Vietnam, the host country of the 31st Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games 31) is expected to welcome more than 3,000 referees, including 1,290 foreign referees and 2,085 domestic referees who will officiate matches of 40 sports at the sports tournament in the capital city of Hanoi and 11 other provinces and cities. 

According to Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan, the SEA Games 31 in Vietnam is a good opportunity for Vietnamese referees to learn and gain experience to officiate the international sports events. Therefore, sports federations and associations are encouraged to facilitate referees during the 31st SEA Games.

At the moment, domestic referees are joining training courses to get accustomed to the new competition rules as well as new devices to serve for the upcoming SEA Games.

PM Chinh inspects SEA Games preparations in Hanoi

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid a visit to the National Sports Training Centre in Hanoi on April 18 ahead of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) to inspect the site and offer words of encouragement to Vietnamese athletes training there.

Meeting with national athletes, PM Chinh expressed his great appreciation of the efforts competent agencies have made in creating favourable conditions for local athletes to practice during the country’s COVID-19 fight.

He shared some of the difficulties with coaches and athletes, whilst praising their efforts and achievements over recent times.

He encouraged them to try their best in every competition, upholding the sporting spirit of solidarity, honesty, and nobility, as well as peace-loving, co-operation, and development for both the region and the wider world at the coming event.

PM Chinh later inspected SEA Games preparations ahead at the Hanoi Athletics Palace and My Dinh National Stadium.

The Government leader reminded that the opening ceremony due to take place at My Dinh Stadium on May 12 must represent a highlight of the region’s largest sporting event as it needs to showcase the country’s historical traditions and cultural identity, whilst also leaving a positive impression in the hearts of international friends.

Australian Ambassador visits projects in northwest Vietnam

Delegation from the Australian Embassy in Vietnam visited Son La and Dien Bien provinces from April 12 to 15 to meet with local government leaders and farmers and businesses who are benefiting from Australian-supported projects.

During the mission, H.E. Ms. Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam met with small businesses in the region, including those run by ethnic minority women, to learn how Australian investments are improving livelihoods and economic opportunities.

The visit reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to socio-economic development in the northwestern provinces as a part of its long-term partnership with Vietnam through the Gender Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) program, an Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) project implemented by CARE International in Vietnam, and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

The GREAT program is Australia’s most significant gender investment in Vietnam, totaling A$33.7 million. The program works with business, NGOs, and government partners to build more inclusive business and market systems within the agriculture and tourism sectors in Son La and Lao Cai provinces, to ensure that local women and ethnic minorities actively participate in and benefit from related economic activities and growth.

The delegation also visited the Technologically Enhanced Agricultural Livelihoods (TEAL) project in Mai Son District, which is being implemented by CARE International in Vietnam to support ethnic minority women in remote areas to produce specialty coffee, connect with high-end markets, and achieve broad women's economic empowerment outcomes.

Binh Dinh holds memorial and reburial services for the remains of 60 martyrs

The People’s Committee of Binh Dinh province held a memorial and reburial service for the remains of 60 Vietnamese soldiers at the martyrs’ cemetery of Hoai An district, Binh Dinh province on April 17.

The ceremony was attended by Secretary of the Party Central Committee (PCC) and Head of the PCC’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia and Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan.

The remains and belongings of the fallen soldiers were found at Xuan Son hill in An Huu commune, Hoai An district, Binh Dinh province by a search team of Binh Dinh province between March 11 and April 15, 2022.

Through discovered items, the soldiers were found to have sacrificed their lives in the raid on Xuan Son hill conducted by American imperialism in late December 1966.

On the occasion, Secretary of the Party Central Committee (PCC) and Head of the PCC’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia handed over 200 million VND to the People’s Committee of Hoai An district to build graves and memorial headstones for the martyrs.

New regulations on vocational training courses joining with foreign countries

The Government has just issued Decree 24/2022/ND-CP amending and supplementing decrees stipulating conditions for investment and operation in the field of vocational training education.

Accordingly, Decree 24 stipulates that joint training courses with foreign countries shall be conducted according to the following training programs which are developed by the two parties and students of the course will be awarded foreign degrees and certificates.

Additionally, students who follow joint training courses will be given certificates from both foreign and Vietnamese schools while their peers pursuing designed programs by foreign schools will receive degrees and certificates from the foreign schools.

Moreover, students studying transferred foreign training programs will be granted diplomas and certificates from foreign schools and Vietnamese schools.

In addition, Decree 24 also amends the conditions for vocational training association with foreign countries in the fields prescribed by foreign regulations and Vietnam's industries and professions, except for subjects of politics, religion and security.

Government approves to set up plan for Southeastern region in 2021-2030 period

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has signed a decision No.463/QD-TTg on approving planning for the Southeastern region in the 2021-2030 period with a vision towards 2050 to develop the region into an area that will take the leading role in the transformation of the growth model.

The plan consists of the entire mainland, islands, archipelagos, underground resources, areas of sea and sky under sovereignty, sovereign right, and jurisdiction of Vietnam in HCMC and provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, and Tay Ninh.

It must ensure the planning and development over the entire region; the goal of sustainable development associated with environmental protection and climate change adaptation; effective exploitation and use of natural resources; preservation of historical and cultural relic sites, cultural and natural heritages; reduction of economic, social and environmental impacts on the livelihood of the local community.

The plan needs to include policies boosting the development of the poor areas, ensure sustainable livelihoods of the local residents, and implementation feasibility in the 2021-2025, 2026-2030 periods with a vision towards 2050.

The Government has assigned the Ministry of Investment and Planning to coordinate with ministries, departments, and people’s committees of provinces and cities in the region to assess and approve the cost estimation of the plan, and then submit them to the Prime Minister.

SEA Games 31: Bac Ninh finalises preparations to host four sports

The northern province of Bac Ninh, which will host competitions of four sports in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), has been finalising preparations for the regional sport event.

According to Director of the Bac Ninh Centre for Physical and Sports Training and Competition Nguyen An Phu, the Bac Ninh Multi-Purpose Gymnasium has been upgraded with additional equipment for 19 functional rooms to host Boxing and Kickboxing events from May 6-23.

Meanwhile, to prepare for indoor handball competitions, the provincial Steering Committee for SEA Games 31 has coordinated with the Bac Ninh University of Physical and Sports Education in Tu Son city, the venue of the competitions, to ensure the security as well as the supply of power and medical services at the university, which has a capacity to host 1,500-2,000 audience, said Phu.

Vietnamese women's football team reap encouraging results in RoK training course

The Vietnamese women's football team obtained a 2-2 draw with Gyeongju KHNP of the Republic of Korea (RoK) during their training in the RoK ahead of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

The Korean squad got the ball into the net in the seventh minute. However, only few minutes later, the Vietnamese players found the equalizer by Hai Yen.

The second goal of Vietnam was scored by Huynh Nhu just 10 minutes before the end of the first half.

The Korean footballers made another goal in the 80th minute.

Head coach of the Vietnamese team Mai Duc Chung said after the match, the Vietnamese girls will continue with the training as SEA Games 31 is approaching.

On April 21, the squad will return home and move to the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh to complete the final preparations for the region's biggest sporting event.

Members, supporters of terrorist organisation sentenced to imprisonments of 3-13 years

The People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City on April 18 sentenced 12 defendants to imprisonments of between 3-13 years on the charge of conducting acts aiming at overthrowing the people’s administration.

The defendants are members and supporters of the so-called “Chinh phu quoc gia Viet Nam lam thoi” (Provisional National Government of Vietnam), which is a terrorist organisation founded and led by Dao Minh Quan from abroad. The organisation has conducted many propaganda activities advocating armed riots against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Under the instruction of many key members of this organisation, the defendants have actively to entice others to join the terrorist organisation and a "referendum" to elect Dao Minh Quan as "the President of the third Republic of Vietnam".

In Ho Chi Minh City, defendant Tran Thi Ngoc Xuan joined the organisation and regularly used the Facebook social network to streamlive contents calling on others to participate in organising and conducting the "referendum". From March-June 2018, Xuan lured six people, including her husband, two children and three acquaintances to join the organisation. Also during this time, she also received many documents from the members of the organisation via Facebook.

On February 19, 2019, while visiting poor households in Tam Binh ward, Thu Duc city, Xuan brought along five sets of printed documents and handed over the documents to three households. During the time participating in the organisation, Xuan was given a mobile phone, 300 USD, 400 CAD (316.4 USD) and 3 million VND (130.9 USD).

Like Xuan, defendant Nguyen Thanh Xoan was lured by La Ngoc Duyen to register to join the organisation. In addition to spreading the organisation's propaganda, Xoan also enticed and guided four other to vote in the "referendum".

In Dong Nai, Luong Thi Thu Hien contacted many acquaintances, saying that she was participating in a foreign organisation that was engaged in charity activities, giving away land and houses for the poor, and asked for the acquaintances' information to register for the gifts. Many provided personal information for Hien, but in fact Hien used them to register for the "referendum" for Dao Minh Quan.

Also in Dong Nai, defendant Tran Van Long used personal information of more than 20 people to register for the "referendum".

Other defendants committed similar acts in An Giang, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Phu Yen and Kon Tum. In addition, the defendants in the case also made yellow flags with three red stripes of different sizes. They printed and distributed documents such as "Provisional Constitution", "Constitution of the Third Republic of Vietnam", "Biography of Prime Minister Dao Minh Quan" in order to propagandise about the organisation and the referendum to others.

In this case, nine defendants including Tran Thi Ngoc Xuan (born in 1969), Nguyen Thanh Xoan (1972), Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong (1967), Luong Thi Thu Hien (1968), Y Hon Enuol (1988), Y Phuong Ding Rieh (1978), Nguyen Minh Quang (1960), Ho Thi Xuan Huong (1968), and Le Ngoc Thanh (1972) were prosecuted under Clause 1, Article 109 of the 2015 Penal Code. Three others, namely Y Tup Knul (1970), Pham Ho (1949) and Tran Van Long (1955) were prosecuted under Clause 2, Article 109 of the Penal Code 2015.

The jury decided to sentence Xuan to 13-year imprisonment, while Xoan and Hien got 12 years and 11 years in jail, respectively.

The other defendants were sentenced to imprisonments of between 3-10 years.

In addition, the defendants will be placed under home probation of 2-3 years after their jail terms end.

Bac Lieu begins COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-12

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on April 18 started to vaccinate children aged from 5 to under 12 against COVID-19.

According to the provincial Centre for Disease Control, about 106,000 children of the targeted age group will be inoculated. They will be injected with Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, with a dose of 0.25ml.

On the day, 6,400 doses of Moderna vaccine were distributed to eight vaccination units in Bac Lieu.

First Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day to feature various activities

The first Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day will take place until the end of this month with various activities, heard a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on April 18.

An opening ceremony is slated for April 19 on Nguyen Hue street of HCM City, said Nguyen Nguyen, Director of the Authority of Publication, Printing and Distribution under the Ministry of Information and Communications.

This is the first time a national book and reading event has been held in HCM City with the participation of more than 20 publishing houses, he said, noting the introduction of smart library models.

An online book festival will be held at book365.vn from April 19 to May 20, attracting nearly 100 publishing houses with over 40,000 titles.

The HCM City People’s Committee will host a book fair on Nguyen Hue street from April 19 to 24. There will also be seminars on reading culture during the month.

Hanoi will also organise an array of activities in response to the Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2022 from April 21 to May 1 at the Hanoi Book Street and the National Library of Vietnam.

Last year, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam signed Decision No.1862/QD-TTg to hold the Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day annually on a national scale on April 21.

Students asked to respect intellectual property rights in scientific research

A seminar highlighting respect for intellectual property rights and gender equality during scientific research among students was held in both face-to-face and online forms on April 18.

The event is part of activities to respond to the World Creativity and Innovation Day (April 21), the Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day (April 21) and the World Intellectual Property Day.

Action month for food safety 2022 launched

On April 18, Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board launched Action Month for Food Safety in 2022 with the theme ‘Continuing to improve the roles and responsibilities of producers, traders, and consumers in consuming agricultural products’.

The action month takes place from April 15 to May 15 to strengthen information and communication on food safety-related issues; promote the production and business of agro-forestry-fishery products to ensure quality and safety.

In addition, highlights the roles and responsibilities of organizations, individuals, and businesses in the enforcement of the law on food safety.

In the month of action, responsible agencies will also step up the inspection, inspection, and supervision of food safety of agricultural, forestry and fishery products at food manufacturers, businesses, and advertising establishments.

During the month, the role of authorities at all levels, management agencies, social organizations and consumer supervision will be upheld for compliance with the law on food safety for individuals, production, and business establishments. Food safety incidents will be handled well.

Four localities roll out COVID-19 shots for kids aged 5-12

Quang Ninh, Ha Nam, Ha Noi, and HCMC have rolled out vaccination against COVID-19 for children aged 5-12, reporting zero serious adverse reactions, according to the Ministry of Helath.

Other localities will follow the suit this week.

As of late April 17, over 12,000 shots had been administered for children of this age group, said the ministry.

In Ha Noi, nearly 8,500 children have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with no serious reactions recorded. 

Viet Nam has about 11.8 million children aged 5-12, among them 8.2 million are thought to have yet been infected by the virus. 

So far, 80.1 percent of Viet Nam's population have been fully vacinated against COVID-19, and 53.3 percent  received the third COVID-19 shots.

Viet Nam kick-started a COVID-19 vaccination campaign for children aged 5-11 on April 14.

The first batch of vaccine administered to children in this age group is Moderna, sponsored by the Australian Government. The shipment arrived in Viet Nam on April 8.  

The other vaccine approved for use on children aged 5-11 is Pfizer-BioNTech. 

For children, both doses must be of the same vaccine.

Sketches of battlefields come to Da Nang school

An exhibition featuring sketches of battlefields in Region V during the wartime opened in Hoa Vang district of the central city of Da Nang on April 18.

The event, organised by the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum, was to mark the 47th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30).

Deputy Director of the museum Nguyen Thi Trinh said that on show are 42 sketches presented by the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts which reflect the life and indomitability of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians during wartime.

The exhibition aims to pay tribute to contributions and sacrifices by soldiers and martyrs for national liberation, and bolster patriotism among youths.

It will run until April 21.

Indian lower house speaker’s visit to reinforce comprehensive strategic ties with Vietnam

Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (the lower house) Om Birla starts an official visit to Vietnam on April 19 at the invitation by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

It is his first visit to Vietnam since he took office in June 2019.

The three-day visit is made in the context that the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been growing strong with high political trust and close relations between the two legislatures.

It is one of the major political events between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Indian Lok Sabha to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties (1972 – 2022).

Hoi An ancient city to host Korean Cultural Day 2022

A Korean Cultural Day in the central province of Quang Nam is due to take place in Hoi An ancient city from April 22 to April 23 in celebration of the 30th anniversary of both nations' diplomatic relations.

As part of the two-day event, a wide range of activities will be planned, including a traditional market in Hoi An city, an art show, an Ao Dai performance, and folk games.

Truong Thi Ngoc Cam, director of the Center for Culture - Sports and Radio and Television in Hoi An, said the Korean Cultural Days in Quang Nam is within the framework of the the National Tourism Year – Quang Nam 2022 with the theme of 'Quang Nam – A Green Tourism Destination'.

The occasion aims to promote the culture and tourism of both countries, as well as foster  diplomatic ties between the RoK and Vietnam, with a particular focus on the central province of Quang Nam.

Most notably, Taekwondo and Kpop dance performances will also be held from 16:30 p.m. to 18:00 p.m. on April 22.

Moreover, domestic and foreign tourists will be able to join a tour visiting Hoi An ancient town, local traditional craft villages, and the central city’s historical relics.

First heat wave for 2022 to hit northern region

The first heat wave of the year is forecast to strike both the northern and central regions from April 22, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Residents of Hanoi will only suffer chilly weather conditions until April 20 as temperatures are due to quickly rise this weekend.

The hot spell will impact north and central regions from April 22, with temperatures ranging from 27 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius.

The hot weather will therefore become harsher, with some areas predicted to endure hear of up to 35 degrees on April 24.

The heat wave will then expand to other localities, including northwestern and northern central regions, along with coastal areas, the centre said.

The heat wave will become severe from April 25 to April 27, with temperatures rising to between 35 degrees and 37 degrees, even reaching over 38 degrees in some mountainous areas.

Pilot electronic toll collection on Hà Nội-Hải Phòng expressway delayed

The automatic non-stop toll collection (ETC) on the Hà Nội - Hải Phòng Expressway will be delayed by one month, according to the Directorate for Roads of Việt Nam (DRVN).

Specifically, the express ETC will start at the beginning of June instead of May 5.

The DRVN vice director Nguyễn Mạnh Thắng said the reason for the delay was that the 31st SEA Games would be held in Việt Nam from May 5 to 23, so traffic order and safety during the Games were the key priority.

The DRVN has organised and coordinated with the road management unit - the Việt Nam Infrastructure Development and Financial Investment Corporation (VIDIFI), to review and inspect the ​​toll stations on the route.

The DRVN has also guided VIDIFI to select a consulting unit to set up a traffic organisation plan file for the pilot ETC and submit it to the DRVN for consideration and use as a basis for mass implementation.

Korea Tourism Organisation opens painting contest for Vietnamese travellers

The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) and the Jeju Tourism Organisation (JTO) in Việt Nam co-operated to launch a painting contest entitled From Brushstrokes to Jeju from now until May 8.

The contest is specifically organised for Vietnamese participants as an effort to promote Jeju tourism in Việt Nam.

Accordingly, contestants can express their dream journeys to Jeju and recall their experiences of this beautiful island. Painters can choose two topics: I & Jeju (single travellers) or We & Jeju (travelling with families or friends).

Both hand drawing and digital graphics are accepted. The valid entry must be with a 300-word story about the inspiration behind the painting.

The organiser encouraged participants to express their eco-travel attitude and spread positive ideas to the community.

In the past two years, KTO and JTO have actively provided information about the destinations for those who love travelling to South Korea in general and Jeju in particular.

Since April 1, the South Korean Government announced that tourists from Việt Nam don’t have to undergo a seven-day quarantine if they have already received two doses of vaccine.

More details and prize information can be found at drawjejunow.visitkorea.org.vn.

Con Dao Island removes Covid-19 testing regulation for tourists

Visitors to Con Dao Island in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau from April 18 will no longer have to show a negative Covid-19 test result.

According to local authorities, at present, Con Dao is at low risk of Covid-19 infection.

The island achieved herd immunity through widespread vaccination.

This makes it unnecessary for visitors to Con Dao to present their Covid-19 test results.

Travellers to Con Dao were previously requested to test negative for Covid-19. If they tested positive for Covid-19 while staying on Con Dao, they had to stay for seven days and paid all related costs.

Sketches of battlefields come to Da Nang school

An exhibition featuring sketches of battlefields in Region V during the wartime opened in Hoa Vang district of the central city of Da Nang on April 18.

The event, organised by the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum, was to mark the 47th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30).

Deputy Director of the museum Nguyen Thi Trinh said that on show are 42 sketches presented by the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts which reflect the life and indomitability of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians during wartime.

The exhibition aims to pay tribute to contributions and sacrifices by soldiers and martyrs for national liberation, and bolster patriotism among youths.

It will run until April 21.

WHO officials honoured for contributions to social security in Vietnam

Medals have been awarded to World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Vietnam Kidong Park and WHO Vietnam officer Ho Hong Ngoc for their contributions to the development of social security in Vietnam.

At the presentation ceremony on April 18, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) Pham Luong Son stated that cooperation between the VSS and WHO has brought about significant changes towards ensuring sustainable, fair and effective public health.

He highlighted the contributions of the WHO and its experts at the Vietnam office, noting that the body’s support has helped in orienting the development of Vietnam’s health insurance policy.

Since becoming head of the WHO in Vietnam in 2017, Dr Kidong Park has worked closely with the VSS and presided over the implementation of effective cooperation across a range of cooperation projects in the field of health insurance.

For her part, Ho Hong Ngoc, a project assistant at WHO Vietnam, has cooperated with the VSS on various issues related to healthcare insurance in Vietnam.

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