Authorities in the southern province of Dong Nai are investigating over 42 tonnes of hazardous waste found at the Dien Quang Lightbulb Company factory.

Dong Nai Provincial Police Department said on April 24 that they had found over 42 tonnes of hazardous waste after two days of searching the factory.

"The wastes include contaminated glass and wastewater coming from the grinding of used fluorescent bulbs that contained mercury and sulfur," the police said. Local authorities and the company had agreed to hire a local environmental company to collect the wastes for treatment."

Earlier on April 20, workers at the factory were caught redhanded by local police while dumping 195 bags containing five tonnes of chemical-contaminated glass pieces and nearly 370,000 discharged fluorescent tubes. Searching the factory, police also found two large underground basins containing wastewater.

Local authorities are co-operating with concerned agencies to expand the search of other company locations.

October 10 named as National Digital Transformation Day

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam recently signed a decision designating October 10 as the National Digital Transformation Day.

The day will be held every year with the aim to accelerate the implementation of the national digital transformation as well as the National Digital Transformation Programme by 2025, with a vision to 2030, and to raise public awareness on the role, significance and benefits of digital transformation.

It is also to promote the participation of the entire political system and population so as to ensure the success of the work.

The Ministry of Information and Communications is tasked to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Science and Technology to formulate a specific implementation plan and direct the organisation of the activities in a practical, effective and economical manner.

Other ministries, government agencies and provincial authorities will observe the day in accordance with the general guidelines and their specific conditions.

Media agencies are required to step up communication about the day, create programmes, and honour outstanding agencies, organisations and enterprises in applying new technologies.

Vietnamese students gather at book festival in Moscow

A group of Vietnamese students has organised a book festival in Moscow, attracting crowds of their peers across the Russian capital city.

The April 24 event formed part of the group’s activities aiming to raise funds for mountainous students at home in the 2022-2023 school year.

It was also expected to promote the value of the reading culture and strengthen solidarity among Vietnamese students in Moscow.

To organise the festival, the group has promoted it on Facebook and travelled across Moscow to collect books.

The festival also featured games and art performance staged by Vietnamese students in the city.

Vietnamese children promote traditional culture in Switzerland

Students at Binh Minh School, the first Vietnamese-language school in Switzerland, have introduced Vietnamese traditional costumes and culture to their Swiss friends during a parade in Zurich.

The parade was part of the annual festival launched by Zurich to bid farewell to winter, which was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ngoc Dung Moser, Principal of Binh Minh School, told the Vietnam News Agency that it saw the participation of 39 children of the school aged from 5 to 13.

Established in 2017, Binh Minh School has been opened for children of the Vietnamese origin in Zurich and its adjacent areas every Saturday morning.

Apart from Vietnamese language teaching, the school has organised traditional festivals and community activities to help Vietnamese children understand more about their root.

The principal, who is also General Secretary of the Vietnamese Association in Switzerland and member of the executive board of the Switzerland-Vietnam Friendship Association, said the two associations have coordinated to support Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin and bombs and mines, lepers and underprivileged children.

The association has also raised funds to assist flood victims, island residents as well as the COVID-19 pandemic fight at home, she added.

SEA Games 31: Upgrading work at My Dinh Stadium completes by 95 percent

A working team from the Vietnam Sports Administration on April 24 inspected the preparations for the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) at My Dinh National Stadium.

The capital city will host the opening and closing ceremonies, along with 20 sports at the largest regional sports event.

Apart from the football field, and racing course for track and field competitions as well as functional rooms inside the stadium, the team also examined venues for water sports, training and competition places for weightlifting, bodybuilding, pétanque, and fencing, as well as indoor and outdoor press centres.

Le Thi Hoang Yen, Vice Director of the Vietnam Sports Centre. said that the preparations have completed by 95 percent, and the remaining work is being sped up. She added more inspections will be conducted to ensure the preparations finish as scheduled.

The working team will continue to check the facilities serving the SEA Games 31 at other places hosting sports events across Hanoi in following days.

Vietnam attends online meeting on preparations for Army Games

A Vietnamese delegation on April 22 joined the 2nd online conference on preparations for the 2022 Army Games, which was hosted by the Russian Ministry of Defence. 

The delegation was led by Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Search and Rescue Department under the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army.

At the conference, Ty informed delegates about the preparations made by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence to host the Games’ competitions in the category of “Emergency Area”.
 
Vietnam will participate in 14 events at the 2022 Army Games, he said.

Sa Pa Summer Festival 2022 kicked off

The Sa Pa Summer Festival 2022 has been kicked off by the People’s Committee of Sa Pa township in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

The festival, which takes place from now until the end of July, aims to introduce special tourism programmes, unique cultural and sports events associated with the strength of natural resources and cultural identity of Sa Pa. It also offers a chance for visitors to experience the climate of four seasons in one day.

The event started with Fansipan Rose Festival 2022 with the theme “Fansipan -  Rose land in the cloud.” Held for the first time in the country’s largest rose valley on an area of 50,000sq.m, the rose festival gathers 10,000 climbing roses,1.5 hectares of ancient Sa Pa roses and nearly 100 varieties from many countries such as the UK, France and Japan.

Many activities will take place on the occasion of National Unification Day (April 30) and May Day, including Sa Pa love market, brocade and gift fairs and street art performances.

Tourists coming to Sa Pa on this occasion can also discover the culture of the ethnic groups in Ta Phin commune through participating in production activities with farmers such as harvesting medicinal leaves of the Dao ethnic minority group, making traditional handicrafts, experiencing the herbal bath, and learning about the national intangible cultural heritages.

Da Nang to host Ironman 70.3 Vietnam triathlon in May

The 6th VNG Ironman 70.3 Vietnam triathlon will take place in the central city of Da Nang on May 5-8 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will be one of the largest triathlon tournaments in the region, marking the resumption of sporting events in the context that Vietnam is gradually restoring post-pandemic activities.

It is expected to attract the participation of more than 2,500 domestic and foreign athletes who will compete in 1.9km swimming, 90km cycling and 21.1km running.

VNG Ironman 70.3 Vietnam 2022 will reserve 70 slots for attending the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in the US in October this year, including 25 "Women For Tri" slots to encourage female athletes to join.

Tickets of flights, trains sold out for upcoming four-day holidays

Tickets of trains and flights to tourist hotspots around the country are almost fully booked for the upcoming long holidays.

Tickets of most flights from Hanoi to Con Dao and Phu Quoc, two popular island destinations, are sold out. Flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to places like Quy Nhon, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Con Dao, Da Lat are still not back to pre-pandemic frequency and airfares have doubled.

On Vietnam Airlines flights from Hanoi to Phu Quoc on April 29, the lowest economy-class ticket costs more than 4.1 million VND (178.54 USD) one way while business-class ticket costs nearly 7 million VND (304.83 USD).

The carrier last month announced an increase of 2,300 flights with 450,000 seats during the holidays, mostly on domestic routes. 

Bookings on most flights from HCM City and Hanoi to tourist destinations have reached 80-90 percent.

Bamboo Airways flights from Hanoi to Con Dao on April 30 and May 1 were fully booked two weeks ago.

On April 29, there were only a few business-class seats available at 7.6 million VND. All flights from Con Dao to Hanoi on May 3 are fully booked.

A Bamboo Airways spokesperson said air travel demand has surged with the pandemic being controlled, and the number of domestic passengers during the holidays could exceed the 2019 figure.

Dinh Viet Thang, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said the number of passengers is expected to be 25-30 percent higher during the upcoming holidays compared to normal days. 

According to the Vietnam Railways Corporation, train tickets from Hanoi to Hai Phong, Dong Hoi and Vinh, and from HCM City to Phan Thiet and Nha Trang on April 30 are almost sold out. 

It plans to increase the number of trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Dong Hoi, Hue, and Da Nang by up to 30 to meet the holiday demand. 

The National Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1) fall on the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and so the next two days are public holidays to compensate.

SEA Games 31: Localities give finishing touches to preparation for hosting sports events

Vice Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet made an inspection tour of localities that will host the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) to have a deeper look into their preparations for the largest regional sports event.

The 31st SEA Games, which is slated for May 12 - 23, featuring 40 sports with 526 categories, willl take place in Hanoi and 11 nearby localities, namely Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, Hai Phong, Phu Tho, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, and Vinh Phuc.

In the localities, images of SEA Games 31 have been present in almost every corner, with panels and banners hung in all major streets and competition venues.

According to Viet, the localities have finalised preparations for the event, with many infrastructure works being upgraded for the games.

Ninh Binh, which will host Karate competitions, is scheduled to complete the preparations by May 5. Meanwhile, Hai Phong city has recorded good progress in installing the remaining equipment to become ready for Canoeing/Kayak competitions.

After examining the works, Viet asked the localities to ensure that the preparations complete as scheduled. He underlined the need for  the organising units in the central and local levels to work closely together during the process.

Soc Trang province launches 5G network, intelligent operations centre

A 5G network and an intelligent operations centre (IOC) were unveiled in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on April 24.

Ho Thi Cam Dao, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the provincial Party Committee, said despite many difficulties, Soc Trang has taken steps to build an e-administration.

It expects that by 2030, the province will have fundamentally and comprehensively reformed management and governance activities so that the local administration can operate more efficiently, effectively, and transparently, the local economy can develop on the basis of science - technology and high-quality human resources, and new values can be created to raise labour productivity and generate new growth momentum, she added.

Viettel completed the building of the 5G network in two months, making Soc Trang the 17th province in Vietnam and one of the first localities in the southern region to access 5G services, according to Sen. Lt. Col. Pham Tri Dung, Director of the Soc Trang branch of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group.

The same day, the province’s Soc Trang city opened its IOC, which was also developed with support from Viettel.

Lai Chau holds first marathon on Pavi ancient stone road

Up to 88 professional athletes from provinces and cities across the country, and Japan took part in a marathon on Pavi ancient stone road which ended on April 24 in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau.

Of these, 28 athletes ran in the 42km category and the remainders competed in the 21km event.

The Pavi ancient stone road was built by the French in 1920 and it took seven years to complete. It was 100km long connecting Lao Cai province’s Bat Xat district and Lai Chau province’s Lai Chau city. During the French colonial period, it was used to transport goods, agricultural products and weapons from Lao Cai to Lai Chau and vice versa. Now the road is only 17km long, stretching from Bat Xat district’s Sang Ma Sao commune to Phong Tho district’s Sin Suoi Ho commune (Lai Chau province).

This is the first time Phong Tho district has organised the marathon on the Pavi ancient stone road in response to the campaign "All people take exercise following Uncle Ho's example" in the 2021-2030 period; a national action programme on tourism in 2020-2025 period with a vision to 2030; and Lai Chau Tourism - Culture Week 2022 as well as to celebrate the 20th division anniversary of Phong Tho district.

Over 374,200 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered to children from 5 to under 12 years old

As of April 23 afternoon, 374,255 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered to children from 5 to under 12 years old in 41 out of the 63 provinces and cities nationwide, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The vaccination campaign for this age group started in northern Quang Ninh province on April 14.

In Vietnam, there are more than 11.8 million children from 5 to below 12 years old. About 3.6 million of them are subject to a three-month delay of vaccination after contracting COVID-19, and they will get the first shot in July or August.

Meanwhile, the 8.2 million remainders began receiving inoculation on April 14, and they will receive the second dose in the second quarter, the MoH’s Department of Preventive Medicine reported, noting that COVID-19 vaccination for children is one of the important tasks of the health sector in 2022.

The country had received 4.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by Australia for child vaccination. Over 2.3 million doses have been allocated so far.

The Netherlands has also committed to provide 2 million doses of Moderna vaccine while France will donate 2 million doses of Pfizer vaccine for children. These vaccines are scheduled to arrive in Vietnam in April.

Largest healthcare establishment in Tra Vinh put into use

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh on April 24 inaugurated its new general hospital, invested with 1.6 trillion VND (69.6 million USD) in total.

The finance for the 700-bed hospital, which covers more than 16ha, consists of 1.4 trillion VND from Government bonds and 200 billion VND from the local budget.

Construction of its main facilities started in January 2019.

Friendship Journey held in Hanoi to strengthen ties with int’l friends

The Friendship Journey 2022, a cultural exchange aiming at helping enhance Vietnam’s relations with international friends, was held in Hanoi’s Quoc Oai district on April 24.

The programme, part of annual activities organised by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HAUFO) and the municipal Department of Tourism, attracted the participation of representatives from foreign embassies, international organisations, and bilateral and multilateral friendship associations of HAUFO.

Nguyen Lan Huong, President of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairwoman of HAUFO, said this was a meaningful occasion to introduce the Vietnamese culture to foreigners living in the country and also a chance for cultural exchange so as to strengthen the friendship and mutual understanding between the Vietnamese people and international friends.

On behalf of diplomatic delegations, Venezuelan Ambassador Tatiana Pugh Moreno said Hanoi has become a great and warm home, describing it as a capital with mixed traditional and modern features, a dynamic and strongly developing city, and a land with rich trade, tourism, cultural potential. Hanoi has defeated the COVID-19 pandemic and is continuing its development path, the diplomat added.

During the programme, participants visited Thay Pagoda - a famous destination of spiritual tourism in Hanoi, learned about traditional culture, and experienced folk games and traditional dishes of Vietnam in Tuan Chau Hanoi tourist site in Quoc Oai district.

Hot weather predicted for northern, central regions in next few days

The northern and central regions began to experience a heat wave on April 24 which is forecast to reach its peak from April 25 - 27, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

On April 24, the heat wave began spreading across the north, mountainous areas of the northern central region, and coastal places.

Its peak is predicted for April 25 - 27, when temperatures will reach 35 - 37 degrees Celsius in lowland and western areas of the north, even over 37 degrees in some places of Hoa Binh province. In the north central region, they could be as high as 35 - 37 degrees, even 38 degrees or higher in mountainous areas.

The heat will gradually abate in the following days, the centre said.

It also warned about downpours, gale, lightning, and whirlwinds in late afternoon of the days.

This year, heat waves in the northern and central regions are likely to appear later than average and not too severe or long.

Temperatures in the north will approximate the previous years’ average during May - July but be 0.5 - 1 degree higher in August and September, the centre forecast.

Singing groups connect to preserve heritage values

In recent times, in Diem village in Bac Ninh province, on the day of the Quan Ho (love duet) Ancestral Festival, local Quan Ho clubs have had the opportunity to meet and connect with similar folk singing clubs from Nghe An province, in a new and creative measure to help preserve Vietnam’s cultural heritage.

On a warm spring day, artisans from the central province of Nghe An travelled hundreds of kilometres to reach the “cradle” of Quan Ho and meet their “Quan Ho brothers and sisters” in Diem village in the northern province of Bac Ninh. The smooth and loving Quan Ho folk songs, interspersed with the lively and joyful lyrics of Vi Giam folk songs from Nghe An, made everyone feel closer to each other.

At the gathering, the two clubs also signed a memorandum of understanding on promoting and preserving both Quan Ho and Vi Giam singing.

This new approach is hoped to make a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of national cultural values, developing the “soft power” of Vietnamese culture and contributing to improving national synergy.

Liem loses to Indian prodigy at Oslo Esports Cup

Following an impressive win against reigning world number one Magnus Carlsen, Vietnamese grandmaster Le Quang Liem suffered an unfortunate loss to Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa on Day 3 of the Oslo Esports Cup.

At the match held on the morning of April 25, Praggnanandhaa held the Vietnamese grandmaster to a draw in the first set before winning the second set after 93 moves after gaining an advantage by holding the white pawn.

In the third set, Liem was still defeated by the 16-year-old Indian prodigy in 54 moves, despite holding the black pieces.

With a final score of 0.5-2.5 in the match, Praggnanandhaa enjoyed three consecutive wins and duly topped the rankings with nine points, while Liem temporarily ranked fifth place with two points.

Moving forward, the Vietnamese chess player will next face off against Eric Hansen of Canada.

Chinese citizen on wanted fugitives list arrested in Hai Phong

A Chinese citizen on his country’s wanted fugitives list has been arrested in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

Meng Fansheng, born in 1968, was detained during an ongoing campaign by local police to ensure safety and security for the coming SEA Games.

Meng, who has been hunted by the Chinese police on smuggling charges, was staying illegally in Cau Dat ward of Ngo Quyen district.

Competent authorities have completed procedures to hand over the Chinese citizen to the Chinese side.

Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou to visit Vietnam shortly

Vice President of Laos Pany Yathotou will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 25 – 27, according to a press communique from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

The visit has been made at the invitation of Vice President of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its press communique.

Pany Yathotou was born on February 18, 1951, in Xieng Khouang province. Northest Laos.

She held key important positions in the Laos Government and National Assembly before being elected Chairwoman of the legislature and then Vice President of Laos.

Pany Yathotou visited Vietnam in 2017 and 2020 in her capacity as Chairwoman of the Laos National Assembly.

She has completed a BA degree in Business and Banking in Hanoi (Vietnam).

Develop the economy, but unfailingly protect Sài Gòn River: experts

HCM City needs to protect the Sài Gòn River and develop a service economy along its banks, experts told a seminar on Friday.

The seminar was held to collect opinions on the city’s plan to develop riverside landscapes and services by 2045.

Nguyễn Minh Hòa, vice chairman of the HCM City Urban Planning Development Association, warned about possible threats if the Sài Gòn River is not protected well, pointing to land subsidence.

It is necessary to have an appropriate model for economic development but also protect the river to leave a legacy for younger generations, he said.

Huỳnh Xuân Thụ, deputy chief of the city Planning and Architecture Department office, said the river faces many issues caused by rapid urbanisation and commercialisation, limited resources and climate change that led to flooding and salinity.

He said the public should join authorities to protect and develop the river.

Nguyễn Thanh Nhã, the department’s director, said, “Two years ago the city’s leaders realised that our behaviour towards the river was not [optimal], and instructed my department to draw up plans to protect the Sài Gòn River.”

The department has done a number of surveys of the river between Củ Chi District and Đèn Đỏ Cape in District 7, considered removal of projects not in line with the city’s strategic policies and sought solutions, he said.

“During the planning process, the department will save space for public facilities to serve the community, and cancel projects that may encroach on the river.”

One more important thing to do is raising public and investor awareness of protecting the river and appreciating nature, he said.

Under the plan to develop riverside landscapes and the service economy by 2045, the river’s banks will primarily be a space for public activities and entertainment for locals and tourists.

The banks have 3,100-5,000ha of land that can be used to plant trees, build traffic infrastructure and public spaces, and provide space for businesses.

The city will first improve the landscapes and traffic facilities by 2025, and develop green spaces and amusement facilities through 2045.

Vietnam Book, Reading Culture Day brings revenue of US$196,000

The sale of around 10,700 books at the first Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day, which took place at Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City from April 19 to April 24, and at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street brought a total revenue of more than VND5.6 billion (US$243,613). 

During a week, the Vietnam Book, Reading Culture Day held 14 activities along with the participation of one million visitors and around 200,000 sold books while Ho Chi Minh City Book Street attracted over 30,000 arrivals through over 20 activities to introduce publications and mini-seminars on reading culture along with around 10,500 sold books.

This is the first time that the Vietnamese Book and Reading Culture Day has been held in Ho Chi Minh City. The highlight of the event is the appearance of the “Smart Library” booth for readers with printed books, e-books and audiobooks to bring many interactions, experiences with models of audiobooks and e-books and good solutions for digital transformation applications connected with the publishing industry.

Previously, in 2014, the Prime Minister decided to replace the name of the Vietnam Book Day into Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day to continue to spread love and develop habits of reading books to everyone.

HCMC holds activities to mark National Reunification Day

Many localities in Ho Chi Minh City held activities to mark the 47th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975-2022) and the 136th anniversary of May Day (May 1), and launched the movement “Tree planting festival in gratitude to Uncle Ho” and respond to the 50th anniversary of the World Environment Day (June 6).

In District 5, the district authorities launched a campaign of cleaning up and planting trees at Su Van Hanh Apartment; mobilized people, organizations and enterprises in the locality to perform the cleaning environment, develop the green areas in front of houses, offices, schools, hospitals and urban order along with activities of urban embellishment.

On the same day, Binh Chanh District also kicked off a send-off ceremony of the “Tree planting festival in gratitude to Uncle Ho” through practical activities of planting, taking care of and protecting trees, and a clean-up campaign along with road-bed and pavement order.

After the launching ceremony, the delegates planted 300 pterocarpus macrocarpus along inter-hamlet street No.2-3A connecting to the house of People's Armed Forces Hero Dong Den .

Following the planting trees ceremony, the delegates also visited People's Armed Forces Hero Dong Den’ relatives and offered incense to demonstrate their gratitude to the late hero.

Outdoor concerts welcoming SEA Games 31 to be held in major cities

An outdoor music festival called “Hello SEA Games” featuring hundreds of artists will take place at the HCMC Youth’s Cultural House on April 26.

The event co-organizing by the National Sport Training Center in HCMC and Hahalolo Travel Social Network Joint Stock Company aims to welcome and promote the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) slated to be kicked off at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on May 12.

The concert will be also held in the ancient capital of Hue in Thua Thien-Hue Province and Hanoi on May 17 with the participation of popular singers namely Thuy Tien, Trung Quan Idol, Ali Hoang Duong, Thieu Bao Tram, Ricky Star and others.

The performance will be broadcast live on Hahalolo’s Facebook fanpage at https://www.facebook.com/HahaloloTV.

The SEA Games 31, themed “For a stronger South East Asia”, will take place in Hanoi and neighboring localities from May 12 to 23. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and expects to attract around 10,000 participants.

Sam Son Sea Tourism Festival 2022 kicks off in Thanh Hoa Province

The 2022 Sam Son Sea Tourism Festival kicked off in the north-central coastal province of Thanh Hoa on April 23.

The event themed “Sam Son growing and reaching out” marks 115 years of Sam Son Tourism and the 5th founding anniversary of Sam Son City.
The National Assembly Standing Committee issued a decision for the establishment of Sam Son City in 2017. The city covers 44.94 square kilometers with a population of 150,902 and 11 communal administrative units.

A series of cultural, tourism, and sports activities will be held during the event, such as a love festival, Banh Chung (square glutinous rice cake) - Banh Day (round glutinous rice cake) festival, A street carnival, performances of kite flying performance and parachutes, ethnic groups' cultural festival, the performance of local traditional costumes, national beach soccer, national wrestling competition, a Terrain Cycling Tournament.

Sam Son City expects to receive around 3.5 million visitors and earn a revenue of VND3,150 billion (US$137 million) from the tourism sector in 2022.

Preparations sped up for hosting rowing, canoeing of SEA Games 31

A rowing training centre in the northern port city of Hai Phong has been promptly finalising preparations for hosting rowing and canoeing events of the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

The upgrade and repair at the centre is set to be completed in early May.

Vietnamese rowers are training at the site to prepare for SEA Games 31. They are doing their utmost to gain the best results for Vietnam at the region's biggest sport event held in the country for the second time.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a stronger South East Asia”, will be organised in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities from May 12 to 23. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and is expected to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact.

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