Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam and Deputy Minister of Science and ICT Park Yun-kyu of the Republic of Korea (RoK) held an online meeting on August 4 to discuss measures to promote cooperation in information technology between the two countries.

The meeting is part of the implementation of the negotiation results of the digital export promotion group to the ASEAN market after the discussion between the deputy ministers on June 9 in Hanoi.

At the online meeting, they focused their discussions on simplifying licensing procedures for the RoK's exports of cybersecurity equipment to Vietnam; RoK-ASEAN digital cooperation; the know-how of setting up and operating the GS certification system.

The two sides also promoted the expansion of exchange and cooperation in the field by attending bilateral events such as "Vietnam International Digital Week 2023" held in Hanoi and "World IT Show 2024" held in Seoul.

Speaking to the press, Deputy Minister Park Yoon-gyu said that their meeting will further replicate the achievements that the ASEAN digital export promotion group has achieved, while promoting practical exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' governments and businesses.

Park expected that the foundation of cooperation between the RoK and Vietnam in the field will be significantly strengthened after the meeting.

Hanoi gets VND630 bln in tourism revenue from Blackpink concert

The capital’s tourism industry benefited from the recent Blackpink concert, earning a total of VND630 billion in revenue, said the Hanoi Department of Tourism on August 4.

According to the tour, Hanoi welcomed about 170,000 visitors for the two Blackpink performance nights on July 29 and July 30, of which the number of international guests reached more than 30,000.

Furthermore, about 65% of foreign guests stayed at hotels throughout Hanoi, with the majority coming from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the United States, the UK, France, India, Taiwan (China), and Australia.

Approximately 70,000 spectators, including 3,000 foreign visitors, were thrilled by the performances put on by Blackpink at the My Dinh National Stadium on July 29 and July 30.

Throughout the two-day concert, the number of visitors using double-decker buses witnessed a significant increase, with online bookings going up by 15% compared to previous days.

The occupancy rate of hotels in Hanoi is currently high, and most Vietnamese bookings come from southern provinces.

In addition to the luxury hotel segment, three-to four-star hotels in area close to the My Dinh Stadium there the performances made also saw their occupancy rates reach almost 100% on July 29.

Not only in the My Dinh Stadium surroundings, hotels, and guesthouses in other areas also saw an increase in room bookings in late July and early August. Indeed, many hotels which cost around VND500,000 to VND2 million, between US$21 and US$84, per night reported a "fully booked" status.

There are more than 3,700 tourist accommodation facilities with over 70,000 rooms throughout Hanoi, with the occupancy rate of hotel rooms reaching over 60% in July.

Popular tourist destinations also saw a huge number of holidaymakers during those days.

Vietnam News Agency has third deputy general director

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a decision appointing Nguyen Thi Su, head of the Domestic News Department of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), to the position of VNA Deputy General Director.

Su, born in 1972, has become one of the three deputy general directors of the VNA, the State-run news agency of Vietnam, along with Nguyen Tuan Hung and Doan Thi Tuyet Nhung.

Su graduated from the Hanoi University of Law. She started her career at the VNA in 1994 as a reporter. She was promoted to the head of the diplomatic news desk of the VNA Domestic News Department in 2006, deputy head of the department in 2011 and head of the department in 2019.

Currently, she is also a member of the VNA Party Committee and Vice President of the Union of Journalists of the VNA.

The VNA is responsible for providing official information and documents of the Party and State, according to the Government’s recently-released Decree No 87/2022/NĐ-CP. It provides information in service of the Party leadership and State management; and collects and provides news through various forms of press and multimedia to be published by the mass media, and for the public and readers at home and abroad.

Parliamentary cooperation with Vietnam makes headlines in Indonesia

The talks between Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Speaker of the People’s Representative Council (lower house) of Indonesia (DPR) Puan Maharani in Jakarta on August 4 have drawn great attention from the Indonesian media.

The official website of the DPR posted an article quoting Puan as saying that Indonesia and Vietnam share a brotherhood in the ASEAN, highlighting that the close ties between the two countries have been shown in the friendship between President Sukarno and President Ho Chi Minh.

Meanwhile, the Voice of Indonesia (RRI) also quoted Puan as underlining that the relationship between Indonesia and Vietnam is not only a strategic partnership in many fields but also a long-lasting brotherhood initiated by President Sukarno and President Ho Chi Minh.

News website Okezone.com ran a story on the DPR leader's meeting with Vietnamese NA Chairman Hue and their signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation. The partnership helps strengthen the friendship between the two countries, it commented.

It said that Puan expressed her belief that the cooperation will help foster the friendship between the DPR and the Vietnamese NA, while influencing the strategic partnership between the two countries in many fields, including trade, investment, collaboration in green and renewable energy, and bilateral connectivity.

E-newspaper Detik.com commented that the MoU between the Indonesian house of representatives and the Vietnamese NA aims to enhance the friendship between the two countries, especially in the field of information exchange, consultations, training, capacity building and delegation exchanges between the two legislative bodies.

It cited Puan's saying at the joint press conference following the talks that the two sides agreed on the significance of bilateral cooperation as well as their support to ASEAN in maintaining peace and stability in the region through parliamentary diplomacy.

Indonesia's Antara news agency underlined that parliamentary cooperation will help Indonesia and Vietnam cope with trans-national crimes such as drug trafficking and illegal fishing.

In a story on the MoU between the two legislatures, Indopos newspaper affirmed that the Indonesia-Vietnam relations, founded in 1995, has always brought about prosperity and happiness for people in both nations. In 2022, the two sides agreed to lift up their strategic partnership in many fields.

Nusantara TV (NTV) channel said that the DPR leader supports the target of the Indonesian Government to raise two-way trade with Vietnam to 15 billion USD in 2028 and hopes that the two sides can work together in renewable energy to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

Puan also supports efforts to strengthen connectivity in tourism between the two countries.

At the same time, Kumpuran newspaper quoted Puan as saying that the DPR and the Vietnamese NA can assure that both countries have enough financial resources for the acceleration of the energy transition process.

PM orders measures to cope with natural disasters, ensure safety of dams, reservoirs in Central Highlands

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has sent a dispatch to the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, relevant agencies, ministries and five Central Highlands localities, asking for efforts to respond to floods, subsidence, landslides and ensure the safety of dams in the region.

The dispatch cited a report from the People's Comittee of Lam Dong province on prolonged torrential rains in the Central Highlands region.

Many localities have seen subsidence and landslides, affecting people's lives and damaging transport works. Particularly, the subsidence, landslides in the construction areas of Dong Thanh reservoir in Dong Thanh commune, Lam Ha district of Lam Dong province and Dak N'Ting reservoir in Dak G'long district of Dak Nong province are causing high risks to the safety of the dams and reservoirs.

In order to mitigate impacts of floods, subsidence and landslides and ensure dam and reservoir safety as well as the safety of people and property, the PM asked the Chairpersons of the People's Comittees of Lam Dong and Dak Nong provinces and other localities in the Central Highlands region to drastically implement the Government's directions given in previous dispatches.

The localities should allocate forces to review areas with high risks of landslides, and inspect the implementation of measures to ensure safety for people, dams and reservoirs. The chairpersons of the provincial People's Committee will bear the responsibility before the PM for any incidents harming people's lives and property.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and other relevant ministries and sectors were requested to continue to monitor, direct and coordinate with localities in implementing disaster prevention, control activities and the fixing of natural disaster consequences, while reporting to the PM matters beyond their competence.

NA Chairman meets Vietnamese community in Indonesia

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on August 4 met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Jakarta, the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to ASEAN and the Vietnamese community in Indonesia.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong, about 500 Vietnamese people are living in Indonesia. Over the years, the embassy had focused on protecting Vietnamese citizens in the country, he said.

He noted that despite the global economic recession, two-way trade between Vietnam and Indonesia has still increased 10% each year to 14 billion USD in 2022. He held that the goal of 15 billion USD set by the two sides can be reached before 2028.

Many Vietnamese people have chosen Indonesia for travelling, while many Vietnamese businesses have invested in the country, he added.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN, and ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Tran Duc Binh said that Vietnam and Indonesia are important partners of each other in ASEAN. The Vietnamese top legislator's participation at the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-44) is an important external activity in both bilateral and multilateral aspects, they underlined.

Representatives from Vietnamese businesses in Indonesia proposed that the NA and Government continue designing policies and measures to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing the meeting, NA Chairman Hue highlighted the sound relations between Vietnam and Indonesia, initiated by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno.

He said that Vietnam with a population of 100 million and Indonesia with nearly 300 million people have great cooperation potential, asking Vietnamese businesses, diplomatic agencies and community to continue to promote bilateral collaboration in promising areas towards the goal of 15 billion USD in two-way trade. Indonesia is currently the third largest of Vietnam among ASEAN members, he noted.

He said he hopes the embassy and Vietnamese community will continue to act as a bridge connecting the two countries. He also asked the Vietnam Trade Office to create optimal conditions for businesses of both sides to promote partnership.

He affirmed that the Party and State always consider the Vietnamese community abroad as an indispensable part of the Vietnamese nation, and expressed his hope that the Vietnamese community in Indonesia will maintain the language and culture of Vietnam.

He held that it is necessary to organise a Vietnamese Language Day abroad, along with the building of cultural facilities for Vietnamese people in other countries to gather.

Major transport projects expected to spur growth of southwest region

Major transport projects in the Mekong Delta region, which are expected to be completed this year, will spur socioeconomic development of the southwest region for years to come.

Le Quyet Tien, Director of the Construction Investment Management under the Ministry of Transport, said that works to be completed in 2023 include My Thuan-Can Tho Expressway; My Thuan 2 bridge, National Highway 1’s bypass through Ca Mau city; the project to upgrade the channel for large ships to enter the Hau River (phase 2); and the project to upgrade the Cho Gao canal (phase 2).

Meanwhile, the second phase of the North - South Expressway project’s Can Tho - Hau Giang - Ca Mau section is also projected to finish in 2025.

Trinh Truong Hai, Director in charge of the My Thuan 2 bridge project, said that it is an important part of the eastern section of the North-South Expressway in the first phase, which has a total investment of over 5 trillion VND (210.57 million USD). This is the largest cable-stayed bridge project completely designed and built by Vietnamese contractors.

As scheduled, the project will be completed in December of this year.

Meanwhile, the National Highway 1’s bypass through Ca Mau city in the same name province is likely to be completed in the third quarter of 2023.

At the same time, the project to upgrade the channel for large ships to enter the Hau River (phase 2), which has an investment of about 2.59 trillion VND (109.07 million USD), will complete in 2023, enabling the entrance of up to 20,000-tonne vessels, allowing the transport of 21-22 million tonnes of goods per year, contributing to promoting the maritime economy in the Southwest region.

The project to upgrade the Cho Gao canal (phase 2) will complete in August, two months earlier than the schedule.

Nguyen Van Thi, Director of the My Thuan Management Board said that new expressway projects, including the 111km Can Tho-Ca Mau Expressway project, started on January 1, 2023, is on good progress and expected to complete in 2025.

Economists projected that completing the infrastructure ensures connectivity between the southwest economic region and Ho Chi Minh City, forming a conduit to help the southern economy to develop.

The major projects will help transport in the Mekong Delta region, facilitating the movement of goods, and creating space and impetus for the development of a promising region.

Youngsters passionate in spreading Hanoi’s image among foreign tourists

HanoiKids, a voluntary English tour guide club, has provided free tour guide services for foreign tourists over the past 20 years in the hope of promoting Hanoi tourism to foreign friends.

Established in 2006, HanoiKids voluntary has gathered 80 members who take tourists to every corner of Hanoi, exploring the local culture and local life.

After two years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HanoiKids has resumed operation with a new generation of volunteers who have been trained carefully.

President of the club Hoang Minh Ngoc said that major destinations its members often take tourists to include the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, the Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoa Lo Prison, the National Museum of Ethnology.

Each year, the club recruits volunteers twice before training them on knowledge and skills to introduce major tourists destinations of Hanoi. Only volunteers who successfully pass the course can move on to join such tours, Ngoc said.

In order to make a difference and impress foreign tourists, instead of acting as tour guides, members of HanoiKids react with the visitors as a companion. Along with introducing the tourists to the history, culture and the beauty of each destination, they share their viewpoints and perspectives on life and experiences that they have learnt when visiting the place, said Ngoc.

Ngoc said that by this way, the visitors will become friends of the HanoiKids’ volunteers. Each tour helps them find new friends, especially through culinary tours.

Ngoc said that initially, HanoiKids met numerous difficulties during its operations, which came from the skeptical views of other people, and the painstaking process of training the volunteers and maintaining their passion for the job.

The difficulties were gradually overcome thanks to the volunteers’ shared love for the land and people of Hanoi and the hope to improve themselves by interacting with foreign friends.

These common points unite young people across generations, helping HanoiKids Club mature into a helpful and thoughtful organisation.

Many former members of the club have graduated from colleges and have jobs but remain active in supporting youngsters of the club in the hope of spreading the image of a friendly and hospitable Hanoi to international friends.

Human resources development - key to improve productivity, competitiveness

Vietnam considers human resource development the key to improving competitiveness in the agricultural sector, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said.

Speaking at a recent conference on human resources training and development in agriculture, Hoan said that the issue is an important premise for improving output and labour productivity, as well as competitiveness.

According to the ministry, there are around 50 universities and training schools that provide specialist instruction in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and irrigation.

Human resource training for the agriculture industry currently faces limitations and obstacles as the number of students pursuing this major has declined.

Agriculture, forestry, irrigation, and fisheries students accounted for less than 2% of the total number of around 520,000 students enrolled nationwide in 2022. This has a direct impact on the quality of human resources for agricultural research, and the transfer of science and technology, as well as agricultural production, processing, and business.

The cause is largely due to the low wages of employees in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which are only about half of those in manufacturing, construction, and services.

Furthermore, some colleges continue to have a sponsored attitude and have lacked in enrolment, while others have aggressively reinvented their administration, content, and teaching techniques to satisfy the needs of students and the job market.

Investment in this area is, however, limited and teaching equipment is substandard and outdated.

“There should be policies to encourage students to study in social fields that are in high demand but difficult to enrol in, such as soil science, agronomy, post-harvest technology, and so on.

"We must assign tasks to institutions that show strength in training people in industries that are difficult to recruit for but are in demand by society,” said Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) must prioritise investing in training institutions to provide quality programmes that are closely connected to market demands.

According to MARD, by 2030, the country aims to accomplish yearly vocational training for about 1.5 million rural employees, of which trained agricultural labourers must exceed 70%.

It also aims to have the proportion of agricultural, forestry, and fishing employees with degrees and certifications from the elementary level or higher rise from 4.6% in 2020 to 10% in 2030.

To achieve these goals, the ministry will mobilise resources from the State and society to improve training for high-quality human resources and to research and expand training at college levels according to the Japanese model.

Nguyen Thi Tra My, General Director of PAN Group also said that to raise Vietnam’s agriculture to a new heights, it requires a breakthrough in human resources to meet the requirements of digital agriculture and digital transformation.

At the conference, 60 businesses and 18 universities signed cooperation agreements on human resource training and scientific research.

Manulife Danang International Marathon 2023 kicks off

The Department of Culture and Sports of Da Nang city in collaboration with the Pulse Active Company launched Manulife Da Nang International Marathon 2023 at a opening ceremony at Bien Dong (East Sea) park on August 5.

The competition welcomes 9,000 athletes from all over the world including nearly 1,500 international athletes from 50 countries and territories, along with roughly 800 children joining in the 1.5km race.

The competition will comprise of a total of five races, including a 42km full marathon, a 21km half marathon, a 10km run, a 5km run, and a 1.5km Ronny Dash run for kids aged between 3 and 10.

To complete the distances, runners will pass through two of the most beautiful coastal roads in the city, including Vo Nguyen Giap and Nguyen Tat Thanh. They will be able to explore famous local tourist spots such as Dragon Bridge, Han River, Son Tra Peninsula, and Marble Mountains.

All distances meet the standards of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Winners of the 42km and 21km races will thereby earn slots to participate in the Kuala Lumpur Marathon in Malaysia in late September. The fastest male and female Vietnamese athletes competing in the full marathon category will win slots to the Sydney Marathon. In addition, the top 15 athletes in the distances will receive honourary gifts from the organisers.

Inter-regional traffic connections driving force for south-eastern region’s growth

Localities in the south-eastern region are mobilising all resources to speed up the progress of major transport projects that will enhance inter-regional connectivity, reduce traffic jams, and create a driving force for socio-economic development in the region.

The south-eastern region, including HCM City and the five provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Bình Phước, and Tây Ninh, have played a major role in the country’s economic growth.

The region contributes more than 30 per cent of the country’s GDP and 45 per cent of state revenue though it has only 23 per cent of the population.

However, it is facing problems related to traffic infrastructure, which has not been developed, causing high freight costs, affecting businesses.

Under a plan to 2030, the region will have 970km of highways, but now has only 10 per cent of that due to a lack of public investment and land acquisition challenges.

Experts have called for continued efforts to improve the traffic infrastructure and implementation of reforms needed to make the south-eastern region a leading economic engine of the country.

A number of large inter-regional transport projects in the region have begun to be implemented, which are expected to form a complete transport network and synchronous connection among modes of transport.

This also helps improve the efficiency of logistics activities of large economic and industrial zones in the southern key economic region.

Authorities of the localities in the south-eastern region are strengthening comprehensive cooperation in all fields, including speeding up key transport projects to meet development requirements.

Ring Road No. 3 project, running 90km and costing nearly VNĐ75.4 trillion (US$3.2 billion), passes through HCM City and the three provinces of Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Long An.

It will have six lanes designed for speeds of 80-100km per hour for commuting and two lanes for emergency stops.

The first phase of the project will stretch 76 km long with four lanes and each locality is in charge of clearing the site and building the section in their territory. It is expected to open to traffic in late 2025 and be fully complete in 2026.

Ring Road No. 3 is a strategic traffic axis, removing traffic bottlenecks, connecting many seaports, reducing travel time and logistics costs, as well as opening up new directions for urban, industrial, commercial, and service development.

Therefore, the four localities are focusing on speeding up the progress of the project to soon complete the construction of the ring road.

The construction of Ring Road No. 3 started on June 18 after HCM City handed over more than 81 per cent of the land needed for the section of the project that crosses the city.

Besides the project’s site requirements being guaranteed, organising bidding to select contractors and consultants has been implemented basically on schedule, according to Lương Minh Phúc, head of the HCM City Management Board for Traffic Works Construction and Investment.

Work on other sections of the road running through Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, and Long An also began on June 18, 29 and 30, respectively.

Construction of the Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway project passing through Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces also started on June 18.

As a key national expressway project, the project is expected to ease traffic congestion on National Highway No. 51, which is becoming overcrowded and causing more and more serious traffic problems.

It will help facilitate travel between Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces and HCM City in the southern key economic zone.

It will run parallel to the National Highway No. 51 and cut through the HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây expressway and Bến Lức-Long Thành expressway.

The first phase of the project will have a length of 53.7km, including a 34.2km section in Đồng Nai, with an estimated investment of nearly VNĐ18 trillion ($755 million).

The new expressway will be carried out under three component projects and is scheduled to be completed by 2025 and open to traffic in 2026.

It will have four to six lanes in the first phase and six to eight lanes in the second phase.

In addition, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu started work on the Phước An bridge project on June 18, and it is expected to be completed in five years.

Spanning over the Thị Vải River, the bridge costs a total of VNĐ4.8 trillion ($205 million), with a total length of 4.3km.

Once completed, the bridge will link Phú Mỹ Town of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu with Nhơn Trạch District in neighbouring Đồng Nai Province.

Võ Văn Minh, chairman of Bình Dương Province’s People’s Committee, said the province is focusing on researching and investing in key traffic axes and arteries to create motivation to attract more investment, including sections of Ring Road No.3 and No. 4, and the HCM City-Thủ Dầu Một-Chơn Thành Expressway.

The Ring Road No. 4 section in Bình Dương has a length of about 48.3km.

Once fully completed by 2026, the under-construction Long Thành International Airport project in Đồng Nai, together with the existing Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City, will help accelerate development of the south-eastern region.

Besides the seaport systems in HCM City and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Đồng Nai will have new Phước An sea port in 2024, which will contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the logistics sector, and promoting socio-economic development in the southern region.

A large ship docks at Cái Mép International Terminal in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Mạnh Dương
Strengthening cooperation in transport connectivity

Recently, leaders of HCM City and the provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Dương and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu had a meeting to strengthen cooperation in the implementation of inter-provincial transport projects.

Đồng Nai and Bình Dương have agreed to build four new bridges connecting the two provinces, namely Hiếu Liêm 2, Tân An-An Lạc, Tân Hiền-Thường Tân and Thạnh Hội 2.

They also plan to build more roads to enhance connectivity between Bình Dương’s Dĩ An City and Đồng Nai’s Biên Hòa City.

Chairman of the HMC City People's Committee Phan Văn Mãi said the city would discuss with Đồng Nai Province to propose that the Ministry of Transport study and expand the 1A component project of the Ring Road No.3’s Tân Vạn-Nhơn Trạch section, which consists of a 1.92km segment in HCM City, and a 6.3km segment spanning across Đồng Nai, ensuring synchronous operation of the entire Ring Road No. 3 project.

Leaders of Bình Dương and Tây Ninh have committed to boosting comprehensive cooperation in all fields, focusing on inter-provincial transport projects that enhance regional connectivity.

They have agreed to the planning of two roads and bridges connecting provincial road No. 789 in Tây Ninh and provincial road No. 744 in Bình Dương in the period 2021-30, with a vision to 2050.

Lương Anh Dũng, deputy director of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province's Department of Transport, said the province planned to develop a modern, highly connected transport system.

At first it would focus on completing the Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway project by the end of 2025.

Construction of the first phase of Ring Road No. 4 through five southern localities, including HCM City Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, Long An, and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, and generally the Southern Key Economic Region, was expected to start next year and be completed in 2030.

It would begin at the planned Biên Hòa - Vũng Tàu Expressway in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province’s Phú Mỹ Town and end at Tân Cảng - Hiệp Phước Port in HCM City’s Nhà Bè District. 

Phase 2 of Vĩnh Tuy Bridge set to open for traffic before September 2

The capital city is gearing up for the opening of the Vĩnh Tuy Bridge Project (phase 2), a vital endeavour promising to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance connectivity between districts in the eastern part of the city and its centre.

The bridge is set to open for traffic before September 2, thanks to the efforts of the city's People's Committee to expedite the disbursement of public investment capital for key projects.

The Vĩnh Tuy 2 Bridge project was initiated in January 2021 and received a total investment of over VNĐ2.5 trillion. With the final contract completed in May 2023, remaining tasks such as concrete balustrade installation, lighting and landscaping systems, tree planting, concrete carpeting, plastic works, and traffic organisation painting are in progress to meet the deadline for the bridge's opening.

Moreover, the city is also actively working on reorganising traffic, installing border dividers, and painting the Vĩnh Tuy Bridge (phase 1) to ensure a comprehensive and synchronised completion of the entire project before October 10.

In addition to the Vĩnh Tuy Bridge project, the Hà Nội People's Committee is prioritising the expedited progress of other crucial traffic projects. Among them is the Hà Nội Urban Railway Project, specifically the Nhổn-Hà Nội Station section, which spans over 12.5km, including 8.5km of elevated roads and 4km of underground tracks, with a total investment of VNĐ32.9 trillion.

As of present, the overall progress of the project stands at about 77.5 per cent, with the elevated stage reaching 99.4 per cent completion and the underground section reaching 33 per cent.

Another significant development is Ring Road 4 in the Capital Region, which has a total length of 112.8km, including 103.1km for Ring Road 4 and 9.7km for the route connecting Nội Bài-Hạ Long Expressway. The project is divided into seven component projects, and the estimated investment for phase 1 is about VNĐ85.8 trillion.

Construction of Ring Road 4 began on June 25, spanning three provinces and cities (Hà Nội, Hưng Yên, Bắc Ninh), and it is anticipated to be mostly completed by 2026 and operational by 2027.

Furthermore, the Ring Road 1 project's Hoàng Cầu-Voi Phục section (phase 1) covers a length of 2,274 metres, with a cross-section of 50 metres. The starting point intersects with Cát Linh-La Thành-Yên Lãng road at Hoàng Cầu (Đống Đa District), and the end point is the Voi Phục intersection (Ba Đình District).

Phase 1 of the project is allocated a budget of VNĐ 7.2 trillion, with construction costs amounting to VNĐ627 billion and site clearance costs at VNĐ5.8 trillion. Currently, the project has disbursed 19.5 per cent of the capital plan.

The Hà Nội People's Committee also highlighted the encouraging progress in managing state budget investments in July. The realised investment capital from the State budget managed by localities reached an estimated VNĐ4.5 trillion, representing an 8.8 per cent increase compared to the previous month and a 9.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2022.

For the first seven months of 2023, the investment capital realised from the State budget managed by the city amounted to VNĐ23.6 trillion, down 0.5 per cent compared to the same period last year, and reaching 45.7 per cent of the year's plan.

MARD urges coastal localities to take drastic measures against IUU fishing

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has asked coastal localities at the central level to take measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to ensure effective preparation for European Commission (EC) inspection team’s coming visit.

The team is scheduled to make its fourth visit to Việt Nam in October to examine the country’s efforts in IUU prevention and control.

Localities must prioritise resources to implement directives by the Prime Minister and the head of the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention.

To show Việt Nam’s determination to remove the 'yellow card' warning on Vietnamese seafood exports from the EC, MARD requested coastal provinces and cities take strong measures to prevent vessels from fishing illegally in foreign waters.

At the same time, localities must impose penalties on brokers and hookers bringing fishing vessels to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters.

Localities must also review all fishing vessels to identify specific numbers of all registered, unregistered, and out-of-date vessels and those which have not been installed with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS).

The relevant units have been urged to strictly control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports and border stations and update data from boat trackers into the national fisheries database (VNFishbase).

Ineligible fishing vessels, especially those that do not comply with VMS regulations will be strictly punished.

Provinces and cities have been tasked with issuing certification of traceability for aquatic products and inspecting firms importing aquatic raw materials for processing and exporting to the European market.

MARD asked Khánh Hòa and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces to work with the ministry to impose punishment on violators, following the EC inspection team’s conclusion during their visit.

Coastal localities must send IUU combating reports to MARD which will then inform Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who is chairman of the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention and Control.

MARD also asked relevant departments including the Fisheries Department and the Fisheries Surveillance Department to strengthen management and control over the import of aquatic products, fishing, and inspections.

The Fisheries Surveillance Department will coordinate with relevant agencies of the Ministries of National Defence, Public Security, and Foreign Affairs in organising interdisciplinary working groups to work with host countries where Vietnamese vessels are alleged to commit illegal fishing.

It was assigned to hold an online meeting with the EC in September to prepare for the fourth visit of EC’s inspectors in October. 

Art club members showcase new ceramic sculptures

Members of the Sài Gòn Ceramic Art Club are presenting their latest works at a sculpture exhibition at the HCM City Fine Arts Association.

The exhibition titled “Gốm Mỹ Thuật Sài Gòn 2023” (Sài Gòn Artistic Ceramics 2023) displays 135 sculptures created by 58 artists, featuring various styles, topics and languages.

The artists’ works tell different stories about Vietnamese culture, heritage, religion and environment. Themes of life, love, and motherhood are also included.

The exhibition’s highlight is a group of sculptures named Tiếng Vọng (The Echo) by 80-year-old painter-sculptor Lê Triều Điển.

The self-taught artist is known for paintings and ceramic sculptures about the people, culture, and lands of his homeland, the south-western region. He has participated in numerous exhibitions at home and abroad -- Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China, and France.

The showcase also includes works by sculptors such as Huỳnh Thanh Phú and Nguyễn Văn Trung.

Phú brought to the exhibition a sculpture named Sinh (Childbirth), reflecting his sense of the world and life.

 
BUDDHIST INSPIRATION: Sculptor Nguyễn Văn Trung presents statues of Bodhidharma at the exhibition. Photo courtesy of the association
Meanwhile, Trung introduced his statues of Bodhidharma in different sizes and styles.

Trung said he has a strong passion for Buddhist art, particularly sculpting Buddhist statues. He spent six years researching and making the Bodhidharma statues.

According to Nguyễn Xuân Tiên, chairman of the city's Fine Arts Association, all the works in the exhibition were created during the sculpture symposium held in Bình Dương Province in June. The symposium is the association’s annual activity to encourage artists to find inspiration, meet and share their experiences, as well as to promote ceramic art in HCM City and neighbouring provinces.

The exhibition remains open until August 5 at 218A Pasteur Street in District 3. 

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