cam Tu.

The commission found that the Standing Board of the Party Committee of Binh Thuan province in the 2015-2020 tenure violated the principle of democratic centralism and working rules, and showed lack of responsibility, loosened leadership and directions, supervision and monitoring, leading to the Party delegation to the provincial People’s Committee, the provincial People’s Committee and many other organisations and individuals violating the Party’s regulations and the State’s laws regarding land management and use during the implementation of a number of projects. Some officials and Party members, including key leaders of the province, have been prosecuted and put in temporary detention, it said.

Meanwhile, the commission concluded that the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Military Medical University also violated the principle of democratic centralism and working rules, and showed lack of responsibility, loosened leadership and directions, supervision and monitoring, thus allowing a number of the university's officials and leaders to to seriously violating the Party regulations and State laws as well as the rules of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence during the process of proposing and implementing their national-level scientific and technological tasks in researching and manufacturing COVID-19 test kits serving the pandemic prevention and control and the purchase of equipment and COVID-19 test kits from Viet A Technology JSC.

Similar violations were commited by the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Border Guard Command of Kien Giang province, which prompted the provincial Border Guard Command and many officials and Party members, including key officials and commanders of its units to show degradation in political virtue, morality and lifestyle, and violate the Party regulations and State laws as well as the rules of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence in personnel work, management and use of financial resources, assets and defence land, and construction, as well as in combating smuggling and trade fraud and in the fight against corruption and negative phenomena.

It decided to give punishments to a number of officials and Party members, while considering a number of other important issues.

Source: VNA/SGGP/VOV/VNS/VGP/ND

VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES MARCH 4

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