The lack of integration between industrial and urban growth and water source security has resulted in declining water quantity and quality, jeopardising water security, said experts.

Despite efforts, challenges persist in safeguarding water sources and reservoir safety.

Weak and ineffective water resource management heightens the challenge, compounded by insufficient awareness and responsibility among stakeholders. Water pollution also continues to worsen.

Associate Professor Nguyen Dang Tinh, Deputy Director of the branch of the Water Resources University in Ho Chi Minh City, said that safety issues concerning water reservoirs built in the 1970s-1980s are a significant concern.

Urgent research is needed to enhance dam waterproofing and establish emergency protocols.

He also stressed the necessity of an integrated monitoring system for smart reservoir management and safety assessments, alongside digital transformation for infrastructure improvements.

Professor Tang Duc Thang, former Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Water Resources Science, underscored the Mekong Delta's vulnerability to climate change, sea-level rise and land subsidence, advocating adaptive strategies to ensure a rational water regime and mitigate risks, especially in agriculture.

Additionally, it is vital to integrate water security, flood prevention, and delta conservation into regional and national socio-economic planning.

This includes long-term strategies for water security, flood prevention across the Mekong Delta, coastal erosion protection and combatting saline intrusion.

Moreover, proactive measures are needed to address freshwater scarcity, including feasibility studies for new reservoirs within the Vam Co River system.

Lastly, research and forecasting of coastal water regimes are essential for aquaculture development in the Mekong Delta.

The Vietnam Institute of Water Resources Science reported significant progress in water resource management from 2013 to 2023.

Various advanced technologies, including water extraction, treatment, and distribution systems for highlands and water-scarce regions, have been adopted nationwide.

Monitoring and flood control infrastructures are now operational in key river basins, such as the Huong and Vu Gia - Thu Bon rivers, aiding the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in its decision-making.

Coastal protection efforts, such as planting wave-resistant trees, have been implemented in several provinces, including Thanh Hoa, Ninh Bih, Nam Dinh, Quang Ninh, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Kien Giang.

Innovative embankment technologies and sediment replenishment are being utilised in construction projects in Ca Mau province.

Additionally, comprehensive flood risk maps and mitigation strategies have been developed for densely populated areas and urban, mountainous regions in the North, as well as downstream and storm surge-prone zones in coastal provinces like Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Thua Thien - Hue and the Mekong Delta.

Advanced technologies like pile-supported dams, barrage dams and modular culverts have undergone extensive research and improvement, applied across various river control projects nationwide, including flood prevention in HCM City and freshwater-saltwater barriers in the Mekong Delta such as the Cai Lon - Cai Be project.

Integration of scientific and technological advancements has resulted in a 20% reduction in irrigation water usage, yield increases of 5 to 11%, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Tailored flood prevention solutions, including devices and specialised pumping equipment, address specific regional challenges like flooding, drought and water scarcity.

Ongoing research focuses on adopting innovative technologies, particularly in digital water resource management, dam safety monitoring and improving irrigation infrastructure efficiency. Advancements in surveying, design, materials, and construction techniques aim to ensure the safety of reservoirs, dams, river dikes, coastal dikes and disaster mitigation infrastructure, promoting rural development.

Policies and strategies for water security and dam safety are continually refined.

According to Professor Nguyen Van Tinh, head of the National Science and Technology Programme until 2030, the programme focuses on providing scientific evidence and practical support to enhance state management effectiveness, ensure water security, and ensure dam safety. It prioritises developing, applying, and transferring advanced technologies for efficient water resource management, socio-economic development, and climate change adaptation.

The programme has specific targets: 60% of tasks yielding results applied or tested successfully, 30% having intellectual property protection applications accepted, with 10% obtaining exclusive patents or recognised solutions, and 20% involving business cooperation.

Implementation of the programme will comprehensively address scientific and technological challenges related to water security and dam safety. This includes advanced solutions for water resource augmentation, efficient management, circulation and waste reduction, alongside proposals for smart, modern and innovative technologies linked with digital transformation to enhance dam and reservoir safety and utilisation efficiency.

Vietnam is assessed as a country with relatively abundant water resources, with an average annual surface water volume of approximately 840 billion cubic metres. The country's water infrastructure includes over 7,500 dams and reservoirs, capable of storing more than 70 billion cubic metres of water./.

Deputy PM Le Minh Khai to attend VELP 2024, visit the U.S.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai is set to attend the Vietnam Executive Leadership Program (VELP) 2024 and pay a working visit to the U.S. from March 30 to April 8.

VELP is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Viet nam Program at the Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

It provides a platform for an elite cohort of high-ranking policymakers and executives to engage in a weeklong series of structured, research-based discussions about the central policy challenges confronting Viet Nam and the world, with prominent international scholars, policy-makers and business leaders. 

Vietnam come third at int’l friendly futsal tournament 2024

Vietnam's national futsal team emerged third at the 2024 International Friendly Futsal Tournament after conceding a 3-1 loss to powerhouse Iran at the Lanh Binh Thang Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, on March 31.

Vietnam had drawn 2-2 against New Zealand in their first game of the competition before holding Morocco to a 3-3 draw on March 30.

Against Iran, the Vietnamese team certainly did not lose their focus where they matched the world No. 7 side for much of the opening quarter before conceding in the 14th minute to a quick counterattack that was finished by Alii Khalivand.

Ali Asghar then finished from close range in the 19th minute to put the score at 2-0 for Iran.

Two minutes to the end, Behrooz fired in the third goal for Iran before Vietnam pulled a goal back thanks to Duc Hoa in the very last minute of play.
In the other match of the day, Morocco beat New Zealand 6-2 to be crowned the champions.

Held by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation, the tournament was a preparation for the Vietnamese team to play at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2024, slated for April 17-28 in Thailand. Vietnam is in the same group with host Thailand, China and Myanmar./.

Ensuring sustainable development of Phu Quoc: PM

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the island city of Phu Quoc in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang to maximise its potential, strengths and opportunities to develop rapidly and sustainably, while addressing a conference on March 31.

The conference reviewed the PM’s Resolution No. 178/2004/QD-TTg approving a project on Phu Quoc’s development by 2010 with a vision towards 2020.

Stressing the important role, position and potential of Phu Quoc, the leader said over the past years, many mechanisms and policies have been rolled out to spur its development.

The locality has drawn more domestic and international attention, its reputation and position have been consolidated, and its infrastructure has been upgraded, he continued.

Chinh, however, pointed to challenges to Phu Quoc’s rapid, sustainable development, green economy, digital economy, knowledge-based economy and sharing economy.

Given its special position in terms of economy, politics, social affairs, tourism, services, trade, and national defence and security, the PM noted that developing Phu Quoc is the task of not only the island district itself and Kien Giang, but also the entire nation.

He called for stronger determination to turn Phu Quoc into a centre of services, high-quality eco-tourism, and maritime tourism, and a livable place, which is expected to help promote Vietnam on the global tourism map.

Priorities should be given to green economy, the application of scientific-technological advances and innovations, digital transformation and green transition, he said, adding that economic development should go in tandem with socio-cultural development, and environmental protection.

He spoke of other tasks for Phu Quoc like strengthening national defence and security, stepping up the fight against corruption and other negative phenomena, and enhancing external affairs and international integration.

He laid emphasised on the need to push ahead with institution and policy perfection, concerted infrastructure development, decentralisation, production and business, cultural development, and support of ministries, agencies and localities for Phu Quoc.

To ensure its sustainable development, it is a must to focus on environmental protection, he said, urging Phu Quoc to improve its competitiveness in the region and the world to attract more foreign direct investment.

The Government will devise a project and issue suitable documents and submit them to competent authorities for consideration, which are expected to facilitate Phu Quoc’s rapid, sustainable development.

The provincial People’s Committee reported that after nearly 20 years of implementing the resolution, Phu Quoc’s annual economic growth has been maintained at nearly 19.6%. Its state budget collection increased more than 113% last year as compared with that in 2004.

Last year, the island district attracted 321 projects worth more than 412 trillion VND (16.61 billion USD), making up 42.8% of the total projects in Kien Giang, the committee said.

The number of tourists to the locality also rose from only 130,000 in 2004 to around 5.57 million in 2023, of them more than 560,000 international, or 4.48% of foreign holidaymakers to Vietnam./.

Prolonged drought causes road erosion in Kien Giang

Prolonged droughts have caused erosion around roads in the southern province of Kien Giang.

So far this year, the drought has eroded around 2,000 metres of road and resulted in cracks in another 1,600 metres of road.

An Minh Bac Commune has seen 53 erosion spots followed by Minh Thuan Commune with 21 spots.A bridge in Kenh 5 Village suddenly collapsed due to river bank erosion. Truong Thi Dep, a local resident, said that she heard a loud noise when the bridge collapsed.

Local people have proposed building a temporary bridge.

Duong Thuy Hang, chairwoman of the An Minh Bac Commune People's Committee said the prolonged dry weather combined with intense heat had forced residents to reserve water for irrigation, causing water levels in canals to drop, which is among the major reasons for erosion.

Barriers and warning signs have been set up to ban cars and trucks from traveling on roads prone to erosion.

Lghting will also be installed for these roads.

Huynh Thanh Tuan, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of U Minh Thuong District, stated the locality is inspecting erosion and subsidence. “We’re also calling on people to use water efficiently and have plans to dredge dried-up canals to store water for production."

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has decided to increase flight frequency at the HCM City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport to meet rising travel demand during the coming National Reunification Day (April 30), May Day (May 1) and summer holidays.

CAAV will adjust the takeoff and landing frequency at the airport from 42 flights per hour to 44 flights per hour between 6 am to 11.55 pm and from 32 flights to 36 flights per hour between 0 am and 5.55 am.

With this increase, the country's largest airport will serve 60 more flights daily during those holidays.

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will supply nearly 560,000 seats on over 2,800 flights on both domestic and international routes between April 26 and May 2.

Travel demand is forecast to rise by between 5-7 percent during the upcoming holiday and summer season.

The Ministry of Transport asked CAAV to prepare for peak season amid an aircraft shortage facing some major carriers.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost carrier VietJet Air have reduced their flights using Airbus A321 aircraft since January, due to technical issues with Pratt & Whitney's PW1100 engines. Vietnam Airlines was forced to ground 12 of its planes, accounting for 20 percent of its narrow-body aircraft, for engine maintenance, which is set to last until 2025.

The country’s six airlines own about 170 planes, a drop of between 40 and 45 planes compared to the same period last year.

CAAV has so far granted operating rights to six domestic airlines with a total of 213 aircraft, meaning that local airlines can still rent aircraft for the coming peak season.

Many airlines are rushing to boost capacity and they may be able to add a number of aircraft to their fleets in early April.

Hanoi harnesses existing potential to develop cultural industries

Hanoi has capitalized on its potential and put in place specific mechanisms to develop cultural industries, given its special position in the nation's culture.

Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong made the statement at a conference held in Hanoi this week to take stock of the capital's renewal process over the past 40 years.

"After 40 years, Hanoi has creatively applied the policies and cultural perspectives of the Vietnamese government and put into practice the guidelines and policies of the government and the city on culture and people, resulting in outstanding achievements in the field of

cultural development and human cultivation," Phong said.  

He said the city has completed a total inventory of intangible cultural heritage for 5,922 relics. Traditional folk festivals have been extensively researched. Many festivals have been restored and preserved. The cultural life of ethnic minorities has improved significantly.

"By effectively implementing the National Target Programme, Hanoi has begun to narrow the cultural gap in the city. Hanoi has diversified ways to mobilize investment in the cultural sector by creatively applying the government's cultural policies. Renovation and beautification of monuments have been promoted to raise public awareness of heritage protection," Phong stressed.

Hanoi also aims to become a leading city in formulating policies and developing the cultural industry, in order to join the whole country in building 'an advanced culture imbued with national identity', ensuring harmony between conservation and development, and absorbing the quintessence of humankind's culture.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung emphasised that Hanoi is the capital with a thousand years of civilization, an important cultural centre of the country.

Parade of young girls in traditional Vietnamese long dress (Ao dai) on a street in Hanoi during Ao dai Week. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

"Hanoi is the first city in Vietnam to issue a resolution on the development of cultural industries, which shows the determination of the people and authorities of Hanoi to turn cultural values into an economic spearhead industry," Dung said.

In order to promote the sustainable development of Hanoi's culture and people, and to meet the demands of international integration, the Hanoi City Party Committee has just issued a resolution on "Development of Hanoi's Cultural Industry in 2021-2025, Orientation to 2030, Vision to 2045".

"The development of cultural industries is a priority in the socio-economic development strategy, with the aim of making it a spearhead of the economy, contributing effectively to GDP growth and creating more jobs and income," said the Secretary.

He added that the development of cultural industries will be based on the principle of ensuring harmony between preserving and developing and will make full use of the potentials, strengths and traditional cultural values that make up the thousand-year-old capital's identity.

The Hanoi Party Committee will focus on investing in the development of a number of potential and advantageous fields, such as cultural tourism, performing arts, handicrafts, design, advertising, fine arts, photography and exhibitions, film, fashion, cuisine, software and entertainment games, television and radio, and among others.

23,400 flats, rented houses checked for fire safety: Hanoi People's Committee

Since mid-September 2023, government agencies in Hanoi have inspected 400 tenement buildings and more than 23,000 rented dwellings for fire safety standards, according to the city's People's Committee.
 
The inspection was carried out after a fire gutted a tenement in Khuong Dinh ward, Thanh Xuan District, killing 56 people.

On September 13, 2023, the Hanoi People's Committee launched a citywide inspection of tenements, apartment buildings and rental houses in all 30 districts and nearly 580 wards and communes to prevent a recurrence.

"Local authorities are serious about fire prevention," said Truong Viet Dung, head of the Hanoi People's Committee Office, at a press conference on the city’s socio-economic development on March 28.

Dung, head of the office of the Hanoi People's Committee, said the city had issued six plans to rehabilitate dilapidated local apartment blocks. So far, 105 investors have expressed interest in the plan.

The rehabilitation of dilapidated residential buildings is also provided for in the amended Capital Law, which is expected to be passed by the National Assembly in May 2024, he said.

Hanoi plans to inspect another 1,000 old apartment buildings, Dung said, adding that Dong Da District has completed the development of specific reconstruction plans for the neighborhoods of Khuong Thuong and Kim Lien residential areas.

Responding to reporters' questions about the investigation into the tenement fire, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Police Department Nguyen Thanh Tung said they had prosecuted and detained Nghiem Xuan Minh, the owner of the tenement.

Police have also charged six people with violating state management regulations, he said. "It will take some time to verify and decide whether these people have breached the Party's rules and administrative regulations," he said.

There will be zero tolerance for any infractions, as demanded by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the Ministry of Public Security, Tung added.

Since the tenement fire, a citywide investigation has been launched targeting city and local officials whose wrongdoings led to the incident.

On January 31, 2024, the police prosecuted six officials of the Construction Inspection Division of Khuong Dinh Ward and Thanh Xuan District.

On February 2, 2024, the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee announced disciplinary action against local Party organizations and 28 members in connection with the fire.

The Party organizations subject to the disciplinary measures include the Standing Committee of the Thanh Xuan District Party Committee, the Party Committee of the Thanh Xuan Police Division, and the Party Committees of Hanoi, Thanh Xuan District and Khuong Dinh Ward for the 2015-2020 and 2020-2025 terms.

On  March 27, 2024, the Hanoi Party Committee held a meeting to decide how to punish its members and those involved in the fire.

Sound installation to explore history

The sound installation called “Hồi Sóng” by two composers and experimental sound artists Nguyen Nhung and Zach Sch is on display at Manzi Exhibition Space, Lane 2, Hang Bun Street in Hanoi, until April 7.

The art project "Hồi Sóng," consisting of an archival study and sound installation by two Vietnamese artists, Nhung Nguyễn and Zach Sch, is available both digitally at https://hoisong.art/en/ and physically at Manzi Exhibition Space for free admission.

From the initial intention of exploring the intangible cultural heritage, specifically the oral history documented in historical archives, the artist duo adopts sound installation as a medium to explore the relationships between archived information and sound art.

Originally, the project focused on the lives of soldiers and workers from French colonies in Africa and Vietnam, but it has since expanded to include historical brushstrokes of the peoples of Egypt, Algeria, Mali, Martinique and Indochina (composed of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) and their wartime missions, living conditions, feelings and memories evoked 80 years after the end of the Second World War.

Accordingly, the installation work aims to juxtapose the archival materials on the aforementioned topics with music and sound design. The artist duo evaluates the respective socio-cultural contexts of the archives and their accompanying literary and musical materials to architect the recordings. While Nhung focuses on oral histories, Zach places more emphasis on sound experiments.

Presented at Manzi as a second physical counterpart to the online platform (the first installation was launched at San Art, HCMC in 2021), the exhibition will offer an exciting reboot of the archive, inviting audiences to join in and tune in to the sounds, immerse themselves in the radio installation, and interact with artifacts of a dim and distant past that has barely been told.

Nhung Nguyen is an emerging Vietnamese sound artist currently based in Hanoi, experimenting across a range of left-field aesthetics and expressions – ambient drone, electro-acoustic, noise music, and musique concrete, amongst others. Since 2014 Nhung has been making works under the moniker Sound Awakener – and under her real name, for the more cinematic, piano-driven projects. She has worked with international labels such as Time Released Sound (US), Unknown Tones Records (US), and others.

Zach Sch is a sound artist, composer, and member of the Ho Chi Minh City-based collective Rắn Cạp Đuôi.  His current practice seeks points of dialog between composition and the visceral, textural capacity of sound. This includes the physicality of sound as an environmental medium and the exploration of new dynamics in compositional structure and sound design.

The art project "Hồi Sóng" is supported by the Goethe-Institut Ho Chi Minh City, the  Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, the Nguyen Thien Dao Foundation, "Sàn" Art and the Humboldt University of Berlin.

Prime Minister asks HCMC to promptly rectify American int’l school’s operation

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 29 signed dispatch No. 28/CD-TTg to rectify the operations of the American International School Vietnam (AISVN) in the city.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister requested the Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee be responsible for directing relevant agencies of the city to urgently implement appropriate solutions to ensure the students’ rights of learning, prevent classroom disruption, stabilize the psychological well-being of students and their parents, and maintain social order, security, and stability.

The Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee must promptly evaluate the responsibility of the investors of AISVN and handle the school's activities to ensure compliance with the law, the legitimate rights and interests of students, and strengthen inspection of schools with the integrated teaching program and schools with foreign elements.

The Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for urgently completing draft Decrees on investment and operation conditions in the field of education, including solutions to strengthen the management of various types of schools with foreign elements implementing integrated teaching programs, international programs, and carrying out the function of organizing and implementing international partnership programs.

According to the HCMC Department of Education and Training, seven non-public schools have agreed to accept students at the American International School Vietnam amid the ongoing problems at the school. The seven schools can receive a total number of 1,088 students.

American Int’l School banned from enrollment for new school year

HCMC's administration asked the American International School Vietnam (AISVN) to suspend its enrollment for the 2023–2024 school year until it handles financial and personnel problems and stabilizes teaching and learning activities.

In addition, the HCMC Department of Education has been directed to have solutions to ensure students’ rights at school. The HCMC People’s Committee has just submitted a report on measures for solving problems at the AISVN to the Government.

In the report sent to the Government, the HCMC People’s Committee delegates the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Finance, the Tax Department, the HCMC Social Security and the Public Security Department of the city to coordinate to supervise AISVN’s activities and promptly handle rising issues, and send a report to the Standing Committee of the HCMC People’s Committee.

HCMC’s Police will collaborate with local authorities to collect public opinions to launch appropriate plans for solving the issues, and strictly manage issues related to the immigration of investors and members of the school council until the matters are completely resolved.

The HCMC People’s Committee has assigned the Department of Finance, the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to study plans to pay Vietnamese and foreign employees who are working at AISVN from now until the end of the 2023-2024 school year, ask investors and the school council to promptly implement issues related to the rights of teachers and workers.

Vietnamese language class opens in RoK

The Vietnamese association in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on March 31 opened a Vietnamese language class for children of multi-cultural families.

With the sponsorship of the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK, the class aims to preserve and promote the mother tongue and traditional cultural traits among the overseas Vietnamese.

The opening ceremony saw the attendance of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who is also Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs, who spoke highly of efforts by the Vietnamese community in the RoK in cultural preservation.

Vietnamese language teaching should be replicated, not only among the Vietnamese community in the RoK, but also others worldwide, said Hang, who is on a working trip to the East Asian nation.

Nearly 300,000 Vietnamese are living and working in the RoK, of whom 70,000  have got married to Koreans.

Over the past years, the association has organised many Vietnamese language classes for children of such multi-cultural families, along with contests for Vietnamese there in an effort to spread the love for the mother tongue./.

Third Vietnamese interpretation contest held in Moscow

Twenty-one students from Russian universities took part in the 3rd Vietnamese interpretation contest held on March 30 at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) under Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The candidates were required to translate short sentences about socio-political issues from Russian to Vietnamese and vice versa.

Meanwhile, final-year students and graduate students competed in translating a piece of about 200 words about official state visits, the current state of the Russian economy, or the role of ASEAN.

The jury at the contest included professional and veteran interpreters from Russia and Vietnam, former Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrey Tatarinov, Russian diplomats who are working in Vietnam, counselor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Doan Khac Hoang, and Director of the Traditions and Friendship fund Nguyen Quoc Hung.

Speaking at the event, Associate Professor of Linguistics, head of MGIMO Language Training Department Marina Chigasheva emphasised that Vietnam always plays an important role in Russia’s foreign policy.

She noted events that contribute to the two countries’ relations recently, including the phone call between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 26, during which the two leaders mentioned economic cooperation and many other cooperative orientations.

Chigasheva said that the contest has been held for the third time and will become an annual one, which shows the sustainability of the two countries’ relations and the real need for Vietnamese translation and Vietnam studies in Russia.

Director of the Traditions and Friendship fund Nguyen Quoc Hung, who has accompanied the contest from its first edition, said highlighted the increasing quality of the contest, and affirmed that the fund will focus on sponsoring activities to encourage students as well as teachers to teach and learn Vietnamese. He informed that the fund is promoting the teaching of Vietnamese at Russian schools.

Counselor of the Third Asian Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Ivan Nesterov noted that the organisation of the contest has become increasingly professional, attracting students across Russia./.

Vietnam-Russia roundtable conference on language in diplomatic activities held

A hybrid roundtable conference on "Vietnam - Russia relations: experience in diplomatic activities" was held on March 30 at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) under Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the participation of former, current and future diplomats.

The event, which also saw representatives from the Russian Embassy in Hanoi and the Russian Consulate General in Da Nang city, aimed to share experiences and difficulties relating to language and interpretation.

Speaking at the event, Ivan Nesterov, Counselor from the Russian Foreign Ministry's Third Asian Department, reviewed recent important milestones in Russia-Vietnam relations.

As a person who studied Vietnamese language and chose to major in Vietnamese studies, he shared his difficulties when learning an Asian language that has few similarities with Russian.

He highlighted career opportunities for students, saying that Vietnam is an important development orientation in Russia’s foreign policy.

According to him, tourism and oil and gas are the two positive sectors that offer employment opportunities.

Counselor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Doan Khac Hoang agreed with positive assessments of the near future prospects for those who choose to major in Vietnamese studies.

Russian Consul General in Da Nang Maria Mizonova underlined the difficulty of studying Vietnamese and said this is a reason why the recruitment of personnel at the office is not easy.

She noted the differences are not only in the dialects of the three regions in Vietnam but also in personality and communications of people in different regions.

According to her, when studying Vietnamese, it is necessary to learn and understand the culture and people of Vietnam.

At the event, students expressed their interest in international situations and Russia-Vietnam relations while senior diplomats were willing to share their knowledge and experiences./.

Vietnam celebrates “International Day of Zero Waste”

March 30 has been designated as “International Day of Zero Waste” since last year. Many activities to mark the occasion are underway across Vietnam.

International Zero Waste Day calls on all stakeholders, including governments, businesses, and communities to participate in activities to raise awareness about the benefits of attaining zero waste.

To achieve zero waste, Vietnam has implemented a comprehensive, whole-society approach, drawing people from all walks of life, while raising the awareness of manufacturers and consumers about waste issues and encouraging people to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Every day Vietnam releases about 60,000 tons of household waste into the environment.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, over 70% of this waste is deposited in landfills, of which only about 20% is buried hygienically. Vietnam has set a goal that 90% of household waste must be treated hygienically by 2025.

Domestic enterprises are encouraged to obtain technology ownership rights, establish joint ventures with foreign companies, and ensure capital, equipment capacity, and technology transfer operations.

Vietnam has appointed investors to create pilot programs for treating 1,000-2,000 tons of waste per day beginning in one locality and then expanding to others.

Under the Law on Environmental Protection, by the end of this year, domestic solid waste generated from households and individuals must be classified. Otherwise administrative penalties will be imposed.

Hoang Van Thuc, Director of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said, “To form the habit of classifying waste, we must follow a roadmap based on actual local conditions. We need to be resolute and issue regulations and instructions. In the coming time, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will send working delegations to localities to inspect, guide and support them in classifying household solid waste. We will also strengthen communication.”

Vietnam has determined that zero waste is an important piece of the puzzle in responding to climate change. The Government has adopted a National Action Plan on implementing a circular economy, reusing, recycling and treating 85% of plastic waste and reducing plastic waste released to the sea by 50%.

Vietnam has developed a National Action Program on ocean plastic waste management with the goal of reducing it by 75% by 2030.

Vietnam considered one of Asia’s fastest growing cinema markets

Deadline.com, a US premier news source covering the business of entertainment, has described Vietnam as one of Asia’s fastest-growing cinema markets in its recent article.

According to the article, although the previously state-run industry only opened its doors 10-15 years ago, box office was growing at a steady clip of 10% annually before the pandemic, overtaking Thailand, which has a much more developed and longer-established film industry.

Last year, Vietnam’s box office reached US$150 million, or around 90% of pre-pandemic levels, from a total of 1,100 screens. It is not bad for a market that in 2010 only had 90 screens and annual revenue of less than US$15 million.

The growth is due to a few factors, but one of the biggest is the multiplex building programmes undertaken by Korean exhibitors CJ CGV and Lotte Cinema, along with local studios Galaxy Cinema and BHD Star Cineplex, the site said.

Also driving the market is a lively local production sector that is experimenting with new genres and making a wider range of films - again an achievement considering that private companies were only allowed to start producing in the mid-2000s, the site noted.

 Key semiconductor manpower training course opens

The central city-based Việt Nam-Korea University (VKU) has kicked off the human resources training programme in semiconductor industry, promising that the first manpower course will train from 600 to 1,000 engineers by 2028.

It’s also the first manpower training project aiming to provide high-quality engineers in order to host semiconductor industry investment waves from the US, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Europe in the central city.

VKU opened the upskill training course for the first batch of 25 project-based lecturers and students as a key force for future training programmes on semiconductors.  

Rector of VKU, Huỳnh Công Pháp said the training course is the first step in the strategic human resources plan for serving computer science, information technology, electronic manufacturing and semiconductors in Đà Nẵng and nationwide.

He said VKU also began training the first 500 semiconductor and chip design engineers in central Việt Nam in 2024-27.

VKU, under the University of Đà Nẵng, in co-operation with Synopsys company also launched the semiconductor and smart technology hub, providing space for training and research of semiconductor and chip design.

Đà Nẵng also debuted the first Đà Nẵng Semiconductor research, design training & AI Centre (DSAC) as part of the city’s semiconductor chip manufacture and design project to build the city into an international centre of research, training and design of semiconductors and AI.

In a working session with the US ambassador to Việt Nam, Marc E. Knapper, the city called the US to support Đà Nẵng in building a centre of Assembling, Testing, Packaging (ATP) and promoting semiconductor industry development.

The city has offered favourable conditions for investment from Intel, Marvell Technology Group, Qualcomm and Synopsys.

South Korean electronics giant Samsung established the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) at Duy Tân University, and is supporting two businesses – Trung Nam Group and Tân Long Paper and Package company – in building the first smart factories in Đà Nẵng.

Intel and Qualcomm inked human resources education deals with Đà Nẵng’s Duy Tân University for semiconductor industries.

Partners from Việt Nam and Korea have established co-operation and development plans for AI technology in medical, healthcare, smart city and automation in Đà Nẵng.

FPT Software Group has revved up training 17,500 students to serve IT industries and is hosting the move toward semiconductor production.

Taiwan’s Foxlink International company began building an electronics factory with an investment of US$135 million at Đà Nẵng’s Hi-tech Park.

The University of Đà Nẵng also inked the Letter of Intent (LoI) for co-operation with Portland State University in training human resources in semiconductors.

The city has finalised the completion of the Software Park No 2 in creating working space for investors in IT and the semiconductor industry. 

MoU signed for digital transformation of education, innovation Hải Phòng

A memorandum of understanding has been signed between five parties to speed up innovation and the digital transformation of education in the northern port city of Hải Phòng.

Sài Gòn Hi-Tech Park’s training centre, Sun Edu International Education Joint Stock Company, Hải Phòng’s Department of Science and Technology and Economic Zone Management Board, and Hải Phòng University on Friday (March 29) signed the agreement to share their experiences in the two areas.

They will develop new training programmes for the university for both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The programmes will focus on electronics, integrated-circuit (IC) design, semiconductors, control and automation, robotics, IoT, information technology, digital transformation, and innovation.  

The parties will cooperate to provide short-term and refresher courses in areas in which they have expertise .

They will promote professional exchanges and provide theoretical and practical training by experts and lecturers from Sun Edu.

They will cooperate for scientific research and innovation, organise science conferences, set up publications, and digitise scientific journals.

They will bring foreign partners for teaching and research, technology transfer and innovation; domestic and international programmes; and incubation and acceleration of start-ups.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Science and Technology Huỳnh Thành Đạt said Hải Phòng ranked third in the 2023 Provincial Innovation Index, “the result of the city’s great efforts and investments in science, technology and innovation for many years.”

He praised the tie-up and said it would help develop high-quality human resources meeting the demands of businesses.

On the occasion, the National Innovation Centre awarded a copyright for the Cadence circuit design software to the Electronics and Semiconductor Centre at Hải Phòng University.

Hà Nội to stop five subsidised bus routes from April 1

A series of subsidised bus routes in Hà Nội will stop operating to optimise the bus network and effectively use the city's budget, said the Hà Nội Public Transport Management Centre.

Routes No. 10 A and B, 14 , 18, 44 and 145 will be stopped from April 1.

These routes are operated by the Hà Nội Transport Corporation, the Hà Nội Passenger Transport HSC and the Hà Nội Tram JSC.

Thái Hồ Phương, the centre’s director, said that his establishment has stopped printing cards and selling monthly tickets for the five bus routes.

If passengers have purchased monthly tickets for one of these five routes, they can change to monthly tickets for another route or get a refund, Phương said.

Previously, the Hà Nội Department of Transport asked the centre to urgently review and evaluate the effectiveness of each route to optimise the network for budget reasons.

According to the department, Hà Nội currently has 154 bus routes in operation, of which 132 are subsidised bus routes with a total of 2,034 buses.

The department said that the average price subsidy for public passenger transport by bus in 2022 was VNĐ3 trillion (US$120 million), the highest level of the 2020-22 period.

Currently, the city budget supports 50 per cent of monthly ticket prices for students and workers in industrial parks, 30 per cent of the monthly ticket price for officials and employees at offices and businesses outside industrial parks who buy monthly tickets in a group form and offers free tickets for people with meritorious services, people with disabilities, the elderly, children under six years old and people from poor households. 

Bamboo musical instruments of the Xo Dang

Ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands have a rich treasure of musical instruments made of different materials.

As their lives are closely attached to the mountains and forests, most musical instruments of ethnic groups here and the Xo Dang in particular are made from wood and bamboo.

The Xo Dang in Kon Tum province has a range of musical instruments such as the T’rưng, K'lông Pút, water flute, drum, gong, horn, and percussion tube.

T’rưng and K'lông Pút are the two most popular wind instruments made of bamboo.

Phan Van Hoang, Deputy Director of the Kon Tum provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said, “While working on the fields, they created the musical instruments. The K'long Put is often played by women, 2 to 3 people playing at the same time. Gongs are often played by men. The ensemble usually has T'rung, K'long Put, gongs, and other musical instruments.”

The T’rung is made of bamboo tubes tied together by small, durable, strong strings. Each bamboo tubehas an air and resonator part. The two parts combine to create standard pitch and resonance. To adjust the sound of each tube, the maker has to meticulously sharpen the mouth of the tube.

The K'long Put is made from “nứa”, a variety of bamboo plant. The players clap their hands at the mouth of the tubes to make resonance sound. A K'long Put usually has from 7 to 10 tubes depending on the player’s style. The tubes are tied together and placed on a stone slab or a tree trunk when playing. 

People believe that the bamboo tubes used to make the K'long Put are closely associated with the bamboo containers of seeds and the soul of rice resides in the bamboo tubes. When they play the K'long Put, the rice grows well to have bumper crop. The sound of the wind instrument also helps ward off wild animals.

Emeritus Artist Y Sinh of the Xo Dang group in Kon Tum province, shared, “In the past, they would play the K’long Put in many days of to celebrate good crops. For example, when the rice grew well signaling a good harvest, people celebrated at the Rong communal house. They played the K’long Put and T’rung to the rhythm of the gongs. Now we play the T’rung to entertain tourists, mostly those from Japan, South Korea, and China.”

The water musical instrument is unique of the Xo Dang. It consists of bamboo tubes of different lengths, hung vertically on the stream bank. Water flows into large tubes to create low sounds while short tubes create high sounds.

Emeritus artist Y Sinh noted, “The water musical instrument is difficult to make. Now very few old people can do it. Water runs into small and large pipes to produce beautiful sounds. When we walk near a stream, you will hear the impressive sound and see the water instrument.”

At any community event, the worshiping ritual is followed by the festival when all people sing and dance to the sounds of traditional musical instruments.

Phan Van Hoang, Deputy Director of the Kon Tum provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said, “The cultural sector organizes art troupes to perform at Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day and programs organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. These are venues for ethnic groups to show their cultural identities. Through cultural exchanges, they have transferred traditional cultural values to the younger generation.”

Ethnic villages in Kon Tum province have formed art groups to perform at community events and teach young people to play many traditional musical instruments as a way to preserve their culture.

Kiên takes big-bonus-award TD Pool Master League

Đặng Thành Kiên lifted the trophy of the first TD Pool Master League and pocketed a record bonus after beating rising Dương Quốc Hoàng 11-9 in the final on Saturday in Hà Nội.

During two hours, the two best players of the all-star tournament created a nail-biting competition with spectacular shots that made spectators excited and cheer from the stands.

The two were neck-and-neck in the 'race to 11' format final.

Kiên struggled in the first two qualifiers when players competed in round robin format.

He had poor start in both rounds but came back strongly and secured a place in the playoffs in the last seconds.

In the semi-finals, the 43-year-old showed another side, storming to victory against Đỗ Thế Kiên 9-4 to advance to the final.

The final was the third time that Kiên played Hoàng in this tournament. He lost the first match but learned lessons to win the next two.

Kiên was awarded VNĐ250 million in a total of VNĐ500 million (US$20,200) for the whole event. He also received gift voucher from sponsors.

In second place, Hoàng took VNĐ70 million while Đỗ Kiên and Phạm Phương Nam walked away with VNĐ35 million each for third position.

The next places went to Nguyễn Phúc Long, Lương Chí Dũng, Nguyễn Anh Tuấn and Đỗ Hoàng Quân. They also received bonuses and gifts from organisers.

It was the largest ever bonus delivered at a domestic tournament to honour and recognise the players' contributions, organisers said. 

The event was organised by TD Billiards Club and Vietcontent, a leading producer and distributor of entertainment and sports in Việt Nam. 

Thanh proves power, Hoa takes title back at Tiền Phong Marathon

Hoàng Nguyên Thanh lengthened his domination while Hoàng Thị Ngọc Hoa took her title back at the National Marathon Championship – Tiền Phong Newspaper 2024 on Sunday in Phú Yên Province.

Thanh from Bình Phước finished the men's 42km elite category in a time of 2h 26.05min, leaving his closest rivals Nguyễn Văn Lai of the Military (2:27.10) and Phạm Ngọc Phan of Bình Thuận (2:28.08) a long way behind.

It was his fifth win in a row at the national championship and he set a new tournament record, running almost 10min faster than last year in Lai Châu Province.

"I prepared carefully for the tournament for a long time and I have made a great effort through my race to win today," Thanh said.

On the women's side, reigning champion Lê Thị Tuyết received strong support from home fans and she also quickly took the lead.

Former champion and last year's runner-up, Hoa caught up with and ran along with Tuyết for most of the distance.

In the last 2km, 19-year-old Tuyết sprinted and set up a 300m gap with Hoa but she ran with a hand holding her stomach.

In the last 300m, Hoa made an incredible sprint and passed Tuyết to finish first in a time of 2:51.29, taking the second gold for Bình Phước.

Tuyết finished 18sec later and Nguyễn Thị Thúy Vân of Khánh Hòa finished third with a time of 2:56:04.

Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Anh said Tuyết was hospitalised after she crossed the finish line because of a serious stomachache that happened in the last kilometres. Luckily, she did not meet with any problems and left the hospital.

He said it was the main reason that prevented Tuyết from defending her title.

Nguyễn Đức Nguyên, an official of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, said the race between Hoa and Tuyết was tough. It made the Tiền Phong Marathon more attractive and competitive.

Hoa is in good form after setting the national record at the Asian championship in January. The national championship gold medal winner deserved the victory, he said.

In the 21km classes, Phạm Thị Hồng Lệ topped the women's category while Nguyễn Trung Cường won the men's.

Former national team runner Lệ of Bình Định ran ahead to take the lead from the beginning. She was out in front on her own to the finish to take her third win clocking 1:19.24.

Meanwhile, Cường of Hà Tĩnh separated from chaser Nguyễn Quốc Anh of the Military in the last kilometres to win, saying it was a present for his daughter who celebrated her third birthday on March 31.

In other categories, veterans Nguyễn Thị Oanh and Đỗ Quốc Luật both set new records in the women's 5km elite and men's 10km elite.

Oanh of Bắc Giang had no worthy rivals in her category as usual. She was alone in the lead position in all time of the race before winning with a time of 16.44min.

It was her eighth championship title which was a record of the tournament.

Luật of the Military took his 10th win in a row, making him a legend of the championship. 

At the halfway stage, Luật had created a big gap with other runners including national team members Lương Đức Phước and Trịnh Quốc Lượng and rising star Đào Minh Thiện.

He won the race after 31.11min.

"I have been in Phú Yên early to prepare for the championship. I am happy that my effort and hard work brought a sweet result," said the 31-year-old who suffered a twisted ankle just 100m from the start.

"I am proud that I not only defended my title but also set a new record. I hope that my 10-win series will be a positive message to young people that training regularly would help improve their health and contribute to the development of the society."

The organisers also presented awards to winners of categories for amateur runners.

The next championship will be held in Quảng Trị Province.

Nearly 200 households in Hải Dương suffer pollution from landfill

Nearly 200 households are having to live with continuing pollution caused by the local landfill, in Lam Sơn Village, Thanh Miện District in the northern province of Hải Dương.

Many villagers are reportedly suffering from respiratory and digestive diseases, and they have petitioned authorities numerous times but the situation has not been resolved.

Lam Sơn landfill, put into use in 2011, was built in a rice field area just 200m from the residential area.

Previously, this landfill was only used for collecting waste from the village alone so it did not cause an environmental pollution problem,

But in 2011, the People's Committee of Lam Sơn Commune expanded the landfill to 1,500sq.m to dump waste from all five villages of the commune.  

The large amount of garbage collected every day overloaded the landfill and garbage burning started, leaving the 200 households in Lam Sơn Village to live with the putrid smoke for many years.

Phạm Văn Dụng, a villager, said that that on humid days, the whole village can hardly sleep due to the smell from the landfill.

Many families with children did not dare to sleep at home and had to leave for safer environment, he said.

Many people in the village suffer from respiratory diseases assumed to be due to pollution from the landfill, he added.

Bùi Thị Soạn, a resident, said that people are struggling to breathe as the whole village is always surrounded by smoke from burning trash at the landfill.

Soạn recalled that during the outbreak of blue ear disease in pigs in the last few years, thousands of dead pigs were dumped in the landfill, exacerbating the pollution.

“Every day, flies and mosquitoes filled our houses and the burning took place more frequently, engulfing the whole village in smoke and a foul, burning smell, Soạn said.

People have petitioned many times but still have to live with pollution from this landfill, she said.

Thanh Miện District currently has 52 landfills for household waste, many of which do not ensure proper treatment processes. Waste is still basically treated by dumping and many landfills have not invested in appropriate collection and treatment systems. 

Sports event held to boost connection among Vietnamese people in Singapore

The Van Lang Sports Competition 2024, the largest annual sports festival of the Vietnamese community in Singapore, kicked off on March 31.

The event, which co-organised by the Liaison Board of the Vietnamese community and the Vietnamese Student Association in Singapore, saw the participation of nearly 350 athletes who compete in football, tennis, badminton and chess.

The tournament is expected to create a playground for the Vietnamese community in Singapore, thereby enhancing exchange and connection and contributing to improving the sports movement among them, according to Bui Ngoc Thach Anh, head of the event’s organising board.

It takes place in three consecutive weekends at seven competition venues. There will be 28 prizes with a total prize pool of 6,000 SGD (nearly 4,500 USD).

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung hailed the Liaison Board of the Vietnamese community and the Vietnamese Student Association in Singapore for organising such a meaningful sports festival which doesn’t not only help enhance physical strength but also strengthen mutual understanding among the Vietnamese community.

The fact that this year’s event attracts the largest number of participants, reflecting the increasing prestige of this annual sports festival, he added./.

Phu Yen Culture-Tourism Week 2024 opens

The Phu Yen Culture-Tourism Week 2024 is taking place in commemoration of the 49th anniversary of the liberation of the south central province (April 1, 1975 -2024).

The event intended to introduce local unique culture, promote tourism potential, attract investment, contributing to stimulating the province’s tourism as well as socio-economic development.

Dao My, Vice Chairman of the Phu Yen provincial People's Committee, said that the province aimed to turn the event themed 'Exploring Phu Yen's Heritage,' into a large-scale cultural and tourist programme, towards building distinctive tourist products and own festive brand, and developing sustainable heritage tourism.

During the week-long event, various programmes and activities are taking place throughout the province, such as Bai Choi singing, boat racing, an introduction of dishes made from tuna, and a photo contest.

Highlights of the event include a fair promoting OCOP items, cusine and tourist products, a music contest, and performances featuring local intangible cultural heritage.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on March 30, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong emphasised that the province needs to invest in upgrading infrastructure serving tourism, especially the transport network connecting tourist sites, while continuing to have mechanisms and policies to support local tourism enterprises, attract potential investors and promote national cultural identity in combination with sustainable tourism development.

He said that the province also needs to prioritise promoting its competitive advantages such as geoparks, rock heritage like Ganh Da Di and Da Bia mountain in order to lure more tourists.

The Phu Yen Culture-Tourism Week 2024 will run until April 5./.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes