Being a private waste collector in Ward 10 of District 3 for nearly 30 years, Le Van Ut sadly shared that despite facing a hazardous working environment, he is not offered any contract, social insurance, or medical insurance. His monthly income is only about VND4 million (US$165), resulting in continuous financial shortage.

In HCMC at present, each household pays VND45,000-60,000 ($1.86-2.48) per month for waste collection. Most of this amount comes to private management units, whose employees receive rather low salary. Hence, they have to pick recyclable garbage to resell for extra income.

Director Pham Van Khanh of District 5 Environment Cooperative commented that the life of private waste collectors is financially troublesome even though they are important links for environment cleaning.

This stems from an outdated garbage collection rate of VND464 ($0.019) a kilo, meaning not enough money for private units in the field to pay their workers. A lack of proper policies to help private waste collection units join a cooperative and too many requirements (contributing from VND500,000 - 2 million or $20.67 – 82.68 and a monthly fee of 5 percent of their revenue) also discourage them.

Moreover, 65-85 percent of waste collectors are from other provinces, meaning they rarely receive aid from functional agencies or the local authorities. Meanwhile, it is hard to reach their employers for necessary dialogues to provide timely help. The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment and certain local authorities have tried to work with a number of private garbage collection units for restructuring but without much success.

Experts in the field commented that supporting policies will prove their effectiveness as long as private waste collection organizations choose a suitable operation model and observe the State’s regulations on labor use. The city should set a deadline for this, and any uncooperative units must stop working. This will ensure laborer rights and create a strong foundation for renovating waste collection means.

“It is impossible to say a city is eco-friendly and with civilized lifestyle when there are still a lot of outdated waste collection vehicles running around and spreading foul smell everywhere. More importantly, as these collectors do not use separate sections for each kind of garbage, city residents feel it is meaningless for them to sort waste at source”, said an expert.

The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment reported that the hesitation of many private garbage collection units in switching to new operation models comes from their anxiety in following more regulations like tax declaration, report preparation, insurance policy implementation for their employees.

What is more, following these new models means they are now a legal entity and have to pay double for any administrative violations. That is not to mention private waste collection activities in many places are spontaneous and have been transferred through many generations of owners, so it is extremely challenging to persuade them to change.

Vietnam, Laos seek to boost digital economy via innovation cooperation

A workshop on promoting technology and innovation cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to serve the development of digital economy in the two countries took place in Hanoi on December 11. 

Co-chaired by Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat and Lao Minister of Technology and Communications Boviengkham Vongdara, the conference is a premise for Vietnam and Laos to implement cooperation plans in order to turn science, technology and innovation collaboration into a bright spot in the traditional  friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

In his speech, Minister Dat highlighted the development of multi-faceted cooperation and the close bilateral relations  between Vietnam and Laos, saying that those have contributed to maintaining political stability, ensuring national defence, and security and socio-economic development in each country.

Both nations determine that promoting digital economic development is one of the important factors to improve productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of their economies, he stressed.

The two sides will prioritise more investment resources for cooperation in researching, applying, developing, and innovating technology in the coming time,  he said, suggesting units of the two countries quickly develop cooperation tasks in accordance with the protocol on cooperation in technology application and transfer, and innovation.

For his part, Minister Vongdara emphasised that the two ministries will continue to promote cooperation in terms of science, technology and innovation, and effectively implement signed agreements in the future.  

Participants proposed cooperation plans and   joint research projects between the two sides.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy affirmed that Vietnam is willing to share experiences and help Laos in developing its draft law on innovation, and the strategy for developing science, technology and innovation.

On the occasion, the Department of Application and Development of Technology of Vietnam and the Lao Technology Promotion and Transfer Centre  exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the time to come.

Vietnamese Food Day opens in Canada

The Consulate General of Vietnam in Canada's Vancouver city and the Vietnam - Canada Business Association (VCBA) have jointly organised a Vietnamese Food Day in the city of same name, aiming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations (1973-2023).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Consul General Nguyen Quang Trung briefed participants on the beauty of the Vietnamese culinary art and praised contributions by the Vietnamese community and the Southeast Asian country’s cuisine in diversifying the overall picture of food in Vancouver in particular and Canada in general. 

The diplomat also informed guests of the business environment and investment opportunities in Vietnam in the context that the two sides are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The Vietnamese community in Canada currently has about 300,000 people and there are about 21,000 Vietnamese students studying in Canada. This is said to be an important resource and a social basis that contributes to promoting the development of the two countries' relationship in all fields, especially in cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

The ties between Vietnam and Canada have seen positive changes since the two sides established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2017. Vietnam has become Canada’s biggest trading partner in ASEAN and a gateway for Canadian enterprises to invest in Southeast Asia as well as the Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, Canada has become Vietnam’s second largest partner in Americas. Two-way trade reached 7 billion USD in 2022 and the figure is expected to climb to 10 billion USD in 2023. 

HCM City, Vientiane seek to foster partnership

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Lao capital of Vientiane Anouphap Tounalom discussed ways to promote all-round cooperation between the two localities during their talks in HCM City on December 11.

Nen congratulated Vientiane on the city’s achievements in economic development and Party building, and underlined that HCM City leaders are always proud of its friendship, cooperation and mutual support with Lao localities, with many friendly collaboration activities and delegation exchanges, contributing to promoting the ties between the two Parties and countries.

The HCM City leader affirmed that the city will continue to strengthen economic, social and cultural collaboration with Vientiane, and create favourable conditions for businesses of the two localities to seek trade partnership opportunities.

Meanwhile, the city will continue to pay attention to educate the youth on the friendship between the two Parties and countries, while assisting Lao students in the city.

For his part, Anouphap Tounalom said that the Vientiane delegation’s visit aims to further foster the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples, and discuss specific cooperation roadmap for the two localities.

He said that although this year, Vientiane is likely to post an economic growth of 5.3%, the city has stull faced many difficulties and challenges, including high inflation rate, human resources shortage, and decline in investment and production. Therefore, Vientiane is in need of experience sharing to overcome difficulties, said Tounalom.

Like Vietnamese localities, Vientiane also needs special policies serving its development and untangle bottlenecks in mechanism, he stated, asking for HCM City’s sharing of experience and support during the building and piloting of regulations on special mechanisms for Vientiane.

For bilateral future cooperation orientations, Tounalom proposed that HCM City continue supporting Vientiane in implementing a project to develop beef cattle breeds and seek selling market for beef.

He suggested that HCM City assist Vientiane in building a centre for social support, and cooperate with the city in speeding up the project to build a trade-tourism centre to promote trade exchange between the two sides.

The Vientiane leader also asked for HCM City’s support in resuming the friendship and cooperation agreement between HCM City’s District 5 and Vientiane’s Sikhottabong district after a temporary suspension due to COVID-19.

Dien Bien responds to national action month on gender equality

The People’s Committee of the northwestern mountainous province of Dien Bien in collaboration with the UN Women Vietnam on December 11 organised a ceremony in response to the National Action Month on Gender Equality, and Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response 2023.

Over the past time, Dien Bien province has made concerted efforts to carry out various measures ensuring social welfare and promoting gender equality, making contributions to helping women and children with difficulties, especially those in mountainous and remote areas, stabilising their lives and reducing the risk of violence, exploitation and abuse.

At the event, Rafiq Ahmed Mangi, deputy director of the World Vision International Vietnam’s Against Child Exploitation (ACE) project, said that Dien Bien is facing many formidable challenges, including a high poverty rate and geographical barriers that make the exchange of knowledge and resources a tough work.

He described the ceremony as a vivid illustration for its commitment to addressing gender-based violence and child labour.

The World Vision International Vietnam pledges to accompany competent agencies and organisations to end gender-based violence and to protect children from the risks of violence and child labour, including online sexual exploitation.

Meanwhile, Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam, welcomed Dien Bien’s commitment and investment to ensure gender equality, contributing to eliminating violence against women and children in the country and the globe.

She took the occasion to call on all people to condemn violence, express their respect for genders, and promote solidarity for a better and more equal world for younger generations.

Held in Dien Bien for the second year, the ceremony has been the largest communications event on gender equality in the locality.

Earlier, the National Action Month was launched on November 10 by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office in Vietnam and the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines. At the event, MoLISA Minister Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed Vietnam's commitments to ensuring gender equality in general, and increasing women’s empowerment in particular; and emphasised the important role of communications on gender equality.

Can Tho, UK look to cooperation in education, health, transport infrastructure

Vice Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee Duong Tan Hien on December 11 hosted a visiting delegation from the British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, with the sides expressing their intention for better joint work in education, health, and transport infrastructure.

Heading the delegation, Deputy Consul General Sam Wood expressed his hope that UK localities can connect and collaborate with the Vietnamese Mekong Delta city with a focus on the above-said areas, and enjoy favourable conditions created by and assistance from the municipal authorities.

The diplomat vowed to engage in the organisation of various networking activities during his tenure to bring investors from the UK to Can Tho to seek opportunities for investment partnerships.

Hien told his guests the three sectors are the city’s investment attraction priorities, and that Can Tho welcomes UK enterprises to the city to study the local market and forming cooperation.

Can Tho wishes to capitalise on opportunities brought about by the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) serving improved trade between it and UK firms, particularly regarding its strong fields such as rice, fruit, and fishery.  

Between January and October, Can Tho exported to the UK 19.51 million USD worth mostly of rice, aquatic products, apparel, handicrafts and processed farm produce.

Vietnam to host ASEAN – Japan conference on gender equality

The ASEAN – Japan conference on gender equality will be held in Hanoi on January 9-12, 2024, under the theme of “Comprehensive approach for gender equality in and through sports”, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on December 11.

It will draw the participation of many international delegates, including the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste, and Japan, as well as representatives from the ministry, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Vietnam Women’s Union.

Along with raising public awareness of the significance of the participation of women and girls in sports, the conference will provide necessary knowledge and tools for policy-makers in ASEAN, helping them get a deep insight into the structural gender inequality, and adopt suitable approaches to handle gender-based issues.

The event is expected to create a venue for competent sides to build strategies, as well as offer opportunities for sport policy-makers in the ASEAN region to discuss and engage in mid- and long-term strategies on equality in sport in each nation.

During the 14th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS-14) held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on August 30, Vietnam was chosen to coordinate with Japan and the ASEAN Secretariat to organise the conference which is held in the framework of the ASEAN – Japan action programme on sports.

The first ASEAN – Japan Ministerial Meeting on Sports, which took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, in October 2017, agreed on four priority areas of cooperation, namely development of physical teachers and coaches, women and sports, sports for people with disabilities, and doping prevention.

In the 2024-2025 period, Vietnam will host a SOMS, an ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports and relevant conferences, and join hands to organise many ASEAN sport activities.

Event helps young Vietnamese make career choices in Japan

Vietnamese Professionals in Japan organised an event entitled "The Debaters" in Tokyo on December 10.

The event targeted the young Vietnamese community working in Japan, giving them information and options of whether to stay in Japan or leave the East Asian country given the weak yen and the fact that the Japanese economy faces challenging times.

Speakers provided the latest information on the labour market, economy, welfare and career opportunities, and the pros and cons of staying in Japan or leaving. This enabled participants to listen to diverse perspectives, absorb the information and then consider their career paths.

According to Nguyen Tuan Anh, a coordinator at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Japan Centre, the issue that foreigners working in Japan are most concerned about is that the yen has dropped more than 30% since the beginning of 2022, along with the rising cost of living in the East Asian country while salaries increase insignificantly. This has left the Vietnamese community in Japan facing many difficulties in daily life, especially those who want to send money back home.

However, Anh said that current economic policies are helping export companies in Japan earn record-high revenue, bringing positive signs to the economy and an expectation that the yen will recover. Therefore, staying in Japan is a suitable choice, especially for those who are working in export-related fields.

Anh’s opinion was shared by speaker Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, Head of Human Resource Development Division at FPT Software Japan, saying Japan is gradually losing its position in the global market. However, there are still opportunities to develop as Vietnamese people in Japan enjoy good social welfare, high quality of life and many incentives, she added.

Nhung emphasised that it is necessary for young people to equip themselves with a global mindset, information technology and digital transformation skills and enhance their exchanges to prepare well for their next stage of development.

Workshop talks strengthening of soft power

The strengthening of soft power through modern communication platforms was the focus of an international workshop held in Hanoi on December 11.

The event, organised by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, was among activities celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam - Australia diplomatic relations this year.
 
 Standing Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee for External Information Service Le Hai Binh speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
Opening the workshop, Le Hai Binh, Standing Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee for External Information Service, said that, to guarantee national interests and promote their influence, stature, and prestige in the international arena, many countries are working to enhance their influence via cultural, political, social values and foreign policies.

Amid the fourth Industrial Revolution with the appearance of new communication methods like the internet and social media, international influence has even more space, environment, and instruments to grow and spread.

In that trend, the governments of many countries are stepping up the application of information technology, digital technology, and new means of media, especially social networks, to national and global governance.

Binh noted that aside from a judicious and appropriate foreign policy, Australia’s influence derives from a cultural uniqueness, developed economy with high competitiveness, and advanced education. Facing the boom of modern media means, the Australian Government has grasped the new situation and issued suitable policies, he added.

At the workshop, participants listened to speeches about Vietnam and Australia’s policies on strengthening its international influence and building national brands amid the surge of new media means, the initiative to build a database system for popularising Vietnam’s images in cyberspace, and Australia’s initiative to carry out the public diplomacy strategy.

They also discussed the role of international media in promoting national influence, digital diplomacy towards the building of a sustainable world, the effectiveness and reform of the implementation of the public diplomacy strategy, strong and weak points of modern media means, the effectiveness and impacts of digital diplomacy, and the issue of ethics in the era of digital diplomacy.

Vietnam, Japan continue implementing defense cooperation

Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, received in Hanoi on December 11 a delegation from Japan’s Ministry of Defense, Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and Sasakawa Peace Foundation led by Major General Shirai Ryoji, Director of the Department of Personnel and Training at the General Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

At the reception, Thang highly appreciated the effective support of Japan’s Ministry of Defense and the JSDF through programmes on capacity enhancement, post-war consequence overcoming and marine security.

He hopes that the two sides will continue implementing the cooperation programmes effectively. Thang hailed defence exchange activities between the two sides including the exchange programme between Vietnamese and Japanese field-grade officers supported by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation over the past six years.

He proposed that the Japanese sides study and expand subjects of the cooperation programme,and support Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence will continue to create favourable conditions for the exchange programme between Vietnamese and Japanese field-grade officers, contributing to the two countries’ defence cooperation.

For his part, Shirai Ryoji expressed his hope for the further development of the two sides' cooperation, especially in defence and security. The two sides will continue to exchange experience, promote areas of cooperation, with focus on training and all-level delegation exchanges, and expand collaboration in new fields that they have the capacity and demand.

Bac Luan 2 Border Gate conducts new term of customs clearance for tourists

All tourists holding passports or laissez-passers will be performed the procedures of customs clearance at Bac Luan 2 Border Gate, Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province from December 11. The time for customs clearance procedures will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.

Under the agreement between the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh Province and the People's Government of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and an official letter from the Department of Trade and Border Gate Management of Dongxing City, Guangxi Province, China, all tourists holding passport or laissez-passers will be conducted the procedures of customs clearance for tourism purpose at Bac Luan 2 Border Gate, Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province which shall be valid from December 11.

The customs clearance aimed at promoting immigration for tourism activities via the border gate of the two countries, strengthening the advertisement and the consumption of Vietnamese seafood in the Chinese market and vice versa.

As for Mong Cai International Border Gate, commonly known as Bac Luan 1 Border Gate, the time of customs clearance for tourists will be the same as before.

The People’s Committee of Mong Cai City directed the relevant units to arrange the forces and facilities to ensure the smooth operation of the immigration, import-export activities at the Bac Luan 2 Border Gate.

Korean and Vietnamese short films to be screened in HCM City

A series of short films from both the nation and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will be introduced to cinema lovers in Ho Chi Minh City on December 15.

Highlighted works from the RoK’s film making project Story Up 2022 will be screened in Ho Chi Minh City on December 15.
The event is set to feature works of different genres on various topics by local talented young filmmakers who have won top prizes at the fourth edition of the CJ Short Film Making Project.

Several Vietnamese films have been named as the best works at this year's CJ Short Films Filmmaking Project, including “Vùng trũng” directed by Anh La, “Anh em kiếp này” by Vu Hoang Hiep and Tuan Le, “Tàn ngày rực rỡ” by Ly Minh Ba, “Rừng dịu dàng” by Doan Si Nguyen, and “Thằng bé bán kem” by Huynh Cong Nho.

Furthermore, highlighted works from the RoK’s film making project Story Up 2022 will be screened on the same day, including “Slaughter” (Lò Mổ) directed by Yun Do-yeong, “Forest of Echoes” (Tiếng Vọng Rừng Sâu) by Lim Yoo-ri, “Birth” (Khai Sinh) by Nam Soona, “Motherland” (Đất Mẹ) by Lee Ji-yun, and “Bon Appetit” (Chúc Bạn Ngon Miệng) by Lee Ji-hoo.

The CJ Short Film Making Project was initiated by the CJ Cultural Foundation and CJ CGV Vietnam in 2018 with the aim of bringing works by Vietnamese filmmakers to top international film festivals.

All entries feature different genres, along with various topics and stories covering various aspects of life and humanity.

Many productions from the contest have been selected to screen and compete at over 50 international film festivals taking place around the world.

Ca Mau’s largest-ever bridge opened to traffic

On the morning of December 10, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai participated in the ribbon-cutting and inauguration ceremony for the Ong Doc River Bridge in Ca Mau Province.

 Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai and delegates perform the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the inauguration of the Ong Doc River Bridge.

On the morning of December 10, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai participated in the ribbon-cutting and inauguration ceremony for the Ong Doc River Bridge, located in Song Doc Town, Tran Van Thoi District, Ca Mau Province. This is the largest bridge ever financed and constructed by Ca Mau Province.

The bridge spanning the Ong Doc River has a total investment of nearly VND690 billion, with the Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority of Ca Mau Province acting as the investor. The project broke ground in late October 2021, boasting a total length of 1.42 kilometers. The main bridge is about 690 meters in length and 13 meters in width, while the entrance roads feature planned widths of 30 meters on the North bank and 40 meters on the South bank, designed for a speed of 50 km/h.

During the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Huynh Quoc Viet, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ca Mau Province, said that the newly opened Ong Doc River Bridge, linking the roads on both the North and South sides of the Song Doc estuary, will enhance safe and convenient transportation and trade for the local residents. This infrastructure project is expected to play a significant role in boosting socio-economic development, as well as reinforcing defense and security in the region and the Mekong Delta area.

First Vietnam Goncourt Prize awarded to Haitian writer

The first "Vietnam's Goncourt Selection" was awarded to Haitian writer Makenzy Orcel at a ceremony held at the French Embassy (Hanoi) on the evening of December 8.

The Goncourt is the most prestigious award in French literature. It has been internationalized through the "Goncourt selection" in 35 countries around the world.

According to the French Embassy, Vietnam and France shared a common past, a "destiny" that was the basis for a strong bond between the two countries today. Classical French literature has also left a deep mark on the Vietnamese people. The works of Victor Hugo, Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, Stendhal, Molière... are taught in schools, known and loved by the public. French culture influences contemporary Vietnamese literary and artistic creation in many ways: Drama, modern poetry, modern novels...

As an official member of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) since the 1970s, Vietnam continues to give priority to encouraging young people to learn French. French is currently taught in 35 provinces and cities in Vietnam, of which 13 provinces have bilingual classes and many enrichment programs. French is also developed through French departments at universities and high schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as through the network of French institutes throughout the country.

In this context, the organization of "Vietnam's Goncourt Selection" is seen as one of the strategies to strengthen academic, publishing and cultural cooperation between Vietnam and France.

This selection was made on the basis of the votes of Vietnamese French students at prestigious universities in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. Among the four works proposed by the Goncourt Academy, the students chose Une somme humaine (A Summary of Human Life) by Haitian writer Makenzy Orcel. 

Nguyen Anh Tuyet, a student at Hanoi University who joined the voting, said: "We spent a lot of time reading and discussing the books. The selection is not easy because we have to analyze the works based on quality criteria, the Vietnamese context, and the messages relevant to the readers".

She evaluated Une somme humaine as a work with a theme relevant to Vietnamese readers. The author used personal pronouns to create intimacy with the reader. It is a story about one woman who represents many women with broken destinies in society.

Born in 1983 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Makenzy Orcel is the author of many collections of poetry and novels.

Even as a teenager, he felt the urge to tell stories. That is why Makenzy Orcel was interested in literature from a very early age, even though he grew up in a house without books and a neighborhood without libraries. Sometimes, he found a book at the market and used it to share with his classmates.

Orcel has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Littérature-Monde Prize, the Louis Guilloux Prize, the Fondation Simone Prize, and the Cino Del Duc Prize, which was recommended by the French Academy's Grand Prize Committee and made it to the final round of the 2022 Goncourt Tournament, America's Goncourt Selection.

Writer Makenzy Orcel will meet with readers on December 12 at 6 pm at the IDECAF Library, 31 Thai Van Lung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The event will have a French-Vietnamese interpreter and its admission is free.

Vietnam shines at 2023 Southeast Asian Wrestling Championships with 26 golds

Vietnam's wrestling team dominated the 2023 Southeast Asian Wrestling Championships, clinching an overall first-place position with an impressive tally of 26 gold medals in championship events.

The conclusive day of the 2023 Southeast Asian Wrestling Championships unfolded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on December 9, featuring the final competitions in men's freestyle wrestling.

Wrapping up the men's freestyle wrestling events, Vietnam earned eight gold medals and two silver medals. Prior to this, concluding the events for men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling, the Vietnamese wrestling team had already secured 18 gold medals and two silver medals. In the overall championship standings, Vietnam attained the highest result, with 26 gold medals out of the total 30 medal sets available. This triumph solidifies the Vietnamese wrestling team's absolute top ranking in the overall performance standings.

Previously, Vietnam's wrestling team took part in the U17 and U20 age group events in this competition. In the U17 category, the team secured 19 gold medals, while in the U20 category, it excelled with an impressive haul of 27 gold medals.

The 2023 Southeast Asian Wrestling Championships is the last international tournament for Vietnam's wrestling team in 2023. The team's outstanding success with 26 gold medals in championship events brings confidence in its regional competitive abilities. However, beyond the triumph, this championship serves as a valuable platform for the coaching staff to evaluate and further enhance the team's professional performance, gearing up key athletes for the crucial Olympic qualifiers in early 2024. Currently, there is optimism within Vietnam's wrestling team about securing official spots for the 2024 Olympics in France.

Earlier, at the 32nd SEA Games, the team claimed 13 gold medals out of 30 events, securing the top position overall in the wrestling competition.

Vietnamese delegation visits UK to promote people-to-people relations

A delegation of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association (VUFA) under the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations led by VUFA Vice President Nguyen Van Phuc, paid a working visit to the UK from December 3 -10.

During the visit, the delegation presented the medal “For Peace and Friendship Among Nations” to Ben Chapman, Warwick Morris and Paul Smith, the co-founders of the Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN), to honour their outstanding contributions to the relations between the two countries.

At the event, VUKN and VUFA also signed a new five-year Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), which acknowledges the two organisations’ long-standing and fruitful on-going relationship while marking a new era of partnership between them. 

The VUFA delegation coordinated with a delegation of the Academy of Journalism and Communication under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics to hold a working session with leaders of SOAS University, one of the leading research centres for Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

They also paid a working trip to Karl Marx Library, home to more than 60,000 books and newspapers on Marxism, scientific socialism and international workers' movements.

On the occasion, the delegation presented to the library an English version of the book "Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam" by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and a book on the world people’s affection for President Ho Chi Minh compiled by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the 110th year since the Vietnamese President set foot on the UK during his journey to seek ways to liberate the nation (1913-2023).  

The delegation held meetings with the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of Vietnamese organisations and associations in the UK  in the Vietnamese community in the UK including the Vietnamese Association in the UK (VAUK), the Vietnamese Intellectual Society in the UK and Northern Ireland (VIS), the Vietnamese Business Association in the UK (VBUK) and the Vietnamese Student Association in the UK (SVUK).

Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe deploys activities in France

The Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe (VINEU) officially launched its operations in France at a ceremony held in Paris on December 10.

Introduced in November 2021, VINEU is one of the eight global networks supported by the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s National Innovation Centre (NIC). It has a mission to gather Vietnamese knowledge in Europe and collaboratively provide sustainable solutions to challenges faced by Vietnam.

At the ceremony, VINEU President Pham Huy Hoang highlighted the significance of deploying activities in France, where many experts with extensive experience are actively working at research and educational institutes or major corporations and companies.

Delegates highlighted the importance of the network in maintaining relevant parties’ exchanges, interactions, coordination, and engagement in specific projects that align with Vietnam’s needs. This approach aims to gather intellect and expertise from the Vietnamese diaspora in related fields to find suitable and cohesive deployment solutions.

Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in France Pham Thi Kim Yen expressed her hope that VINEU will effectively leverage the resources of the Vietnamese intellectual community in Europe, especially France, serving the development of the motherland. She also pledged the embassy’s consistent support for meaningful activities for the homeland.

Famous drama play from the 1980s to be restaged for New Year

People’s Artist and theatre actress Hồng Vân and young actors from Hồng Vân Drama Stage, one of the city’s leading private art troupes, are working on a famous play from the 1980s by the late playwright and poet Lưu Quang Vũ of Hà Nội.

Vân’s staff will perform in Công Chúa Ngọc Hân (Princess Lê Ngọc Hân), a story about patriotism, bravery, and love.

The musical depicts the love between Princess Ngọc Hân of the Later Lê Dynasty and her husband, Emperor Quang Trung of the Tây Sơn Dynasty.

Emperor Quang Trung reigned from 1788 to 1792. He was one of the most successful military commanders in Việt Nam’s history.

The Tây Sơn Dynasty ended the century-long war between the Trịnh and Nguyễn families, ended the Lê Dynasty, and united the country for the first time in 200 years. Under the Tây Sơn Dynasty, the country experienced an age of relative peace and prosperity.

The original version of Công Chúa Ngọc Hân was written for chèo (traditional opera), a form of Vietnamese theatre in the North. The play helped its creator, scriptwriter Vũ, to become a phenomenon in the industry after its release in Hà Nội in 1984.

Vũ was born in 1948 in the northern province of Phú Thọ.

He composed 53 short and long plays, hundreds of poems, short stories, and articles about the theatre. His dramatic plays include Sống Mãi Tuổi 17 (Forever 17), Hồn Trương Ba, Da Hàng Thịt (Trương Ba’s Soul, Butcher’s Body) and Lời Thề Thứ 9 (The Ninth Pledge).

His works are considered timeless. His plays have been adapted for a range of art forms, including chèo, cải lương (reformed opera), water puppetry and drama.

He was awarded the Hồ Chí Minh Prize, one of the most prestigious prizes in art and literature in Việt Nam, for his play Lời Thề Thứ 9 in 2000.

Công Chúa Ngọc Hân is scheduled to debut on New Year Eve at Bến Thành Theatre in District 1.

Hậu dominates Doi Inthanon Thailand trail run

Việt Nam's super trail running star Hà Thị Hậu championed at the world-level Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB 2023 which finised on December 10 in Chiang Mai.

She was faster than strong rivals from Europe and China to top the podium of the 100km category in a time of 12hr 9.02min.

She left two nearest rivals, Ragna Debats of the Netherlands (12:43.25) and Emilie Maroteaux of France (13:26.39) far behind.

Her outstanding performance helped her place No 16 in the overall ranking for both men and women.

During the livestream of the event, a commentator even said that the women's 100km race seemed 'bored' as Hậu was better than all the other runners from the beginning. She led from the off and nobody came anywhere near to catching her.

Last year, in her debut at the Doi Inthanon, Hậu won the 50km category.

Triumphs of the Vietnamese woman broke China's dream of winning all titles of ultra distances at the Doi Inthanon event. 

They dominated the men's 175km, took all top three position in the women's 175km and men's 100km, and secured the first place in the men's 50km.

Việt Nam also had Đỗ Trọng Nhơn on the podium in the men's 25km. Nhơn came to the event mainly to support his teammates but he successfully finished third in a time of 2:33.03 behind Daniel Curts of the US (2:16.45) and Toby Sparkes of Australia (2:23.21).

Doi Inthanon was organised from December 7-10 at the Royal Park Rajapruek. This year, more than 5,000 athletes from 80 countries and regions registered to race.

Next year race is scheduled for December 6-8.

Wild elephants continue to eat crops in Dong Nai
 
Many farmers in the southern province of Dong Nai have continued to lose their crops to wild elephants seeking food while local authorities are trying to complete the electric fences around the forest to avoid human-elephant conflicts.

According to residents in Ta Lai Commune, Tan Phu District, their rice fields near a local forest have been destroyed by wild elephants seeking food over the past month.

"The elephants have come out from Nam Cat Tien Forest to our area which has not been fenced yet," a local man, Ka Tuan, said. "They've come to our rice fields which are near harvest time. We've had to stay in the fields at night using gongs and drums to drive the wild animals away to protect our fields but they seem very dangerous. One of them chased us on December 8."

The man said that the elephants usually arrive at the 200-hectare rice field in the late afternoon to eat the rice.

"Lots of the rice area has been destroyed by them," Tuan said. "Some farmers have had to collect their rice early to avoid it being damaged by the wild animals." 

Vice chairman of Ta Lai Commune People's Committee, Dang Son Lam, said that they had sent a team to help local residents chase the animals back to the forest.

"We've also reported the problems to the management board of Cat Tien National Park, asking for the quick completion of the electric fence in this area," the official said.

Dong Nai started to build a 50-kilometre electric fence around the Cat Tien National Park in 2017 to protect the wild elephants and avoid human-elephant conflicts.

In late 2021, an additional 25 kilometres of electric fence was continued to be built but has not been completed due to site clearance issues. The wild animals have managed to exploit this gap.

Việt Nam shows strong political commitment to maximising green energy transition

Green transition in the energy sector is a key trend in the world and one of Việt Nam's top priorities.

Việt Nam is among countries with great potential to invest in new renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and ocean wave power, and biogas.

According to experts, to take advantage of its inherent potential, Việt Nam needs to have incentive policies to expand the renewable energy market, promote and deploy new technologies, provide appropriate opportunities as well as encouraging the use of renewable energy in all important areas.

The world today still depends mainly on traditional energy such as oil, coal, and natural gas. However, these sources are gradually running out. According to scientists' calculations, they can only last 70 to 100 years.

Dr Chu Đức Hoàng, Chief of the Office of the National Technology Innovation Fund under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said traditional energy not only causes serious environmental pollution from greenhouses emissions that produce harmful effects to water and soil, but are also gradually depleting, posing a threat to stable energy supply in the future.

Việt Nam's energy industry has developed strongly in recent years, in all stages of exploration, exploitation, production, transmission, distribution and import and export of energy. However, the scale and efficiency of the energy industry are still low.

In particular, Việt Nam's energy demand is also increasing rapidly with about 10 per cent a year during 2001-10, about 7 per cent a year in the period from 2011 to present. Electricity demand climbed by 13 per cent a year during the 2001-10 and nearly 10 per cent a year from 2011 to present.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector accounted for about 63 per cent of Việt Nam's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 and about 67.7 per cent in 2020. Emissions are forecast to make up about 73.1 per cent and 79.7 per cent in 2030 and 2050 respectively according to the normal scenario.

The 26th Conference of the Parties participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) with strong political commitments of many countries, including Việt Nam, to reduce greenhouse gases shows the trend. Green energy production and consumption as well as energy transition are becoming an urgent and important issue in sustainable development strategies, associated with environmental protection of countries around the world.

Committing to achieving the goal of complete decarbonisation by mid-century makes Việt Nam an even more attractive destination for foreign corporations to invest in renewable energy infrastructure, including offshore wind power projects. With a coastline of more than 3,200km, shallow water depth and high, stable wind speed, Việt Nam fully meets the important prerequisites necessary to develop reliable offshore wind power projects.

Dr Hoàng said that facing the challenge of climate change and the risk of energy depletion, the transition to green energy is not just an option but an urgent need. In this transition, technology plays a key role. Technology will create efficient solutions for capturing and storing energy to optimising its use in both production and daily consumption. Therefore, technological innovation is an inevitable trend for countries, corporations, and businesses to successfully convert from traditional energy to clean energy. 

Sóc Trăng seeks to become top travel destination in Mekong Delta

Sóc Trăng plans to develop tourism into its spearhead economic sector by 2030.

Noted for diverse cultural resources, festivals of the Kinh, Khmer, and Hoa ethnic groups that live in the province, ancient pagodas, riverside orchards and coastal wetlands, Sóc Trăng has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for culture tourism, spiritual tourism and eco-tourism in the country.

The province is home to 93 ancient Khmer pagodas with splendid architectural styles, two of which - the Mahatup pagoda (popularly known as Bat pagoda) and Kh’Leang pagoda - were recognised as national cultural-historical relics.

As temples and pagodas play a significant role in the spiritual life of the Khmer ethnic group, who account for more than 30 per cent of the province's population, their cultural identity is deeply expressed through the system of temples and pagodas.

Ancient pagodas such as Srolon Pagoda (Chén Kiểu pagoda), Khleang Pagoda, and Bửu Sơn Tự (Precious Mountain Temple), popularly known as Clay Pagoda, are some of must-see tourist attractions during a trip to Sóc Trăng, drawing thousands of domestic and foreign tourists and cultural researchers every year, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Home to eight national intangible heritages such as Đờn ca tài tử Nam Bộ (southern folk music), Dù Kê Theatre (a style of Khmer musical theatre), Rom Vong dance, and Nghinh Ông (Whale Worship) festival, the province boasts enormous potential for cultural tourism.

Recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage, the Ok Om Bok festival - Ngo boat race, one of the largest annual festivals of the Khmer people, has been developed as a unique tourism product in the province.

The festival, held November 25-27, attracted more than 135,000 visitors this year, according to the department.

Huỳnh Thị Diễm Ngọc, deputy chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the festival aimed at honouring and preserving Khmer cultural traditions as well as foster solidarity and cultural exchanges among the Kinh, Khmer, and Hoa ethnic groups in the province.

With a range of cultural, arts, sports and tourism activities, the festival helped drive tourism growth and enhance the engagement of the community in tourism activities, she said.

With islets stretching over 50 km along the Hậu River along with more than 70km of coastline and the coastal wetland ecosystem, the province has favourable conditions for the development of eco-tourism.

Community-based eco-tourism models have been developed in the Mỹ Phước islet, Cù Lao Dung (Dung Islet), and Hưng Phú commune.

Phú Quốc Express and Superdong Fast Ferry Kiên Giang JSC offer daily speedboat service from Trần Đề port in Sóc Trăng province to Côn Đảo Island in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province, linking the Mekong Delta with the untouched white-sand beaches in Côn Đảo.

HCMC continues to promote tourism cooperation with Mekong Delta

A conference reviewing the implementation of a tourism cooperation program between HCMC and 13 Southern provinces and cities was held in Ca Mau on December 10.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau Nguyen Minh Luan said that thanks to regional linkage in tourism, the province received a total number of visitors of around two million in 2023, exceeding the goal of 13.5 percent and up 18 percent compared to last year.

According to Deputy Director of the HCMC Tourism Department Le Truong Hien Hoa, the city’s tourist companies brought more than 2.7 million travelers to visit provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region in 2023. The localities in the region organized seven farmtrips to connect 600 travel businesses of HCMC and other provinces and cities with tourism service providers.

Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc emphasized that HCMC, provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region continuously need to strengthen tourism cooperation, promote the strengths of each locality, and increase inadequate investment to develop tourism as well as advertise and develop specific local products and specialties to attract visitors.

HCMC will introduce the beauty and people of provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta to domestic and foreign tourists, contributing to the region’s tourism industry, he stressed.

The conference is part of the first-ever shrimp festival and One Commune, One Product (OCOP) connection forum which took place in Ca Mau Province on December 10-12.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the festival, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai suggested that Ca Mau and localities in the Mekong Delta focus on developing agricultural ecosystems, including ecological shrimp farming; building a green economy and circular economy in agriculture contributing to protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions; encouraging startup activities; promoting innovation and creativity; strengthening digital transformation in agriculture; and diversifying export markets.

HCMC to build another section of Beltway 2

HCMC will allocate VND4.54 trillion for construction of another section of the 64-km Eastern Beltway No. 2 as recently approved by the HCMC People’s Council.

The 2.5-km section runs from Vo Nguyen Giap to Pham Van Dong avenues and comes with two components.

Three other sections have yet to be built, namely Go Dua interchange-Pham Van Dong Avenue, Vo Nguyen Giap Avenue-Phu Huu bridge and National Highway 1A-Nguyen Van Linh Parkway.

For Vo Nguyen Giap-Pham Van Dong section, the construction phase worth VND2.6 trillion will be overseen by the Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority of HCMC. Meanwhile, site clearance, compensation and resettlement, which cost a combined VND1.96 trillion, will be undertaken by the Compensation and Site Clearance Board of Thu Duc City.

The project includes the construction of Rach Ngang bridge and an interchange at Pham Van Dong and Beltway No. 2.

According to the project schedule, works to be done include a feasibility study, site clearance, compensation, resettlement, design approval, and contractor selection.

Construction work is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2025, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2027.

To date, 50 kilometers of the 64-km HCMC Beltway No. 2 has been opened to traffic.

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