Hà Nội's coach stations are making preparation for upcoming National Day holiday. — VNA/VNS Photo

The Hà Nội Department of Transport has asked transport companies not to take advantage of high demand on the upcoming National Day holiday to increase fares without permission made by authorities.

Transport firms and coach stations are encouraged to sell tickets online to avoid crowding onboard and make all fares publicly available.

Transport companies and coach stations also need to make plans to receive a surging number of passengers on the holiday which falls in the first four days of September.

The firms will be punished if vehicles do not follow the schedule.

Taxi companies must publicise fares on the car and not add any fees without being allowed by authorities.

Bus operators must ensure the quantity and quality of buses running on routes, especially at inter-provincial bus stations, and routes running through entertainment venues.

More buses need to be added on routes running through stations such as Giáp Bát, Gia Lâm, Mỹ Đình, Nước Ngầm, Yên Nghĩa, Sơn Tây, Hà Nội and Long Biên, Cầu Giấy, Hoàng Quốc Việt bus transit stations to meet high demand.

More ticket counters need to be set up at stations to serve passengers in case of surging demand, the transport department said.

The city transport department has also announced hotlines that receive public feedback on transport at 0243.8217922 or 0932231683 (to report to the department’s leaders); 0972188666 (managers of transport management division) and 0913590633 (the department’s inspectors). 

Conference updating policies on Vietnamese labourers in RoK

A conference was held in Seoul on August 24 for 39 consultants and representatives of community groups in provinces and cities in the Republic of Korea (RoK) to update them with guidelines and policies of Vietnam and the RoK regarding rights and interest of Vietnamese labourers in the RoK.

Pham Minh Duc, head of the Korean Employment Permit System (EPS) Office in the RoK, briefed participants on two countries' new policies and pointed to a number of problems facing Vietnamese workers in the RoK.

Ta Thi Thanh Thuy, head of the Management Board of Vietnamese Labourers in the RoK said more than 55,000 Vietnamese labourers are  currently working in the RoK.

Participants highlighted some problems facing Vietnamese labourers in the RoK, especially those on working conditions, residence, insurance policies, and social welfare policies for sailors.

They agreed to optimise social networks such as Facebook, Youtube, Naver Café, Viber, and Kakao Talks to connect and support Vietnamese labourers and popularise the law to them, while encouraging them to strictly abide by commitments given in the contracts.

At the annual event, the consultants reported opinions and aspirations of Vietnamese labourers in the RoK and proposed a number of solutions.

Deputy Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Viet Anh recognised efforts by the consultants in accompanying and supporting authorities and the embassy in protecting the interest of Vietnamese labourers abroad.

He underlined that assisting activities aim to help labourers promptly integrate into the new living environment in the host country and ensure that they can settle down and access social welfare policies, as well as connect Vietnamese association to care for Vietnamese labourers in particular and community in the RoK in general.

Government law-building session discusses four bills

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 24 chaired a Government law-building session during which participants discussed the draft Capital Law (revised); the draft Law on Road Traffic Order Safety; the draft Road Traffic Law; and the draft Law on Defence Industry, Industry Security and Encouragement.

Opening the session, PM Chinh said that institution building is one of the three strategic breakthroughs that the Government is focusing on.

Since the beginning of this tenure, the Government has held 19 law-building sessions, while submitting 35 draft laws, ordinances and resolutions to the National Assembly for approval, the PM noted, adding that he and the Government have issued more than 400 legal documents.

Law building and perfection have contributed to removing difficulties and obstacles, smoothing resources for strong and sustainable development, settling problems in the reality, and creating a legal corridor for new issues, he said.

The Government leader said prior to this session, the Government held meetings to listen to reports from drafting agencies as well as ideas from management officials, scientists and relevant groups on the four bills.

He asked participants to focus on discussing the bills following the direction of strengthening decentralisation and delegation of power, resource allocation in association with enhanced supervision and settlement of emerging problems, and reducing administrative procedures. He also asked for close coordination among relevant agencies during the process of building the bills.

Underlining that the bills comprise important and difficult issues with strong influence to many subjects and need urgent implementation, the PM requested participants ensure highest concentration to ensure the progress and quality of the session.

Vietnamese, Chinese young coast guard officers share professional experience

A seminar between Vietnamese and Chinese young coast guard officers took place in Hanoi on August 24, as part of the third edition of their 2023 exchange programme.

At the event, they discussed political and ideological work in maritime law enforcement, and marine environment protection in a question-and-answer format to share experience and effective measures.

On the occasion, both sides introduced their functions, duties and activities, thereby raising mutual understanding among young officers and between the two forces.

As they face similar challenges in the process of maritime law enforcement, hosts and guests agreed that they need to work more closely together to improve the effectiveness of their work.

Within the framework of the exchange programme, the young officers will take part in various activities, including visiting President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, paying a courtesy call to leaders of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, and going on a tour of Hanoi. They will also join marine environmental protection activities in Lap Le fishing village in Hai Phong city's Thuy Nguyen district.

Poor school children get bikes for new school year

Disadvantaged school children in the mountainous districts of Nam Giang and Phước Sơn in the central province, have been given 50 bicycles from the non-profit charity Lifestart Foundation (LSF) in preparation for a new school year.

Lifestart Foundation said the bike-charity programme, which was is in collaboration with the Quảng Nam Union of Friendship Organisations with total fund of more than VNĐ80 million, helps provide vehicles for impoverished students from mountainous areas such as Zuoih, Tabhing, Ta Poo communes and Thạnh Mỹ Town in Nam Giang District, as well as Phước Đức Commune in Phước Sơn District.

It said local ethnic communities in Zuoih, Tabhing, Ta Poo and Phước Đức communes are still living in poor conditions.

For example, more than 70 per cent of the residents in Zuoih are living in impoverished households. The majority of students in these communes belong to ethnic minority groups and originate from families facing significant financial hardships.

Karen Leonard, the founder of Lifestart Foundation, said: “We hope that the provision of new bicycles will enable the students to reach school more safely and conveniently, helping them overcome their circumstances, strive for academic success, and become valuable contributors to society.”

The bicycle donation is just one of the numerous community projects undertaken by Lifestart Foundation on an annual basis.

In the near future, the organisation plans to implement several other significant community projects, including the installation of clean water systems in ten schools across four remote districts in Quảng Nam (with a total cost of VNĐ454 million).

Lifestart Foundation's clean water project will then provide 28 systems helping 8,500 people.

The foundation is achieved through their two largest projects – education scholarships for disadvantaged students and their Housing Improvement project – in Việt Nam.

To date, Lifestart Foundation’s investment in the disadvantaged youth of Central Việt Nam is in excess of VNĐ33 billion (approximately AUD$2 million).

A number of charity activities have been done by the foundation in central Việt Nam including donations of new electric bicycles; milk to disadvantaged families and orphanages; house building and a crafts training programme for disadvantaged and disabled Vietnamese people; warm clothes and blankets for children and the elderly; and clean water systems for schools.

Draft law removes stipulation requiring realty transactions to be conducted on trading floors

The revised draft Law on Real Estate Business has removed a stipulation requiring real estate transactions to be conducted on real estate trading floors and instead only encourages the practice.

The latest revised version of the bill was tabled for examination o August 24 during the 25th meeting of the NA Standing Committee in Hanoi. 

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh reported that the draft had been revised following discussion at the NA.

A number of adjustments have also been made, including a maximum deposit rate of 10% of the sale or lease-purchase price. It introduces provisions that require parties to clearly state the sale or lease-purchase price in the deposit agreement, thereby ensuring responsibility and contract enforcement.

Following adjustments, the draft law now consists of 10 chapters and 84 articles, removing 9 articles and adding 1 article compared to the version presented to the legislature for discussion at the fifth session.

Vietnam advance to AFF U23 Championship finals after beating Malaysia 4-1

Vietnam's U23 team secured a convincing 4-1 victory against U23 Malaysia on August 24, becoming the first team to advance to the finals of the 2023 AFF U23 Championship.

In the eighth minute, Minh Quang sprinted down the right flank before delivering a well-placed cross to Xuan Tien, who finished from close range to open the scoring.

The two other goals were later made by Quoc Viet and Xuan Tien before the first half ended.

In the second half, the opponents quickly managed to pull one back in the 49th minute with Muhammad Alif's header, making the score 3-1.

Showing resilient defense, towards the end of the second half, U23 Vietnam scored another goal to secure a convincing 4-1 victory.

The 2023 AFF U23 Championship is hosted by Thailand from August 17 to 26. Vietnam are the defending champions.

100th anniversary of Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities celebrated

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre held a ceremony on August 24 celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities.

As one of the museums earliest founded in Vietnam, it is now home to thousands of valuable artifacts from the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) and several unique Champa sculptures.

Director of the centre Hoang Viet Trung said the museum is currently preserving and displaying over 11,000 artifacts, among which eight sets of artifacts comprising 33 individual pieces have been recognised by the Prime Minister as national treasures.

The main exhibition area of the museum is located in the Long An Palace, providing visitors with an overview of the royal life during the Nguyen Dynasty, he added.

On the occasion, the centre in collaboration with the National Museum of History held an exhibition featuring 100 exemplary artifacts from the reign of King Khai Dinh.

Vietnam attends workshop on managing potential East Sea conflict

A Vietnamese delegation, led by Khuat Duy Le Minh, deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ department of international law and treaties, participated in the 32nd workshop on managing potential conflict in the East Sea held in Banten province, Indonesia, on August 24.  

Vietnam contributed to the function three presentations on managing coral reefs in the country, studying sea waves in the Gulf of Tonkin, and the agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction in the framework of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) .

Participants heard reports on the progress of cooperative projects and proposed new joint projects aimed at enhancing cooperation and dialogue to build trust and manage potential conflicts, reducing tension in the waters. Participants agreed to continue promoting cooperation within the workshop framework to build a peaceful, prosperous, and thriving East Sea region.

The hybrid workshop was jointly organised by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Geospatial Information Agency and the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, attracting the participation of nearly 70 delegates from Vietnam, Brunei, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Taiwan (China).

This annual event, initiated by Indonesia in 1990, involves ten Southeast Asian nations, China and the territory of Taiwan. Its purpose is to create a forum for the parties to exchange joint works, thereby enhancing collaboration and dialogue in the East Sea area.

In the framework of the workshop, the 18th meeting of the working group on the study of tides and sea level change and their impact on coastal environment in the East Sea was held, focusing on the management and conservation of coral reefs.

Vietnamese leaders congratulate India on spacecraft's successful landing on moon

President Vo Van Thuong has sent a letter of congratulations to Indian President Droupadi Murmu on the successful landing of India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also cabled a congratulatory message to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue extended congratulations to Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of India's parliament) Jagdeep Dhankhar and Speaker of the Lok Sabha (the lower house) Om Birla.

On the occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also sent his greetings to Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Procedures to be streamlined to grant work permits to foreigners in Vietnam

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has been assigned to urgently gather public opinions and streamline procedures for granting work permits to foreign nationals working in Vietnam.

The focus should be on online permit issuance and transitioning from "pre-check" to "post-check" mechanisms to ensure transparency and convenience.

It was part of the Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha’s conclusion at the meeting on the draft Decree amending and supplementing certain articles of the Government Decree regulating foreign workers working in Vietnam and the recruitment and management of Vietnamese workers working for foreign organisations and individuals in Vietnam.

According to the conclusion, the Deputy PM said revising legal regulations regarding Vietnamese labour working for foreign organisations and individuals in Vietnam is a crucial, complex, and sensitive matter that pertains to national security and external relations. It requires thorough review, in-depth research, comprehensive evaluation and caution, and especially obtaining feedback from stakeholders, notably diplomatic representation agencies, international organisations, and more.

The draft Decree should be completed and submitted to the Prime Minister before August 25.

Ethnic schools seek alternatives as new programme offers limited language course options

While the new general education programme has ethnic languages as elective courses, the limited options on offer mean that schools are struggling to decide on alternatives for students whose mother tongue is not included.

Nhôn Mai Semi-boarding School for Ethnic Minorities is located in one of the most remote communes in Tương Dương District, Nghệ An Province.

Most of the school students are of Mông ethnicity, followed by Khơ Mú and Thái.

In accordance with the optional subjects in the new general education programme, Mông and Thái students can sign up to learn their ethnic languages.

However, the case is not the same for Khơ Mú students, even though they outnumbered the group of Thái students at the school.

As the optional subject of Ethnic Language only offers Bahnar, Chăm, Êđê, Khmer, Jrai, Mnông, Mông and Thái languages, Khơ Mú students have no textbook or teacher to learn theirs.

Trần Đức Quỳ, the school’s deputy dean said: “They are still very young, so they are not fully aware of the importance of language and writing in their ethnic cultural identity.

“Therefore, the enrolment for ethnic language courses depends on the attentiveness and encouragement from the teachers.

“However, from the viewpoint of parents and people, if we only have Thái and Mông language classes and none for Khơ Mú, there will be comparisons and concerns.”

Võ Tuyết Chinh, deputy head of Tương Dương District’s education and training division said that the locality is the largest mountainous area in Nghệ An Province, and is home to multiple ethnicities.

“Teaching ethnic languages is a way to preserve and promote the ethnic identity for students. This is also a mission of education in the mountainous areas," said Chinh as quoted by the Giáo dục & Thời đại (Education & Times) e-newspaper.

“However, the implementation process faces multiple challenges, including teaching materials and personnel.

“We hope a detailed guideline will soon be issued before we get to work.”

Meanwhile, Thông Thụ 1 Primary School in Quế Phong District is still weighing the optimal solution regarding language teaching.

Tăng Xuân Sơn, the school’s dean said that the majority of the students here are of Thái ethnicity, and they all use their mother tongue in their community.

However, the primary school does not yet teach them how to read and write Thái, as the local dialect has certain differences compared to the teaching materials available.

Therefore, the school is considering using the two weekly elective periods for English or supplemental Vietnamese classes.

This would help them with communication and a better understanding of the textbooks in the new education programme.

In Kỳ Sơn District, Đọoc Mạy Primary School has been holding Mông language classes for several years.

All of its pupils are of Mông ethnicity, and therefore are excited to learn to read and write in their mother tongue, said the school’s dean Trần Hữu Trường.

With his years of experience in the local education sector, Trường agreed that teaching ethnic languages is very difficult in schools whose students are of various ethnicities, instead of just one like Đọoc Mạy Commune.

He also shares the perspective that in these schools, students can utilise the two elective periods for English, if there are enough teachers, or for additional Vietnamese lessons.

Trường explained that ethnic primary schoolchildren tend to have difficulty in understanding the national language, and therefore take more time to learn compared to those who have the official language as their mother tongue.

These could also be beneficial for younger students when they go to the third grade and foreign language is a compulsory subject.

Thái Bình Dương, who is in charge of ethnic minority affairs at Nghệ An Provincial Department of Education and Training, said that based on the registrations submitted by local schools, the department will help organise ethnic language classes when there is sufficient teaching materials and teachers in charge.

They are also working on an alternative option for students whose ethnic language is not among those included in elective courses in the new general education programme to ensure the children’s benefits.

Dien Bien, Lao locality foster borderline of peace, friendship

The Border Guard High Command in the northern border province of Dien Bien on August 24 presented office equipment and construction materials worth 55 million VND (2,291 USD) to Border Guard Company 163 under the Military High Command of Laos’ Luang Prabang province.

The gifts included one desktop computer set, ten working desks with chairs, one grass-cutting machine, three tonnes of cement, and roofing sheets.

This was part of activities to actualise the cooperation commitments between the Lao border unit and Dien Bien’s border posts of Muong Nha and Huoi Puoc, contributing to the sides’ building of a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developed border area.

At the handover ceremony, the Lao side expressed gratitude for the Vietnamese side’s meaningful support, particularly when the Border Guard Company 163 was newly established facing various challenges in its operations along the border area.

The border company acknowledged and highly appreciated the bond, cooperation, and mutual assistance in practically and effectively managing and protecting the border.

The northern mountainous province of Dien Bien has a 414-km border with Laos.

Golf tourism festival space opens in Đà Nẵng

A golf exhibition and check-in space has been introduced at the APEC Park ahead of the Đà Nẵng Golf Tourism Festival 2023.

A gigantic golf ball decorates the park – which is free for local residents and tourists to visit - also has amazing check-in sites and the chance to receive tickets to the BRG Open Golf Championship Đà Nẵng 2023 along with many other exciting prizes.

The park will also display golf exhibition booths and the Golf Path – a showcase of the history of the golf industry – a miniature golf game and check-ins with huge golf ball as well as music performances.

The Asia Golf International Forum Đà Nãng Conference, an international golf seminar, will be held at the Sheraton Grand Danang Resort & Convention Centre on August 28-31.

During the two-week golf festival, the BRG Open Golf Championship Danang 2023 – the first tournament of the Asian Development Tour in Việt Nam will take place at the Nicklaus Đà Nẵng course of the BRG Đà Nẵng Golf resort system from August 29 to September 2.

The tour will see 144 golfers from Asia challenging for total prizes of US$100,000.

Quảng Nam acts against wildlife violators

About 94.1 per cent of wildlife-related calls from local residents regarding wildlife violations were successfully dealt with by wildlife-related crime prevention agencies in the central province of Quảng Nam in 2022, saving 1,172 animals and removing illegal advertisements for wildlife consumption and food menus at restaurants.

A report from the Education for Nature Việt Nam (ENV) unveiled that the province led with prompt actions after getting information from the community.

It said the ratio of successful resolutions to violations in the province was even higher than the average nationwide (about 32.7 per cent), while 84.6 per cent of live trafficked animals were rescued from 26 cases before releasing them to rescue centres.

Deputy Director of ENV, Bùi Thị Hà, said Quảng Nam was seen as the only locality in Việt Nam where wildlife prevention agencies had 100 per cent feedback after receiving calls or information from local residents.

She said Thanh Hóa and Đồng Nai were also two of the leading provinces taking actions against anti-wildlife violations in Việt Nam with live-animal saving rates at 77.8 per cent and 59.4 per cent, respectively.

ENV also reported that Đồng Nai and Thanh Hóa were among the top localities with successful feedback along with Gia Lai, Quảng Nam, Bình Thuận, Bình Dương and Cần Thơ, but high success rates on seizing or arresting cases were recorded in Quảng Nam, Đồng Nai and Thanh Hóa.

It also said HCM City and Hà Nội had poor results solving violations at 16.9 per cent from 444 violations cases in HCM City, and 28.3 per cent out of 113 violations in Hà Nội.

The ratio of solving cases of rescuing living animals in the two big cities was low at 18.1 per cent (HCM City) and 32.8 per cent (Hà Nội), according to the report.

Nationwide, wildlife-related agencies received 1,153 calls and pieces of information by residents in 2022. However, only 32.7 per cent were solved successfully.

Hà expected the ratio of successful cases on wildlife violations would increase to 60 per cent in 2023, and long-term strict legal enforcement will help stop wildlife trafficking and consumption.

Last month, two women were sentenced 13 years in prison in a decision by the people’s court of Thăng Bình district in Quảng Nam province for illegal trafficking 12 endangered turtles.

Tam Kỳ City, the capital of Quảng Nam, initiated a comprehensive effort to eradicate wildlife meat consumption in the region by launching the ‘Say No to Wildlife Meat Consumption’ plan, aiming at achieving a ‘zero wildlife consumption’ goal by 2030.

ENV, in co-operation with the USAID, TRAFFIC and WWF, have been promoting the reduction of wildlife trade and consumption among communities, businesses and society in Việt Nam. 

Trà Vinh Province develops traditional craft villages

Trà Vinh Province is actively supporting the growth of its traditional craft villages, aiming to boost production and improve the incomes of its workers.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has 13 such villages with nearly 7,800 production establishments that have 36,400 workers.

They produce agricultural, forestry and food products like bánh tét (glutinous rice cake filled with pork fat and green beans and wrapped in banana leaves), bamboo and wooden items, mats, brooms, ornamental plants, flowers, and handicrafts.

But most of these enterprises operate at a household scale and grapple with limited resources for investing in modern production facilities and expanding output.

Lê Văn Đông, deputy director of the province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasised the historical role of these craft villages in generating rural employment, supplementing incomes and contributing significantly to the establishment of new-style rural areas.

Nonetheless, a predominant reliance on traditional production methods, constrained investment capital and outdated facilities mean their products are not diverse and unable to meet consumer demands.

Some villages face a scarcity of locally sourced raw materials and workforce, which impede their production capacities.

An illustration of this situation is the seafood-catching and processing village in Mỹ Long Town in Cầu Ngang District. The number of production units here has seen a 50 per cent reduction in recent years, and the 500-strong workforce now has monthly income of VNĐ3-5 million (US$130-210) each.

Lương Văn Giàu, who has produced dried fish and shrimp for 10 years, said his family and others have faced difficulty in the last three years due to a decline in catches, causing them to buy fish and shrimp from traders.

His family only produces 50-70kg of dried fish and shrimp a day, down 30kg from previous years, he added.

Nguyễn Văn Dài, chairman of the Mỹ Long Town People’s Committee, said producers depend on local fishing output for raw materials, but a dearth of fishing ports for docking vessels and the reduction in boats from 100 to 35 has disrupted supply.

This means they have to source fish and shrimp from traders.

Addressing these challenges, the province is allocating both central and local funding to upgrade infrastructure in traditional craft villages.

The focus includes sewage systems and environmental protection measures. To aid their progress, each traditional craft village is receiving VNĐ50 million ($2,100) to establish environmental protection plans and seek recognition as official craft villages.

Trà Vinh is also fostering an environment conducive to trade promotion activities, facilitating market expansion for these craft villages.

Participation in the national "One Commune-One Product" initiative, diversification of products, quality improvement, product design innovation, stakeholder collaboration in production and marketing, and the application of advanced techniques are all encouraged.

To enhance production efficiency and competitiveness, soft loans are provided to production units and households in the craft villages, encouraging the adoption of advanced technologies and the creation of novel products.

Đông stressed that, aside from state support, the villages must leverage their experience and creativity, revamp production and sales methods and meet market demands to ensure survival and growth.

Emphasising the need for a transformative mindset, investment in machinery and technology for improved product quality and designs and alignment with domestic market and export needs, he added that the future of traditional craft villages hinges on adaptability and modernisation. 

Vietnam, Thailand cooperate in maritime law enforcement

Thailand’s cabinet on August 23 approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be signed between the country and Vietnam on maritime law, said Rachada Dhnadirek, a deputy government spokeswoman.

The agreement was proposed by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai MECC) in 2022 to promote tighter cooperation in law enforcement and heighten maritime security for both countries.

Vietnam proposed to sign the MoU in September 2023.

The document stipulates the promotion of law enforcement cooperation to enhance regional maritime safety and security in four areas including combating illegal imports, illegal immigration; fighting illegal fishing; marine resources and environmental protection; and improving safety in search and rescue operations.

Rachada said the draft MoU is not legally binding but aims to promote cooperation and enhance regional maritime safety and security based on mutual benefit and equality. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in sharing information on illegal immigration and imports; preventing and cracking down on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, illegal drug trafficking, piracy, and armed robbery; search and rescue operations at sea; marine conservation; joint patrol operations; port visit; annual performance evaluation; and other campaigns or activities by mutual agreement.

HCM City cooperates with Cuba in various fields

A delegation from Ho Chi Minh City led by Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairwoman of the People's Council Nguyen Thi Le visited the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and several establishments in Havana on August 22 (local time).

Hero of the Republic of Cuba and ICAP President Fernando Gonzalez Llort thanked the people of Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular for supporting Cuba in all fields, especially in difficult times.

He expressed his hope that Vietnamese businesses, including those from the country’s largest economic hub, will cooperate with Cuba in holding promotion activities as well as visits to enterprises, and production and business facilities of both sides.

Le acknowledged the ICAP’s positive and valuable contributions to cultivating the special traditional relationship between Vietnam and Cuba.

She affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City will continue to send delegations to Cuba to study and exchange experiences, explore cooperation opportunities in the fields of health, tourism and trade and investment promotion; and always welcome Cuban delegations to the city.

The same day, the delegation visited the Fidel Castro Ruz Centre where they learned about its operation to be applied in museum management in the city.

They also visited and had a working session with leading officials of the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) and BioCubaFarm company. The two sides discussed and shared experiences in research and production of vaccines and drugs, and in developing the family doctor model, and taking care of people's health.

Vietnam, Cuba bolster cooperation in ideological, communications work

Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia has held talks with Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee and head of its Ideological Department Rogelio Polanco Fuentes in Havana to seek measures for stronger bilateral cooperation in ideological and communications affairs.  

Nghia briefed the host on Vietnam’s socio-economic situation, the goals and strategy for national future development following the directions given at the 13th National Party Congress, as well as the studying and following of President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, moral example and lifestyle in line with the building and rectification of the Party, and the prevention of political ideology downgrading, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.

Highlighting the brotherhood, solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and utmost political trust between the two Parties and countries, he underlined the need to strengthen communications on external relations activities of high-ranking Party and State leaders of Vietnam and Cuba, as well as achievements in bilateral partnership.

The official also highlighted major missions of Vietnam’s journalism, including protecting the Party’s ideological foundation and refuting wrongful information harming the Party’s revolutionary path and the national construction cause.

He raised a number of specific proposals to further promote the cooperation between the two countries, especially in culture, education-training, science-technology, information technology as well as in global issues such as fake news on the cyberspace, and climate change and sea level rise response.

Nghia suggested that the two sides increase the exchange of publications on President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Spanish and Vietnamese, thus providing the youth with a deeper insight into the special ties between the two countries and nations.

For his part, Rogelio Polanco Fuentes affirmed that despite the geographical distance, Vietnam and Cuba have always stood by each other on common battlefields for socialism development and construction as well as in the ideological struggle for national identity. He stressed the need for the two sides to strengthen the sharing of experience through theory conferences and delegation exchanges.

Following the talks, the two sides signed a cooperation programme between the commission and the department on the strengthening of the friendship, brotherhood, and special solidarity between the two countries.

The same day, authorised by President Vo Van Thuong, Nghia presented the Friendship Order of the State of Vietnam to Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, in recognition of his positive contributions to the promotion of the Vietnam-Cuba comprehensive partnership.

Earlier, Nghia and the Vietnamese delegation laid flowers at the monument commemorating Cuban Hero José Martí in Havana.

Foreign Minister appreciates Komeito’s contributions to Vietnam - Japan ties

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received Chief Representative of Japan’s Komeito party Yamaguchi Natsuo in Hanoi on August 23.

Welcoming Yamaguchi’s visit to Vietnam amid the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties, Son appreciated his guest's and Komeito’s contributions to the Vietnam - Japan relations over the past years.

He noted with satisfaction the sound, fast, and comprehensive of bilateral connections with high political trust, affirming that Vietnam always views Japan as a trustworthy and long-term partner of leading importance and supports Japan to bring into play its role in the region and the world.

The minister called on Yamaguchi and Komeito to continue supporting the elevation of the countries’ extensive strategic partnership to a new height; further strengthen political trust through all-level mutual visits, especially in 2023 when the diplomatic ties turn 50; and step up cooperation and exchanges between Komeito and the Communist Party of Vietnam, along with between the countries’ parliamentarians, particularly young and female ones.

He also asked Japan to keep assisting Vietnam in promoting industrialisation and modernisation, building an independent and self-reliant economy, and creating breakthroughs in infrastructure development; consider visa procedure simplification and then exemption for Vietnamese citizens; and provide more favourable conditions for Vietnamese people to work in the country.

The two countries should also enhance collaboration in tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and manpower training, the host official added.

For his part, Yamaguchi said he is impressed with Vietnam’s socio-economic development attainments, and that Japan highly values the Southeast Asian nation’s role and stature in the region and the world.

He affirmed that he will continue helping promote Japan’s cooperation with and assistance for Vietnam to develop and intensify bilateral relations across the board, particularly in increasing all-level mutual visits, boosting locality-to-locality partnerships, and improving Vietnam’s capacity of maritime law enforcement and natural disaster and piracy response.

Speaking highly of the contributions by the 500,000 Vietnamese people in Japan, the Komeito leader noted his party always advocates the provision of more favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live, study, and work in Japan.

At the meeting, the two sides also discussed the international and regional situations along with other issues of common concern, including the East Sea issue.

Danang bus service slowed by staff shortages
 
Public bus travellers in the central city of Danang are complaining about recent slow services while many staff members are quitting jobs due to late pay.

A local resident, Nguyen Thi Phuong, said that her son usually takes bus R16 at 559 Dien Bien Phu Street to school. The buses used to arrive every 10-15 minutes and her son used to take the service that arrived at 6.15 am. However, the service has recently seemed to experience delays, sometimes arriving as late as 6.35 am.

"There seems to be fewer buses running on this route," Phuong said. " The buses are therefore always crowded and the children are late for school."

Another passenger, Nguyen Van Binh, said that the R16 route serves mostly students but it has recently had poor services.

"We're having to wait hours for a bus," Binh said. "We're very worried as the new school year is coming when we have to use it every day."

Since the beginning of July, many public bus routes have had to suspend operations or reduce services after their operator, the Quang An 1 Company, failed to pay its staff members, leading to their mass resignations.

The poor service has resulted in a sharp drop in the number of passengers.

The Danang Transport Department has asked the company to urgently solve their problems to resume normal operation of the city public bus service.

Public bus services in Danang have run since 2016 with 11 routes were operated at present by Quang An 1 Company.

Hundreds of staff members including drivers and assistants at the company have left their jobs since June after receiving no salaries for several months.

Feral buffalo plague Quang Tri residents

A herd of buffaloes in the central province of Quang Tri has attacked local people and damaged forests.

The herd started appearing in 2019 with around 20 buffaloes. Gradually, the figure increased to 30. Over the past three years, these animals have destroyed hundreds of hectares of forest managed by Duong 9 Forestry One Member Ltd Company, causing losses of VND500 million (USD21,276).

In addition to the damage, they often chase and attack the firm’s workers.

Nguyen Danh Thanh, deputy director of the company, said that the buffalos were very aggressive and often caused trouble at night. It has not been easy to deal with them.

Duong 9 Forestry One Member Ltd Company has reported the problem to local authorities and concerned agencies, but to date, measures to deal with the situation have remained ineffective.

In May 2016, a herd of nine feral buffaloes also appeared at a forest area of Duong 9 Forestry One Member Ltd Company and attacked a company worker and he suffered from serious injuries to his liver and lung.

More households to be relocated from Hue Citadel

Around 1,287 households illegally residing in the premises of Hue Citadel will be relocated. 

Many houses have been built inside the resting place of King Duc Duc in Hue City.

Under the plan, as many as 1,287 households will be relocated from 19 historical sites of Hue Citadel, including 307 households in An Lang - the resting place of kings Duy Tan, Thanh Thai, and Duc Duc.

The relocated area will be 83.3 hectares.

The households will be moved to an 82.77-hectare resettlement area located in An Hoa and Huong So wards.

Since 2019, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue has relocated thousands of households from the Hue Citadel area.

The large number of illegal residents has caused critical damage and subsidence to the wall. Wastewater and farming activities have also resulted in pollution. Vietnam News Agency cited the provincial People’s Committee as saying it was important to protect the citadel which belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Complex of Hue Monuments. 

Firms get green light to sell dredged mud in Quang Ngai

Authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai have allowed local businesses to sell mud and sand after being dredged from local ports.

This is part of a report to assess the environmental impact of dredging ports and maritime passages to serve the Dung Quat Economic Zone approved by the provincial People’s Committee on August 22. The report was submitted by the Hao Hung Quang Ngai Company, the investor responsible for dredging Hao Hung Port.

Around 900,000 cubic metres of mud, sand and soil are expected to be dredged from the port area.

Under Quang Ngai authorities’ approval, the dredged waste can be dumped in a 50-hectare area 11 kilometres from the port. However, the company can also sell the mud and sand.

According to Hao Hung Quang Ngai Company, mud and sand can be used for construction, but demand for has remained limited.

Put into use in 2017, Hao Hung Port can receive ships of 30,000-50,000 tonnes.

Australia’s Foreign Minister meets with Vietnamese students

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong had a meeting with students of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City on August 23, 2023.

The event at the university was also attended by Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Andrew Goledzinowski, and the Australian consul general in HCMC, Sarah Hooper.

The event was organized under an interactive “Town Hall” style with questions from the students and answers from the minister.

During the event, Wong emphasized the importance of investing in people as a means to achieve sustainability through the acquisition of skills and knowledge.

Wong also highlighted the importance and connection between trade and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which serves as the framework uniting the international community in the quest for shared goals that can benefit countries of all sizes and levels of influence.

The minister concluded the event with optimism in the prospect that the young generation would make significant strides on the path toward sustainability with their understanding and proactive response to climate change.

According to Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh, President of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, the event was a great opportunity for students to enrich knowledge and draw inspiration from global leaders.

The event was part of Wong’s official visit to Vietnam from August 21-24 as Foreign Minister to further deepen Australia’s cooperation with Vietnam.

In 2023, Australia and Vietnam marked 50 years of diplomatic relations, underscoring the deep friendship and strategic trust between the two countries.

HCMC developing digital data resource

The target for digital economy development in HCMC in 2025 is an annual 8-percent rise in its GRDP, with a contribution of 25 percent and 40 percent to its GRDP in 2025 and 2030 respectively. Digital data plays a critical role in this process.

HCMC has so far adopted several measures to transform itself into a smart urban area and establish a digital government and society with its digital transformation, where digital data is the basis. On February 6, 2023, the HCMC People’s Committee issued Decision No.328/QD-UBND, approving the city’s data administration strategy until 2025, with an orientation to 2030.

The specific missions, along with results to be achieved until 2025, are to launch the shared database and the specialized, digitized information systems; to effectively use those digitized data; to provide the community and businesses, researchers with consistent, reliable, secured data in order to create added values for the socio-economic growth of the city.

Particularly, in the 2023 plan to implement the program ‘Digital Transformation in HCMC’ and the project ‘Transforming HCMC into a Smart Urban Area’, state agencies focus on developing, connecting, sharing, exploiting, and analyzing data to serve the digital transformation process, the growth of a digital government, economy, and society.

Among different strategies are the measures to collect and then share data with the public safely via suitable support and control over current data sharing services citywide. Right now, many state departments and agencies as well as district authorities are actively developing their own digital data resources.

For instance, HCMC Social Security has integrated its data with medical institutes and the Healthcare sector to create electronic medical records for patients. Meanwhile, Binh Thanh District has updated the population data of 450,000 citizens in 120,000 households here to be the foundation for the development of a socio-economic growth plan and the management of household registration.

In District 1, the task of digitizing civil status data was completed in June 2021. The authorities are now correcting and digitizing land-related documents to boost the processing time of land-concerned administrative procedures. This standardization of digital data following the data management strategy also allows businesses and citizens to exploit shared data by state agencies to serve manufacturing and commercial purposes.

Director of the HCMC Information and Communications Department Lam Dinh Thang stated that the city’s data management strategy is adapted from international lessons to better suit the Government’s policies and the city’s development goals.

He added that the fundamental principle of data administration is to create and maintain security and reliability of critical data in the city, which are normally upgraded from specialized information systems, databases, and data centers about individuals, businesses, land, space. These information pieces are considered the core asset of the city.

Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Information and Communications Vo Thi Trung Trinh stated that to fulfill the targets in the data strategy, it is necessary to simultaneously apply several measures, not merely the technical one. Since the data is compiled by state agencies, they are useful to improve the quality of public services, to boost work performance in state management organizations, and to boost the growth of the digital economy, innovative startup activities. therefore, these data should be open to both citizens and enterprises.

Contest held to seek practical solutions for climate change

Touchstone Partners and Temasek Foundation (member of Temasek, Singapore), HCMC Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) yesterday co-held the contest ‘Net Zero Challenge’, aiming at finding feasible measures to fight against climate change.

In the contest launch ceremony, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Department Vo Van Hoan expressed his hope for innovative businesses in the green economic field to introduce their current products that can help diminish negative impacts of climate change, and for more connections between needy enterprises and investors.

‘Net Zero Challenge’ aims at supporting technologies that can handle large-scale environmental challenges in the first stages of climate change. The contest focuses on three major aspects of Renewable energy and carbon neutrality; Sustainable food and agriculture systems; Circular economy and waste management.

The prizes are worth VND15 billion in total (US$630,000) for outstanding solutions, which will then be piloted in Vietnam and have a chance to approach investment funds, businesses, policy makers, and climate change alliances.

Participating teams can be innovative startups, research teams, members of business or non-profit projects that are ready for a large-scale piloting project. Foreign products which have already been commercialized in other nations but wish to develop a strategic partnership in Vietnam can also apply. All participants must have a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) that has the potential to be successfully replicated or commercialized.

The deadline for application submission is from August 21 to October 15, 2023. The organization board will select the 9 best teams for the final round in December 2023.

Touchstone Partners and Temasek Foundation will play the training role for contestants and then help to connect winners to suitable partners for large-scale pilots. The judge board includes organization units and other corporations, investment funds in the region supporting sustainable development.

Participating teams have an opportunity to directly collaborate with leading enterprises such as specializing in real estate infrastructure), Loc Troi Group (with knowledge of large-scale agriculture) and Duy Tan Plastics Co. (with deep understanding of materials science, plastic recycling).

Digital transformation for establishment of smart rural areas

The Central Committee of the VN Veterans Association yesterday held the discussion ‘Digital Transformation to Upgrade Rural Areas towards the Smarter Countryside in the 2021-2025 Period’ for 15 provinces of the Central Highlands and Central region.

In the meeting, Senior Lieutenant General Be Xuan Truong – Head of the Vietnam Veterans Association – said that digital transformation in agriculture in rural areas is the key to help farmers create high-quality produce with low cost for more profit. This will in turn increase the proportion of digital agriculture in the production – market chain and in the digital economy.

At present, the percentage of citizens using online public services is only 50 percent, while the rate of online-processed documents is merely 10 percent. This is because database upgrading is behind schedule, the cyber security is not tight enough, and the capable human resources for these tasks are still insufficient. Adding to that are economic problems in many areas nationwide, especially the Central Highlands and the Central region.

Estimated statistics from the Economy Unit of the Central Committee of the VN Veterans Association reveal that by 2025, all related programs will have been consistently run on a digital platform. At least 60 percent of commune-level documents will be processed online, 97 percent of all communes will satisfy criteria 8.4 as to information and communications in the National Criteria Set on Upgraded Rural Communes. About 70 percent of all communes will own cooperatives, 70 percent of districts will have a production-consumption linking model for key produce types, and 50 percent of linkage models in raw material areas will implement digital technologies. Each province and municipality will have at least 1 piloting model of a smart rural area for its own outstanding field.

The meeting is a chance for participants to discuss in detail the current status of digital transformation in their localities.

Deputy Director Le Son Phong of the Da Nang City Department of Information and Communications shared that Hoa Vang District has already completed 15/20 targets, 7 of which exceed the goals. In the upcoming time, the district aims that each household here has at least one smartphone to access digital services offered by the local authorities and businesses.

The district also plans to create more useful digital data and platforms like a shared agricultural map for farmers, a digital map with Blockchain technology for agricultural tourism to propagandize local produce, to identify One Commune One Product (OCOP) and handicraft goods, and a trading floor for typical products of the district to expand their own market.

Pham Ngoc Thach from the Lam Dong Province Veterans Association proposed that all levels of the association should use both traditional as well as modern methods to propagandize the necessity of upgrading the countryside to the public. That also aims to correct the thinking among association members that the implementation of the scheme ‘National Mission to Upgrade Rural Areas and Perform Digital Transformation’ is merely the responsibility of specialized agencies. In addition, it is essential to improve the quality of the official website as well as Zalo group of each provincial association.

Le Phuoc Mien from the Quang Tri Province Veterans Association commented that successful stories in the digital transformation process to establish smart rural areas should be propagandized for other areas to learn and copy.

Vietnamese, Japanese artists to join special music performance in Japan

A delegation of Vietnamese artists of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB), the Vietnam National Academy of Music (VNAM) and the Suc Song Moi (new vitality) Bamboo Ensemble will travel to Japan for performances on October 2-10.

The event aims to mark the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam.

For the first time in history, a symphony orchestra consisting of Vietnamese and Japanese artists will perform under the baton of Vietnamese conductor Dong Quang Vinh.

The special music performance with the participation of 60 artists from the two countries is scheduled to take place in six cities and provinces in Japan, including Tokyo, Gunma, Iwate, Fukushima, Miyagi, and Nara, director of the project Matsuda Ayuko said a press conference held in Hanoi on August 22.

Pianist Nguyen Viet Trung who has become the first Vietnamese artist to compete in the world-renowned Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition for the first time in more than 40 years will also join the concert. Forty years after pianist Dang Thai Son won Grand Prize at the 10th Chopin competition, this is the second contestant who holds Vietnamese citizenship.

Nguyen Thuy Linh exits in first round of World Badminton Championships

The leading female badminton player from Vietnam participated in the women's singles category at the 2023 BWF World Championships; however, she fell short of clinching the victory.

On August 21, the 2023 BWF World Championships kicked off its matches in Denmark. Among Vietnam's badminton contingent, Nguyen Thuy Linh took part in the opening round of the women's singles event, where she competed against her opponent, Nozomi Okuharu. Neither of these players had been seeded in this tournament.

During the initial game, both players exhibited an open playing style right from the start. Nevertheless, it was Okuharu who effectively took advantage of Thuy Linh's errors, securing points and ultimately triumphing with a score of 21/15. In the subsequent game, the scenario persisted, leading to another triumph for the Japanese athlete at 21/12. In the end, Nguyen Thuy Linh suffered a 0-2 defeat and was ousted from the tournament.

During the 2023 BWF World Championships, Vietnam's badminton contingent features Nguyen Thuy Linh competing in the women's singles category and Nguyen Hai Dang competing in the men's singles category. The tournament, scheduled from August 21 to 27, has attracted the world's most formidable players. Notably, the top Asian players at the 2023 World Badminton Championships are also set to take part in the upcoming 19th Asian Games in 2022. In the previous year, Thuy Linh also joined the 2022 BWF World Championships and entered the second round of the women's singles event.

At present, Nguyen Thuy Linh holds the 25th position globally and is working towards securing an official berth to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics (France).

Seminar on President Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro’s contributions held

A seminar on President Ho Chi Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro’s contributions to fraternal ties between Vietnam and Cuba recently took place in Havana, as part of the ongoing visit by head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia from August 22-24.

Speaking at the event, Nghia said the speeches by Director of the Military History Research Centre José M. Cereijo Torres and former Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Fredesmán Turro González have highlighted the profound significance and noble values in the revolutionary thoughts of the two Vietnamese and Cuban leaders.

Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee and head of its Ideological Department Rogelio Polanco Fuentes highlighted a need to disseminate the ideologies of leader Fidel and President Ho Chi Minh who laid the foundation for the Cuba-Vietnam relationship, a special friendship marked by exceptional, genuine, and transparent camaraderie, which is rare in international relations.

During the visit, Nghia paid courtesy calls to Politburo member and permanent member of the PCC Central Committee’s Secretariat Roberto Morales Ojeda, Politburo member and Vice President of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa, met with Secretary of the National Assembly of People’s Power and the Council of State of Cuba Homero Acosta Álvarez, and held a working session with President of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television Alfonso Noya Martinez.

During the meetings, the Vietnamese delegation said that their visit aims to tighten the special friendship with the PCC, enhance cooperation through Party channels, share experience in ideological research; political, ideological and ethical education; disseminate and safeguard ideological foundations, counter false and distorted allegations, and bolster collaboration in various fields.

Cuban leaders welcomed Nghia’s first visit in capacity as head of the Commission for Information and Education, which takes place at a time when Cuba recently celebrated the 97th birth anniversary of Fidel Castro and the 70th anniversary of the attack on Moncada barracks.

While in Cuba, the delegation also paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh in the park named after him in Havana. They also visited the Fidel Castro Ruz Centre, a place dedicated to collecting, preserving, and honouring the legacy of the late Cuban leader.

Binh Duong, Cuba’s Artemisa province foster bond

Governor of Cuba’s Artemisa province and Vice President of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Ricardo Concepcion Rodriguez held a working session with leaders of the southern province of Binh Duong on August 24.  

Permanent Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Hoang Thao said in April, the Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee signed a Letter of Intent with Artemisa province during the official Cuba visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Binh Duong is ready to respond to the delegation’s issues of concern, he said, adding that both sides will continue holding meetings to foster their collaboration.

The Governor of Artemisa province, for his part, said his working trip aims to nurture Vietnam-Cuba friendship and cooperation as well as ties between the two localities’ authorities and people in particular.

He expressed his wish to enhance economic cooperation between the two localities based on considering the advantages in terms of resources, land and human capital, toward shaping specific joint projects, particularly in agriculture, construction materials, mineral exploitation, sci-tech, health care and education.

At the event, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of their twinning relationship.

Accordingly, they will extend cooperative activities in various fields, including economy, culture, health care, education, sci-tech, trade, investment, and human resources training. They will also facilitate opportunities for their respective business delegations to explore commercial and investment activities that align with the potential and strengths of each side, within the legal framework of each country.

Embassy marks 50th Vietnam-Canada diplomatic relations anniversary in Hanoi

The Canadian Embassy in Hanoi held a ceremony on August 24 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Canada diplomatic relations (1973 - 2023), featuring cultural performances and an exhibition showcasing Canadian products in Vietnam.

At the ceremony, representing the Government of Vietnam, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan affirmed that Vietnam highly values its relationship with Canada and wants the ties to be further strengthened in a friendly, cooperative, stable, long-lasting, and mutually beneficial manner, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

She said Vietnam welcomes Canada's increasing attention and positive contributions to the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions as well as recognition of ASEAN's centrality and Vietnam's role as a "bridge" and "gateway" in the region.

Since the Vietnam-Canada comprehensive partnership was established in November 2017, the bilateral relationship has gained new momentum for robust development, particularly in economic and trade, healthcare, education and training, defence cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. Their bilateral trade volume reached 7 billion USD in 2022. Currently, Canada is Vietnam's third-largest trading partner in the Americas region, while Vietnam is Canada's largest trading partner in ASEAN. There are over 30,000 overseas Vietnamese residing in Canada and more than 20,000 Vietnamese students studying in Canada.

Lan expressed her gratitude for Canada’s support for Vietnam so far and proposed that the Canadian Government and people continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese expatriate community to integrate into the host society and actively contribute to the development of both nations and their friendly and traditional relationship.

Canadian Ambassador Shawn Steil emphasised that Canada had demonstrated its commitment to peace and prosperity in Vietnam from an early stage by playing a leading role in supporting the 1954 Geneva Agreement.

The diplomat stated that Canada recognises Vietnam's significant diplomatic efforts to gain independence and global recognition. Many things have changed over the past five decades, but one thing that never changes is that Canada is proud to assist Vietnam on its path to becoming a more developed, peaceful, and prosperous nation.

He reaffirmed Canada's commitment to continue supporting Vietnam in its efforts to switch to clean energy, address climate change, and pursue sustainable economic growth. He said he believes that the reliable bilateral partnership not only brings greater prosperity to their people but also contributes to global peace and security.
 
Looking towards the future, Canada considers Vietnam a key partner in a more secure, prosperous, comprehensive, and sustainable Indian Ocean - Pacific region, stressed the ambassador.

PCA leader hails Vietnam’s cooperation

Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague Marcin Czepelak has lauded Vietnam’s cooperation and strong performance in implementing the agreement to set up a PCA representative office in Vietnam, describing the country as a good example in partnership with the PCA.

Receiving outgoing Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Pham Viet Anh, Czepelak highly valued the PCA visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in December last year, considering it as a meaningful message of Vietnam on respecting and honouring international law, especially amid the current situation.

He showed his warm sentiments towards Vietnam, recalling his good memories during his visit to Vietnam to launch the PCA office in Hanoi.

In August 2020, PCA had a book entitled “A guide to the PCA arbitration rules” translated and published in Vietnamese. This showed PCA’s special attention to Vietnam and reflected the court’s wish and determination to promote cooperation with the Southeast Asian country, he stated.

Art programmes marks Vu Lan festival in Hanoi

An art programme took place at the Hanoi Opera House on August 24 evening in celebration of the Vu Lan festival – a Buddhist tradition and a cultural activity aimed at honouring and showing gratitude to parents, and those who died for the peace of life.

In his remarks at the event, Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang, Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Executive Council, stated that nowadays, the festival is not only a purely sacred religious day but also an occasion of profound significance for compassion, directing each person back to the roots of the nation and ancestors.

He said the art programme is a respectful tribute from the younger generations, offering homage to the spirits of those who have passed away and to the previous generations who have contributed to the birth, nurturing, development, and protection of the country.

At the event, the organising committee presented gifts to some heroic Vietnamese mothers, war invalids and veterans, and revolutionary contributors.

The festival falls annually on the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar.

The origin of the festival is explained by the legend of Maudgalyayana (known as Muc Kien Lien in Vietnam), a chief disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha, who was unable to alleviate the suffering of his mother in the realm of hungry ghosts.

He was told that the only way to deliver his mother from the pains of suffering is to rely upon the strength of monastics of all directions in their cultivation of meritorious virtues.

The merits could liberate the deceased from the three suffering realms and allow them to enjoy a life of abundance, good fortune and longevity. Therefore, by observing the practice, all Buddhists can deliver their parents from the miseries of the three suffering realms.

From this, many Buddhist countries have developed their own custom of offering food, clothing, and other items to hungry spirits in the seventh lunar month.

This festival has been widely celebrated in Vietnam to express respect, love and honour towards parents.

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