The Vietnamese traditional dress "Ao Dai" left a strong impression at the recent ASEAN Textile Exhibition held in Bandar Seri Begawan.

The event, organised by ASEAN embassies in Brunei and Timor Leste in collaboration with the Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) and the ASEAN Youth Network Brunei, saw the participation of Crown Prince of Brunei.

At the exhibition, ASEAN countries showcased their traditional garments and textiles, drawing significant attention from local and international visitors.

The Vietnamese Embassy's booth displayed "Ao Dai", the ancient five-flap robe, and modern variations.

The traditional dress, symbolising the beauty of Vietnamese women and culture, received widespread admiration. Vietnamese expatriates continue to cherish and promote "Ao Dai" as a way to connect with their heritage and popularise Vietnam to the world.

In addition, the Vietnamese booth also featured handicrafts such as bamboo and rattan products provided by Vietnamese businesses in Brunei.

The ASEAN Textile Exhibition, held from August 22-24, commemorated the 57th founding anniversary of ASEAN. The Vietnamese Embassy took the occasion to promote the Vietnamese culture and strengthen ties with Brunei, in line with the 2023-2027 Comprehensive Partnership Action Plan between the two nations./.

Đắk Nông traffic accident kills one, injures another

A traffic accident between a bus and a truck left a person dead and another seriously injured in Đắk Nông Province's Đắk Song District during the early morning of August 27.

The dead passenger was from Đắk Lắk Province while the injured passenger was from HCM City.

Authorities determine the initial cause of the accident was due to the bus overtaking in violation of traffic regulations.

The cause of the accident is being further investigated by the authorities. 

Top leader urges further strengthening of economic ties with Australia

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm urged for further strengthening of economic cooperation between Việt Nam and Australia, affirming that Việt Nam will continue to create favourable conditions for Australian businesses to invest in the country.

He made these remarks while hosting President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines and a high-level delegation from the Australian Parliament during her official visit to Việt Nam on Tuesday.

The Australian Senate President briefed General Secretary and President Tô Lâm on the outcomes of her meeting with National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn and her talks with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.

She emphasised that Australia views Việt Nam as an important partner in Southeast Asia and that the Australian Parliament supports the promotion of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Việt Nam.

She stated that with the upgrade of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Australia and Việt Nam have become priority and significant partners for each other, adding that this provides an opportunity to build on existing cooperation achievements and expand collaboration in new areas, particularly in climate change, digital transformation, energy, minerals and peacekeeping.

She also expressed her support for the General Secretary and President's views on the importance of bilateral cooperation, and she highly praised the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Australia to the country's development and the strong friendship between the two nations.

General Secretary and President Tô Lâm expressed his belief that her visit to Việt Nam holds great significance, marking the first high-level official visit between the two countries since the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This visit serves the interests of both nations and contributes to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

He also appreciated the Senate President's positive contributions to the development of bilateral relations.

The top leader highlighted the strong and growing relationship between the two countries, with increasing political trust and untapped potential for further cooperation.

He noted that Việt Nam and Australia share many similar perspectives on regional and international issues, proposing that the two sides enhance high-level exchanges and interactions across state, parliamentary and party channels.

He emphasised the importance of continued economic cooperation and welcomed the new areas of collaboration mentioned by the Senate President.

Regarding cultural, educational and training cooperation, which he viewed as having long-term significance, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm requested that the Australian Senate President facilitate the Vietnamese community in Australia in continuing to contribute positively to the development of Australia and the strengthening of bilateral relations. 

Việt Nam seeks to streamline mineral resource management with new law

Mineral management must be streamlined to prevent overlapping responsibilities, ensuring clear accountability and efficient decision-making.

That's according to Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà speaking at the meeting on the draft Law on Geology and Minerals on Monday.

The Deputy PM gave specific instructions regarding criteria for cases requiring or not needing auctions for mineral exploitation rights, handling and resolving overlaps between mineral planning and other plannings, and using land and waste from mining activities as fill material.

The draft law was previously discussed at the 7th session of the National Assembly (NA) and was being refined based on input from various ministries and stakeholders.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Quý Kiên advocated for a more scientific approach to issues such as assigning responsibility for mineral planning, defining the scope of areas subject to mineral rights auctions and addressing planning overlaps.

He argued that a more precise delineation of the law's scope would enhance its feasibility and coherence.

The NA's Standing Committee asked for input on whether the planning for mineral resources should be handled by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, or the Ministry of Construction.

In response to the committee, lawmakers incorporated it into the draft law that the National Mineral Reserve Assessment Council has the authority to recognise the results of mineral exploration activities approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Representatives from other ministries discussed revising regulations on mineral exploration fees, investment reimbursement, right auctions and mineral processing.

"The draft law must be refined to reflect modern practices and technologies, making the process more efficient and environmentally friendly," said the Deputy PM.

He also said the draft law must provide a framework for funding and managing the exploration of valuable minerals, ensuring that these activities contribute to the overall economic and social development of the country.

He called on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to work diligently to incorporate valuable feedback from all stakeholders to produce a comprehensive and high-quality draft law that will garner broad support within the National Assembly. 

Details about Ring Road 5 in the capital region include requests for central funding, according to documents

A key new ring road around the capital is looking for funding as soon as possible, in order to be developed before the year 2030, according to recently released details.

Ring Road 5 of the capital region will be approximately 330km long, with a scale of 4-6 highway lanes, a roadbed width of at least 22-33m and service roads on both sides.

The project has a total investment of about VNĐ85,000 billion (US$3.4 billion).

The road passes through the administrative boundaries of eight provinces and cities of Hà Nội (48 km) and provinces of Hòa Bình (35.4 km), Hà Nam (35.3 km), Thái Bình (28.5 km), Hải Dương (52.7 km), Bắc Giang (51.3 km), Thái Nguyên (28.9 km) and Vĩnh Phúc (51.5 km).

Recently, the People's Committee of Bắc Giang Province sent a document to the Prime Minister proposing the allocation of central funding to implement the construction of Ring Road 5 through Bắc Giang and Thái Nguyên Provinces before 2030.

The province also requested the Ministry of Transport to provide a unified opinion on the planning scale of Ring Road 5 of the Hà Nội Capital Region, from the Hà Nội - Lạng Sơn Expressway to the Hà Nội - Thái Nguyên Expressway.

Bắc Giang Province also wants to be allowed to plan and invest in constructing a 3km service road along Ring Road 5 in Bắc Giang Province, bordering Thái Nguyên Province.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà has requested the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Transport to provide guidelines to the People's Committee of Bắc Giang province before September 1, for investing in the construction of Ring Road 5.

Originally, the Ministry of Transport asked specialised agencies to determine the main route alignment and the scope of land clearance as a basis for Bắc Giang province to plan and invest in constructing service roads using local funds.

During the period when Ring Road 5 is yet to have full funding, Bắc Giang Province plans to prepare and invest in a service road along Ring Road 5 in the province’s Tân Yên District, using local funds to connect with the section built by Thái Nguyên Province.

Previously, in response to the proposal of the People's Committee of Hà Nam Province regarding the investment in Ring Road 5, the Ministry of Transport stated that according to the road network planning for 2021-30, with a vision to 2050, the road passing through Hà Nam will be nearly 36km long, across six highway lanes and is planned for investment before 2030.

"The medium-term public investment plan for the 2021-25 period allocated to the Ministry of Transport only meets the investment needs for some critical and urgent expressway routes and addresses bottlenecks in five transport sectors, so it cannot allocate funding to implement the investment in Ring Road 5 in general and the sections of Ring Road 5 passing through Hà Nam province in the 2021-2025 period," the Ministry of Transport said.

The Ministry of Transport will closely coordinate with the People's Committee of Hà Nam province in mobilising funding as soon as possible and researching investment plans to complete the ring road in the province when conditions allow.

Woman contracts five dangerous parasites from eating raw vegs

A 65-year-old woman from the northern province of Phú Thọ has been hospitalised after being diagnosed with five dangerous parasites.

The infection is believed to have been caused by her habit of consuming raw vegetables.

According to medical reports from Phú Thọ Provincial General Hospital, the patient, who had been for the last two months experiencing symptoms of fatigue, headaches, and serious weight loss, was found to have contracted fasciola gigantica (commonly known as liver flukes), dipylidium caninum (flea tapeworms), strongyloides stercoralis (threadworms), toxocara canis (dog roundworms), and schistosoma mansoni (blood flukes).

She was also diagnosed with pneumonia, eosinophilia, gastritis and hepatitis.

The woman then received treatment with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antiparasitic medication, along with liver health supplements. After eight days of treatment, she was discharged from the hospital.

Doctors attributed the infections to her regular consumption of raw vegetables, which can be a breeding ground for parasites.

They warned that parasites can infect people in many ways, including consuming raw vegetables, drinking unclean water or being bitten by insects. Even contact with pets can spread parasites.

They also warned that parasitic infections could lead to serious complications if left untreated, emphasising the importance of taking precautions, deworming every six months and cooking food thoroughly before consumption.

Health ministry proposes 100% insurance coverage for cancer, strokes under new amendments

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has unveiled a proposal in its latest draft amendment to the Law on Health Insurance (HI) that would provide one hundred per cent coverage for patients diagnosed with rare and serious illnesses, including cancer, stroke and paralysis.

This proposal, part of a broader set of amendments, is currently open for public consultation until October 12.

The amendments aim to adjust HI benefits to better align with contribution levels and healthcare needs.

Under the new policy, certain patients would receive full coverage for medical examinations and treatments without needing to follow the usual procedures or obtain referrals between HI-affiliated healthcare facilities.

Patients diagnosed with rare or serious conditions, or those requiring complex surgeries or advanced medical techniques, would be allowed to seek treatment directly at higher-tier specialised healthcare facilities.

The ministry believes that this policy could reduce unnecessary expenses for the HI fund by cutting down on repeated lower-level consultations and reducing the overall number of medical visits. This would not only streamline the treatment process, but also save patients the cost of travel and payments for higher-level care.

MoH has identified 42 conditions, including cancer, coronary artery surgery, stroke, hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease and paralysis, that would qualify for this expanded coverage. Patients with these conditions would bypass the standard HI procedures while still receiving maximum coverage within the eligible range.

However, the Health Insurance Department clarified that this does not mean HI will cover all treatment costs indiscriminately. Coverage will still be subject to the payment rates defined by the current HI law, which range from 80 per cent to 100 per cent depending on the case.

For example, patients with blood disorders or cardiovascular diseases that can only be treated at specialised facilities will no longer need a referral. They can directly access the necessary care and receive full coverage within the eligible scope.

Similarly, patients with rare and serious diseases will benefit from 100 per cent coverage without needing to follow the usual referral procedures.

The department stressed that the new coverage proposals for out-of-network patients would only apply to specific cases and conditions to prevent an overload of higher-tier facilities with patients seeking treatment for more common illnesses.

In addition to these changes, MoH has also proposed extending the age limit for HI coverage of eye conditions, such as strabismus, myopia and refractive errors, to 18 years.

Currently, HI only covers these conditions for children under six years old.

The ministry argues that these treatments are most effective for patients aged six to eighteen years and the current age limit is therefore medically inappropriate.

As of December 2023, over 93 million people in Việt Nam are enrolled in HI, representing 93.15 per cent of the population.

The quality of HI-funded medical services continues to improve. Patients now have access to modern medical technologies and effective new medications, helping many overcome serious illnesses.

The HI fund has remained balanced and is becoming an increasingly important financial resource for healthcare facilities, ensuring that HI participants are financially protected when they fall ill.

In 2023, the HI fund disbursed approximately VNĐ123 trillion (over US$4.9 billion) for medical services, eight times more than in 2009.

Over the past 15 years, the HI fund has paid out nearly VNĐ1 quadrillion ($40 billion) for medical services, establishing itself as a crucial financial resource for public health.

The scope of HI benefits, including the list of covered medications, medical supplies and technical services, continues to expand, meeting the evolving needs of participants. 

Hà Nội brings agricultural policies into practical production

The capital city of Hà Nội in recent years has implemented policies to support the development of high-tech agriculture and digital transformation to encourage the development of agriculture production.

The digital transformation and incorporation of technology into agricultural production is an inevitable trend, helping to increase productivity, improve product quality and reduce costs.

The city has focused on bringing digital technology into agricultural production, equipping farmers with new knowledge to apply in practical cultivation, creating high-quality agricultural products that yield significant economic benefits and supporting the agricultural sector in developing in a sustainable direction in line with global trends.

The city currently has 285 high-tech agricultural production models, including 185 in crop production, 45 in livestock farming, 54 in aquaculture and one model combining crop production and livestock farming.

The value of high-tech agricultural products now accounts for about 40 per cent of the total agricultural production value of the city.

Director of Quảng Bị agricultural cooperative in Chương Mỹ District, Nguyễn Việt Hùng, said that to save costs and labour, they used drones to sow seeds on nearly 400ha during the 2024 spring crop.

Mechanisation in land preparation and the use of drones in sowing brought many benefits, said Hùng.

The rice not only grows and develops well with high productivity, but costs are reduced and yields are two to three times higher than traditional production methods, according to Hùng.

Meanwhile, Trần Văn Tuấn, director of Chử Tâm a clean vegetable cooperative in Gia Lâm District, said they specialised in producing leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, water spinach, pumpkin leaves, malabar spinach and herbs, as well as various roots and fruits like bottle gourd, eggplant, tomato, cucumber, beans and carrots.

With the goal of delivering clean agricultural products from the farm to plate, the cooperative had strengthened the application of digital technology in production, such as sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, planting in greenhouses and net houses and mechanisation from soil preparation to harvesting, processing and packaging.

Additionally, they had applied agricultural film technology and IPM (Integrated Pest Management).

Currently, the cooperative supplied 200-300kg of clean vegetables to the market every day, earning a revenue of VNĐ50-70 million (US$2,090-2,920) per month.

Trịnh Kim Thư, general director of MD Queens Joint Stock Company in Nam Từ Liêm District, said that the company’s black ginseng tea product followed the ISO 22000:2018 standards in production and processing and had been certified to meet the OCOP (One Commune One Product) mark.

The application of digital transformation in producing black ginseng tea allows customers to confidently use the product, as they can trace its origin via a QR code, according to Thư.

Director of Hà Nội Agricultural Extension Centre (Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) Vũ Thị Hương said that applying digital technology was one of the key activities the centre was coordinating with localities to support farmers.

Through training sessions farmers were guided on building models that apply digital technology in production, implementing smart technology monitoring systems and promoting and selling products on digital platforms, Hương said.

At the sessions, the centre addressed challenges in bringing products to e-commerce platforms, particularly equipping producers with skills to promote and develop product markets.

As a result, more and more models were incorporating mechanisation and digital technology into production, changing farmers' cultivation habits.

Deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tạ Văn Tường said that in the near future, Hà Nội’s agricultural sector would work with localities to strengthen communication, raise public awareness about the role and importance of digital transformation in farming, support farmers in using information technology equipment and train them to improve their ability to access and integrate digital technology into agricultural production.

To realise Resolution 08/2023/NQ-HĐND of the Hà Nội People’s Council on policies to encourage agricultural development, the municipal authority would allocate targeted extra funding to district budgets for 2024-2025 from the city’s budget.

Accordingly, Hà Nội would allocate more than VNĐ10 billion ($418,000) to implement policies supporting machinery and equipment for agricultural digital transformation.

This would create favourable conditions for farmers and businesses to integrate digital technology into production.

The Hà Nội agricultural sector would continue to build specialised sections and pages on digital transformation in agriculture, introduce related digital platforms and e-commerce platforms to help people grasp knowledge and promote production, processing and consumption of agricultural products in a digital environment.

Localities would develop programmes, projects and pilot models for digital technology in key crops, then replicate the models, promote products and gradually transform agricultural production methods.

The Hà Nội agricultural sector would also closely cooperate with departments and agencies to work alongside local governments to implement the resolution effectively and synchronously, creating the most favourable conditions for businesses, cooperatives and farmers to develop Hà Nội’s agriculture in a smarter and more modern direction. 

Couples should marry before age of 30, have children early: Health minister

Việt Nam is still in the ageing population process and is one of the countries with the fastest ageing rate in the world, said Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan.

She said that a prolonged low birth rate would lead to many consequences, such as labour shortages and impacts on social security.

Recently, voters in HCM City suggested having specific measures to increase the birth rate in urban areas.

Minister Lan answered that Việt Nam officially reached the replacement fertility rate since 2006, but the replacement fertility rate was not really sustainable.

The total fertility rate nationwide is showing a downward trend below the replacement level, from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 2.01 children per woman in 2022 and 1.96 children per woman last year. It was the lowest decline since 2006 and is forecast to continue.

The decline is concentrated in certain urban areas with advanced socio-economic conditions and high urbanisation:

In urban areas, the birth rate has been below the replacement level for the past 20 years and is consistently lower than in rural areas.
Two out of six socio-economic regions (Southeast and Mekong Delta) have birth rates below the replacement level. The Southeast region, including HCM City, which has the highest per capita income in the country, also has the lowest birth rate, with an average of 1.47 children per woman.

Out of 63 provinces and cities, 21 have low birth rates, accounting for approximately 39.37 per cent of the national population. Most of these provinces are located in key economic regions of the southern area, characterised by high urbanisation and rapid economic growth.

According to the Ministry of Health, a prolonged low birth rate will lead to various consequences such as a rapidly ageing population, labour shortages, and impacts on social welfare. The decreasing birth rate not only affects population size but also results in a lower proportion of children under 15 years old and a higher proportion of elderly people.

On April 28, 2020, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính issued Decision No 588/QD-TTg approving the Programme on Adjusting Birth Rates to Suit Regions by 2030.

Under the decision, localities that have reached replacement fertility and have low fertility rates need to support and encourage people to have two children.

Localities will analyse and evaluate policies on labour, employment, housing, social welfare, education, health to develop and implement appropriate intervention models.

Provinces and cities should found friendship clubs to encourage young people to make friends, provide health advice before marriage, encourage them to marry before the age of 30 and have children early, while women should have a second child before 35 years old.

They should pilot and expand worker-friendly services such as child drop-offs and pick-ups, babysitting, breast milk banks and family doctors.

Localities should focus on building childcare centres and kindergartens, especially in economic and industrial zones and urban areas.

Women will be supported during pregnancy, childbirth and giving birth, including infertility screening, prenatal and postnatal screening and malnutrition prevention.

Couples with two children will be helped to buy social housing or to rent, they will get priority admission to public schools and help with children's education costs.

Provinces and cities will promote communication about the benefits of having two children, the disadvantages of getting married and having children too late or of having too few children for socio-economic development and for the family itself.

One noteworthy item that the health minister recalled from the Prime Minister's decision in the list of policies is to "step by step pilot increasing the responsibility to contribute to society and community to individuals who don't want to get married or get married too late," although this has not been clearly defined. 

Cultural exchange connects Việt Nam-Malaysia friendship

The Malaysia-Việt Nam Friendship Association (MVFA) and the University of Malaya (Universiti Malaya – UM) organised an international conference on cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and friendship connection between Việt Nam and Malaysia on August 23.

In her opening speech, Professor Dr Yvonne Lim Ai Lian, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) at the UM, emphasised the power of cultural exchange in promoting understanding and solidarity between the two countries.

She noted that the event introduced traditional dishes, art performances from both Việt Nam and Malaysia, and featured interactions with cultural experts, thus helping participants share similarities and explore the unique aspects of each other's culture.

Deputy Ambassador of Việt Nam to Malaysia Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Anh said that after more than half a century of diplomatic relations, the two countries have been building a special and close friendship based on mutual trust and understanding. Cooperation has been developed across various fields, including cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

She expressed her hope that in the coming time, the Faculty of Language and Linguistics (FLL) in particular and the UM in general will maintain traditional cultural exchange activities to promote and preserve the image, culture, and people of each country, and create opportunities for further collaboration. 

Việt Nam to have 9,234km of expressways by 2050

Việt Nam is expected to have 43 expressways covering 9,234km by 2050, according to a new proposal made by Việt Nam Road Administration.

In the new road plans, from the 2021-30 period with a vision towards 2050, recently submitted by the administration to the Ministry of Transport, about 6,754km of expressways is set to be completed by 2030, the remainder (2,480km) will be finished after 2030.

The administration has proposed expanding Pháp Vân-Phú Thứ expressway section from eight to ten or twelve lanes, Bến Lức-Trung Lương section from six to ten or twelve lanes and the Cần Thơ-Cà Mau and Nội Bài-Bắc Ninh-Hạ Long sections from four to six lanes.

Those expressways, connecting Hà Nội, HCM City, Cần Thơ with other localities, need more capacity to match large traffic volumes and transportation demand. They are the growth poles of the dynamic regions in the northern, southern and the Mekong Delta regions, said the administration.

The administration also proposed two new expressways including Cà Mau-Đất Mũi Expressway covering 90km and having four lanes and the Quảng Ngãi-Kon Tum Expressway covering 136km with four lanes, with construction scheduled to be completed by 2030.

This has increased the number of planned expressway network nationwide from the current 41 to 43.

Intensified campaign launched in Nghệ An to combat human trafficking

Nghệ An Province has recently initiated an intensified campaign to combat human trafficking, in response to the ongoing efforts by local authorities and functional agencies to prevent and control such crimes.

This effort is particularly focused on raising awareness and cracking down on human trafficking until September 30, in conjunction with the "National Day Against Human Trafficking."

Over recent years, Nghệ An has seen significant socio-economic development, yet certain challenges persist, especially in remote areas where living conditions remain difficult. The awareness of legal matters among the population is still limited, and the issue of unemployment, particularly among young people, remains prevalent. These factors have been exploited by human traffickers, who often target women and children from these vulnerable communities.

Lieutenant Colonel Bùi La Sơn, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Nghệ An Provincial Police Department, highlighted the tactics commonly used by human traffickers in the region. These criminals typically exploit acquaintanceships or intermediaries to approach potential victims, luring them with promises of high-paying jobs or better lives abroad, often involving sham marriages. The perpetrators often prey on individuals from impoverished or remote areas with limited legal awareness, where unemployment is high, particularly among the youth. Areas such as Yên Thành, Diễn Châu, Con Cuông, Tương Dương, Kỳ Sơn, and Quế Phong are particularly affected.

In addition, traffickers have increasingly turned to social media platforms including Zalo and Facebook to entice and deceive their victims. Many of these operations are highly organised, involving tight-knit networks that recruit, transport, house, transfer, and exploit victims. The Nghệ An police have uncovered cases where victims were trafficked through Laos and Cambodia and then sold to Chinese or Chinese-origin criminal groups. Traffickers can earn between 15 million to 70 million VNĐ for each Vietnamese victim they smuggle abroad.

Once in Laos or Cambodia, victims are often forced into fraudulent activities using high-tech methods to scam other Vietnamese nationals or coerced into working for illegal online gambling operations. Those who refuse to comply with the traffickers' demands are subjected to physical abuse, imprisonment, and ransom demands, with some victims having to pay hundreds of millions of VNĐ for their release. In some cases, trafficked victims are manipulated into becoming perpetrators themselves, recruiting new victims in exchange for payment or promotion within the criminal organisations.

In response to this situation, the Nghệ An Provincial Police have partnered with local authorities and other relevant agencies to enhance their forecasting capabilities, particularly in key areas and online spaces. They are also advising local governments to mobilise the entire political system and public to implement comprehensive measures against human trafficking. This includes bolstering legal education and awareness campaigns and expanding existing anti-trafficking models in key areas.

The police have compiled lists of suspected human trafficking rings and individuals in the region for investigation and prosecution. They are also tracking long-term absences from the local area, as these individuals may be trafficking victims, and are conducting personalised outreach to those at risk.

Additionally, the Nghệ An police are scrutinising cases of individuals travelling abroad for work, particularly to China, Laos, and Cambodia. Regular inspections of businesses with security concerns, as well as border areas where trafficking activities are common, are also being intensified. The authorities are strengthening international cooperation in human trafficking prevention, ensuring timely information exchange, maintaining hotlines, and coordinating efforts to investigate, apprehend, and extradite traffickers, while providing support and assistance to Nghệ An residents who have been trafficked.

On the border, the Provincial Border Guard Command is working with other agencies to implement effective programmes and models to prevent human trafficking. This force, in coordination with various police levels, is also stepping up patrols, tightening border and coastal security, and closely monitoring immigration to prevent illegal crossings.

In the first six months of 2024, the Nghệ An Provincial Police uncovered and arrested suspects in eight human trafficking cases, apprehending 17 individuals and rescuing 17 victims. Between July 1 and July 31, 2024, they detected and arrested suspects in five additional cases involving eight individuals, rescuing 19 victims of human and child trafficking. 

Symposia shares knowledge on pneumococcal disease in adults

Health experts have shared the latest knowledge on the impact of pneumococcal diseases in adults and the effectiveness of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines. 

At a series of scientific symposia, they warned that in Việt Nam and globally, population ageing and the rise in chronic diseases would lead to higher rates of pneumococcal infection and increased treatment costs.

The event, on August 21 and 22, heard reports on the burden of pneumococcal disease in adults and the epidemiology of pneumococcal strains and highlighted the dangers of pneumococcal diseases, particularly for the elderly and those with chronic conditions. 

Additionally, the reports discussed the challenges in treating pneumococcal diseases due to rising antibiotic resistance, which leads to increased treatment costs and duration. Consequently, the importance of vaccination and the role of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for both patients and the broader community were emphasised.

Participants heard that across Việt Nam and globally, actively preventing pneumococcal infection with vaccines can be considered an effective strategy to reduce the burden of disease, combat antibiotic resistance and lower medical expenses on a macro level.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a prevalent cause of community-acquired pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and bacteremia worldwide. Older adults, children and immunocompromised individuals are particularly susceptible to pneumococcal disease.

Furthermore, older adults with chronic conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart disease face an increased risk of pneumococcal disease. Not only does pneumococcus cause high infection rates, but it also leads to fatalities from related diseases, particularly in children and older adults.

Dr. Eva Polverino, Head of the Research Unit in Respiratory Infections at the Department of Respiratory Diseases, Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain, said: “Although significant progress has been made in reducing mortality from lower respiratory tract infections and pneumococcal infections, the burden remains high. The risk of invasive pneumococcal disease in adults increases with age and the presence of comorbidities. Multiple chronic diseases may further elevate this risk”.

According to statistics, in Việt Nam, the average cost of treatment for each patient with community-acquired pneumonia ranges from VNĐ15-23 million (equivalent to US$ 600-1,000), with an average hospital stay of between six and thirteen days. Therefore, timely prevention is crucial in minimising the risk of disease and the harmful effects of pneumococcal disease.

Associate Professor Đỗ Văn Dũng from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in HCM City said: “Risk factors that increase the likelihood of pneumococcal disease in adults include age, particularly for those over 65 years old and weakened immune conditions such as HIV, haematological cancers, chronic kidney failure, or the use of immunosuppressive drugs.

"Chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and chronic liver disease also elevate the risk. Lifestyle behaviours such as smoking and alcoholism further increase the risk, as smoking weakens the immune system and heightens the risk of respiratory infections, while alcoholism can impair liver function and the immune system.

“In addition to non-specific preventive measures such as wearing masks, avoiding crowded places, and limiting transmission routes, active prevention with vaccines is one of the most important solutions,” added Dũng.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.6 million people die each year from pneumococcal disease, including 600,000 to 800,000 adults, primarily due to pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.

Over 90 per cent of these deaths occur in developing countries.

Even in developed countries, however, invasive pneumococcal disease has a high mortality rate, averaging 10-20 per cent in adults with pneumococcal pneumonia and this rate is significantly higher in individuals with risk factors for the disease. In Việt Nam alone, the mortality rate of pneumonia in 2021 was 18.2 per 100,000 people. 

Việt Nam treasures relations with Chile: Deputy PM

Việt Nam attaches importance to further consolidating and developing the traditional friendship with Chile, which was founded by late Presidents Hồ Chí Minh and Salvador Allende and has been cultivated by many generations of leaders and people of the two countries over the past five decades, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn said on Tuesday.

At a reception for Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Alberto Van Klaveren, who is in Hà Nội for an official visit from August 25-27, Sơn said Việt Nam wishes to further deepen its comprehensive partnership with Chile and will implement specific measures to promote bilateral ties, in terms of politics-diplomacy, trade and investment, agriculture, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

He suggested that the two sides coordinate to arrange and ensure the success of high-level visits, strengthen trade and investment relations on the basis of the strengths of Việt Nam and Chile and make full use of opportunities brought by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as well as the bilateral free trade agreement.

The two countries should facilitate market access for goods of each other's strengths such as electronics and agriculture-forestry-fishery products and enhance business connections between the two sides to soon raise the annual bilateral trade to US$3 billion from the current $2 billion.

Klaveren shared the results of his discussions with a number of Vietnamese ministries and agencies during the visit, suggesting that Việt Nam consider facilitating procedures for licensing Chilean agricultural products to be imported into the Southeast Asian nation, and promote the exchange of business delegations between the two countries.

He conveyed Chile's message of hoping to strengthen cooperation with Việt Nam and supporting it in enhancing relations with the Latin American region. He affirmed that Chile is ready to coordinate with the Vietnamese side to arrange high-level visits to bring Việt Nam-Chile ties to a new height.

The same day, the Chilean diplomat also met with Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for External Relations Lê Hoài Trung and Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Phạm Tấn Công.

Young Vietnamese, Cambodian officers work together on building peaceful border

Young military officers of Việt Nam and Cambodia engaged in a dialogue to discuss joint work in safeguarding national territory sovereignty and border security on Tuesay in the southwestern province of Tây Ninh, which borders three provinces of Cambodia.

Colonel Nguyễn Thanh Hải, Deputy Political Commissar of the Việt Nam Border Guard High Command, and Lieutenant General Tien Sophonrnvong, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Cambodian border protection department, co-chaired the dialogue.

As heard at the event, Việt Nam and Cambodia share a 1,258 km land border that runs through 10 Vietnamese and nine Cambodian provinces. Over the years, the governments, armed forces, and citizens of the two countries have successfully implemented bilateral agreements, ensuring territorial sovereignty and security along their shared borderline, with cooperation between the border protection forces' young officers increasingly deepening.

Major Điểu Danh, a young officer from the Border Guard of the Central Highlands province of Đắk Nông, highlighted that the Đắk Nông border guard force is responsible for managing and protecting a 141 km stretch of the border adjacent to Mondulkiri province of Cambodia. In recent years, both sides have coordinated joint patrols, cleared patrol routes, and safeguarded border markers effectively. Their young officers have adhered strictly to principles of diplomacy, respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, thereby strengthening the spirit of bilateral solidarity, respect, and mutual cooperation.

Colonel Lun Lux, Commander of Cambodia's 601st Battalion, expressed deep gratitude to the generations of Vietnamese People's Army soldiers who spared no effort to help liberate Cambodia from the genocidal Pol Pot regime on January 7, 1979. The commander said he and the young Cambodian officers are committed to preserving the solidarity and traditional friendship that have been built over the years by previous generations.

Colonel Hải affirmed that the cooperation between young Vietnamese officers and their Cambodian counterparts has yielded highly commendable results. They have excelled in public outreach and strictly enforced the border regulations between the two countries.

Vietnamese border posts maintain regular communication with the Cambodian Army and Gendarmerie to exchange information and provide advice to higher authorities and local governments on border-related management, security, and socio-cultural-economic development.

Sophonrnvong, for his part, stressed that the joint efforts of the young officers in protecting border sovereignty and security have strengthened the bond between their armed forces. This collaboration has further solidified the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-lasting stability between Việt Nam and Cambodia. 

Lao leaders hail cooperation between Lao, Việt Nam public security ministries

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on August 27 hosted separate receptions for Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang, who is on a working visit to the neighbouring country.

The Lao leaders spoke highly of the achievements that Việt Nam has obtained in recent times and affirmed that the visit will make an important contribution to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States and people of the two countries.

They said that they were delighted to see that the cooperation between the police forces of Laos and Việt Nam has reaped many positive results, especially in the fight against all types of crimes, and personnel training. The hosts hoped that in the coming time, the forces will continue to promote collaboration in the fight against transnational crimes, drugs, human trafficking and high-tech crimes for the benefit of the people of the two countries, contributing to fostering bilateral ties and maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Informing the hosts about the outcome of cooperation between the public security ministries of Việt Nam and Laos over the past time, Quang said that in the first eight months of this year, the ministries jointly organised a conference on the implementation of a project on building a citizen identification and management system in Laos and a ceremony to kick off construction of a drug rehabilitation centre in Vientiane province. They also coordinated in adopting measures to ensure security and safety for activities during the ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 of Laos; regularly exchanged information, shared experience and joined hands in crime prevention and control.

The ministries are determined and persistent in building a peaceful, stable and developing Việt Nam-Laos border, not to allow hostile and reactionary forces to take advantage of the territory of one country to sabotage the other and cause division in the relationship between the two countries and to cooperate closely in preventing and combating “peaceful evolution” and preventing and combating transnational crimes, he said.

Earlier, during talks between Quang and his Lao counterpart Vilay Lakhamphong, the two sides agreed that the security forces of the two countries have actively effectively cooperated in protecting political security, preventing sabotage and activities that violate national security by hostile and reactionary forces; regularly exchanged information on the international and regional terrorism situation that may affect the national security of the two countries, and coordinated to ensure border security.

The two ministries have cooperated to successfully organise the 14th Việt Nam-Laos Security Cooperation Conference, thereby contributing to proactively preventing the activities of hostile forces aiming to divide Việt Nam-Laos relations and cause insecurity and disorder in each country.

Regarding cooperation in the coming time, the two sides agreed to continue to effectively implement signed documents, intensity the exchange of information and situation related to national security of the two countries; and proactively coordinate to fight against plots and plans of hostile forces, reactionaries and terrorists that threaten the national security of Việt Nam and Laos.

The two sides will collaborate to ensure security and safety of ASEAN 2024 conferences in Laos and important political events of the two countries as well as security and order on the shared border. They will strengthen cooperation in combating organized crime, transnational crime, especially drug crime, human trafficking and smuggling.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security presented its Lao counterpart equipment to ensure security and safety for international events during Laos' ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024.

Changing mindsets in legislative work to unlock development resources: PM

It is necessary to continue to innovate the approach to legislative work in the direction closely sticking to reality and respecting objective reality, said Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.

The Prime Minister yesterday chaired a special Government meeting on legislative work, discussing and providing opinions on three draft laws: the amended Law on Management and Use of State Capital in Enterprises, the Law on Teachers, and the Law on Digital Technology Industry.

PM Chính stated that this meeting aims to continue implementing one of the three strategic breakthroughs identified by the 13th National Party Congress, which is to supplement and complete the institutional framework, remove difficulties and obstacles and unlock resources for development.

He emphasised the need to continue innovating the approach to legislative work in the direction of closely following reality and respecting objective reality.

The issues that are clear and have been proven to be correct by practice, with the majority agreeing and effective implementation, must be legislated, while the issues that are not yet mature or clear must be piloted to learn from experience and avoid perfectionism and haste, PM Chính told the meeting.

According to the Prime Minister, the draft laws being reviewed at this meeting are all important contents arising from practical requirements. Among them, the drafting of the amended Law on Management and Use of State Capital in Enterprises aims to better manage state capital in enterprises, while also removing obstacles and promoting the resources and assets of the state for development.

The Law on Teachers aims to improve the quality of the teaching staff, meeting the requirements, tasks and mission of educating the people in new conditions, with the perspective that "teachers are the motivation and inspiration for students".

The Law on Digital Technology Industry will create a legal framework to promote development while ensuring state management in the field of digital technology industry.

At the meeting, the Government listened to the summary proposals and the report on receiving appraisal opinions and discussed policy contents in the draft laws.

Discussing the Law on Management and Investment of State Capital in Enterprises which is compiled by the Ministry of Finance, the Government members focused on the scope of regulation, applicable subjects, regulations related to the transfer of the Development Investment Fund, inspection, auditing and supervision work, as well as state management functions and the functions of representing state capital ownership.

Regarding the Law on Teachers drafted by the Ministry of Education and Training, the government agreed on the need to continue refining regulations related to teachers, inherit regulations that have been proven effective in practice and supplement regulations to address inadequacies and obstacles arising in practice.

For the Law on Digital Technology Industry drafted by the Ministry of Information and Communications, the discussions concentrated on several issues such as mechanisms for projects of a special large-scale nature, authority to approve controlled experimental mechanisms, the relationship of the draft law with related laws and the management of artificial intelligence.

The Prime Minister called for adherence to and full institutionalisation of the Party and State's guidelines and policies on related issues which should closely follow and clearly reflect the policies approved by the Government in proposing law construction.

Efforts should be made to promote decentralisation and empowerment, allocate resources appropriately, enhance execution capacity, design tools to strengthen supervision, inspection and control of power, intensify post-audit, clearly define responsibilities, tasks, products and streamline administrative procedures, eliminate "ask-give" mechanisms and reduce intermediaries, he said.

State agencies should focus on implementing state management tasks, including formulating strategies, plans, regulations, policies, legal corridors, standards, criteria and tools for supervision and inspection, conducting preliminary and final reviews, rewarding and disciplining, he said.

It is essential to enhance tight, effective coordination among ministries, sectors, and agencies. Establish appropriate preferential mechanisms for sectors that need encouragement, drawing on international experiences suitable to Việt Nam's conditions, circumstances and economic affordability.

"The policy mechanism must be open and feasible but controllable. There must be suitable, effective policies for training and developing a high-quality workforce in the three areas covered by the three draft laws, mobilising all lawful resources for national development," the PM said.

As these laws contain many new and challenging contents, the Prime Minister requested that the ministers establish working groups involving experts and personnel from various ministries, sectors and agencies.

They need to continue to listen to experts, scientists and affected subjects, closely coordinate with the National Assembly's agencies, conduct effective communication and assign deputy prime ministers responsible for specific areas to oversee and directly direct the completion of the draft laws, ensuring progress and enhancing quality. 

Top leader orders best-quality political report be drafted for 14th NPC

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm, head of the sub-committee for documents of the 14th National Party Congress, chaired a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the draft political report that will be submitted to the congress.

The event, held in Hà Nội, witnessed the attendance of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, and permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Lương Cường.

The draft report was developed based on a detailed outline that was approved during the 9th session of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee.

General Secretary and President Tô Lâm emphasised that the political report serves as a central document, so it must ensure a unified understanding of the beginning of the country’s new development era after 40 years of implementing “Đổi mới” (Renewal). It should also evoke pride, self-reliance, and confidence among cadres, Party members, and the public in the Party’s right and insightful guidelines, as well as in the goals and path toward socialism chosen by late President Hồ Chí Minh and the entire nation.

He called for a continued commitment to thoroughly understanding the directives of the late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, particularly the three fundamental principles for drafting documents: steadfastness and reform, inheritance and development, and the harmonious integration of theory with practice. Additionally, he stressed the importance of studying theory and reviewing reality to formulate effective policies.

To ensure that the political report genuinely reflects the intellectual property of the Party, he urged the sub-committee and the editorial team to foster an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect for each other’s opinions. They should strive to achieve a strong consensus, especially on new and complex issues, and carefully evaluate the documents being released. Additionally, it is essential to incorporate insights from former leaders, intellectuals, researchers, and officials. The team must also give due consideration to the findings of domestic and international scientific studies, as well as effective methods and innovative models that have emerged over the past 40 years of “Đổi mới.”

As the 10th plenum of the Party Central Committee is approaching, utmost efforts are required to continue perfecting the draft to submit it to the meeting. The sub-committee, its permanent members, and the editorial team need to continue coordinating closely with other sub-committees and editorial teams to complete this extremely important work with the highest quality and on schedule, the leader added. 

Chinese Ambassador honoured with Friendship Order

Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo has been awarded the Friendship Order of the Vietnamese State for his active and effective contributions to promoting the Việt Nam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership during his term in Việt Nam.

Authorised by President Tô Lâm, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn presented the order to Xiong at a reception for him in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Deputy PM Sơn appreciated the diplomat's contributions to the comprehensive and substantive development of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries, which is reflected in the regular high-level strategic exchanges and contacts at all levels; the substantial progress in result-oriented cooperation across the fields, particularly in economy-trade-investment, development strategy connectivity, and collaboration in new areas like digital transformation and green development; and active people-to-people exchanges; and provision of COVID-19 vaccine for Việt Nam.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, China was one of the countries that provided the most COVID-19 vaccines to Việt Nam, thereby helping the nation effectively control and safely adapt to the pandemic and promote the reopening of the economy, he continued.

The Deputy PM and FM emphasised that in the coming time, the Government and the Foreign Ministry of Việt Nam will continue to work with relevant ministries, branches and localities to speed up the effective implementation of important common perceptions of the two sides' high-ranking leaders, especially the joint statements reached during the recent mutual visits of the top leaders of the two Parties and two countries.

For his part, the Chinese Ambassador expressed his sincere thanks to leaders of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly of Việt Nam, as well as ministries, agencies and localities of Việt Nam for supporting and creating favourable conditions for him to fulfil his duties during the tenure.

He affirmed that he will always carry with him good memories and feelings about the country and people of Việt Nam and continue to actively contribute to building the China-Việt Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, regardless of his position.

At the reception, Sơn and Xiong underlined the importance of the Việt Nam-China relationship in the overall foreign policy of each country, and expressed their delight at the historical milestones in the development of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries in recent years.

Notably, the two sides have deepened and elevated the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, agreed to build a community of shared futures that carries strategic significance and successfully arranged mutual visits by the General Secretaries of the two Parties, most recently the State visit to China by General Secretary and President Tô Lâm from August 18-20. 

Việt Nam, Laos’ Deputy Prime Ministers hold phone talks

The new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn has confirmed that he will continue to cooperate closely with his Lao counterpart.

Deputy PM Sơn on Tuesday held phone talks with his counterpart Lao Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith.

The two sides vowed to coordinate effectively to implement the results of agreements and high-level visits, especially the State visit to Laos by President Tô Lâm in July 2024.

Saleumxay Kommasith warmly congratulated Sơn on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam and the 79th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnamese diplomatic sector.

The Lao diplomat also congratulated Sơn on being approved by the Vietnamese National Assembly to hold the position of Deputy PM.

Saleumxay Kommasith believed that with his capacity and extensive experience, Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sơn will continue to contribute to the successful implementation of foreign affairs tasks assigned by the Party and State of Việt Nam.

Sơn attributed the glorious achievements that Việt Nam has made over the past 79 years to the companionship, sincere and wholehearted support of Laos.

He affirmed that he would continue to cooperate closely with his Lao counterpart to further promoting the special relationship between Việt Nam and Laos in as well as the two ministries.

The two leaders expressed their joy at the developing, close and entrusted bilateral relationship across various areas.

Political relations continue to play a core role in the overall orientation of the bilateral relationship. Defence and security cooperation continues to be strengthened.

The two countries continue to support each other to maintain political stability, ensure defence and security, and social order and safety in each country.

The Việt Nam-Laos’ total import-export turnover in the first seven months of 2024 reached US$1.1 billion, an increase of 16.7 percent over the same period in 2023.

Cooperation in other areas such as education - training, health, culture and people-to-people exchange - has also achieved positive results.

The two sides vowed to coordinate effectively to implement the results of agreements and high-level visits and the 46th meeting of the Việt Nam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee.

Discussing cooperation at regional and international forums, the two Deputy PMs pledged to intensify experience sharing, information exchange and close coordination at multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations, ASEAN and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.

Deputy PM, foreign minister Sơn affirmed that Việt Nam will continue to support and assist Laos in successfully assuming its international responsibilities, especially the role of ASEAN/AIPA Chair in 2024.

Party official receives Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs

Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for External Relations Lê Hoài Trung hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday for Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Alberto Van Klaveren.

The Chilean minister showed his strong impression of achievements that Việt Nam has gained in the renewal cause under the leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, with rising reputation and position in the region and the world.

Reviewing the development of the comprehensive partnership between Chile and Việt Nam, Klaveren noted that two-way trade has increase rapidly in the recent decade to over US$2 billion, making Chile the fourth largest trading partner of Việt Nam in Latin America. Việt Nam is currently the biggest trading partner of Chile among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with strong future growth prospects, he stated.

Klaveren affirmed that the Chilean Government always considers Việt Nam as an important and leading partner in Asia-Pacific, and hopes to further promote and expand cooperation with Việt Nam in the fields of trade, agriculture, defence, security, and customs, and via Việt Nam broaden its collaboration with the Asia-Pacific region, especially ASEAN. He suggested the two sides continue to support each other at international forums and organisations, and coordinate with each other to prepare for high-level visits.

For his part, Trung showed his delight at the strong development of the traditional friendship between the two countries over the past 53 years, especially since the two countries set up their comprehensive partnership in 2007.

He affirmed that the Party and State of Việt Nam always attach great importance to and want to foster the comprehensive partnership with Chile towards higher trust and stronger collaboration and connectivity, in which economic, trade and investment cooperation being the most important pillar.

Trung agreed with the Chilean minister’s proposals on creating favourable conditions for and supporting goods of the two countries to access each other’s market as well as assisting each other in connecting with the Latin American and ASEAN regions.

He asked the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote its connecting role in strengthening cooperation between the two countries on the foundation of optimising the bilateral free trade agreement and their membership of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), thus making bilateral economic and trade relations more extensive and effective.

The Party official proposed the Chilean minister continue to support the development of relations between the Communist Party of Việt Nam and important political parties of Chile as well as exchange and collaboration activities among localities and people of the two nations in the future. 

Việt Nam-China Coast Guard political exchange programme starts in Hà Nội

The inaugural Việt Nam-China Coast Guard Party Affairs & Political Exchange Programme 2024 took place Tuesday morning in Hà Nội.

This marks the first time the coast guard forces of the two nations have organised a political exchange programme.

The programme carries significant importance, providing a foundation for enhancing exchanges, sharing experiences and learning from one another to better fulfil assigned tasks.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Lieutenant General Bùi Quốc Oai, Political Commissar of the Việt Nam Coast Guard, and the Chinese delegation, led by Major General Liu Houjie, Deputy Political Commissar of the China Coast Guard, attended the opening ceremony.

In their opening speeches, both officials emphasised the longstanding traditional friendship between Việt Nam and China, noting that the two nations share borders and have a history of close relations.

The establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership reflects the strong political trust between the two Parties, States, peoples and militaries. This trust provides a favourable basis for the two sides' functional agencies to promote and expand cooperation in various fields.

The two delegation heads affirmed that the exchange programme would serve as a bridge of friendship and goodwill, contributing to deepening mutual understanding and political trust between the two forces and strengthening the traditional ties that already exist.

It also presents an opportunity for both sides to exchange, share and learn about methods and experiences in Party and political work, thereby contributing to reinforcing and promoting the Việt Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.

Oai noted that both Việt Nam and China are socialist countries under the leadership of their respective parties.

Both the Việt Nam Coast Guard and China Coast Guard operate under the absolute, direct leadership of their respective Communist Parties and have similar organisational structures and political work activities.

Conducting Party and political work is a fundamental principle in building and executing the missions of each country's coast guard force.

The Việt Nam Coast Guard and China Coast Guard are the specialised forces responsible for law enforcement at sea for their respective countries, he added.

Following the Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2016, both sides have united and cooperated in various substantive and effective activities, making positive contributions to building trust between the two forces and maintaining peace, security, order, safety and respect for the law in the adjacent maritime areas. This cooperation is a shining example of law enforcement cooperation at sea in the region.

Oai emphasised that in the future, as the world and regional situations are expected to become more complex, the law enforcement forces at sea of both countries will face various types of crimes and legal violations. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen coordination, increase exchanges and share experiences in carrying out their missions.

The first Việt Nam-China Coast Guard Political Exchange Programme for 2024 features a variety of activities held in Hải Phòng and Hà Nội cities, including courtesy calls on the leaders of the General Political Department of the Việt Nam People’s Army, high-level talks between the two forces, observation of Party and political work on a coast guard ship and a cultural and artistic exchange night.

Deputy PM, foreign minister welcomes Japan’s Aichi prefecture Governor

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn on Monday welcomed Governor of Japan’s Aichi prefecture Omura Hideaki on his sixth visit to Việt Nam, saying he believes that it will foster friendly cooperation between Aichi and Việt Nam, contributing to the overall development of the Việt Nam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership.

Sơn expressed his delight at the substantive progress in Vietnam-Japan ties, with the upgrade of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year, and stressed that the past five decades of achievements serve as a solid foundation, a source of inspiration, and a driving force for both nations to continue expanding their relationship in a more substantive manner.

The official said that during his recent official visit to Japan, he co-chaired the 13th session of the Việt Nam-Japan Cooperation Committee with the Japanese Foreign Minister, focusing on substantive discussions aimed at concretising the new framework of bilateral ties.

Praising cooperation between Aichi and Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities, he affirmed that the Vietnamese Government attaches importance to strengthening locality-to-locality exchanges, considering it a key pillar in their overall relationship.

He thanked Hideaki and Aichi authorities for offering support to the nearly 60,000 Vietnamese living, studying and working there, suggesting that they continue facilitating the exchange of delegations and people-to-people interactions, and strengthening substantive and effective cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities through various flexible means.

The host sought Aichi’s support to encourage its businesses to increase investments in Việt Nam, particularly in sectors where the prefecture has strengths such as automotive manufacturing, railways, aviation, and hi-tech agriculture.

The Vietnamese Government is striving to improve regulatory frameworks and administrative reform to facilitate successful business operations for Japanese companies in Việt Nam, he said.

Son also urged Aichi to expand its acceptance of Vietnamese interns and workers, contributing to its socio-economic development and assisting Việt Nam in training a quality workforce for its industrialisation and modernisation.

He said he hopes Aichi prefecture will help Vietnamese airlines increase flight frequency and launch new routes to Aichi. contributing to trade, investment, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges between with Vietnamese localities.

Hideaki, for his part, informed the host that Aichi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment promotion with the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment and another MoU on friendly cooperation with the HCM City People's Committee.

While in Việt Nam, he also held working sessions the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Vietnam Airlines, and Vietjet to explore potential cooperation in transportation and investment.

According to him, with around 200 Aichi-based companies investing in Việt Nam and a thriving Vietnamese community of 60,000 residents, Aichi stands as the leading Japanese prefecture engaged with the country, following by Tokyo with about 54,000.

The guest also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will consider opening a consulate general in Nagoya and encouraging airlines to boost connectivity with Aichi.

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