The Customs Department in the northern coastal city of Haiphong have seized nearly 1.6 tonnes of ivory illegally imported into the city by sea.

The department announced on Monday that they found the ivory while checking a container at Lach Huyen International Port on March 23.

"547 ivory pieces painted black and weighed 1,580 kilos," the department said, adding that this was the first time such methods have been seen in the country.

Local authorities are further investigating the case.

Cultural, sports activities to commemorate Hung Kings

A series of cultural, sport and tourism events will be held from April 9 – 18 in the northern province of Phu Tho to commemorate Hung Kings - the legendary founders of the nation.

Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Dac Thuy said a plan for organising the events has been built by the local authorities.

Accordingly, in addition to ritual and festive activities, a running "Den Hung Spirituality Marathon 2024" will be organised in the Hung Kings Temple historical site with the competition of 6,000 athletes nationwide.

On this occasion, the province will inaugurate a bas-relief featuring "President Ho Chi Minh talking to officers and soldiers from the Vietnam People’s Army at Gieng Temple intersection”.

An art performance programme highlighting cultural heritage will be held on every Saturday evening at the Hung Vuong Museum in Viet Tri city.

A men's football tournament has kicked off, attracting the participation of 210 players from Viet Tri city, 13 districts, and the provincial Police and Hung Vuong University.

At a conference to discuss the plan to organise the celebration of the death anniversary of Hung Kings, and an “Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week 2024”, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Commitee Ho Dai Dung asked members of the organising board to strengthen coordination to completee tasks on schedule.

The commemoration of the Hung Kings comes on the 10th day of the third lunar month, which falls on April 18 this year and is a national holiday. The practice of worshiping them in Phu Tho province was recognised by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage in 2012.

Main rituals during the event include ceremonies to offer incense to Lac Long Quan and Au Co - the progenitors of Vietnam - as well as flower offerings at the monument featuring President Ho Chi Minh talking with soldiers from the Vietnam People’s Army./.

Cát Bà tourism for 2024 kicks off

The People's Committee of Cát Hải District, Hải Phòng City held the "Cát Bà Xanh 2024" event on Sunday (March 31) to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Uncle Hồ's visit to Cát Hải and to kick off Cát Bà tourism for 2024.

Bùi Tuấn Mạnh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cát Hải district, said at the event that the Cát Bà archipelago has received many titles, such as being recognised by UNESCO as a world biosphere reserve in 2004 and the Prime Minister recognised it as a special National Monument of scenic beauty in 2013.

On September 16, 2023, Cát Bà archipelago along with Hạ Long Bay (Quảng Ninh) were recognised by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site. This is also the first inter-province and city World Natural Heritage Site in Việt Nam.

Mạnh affirmed that in recent years, Cát Bà has unique, high-quality tourism products that attract tourists, and is on the path to renew its tourism image.

The opening program of Cát Bà tourism in 2024 is a particularly important event, a message and an invitation to domestic and international tourists to come to Cát Bà to explore and enjoy the invaluable gift that nature gives to humans.

Cát Bà, a four-season rendezvous, is ready to open its arms to welcome tourists, he said.

Deputy PM attends Vietnam Executive Leadership Programme at Harvard University

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai is leading a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 2024 Vietnam Executive Leadership Programme (VELP) held at Harvard University in Boston, the US, from April 1-3.

In his opening remarks, Khai emphasised that through the eight successful editions, the VELP has become one of the reputable dialogue and policy consultation programmes between Vietnam and the US. He affirmed that Vietnam wishes to continue coordinating closely with the US to implement the contents of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development between the two countries in all fields, especially education and training.

The 2024 programme focuses on three main discussion contents: Prospects and notable developments of the world and Asian economies, and assessment of major transformation trends and impacts on Vietnam economy; promoting new growth drivers in Vietnam, especially innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies; and solutions to overcome the middle income trap and transform the growth model.

At discussion sessions on April 1 on global economic prospects, AI, and semiconductor, professors and experts presented an overall and comprehensive picture of the development trends of major economies, and new technologies. They expressed their impression on the success of the Vietnamese economy, describing it as among those with the most successful transformation in the world over the past two decades.

Speaking highly of Vietnam's potential and opportunities in participating in global supply chains in emerging technology industries, experts made specific and practical recommendations for the country to seize opportunities from new trends, especially taking advantage of the shifting of investment flows, building an ecosystem to develop emerging technologies, promoting human resources advantages in AI development, and investing in digital infrastructure and renewable energy.

On this occasion, Deputy PM Khai received Professor Douglas Elmendorf, Dean at Harvard Kennedy School; Professor David Golan, Dean at Harvard Medical School; and professors of the Vietnam Programme at Harvard University.

On April 2-3, within the 2024 VELP framework, thematic sessions on cloud computing, digital environment, technology and global security challenges, growth model transformation and measures to overcome middle income trap are scheduled./.

Dien Bien Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival features various activities

The 10th Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of Ethnic Groups of Dien Bien district kicked off in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on April 1.

The event forms part of activities to celebrate the 270th anniversary of the victory of Hoang Cong Chat insurgent troops to liberate Muong Thanh (1754 - 2024), the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7) and Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024.

The annual festival aims to preserve, introduce and promote typical cultural values and traditional sports of 11 ethnic groups in Dien Bien district. This is also an opportunity for artisans, actors and athletes to meet, join in exchanges, strengthen the great national unity, mobilise cooperation of all people in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, thus helping to build an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity.

The event has gathered more than 500 artisans, actors, athletes and art troupes from 21 communes in the district as well as other provinces such as Bac Giang, Hoa Binh and Thai Nguyen, among others.

During the three-day festival, revellers will have a chance to take part in several activities including a mass art festival, a national costumes show, folk dances, sports competitions and visit booths displaying cultural and tourism products, handicrafts, ethnic cuisine, agricultural and One Commune - One Product (OCOP) products.

The festival runs until April 3./.

PM orders measures against heat, drought

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 1 issued a directive ordering measures be taken to cope with the current heat waves, drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion which have hit several localities.

The directive noted that due to El Nino impact, so far this year, many regions nationwide have faced a low rainfall, high temperatures, prolonged heat waves, drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion, especially in the Mekong Delta, central, and Central Highlands regions.

It cited specialised agencies as forecasting that average temperatures may be higher than previous years’, especially in summer. Many heat waves will occur and tend to become more severe than average. Meanwhile, the flood season is unlikely to come early in the northern region, and flows into large reservoirs on the Da River could be 30 - 40% lower than average. Heat waves, drought, water shortages, saltwater intrusion, particularly in the central and southern regions, are also looming.

To minimise impact on economic activities and people’s life, PM Chinh demanded the chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, ministers, and heads of relevant agencies keep a close watch on the situation while boosting the implementation of timely and effective measures against natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, especially heat waves, drought, and saltwater intrusion.

Localities were told to comply with instructions from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, other ministries, and sectors.

In the directive, the Government leader also assigned tasks to relevant ministries and media agencies./.

Minor landslide occurred at Prenn Pass after hailstorm

A minor landslide occurred recorded in the Central Highlands city of Đà Lạt as the region enters its rainy season on Monday. 

The section was newly upgraded and went into operation before the Lunar New Year this year, on January 31. 

Local police have erected a warning sign at one of the two lanes that lead to the entry point of the pass.

Nguyễn Văn Sơn, vice chairman of Đà Lạt City People’s Committee said that only a small amount of soil was eroded and did not pose threats to motorists.

However, local authorities are taking measures to prevent further erosion during the rainy season, he said. 

The pass is considered an important route connecting Đà Lạt City to Liên Khương International  Airport, as well as the upcoming Dầu Giây-Liên Khương Expressway that linked Lâm Đồng Province to HCM City and other southern provinces. 

Prior to the upgrade project, Prenn Pass regularly experienced traffic congestion during the holidays. 

Several serious landslides happened in Lâm Đồng Province in 2023, killing nine in total. 

HCM City has high number of trained workers seeking employments

Nearly 36,200 job seekers in Ho Chi Minh City in the first quarter of this year are well educated and possess prior training, accounting for 97.21% of the total number, according to the Centre of Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information (Falmi) on April 1.

Among those seeking jobs, university graduates or those with higher degrees dominated, with 23,242 individuals (62.42%). College graduates followed closely with over 4,700 (12.68%). Unskilled workers comprised a much smaller portion, with just over 1,000 job seekers (2.79%).

Classified by industry and occupation, the survey revealed that the commercial sector has the highest numbers (19.62%), with positions like sales staff, advisors, and administrators being most sought-after. Operational management followed at 5.3%, with department directors and production managers being in high demand.

Job seekers in the fields of information technology, mechanical engineering-automation, transport - logistics - port services, accounting - audit, personal service - security, administrative - office - translation and interpretation, and human resources represented 5.1%, 4.33%, 4.23%, 4.5%, 8.33%, 7.17% and 6.62%, respectively.

The demand for employment in various other industries made up 31.53% of the total, primarily in positions such as electronic engineers, MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) engineers, environmental engineers, biologists, food industry professionals, financial analysts, credit support personnel and insurance brokers.

The survey delved into salary expectations as well. Over 43% of the job seekers desired a monthly salary exceeding 20 million VND (833 USD), around 25% expected a salary ranging from 10-15 million VND while more than 20% aspired to earn between 15-20 million VND. Additionally, over 11% proposed a salary between 5 - 10 million VND. Only a small portion (0.77%) expected a salary below 5 million VND, primarily concentrated in unskilled or part-time positions.

Falmi Director Nguyen Hoang Hieu noted that the first quarter's job-seeking trends mirrored those of the previous year, with a strong preference for trained personnel.

She also observed a growing interest in flexible work opportunities and greater autonomy over their schedules. These figures were revealed through a survey of over 37,200 individuals seeking employments./.

Fire engulfs lumber yard in HCM City

A raging fire yesterday engulfed a lumber yard adjacent to Tàu Hủ Canal in District 8, HCM City.

The fire broke out on the evening of April 1 and quickly spread to nearby residential houses, leaving people scrambling to safety and clutching their belongings. 

Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa, a 40-year-old resident, acted swiftly. She secured the gas cylinder in her kitchen, fearing an explosion, and gathered essential documents before fleeing with her 10-year-old son.

“The neighbours, who had been drinking near the lumber yard, noticed the flames and sounded the alarm,” she recounted. “I managed to grab crucial papers and escape with my son.”

Thắng, 50, had been watching TV when he heard the alarm. Rushing outside, he witnessed the flame consuming everything in its path.

Despite the efforts of those trying to use fire extinguishers to control the fire, it proved relentless, forcing everyone to flee in panic.

“I couldn’t enter my house to assess the damage,” Thắng said with concern.

HCM City's Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue Police Division promptly responded to the emergency. By 8.50 pm, they successfully extinguished the fire.

Damage assessment shows that it ravaged a total area of 470 square metres. Among the casualties were a destroyed house at 206/1/18A and portions of another house at 206/1/18.

The old lumber yard suffered significant damage.

Although there were no reported injuries, the investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing. 

PM congratulates Khmer community on Chol Chnam Thmay 2024

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has sent a letter of congratulations to Khmer people, monks and nuns on the occasion of their traditional New Year festival Chol Chnam Thmay 2024.

On behalf of Party and State leaders, the PM extended his greetings and best wishes to the Khmer people, monks and nuns.

Recognising the Khmer community, with over 1.3 million people, as an integral part of Vietnam's ethnic groups, he commended their contributions to the cause of national construction and defence as well as their observance of the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws.

In the letter, the government leader emphasised the importance the Party and State have placed on ethnic and religious affairs, stressing that that effectively enforcing policies in these areas is crucial for strengthening national unity and promoting the positive and humanitarian values of all ethnic groups.

He called on agencies and localities with Khmer communities to actively and flexibly adopt measures to improve livelihoods, offer care to policy beneficiaries, ex-revolutionaries and their families, disadvantaged households while upholding the role of intellectuals, respected individuals, and community leaders in the Khmer community.

They were also urged to ensure that the Khmer people celebrate the Chol Chnam Thmay festival in a unified, joyful, safe, economical and culturally appropriate manner./.

Vietnam attends francophone cultural festival in France

A Vietnamese delegation took part in a francophone cultural festival held by the Maison de la Francophonie association in France’s Bussy-Saint-Georges on March 31, impressing attendants by a large number of performances.

Activities by the delegation, which accounted for the majority of the event’s duration, included dances, martial arts, and singing performances.

The festival is an initiative of the association, with the first event organised in 2023. This year, in addition to the five Asian countries of Laos, Cambodia, China, India, and Vietnam, there was also participation from African delegations such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Togo.

Speaking at the event, the head of the association, Clément HONG, expressed the hope that through this event, the cultural and linguistic diversity among French-speaking countries can be promoted to the international community./.

Vietnamese Party delegation pays working visit to Japan

Politburo member, permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat and Chairwoman of the CPV Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai is leading a high-level delegation on a working visit to Japan from March 31 to April 3.

The visit is taking place at a time when the Vietnam - Japan relations are growing fruitfully with the latest milestone being the upgrade of the ties to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World” last November.

The delegation held separate meetings with Vice President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan Aso Taro and Secretary-General of the LDP Motegi Toshimitsu, and received Governor Shuhei Kishimoto of Wakayama prefecture.

At the meetings, Mai, who is also Chairwoman of the Vietnam – Japan Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, affirmed Vietnam always treasures the comprehensive strategic partnership with Japan. She expressed her readiness to cooperate with the government, LDP, and various political parties and localities of Japan to deepen and enhance the bilateral relationship in line with its new position and level.

To deepen the bilateral ties in the new phase, the Party official proposed both sides, especially the CPV and LDP, leverage the roles of the ruling parties in concretising common high-level perceptions and important contents stated in the joint statement on the upgrade of the bilateral relations.

It is also necessary to strengthen the bilateral political relationship through high-level leaders' visits and meetings through party, state, government, parliamentary, and people-to-people channels, while promoting economic cooperation and locality-to-locality exchanges, she noted.

Mai also expressed her wish that Japan would continue to pay attention to and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living and working in the country.

For their parts, the leaders of the LDP and Wakayama prefecture highly appreciated Mai's proposals. They said Japan always attaches importance to the bilateral ties, considers Vietnam an important comprehensive strategic partner in the region, and is ready to work with the Vietnamese Party and State to enhance the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation across various fields.

They said the LDP is willing to promote its friendship with the CPV, as well as to support Japan's continued collaboration with Vietnam in industrialisation, modernisation, economic connectivity and cooperation in sustainable development-oriented areas and international issues.

The leaders said they back the two countries’ localities and people-to-people organisations to increase exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and consolidate the Vietnam-Japan friendship foundation.

The Vietnamese delegation also met CPV officials and members and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy. Mai acknowledged their positive contributions and suggested them further contribute to strengthening and promoting the two nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership for sustainable development, for the interests of their people, and for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world./.

Millions of aquatic species released to regenerate fisheries resources

Localities across the country released millions of aquatic species on the first day of April to regenerate fisheries resources, marking the 65th traditional day of Vietnam’s fisheries sector (April 1, 1959-2024).

At the Tran De fishing port in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, the authorities released 2 million breeding tiger shrimps.

In his remarks, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Vuong Quoc Nam announced that this year, the province plans to organise three rounds of releases to improve fisheries resources.

At the event, the organising committee also awarded 20 scholarships worth 1 million VND (41 USD) each to children of disadvantaged fishermen at the fishing port.

With 72 kilometers of coastline and an intricate network of rivers and streams, Soc Trang boasts abundant aquatic resources. However, the local fisheries sector is facing numerous challenges, such as a sharp decline in resources due to the impact of climate change and some fishermen operating without adherence to regulations.

Meanwhile, at the Ninh Kieu wharf in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, a ceremony saw 60,000 juvenile fish of various species released into natural environments.

With an extensive network of canals and ditches, Can Tho has an annual fisheries output exceeding 220,000 tonnes. However, economic and social development activities, overexploitation, pollution, diseases, and climate change have adversely affected the ecological environment, leading to a severe decline or the extinction of many precious indigenous aquatic species.

According to Pham Truong Yen, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, previously, there were only two fish release points in the city. In recent years, this activity has expanded widely across nine local districts, with over 10 tonnes of young fish released annually.

On this occasion, districts in the city also arranged seven venues for releasing approximately 250,000 juvenile fish of various types. Additionally, Can Tho cooperated with the neighbouring An Giang and Dong Thap provinces to expand the scope of the event./.

Intensified drought causes land subsidence and landslide in Mekong Delta region

Hundreds of roads, bridges, houses, and infrastructure in the coastal provinces of the Mekong Delta region have experienced land subsidence and landslide due to severe and prolonged drought. 

The situation leads to significant economic damage and severely affects livelihoods of the local residents.

On the afternoon of March 27, the house of Ms. Truong Hong Nga located in Kinh Nam Hamlet (An Minh Bac Commune, U Minh Thuong District, Ca Mau Province) subsided, tilted, and collapsed completely into the dry bed of the canal.

"The soil here is intruded by salt water. Plus, this year's intense and prolonged drought has caused rapid evaporation of water from the soil. That’s why the soil structure is not compact, leading to continuous land subsidence and landslide. The local authorities had issued warnings, and my family was also planning to relocate, but before we could take action, the house collapsed into the canal," Ms. Nga said.

Apart from Ms. Nga’s house, in the past week, there have been 7 cases of land subsidence and landslide, causing 7 sections of the concrete road with the length of 150 meters along Kinh Nam Hamlet to break, and even one bridge to collapse entirely.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, the Secretary of the Party Committee of An Minh Bac Commune, since the beginning of this year dry season, there have been 1,759 meters of 19 traffic routes along with three bridges, one hamlet’s cultural house and two resident houses that experienced complete damage due to land subsidence. The authorities and local functional departments have sealed off those sites while evacuating residents to safer areas.

According to the locals, there has never been such severe saltwater intrusion as this year, with damages increasing day by day, resulting in difficulties in their daily activities, transportation, and agricultural production.

In Ca Mau, according to Mr. Tran Tan Cong, the Chairman of the People Committee of Tran Van Thoi District, over the past month, land subsidence and landslide occur every day, with an average of 5-10 cases happening daily.

Until March 29, in Tran Van Thoi District, there are over 590 locations with the total length of 15,600 meters suffered from land subsidence and landslides, resulting in damage worth over tens of billion of VND.

For instance, one of the damaged locations is the road along the southern bank of the Quang Hao canal, making transportation very difficult. Trucks instead have to detour along the northern bank of the canal, which takes much more time. Moreover, despite such serious damage to the local infrastructure, the authorities cannot use heavy machinery for repairs as it may cause further landslides.

“There is no other way, the locals have to endure the difficulties and wait until the rainy season when the canals and ditches are full of water so that we can implement repair and upgrade the infrastructure” Mr. Tran Tan Cong added.

Not to mention, farmers are facing significant losses and hardships during the harvest season as many traders take advantage of the situation to pressure them into selling their crops at low prices.

Other coastal provinces in the Southwest such as Bac Lieu, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh have also experienced the loss of agricultural land, damage to houses, roads, and infrastructure due to extensive occurrence of land subsidence and landslides.

According to Mr. Dao Huy Hiep, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport of Kien Giang Province, the Deparment has recently submitted a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee regarding urgent measures to address the increasingly serious situation of landslides on the DT965 road outside the U Minh Thuong buffer zone.

For the remaining areas affected by landslides, they propose that the province instruct localities and relevant forces to implement safety measures such as installing landslide warning signs and warning lights, along with setting up barriers at landslide sites to alert drivers. They also suggest deploying personnel to the site to guide traffic, conducting daily inspections, and addressing new landslide spots. The department has also planned to repair landslide locations with a total budget of VND10 billion (US$403,249) from now until the end of 2025.

According to the People's Committee of Ca Mau province, the immediate solution to the current landslide situation is to support residents in relocating to safe areas. In the long term, the province needs to invest in the construction of 177 landslide prevention works along rivers and coastal areas, with a budget of over VND31 trillion (US$1,250,239), of which it is proposed that the central government support VND26,842 trillion (US$1,082,545).

Traffic accident fatalities decline 15 per cent in Q1

Traffic accidents killed 2,723 people nationwide in the first quarter of this year, a decline of 484 people or 15.1 per cent year on year, said the Traffic Police Department.

During the three-month period, 6,550 traffic accidents were reported across the country, injuring 5,246 people.

Most of the accidents occurred on roadways with 6,496 accidents, killing 2,686 people and injuring 5,239 others.

Railways recorded 40 accidents while waterways reported only 14.

In the first three months of this year, six accidents resulting in serious consequences were reported in Quảng Ninh, Thanh Hoá, Trà Vinh, Lào Cai, Thừa Thiên-Huế and Tuyên Quang provinces.

According to the department, the number of accidents resulting in serious consequences has decreased compared to the same period last year (declining by five accidents).

Meanwhile, the number of dead and injured victims also reported a downward trend.

Vehicles causing the most traffic accidents were motorbikes, accounting for 56.82 per cent of the total, followed by trucks and trailers with 19.4 per cent.

"The majority of traffic accidents resulted from drivers lacking attention, failure to take the right lane and violation of traffic regulations while changing direction, not maintaining following distance, or the use of alcohol,” the department said.

In the first quarter of this year, police cracked down on more than 1.03 million traffic violations, a 38 per cent increase from the previous year.

Among those, 275,130 drunk driving cases faced sanctions.

About 245,707 cases (accounting for 24 per cent of the total number of violations) violated speed regulations, while 1,587 drivers tested positive for drugs.

Traffic violations were recorded the most on roads with more than 1.02 million violations, followed by waterways with 10,479 cases.

This year, police will strengthen inspections and impose stricter penalties on driving violations under alcohol or drug influence, oversized and overloaded vehicles, vehicles with expired registrations, and drivers using fake travelling documents. 

Vietnamese community in RoK holds futsal tournament​

The second open futsal tournament of the Vietnamese community in Siheung city, Gyeonggi province of the Republic of Korea (RoK), was held on March 31.

The one-day tournament brought together 16 Vietnamese futsal teams across the RoK, which were divided into four groups. Kwangju FC team won the gold medal while Storm FC bagged silver and the bronze medal came to Dat to (homeland) FC.

Chairman of the Vietnamese association in Siheung Le Van Huy said that the sport event is held to welcome the anniversary of the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in an attempt to further promote solidarity and community bonds through physical training.

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

Vietnam is the RoK’s third largest trade partner, with two-way trade hitting nearly 80 billion USD last year. The RoK ranks first among foreign investors in Vietnam, with 9,863 investment projects totaling around 90 billion USD and over 8,000 companies operating in the Southeast Asian nation.

Last year, Vietnam also welcomed more than 3.5 million Korean holidaymakers, and there are currently 180,000 Koreans living in the country./.

Vietnam, China intensify cooperation on green growth, digital economy

Vietnam and China would further boost investment and connectivity in emerging fields such as green development, renewable energy, and digital economy.

The view was shared during a meeting on March 28 in Beijing between Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment (MPI) Nguyen Chi Dung, who is currently on a working visit to China from 28-30 March, and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.

At the meeting, Dung expressed delight at the steady performance of China's foreign investment in Vietnam. China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for many years, while Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN and the sixth largest in the world.

Currently, both sides have agreed to connect standard gauge railways across the border, including the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Haiphong 1.435m gauge Dong Dang - Hanoi and Mong Cai - Ha Long – Haiphong lines.

“This is an important infrastructure system to promote economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and China,” Dung said.

Regarding the establishment of free trade zones and duty-free zones, Dung called on China to share its experience with new economic models such as Free Trade Zones, Open Economic Zones, Customs-Free Zones, and related legal incentives.

On investment, Dung emphasized that Vietnam encourages Chinese enterprises to expand investment cooperation in areas of strength such as innovation, renewable energy, smart cities, electronics, technology, and supporting industries.

“The MPI is committed to accompanying, supporting, and creating favorable conditions for Chinese enterprises to successfully and efficiently implement investment projects for the benefit of both sides,” Dung added.

The Chinese Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, expressed his pleasure at meeting with Minister Dung in Beijing and his desire to work together in production chains and supply chains in both new and traditional sectors.

The scope of cooperation includes not only investment but also technology transfer, employee training, and exploration of other markets, he added.

Wentao stated that some manufacturing industries, even production chains, have moved from China to Vietnam, such as textiles, household appliances, and wood products. China's investment in Vietnam is rapidly growing, especially in electronics. Many Chinese ancillary enterprises have supplied products to major electronics brands such as Samsung and Apple. China is also increasing investment in new sectors in Vietnam, such as solar energy.

China will increase imports of Vietnamese goods to ensure a better trade balance, he noted.

In a meeting with Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Zheng Shanjie, Dung urged the NDRC  to coordinate the research and drafting of a joint report on expanding cooperation under the "Two Corridors, One Belt" initiative to the Chinese city of Chongqing (cooperation currently covers only Guangxi and Nanning).

Regarding infrastructure connectivity, including railways, Dung stated that developing transportation infrastructure is one of Vietnam's three strategic breakthroughs in national development strategy.

Currently, the Vietnamese Government is focusing on investing in the construction of expressways, with the total length of expressways in Vietnam currently reaching about 1,900 km.

It is expected that by 2025, more than 3,000 km of expressways will be built, rising to 5,000 km by 2030.

Meanwhile, China is a leading country in the world in terms of the development of the railway industry. Therefore, Vietnam hopes to learn from China's experience in building and developing the railway industry, especially in terms of technology, engineering, mobilization of financial resources, and management skills, Dung said.

On March 29, the Vietnamese delegation led by Minister Dung visited the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway line. Built in 2008 and completed in 2011, the line covers more than 1,300 km with a total investment of over US$33 billion, and trains run at speeds of around 350 km/h.

On March 30, the delegation discussed the issue with the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC). Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, along with leaders from the Ministry of Transport, exchanged experiences with CRRC leaders on developing high-speed rail systems, particularly in the development of the railway industry, manufacturing machinery, rolling stock, cooperative mechanisms, and workforce development.

China owns the world's longest high-speed rail network, consisting of four north-south lines and four east-west lines, ranging from 250 to 350 km/h. The high-speed railway network now spans nearly 50,000 km, reaching 93% of cities with a population of over 500,000.

Children’s annual painting contest returns to HCMC

More than 27,000 children in HCMC aged between four and 15 took part in the semifinal of the 27th children’s painting contest at the General Sciences Library of the city in District 1 on March 31.

This year’s painting contest themed "Net Ve Xanh” (Green drawings) was both online and in-person. The contestants were divided into three groups, including between four and seven, eight and 11, and 12 and 15.

The organization board selected 505 contestants for the final round.

Contestants of “Net Ve Xanh” (Green drawings) used computers, crayons, watercolors, oil, or clay to make paintings about Uncle Ho and children, smart city, environmental projection, sea and islands, their families, teachers, classmates and friends, the country’s beautiful landscapes, or the friendship between peoples around the world.

Mid-term population and housing census being carried out from April 1 - 30

From April 1 to April 30, the General Statistics Office (GSO) plans to carry out the mid-term population and housing census for 2024 nationwide.

The census will use the usual method- the face-to-face interview using pre-established questions - for collecting data on households. Census takers will visit each household to collect necessary data and record all answers on an electronic survey form on their smartphones.

The launching ceremony of the mid-term population and housing census was held this morning by the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi’s Tay Ho District.

Subjects of investigation in the 2024 mid-term population and housing census include households, actual permanent residents of the household (including people in the armed forces, and people with foreign nationality currently in the household), excluding people living in separate management areas of the army and police.

The 2024 Textbook Survey is carried out nationwide in 63 provinces and centrally run cities, in all districts, towns, and districts, except for 4 small island districts such as Bach Long Vy of the Northern City of Hai Phong, Con Co in the Central Province of Quang Tri, Hoang Sa in the Central City of Da Nang and Truong Sa in the South-Central Province of Khanh Hoa.

The 2024 IPS survey collects demographic information on household members, migration, education, marriage status, birth history of women between the ages of 10 to 49, household's deceased people and household living conditions.

The results of the full investigation will be published in November or December. Thematic analysis reports will be published in 2025.

Bắc Giang on high alert for forest fires

Bắc Giang Forest Protection Department will focus on preventing and fighting forest fires in the northern province, providing warnings to localities and promptly mobilising forces for firefighting if needed, its deputy director, Nguyễn Văn Hậu, has said.

Besides, local authorities are directing relevant units and forest owners to review fire prevention and firefighting plans and clear combustible materials in high-risk areas.

They are also telling them to identify specific areas at high risk and allocate resources to deal with fires there, and organise standby forces throughout the dry season.

In case fires break out, it is crucial to mobilise forces to prevent them from spreading, quickly identify their causes and punish violators if any, and devise plans to revive the forests.

During prolonged hot and dry periods, when there are levels IV (dangerous) and V (extremely dangerous) forest fire forecasts, all activities that involve fires near forests, waste disposal or slash-and-burn agriculture are strictly prohibited.

The province Forest Protection Department regularly monitors warning information to detect fire early, and coordinates with the province's meteorological station to provide warnings to authorities, forest owners and residents.

There have been no forest fires in the province so far this year. 

In the same period last year there were two fires that damaged 12ha of vegetation.

Trade union proposes increase to maternity benefits

In the draft Law on Social Insurance (amended), a proposal was made to pay benefits of VNĐ2 million (US$80) per child at birth.

But the trade union claims this amount does not meet the costs during pregnancy and childbirth.

The draft law proposes the benefit is paid in cases where the child dies or is stillborn.

The union suggested increasing the amount to ensure the implementation of the policy of encouraging and attracting more people to participate in voluntary social insurance.

The minimum monthly subsidy level must be equal to the rural poverty standard and cover costs for four months after a baby is born.

The cost of maternity benefits is guaranteed by the State Budget and shared with social insurance funds aiming at achieving the goal of universal coverage for all mothers giving birth in Việt Nam.

The union also said that, during the implementation of the 2014 Social Insurance Law, there were no documents providing specific guidance on leave time and allowances for pregnant female workers who have to take leave as prescribed by a medical examination and treatment facility and there were no regulations on whether the period of pregnancy leave is counted as social insurance or health insurance payment time or not.

The union proposed to supplement regulations on leave time and allowance levels for pregnant employees who must take time off work to take care of their pregnancy as prescribed by competent medical examination and treatment facilities.

Along with that, if a pregnant employee takes maternity leave for more than 14 working days in a month, it is counted as social insurance payment time and health insurance is paid by the social insurance fund.

Regarding maternity benefits, the provisions of Clause 1, Article 56 of the draft Law on Social Insurance (amended) stipulates: "The employee's one-month maternity benefit is equal to 100 per cent of the average salary as a basis for social insurance payment for full six months before leaving work to enjoy maternity benefits.”

The union believes that this regulation needs to be reviewed to be consistent with international practices.

The International Labour Organisation’s Convention No. 183 states that cash benefits should not be less than two-thirds of the woman's earnings prior to taking leave, while Recommendation No. 191 encourages raising the benefits to the full amount of previous earnings.

Currently, many countries such as Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, China, Spain and Netherlands all stipulate a subsidy level equal to 100 per cent of the employee's salary before taking maternity leave, according to the union.

To ensure better benefits for employees and in accordance with the general trend of many countries, the draft needs to stipulate the level of maternity benefits calculated on the monthly salary paid for social insurance of the month before taking maternity leave.

The draft Law also needs to be adjusted in the direction of increasing the number of time off work to go for prenatal checkups to seven times as compared to five in the current law and the female employees can quit their job to enjoy social insurance in case they have to go for prenatal check-ups more than seven times as prescribed by a doctor, the union said. 

Vietnamese intellectuals abroad talk ways to help Vietnam “thrive in change”

Nearly 100 Vietnamese and Vietnamese-origin people from 20 countries gathered at the Vietnam Global Leaders Forum (VGLF 2024) held in Paris on March 30-31.

They are outstanding doctors and experts in science, economy, social affairs, environment, arts and religion.

The forum is the convergence of knowledge, spirit, energy and the quintessence of the Vietnamese culture, said Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duc Khuong, director of international development research at IPAG Business School (France) and President of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts in France (AVSE Global) – the organiser of VGLF 2024.

Amidst evolving, unpredictable international environment, Vietnam needs to seek its own path towards sustainability, equality and prosperity, he said, adding that the forum offers an opportunity for Vietnamese-origin individuals to compare notes on how to help Vietnam “thrive in change.”

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang affirmed that the State always consider overseas Vietnamese (OVs) an integral part of the nation, as reflected through the roll-out of various legal corridors and policy tools to facilitate their engagement in national development.

With the theme of "Vietnam thriving in change", the forum focused on three key inquiries - the means to unite resources to awaken national potential and facilitate growth, how to enhance Vietnam's global standing, and how to harness and utilise the keys to success for breakthrough.     
     
VGLF 2024 also brought culture and heritage together with the participation of the brightest minds from more than 15 different countries around the world. It was also a rare and great opportunity to immerse Vietnamese contemporary art, national culture and special cuisine in the topical issues.

Some participants told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) that national construction requires strong human resources, stressing the need to grow a pool of talents, and provide policy support for them.  

AVSE Global is a Paris-headquartered nonprofit organisation connecting Vietnamese intellectuals, senior experts, and scientists worldwide.

Relying on over 300 permanent members in more than 20 countries regularly working on strategic projects and collaborating with 2000 collaborative experts and 10000 connected experts, AVSE Global implements strategic programmes and projects promoting Vietnam's sustainable development./.

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./.

New Lật Mặt film to open this month

Film producer and director Lý Hải will release the latest movie of his successful series Lật Mặt (Face Off) to entertain moviegoers during the coming holidays to mark Hùng Kings Commemoration Day (April 18) and Reunification Day (April 30).

The movie Lật Mặt 7: Một Điều Ước (Face Off 7: One Wish) revolves around a 78-year-old single mother living alone in K'Long K'Lanh Village in Đan Dương District of the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng, who devoted her life to raising her children.

Her children grow up and fly away. After having an accident, she has only one wish to have her children by her side.

Hải said at the press conference to announce his latest project in December that he began writing the film script in 2021 amid COVID-19 pandemic, which took him six months to complete.

“I want to send a message of motherhood and family love to audiences,” he said, adding that he did not want to be known for comedy action movies only.

Hải invited around 50 actors to join his project, including veteran actress Thanh Hiền as the mother.

The work also features Trương Minh Cường, Đinh Y Nhung, Quách Ngọc Tuyên, Trâm Anh and Trần Kim Hải as the five children.

The cast and crew travelled across HCM City, Lâm Đồng, Ninh Thuận, and Hà Nội for filming which took one and a half months.

Hải hopes his movie will contribute to promoting the beauty of Việt Nam, its culture and tourism.

Trần Cẩm Tú of Đồng Nai Province said: “After watching the film’s trailer, I believe Lật Mặt 7 will be another success for Hải. The film features issues that people are facing today.”

Hải was a well-known singer in the 1990s for his pop songs. He started making films in 2010 and has achieved great success with his series Lật Mặt consisting of six movies, earning a total of VNĐ813 billion (US$53.6 million).

Of the films, the sixth movie Lật Mặt 6: Tấm Vé Định Mệnh (Face Off 6: The Ticket of Destiny) released last April raked in VNĐ300 billion ($12 million), becoming his highest-grossing production.

The film features a group of six young men who have known each other since they were little. One day, they bought a lottery ticket and gave it to their friend An to keep, promising to split the money evenly if they won. After An’s tragic death in an accident, the group members chase one another for the winning ticket.

The work was filmed in the Định Yên mat village in the Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp’s Lấp Vò District. The village emerged in the 1920s with beautiful handmade mats but now is in danger of disappearing.

Hải spent billions of đồng on restoring traditional dyebaths, drying yards, and the night market of the village to introduce audiences how the village looked in the past.

He said the work aimed to contribute to the efforts of local authorities and the community to promote Định Yên mat village and its cultural value to the public.

Lật Mặt 7: Một Điều Ước will hit the theatres on April 26.

Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm City to feature cultural, artistic activities on pedestrian streets

To promote tourism development, Ninh Thuận Province will implement a project to organise pedestrian streets with cultural and artistic activities in Phan Rang - Tháp Chàm City.

The project has a total investment capital of over VNĐ51 billion (US$2.04 million), with themes including Ninh Thuận’s identity, cultural convergence, looking forward to the future, solidarity for development, enhancing daytime activities, mass sports, and tourism night markets.

The project will include April 16, Hoàng Diệu and Trần Quang Diệu streets with 77 OCOP booths and local food.

According to Deputy Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyễn Long Biên, the provincial People's Committee requires the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with the People's Committee of Phan Rang - Tháp Chàm and relevant departments, branches and units to review and actively complete relevant tasks.

In particular, officials will focus on arranging the booths on pedestrian streets, create many unique cultural and artistic activities to serve people and tourists, and ensure security and order

In addition, departments, branches and the City People's Committee will ask businesses and production establishments to participate in displaying booths to feature signature and OCOP products on pedestrian streets to attract visitors.

Activities on the pedestrian street will take place from 6:00pm to 11:00pm every Friday and Saturday and on holidays.

The province's tourism industry is developing strongly, gradually becoming its key economic sector by 2025.

MAXFC 26 features strongest Vietnamese vs elite foreigners

The first international professional kickboxing tournament – Max Fighting Championship 26 – featuring leading fighters will be held next month in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province.

The event is jointly organised by leading gym Cocky Buffalo and the provincial Department of Culture and Sports.

Maximum Fighting Championship is South Korea's biggest kickboxing organisation. It has produced many famous martial artists from Korea and many countries around the world.

The Vietnamese version, MAXFC 26, is settled on April 13-14 at The Grand Hồ Tràm Strip, one of Asia's premier leisure destinations.

Organisers hope the MAXFC 26 would be an opportunity for Vietnamese fighters to gain experience and sharpen their skills through matches against battle-hardened international opponents.

There will be eight bouts featuring 16 fighters from Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, Chinese Taipei and four from Việt Nam.

The only women's match is between Việt Nam's seven-time champion Triệu Thị Phương Thủy and Choi Eun Ji of South Korea in the 52kg category.

Thủy is also the SEA Games' Kun Khmer martial art reigning champion while Choi has had 16 pro matches in which she won seven.

In the men's 54kg class, national star Huỳnh Văn Tuấn will fight Japanese rival Yo Toguchi.

Tuấn has dominated the national championships with six titles. He also pocketed two gold and one silver medal at the regional SEA Games along with many remarkable achievements in his 10 years with kickboxing.

Toguchi has recorded one win, one draw and one loss in his pro career.

SEA Games defending champion Nguyễn Xuân Phương will face South Korean Kwon Gi Seop in the men's 64kg.

It will be a competitive match as Phương has been national champion for many years. While 1.80m-tall Kwon has earned 16 wins in his 20 fights.

The final Vietnamese fighter is Nguyễn Quang Huy who triumphed at the 31st SEA Games in the men's 60kg. He will be against Park Jae Won of South Korea, who has won eight in 12 pro matches.

The remaining fights will be between South Korean Kim Joon Hwa (13 wins, six losses) and Chinese Taipei Mu Wei Wen (nine wins, three losses) in the men's 75kg; Chinese Er Kang (29 wins, 11 losses) and Australian Cassidy Haberfield (14 wins) in the men's 67kg; South Korean Jang Bum Seok (six wins, two losses) and Australian Nick Atkins (31 wins, nine losses) in the men's 90kg; Chinese Miao Aoqi (15 wins, four losses) and South Korean Kin Chan (six wins, one loss) in the men's 65kg. 

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