Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation left Hanoi on December 15 for Japan to attend the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and bilateral activities in the East Asian country.

The trip, taking place from December 15-18, is made at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Over the past five decades, the relations between ASEAN and Japan have developed comprehensively across politics, security, economy, trade, investment, culture, society and development cooperation.

Particularly, economic and investment cooperation between the two sides has been carried out through various mechanisms and frameworks, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP).

Last year, Japan was the fourth largest trade partner of ASEAN with two-way trade value of 268.5 billion USD. Meanwhile, it was ASEAN’s fourth largest source of foreign direct investment with inflows amounting to 26.7 billion USD.  

Amidst unprecedented headwinds across the globe, both sides, based on their sound relations, want to bolster cooperation and connectivity in response to the common challenges for development.

The Commemorative Summit is organised right after ASEAN and Japan set up their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, giving an opportunity for leaders of both sides to review their cooperation outcomes, and define orientations to develop the ties in the new stage, making it on par with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.

Vietnam is a proactive and responsible member in the ASEAN bloc, and in promoting the ASEAN-Japan relations, with one of the most outstanding contributions being its successful performance as the coordinator of the ASEAN-Japan relations during the 2018-2021 period.

The Vietnam-Japan relations have enjoyed strong and comprehensive development in all areas, with strong political trust and enhanced exchanges of delegations at all levels.

The two nations mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023. During President Vo Van Thuong’s visit to Japan in November, the nations upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world.

PM Pham Minh Chinh meets with Deputy President of South Africa

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Deputy President of South Africa Paul Mashatile, who is paying an official visit to Vietnam, in Hanoi on December 14.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to the traditional cooperation and friendship with South Africa, which it considers one of its leading partners in Africa.

Hailing the significance of his guest’s visit from December 12 to 15, he noted that South Africa is currently the largest trading partner of Vietnam in Africa, with bilateral trade averaging 1.2 billion USD per year. It has invested 620,000 USD in Vietnam, while Vietnamese investment in South Africa so far totals about 8.16 million USD.

The Government leader spoke highly of South Africa’s role at regional and international forums and asked it to serve as a bridge for cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the African Union as well as regional economic communities.

For its part, Vietnam is ready to assist South Africa to develop relations with ASEAN in an effective and substantive manner in the coming time, he added.

Deputy President Mashatile informed his host about some issues both sides reached high consensus on during his talks with Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan.

During the visit, officials of South African ministries and sectors also had working sessions with their Vietnamese counterparts to discuss concrete cooperation orientations, he said, noting that he also met some outstanding businesses of the two countries operating in electric vehicle, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, farm produce, construction material industries.

Both host and guest voiced their satisfaction at the strong progress in the countries’ relations. They agreed that basing on the results obtained during the last 30 years of diplomatic ties, Vietnam and South Africa will continue seeking new directions, methods, and impetuses to further bolster bilateral ties in the next 30 years.

Talking about economic and trade links, PM Chinh held that the two sides should continue perfecting legal corridors to create safety and trust to encourage their businesses to invest in the areas of shared interest. They also need to provide optimal conditions for their goods to enter each other’s markets, including negotiating and signing a cooperation deal on the mineral industry, which both countries have large potential for and is also important in the current period.

He also suggested cooperation be expanded in the fields of digital transformation, green growth, granting of scholarships for students, and granting of visas for the two countries’ citizens.

The two leaders also agreed to enhance the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and share experience in mobilising financial resources for the development of a renewable energy industry ecosystem and services, energy transmission and storage, efficient energy use, green energy transition, and greenhouse gas emission reduction in the transportation sector.

The Deputy President of South Africa expressed his delight at his successful visit, saying he hopes more mutual visits will be organised in the time ahead.

Conference on tapping overseas Vietnamese resources to take place late December

A conference to seek ways to tap resources of overseas Vietnamese (OV) and connect localities and businesses is scheduled to take place in the northern port city of Hai Phong from December 26 to 28, heard the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ regular press conference in Hanoi on December 14.

Accordingly, the conference is an opportunity to connect entrepreneurs, intellectuals, and experts of Vietnamese living abroad with Vietnamese agencies and localities. It serves as a forum to attract and leverage the contributions of the diaspora to the country's development, especially in the fields of economy, trade, investment, science and technology, and innovation. Hundreds of OVs from over 20 countries and territories have registered to participate, along with more than 20 localities throughout the country.

Highlighting the importance of the conference, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who is also head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, said that throughout history, the community has made significant contributions to their home country’s struggle for independence, current process of national construction and protection, and international integration.

The conference will focus on the three main topics of green investment, human resources development, and supply chain development. These are the areas and issues that Vietnam is in great need of, emphasised the diplomat.

Currently, there are about 6 million Vietnamese people living in more than 130 countries and territories across the globe.

Hang noted that the number of intellects, scientists, technicians, and high-quality human resources accounts for 10-12% of the Vietnamese population abroad, equivalent to about 600,000 people, with over 80% of them living in developed countries.

In the economic field, the OV business community has participated in global production, supply, and distribution chains, particularly in Europe and the US. They have invested around roughly 1.7 billion USD in more than 380 projects in 42 out of 63 Vietnamese provinces and cities.

Vietnam is one of the top ten countries in the world receiving the largest amount of remittances, which amounted to about 193 billion USD between 1993 and 2022.

Hang stated that the Vietnamese Party, State, and Government have many strategies, policies, and specific programmes for mobilising the OV resources. The focus of the work in this affair in 2024 and the following years is how to integrate them into life.

Vietnam, Canada vow to boost comprehensive partnership

Vietnam wishes to promote its comprehensive partnership with Canada in an effective and substantive manner, towards a higher level, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son told visiting Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison in Hanoi on December 14.

Son briefed the guest on remarkable achievements the two countries have recorded since they established diplomatic ties 50 years ago, noting regular contacts and good relations between their leaders have created a firm premise for the bilateral ties to grow further.

The minister suggested the two sides step up high-level delegation exchanges in 2024, boost multi-faceted cooperation, and optimise the existing dialogue mechanisms such as political consultation, the Vietnam-Canada joint economic committee, and defence policy dialogue, while expanding collaboration in health care, energy transition, and clean technology, along with cooperation between localities.

On this occasion, Son asked Morrison to convey his invitations to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly and Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development Mary Ng to visit Vietnam.

For his part, Morrison praised achievements Vietnam has gained in politics, foreign affairs, and socio-economic development over the past years, stressing Canada’s hope to deepen the comprehensive partnership with the Southeast Asian nation.

Mentioning Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, he said it shows the priority that the country gives to Asia-Pacific, in which Vietnam is considered a leading partner and a bridge between Canada and the region.

The official agreed with Son’s proposals and committed to further supporting Vietnam in different fields, including climate change, clean energy, peace-keeping operations, and agriculture.

Canada will continue its close coordination with Vietnam at regional and international forums like the United Nations (UN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), he said.

The same day, Morrison and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc co-chaired the third Vietnam-Canada deputy foreign ministerial-level political consultation.

The two sides reviewed developments of the bilateral ties across spheres, particularly politics, diplomacy, economy-trade, development cooperation, national defence-security, and education-training.

Ngoc noted with pleasure the impressive growth of the two-way trade that rose 16.5% last year to more than 7 billion USD, and called on Canada to increase its investments in the Southeast Asian nation.

The official used the occasion to thank the Canada government for providing official development assistance worth over 1.76 billion USD to Vietnam since 1990.

Morrison emphasised that Canada wants to diversify and expand its trade ties with Vietnam, particularly in agricultural export and collaboration with Vietnam within the CPTPP, he said, suggesting Vietnam work with Canada to promote the ASEAN-Canada strategic partnership.

The two sides consented to maintain all-level delegation exchanges, foster cooperation in economy, trade, investment, national defence-security, development cooperation, education-training, and health care.

They will also expand cooperation in such areas as climate change response, energy transition, and clean technology, cooperation between localities.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, and concurred to maintain their close coordination at regional and international forums.

Vietnam, Thailand in same group in 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup finals

An official draw held at the headquarters of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Malaysia on December 14 sent Vietnam into the same group with Thailand in the final round of the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has announced.

According to the draw, Vietnam will play Myanmar, China and Thailand in Group A.

Group B consists of Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Australia.

Kyrgyzstan have been drawn in Group C alongside strong rivals such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Tajikistan.

Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Afghanistan have been placed in Group D.

The tournament will be held from April 17 to April 28, 2024, in Thailand, with the four semi-finalists winning the right to compete in the global version of the tournament as the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup finals serve as the qualifying round of the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

The Vietnamese team have played in two Futsal World Cups before, in 2016 and 2020, reaching the knockout-stage in both tournaments. At the most recent Futsal World Cup, they ended their campaign in the round of 16.

Make in Vietnam Awards 2023 recognize 43 outstanding digital products

The Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Product Awards 2023 recognized 43 exceptional innovations during the announcement and award ceremony on December 11 in Halong City, located in the northern Quang Ninh Province.

The 2023 awards featured five categories: Digital Government, Digital Economy, Digital Society, Foreign Market, and Potential Products.

During the event, 50 digital solutions were recognized for their exceptional contributions, symbolizing technological products that have notably influenced the digital landscape and the operations of individuals and businesses.

This event was integrated into the 5th National Forum on Digital Business Development in Vietnam, centering around the theme "Applying Digital Innovation for Digital Economic Development - A Driving Force for Economic Growth and Labor Productivity."

Speaking at the forum, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said the forum provided an opportunity for digital businesses to demonstrate their leadership in innovation and technology, which are seen as key factors for development.

He added that businesses should seize this opportunity to bring about significant changes and create distinctive products for Vietnam. "The Vietnamese Government recognizes that digital science and technology are new resources to increase labor productivity and drive economic growth," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, who attended the event, stated that the forum provided an opportunity to review and evaluate the development of the Make in Vietnam movement and acknowledge exemplary achievements through the Make in Vietnam Awards.

There are more than 1,400 digital technology companies in Vietnam, with revenues approaching the $10 billion mark.

Management digitization for diplomas, certificates

Several universities and colleges have acknowledged uncovering a significant number of counterfeit university and college degrees, as well as fake certificates, in recent times.

 The police conduct searches and confiscate assets of organizations involved in forging documents and diplomas.
However, this issue is not widely disclosed, creating loopholes for individuals intentionally engaging in the buying and usage of fraudulent diplomas and certificates.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Duong, former Deputy Head of the Training Department at HCMC University of Economics, currently, there are many undergraduate degrees (regular training) from the university that have been forged. During his tenure, the university routinely responded to requests for degree verification, uncovering 5-7 cases of forgery each week. Despite the university's implementation of language proficiency standards, including international certificates and rigorous checks, there were still students acquiring counterfeit certificates for submission.

Many other universities, such as HCMC University of Agriculture and Forestry, Industrial University of HCMC, Can Tho University, and HCMC University of Science (Vietnam National University - HCMC), have also reported instances of forged degrees from their institutions and fake international language proficiency certificates.

Even at the intermediate level, the principal of a trade school in Cu Chi District (HCMC) has revealed that during the graduation assessment for students, the school's council has identified several cases of students using counterfeit high school diplomas and suspicious foreign language and IT certificates. The school has officially contacted the institutions that issued these certificates to verify their authenticity. The principal emphasized that if the degrees and certificates are confirmed to be fraudulent, the student's academic results will be nullified, and the cases will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for further action.

Recently, the police in Thu Duc City (HCMC) successfully disrupted a criminal operation specializing in forging citizens' identity cards, driver's licenses, university degrees, and certificates for inland waterway vehicle expertise. During the search of the suspects' residences, authorities seized nearly 300 types of suspected forged documents, including driver's licenses, master's degrees, and university degrees, along with various machines and equipment used in the counterfeit of fake diplomas and certificates.

Earlier, the Department of Cybersecurity and High-tech Crime Prevention, in collaboration with the police forces of Thanh Hoa Province and HCMC, also dismantled a network involved in the forgery and trade of counterfeit diplomas and documents. Upon inspection of three locations in HCMC, the police confiscated two computers, 20 mobile phones, 1,000 fake seals, 3,000 fake stamps, 6,000 fake diploma blanks, 1,100 printed fake diplomas, as well as numerous color printers, scanners, and plastic laminators used for the production of counterfeit diplomas and documents.

According to Assoc. Prof. - Dr. Bui Hoai Thang, Head of the Training Department at the HCMC University of Technology (Vietnam National University-HCMC), the process of verifying degrees and certificates is currently conducted swiftly and efficiently in response to requests from authorized agencies, following proper procedures. Typically, the university responds within 1-3 working days. Current regulations also require institutions to publicly disclose the list of awarded degrees for convenient verification while ensuring the security of personal data. "We need to raise social awareness and rigorously address cases involving the use of counterfeit documents, including fake diplomas. When verification is required, units should employ legitimate methods to enhance legal compliance and seriousness. In cases of detecting fake degrees, units must notify relevant parties and report to authorized agencies for legal processing," said Assoc. Prof. - Dr. Bui Hoai Thang.

The utilization of modern technology in the issuance and backup processes of diplomas is a crucial measure in preventing the use of counterfeit credentials. In recent years, there has been a strong push towards digitalization to enhance the efficiency of diploma management and verification, significantly contributing to the fight against the use of fake credentials. This effort is gradually further improved with the incorporation of new technological techniques, making diploma verification faster and more convenient.

Dr. Thai Doan Thanh, Vice Rector of HCMC University of Industry and Trade, said that universities are adhering to Circular No.21/2019/TT-BGDDT, which provides regulations for managing junior high school diplomas, high school diplomas, certificates for pedagogical intermediate education, certificates for pedagogical college education, university education diplomas, and certificates within the national education system. The verification and response regarding diplomas and certificates are among the responsibilities of educational institutions. To streamline the verification process, two synchronized solutions must be implemented. Firstly, all diploma and certificate data must be integrated into the management software system to enable educational institutions to respond promptly to verification requests. Secondly, diploma data should be publicly accessible on the educational institution's information portal, making it easy for individuals and organizations to conduct verification.

Yacht carrying eight foreigners illegally enters Phu Quoc

The local authority in coordination with functional agencies yesterday arrested eight foreigners to investigate and clarify for illegally entering Phu Quoc Island City of Kien Giang Province.

Previously, at noon on December 12, a working team at Duong Dong Port Border Gate’s border station detected and performed an inspection for a yacht entering Phu Quoc with many suspicious signs.

During the inspection, eight foreigners were found on the yacht. All of them did not show any legal immigration documents.

Duong Dong Port Border Gate’s border station reported that eight people illegally entered Phu Quoc, comprising four Chinese and four Cambodians.

Currently, the case is under further investigation.

New refunding policy to patients with health insurance may see complication

The Health Ministry has developed a draft Circular about medical payment for patients with health insurance, including the proposal to refund those buying medical supplies outside when a hospital cannot provide them.

Head Tran Thi Trang of the Health Insurance Department under the Health Ministry shared that the draft Circular stipulates a refund to patients with health insurance when they have to buy medicine and medical supplies outside as a results of a long-term shortage of such supplies in hospitals nationwide.

Accordingly, the Health Insurance Fund directly pays back the money that patients with health insurance use to obtain medicine and medical supplies outside when a hospital cannot provide them as long as the following conditions are satisfied:

The prescribed medicine and medical supplies for health insurance participants are within their rights;
At the time of prescription, the related medicine and medical supplies are not available at the concerned medical institute;
There is no medicine containing the active ingredients prescribed by the doctor.

For a refund from the Health Insurance Fund, patients need to display both the valid prescription and medicine or medical supply invoice to a social insurance office. The refunded amount is the same as the cost printed on the valid invoice issued by a medical supplier and within the limit of benefit of that insured patient.

Feedback from the community on this draft Circular shows much complication when implementing.

Pham Cong Tinh from Binh Duong Province shared that when his mother was hospitalized at Binh Duong Province General Hospital, he was continuously asked to self-prepare medical supplies such as gloves, medicine, needles, syringes, infusion tubes, and even antiseptic alcohol before his mother could receive medical care. Feeling frustrated and annoyed, he transferred his mother to University Medical Center – HCMC for serviced treatment.

He commented that the feasibility of the regulation above is not too high because many pharmacies sell medicine without a valid invoice, not to mention the medicine quality.

Agreeing with that, Nguyen Xuan Hoa from Nho Quan District of Ninh Binh Province shared that instead of stipulating that the Health Insurance Fund pay for medicine and medical supplies bought outside, it is wiser to allow hospitals to obtain those medicine and medical supplies to distribute to patients in need just like pharmacies. Then many complicated procedures can be eliminated.

The State should introduce a suitable mechanism for hospitals to flexibly and conveniently purchase medical supplies to answer the needs of their own patients while the bidding for large quantities of medical supplies is still in progress.

HCMC hosts global stem cell conference

The southern metropolis has brought together international experts to discuss the potential of stem cell research at a recent scientific conference.

Researchers and medical professionals from Vietnam, Italy, South Korea, and Singapore converged on December 8 to examine the latest breakthroughs in stem cell applications and technologies at the 12th Scientific Conference, held by the Stem Cell Association of HCMC.

Among the international participants were Dr. Karen Kieu Nguyen, a specialist in stem cell research and application from Aldo Moro University in Italy, Dr. Ciro Gargiulo and Dr. Maurizio Serafini.

At the conference, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Cong Toai, chairman of the Stem Cell Association of HCMC, highlighted the challenges and opportunities posed by gene and stem cell applications. He said these advancements contribute significantly to scientific and technological progress, from addressing genetic disorders to the regeneration of bodily tissues.

Dr. Ciro Gargiulo from the Pre-Hospital Department at St. Giuseppe Moscati Hospital in Taranto, Italy, emphasized the pivotal role of stem cells in the development, regeneration, and repair of tissues.

Stem cells, with their ability to self-renew and differentiate into mature cells, play a crucial role throughout an organism’s lifespan. While their role in protecting hosts from viruses is still under research, recent studies have shifted towards utilizing stem cells in immune therapy, particularly in expanding their potential to regenerate specific bodily functions. This strategic shift allows researchers to move beyond conventional research protocols and restore targeted activities within the body, according to Gargiulo.

Recent stem cell breakthroughs demonstrated at the conference highlight promising applications in regenerative medicine, gene transfer, protein recombination, and pharmaceuticals. These advancements, uncovered in recent research, offer significant potential for the field of biomedical tissue regeneration, genetic modification in animals, protein recombination in humans, and the development of human biological organs, as well as pharmaceuticals.

NASC approves to establish two towns of Viet Yen, Hau Hien

All members of the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed on Wednesday morning to establish Việt Yên Town in the northern province of Bắc Giang and Hậu Hiền Town in Thiệu Hóa District in the northern province of Thanh Hóa.

Presenting the Government's Report at the 28th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Wednesday morning, Minister of Home Affairs Phạm Thị Thanh Trà said Bắc Giang Province proposed to establish Việt Yên Town on the basis of the current area and population size of Việt Yên District.

Under the establishment of the town, nine wards would be set up based on the current area and population size of two areas of Bích Động and Nếnh, and seven communes of Tăng Tiến, Hồng Thái, Quảng Minh, Ninh Sơn, Vân Trung, Quang Châu and Tự Lạn.

Trà said that Việt Yên district was located at the southwest gateway of Bắc Giang province with vital traffic routes passing through. It was believed to be convenient for socio-economic development. Under the plans approved by competent authorities, the district was planned to become a town in 2021-30.

Additionally, Bắc Giang Province and Việt Yên District had prepared resources to invest in socio-economic development in the district while the district’s urban appearance was increasingly being upgraded.

As a result, the Ministry of Construction issued Decision No. 1286/QĐ-BXD on November 29, 2021, recognising the district meeting Class-IV urban standards.

In Việt Nam, urban areas are classified into six categories. The categories consist of special cities of Hà Nội and HCM City; and Class I (with a population over 1 million), Class II (population over 200,000), Class III (population over 100,000 city), Class IV (population over 50,000) and Class V (population over 4,000).

She also added that Thanh Hóa Province proposed to combine Thiệu Phú Commune and Thiệu Hóa Town to establish Hậu Hiền Town with the total population of over 21,000.

Thiệu Hóa Town is the centre of Thiệu Hóa District. The town is located between four dynamic economic regions of the province. Thiệu Hóa Town and Thiệu Phú Commune were assessed to meet Class-V urban standards by the provincial People's Committee.

Therefore, it was imperative to set up Hậu Hiền Town to meet the requirements of expanding urban space, economic management, construction management, architecture, population management, ensuring security and order in the locality, she said.

Speaking at the session, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Legal Affairs Hoàng Thanh Tùng, who is the representative of the verification agency for the Government's Report, said that the committee applauded the need to establish the two towns.

Tùng said the two resolutions to establish the two towns, which were approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee, were proposed to take effect in February 2024 so that agencies, organisations and localities could promptly change their seals and other necessary conditions for the operation of the newly established administrative units.

Ngoc Hang unveils evening gowns for Miss Intercontinental 2023 finale

Her stunning dress, designed by Pham Sy Toan and Huynh Bao Toan, has been named Goddess wings.

The designers said that the outfit draws inspiration from the beauty of Egyptian queens, which is also closely associated with the culture of the host country.

The dress weighs about 20kg and is made of mesh fabrics and studded with a variety of different types of gems.

The Vietnamese beauty earlier revealed that she would don “Cà Kheo " or “Stilts” designed by Bui The Bao during the national costume competition.

Born in 2003 in Ho Chi Minh City, Hang is currently studying International Business at Western Sydney University in Australia. She is fluent in English and can also communicate comfortably in both Japanese and Korean.

Hang has achieved various awards in karate, such as a black belt second dan at a national level and a bronze medal in the National Phu Dong Health Association Athletics Tournament. In addition, she has actively engaged in humanitarian campaigns, especially for the poor and elderly.

The final night of Miss Intercontinental 2023, one of the largest and oldest beauty pageants in the world, is scheduled to take place on December 15 in Sharm EI Sheikh, Egypt.

Implementation of global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration reviewed

Chief of Mission of the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) in Vietnam Park Mi-hyung has applauded the country’s efforts in implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), saying that the Vietnamese Government has taken proactive steps towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Addressing a conference to review the implementation of the GCM in Hanoi on December 13, the official underlined that the dialogue and comprehensive cooperation on international migration has become more urgent and important than ever in the context of the increasing number of international migrants and the complicated situation of human trafficking in the world.

She expressed her hope that priority issues will be identified to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of the agreement in the coming time.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet highlighted the significance of the event, affirming that international migration is always an inseparable part of the global economic, political and social life and is rapidly increasing in the number.

Viet praised endeavours made by ministries, agencies, and localities in implementing the agreement, saying that they achieved numerous positive outcomes.

He proposed discussing measures to further increase legal and safe migration channels for people; prevent illegal migration and human trafficking; safeguard migrants against unsafe migration traps; minimise vulnerability and protect rights and legitimate interests of migrants in the context of the alarming trend of online fraud.

The conference focused on reviewing the implementation of the GCM, discussing solutions to address the rise of online fraud and cross-border human trafficking in recent times.

Participants also mentioned some matters that Vietnam should pay attention to in the coming time, including establishing a national database on migration, improving the ability of those working on international migration, and setting up support channels for Vietnamese workers abroad.

According to the UN’s forecast, the number of migrants could rise to 405 million by 2050, accounting for 7% of the global population.

With the adoption of the GCM in December 2018, countries have collectively recognised that migration is a source of prosperity, innovation, and sustainable development in a globalised world.

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