The Hanoi Culinary Space 2023 entitled "The quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine” will be held at the Hanoi Children’s Palace from September 29 to October 1, as part of the activities to mark the capital city’s 69th Liberation Day (October 10).

The event aims to promote the city’s culinary value as a unique tourism product to visitors.

It will be divided into spaces for introducing Hanoi traditional and international cuisine, and typical dishes of different regions in Vietnam; and especially a space to promote Michelin-winning culinary establishments and the capital's culinary tourism destinations.

The highlight of the event will be a space for Hanoi’s ‘pho’ (Vietnamese noodle soup), with some famous brands to be introduced.

The Hanoi Culinary Space 2023 is expected to help spread the beauty and uniqueness of cuisine of the over-1,000-year-old capital city to domestic and foreign tourists.

Vietnam among top 10 tourist markets of Singapore

The number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Singapore is surging following the COVID-19 pandemic, with Vietnam remaining an important source of tourists to the country, according to Melissa Ow, chief executive of Singapore Tourism Board (STB).      

Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Vietnamese travelers to Singapore enjoyed steady growth of 13% annually, with this highlighting the strong growth of the market.

In the first seven months of the year over 280,000 Vietnamese tourists visited the island nation, marking a strong increase of 123% compared to the same period from last year.

Vietnam Airlines also reported that during the January to July period the number of passengers on the Vietnam-Singapore route increased by 2.4 times on-year.

At a memorandum of co-operation signing ceremony held between Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Tourism Board on August 15, Ow noted that Vietnamese tourists to Singapore ranked ninth among the international arrivals in the country, with high hopes that the Singaporean side can lure more travelers in the future.

The signing of the latest MoU between the two sides will contribute to developing new tourism products for Vietnamese visitors to experience, thereby heightening co-operation and creating favourable conditions for both sides to attract more tourists, she added.

Photo exhibition marks Vietnam-Italy diplomatic ties

A photo exhibition titled "Sicily" by photographer Fulvio Bugani is set be held at Casa Italia Hanoi from August 18 to August 31 as part of activities aimed at celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Italy and Vietnam which started in 1973. 
      
On display will be a total of 20 photographs depicting the quintessence of Sicily which is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It is most notably for the Strait of Messina which divides it from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy.

Sicily is home to 4.8 million inhabitants and is a tourist destination full of charm with romantic beaches, beautiful scenery, and rich cultural heritage.

Through the exhibition, Italian photographer Fulvio Bugani captures the unique beauty of the island, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in unique stories and emotions that only Sicily can bring.

Fulvio Bugani, 49, is an Italian freelance documentary photographer who has over 20 years of experience in photography.

He has worked with associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including MSF (Medecins Sans Frontier) and Amnesty International, for which he has participated in several projects on social reportage topics.

His works have been published in some of the world's leading prestigious magazines and websites such as TIME LightBox, The Guardian, LFI - Leica Fotografie International, and Cubadebate.

Bugani was named the winner of the World Press Photo Award back in 2015 and was among the 12 finalists of Leica Oskar Barnack awards in 2016.

185,000 doses of 5-in-1 vaccine to be distributed to 49 localities this month

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology on August 15 decided to allocate 185,000 doses of the DPT-VGB-Hib vaccine to 49 cities and provinces within this month.

The vaccine helps protect children against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, and haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

The doses are part of a batch of the vaccine funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which arrived in Hanoi on July 27 to serve the national expanded immunisation programme.

Earlier, 72,300 doses were distributed to 14 northern mountainous provinces, using domestic funding.

Like other countries around the world, routine immunisation services in Vietnam have been disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in approximately 114,000 children under one year old missing vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, which are used as indicators of global immunisation coverage, in 2022.

Moreover, due to the recent shortage of the 5-in-1 vaccine, an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese children born in the beginning of 2023 have yet to receive this essential vaccine.

WHO Representative in Vietnam Angela Pratt affirmed the organisation will continue to collaborate with UNICEF and other partners to support the Vietnamese Government, ensuring that all children in every corner of the country receive complete and timely immunisations, both now and in the future.

Da Nang’s urban governance pilot sees positive outcomes

The central coastal city of Da Nang has so far recorded positive results from its pilot implementation of the urban governance model and a number of distinct policies and mechanisms serving its socio-economic development.

The pilot project, launched following a National Assembly resolution dated June 19, 2020, is considered a significant task to further perfect the state apparatus, including local government organisation, ensuring consistency, transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency.

Activities serving the pilot have been carried out according to the plan, ensuring the set progress. The transition between the two phases of execution has been smooth, without significant problems or major complications that would impact or hinder the management and operation of the district- and commune-level people's committees. The work of arranging and organising the administrative apparatus, as well as personnel management has been well accomplished.

The project has been assessed to help streamline the administrative apparatus, reduce administrative procedures, enhance the proactive management of the administration, strengthen the responsibilities of the heads of district- and commune-level administrative agencies, and improve the efficiency of state management.

So far, the city has completed six out of 12 supervision areas approved by the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee. It has also contributed ideas to 48 draft documents of the Government, ministries and central agencies, and local agencies and sectors. Additionally, 115 meetings with constituents were held.

The central economic hub has seen strong growth in recent times. However, challenges remain, as a number of sectors, industries, and businesses continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as unfavourable domestic and global economic conditions. Particularly, fluctuations in the prices of fuel and oil, construction materials, and certain food items have had significant effects on various aspects of social life.

Since 2020, Da Nang has built a database based on various sources, with 560 public service databases established. The data has helped State agencies manage work better, supervise public service provision, and monitor traffic flow, water and air quality. The city has also launched digital assistants, including chatbots and voicebots which automatically instruct local people to handle administrative procedures and public services.

Each Da Nang citizen has an electronic account. They need to register one time and access the available database. About 260,000 citizens have registered for electronic accounts, making up more than 43% of the population aged 18 and more. The proportion of documents handled online has reached over 78%, 1.5 times higher than the national average.

According to Nguyen Quang Thanh, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, the e-government and smart urban area building inspire the city’s digital transformation.

Experts said that attracting more experts and businesses and promoting urban resilience are significant steps that would help Da Nang become a livable city in the region.

Under its Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, Da Nang expects to achieve average annual economic growth of 9.5-10%. By 2030, its economic development will focus on three pillars: tourism, the knowledge-based economy, and services.

Conference seeks ways to accelerate tourism recovery

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on August 15 held a conference to disseminate new legal documents to accelerate tourism recovery and development in an effective and sustainable manner.

The law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of foreigners in Vietnam took effect from August 15. Accordingly, the duration of an electronic visa is extended to 90 days from 30.

Citizens of the countries that are unilaterally exempted from visas by Vietnam will be granted temporary residence for up to 45 days from 15 days and can be considered for visa issuance and temporary residence extension according to regulations.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet said the country welcomed 6.6 million foreign visitors in the first seven months of this year. Domestic tourists were estimated at 76.5 million in the review period. The country earned 416.6 trillion VND (17.4 billion USD) from the tourism industry.

The conference aims to enhance the role and responsibility of the sector in effectively implementing tasks and solutions, creating a high consensus in awareness and action of the tourism industry as well as relevant industries, localities, businesses and people, Viet said.

He highlighted the need for taking drastic actions to create breakthroughs in tourism development, including seizing opportunities created by a more open visa policy to help the tourism industry develop rapidly and increase the number of foreign travelers to Vietnam.

It is necessary for the industry to promote the dynamism and creativity of enterprises in tourism recovery and development, the official added.

From now until the end of this year, the ministry will submit to the Government a master plan on Vietnam's tourism development system for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2045, Viet said, adding that it will also build a national database on tourism, and research and develop a project on establishing Vietnam tourism promotion offices abroad, with priority to key markets.

At least 50 million children's opinions on issues of concern to be raised by 2027

At least 50 million children's opinions on the issues of their concern will be raised through activities of teenager and youth unions by 2027.

This is one of the specific targets set by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee under a project aiming to promote children’s right to the participation in child-related matters for 2023-2027.

The project is also intended to raise the awareness of officials in charge of teenage and youth affairs, teachers, and childcare workers about children’s right to participation, and promote children's engagement in policy and law building in relevant issues.

Through the project, children will partake in exchanges, share experience, and learn about their rights and obligations, thus raising their self-awareness and sense of responsibility.

To that end, all of youth unions in cities and provinces will establish children’s councils at the provincial level. There will be annual dialogues between children and deputies of the National Assembly and People’s Councils.

Training courses will be organised for key groups of children, as well as those in charge of teenage affairs.

Specifically, at least 5 million secondary school students will participate in models and activities promoting children’s right to participation by 2027.

Press agencies under the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union will launch special sessions where children can express views on the issues of their concern.

Vietnam improving landslide warning capacity

Vietnam’s hydrometeorological sector has been improving the forecasting capacity to provide people in landslide-prone areas with timely warnings, said General Director of the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Tran Hong Thai.

Recently, large-scale landslides have appeared in some Central Highland provinces, threatening the safety of residential areas, traffic works, hydroelectricity reservoirs, and irrigation works.

Thai said that it is necessary to set up teams including representatives from specialised agencies to evaluate the risks and causes as well as propose solutions.

He said that the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration will coordinate with relevant units to arrange personnel to landslide-hit areas and those with high risk in the Central Highlands region in August.

Regarding long-term solutions, Thai said that the agency plans to conduct large-scale studies and investigations on landslides, tube floods, and flash floods.

It will also zone off risk-based areas to help the Government and localities grasp the status and risks of landslides and flash floods and then have proper socio-economic development orientations, and measures to prevent and minimise damage caused by natural disasters to people's lives and properties.

From the beginning of July 2023, landslides and flash floods, riverbank and coastal erosions have caused serious damage to people's lives, properties, and public infrastructure, especially in some provinces in the Central Highlands, northern and Mekong Delta regions.

Responding to the issue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 asked ministries, localities, and agencies to continue to strictly implement Official Dispatch No. 607/CD-TTg dated July 1, 2023 on natural disasters prevention and control during the rainy season.

New bus route to Hanoi's airport

The Ministry of Transport has just agreed with the Hanoi People's Committee to open a new electric bus route, the E10, departing from Vinhomes Ocean Park urban area in Gia Lam district to the Noi Bai International Airport.

According to the plan, the new route has a total length of about 35 km, and theVinbus Ecological Transport Service Co., Ltd will undertake the operation of the new route.

In 2022, the Hanoi Department of Transport appraised and approved the opening of 10 new electric bus routes. However, the operation of the E10 bus route has been delayed because the airport was adjusting its planning to use the parking lot for public passenger transport services.

Taking buses to the airport is many people’s choice. Currently, operators have introduced several bus routes running from the city to the airport, besides the buses of Vietjet Air airlines, Vietnam Airlines, and Jetstar Pacific.

Binh Thuan asks for about 400 billion VND to build embankments

The south central province of Binh Thuan needs about 400 billion VND (16.7 million USD) to build embankments in areas hit by landslides and erosion, said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phan Van Dang.

Speaking at a working session with a working delegation from the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on August 15, Dang said that the province is facing serious coastal erosion that has affected residential areas, economic zones, tourist areas and reservoirs.

Meanwhile, with current resources, the province finds it difficult to complete the works synchronously and in time.

Since the beginning of this year, the province suffered natural disasters such as tornadoes, lightning strikes, heavy rains, floods, landslides, and coastal erosion in localities ,including Bac Binh, Tuy Phong, and Phan Thiet.

The natural disasters claimed five lives and and 31 injuries, forced 21 households to relocate. Heavy rain and strong winds caused 347 houses to collapse, get unroofed, flooded, or damaged. More than 14,700 ha of agricultural production area, 15 fishing cages and 36 ha of traditional fish farming were damaged by rain and floods. The damage was estimated at more than 135 billion VND.

In the first seven months of 2023, 63 accidents and incidents occurred on the sea border area of the province, causing 15 deaths, nine missing, and six injured.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, who led the working delegation to inspect natural disaster prevention and control in Binh Thuan province, highly appreciated the results and efforts of the province in implementing proactive solutions to prevent and control natural disasters, and conduct search and rescue and incident response at sea.

He said that in the coming time, the weather is forecasted to continue to be complicated, extreme and unpredictable, which requires Binh Thuan province to stay proactive in natural disaster prevention and control, and climate change adaptation.

The province needs to step up communication to raise awareness and skills in natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue in the community, he said, adding that the province must pay attention to training and improving professional skills for rescue force, preparing forces, means, equipment and conditions to properly respond to incidents.

Measures sought to promote food safety culture

A national workshop themed “Education, communication and food safety culture” was held in Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on August 15, gathering over 100 delegates from ministries, sectors and localities nationwide.

The event was jointly held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)’s Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, the project “Food Safety for Development” (SAFEGRO), and the Department of Social Affairs under the Party Central Committee's Commission for Education and Information.

It aimed to raise public awareness of food safety, thus changing behaviours, customs and practices of production and business that cause food unsafety, contributing to protecting the health and lives of consumers.

Representatives of state management agencies in charge of food safety, relevant ministries and sectors presented reports on education, communication, and food safety culture in the field of agro-forestry-fishery production and business in Vietnam.

Delegates also focused their discussion on measures, and put forth proposals to improve the quality and efficiency of education and communication, and promote food safety culture in Vietnam.

Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of MARD’s Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, said that there are still cases of false advertising about product quality and food safety despite sanctions.

He stressed that it is necessary to develop and implement a strategy for education, communication and promoting food safety culture early, and integrate food safety culture into educational programmes.

Khong Manh Tuan, an official of the Department of Basic Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications, underlined the need to increase guidance on education and communication; set up hotlines to receive information about food safety; and promote communication activities on social networks in the context of strong development in social networks and the internet.

Meanwhile, Truong Thi Thu Thuy from the Department of Family and Social Affairs of the Vietnam Women's Union Central Committee, said apart from replicating food safety models, the agency will continue to promote communication campaigns on food safety, and encourage production facilities managed by women and supported by the association to sign commitments to produce safe food.

SAFEGRO is a non-refundable aid project worth 15 million CAD (nearly 11.2 million USD) funded by the Government of Canada. The project is implemented by Alinea International in collaboration with the University of Guelph of Canada.

USAID-funded project improves livelihood for AO victims

A workshop on creating job opportunities and improving livelihoods for people with disabilities and victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin is held by the US Agency For International Development (USAID) and the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on August 14-16.  

On the occasion, the outcomes of a project funded by USAID to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with AO (Integration project) in the first six months of 2023 was reviewed.

Delegates shared experiences in implementing livelihood models for AO victims and creating jobs for people with disabilities in Bac Lieu. They discussed the provision of capital for people with disabilities and their families to start small business and production facilities as well as quality rehabilitation services to people with disabilities, thus helping them integrate into society.

Deputy General Director of NACCET Tran Duc Hung said the Integration project has been implemented since 2021 in eight provinces namely Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai.

It is an aid project within the framework of the bilateral economic and technical cooperation agreement between the two governments signed in 2005.

It provides direct assistance to persons with severe disabilities, improves and expands rehabilitation and social services, and enhances policy implementation. To sustain progress, the project also builds capacity for service providers of national and local government agencies as well as community organizations. 

In Jan - June period, the project coordinated with relevant agencies to organize a sports event on the occasion of the Vietnam Day of Persons with Disabilities (April 18) in HCM City; an art exchange programme; and conducted a survey to assess the need for support in Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Binh Duong, Quang Ngai, and Phu Yen provinces; provide rehabilitation services at health facilities as well as assistive devices and care in the community, and home care for AO/dioxin victims and people with disabilities; among others.

Phan Thanh Duy, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Lieu province said the event offers a good chance for the locality to learn experience and potential models from partners that are engaging in the project.

Bac Lieu has more than 10,000 people exposed to AO/dioxin with more than 6,000 affirmed victims, including over 3,000 receiving State support.

Local organisations and the provincial Association of AO/dioxin Victims raised more than 21.9 billion VND to build over 160 houses, and provide capital for 115 families of AO victims.

A Vietnamese person can own many vehicle registration plates: Circular

 A person in Vietnam can own many many identification plates, states a Ministry of Public Security circular on granting and revoking motor vehicle registration and number plates which took effect from August 15.

Under Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA, identification plates are issued and managed according to the vehicle owner's identification code and they are only applied to the 5-digit plates.

Moreover, vehicle owners may keep the license plate for registering another vehicle under their ownership when their vehicles have expired, damaged, or have ownership changed.

Individuals aged full 15 years or older may register their vehicles. People from 15 to under 18 years old must be approved by a parent or guardian if they make vehicle registration.

According to the circular’s Clause 2, Article 3, vehicle owners - organisations or individuals with permanent or temporary residence in any locality can register their vehicles at the local vehicle registration authority, except for those who win the number plate auction.

With this regulation, residents can completely complete vehicle registration procedures at their temporary residence from August 15, 2023, without returning to the locality of their permanent residence for a number plate.

If the owner is a Vietnamese citizen, the vehicle registation plate shall be managed based on his/her personal identification number.

If the owner is a foreigner, the plate shall be managed upon his/her foreign identification number registered on the electronic identification and verification system or the number of a permanent residence card, temporary residence card, or other identification numbers issued by competent authorities.

If the owner is an organisation, the plate shall be managed based on its electronic identification number registered on the electronic identification and verification system. In case the identification number of the organisation is not yet acquired, the plate shall be managed upon its tax code or establishment decision.

Binh Thuan to fell 600 ha of forest for irrigation reservoir

Over 600 hectares of forest in the southern province of Binh Thuan's Ham Thuan Nam District will be cut down for the construction of the Ka Pet Irrigation Reservoir.

According to the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee, the VND874-billion project will start construction next year and be completed in 2025.

With a capacity of over 51 million cubic metres, the Ka Pet Irrigation Reservoir is expected to supply water for agricultural activities, industrial parks, and households, as well as regulate water for lowland areas in Ham Thuan Nam District.

The project will occupy nearly 700 hectares including over 619 hectares of forest.

The province will spare over 1,800 hectares of land in some other areas to grow new forests after clearing over 600 hectares for the project as regulated by forestry laws. The work would cost an estimated VND177 billion.

HCM City’s medical achievement awards open for entries

The HCM City 2023 Việt Nam Medical Achievement Awards honoring the outstanding contributions of collectives and individuals to the city’s health sector opens for entries until the end of September.

Tăng Chí Thượng, director of the city’s Department of Health, said the fourth edition of the awards is co-organised by the Department of Health and Voice of HCM City People (VOH), with the theme “Intensive Medical Development”.

Entries for the award nomination must be finished products and are being implemented in the medical examinations and treatment at candidates’ medical facilities.

Scientific, creative, effective, practical, and widely used products will have many opportunities and advantages to win.

Entrants must have never won equivalent awards or national awards.

Candidates can send their entries via email qlcl.tphcm@gmail.com or to the office of the city’s Department of Health before 5pm on September 30.

A professional council of leading experts in each respective specialty will be set up to evaluate and select the best products which will be sent to the VOH.

VOH will introduce these products to the public so that everyone can vote for their favorite ones.

The ten best nominees voted for by city residents will be given the awards.

The organisers plan to hold an awards gala ceremony in February, 2024.

HCM City collecting opinions on implementing TOD model

The HCM City Department of Transport is collecting opinions from relevant departments, localities and experts to complete transit-oriented development (TOD) planning.

The city is expected to be a pioneer in implementing the TOD model with railway lines at the core of the urban transport system.

The Transport Department director Trần Quang Lâm said the department will summarise and submit the opinions and comments and send them to the municipal People’s Committee by the end of the year.

TOD planning develops a public transportation system as a base for urban planning and traffic development to form population concentration points and subsequently distributed transport systems.

Under the department’s proposal, the planning will be implemented in seven steps.

Initially, it is important to identify a concentrated traffic hub to form a TOD model.

The second step is to identify the surrounding areas of railway terminals and intersections of the Ring Road No.3 section in the city, and review the land fund and plans that need to perform partial adjustments of planning while evaluating the current situation.

Implementing the partial adjustment of planning (if any) is the third step.

The fourth is to propose an independent public investment project along with carrying out compensation to revoke land and develop infrastructure and urban areas.

The fifth is to evaluate the pre-feasibility study report and propose and submit the investment policy to the municipal People Council for approval.

The next step is to organise project implementation.

The last step is to organise auctions to select investors for the projects.

The Transport Department has proposed to perform the TOD model in two periods.

The first period is to pilot the TOD model in the surrounding areas of concentrated traffic hubs comprising terminals of the Metro Line No.1 and intersections of the Ring Road No.3 section in the city, which are all identified and have clear legal status.

The city’s Department of Planning and Architecture has collaborated with the people’s committees of Thủ Đức city and districts to review and calculate statistics of the land fund surrounding the areas so it is permissible to promptly implement some pilot projects.

The second period will implement the traffic hubs of metro lines in association with the city’s urban metro line planning, including Metro Line No.2.

Currently, Metro Line No.2 has a clear legal base, and agencies have approved the locations of its terminals.

Elderly farmer in Kiên Giang recycles plastic waste into useful items

With creative ideas and skillful hands, an elderly farmer in Kiên Giang Province has recycled plastic ropes into useful items, reducing waste and contributing to environmental protection.

Nguyễn Văn Lẹ, 78, lives in Mương Chùa Village, Tây Yên A Commune, An Biên District.

A relative of his who works as a building worker in Phú Quốc City, Kiên Giang Province, suggested the idea.

“At the beginning of 2020, he told me that construction material businesses throw away a lot of plastic ropes which had been used to tie bricks. He suggested I collect them to knit baskets,” Lẹ told the Nhân Dân (The People) newspaper.

With experience in bamboo knitting, Lẹ began the work.

Every day, around 4am, the farmer rides his bicycle to building material enterprises and construction sites to pick up plastic ropes.

He washes and dries them in the sun.

About two hours after drying, Lẹ knits them into different kinds of baskets to contain fish, shrimp, fruits and flowers.

Lẹ said that the plastic ropes, after being used, are often thrown into canals obstructing boats and causing harm to the environment.

The ropes have hardness and firmness, so they are suitable to replace bamboo for knitting into handmade products.

The work also helps limit plastics discharged into the environment.

Knowing Lẹ’s work, many construction material enterprises in An Biên District gather a large number of ropes and call him to get them.

His relatives and friends who work at construction sites also often pick up the ropes for Lẹ to knit into useful products.

During the past year, a number of cafes and restaurants have ordered Lẹ to knit lanterns to decorate. Small traders who buy and transport fruits and shrimp in Đồng Tháp, Cà Mau and Hậu Giang provinces also buy them for their work.

Many people praise his products of bags and baskets that are durable, sturdy, and beautiful like other products sold on the market.

Phạm Thị Lan, from Thứ Ba Town in An Biên District, said: “Previously, I did not believe this product was made from discarded materials because it looked beautiful, clean and had high durability. When I knew that Lẹ reuse the discarded ropes, contributing to environmental protection, so I bought them to support him".

Lẹ said that because of a large number of orders, he had to spend more time collecting the materials. Besides, the ropes have different colours and length so it took him a long time to make products.

Recycled products from plastic ropes cost VNĐ35,000-250,000 (US$1.47-10.5) depending on the type.

Lẹ finds it a joy and useful work of old age.

“Although the income from knitting baskets is not much, I want to educate my children and grandchildren to have a sense of green living, reduce waste and protect our living environment,” he said. 

Circular on price bracket takes effect benefiting patients, infirmaries

Circular 13/2023/TT-BYT on the price bracket and method of pricing medical examination and treatment services as per patients’ demands provided by state-owned hospitals officially took effect on August 15, benefiting patients and infirmaries.

Accordingly, the circular's new price bracket of medical services according to patients’ demands for special-class and first-class hospitals has a minimum price of VND100,000 a visit and a maximum price of VND500,000 per visit. Other healthcare establishments charge the minimum cost of medical services on patients’ request is VND30,500 and the maximum cost of VND300,000 a visit.

On the first day when public hospitals in the country applied the new medical examination and treatment price bracket, patients felt quite comfortable because the hospital fee prices were publicly transparent for each hospital class.

Director of Hanoi-based Medical University Hospital Nguyen Lan Hieu said that Circular 13 came into effect with regulations on hospital fees on patients’ demand wide this time, creating conditions for hospitals to choose the best price in line with the market mechanism, helping medical facilities improve quality; thus, it benefited both patients, infirmaries and medical staff.

The new circular officially took effect yesterday.

Hairy caterpillar infestation affects around 2,000 ha of pine forests

The recent condition of hairy caterpillar infestation in the managed pine forests has grown notably intricate, with an affected area of around 2,000 hectares of forested land.

On the morning of August 15, Mr. Nguyen Phi Quynh, Chief of the Hong Linh Forest Protection Management Board under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ha Tinh Province, reported that the recent condition of hairy caterpillar infestation in the managed pine forests has grown notably intricate. The infestation has impacted around 2,000 hectares of forested land.

According to the statistics from the Hong Linh Forest Protection Management Board, the overall density in the region ranges from 10 to 50 hairy caterpillars per tree, with localized areas experiencing densities of 300 to 400 hairy caterpillars per tree.

The destructive actions of the hairy caterpillars result in leaf shedding and can potentially lead to the drying and death of pine trees. This issue is particularly significant in areas where resin extraction is being carried out.

The Hong Linh Forest Protection Management Board states that hairy caterpillar infestations in pine forests follow a repeating pattern, usually happening in intervals of 3 to 5 years. The surge in hairy caterpillar infestation is thriving due to high humidity levels and the erratic weather, characterized by frequent rainfall and unexpected sunshine. These conditions are conducive to the robust growth of hairy caterpillars.

At present, the Hong Linh Forest Protection Management Board is working in collaboration with relevant authorities to conduct pesticide spraying to control hairy caterpillar infestation. Within this initiative, areas impacted by the detrimental hairy caterpillars have been subjected to one to two rounds of spraying, whereas areas with densities of 300 to 400 hairy caterpillars per tree require four to five rounds of treatment.

Film screening program marks August Revolution, National Day

A film screening program marking the 78th anniversary of the 1945 August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2) will take place from August 18-September 5.

Film lovers will have a chance to enjoy selected movies themed on traditional history, revolutionary soldiers, typical examples, and generations of youth in wartime and remote areas, such as Ho Chi Minh in 1946 produced by Viet King Media Joint Stock Company, Professor Ta Quang Buu- a patriotic scientist of the MTV Company under the Vietnam Central Studio of Documentary Scientific Film, Nhung nguoi giu hon dat (keepers of the earth's soul) by the Giai Phong (Liberation) Film Studio.
 
There will be two animated movies, including Giac mo lam me (Dream about being a mother) by Vietnam Animation Joint Stock Company and Vuot qua duong nuoc den (Crossing the black current of water) by the Giai Phong (Liberation) Film Studio.

The event organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is scheduled to take place in provinces and cities across the country.

Hanoi identifies first nine factories to be relocated

The first nine State-owned enterprises and organizations will relocate their facilities from downtown to suburban areas within five years starting August 2023, according to a decision by the Hanoi People's Committee.

According to the decision, the nine facilities include the People and Hanoi Moi newspaper printing plants in Hoan Kiem District, the Hanoi Beer, Liquor and Beverage (Habeco) brewery in Ba Dinh District, the Thang Long Tobacco Company in Thanh Xuan District, and the Gia Lam locomotive factory and Duc Giang Petrol and Oil Company in Long Bien District.

According to the city authorities, the factories and facilities no longer fit in with urban design and development. Their relocation will free up land for the development of public spaces and national infrastructure.

The Hanoi People's Committee assigned the Department of Finance and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to implement the decision and related tasks.

The municipal committee also sets up a 14-member steering group to take the decision seriously and effectively.

The steering group is responsible for drawing up a plan to help these nine facilities complete their relocation and develop a proper plan to use the vacated land.

Hanoi authorities have sought a solution for years to move the factories out of the city for environmental reasons.

The rapid development of the capital city is also leading to strong population growth, increasing the demand for public spaces and community services.

Therefore, factories need to be relocated to the city's outskirts to avoid polluting the urban environment and provide more land for public services.

The issue was first raised in Hanoi's Master Plan for Urban Planning and Development, released in 2011, three years after the capital completed its administrative boundary adjustment. 

According to the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 204 factories from 12 urban districts will have to move, while five rural districts are waiting to be upgraded to the metropolitan level.

In preparation for the citywide relocation, Hanoi authorities have set aside a total of 447 hectares for the relocated factories to move into.

But it remains difficult to relocate facilities that have been in operation for decades, such as the Habeco brewery on Hoang Hoa Tham Road in Ba Dinh District and the Thang Long Tobacco Company on Nguyen Trai Road in Thanh Xuan District.

According to architect Pham Thanh Tung, director of the office of the Vietnam Association of Architects, the factories are located on prime land, which makes their value relatively high in all respects.

"The city should not turn the land into apartment buildings, which will certainly increase the population and strain the city's infrastructure," he added.

Tran Ngoc Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, said the city must take strong measures to move factories out of urban areas.

He said that the regulations must clearly state that factories must move once they are allocated land elsewhere and receive financial support.

Hanoi launches public bike-share service

The public bicycle-sharing trial will start before next month in Hanoi's six downtown districts of Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, and Tay Ho over a period of 12 months.

During the trial period, the Tri Nam Group, the project's investor, will be allowed to use the sidewalks free of charge to install bike racks. 

The service has received positive feedback from users when it was piloted in Ho Chi Minh City, Quy Nhon City in the central province of Binh Dinh, Vung Tau City in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and the northern province of Hai Duong.

Hanoi, Los Angeles to soon sign partnership agreement in 2023

Hanoi wants to ratify the memorandum of understanding for its partnership with Los Angeles in 2023, said Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, chairman of the Hanoi People's Council.

He said the signing of the MoU will be significant in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership.

"It will further develop bilateral relations between the two nations," he said at a meeting with local authorities of the city of Los Angeles on August 14 (local time).

He also expected Los Angeles to help Hanoi's businesses explore the US market and increase their exports.

Hanoi, on the other hand, will help US businesses expand their operations in the capital in smart city development, infrastructure development, urban planning and transportation, healthcare, technology transfer, innovation, and waste and sewage treatment, Tuan said.

These are also the focus areas in which the two cities have agreed to cooperate in 2018.

Delegation and people-to-people exchanges are also important activities between the two cities, the Vietnamese official said.

"The close relationship between Hanoi and US cities, and between Vietnam and the US, is the foundation for us to strengthen our partnership in the future," he said.

Paul Krekorian, President of the Los Angeles City Council, and Erin Bromaghim, deputy mayor of Los Angeles, agreed that the US city would expedite the ratification of the partnership agreement with Hanoi.

Los Angeles will soon send a delegation led by the mayor to visit Hanoi and Vietnam, expecting that the people of Hanoi and Los Angeles will have more opportunities to understand each other, they said.

Paul and Erin also appreciated the ideas of the Vietnamese officials and said that their visit would be very meaningful and useful in helping the two cities strengthen their ties.

The Vietnamese delegation also visited some of the urban transport projects in Los Angeles, including the city's newest metro line.

The visit to Los Angeles is part of the Hanoi officials' business trip to the US from August 13-23.

Tuan and other Hanoi officials will fly to France after completing their work in the US.

Confab discusses role of data ecosystem management, governance, stewardship

The General Statistics Office (GSO) and the United Nations for Population Fund (UNFPA) on August 16 co-chaired an international conference to seek consultations, study the feasibility, and implement effective data management, governance, and stewardship practices.

International experts from the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Office, Denmark, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Thailand shared insights and experiences, focusing on issues related to digitalisation, use of administrative data sources, big data, and mechanisms for sharing administrative data between the national statistics offices and other government agencies.

Local and international participants also discussed the challenges arising in data governance and stewardship, along with an exploration of future trends in this domain.

Nguyen Thi Huong, Director General of GSO, said that the exploitation and use of administrative data in the production of statistical information has become a trend in many countries in general and Vietnam in particular.

However, using administrative data in statistics still faces difficulties and challenges. Therefore, to exploit and use statistics, it takes time to research, learn and continue to perfect administrative data to serve multi-purpose use. In addition, many ministries and branches have not yet developed databases concertedly, and are not ready to connect information with statistical offices.

In his opening remarks, Rémi Nono Womdim, UNFPA Vietnam Officer-in-Charge/ FAO Representative said that in recent years, the GSO, ministries and agencies in Vietnam have made great efforts to provide national statistics and data. However, there is a shortage of disaggregated data, especially by ethnic minority groups and by age to support evidence-based policy making to address issues related to inequality. Furthermore, the use of administrative statistical data such as registration, civil status statistics and big data is still very limited.

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development stresses the importance of having high-quality population data. Our commitment to leaving no one behind means everyone must be counted for, so everyone can be reached, including those furthest behind, and quality, reliable, consistent and comparable data is a crucial element in making this a reality,” he said.

Vietnam is in the midst of rapid transformation for its socio-economic growth. The country has been implementing the Socio-economic Development Strategy (SEDS) 2021-2030, the Socio-economic Development Plan (SEDP) 2021-2025, and the National Plan of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

To achieve its set targets, Vietnam needs reliable and quality data statistics, which are the prerequisite for solid policy and decision making as well as fundamental foundation to formulate, implement, monitor and assess the country’s progress to achieving socio-economic and SDGs targets.

Nguyen Thi Oanh in Hungary for 2023 World Athletics Championships

The sole representative from Vietnamese athletics, athlete Nguyen Thi Oanh, is currently in Hungary to compete in the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

On August 15, Nguyen Thi Oanh arrived in Hungary to take part in the 2023 World Athletics Championships. According to this year's timetable, the event is being held in Budapest (Hungary) from August 19 to August 27. Nguyen Thi Oanh is set to compete in the women's 1500m event, with the preliminary rounds commencing on August 19 local time.

To partake in the World Athletics Championships, athletes must meet the stipulated standards set by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Despite no Vietnamese athletes meeting this year's championship qualification criteria, the IAAF has extended an invitation slot to Vietnam. The coaching staff of the Vietnamese athletics squad has selected Nguyen Thi Oanh as the designated representative.

As outlined in the 2023 World Athletics Championships schedule, Nguyen Thi Oanh will be present in Hungary from August 15 to August 22. Should she progress through the qualifying rounds, Oanh stands a chance to compete in the women's 1500m final on August 22 local time.

August 15 marked the 28th birthday celebration of Nguyen Thi Oanh. The track and field athlete from Bac Giang received warm wishes from friends, colleagues, and admirers through her personal Facebook page.

The objective set by Coach Tran Van Sy and Nguyen Thi Oanh for the 2023 World Athletics Championships is to compete at their best and achieve their highest personal performance. Although the likelihood of Nguyen Thi Oanh clinching a medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships is quite slim, the event provides significant learning and readiness for the impending ASIAD 19-2022.

Technology application – new requirement for digital newsroom governance

The Vietnam Journalists' Association in collaboration with the Post and Telecommunications Institute of Technology on August 17 organised a workshop on the application of technologies in digital newsroom governance in Hanoi.

Speaking at the event, deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission of Popularisation and Education and Chairman of Vietnam Journalists Association Le Quoc Minh said that a new era of digital journalism, digital technology, converged technologies, and content has been formed and is developing strongly. Convergence of content and technologies is seen as a key to opening a new path for modern journalists and newsrooms.

He said that the integration and convergence in both content and publication form of a newspaper is necessary, whereby the "digital editorial" model becomes the inevitable trend of the world press agencies as well as those in the Vietnamese press. 

Building a digital newsroom will completely change the face of the journalism industry, which is also a premise to ensure concentration in directing and orienting information, ensuring consistent, timely and convincing information, especially on complicated and sensitive issues.

Among the technologies that will have a strong impact on press and media activities today, the most prominent is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain in digital newsroom management as well as in production and distribution of press and media products.

According to Minh, besides providing updates on press technologies, the workshop aimed to clarify the legal corridor on digital journalism and digital newsrooms, especially the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's laws on digital transformation in the press, toward building a professional, humane and modern journalism and media, in line with the orientation of the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress. The event would also seek practical and feasible solutions to help develop digital newsrooms at press agencies in Vietnam.

Can Tho looks to boost cooperation with Cambodian localities

Officials of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on August 17 held a working session with a delegation from the Cambodian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, during which the two sides emphasised the need to enhance multilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu said Can Tho wishes to strengthen multi-faceted cooperation with Cambodia, especially in trade, education – training, health care, and tourism.

He highlighted the rapid development of transport infrastructure in Can Tho in recent years, saying that the city has a regional transportation connection to international airports and the North-South road.

These advantages help further promote agriculture and tourism growth of the locality, he said, adding that Can Tho is concentrating on hi-tech agriculture and processing.

According to  Hieu, Can Tho has set up partnerships and signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation with many Cambodian localities, including Phnom Penh capital city, and Battambang and Kompong Chhnang provinces, in terms of industry, handicrafts, agriculture, and tourism. People-to-people and culture exchange activities between Can Tho and Cambodia have been regularly organised.

For his part, Cambodian Consul General Chan Sorykan expressed delight at Can Tho’s recent achievements, pledging that in his position, he will make more contributions to fostering connections in trade, culture, and education between Cambodia’s localities and Can Tho.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs of Can Tho, the locality raked in 24.48 million USD from exports to the Cambodian market, with main items being aquatic products, farm produce, pharmaceuticals, and veterinary drugs.

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