A five-member team of students from the Hon Gai High School in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh has won a gold medal at the Korea International Youth Olympiad KIYO 4i 2023.

The group consists of 11th graders Nguyen Phuong Anh, Vu Chi Doanh, Dang Thanh Binh, and Vu Trung Dung, and 12th grader Do Nhu Minh Khoi.

They brought to the competition an excellent project on the application of nano-technology in producing ZnO nanoparticles for CO gas reduction in furnaces. The project also obtained a special prize granted by the president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

The annual competition took place in Seoul from August 7 to 9, with the participation of 192 teams from 10 countries worldwide.

Top legislator highlights Vietnam-Iran cooperation for peace, development

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on August 9 visited and delivered a speech “Vietnam - Iran cooperation for peace and development” at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), as part of his ongoing official visit to Iran.

Hue said that Vietnam and Iran share the aspiration to promote cooperation for peace and development on the basis of the fine bilateral political-diplomatic relations.

Towards a future of peace and development with a vision to the next 50 years for the bilateral relationship, he proposed the two sides work together to strengthen their connectivity in four aspects, namely dialogue and cooperation mechanisms; digital, science technology and transport; trade and investment; and humans, especially between young generations.

Vietnam is implementing its policy of relation multilateralisation and diversification and is willing to be a trustworthy friend and partner of all countries around the world for peace, friendship, cooperation and development, he highlighted, stressing Vietnam never forgets the past but is also ready to close the past to look towards the future, and jointly build a truly equal partnership on the basis of respect for territorial integrity, political institutions and non-interference in internal affairs of each other.

Those are immutable principles. No matter how the world changes, Vietnam remains steadfast in its stance, stated the Vietnamese top legislator.

On this occasion, Hue witnessed the signing of various cooperation agreements between ministries and agencies of both sides.

Earlier, the NA Chairman joined Iranian officials to launch a photo exhibition featuring 50 years of the Vietnam-Iran relations.

Vietnam Culture Week in Iran marks 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties

The Vietnam Culture Week kicked off in Iran on August 9 night (local time), with the attendance of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue who is on an official visit to the country.

The event, jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran and some Iranian agencies, marks the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries (1973-2023).
The programme features a photo exhibition and a film week on the land and people of Vietnam.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong said the exhibition is expected to help Iranian people understand more about Vietnamese culture, and find similarities with theirs.

In his remarks, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili noted prospects for the two countries to enhance their cooperation in culture, arts, and cinema.

With their advanced positions in the regions and great potential for cooperation, the relationship between the two countries is likely to see further developments, for the sake of their peoples, he stressed.

According to the official, the two culture ministries will consider signing a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive cooperation in the time ahead.

Laos continues to searching for Vietnamese driver missing in landslide

The Lao government and military have continued to search for a Vietnamese driver missing in a landslide incident on a section of  National Highway 8 between Khammuane and Bolikhamxay provinces after having rescued 45 Vietnamese citizens trapped in the same area, Lao media reported.

Local media quoted head of Khounkham district of Khammuane province Keovilay Xayabouth as saying that the Lao government, especially the military, is speeding up the search for the missing driver.

So far, rescuers have saved 45 Vietnamese citizens stuck at the incident and helped 40 vehicles flee from the affected areas, he said.

Landslides happened in four locations along the highway on August 4, pushed 110 vehicles, including 95 trucks, 13 pickups, a bus and a motorbike, into the ravine.

A total of 25 people, including three women and five children, were stranded at one location, while another 43 were trapped at another, all of whom were brought out safely.

Local authorities said that currently the section of National Highway 8 through the mountainous areas of Phou Pha Man and Phou Hai is still temporarily blocked until further notice for repairing.

Due to prolonged heavy rains recently, landslides have happed on many roads across Laos, leading to the blockage and damage of many roads.

In addition to conducting rescuing activities and assisting affected people affected by floods and landslides, Lao authorities are focusing on repairing the damaged roads.

Vietnam, Iran boast potential to boost economic, trade ties: forum

The Vietnamese and Iranian economies are reciprocal, and the two countries have a lot of potential to advance their economic and trade cooperation, making it match the good bilateral political and diplomatic relations, heard a forum on August 9.

The forum on policies and laws to promote economic, trade and investment ties between Vietnam and Iran was jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran, and the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, as part of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s ongoing official visit to Iran.

In his remarks, Hue said bilateral trade and investment activities between the two countries have been developing fruitfully and will be on par with their political and diplomatic ties.

He highlighted good sentiments and mutual respect between Vietnam and Iran, their multi-faceted cooperation, and collaboration and mutual support at multilateral forums.

The top legislator used this occasion to brief the participants on achievements Vietnam has recorded in reform and international integration over the past 37 years, with its gross domestic product (GDP) reaching 410 billion USD last year.

Vietnam is striving to reach a GDP growth rate of 6.5% this year, and keep inflation at around 4.5%, he added.

The country is working towards strategic breakthroughs in terms of economic institutions, workforce quality, science-technology, education-training, and infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, the leader continued.
 
According to the NA Chairman, Vietnam’s export revenue was valued at 735 billion USD last year, becoming one of the 20 countries with the highest trade value in the world.

Vietnam has also been named among the world's top 20 host economies for foreign direct investment (FDI) by the United Nations (UN) with an inflow of 450 billion USD poured into 37,000 projects, Hue went on.  

The leader suggested Vietnam and Iran remove obstacles to raise their bilateral trade in the near future and continue perfecting legal frameworks to facilitate the operations of their businesses and investors.

He urged working groups for trade exchange and payment to step up their operations, emphasising that the two countries have signed many agreements on double taxation avoidance, judicial assistance and customs, along with memoranda of understanding on technology and education.

Within the framework of the official visit, the two sides have reached more cooperation documents, covering collaboration between the legislative bodies, plant and animal quarantine, culture and education, among other fields.

The Vietnamese legislature has been making all-out efforts to consolidate the legal system, and untangle knots for foreign investors in the country, the NA Chairman affirmed, noting that the Vietnamese and Iranian legislatures will work together to supervise the governments’ implementation of the documents, especially those in economy, trade and investment.

He said the two countries’ chambers of commerce and industry should organise more cooperation activities and delegation exchanges to tighten connectivity between localities and enterprises.

Hue expressed his belief that the bilateral economic, trade and investment ties will grow further in the time ahead.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Hossein Selahvarzi called for greater efforts by both sides to promote their economic and trade cooperation.

Talar Poshti, Chairman of Industries and Mine Committee of the Iranian Parliament, said Iran has put forth many programmes and plans to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam, stressing they will likely help promote the economic, trade and investment ties.  

Meanwhile, Pour Ebrahimi, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Economic Committee, expressed his impressions on Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, and affirmed that the Iranian government and people want to enhance economic and trade cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation.

He also noted hope that Hue’s visit will open up a new chapter for the bilateral economic and trade collaboration.

Vietnam’s delegation meets with foreign representatives on sidelines of AIPA-44

The Vietnamese National Assembly (NA)'s delegation had bilateral meetings with delegation heads from AIPA observer nations on the occasion of the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-44) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on August 8.

Chairman of the NA Committee for External Relations Vu Hai Ha met with Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation of the Ukrainian Parliament Oleksandr Merezhko; Chairman of the Georgian Parliament's Committee for Foreign Affairs Nikoloz Samkharadze; member of the Foreign Relations and Inter-Parliamentary Ties Committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament, MP Kamran Bayramo; and Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Valery Mitskevich.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese NA's Committee for External Relations Don Tuan Phong held a meeting with Chairman of the European Parliament (EP) Delegation for Relations with the Countries of Southeast Asia and ASEAN Daniel Caspary.

At the meetings, Ha stressed that Vietnam always attaches importance to the friendship and good cooperation with the countries, and wishes to expand collaboration with its traditional friends in all spheres, for the benefits of both sides.

He suggested the two sides maintain their close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations, especially at international inter-parliamentary forums like the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the AIPA.

The legislator used the occasion to convey invitations to the foreign legislatures to send representatives to the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians slated for September in Hanoi.

The Ukrainian side affirmed that the country wants to strengthen its relations with Vietnam, and expressed concern over issues regarding food and energy security, and the disrupted supply chain, which have not only adversely impacted Ukraine but also emerged as a global headache.
 
The two sides shared the view that disputes should be settled by peaceful measures in line with international law, and agreed to work together to handle obstacles to the bilateral cooperation, especially in economy, trade and investment.

Meanwhile, Vietnam and Azerbaijan agreed to work harder to make their bilateral trade ties on par with their potential as well as promote their traditional friendship.

At the meeting with the EP delegation, the two sides pointed to the rapid, unexpected developments of the regional and global situation, and the need to settle disputes by peaceful measures and in accordance with international law, saying relevant sides should take stronger actions for peace and prosperity in the region and the world.

Phong suggested Vietnam and the EP maintain the exchange of high-level delegations and meetings, and effectively implement cooperation mechanisms in all spheres, from politics, and national defence and security, to trade and investment.

Meanwhile, Vietnam and Georgia consented to step up cooperation in the areas where both sides have potential like transport, infrastructure development, digital transformation, just energy transition, culture and tourism, and increase trade and investment promotion activities.

At the meeting with Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Valery Mitskevich, Ha suggested the two countries foster results-oriented cooperation, and optimise their potential and strengths as well as trade agreements to boost their economic and trade ties.

At the same time, the two sides should strengthen their parliamentary ties, both bilaterally and multilaterally, he said.

PM chairs emulation-commendation council’s meeting

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the National Emulation-Commendation Council for the 2021-2026 tenure, chaired the sixth meeting of the council in Hanoi on August 10 to review its performance in the first seven months of this year, set tasks for the rest of the year, and discuss proposals.

Chinh underlined that despite difficulties in the first half of this year, all set targets were completed thanks to the joint efforts of the whole political system, the people and the business community.

The national macro-economy was kept stable, inflation controlled, growth promoted and all major balances of the economy ensured, while social welfare was strengthened, people’s living conditions improved and socio-political, security, order, defence and security ensured. Along with deepened international integration, a peaceful and stable environment has been maintained for the national development, helping strengthen people’s trust in the Party and State, he noted.

 Participants at the meeting (Photo: VNA)
The PM highlighted the contributions from emulation movements and commendation activities to the country’s overall success and held that the region and the world will continue to experience fast and complicated developments, asking members of the council to focus on evaluating the real situation of emulation-commendation activities, defining current problems and drawing lessons.

It is necessary to clarify targets and tasks for the rest of the year as well as measures and solutions to further renovate and enhance the efficiency of emulation-commendation activities, he stressed.

A report by the council showed that in the first seven months of this year, many emulation movements were conducted, optimising potential and resources, creating social consensus in implementing tasks and making positive influence on all social aspects, thus contributing to boosting the country’s socio-economic recovery and development.

Vietnam marks first stop for Pacific Partnership 2023

The Pacific Partnership has returned to Tuy Hoa city in the south central coastal province of Phu Yen on August 9 to commence the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.

Returning to Vietnam for the 12th time, the PP enables participants, including US and Vietnamese personnel, to work together to enhance disaster response capabilities and foster new and enduring friendship, according to a media release by the US Embassy in Hanoi.

Addressing the launching ceremony, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns said: “We’re glad to see Vietnam as the first stop in Pacific Partnership 2023 given Vietnam’s strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific.”

“This year’s Pacific Partnership reflects the spirit of support and cooperation that has animated the US-Vietnam bilateral partnership over the 28 years since we established diplomatic relations. The Pacific Partnership also highlights the celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership.”

“Our ties are stronger than ever.  Our relationship is built on trust and mutual respect; on the neighborly principal of helping each other when needed; and on the US’ deep commitment to a strong, prosperous, resilient, and independent Vietnam,” she said.
 
This year’s mission will feature nearly 1500 personnel from the US and partner nations such as Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and the UK.

US Navy Captain Claudine Caluori said in Phu Yen, they will conduct subject matter expert exchanges in the areas of public health and preventive medicine, adult and pediatric medicine, nutritional counseling, mental health activities, basic life support, and first aid lectures.

“Pacific Partnership 2023 also features personnel from Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, better known as Seabees, and Amphibious Construction Battalions to engage in construction and repair projects. Typical projects include construction of or repair to schools, health clinics, community centers, shelters and freshwater systems,” he said.

The PP23 will last until August 18 in Phu Yen province.

Vietnam Airlines to adjust flight schedules over typhoon Khanun impact

Flights to and from Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) operated by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines may have their schedules changed based on the extent of the impact of typhoon Khanun to ensure safety.

On August 10, later departure times are expected for two flights (VN422 and VN426) from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to the RoK’s Busan city as well as two others (VN423 and VN427) from Busan to the Vietnamese cities.

Meanwhile, four flights between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and the RoK’s Incheon city – VN404, VN414, VN405 and VN415 – will take off earlier.

Flights from Vietnam to the RoK on the night of August 9 and from the RoK to Vietnam on the morning of August 10 will have their departure schedules unchanged. The original departure schedules are also kept for flight VN356 from Hanoi to Fukuoka on August 9 and flight VN357 from Fukuoka to Hanoi.

Other airlines have also adjusted their flight schedules to avoid the typhoon, congestion or delays are likely to occur at airports, leading to unexpected changes in takeoff and landing times. The changes are made for weather-related safety reasons, and Vietnam Airlines will implement passenger support procedures as per current regulations.

HCM City hospitals under pressure with high number of HFMD child patients

A child patient infected with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is treated at Children’s Hospital No 2 in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

Many cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) among children in HCM City are showing severe symptoms, with some requiring mechanical ventilation.

The Children’s Hospital No 2 in HCM City is attending to a large number of child patients infected with the disease, Sức khỏe & Đời sống (Health & Life) newspaper reports.

Nguyễn Ngọc Lâm, parent of a patient, said that last Saturday his daughter was running a 38.5 Celsius degree fever, with blisters spreading from her hand to all over her body within hours of onset.

After she was admitted to the hospital, she began having rapid pulse and apnea episodes, which required endotracheal intubation.

Lâm said: “She no longer has to stay in intensive care, but within only a few days she lost so much weight, I feel so much pity for her.”

Dr Trần Ngọc Lưu said that the hospital’s intensive care unit for infectious diseases and COVID-19 is attending to more than 150 patients, of which over 130 are HFMD cases.

The hospital has had to use foldable beds and made use of the hallways to make sure that each child patient has their own bed.

At the city’s Children’s Hospital 1, Dr Phùng Nguyễn Thế Nguyên said that there are also around 140 child patients with HFMD in their care.

Dr Nguyên, who is the hospital’s head of the intensive care unit for infectious diseases, said that three out of eight HFMD patients in their department need mechanical ventilation.

Meanwhile, the hospital also receives new patients infected with the disease on a daily basis. They are usually hospitalised for seven to ten days.

Dr Nguyên added that statistics and observation show that the HFMD is currently at its peak with no sign of decreasing.

He noted that this year, many of the child patients don’t experience high fever but still have severe illness, with more cases of apnea and requiring endotracheal intubation, compared to the previous years.

In 2011, HFMD caused death in approximately 150 children, but there were not as many cases requiring endotracheal intubation as today, Nguyên said.

According to the HCM City Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the city recorded 2,665 HFMD cases during the week of July 24-30, an increase of 1.4 times compared to the average of the previous four weeks.

The rising number of cases is reported in 21 out of the 22 districts in the city (except for Cần Giờ), with hotspots in Bình Tân, Bình Chánh and Tân Phú districts.

Doctors said that one of the main reasons for the early arrival and severity of HFMD this year is the EV71 virus strain, which also caused major outbreaks in 2011 and 2018.

HCM City Department of Health has issued a warning to strengthen solutions for disease prevention, as the number of cases is predicted to continue rising in the near future.

Dr Lưu said that signs of the disease in children include fever, mouth ulcers, and blisters in hand palms, foot soles, knees and elbows.

Dr Nguyên recommends that parents and schools take preventive measures by ensuring hygiene and quarantining children who are infected.

Patients should be examined at healthcare facilities for detailed monitoring and care instructions for prompt treatment.

Dr Nguyên added: “Parents should not be too worried because not every case is severe.

“They should not panic if they see HFMD infections, nor should they neglect to monitor the signs.”

According to HCM City’s health sector, the disease could continue for another three or four months.

The beginning of the school year is usually the peak of HFMD, therefore it is also necessary to strengthen preventive measures to avoid outbreaks.

The city’s health department recommends that people, especially families with children under five, should regularly wash their hands with soap and clean the surfaces and objects that children come into contact with every day.

They should look out for symptoms and take the child to the nearest medical facilities if they show signs of illness. 

Around 1,700 northern areas face landslide threats

As many as 1,700 areas in northern Vietnam are vulnerable to landslides, said Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Many northern localities over the past week have suffered from torrential rain with the highest rainfall of 300-400mm, according to Lam. This has resulted in severe flooding and landslides, leaving 11 dead, two missing and three injured.

Meanwhile, 300 houses and 170 hectares of crops along with irrigation works have been damaged by the rain.

The prolonged rains have damaged a 35KV electric pylon in Yen Bai, leading to widespread power loss.

At present, around 1,700 areas in the north are still facing landslide risks, including 900 in Son La Province, 500 in Lai Chau, 300 in Bac Kan and 75 in Yen Bai.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed northern localities to stay vigilant regarding possible floods and landslides in the coming days and focus on overcoming the consequences of heavy rain and floods.

The Ministry of Transport was asked to ensure transport safety in disaster-hit areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Area and the Ministry of Industry and Trade were urged to ensure the safety of reservoirs and repair electricity systems.

Over 30 arrested for online bank scam

Police in the northern province of Bac Giang yesterday carried out a raid on a group of nearly 40 suspects who pretended to be bank employees to swindle money from people using online scams.

Police in Bac Giang carry out a raid on a group of nearly 40 suspects who pretended to be bank employees to swindle money from people using online scams.

According to investigations from local police, 37 suspects aged between 17-25 have pretended to be bank employees to swindle over VND 30 billion from thousands of people nationwide via Facebook accounts.

The group rented seven apartments at a building in Gia Lam District and two houses in My Duc District to operate their scams. Searching these locations, police found and seized 28 sets of computers, 31 Internet broadcasting devices, 43 mobile phones of all kinds, 18 bank cards, 61 phone sim cards and many objects and documents related to their activities.

The group leader has been identified as Tran Van Manh, 21. Some active members included Tran Van Sy, 21, Tran Long Vu, 21, Tran Van Dat, 25, and Nguyen Ba Tuan, 19. They were all from Bac Giang Province.

According to Senior Colonel Tran Huy Viet, Head of the Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department under Bac Giang Provincial Police, the group used tricks to acquire virtual Facebook accounts and used internet-based applications to run ads to increase interactions on their accounts. They then pretended to be employees of various banks and post advertisements on loan packages with preferential interest rates to many online money lending groups to cheat lenders.

To create the trust of people who need to borrow money, the group played many roles of consultant, customer care, and document appraiser, among other roles, to advise and prepare loan documents. They then request people who need to borrow money to send various fees such as disbursement fees and loan insurance fees to them.

Some victims sent the group as much as VND200 million as fees for the promised loans but then found themselves cheated as the group cut contact and disappeared.

Thousands of people nationwide have admitted to becoming victims of the group and claimed losses of over VND30 billion.

Bac Giang Police have detained 31 suspects as they carried out further investigations into the case.

25th national research competition for students opens for entries

The Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) of HCM City on Monday (August 7) launched the 25th Eureka Award competition for all Vietnamese and foreign students who have a passion for scientific research and are studying at universities, colleges and institutions across the country.

The annual competition was co-organised with the Việt Nam National University-HCM City. The Science and Technology Development Centre for Youth under HCYU of HCM City is the standing body of the competition's organising board this year.

Đoàn Kim Thành, head of the Science and Technology Development Centre for Youth, said the Eureka Award competition encourages students to propose their own ideas, new inventions, and specific solutions for the country’s socio-economic development.

In the Industry 4.0 era, research is very important and helps train young people to high levels of expertise.

“The competition is an academic playground for students nationwide, offering them chances to learn, be creative and do research, and fosters their creative capacity,” he said.

This year, it is looking for the best scientific research works in 14 fields, including pharmaceutical chemistry, medical and pharmaceutical science, biology, information technology, food technology, scientific education, administration - legal, economy, technology, agricultural science, planning - architecture – construction, resources and environment, culture and arts, and social science.

The candidates’ research works should be new and creative, and offer solutions for real-world problems.

Students can join the competition as an individual or in groups of no more than five members.

Each individual or group can register one or more research works. Each school can select and submit a maximum of research works of students for a field.

Registration for the competition is open until September 25.

From October 1 to 20, the competition’s organisers will set up a scientific council to select outstanding research projects for the final round.

The final round and the awards ceremony is expected to be held in November at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in HCM City.

A scientific council of examiners will be established, including scientists and experts.

The awards for each field include one first prize worth VNĐ10 million (US$420), one second prize worth VNĐ5 million ($210), one third prize worth VNĐ3 million (US$126), and consolation prizes worth VNĐ1 million ($41) each.

The competition’s organisers may adjust the number of prizes.

After the awards ceremony, the Science and Technology Development Centre for Youth will assist winners to register their copyrights and intellectual property.  

The winners’ research will be supported and introduced to enterprises and organisations for real-world application.

They will also be introduced to the Technological and Scientific Incubation Programme for Young People and the city and National Technical, Scientific, and Creative Award in 2024.

In addition, a scientific research camp and exchanges with former winners in previous competitions will be held for students participating in the competition.

This year, the competition received the companionship of Tâm Nguyện Việt Social Charity Fund, the city’s Department of Science and Technology and Vingroup Innovation Foundation.

The 2022 Eureka Award competition attracted 1,231 scientific research topics of more than 5,000 students from 119 universities, colleges and institutions nationwide. 

PM wants Nhổn-Hà Nội metro line to be operational by end of 2023, HCM City's first metro by 2024

There are currently 25 projects with a total of 75 component projects under the responsibilities of the State Steering Committee for National Key Projects and Important Transport Projects.

The Government Office has recently issued Notice No 311/TB-VPCP dated August 7, 2023, which contains the review of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính - Head of the Steering Committee - at the 6th session.

Efficient and swift project implementation will significantly contribute to economic growth, especially under the current challenging conditions. This demands that each member of the Steering Committee exerts more effort, focus, determination, strength, and responsibility to accelerate the progress of project execution.

The members of the Steering Committee must serve as exemplary models of administrative discipline, adhering faithfully to the Working Regulations of the Steering Committee, and fully participating in all meetings. The Government Office will monitor and report to the Prime Minister on the removal of Steering Committee members who are absent consecutively for two or more times without valid reasons, while also considering responsibilities as stipulated by the Party and the Government.

The Prime Minister has requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of Hà Nội and HCM City to direct and comprehensively resolve obstacles, make efforts to complete and put into operation the Nhổn - Hà Nội Station metro line by the end of 2023 and the Bến Thành - Suối Tiên metro line by the beginning of 2024. Mobilise all available resources, urgently implement investment, and construct the remaining railway lines according to the plan to meet the socio-economic development needs of the two cities.

The Prime Minister highly appreciates the efforts of the Ministry of Transport, various ministries, departments, localities, Project Management Boards (PMBs), consulting firms, and contractors in the process of implementing critical national and key transport projects.

Ministries, departments, and localities have taken strong initiatives to carry out the assigned tasks, and notable achievements include the completion of site clearance work to meet the construction schedule of the East-West highways, the Belt Road 3 of HCM City, and Belt Road 4 of Hà Nội; the Eastern part of North-South Expressway 2021-2025 has reached 86 per cent completion; the completion of land clearance for Terminal 3 at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport; the progress of construction materials supply for the North-South Expressway 2021-2025 following the guidance of the Prime Minister; the completion of procedures and commencement of key expressway projects such as Biên Hòa - Vũng Tàu, Khánh Hòa - Buôn Ma Thuột, Châu Đốc - Cần Thơ - Sóc Trăng, Belt Road 3 of Hồ Chí Minh City, and Belt Road 4 of Hà Nội, increasing the total kilometres of commenced expressway construction from the beginning of the year until now to 1,332km.

The Prime Minister commends the proactive efforts of provinces including Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn, Sơn La, Hòa Bình, Thái Bình, and Bình Phước in preparing investment for projects. The progress made by Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) in implementing the Long Thành International Airport project is welcomed, but further efforts and endeavours are needed to meet the set timeline.

The conclusion clearly states that ministries, departments, and localities need to be more proactive and determined, focusing on resolving difficulties and obstacles; reducing administrative procedures, shortening implementation time, and resolutely adhering to the principle of handling tasks within their jurisdiction without pushing, avoiding, or evading.

In this regard, the Ministry of Transport directs project owners and relevant agencies to strongly urge and supervise contractors, pooling all resources, taking advantage of favourable weather conditions, and organizing "3 shifts, 4 teams" construction systems to ensure the committed construction progress and meet disbursement plans. Emphasis should be placed on quality management, aesthetics, and occupational safety; resolute handling of underperforming contractors and those violating contractual timelines as per regulations.

The directive is firm for contractors to coordinate with localities to expedite the completion of procedures for exploiting construction materials mines, enabling operations by the end of July and early August 2023 for those mines that have been submitted. Survey and incorporate additional stone mines meeting reserves, quality, and favourable land procedures for construction materials mines, and complete procedures for remaining mines by no later than October 2023.

This is a prerequisite and the biggest bottleneck to complete the Eastern part of the North-South Expressway project 2021-2025 as scheduled.

Illegal constructions found in Hanoi landslide-affected area

Illegal construction violations have been detected in Hanoi’s outlying district of Soc Son where a serious landslide occurred recently.

The landslide happened in the Ban Tien residential area in Minh Phu Commune, on August 4, following torrential rain, leaving many cars stranded.

The area is near five homestay and tourism sites.  

The landslide happened in the Ban Tien residential area in Minh Phu Commune, on August 4, following torrential rain, leaving many cars stranded

Pham Quang Ngoc, vice chairman of the Soc Son District People’s Committee, said that the concrete road facing the landslide was built illegally by local residents.

After the landslide, local authorities dismantled the road section, creating cross-cutting points for rainwater drainage.

Two other illegally-built roads in Minh Phu were also dismantled.

Some houses were also illegally-built on Ban Tien’s forestry land. Among those, one was ordered to be dismantled in August last year, but its owners had ignored the decision.

Ngoc added that local authorities would continue directing the enforcement of demolition of illegal construction work.

Soc Son authorities have urged localities to keep a close watch on vulnerable areas for landslide prevention. They also need to tighten control over the supervision to detect illegal land management and construction activities. 

Mukhalinga statue named as national treasure

A ceremony to announce the recognition of a Mukhalinga statue as a Vietnamese nation treasure was held at the Mekong River Delta province of An Giang on Monday.

The Mukhalinga statue, also known as Ekamukhalinga, is a statue of the Hindu god Shiva and the eighth national treasure of An Giang province.

It is 91cm tall, made of fine-grained blackish-gray basalt stone, and its surface is covered with a light gray patina. 

It has been determined to date back to the AD 6th century, making it the earliest known sculpture depicting the mukha (face) symbol in the Óc Eo culture in the southern region of Việt Nam.

The artefact, discovered in 1986 in Vọng Thê Commune, Thoại Sơn District in An Giang, has been preserved at the An Giang Provincial Museum ever since.

Nguyễn Khánh Hiệp, a senior official of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of An Giang, said the Mukhalinga statue is not only a unique work of art but also a valuable historical document, reflecting not only the process of cultural exchange but also the cultural and historical achievements of the people of the South during the exploration and development of the region.

The Óc Eo - Ba Thê is considered one of the significant historical heritage sites of Việt Nam. It is believed to have been a prosperous commercial port of the once-powerful Phù Nam Kingdom two millennia ago.

In addition, it will have an exhibition featuring eight national treasures that the province is currently preserving at Hai Bà Trưng Square in Long Xuyên City from August 7 to 10.

​A national treasure is a tangible cultural heritage or object that is significant to the country's history, culture, or scientific evidence of history.

Fashion show highlights cultural heritage of the ancient capital

Áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) and evening gowns inspired by the nature and historical landmarks of the northern province of Ninh Bình will be presented at a fashion show in Ninh Bình City on September 9.

The show, entitled Tinh Hoa Cố Đô (The Essence of the Ancient Capital), features designs by Thạch Linh. Vietnamese beauty queens and celebrities will attend the event, including hit-maker Hoàng Thùy Linh, singer Hòa Minzy, Vietnam's Miss Universe 2020 Đỗ Thị Hà, and Miss Grand 2022 Đoàn Thiên Ân.

Linh has gained fame as a designer for numerous artists' costumes including singers Tân Nhàn, Huyền Trang and Lương Nguyệt Anh.

The 29-year-old designer said she has always held a special affection for Ninh Bình which she has considered as her second home for fostering her creativity in the arts.

In her first fashion show, The Essence of the Ancient Capital, she wishes to express gratitude to the land and the people who have been with her since the beginning of her career.

"Each design represents my heartfelt devotion to my homeland, Ninh Bình. I aspire to further promote the magnificent landscapes of this place to friends both domestically and internationally.

The highlight of the fashion feast is The Essence of the Ancient Capital collection, which draws inspiration from the iconic landmarks in Ninh Bình, such as the Tràng An scenic complex, Hoa Lư ancient capital and even Kim Sơn rice wine.

This collection is part of the Promoting Việt Nam 2023 project that she initiated to spread the image of áo dài, the national costume. In this project, each design is closely associated with famous landscapes in Việt Nam, and each province will inspire a distinctive collection.

According to the designer, the stage of the show will be set up in the Hoa Lư Ancient Capital in Ninh Binh as part of the campaign to promote Ninh Bình tourism.

It is inspired by the limestone karst landscape of Ninh Bình and the mossy green hues of Tràng An scenic complex and Lake Vân Long.

Entrance to the show is free. 

‘Virtuoso of Vietnamese erhu’ died at age 39

Celebrated folk musician Trần Văn Xâm, who is dubbed as ‘virtuoso of nhị', Vietnamese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, has died from leukaemia at the age of 39.

Music critic and researcher Nguyễn Quang Long, a friend of Xâm said he didn’t reveal his condition to any friends and still took his junior students to Hà Nội to perform at walking street by Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

The artist also didn’t hesitate to take part in performances and concerts whenever he received an invitation.

“The sound of his fiddle is wonderfully intoxicating. It comes from a special player who seemed to forget everything around him to devote only to the instrument. For me, he is a true virtuoso of Vietnamese two-chord fiddle," Long said.

The Director of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music, Lê Anh Tuấn, said that he has a great impression of Xâm as a young, talented, passionate artist. He is also a very attentive and responsible lecturer.

“We met the last time in June when Xâm offered piano accompaniment to his student at a talent competition. When I asked about his health, he said that he was fine,” Tuấn recalled.

“He didn’t show any signs of serious illness as he was always optimistic and cheerful. I even decided to add his name to some important concerts held by the academy.

However, one month after the student graduation examination in June, he was hospitalized. And because he didn’t tell others about his health none of us knew, that's what we regret," Tuấn added.

A native of Hải Dương Province, when he was only seven years old, Xâm left his home village to follow his music passion of playing nhị, or erhu, at the National Academy of Music.

In 2012, he overcame more than 2,000 competitors to win the second prize in an international competition for erhu held in Shanghai, China.

Over the past year, despite the burning heat of summer or the chill winter weather, any pedestrian on Hoàn Kiếm Lake walking street could enjoy the charming sound of his erhu and his students from the Nét Nhị Cầm nhị musical group founded by himself.

Attached to his two-string fiddle for more than 30 years, Xâm brought the instrument to a new level - even playing jazz with this gear. In 2005, he became a member of the Phương Bắc Jazz Band, which was later among the winners of the 2005 Music Voting Award.

He also shared the stage with pop singer Tuấn Hưng and contemporary violinist Hoàng Rob in their concerts.

Xâm’s funeral was held on Monday at his house in Hàm Hy Hamlet in Cộng Lạc Commune, Tứ Kỳ District, Hải Dương.

Viet Nam ready for SEA V.League 2023 second stage

The national volleyball team arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, yesterday, ahead of the SEA V.League 2023's second stage on August 11-14.

Acting coach Nguyễn Trọng Linh takes charge of the young squad for the first time as head coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt will lead the senior team competing in the annual international VTV Cup from August 19-26 in Lào Cai Province.

Despite his debut and a few nerves, Linh is confident his players would be at their best and will perform with the best possible spirit and determination.

The SEA V.League 2023, formerly known as ASEAN Grand Prix, is an international women's volleyball tournament contested by four national teams that are members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

The ASEAN Grand Prix was first held in 2019. Thailand won the title in two previous competitions.

This year the SEA V.League is organised in two stages, one was held in Việt Nam's Vĩnh Phúc Province on August 4-6 and the second in Chiang Mai later this week.

In the second stage, all teams will compete at the 3,000-seater gymnasium inside the 700th Anniversary Chiang Mai Sports Complex.

In the first stage, Thailand, the world No 15 and consecutive 14-time SEA Games gold medallists, defeated host Việt Nam 22-25, 25-20, 28-26, 25-17 on the last day at the Vĩnh Phúc Gymnasium.

Thailand topped the four-team standings with nine points from three straight wins. Việt Nam came second with six points from two wins against one loss at the end of the round-robin tournament. Indonesia was in third place with three points from one win against two losses, with the winless Philippines in the bottom fourth position.

Along with the team's prize, Việt Nam's Trần Thị Thanh Thúy was voted Best Outside Hitter, Hoàng Thị Kiều Trinh Best Opposite Spiker, and Đoàn Thị Lâm Oanh Best Setter.

Speaking with reporters, coach Kiệt said Vietnamese players did their best in the tournament. Despite a loss, Việt Nam played as well as Thailand in the early sets.

"It was regrettable that we had several opportunities to win but players did not succeed in decisive points. However, I praised my team's determination and spirit," said Kiệt.

"In the second stage, we will make big changes to the list of players. They are young players who have not had much international experienced. But they are confident and ready for the tournament."

Việt Nam will send the women's team to the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Hangzhou, China in September, according to the sport authority.

After the recent draw, Việt Nam are in Group C with South Korea and Nepal. Ten other teams are in two groups of three and one group of four.

Matches will be held from September 28 to October 7.

Five years ago at the Jakarta ASIAD 2018, Việt Nam placed sixth.

China beat Thailand in the final match to take the crown. This year, the defending champion is still a top candidate for the winning trophy. 

Korean youths join volunteer activities in Ben Tre

As many as 24 youths and students from the Republic of Korea (RoK) joined in volunteer activities in Mo Cay Bac district, the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, on August 7-8.      

Vice Secretary of the provincial committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Phan Thanh Tre said the Korean volunteers came from Wonju Jeil Church and Global Vision organisation.

While in Ben Tre, the Korean volunteers presented bicycles to poor and outstanding students, taught local students simple Korean, engaged in cultural and sport exchanges, created artwork on fabric bags to encourage environmentally-friendly habits, and held traditional games for over 100 students at Hoa Loc elementary school. 

Together with 24 local volunteers, they also contributed nearly 400 hours of labour and funded the construction of houses for two poor families, each worth VND38 million (US$1,650).

Tre added that the event, part of the local summer youth volunteer campaign this year, also created a chance for local young people learn more about the RoK and improve their skills in international integration.

Zhejiang province of China keen to lure more Vietnamese tourists

The Zhejiang provincial Department of Culture and Tourism hosted an event in Hanoi on August 8 to promote tourism and culture exchanges between Vietnam and Zhejiang province.      

The Chinese locality includes Hangzhou city which has long been a familiar destination for Vietnamese tourists, and the Beijing - Shanghai - Hangzhou - Suzhou tourism route is popular among tourists. The 19th Asian Games (ASIAD) which will be held in September and October this year is set to be a great opportunity for Zhejiang to attract more and more tourists, including those from Vietnam.

According to Zheng Ni, a representative of Zhejiang provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the locality is poised to launch three tourism products specifically for Vietnamese tourists. They include a tour to discover the history of Zhejiang, a tour across three rivers and joining recitation, as well as a tour to explore Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province which will host upcoming ASIAD 19.

Zheng shared that Vietnam also represents a favourite destination among Chinese tourists in general, as well as tourists from Zhejiang in particular, as many people from the northern neighbour love the diverse culture found across Vietnam.

Nguyen Quy Phuong, head of tourism promotion management department under Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, said China has always been a key market for the Vietnamese tourism industry. In the first seven months of the year, Vietnam welcomed over 737,000 Chinese tourists. Simultaneously, China is also a favourite destination among plenty of Vietnamese tourists.

These represent positive signs to push forward tourism promotion between both sides, he concluded.

Ha Tinh women imprisoned for violating State’s interests

The People’s Court of Huong Khe district of central Ha Tinh province on August 8 sentenced Hoang Thi Son and Thai Thi Be to 15 years in prison each for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate the interests of the State, the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals” under Article 331 of the 2015 Penal Code (revised and supplemented in 2017).

According to the indictment, from November 23, 2022 to April 19, 2023, due to their discontentment with the response of authorised agencies to their requests, Son, born in 1958 and from Huong Khe township, and Be, born in 1956 and from Huong Khe district, took advantage of their freedom of speech to post many distorted contents on their YouTube and Facebook accounts, insulting the honour and dignity of leaders of Huong Khe district and discrediting the administration and state agencies in the locality.

Son used her cellphone to post a video clip and seven articles on the social network and left many comments with wrongful and distorted contents. Particularly, the video clip with her voice seriously infringed upon the prestige and honour of the members of the Huong Khe district Citizen Reception Board and the leaders of Huong Khe district.

Meanwhile, Be posted 12 video clips on her YouTube’s account of “thi be thai” and 36 others on her account “Thai Be” with distorted and wrongful contents related to the local authorities’ processing of her requests and denunciations.

At the court, the defendants admitted their crimes and wished to receive the leniency of the law.

Charity walk to support AO victims to take place in HCM City this weekend

A charity walk to support victims of Agent Orange/dioxin is scheduled to take place at Dam Sen Cultural Park in Ho Chi Minh City on August 12.

The event is one of the activities organised by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin’s HCM City chapter to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the dioxin disaster in Vietnam (August 10).

Speaking at a ceremony early this week, Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, Chairman of the association’s HCM City chapter, said since its inception in 2005, the chapter has carried out many charity programmes to mobilise funds to care for and support AO/Dioxin victims.

It mobilised nearly 8.5 billion VND (356,500 USD) and supported a total of 8,783 AO victims in the first six months of this year, Tho said.

AO victims face many difficulties in their lives and they need more support and care from the community to relieve their pain, he said.

At the ceremony, the association called on individuals and organisations to join hands to provide healthcare services and improve living conditions for AO/dioxin victims.

It awarded certificates of merit for 74 individuals for their dedicated efforts to help AO/dioxin victims.

More than 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxin and more than 3 million were victims.

Northwestern localities, HCM City to hold first culture, tourism week in Lao province

A culture and tourism week of Vietnam’s northwestern region and Ho Chi Minh City is scheduled to take place for the first time in the Lao province of Luang Prabang from October 25 to 27.

The week, to be organised under the chair of the People’s Committee of Dien Bien province, will feature a wide range of cultural, sport and tourism activities introducing typical cultural identities and tourism products of the northwestern region, HCM City, and Luang Prabang.

Outstanding activities will include exhibitions of tourism photos of the Vietnamese and Lao localities; displays of tourism and agricultural products; and experience of cultural, sport and tourism activities of the localities.

Farmiliarisation trips, a workshop promoting tourism of the northwest and HCM City, and a cultural exchange programme between northwestern provinces and Luang Prabang will also be held.

The culture and tourism week is part of the 2023 cooperation plan under the agreement on tourism development cooperation between HCM City and eight northwestern provinces for 2020 - 2025.

It is expected to help foster the cooperation, friendship, and cultural, economic, trade and tourism ties between the Vietnamese localities and Luang Prabang, as well as other northern Lao provinces.

Da Nang and Phuket seek to boost tourism cooperation

Da Nang (Vietnam) and Phuket (Thailand) are seeking to sign a memorandum of understanding on friendship and cooperation, especially in the field of tourism which is the strength of the two localities.

Le Trung Chinh, head of the Da Nang administration, was speaking at a reception for Narong Woonciew, governor of Phuket, in the municipal headquarters on August 8.

Chinh cited Thai media saying Da Nang is chosen by many international tourists for its impressive tourist products and developed infrastructure systems including seaports and an international airport, as well as its airy urban landscape and fresh air. For these reasons, Thai tourists to Da Nang have grown considerably since 2020.

In addition to tourism, Chinh said Da Nang encourages more Thai investors, including those from Phuket, to come and seek investment opportunities in local potential fields such as information technology, high-tech industry, seaport and airport upgrade.

We are committed to creating favourable conditions for investors and tourists from Thailand, in general and Phuket in particular, to seek investment and travel opportunities in Da Nang,” Chinh told his guest.

Governor Woonciew welcomed Chinh’s proposals, noting that Phuket received more than 22,000 Vietnamese holidaymakers in the first seven months of this year, an increase of 142% year on year. He proposed that Da Nang consider opening direct air routes to Thai localities, including Phuket, to facilitate people’s travel between the two sides.

The Governor also expressed Phuket’s desires to enhance cooperation with Da Nang in the fields of health care and human resource training in tourism services.

Lao Cai to host VTV Int’l Women’s Volleyball Cup

The Vietnam Television (VTV) International Women’s Volleyball Cup will be held in the northern province of Lao Cai from August 19-26 after a three- year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with teams from Vietnam, Australia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Japan and the Republic of Korea taking part.

The teams will compete in a round-robin format. In total, the 2023 VTV Cup will have 24 matches.

As the host, Lao Cai has renovated and upgraded several facilities of the provincial gymnasium complex in order to ensure overall success of the event.

The Lao Cai Departments of Culture and Sports, and Tourism have proactively worked with the VTV to promote the province’s tourism on mass media.

VTV Cup 2023 will be the last tournament of the Vietnamese women’s volleyball team before starting the competition at the ASIAD 19 taking place from September 23 in Hangzhou, China.

The VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup is an international volleyball tournament for women organised by the Volleyball Federation of Vietnam (VFV), and sponsored by the VTV. The cup was established in 2004 and held every year. From 2020 to 2022, the annual event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Workshop discusses attraction of OV resources for tourism development

A hybrid workshop was held in Hanoi on August 8 to discuss how to attract resources from overseas Vietnamese (OV) to support tourism development.

Young overseas Vietnamese pose for a group photo when visiting Hue city in late July during the Vietnam Summer Camp 2023.
Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam, vice chairman of the State Committee for OV Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said OVs have become an important resource contributing to tourism development over the past years.

Since 2009, about 700,000 - 1 million OVs have returned to the homeland each year, equivalent to the number of visitors from Japan – the third largest source of foreign tourists to Vietnam. Therefore, the more than 5.3 million OVs form a highly potential market for the domestic tourism sector, he noted.

The official cited the Vietnam Summer Camp, which has been held for young OVs for 20 years, as an example, suggesting similar programmes be organised to draw OV visitors.

Noting the great demand and potential of the OV tourist market, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism said OVs can contribute to the domestic tourism sector by returning to visit their relatives, learn about traditions, and explore investment opportunities.

Domestic businesses are also implementing many creative ideas to attract OV travellers, it added.

At the workshop, OV representatives talked about how to bring into play Vietnamese expatriates’ role in drawing tourists to the country, the demand of OVs in the US and Europe to go back to the homeland to spend their holidays, and some countries’ experience in this regard.

Some travel companies highlighted the prospect of tourism combined with family visit and investment chance exploration, as well as medical tourism for OVs.

Meanwhile, officials of Dien Bien and Phu Tho provinces presented their localities’ tourism potential and incentives for OV visitors.

On this occasion, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and the State Committee for OV Affairs signed a cooperation deal to attract OV resources for tourism development.

Vietnamese referees officiate AFC Cup Preliminary Round

Local referee Ngo Duy Lan and his two assistants have met the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s criteria to take charge of a match in the AFC Cup’s Preliminary Round, with the team to officiate the game between Machhindra FC of Nepal and Paro FC of Bhutan on August 8.

This represented the first official AFC Cup match this year to be officiated by Vietnamese referees.

Previously back in 2022, Ngo Duy Lan also took charge of an AFC Cup game between Neftchi FC of Kyrgyzstan and Altyn Asyr of Turkmenistan.

Lan, 39, has been named as the winner of the Vietnam Golden Whistle award twice. So far, he and three other Vietnamese referees, including Le Vu Linh, Hoang Ngoc Ha, and Nguyen Manh Hai, have been recognised at an elite-level by FIFA.

HCM City bolsters cooperation with RoK’s Gyeongsangbuk province

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan received visiting Vice Governor of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Gyeongsangbuk province Lee Dal-hee on August 9.

Hoan said that on the foundation of the sound partnership between Vietnam and the RoK in all fields, especially the economy, the relations between the city and RoK localities have also been fruitful.

In order to implement cooperation between HCM City and Gyeongsangbuk, he asked specialised agencies of the two localities to work together to design an action plan focusing on cultural exchange, tourism promotion, investment cooperation and experience sharing in local administration.

The municipal leader suggested that the localities organise a HCM City cultural, trade and tourism day in Gyeongsangbuk in 2024, while establishing twinning relations among universities in the two localities, holding exchanges for students of the two sides, and coordinating in human resources training and training skilled workers for the RoK.

For her part, Lee hailed the positive results in the twinning relations between Gyeongsangbuk and HCM City, affirming that the province hopes to continue promoting the close and effective partnership with HCM City, especially in promising areas of mutual interest, thus bringing practical benefits to both sides.

She spoke highly of the economic potential of HCM City, and proposed leaders of the city create favourable conditions for RoK enterprises, including those from Gyeongsangbuk, to invest and run long-term business in the city.

Her province is in need of high-quality human resources for local industrial parks, especially in the fields of electronic components and steel manufacturing, she said, underlining that the locality hopes to strengthen labour collaboration with HCM City.

Gyeongsangbuk is willing to work with HCM City in organising exchange programmes for young intellectuals of the two sides, and bringing second-generation Vietnamese children born in the RoK to HCM City for study, she said.

MoFA, US Embassy hold training workshop on modern communication skills

A workshop opened in central Da Nang city on August 9 to equip spokespersons and officials in charge of foreign information service of provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide with modern communication and foreign information dissemination skills.

The three-day event was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the US Embassy in Vietnam on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

In her opening speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said the first training workshop on communication, held as part of cooperation between the MoFA and the US Department of State, attracted 62 participants from 49 provinces and cities.

It aims to help the localities’ officials in charge of foreign information dissemination improve their capacity, she noted, adding that it is also a meaningful activity marking 10 years of the comprehensive partnership and contributing to the development of bilateral relations.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper affirmed that the workshop will help intensify relations between the two countries in multiple aspects, especially trade which has surged from zero to 139 billion USD at present.

Apart from equipping participants with necessary skills, it also looks to enhance the connectivity among the forces responsible for foreign information dissemination nationwide, as well as between them and the US Embassy so as to help reinforce mutual understanding and cooperation.

Vietnamese Party delegation visits Laos

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairwoman of its Commission for Mass Mobilisation, is on a  working visit to Laos on August 8 – 10 at the invitation of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee.

While there, the delegation paid courtesy visits to General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. It also held talks with President of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune.

During the meetings, the Vietnamese officials congratulated Laos on its great and significant achievements after over 36 years of renewal, expressing their belief that under the leadership by the LPRP, the administration by the government, and the supervision by the National Assembly, the Lao people will continue to reap new and greater achievements.

Vietnam always strongly supports the national renewal, protection, construction and development of Laos, she affirmed.

Hoai said she is delighted at the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, which is increasingly expanding across fields. She thanked Laos for its significant support to Vietnam in its liberation struggle in the past and national construction and development at present.

Vietnam will do its best, together with Laos, to preserve and nurture the special relationship between the two nations, for the sake of their people, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, she affirmed.

The Vietnamese official highly valued cooperation results between the CPV and the LPRP, stressing that the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation is willing to collaborate with the LFNC’s Central Committee to effectively implement agreements between high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and States, and between the two agencies.

Thongloun Sisoulith and Sonexay Siphandone highlighted the significance of the visit, saying that it demonstrates the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

They congratulated Vietnam on its comprehensive achievements in recent times, especially in socioeconomic development and Party building, expressing their belief that Vietnam will make greater achievements in the time to come.

The Lao leaders expressed their delight at the development of the Vietnam-Laos relationship, emphasising the importance of the bilateral relations as well as the relationship between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

They suggested the two sides work closely to effectively implement agreements between high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and nations, thus improving the efficiency of cooperation in all fields.

In the framework of the trip, the Vietnamese official had a meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Laos. The delegation laid flowers at the monuments of President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong; and visited Star Telecom Company (Unitel), and Luangprabang province.

Fisherman with health problems at sea saved

Medical centres in the island district of Truong Sa, the central province of Khanh Hoa, recently saved a fisherman having health problems while working at sea, according to the command of Naval Region 4.

On August 8 morning, while on patrol in the area of Phan Vinh island, Vessel No. 464 of the command was instructed to receive and send a patient to the medical centre of Truong Sa township in the district of the same name for treatment.

The 33-year-old fisherman from Quang Nam province suffered from anemia, gastrointestinal bleeding. Military doctors of the vessel provided initial aid to him.

Earlier, on August 7 morning, the patient was sent to Phan Vinh island for emergency aid after showing illness symtoms while fishing at sea.

Relationship upgrade reflects goodwill, mutual respect from Vietnam, the Vatican: official

The upgrade of the relationship and the adoption of the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam reflect efforts, goodwill, and mutual respect between Vietnam and the Vatican, said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang.

The two sides announced the adoption of the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam during a recent visit to the Vatican by Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Thang said the relationship between the State of Vietnam and the Vatican is relatively special. The Vatican is an independent state and also a religious organisation having great influence on the Catholic community around the world, including in Vietnam.

Implementing the consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and being a trustworthy friend and partner of countries and a responsible member of the international community, Vietnam attaches importance to and is ready to promote relations with the Holy See in the principle of respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, not interfering in each other’s internal affairs, and actively contributing to global peace, cooperation and development.

Thang noted bilateral relations have recorded progress over periods, adding that during many meetings with leaders of Vietnam, the Holy See proposed the two sides lift the relationship from the status of Non-Resident Papal Representative to that of the Resident Papal Representative so as to create conditions for the representative to work with the Vietnamese Government and the Catholic Church of Vietnam.

The upgrade of the relationship and the adoption of the status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam reflect efforts, goodwill, and mutual respect between Vietnam and the Vatican, he said, adding that the relationship has been carried out following an appropriate roadmap and in conformity with Vietnamese law, the international treaties to which Vietnam is a party, as well as the situation of bilateral ties.

During the negotiation process, the two sides worked together to deal with issues, showing their goodwill and sense of responsibility towards the promotion of relations. The Catholic community of Vietnam has made active contributions to the relationship upgrade, according to the official.

Highlighting the importance of the relationship elevation, Thang said that the upgrade will open up a new interrelation between the two sides. Issues relevant to bilateral ties will be quickly and directly discussed with the resident representative, who will have favourable conditions to fulfill his duties and responsibilities assigned by the Holy See and further care for religious activities of the Vietnamese Catholic Church.

To Vietnam, the upgrade, aside from reflecting the righteous foreign policy of the Party and State, also demonstrates its recognition of the Holy See’s goodwill and positive instructions for the Vietnamese Catholic Church during the negotiation process; shows the Party and State’s attention to Catholicism and encouragement to Catholic dignitaries and followers to maintain their trust in the Party and State’s guidelines and policies; and creates favourable conditions for religious dignitaries, monks, and followers to practice their religions in line with law and stand side by side with administrations at all levels, the Deputy Minister added.

HCM City, Google foster partnership in education development

Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Duong Anh Duc on August 9 received Google for Education Regional Manager for Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand Paul Hutchings who underlined Google for Education’s interest to seek cooperation opportunities with the city.

Holding that this is the best time for the city to speed up digital transformation, Hutchings said that the two sides have great cooperation potential in this field and promote the growth of the local education sector.

He thanked the city for accompanying with and supporting Google during the implementation of its programme to support education development in the city, expressing his belief that the two sides will work together to build a new technology-using strategy, thus creating an ecosystem to optimise the potential of students and teachers.

He said in the future, Google will introduce the Chromebook solution in Vietnam, and commit itself to providing an ecosystem of education technology including technology and AI applications and achievements for education.

Google hopes to introduce its latest and most advanced solutions and make contributions to the growth of the digital economy of the city in particular and Vietnam in general, especially in the fields of human resources training, he said.

For his part, Duc said that HCM City pays special attention to high-quality human resources training serving digital transformation process, and hopes to build a development foundation basing on science, technology and AI.

The city highly values Google’s engagement in education sector, he said, stressing that IT solutions will be an effective tool for enhancing the quality of vocational and tertiary training.

Accordingly, AI Education will conduct free consultation and support programmes on the implementation of Workspace for Education for the whole city, while training personnel on system management of Workspace for Education services. It will develop and implement a training plan for information technology administrators, along with training plans for local teachers and provide Google's international standard training programmes in the field of digital skills and AI skills.

Mekong River water levels on the rise

Water levels in the Mekong River have increased rapidly and are projected to rise further over the next five days, especially from Chiang Khan to Khong Chiam in Thailand and from Vientiane to Savannakhet in Laos, according to the Mekong River Commission (MRC).

Heavy rains across the Mekong region, which began on August 5, have contributed to the rise, putting the river levels in most monitoring stations above their long-term indices, the commission said.

The average rainfall in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) 0m August is expected to be 40% higher than it was in the same period of 2021 and 2022.

Due to low pressure in the LMB, some parts of Laos and Thailand were hit harder by flash floods last weekend, the MRC said, adding that the situation has triggered water levels to rise and affected properties and livelihoods.

In Thailand’s Chiang Khan, the station water level jumped from 7.70m to 12.26m from August 1-8. A further rise of 0.50m is expected over the next five days. Its alarm level is 14.5m.

The Lao capital of Vientiane saw its river level rise by 4.30m over the same period, up by about 40%. Over the next five days, the river level is projected to rise between 2.34m and 3.32m, which will put the station level in the alarm state (11.5m), while the flood warning is 12.5m.

From Nakhon Phanom province in Thailand to Pakse province in Laos, the river levels rose by more than 2.50m and will see a rise of about 2m over the next five days. As a result, the water level at Nakhon Phanom was forecast to reach its alarm level of 11.5m on August 10 and flood level (12m) on August 11.

In Cambodia, water levels from the stretches in Stung Treng to Kratrie increased from 0.92m to 2.59m over the same period. The levels are likely to drop from 0.20m to 1m over the next five days.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the water levels at Tan Chau on the Mekong River and Chau Doc on the Hau River were fluctuating and remained lower than their long-term values due to tidal effects.

According to the MRC, the Xayaubri hydropower located on the mainstream of the Mekong River in Laos may release water, thus, downstream communities are recommended to prepare for changes in river levels.

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