A remake of the renowned Vietnamese classical opera play ‘Son Hau’ has been performed in a public space of an old terraced building in Van Chuong alley in downtown Hanoi. The play has enthralled both senior residents and youngsters as it is a cool combination of the traditional art form and contemporary art.

No fancy stage is set up. Actors perform an excerpt in the renowned Vietnamese classical opera play ‘Son Hau’ in the middle of a public playground. Here, the mossy wall becomes the backdrop while slide and stairs make a perfect setting for the play.

The minimalist setting coupled with professional performance of artists has dazzled local audience. For elders, the show is a nostalgia trip taking them to their good old days.

Meanwhile for the young, it overwhelms them with strong emotions as this is the first time they have attended a show combining their favourite hiphop music and classical Vietnamese opera, which seems strange to millennia and Z-generation.

‘Son Hau’ is a renowned play representing Vietnamese classical opera. By selecting it to perform, artists expect to bring the traditional art form closer to younger generations.

Given many age-old art forms have now been on the brink of oblivion, such programmes as this one is expected to indulge young audience’s interest in them, contributing to preserving traditional values./.

Five imported COVID-19 cases reported on December 14

Five new cases of COVID-19 were detected in the past 24 hours, all of them Vietnamese returning from abroad, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced on December 14 evening.

The new patients, comprising two from Angola, two from Indonesia and one from Saudi Arabia, were quarantined right upon their arrival in northern Thai Binh and Ninh Binh provinces, and the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.

With the new cases, the national tally now stands at 1,402, of which 693 are locally transmitted.

Among the COVID-19 cases in Vietnam, 1,246 have recovered while the fatalities remain at 35.

As for those still under treatment, four have tested negative once for SARS-CoV-2, five twice and 11 thrice.

A total of 19,992 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined nationwide, with 209 at hospitals, 15,593 at concentrated facilities, and 4,190 either at home or accommodations./.

More than 2,200 Vietnamese nationals brought home over last week

A total number of 2,220 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from the U.S., Singapore, UAE, India, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Angola and Myanmar from December 6-13, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The passengers included children under 18 years old, the elderly, the sick, stranded tourists, students who completed their courses and could not have their visas extended, businessmen, intellectuals and other disadvantaged cases.

Precautious measures were implemented during these flights to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

Right after landing at local airports, all the passengers received check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine sites in line with current regulations on COVID-19 responses.

So far, Viet Nam has arranged 224 "rescue" flights to repatriate 61,552 citizens stranded abroad due to COVID-19.

The repatriation of Vietnamese citizens in disadvantaged circumstances abroad will continue to be conducted in line with their wishes, the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, and quarantine capacity in Viet Nam.

Regarding COVID-19 vaccine research and development, Viet Nam started recruiting volunteers for the first phase of human trials in Ha Noi on December 10.

The vaccine is developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology company, one of four local vaccine producers.

The volunteers will be injected with the first dose of the vaccine on December 17 and the second dose 28 days later, according to the health ministry.

As of December 13, Viet Nam confirmed 1,397 COVID-19 infection cases, including 1,241 recoveries and 35 fatalities.

The country has gone 12 days without recording new community infection case./.

Weekly COVID-19 update: VN confirms 31 new cases, 21 recoveries

Viet Nam confirmed 31 imported cases of Covid1-9 last week, bringing the patient tally to 1,397.

The latest cases include Turkish national and three Belarusian citizens. The rest are Vietnamese, of whom 12 were brought home from Russia, four from Japan, five from UAE, two from the RoK, two from Saudi Arabia, two from Ukraine. 

Over the past week, 21 patients were declared free of the virus, raising the total number of recoveries to 1,241. The number of death related to the disease remained at 35 while none of the current patients is in critical health condition.

As many as 19,992 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entered Viet Nam from pandemic-hit regions are currently quarantined nationwide, including 209 in hospitals, 15,593 in concentrated quarantine establishments and the remainders at their residences.

The country began recruiting volunteers for the first phase of the human trials of Nanocovax, a made-in-Viet Nam COVID-19 vaccine from December 10. The clinical trials will start from December 17.

The vaccine is developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology company, one of four local vaccine producers./.

Two male twelfth graders suspended for two-week study as punishment

Giong Ong To High School in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2 (Photo: SGGP)

Giong Ong To High School in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2 has decided to suspend for two weeks two male twelfth graders who were discovered installing a hidden phone for secretly filming at the school’s female restroom in November. 

Moreover, their ethic ranking will be weak for the first semester of the academic 2020-2021.

Before, the school discipline council decided to suspend for a year the two guys; however, long time study suspension will indirectly affect their studies; therefore, the school council reduced to two weeks.

In break time in the morning of November 30, a group of female schoolgirls discovered a camera in the toilet while putting off their clothes. They deleted the clip and put it back to detect who placed the camera.

Later, they discovered the two male friends secretly taking the camera. Clips were given to police then.

Nearly 2,000 people join blood donation drive in Thanh Hoa

Nearly 2,000 officials, cadres, youths and public security officers joined the annual 13th Red Sunday – a voluntary blood donation drive, in the central province of Thanh Hoa on December 13.

The activity was jointly held by the National Traffic Safety Committee, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion and Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper in cities and provinces nationwide.

In the near future, the provincial Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) will urge officials, youth union members and students to spread the effort and play a vanguard role in blood donation movements.

On the occasion, the provincial HCYU presented certificates of merit to nine individuals and seven collectives in honour of their contributions to the voluntary blood donation movement./.

Quang Tri children voice opinions at forum with NA deputies

Nearly 100 children representing more than 100,000 children in the central province of Quang Tri attended a forum with National Assembly deputies in the locality on December 13.

The forum aimed to enhance the quality of activities to care for, protect and educate children, and the exercise of children’s fundamental rights in accordance with the Children Law.

At the event, the children raised questions related to their rights and obligations as well as measures to protect them from sexual abuse and school violence.

They also suggested the adjustments of curriculum and teaching methods to reduce schooling pressure on children, as well as support in building pools and swimming teaching to reduce drowning among children, along with the control of the publications harming children on the Internet. It is necessary to set up venues for children from ethnic minority groups to learn special subjects, they said.

Representatives from the provincial NA deputy delegation and People’s Council as well as leaders of departments and agencies answered questions of the children, highlighting the principle that the rights of children must be respected and observed. Children should receive due protection and care to ensure their comprehensive development as stated in the Children Law, they said.

Head of the province’s NA deputy delegation of Quang Tri Hoang Duc Thang pledged that in the time to come, NA deputies, the People’s Council and administrations at all levels will give greater attention to the protection, care and education of children, while maintaining and expanding the forum to listen to children’s voice and aspirations.

They will also work harder in dealing with requests of agencies and organisations related to children, he said.

On the occasion, the organisation board presented 20 bicycles to poor students with outstanding academic performance./

Tra Vinh spends billions of dong on improving minority groups’ life

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh spent over 413 billion VND (17.8 million USD) from the central and local budgets for implementing policies for local ethnic minority groups in the 2016-2020 period, creating remarkable improvements in the living conditions for local Khmer communities.

TraVinh is home to over 300,000 Khmer people, or more than 31.5 percent of the province’s population.

It is expected that by the end of 2020, the poverty rate among Khmer households will be brought down to 3.92 percent, a decrease of 20.73 percent compared to 2015.

As part of the Government’s Programme 135, over 250 billion VND was spent on building infrastructure works, promoting production activities, diversifying livelihoods and replicating models for poverty reduction, building capacity for communities and officials in special communes and hamlets.

In 2016-2017, over 20 billion VND were disbursed to build small water supply projects, benefiting over 15,000 poor and Khmer households.

Meanwhile, under a special policy on socio-economic development support for ethnic minority areas under Decision 2085/QD-TTg, the province spent over 49 billion VND on creating jobs, providing loans and land for housing, and implementing clean water projects in Khmer communities.

Particularly, a non-refundable grant of nearly 30 billion VND sourced from the Irish Government was invested in constructing 34 rural infrastructure works.

The provincial authorities also provided support for Khmer pagodas in building crematoriums, and granted publications to local prestigious people.

By the end of 2019, Tra Vinh has only 9,214 poor households, including 5,395 Khmer families./.

Indonesia sets goal to vaccinate 75 million people against COVID-19

Indonesia’s Ministry of State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) is targeting to supply non-subsidised vaccines to 75 million people within the next eight or nine months, said BUMN Minister and Chief Executive of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) Erick Thohir.

The Health Ministry said medical workers will be the first group to be vaccinated. Around 32 million people will be entitled to subsidized vaccines.

The ministry will also establish cooperation with private hospitals and clinics to implement the vaccination programme for those willing to pay for the vaccines.

The BUMN minister revealed that Indonesia will wait for another 1.8 million doses of the vaccine in the next stage of vaccine shipment in January 2021, and an additional 15 million of raw materials to be utilised to produce vaccines by Bio Farma, also in January 2021.

The Indonesian government has spent nearly 45 million USD on purchasing vaccines from China this year.

In the first phase, 1.2 million doses of vaccine arrived in Indonesia and would be used in early 2021. The next phase will see 1.8 million doses delivered in January 2021.

Over 9.6 million rural workers provided with vocational training

More than 9.6 million rural workers have been supported to join vocational training courses over the past decade, as part of a project under the Prime Minister’s Decision 1956/QD-TTg issued in November 2009.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, of the total trained workers, 65 percent chose non-agricultural occupations, while 35 percent learned to conduct more professional agricultural production techniques.

After the courses, more than 80 percent of them secured new jobs or earned better incomes from farming.

In the 2021 – 2025 period, the ministry proposed localities and vocational training establishments to carry out training courses in line with new-style rural building and digital transformation progress.

Priorities should be given to rural workers who lost their jobs due to natural disasters or diseases and to those with disabilities, it said./.

Front leader pays X-mas visits to Nghe An, Thai Binh provinces

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man paid a pre-Christmas visit to the Vinh Diocese in the central province of Nghe An on December 13.

Speaking at the meeting with local Catholic dignitaries and followers, Man attributed the country’s socio-economic achievements to efforts of the Vietnamese Catholic community and Catholic followers of the Vinh Diocese in particular.

He hailed them for actively joining national patriotic emulation movements, especially towards fulfilling the dual goal of fighting COVID-19 and developing the economy.

The front leader wished that the Catholics of the Vinh Diocese would continue working closely with religions to protect the environment and respond to climate change, and carry out practical activities to contribute to the success of the upcoming 13th National Party Congress.

They were asked to continue responding to campaigns launched by the VFF Central Committee, further uphold the tradition of patriotism and solidarity, and build the great national unity bloc.

Bishop Alphonse Nguyen Huu Long of the Vinh Diocese vowed to continue urging Catholics to join campaigns launched by the VFF Central Committee.

Man also visited and congratulated the provincial Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics on the occasion.

A day earlier, the front leader visited the An Lac Parish, the Diocese of Thai Binh, in the northern province of Thai Binh.

He expressed his belief that Bishop Nguyen Van De will continue calling on local Catholics to follow the Party's policies and the State's laws.

At the event, Man also presented gifts to disabled children who are being raised at the An Lac Parish./.

Conservation significant to fisheries resources development: official

Conservation is key to sustainable development of fisheries resources, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Phung Duc Tien has said.

So far, the target of making detailed planning for 16 marine reserves in 2020 has been completed, but only 12 of them have been formed and operated, or 75 percent, the deputy minister said at a recent conference in Hanoi to review the pogramme to protect and develop fisheries resources and the planning of Vietnam marine reserves to 2020.

He noted that a number of effective operating marine reserves such as Cu Lao Cham in the central province of Quang Nam have produced good ecological effectiveness as well as tourism values.

He held that in order to recover and develop fisheries resources in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to reduce total annual seafood catch from 3.9 million tonnes at present to 2.8 million tonnes.

The fisheries sector should restructure exploitation activities with specific regulations on catch quota, numbers of fishing vessels and fishing forms.

Le Tran Nguyen Hung, deputy head of the Department of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development under the Directorate of Fisheries said that as of September 2020, the total area of water and islands designated as marine reserves reached 213,400 hectares, below the set target of 270,271 ha.

He pointed to problems such as the shortage of human resources and equipment serving the restoration and preservation of sea, while violations of regulations on exploitation and protection of aquatic resources are increasing.

In the 2012-2019 period, more than 43,700 violations in the field were detected with fire of over 134 billion VND.

He added that forms of fishing that badly affect marine resources have reduced, and the fleet of large capacity fishing vessels has expanded thanks to the State’s supportive policy./.

Workshop discusses future of Vietnamese labour market

Experts discussed the future of the Vietnamese labour market at an online workshop hosted by Nhan Dan (The People) newspaper last week.

It aimed to collect feedback from experts on two draft projects of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) on supporting the development of the labour market until 2030 and improving labour supply-demand forecasting capacity.

Vu Trong Binh, head of MOLISA’s Department of Employment said over the past 10 years, Vietnam's labour market has grown strongly. Markets in the southeastern region and Red River Delta in the north have connected with international labour markets.

“Specialised labour markets such as the Mekong River Delta and the Central Highlands have strongly linked to global value chains, especially in agriculture and fishery sectors. In mountainous areas, we must have our own market. The two projects must address those fundamental points,” he said.

Dr Bui Sy Loi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee of Social Affairs, said one of the biggest changes of the labour market was labour movement from informal sectors to formal sectors.

Among 56 million labourers in Vietnam now, only 20 million are in the formal sector. Those employees have more stable jobs, higher incomes and are better protected with health insurance and social security schemes, according to Loi.

The labour movement from informal to formal sectors is a market principle, and there must be long-term solutions for this process.

Dr Ngo Quynh An, Deputy Head of the Economic and Human Resource Management Faculty of the National Economics University, recommended improving the quality of informal sectors so employees are encouraged to move to formal sectors.

She noted that moving out of the agricultural sector did not mean moving out of rural areas. If rural labourers move to urban areas, there will be more employees working in informal sectors in the cities.

Dr Bui Sy Loi warned that Vietnam would be stuck in the low-middle income trap if the country cannot improve labour productivity.

The Government and the MOLISA had made huge progress in connecting the labour market but we should not be complacent with the achievements as the market kept changing, he said./.

Tra Vinh households plant forests to prevent coastal erosion, earn money

Households in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Trà Vinh have been planting protective forests in coastal areas to prevent erosion and earn a living for a number of years.

Nguyễn Vũ Phương, head of the province’s Forest Protection Sub-department, said the coastal districts of Cầu Ngang, Châu Thành and Duyên Hải and Duyên Hải Town had planted 625ha of new protective forests since 2015.

The province now has more than 9,200ha of protective forests, mostly mangrove forests in coastal areas. The forests help prevent strong winds and waves, protect coastal areas from erosion, and provide livelihoods for local households.

Of the 9,200ha, about 4,000ha mangrove forests are planted by households who breed black tiger shrimp under extensive farming methods and other aquatic species in forests. The shrimp – forest farming model is sustainable and protects the environment.

According to Trần Thanh Nhàn, deputy director of the Trà Vinh Protective Forest Management Board,  households planting mangrove forests spend less investment capital and reduce the risks associated with shrimp cultivation caused by weather, environment and disease.

The shrimp – forest farming model suits households that do not have enough money to invest in intensive and super intensive shrimp breeding methods. 

The model produces biological shrimp, which are preferred by consumers at home and abroad.

The price of shrimp bred under the model is 15 – 20 per cent higher than shrimp farmed under intensive and super-intensive shrimp breeding methods.

Huỳnh Văn Phong has a 4ha area in Duyên Hải Town’s Hiệp Thạnh Commune where he breeds about 50,000 black tiger shrimp and 6,000 mud crabs in the forest area a year. He only buys shrimp and mud crab fry, and does not need to buy food because they eat the natural food in the mangrove forest.

He earns an average income of VNĐ200million (US$8,600) a year from breeding shrimp and mud crabs.

Phong also breeds other aquatic species like mud clams and blood cockles in the mangrove forest, earning dozens of millions of đồng a year.

Phương, head of the province’s Forest Protection Sub-department, said the province allocated 5,127ha of protective forests to 4,241 households and five organisations.

“The allocation of forests for households has enhanced awareness about forest protection in the community and reduced violations of forest protection regulations,” he said.

Besides offering financial support for protecting forests, the province has provided funds to forest-protection households to breed aquatic species in mangrove forests.

The breeding of aquatic species offers an income of VNĐ40 - 50 million ($1,700 – 2,150) per hectare a year, according to forest – protection households.

Tra Vinh has a coastline of 65 kilometres. 

Mekong Delta expected to become energy hub, to supply other regions 

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta is expected to become an energy export hub in 2021-30 under a plan drawn up by the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The region receives an average of 2,200-2,500 hours of sunshine per year, with average solar radiation energy of 4.3 - 4.9kWh per metre square per day. Thus, every square metre of solar panels can generate 5kWh of electricity daily.

It gets strong enough sunlight to be collected by solar panels 90 per cent of the year.

It is expected to provide clean energy for the whole country in the not-distant future.

In addition, the area has a coastline of 700km, which can help generate wind energy of 1,200 - 1,500 MW.

Bạc Liêu is the leading province in wind power, and has two plants connected to the grid.

Wind and solar plants already almost fully covered its 56km coastline. Another nine wind power plants are being built and are expected to be completed by the end of next year.

The province is soliciting investment in 40 other wind power projects.

Sóc Trăng Province has 20 wind power plants in the pipeline. Eight of them are expected to go on stream in October next year, and the rest in 2022 and 2023.

Trà Vinh Province has called for investment in wind and solar power plants.

Lê Anh Tuấn, deputy director of the Research Institute for Climate Change at Cần Thơ University, told Người Lao Động (Labour) newspaper that the power sector was focusing on renewable energy and would not build more coal-fired plants.

The delta would supply power to south-eastern provinces in future, he added. 

Exhibition to showcase photos and films of ASEAN Community

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Hoàng Vĩnh Bảo, visited the exhibition on photos and reportage - documentary films in the ASEAN community that was held in Lâm Đồng Province in October. The exhibition will be held in Bình Phước Province from December 15-17. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Information and Communications

 

 

Photos and documentary films on the countries, people, environmental protection and climate change in ASEAN community will be on display at an exhibition at the Cultural Centre of the southern province of Bình Phước from December 15-17.

The exhibition is held by the Ministry of Information and Communications in co-ordination with the People's Committee of Bình Phước Province, as part of the Government’s Programme of Action to promote ASEAN and celebration of the establishment of the ASEAN Community and benefits brought by the ASEAN Community.

It features about 300 photos and nearly 60 films by ASEAN artists, most of which were admitted to the finals or even awarded in the Festival of Photos - Reportages and Documentary Films organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications in recent years.

To celebrate the year that Việt Nam's work as Chair of ASEAN 2020, the organising committee introduces to viewers a new theme 'ASEAN in our hearts'. This theme is composed of excellent photographs that 10 countries in the ASEAN Community have selected. 

According to the organising committee, the exhibits show not only high quality but also variable information about ASEAN, giving visitors a closer, authentic view of the customs, social life, and problems in the area.

It will help people in the region understand better and join hands to build an ASEAN Community of solidarity, friendship, co-operation, and development.

After the exhibition, all the photos and films will be awarded to the People's Committee of Bình Phước Province by the Ministry of Information and Communications to keep promoting the ASEAN Community. 

Project launched to promote innovative therapies for breast cancer patients

The Vietnam Medical Association and Roche Vietnam signed a strategic partnership early this week to implement a project that aims to provide high-risk breast cancer patients with improved access to innovative therapies in the 2020–2025 period, the first specialized and comprehensive project for breast cancer patients, deployed in key hospitals nationwide with several crucial healthcare stakeholders joining hands.

The project includes various activities from raising awareness and increasing early diagnosis to enhancing treatment capability as well as building a database, which can tackle key challenges in managing and treating breast cancer.

In Vietnam, the number of new breast cancer cases is over 15,000, with mortalities amounting to some 6,000 each year. It is estimated that by 2030, new breast cancer cases in Vietnam will reach more than 20,000, in an upward trend.

According to the “Cancer Preparedness in the Asia Pacific Region 2020” report by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by Roche, cancer is the second leading cause of death in Vietnam and the country is still under-equipped to prepare for the surge in cancer cases.

“Roche is committed to working with Vietnam to address healthcare challenges through a variety of activities. Collaborating and supporting the Vietnam Medical Association in this impactful breast cancer project is one of the actions to demonstrate that commitment,” said Girish Mulye, chief representative of Roche Vietnam.

“The project will bring tangible benefits for breast cancer patients in Vietnam by enhancing the healthcare system and capability. The preparedness for breast cancer in particular and the healthcare system in general would be enhanced when many stakeholders share the same vision and join hands together.”

The efficient treatment of cancer in general and breast cancer in particular has increased thanks to the advancement of medical innovations such as diagnosis techniques, innovative biotech treatments, early screenings and increased access to better treatment.

In order to increase the survival rate of breast cancer patients, it is necessary to provide high-risk breast cancer patients with a synchronized and multi-disciplinary effort, from breast cancer screening awareness programs to precise diagnosis, effective treatment and financial support for the patients.

“This is the first project in Vietnam dedicated to breast cancer with an unprecedented scale and a number of partners, all in the hope of helping cancer patients. More healthcare professionals can receive training to improve their capabilities of treating cancer. The workload will be reduced for each doctor, while the quality of treatment will be improved,” said Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, president of the Vietnam Medical Association.

American War munitions found in Dak Lak coffee garden

The shells found in Dak Lak Province.

 

Up to 180 shells have been detected at a coffee plantation in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.   

The shells were found at the coffee garden owned by Y Nar Ntor’s family in Krong No Commune, Lak District. Each shell is 105 mm long.

After being informed, local authorities quickly came to the site to look at the shells. They have also expanded the search for possible remaining shells in neighbouring areas.

The coffee garden of Y Nar Ntor’s family was part of a military airport during the American war.

Vietnam continues to support Myanmar in COVID-19 fight

Vietnamese Ambassador to Myanmar Ly Quoc Tuan presented a haul of 35,000 face masks as a gift to Myanmar on December 12 with a view to helping the people of Mandalay combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Upon receiving the donation, U Zaw Lin, a representative of Mandalay region, expressed his sincere thanks to the Vietnamese Government and people for their meaningful and timely assistance.

Lin went on to state that his side greatly appreciated the country’s valuable sentiments and assistance towards Myanmar which have largely contributed to developing friendship and co-operation ties between the two countries in recent years.

Most notably, the latest donation marks the fourth batch of medical supplies that the nation has presented to Myanmar in an effort to help them overcome some of the current challenges they face.

Previously, the country had handed over a total of US$93,000 and 160,000 face masks, packs of hand sanitiser,  and medical equipment, to Myanmar.

Furthermore, Vietnamese enterprises operating in Myanmar have donated approximately US$26,000 and 10,000 face masks to local people in a joint efforts to combat the pandemic.

Thai Binh inaugurates monument highlighting Unlce Ho’s sentiment to farmers

A ceremony was held at Thai Binh Square in the northern province of the same name on December 12 to inaugurate the monument titled “Uncle Ho with farmers”.

The event was attended by Politburo members: Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Permanent Member of the Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong, among others.

The temple in worship of President Ho Chi Minh and the monument highlighting Uncle Ho’s sentiment to farmers are located in the architectural complex of Thai Binh Square in Hoang Dieu ward (Thai Binh City).

Construction of the temple began in August 2014; meanwhile, the construction of the monument began in October 2018.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasised that Thai Binh was honoured to have welcomed President Ho Chi Minh five times. His visits raised the strength of the province’s revolutionary movements.

The construction of the monument “Uncle Ho with farmers” met the aspirations of officials, Party members and people from all strata in Thai Binh, he added.

The PM noted that the project expressed Uncle Ho’s sentimentto Thai Binh’s people as well as the gratitude and respect of the local Party, authorities and people towards beloved leader.

The Government leader asked all people, especially farmers, to make more efforts to contribute to building the country more prosperous and powerful.

He also stressed that it is crucial to change thinking about the role and position of farmers in society; meanwhile farmers should apply modern production models to productivity and income in a sustainable manner.

The inauguration ceremony ended with a special art programme featuring Thai Binh’s contributions to the country’s revolutionary cause in the past as well as the beauty and potential for its development.

Hoi An to bustle with New Year’s activities

A Bai Choi singing performance in Hoi An

The ancient city of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province is ready to welcome visitors again with an interesting programme to celebrate New Year 2021.

The city’s authorities are hosting a photo and video making contest entitled “Hoi An - where I love’ to encourage residents and visitors to share their sentiments and lovely moments in the beautiful city. The contest will receive submissions from December 2020 until February 2021.

Also, during this period, a stage programme honouring the art of 'Bai Choi' singing - a popular folklore singing in the central and south-central regions of Vietnam - will be held in the city’s centre every Saturday evening to mark the 3rd anniversary of the artform’s addition to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2017.

Under the New Year programme, Nguyen Phuc Chu street will be filled with booths introducing Hoi An’s superb cuisine and local staples.

The highlight of the programme is a gala night entitled ‘Hoi An greets New Year 2021’, which is scheduled at 8 pm on December 31 at An Hoi Sculpture Garden to entertain participants with many entertainment activities, art performances, and a countdown event.

A wide range of event will be held on the side-lines of the programme, including a lantern decorating contest, a rural market at Tan Thanh fishing village, and a competition on composing lyrics for Bai Choi singing.

A welcome ceremony for the first visitors to Hoi An will be held at Cau (Bridge) Temple at 9 am on January 1, 2021, as a way to show the hospitality of Hoi An people towards tourists to the city.

On the occasion, local travel businesses, restaurants and hotels in Hoi An will offer visitors with appealing discounts and promotions so that they can enjoy their stay in the city to the fullest.

The New Year programme marks the start of a vibrant return of Hoi An City’s tourism sector after a challenging year with full of difficulties caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected to rejuvenate the local hospitality sector and make Hoi An a safe, friendly and attractive destination for visitors.

Phu Yen proposes MoT to approve adjustment of Tuy Hoa Airport planning

Phu Yen People’s Committee issued a document requesting the Ministry of Transport to authorise interested private companies to finance the building of the detailed planning of Tuy Hoa Airport. 

Phu Yen proposes Ministry of Transport to greenlight private involvement in Tuy Hoa Airport’s planning
The province received proposals from IPPG, Vietjet, and Vietstar Airline to finance the building of the detailed planning of Tuy Hoa Airport. Once this planning is approved, these companies will draw up the planning and submit it to the state agencies.

Phu Yen People’s Committee asked the Department of Transport to select the sponsor and assign the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) to receive the funds and build the planning.

Earlier in August 2020, the Ministry of Transport responded to the proposals of Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa to upgrade the airport. Accordingly, the CAAV was to build the planning from the state budget.

However, due to the impact of COVID-19, the government assigned the Ministry of Finance to prioritise state budget allocations for the prevention of the pandemic. As a result, the Ministry of Transport had yet to approve any proposal. The ministry planned to allocate funds from the 2021 state budget for the project.

The ministry noted that in case Phu Yen People’s Committee can arrange the legal expenditure to build the planning, the ministry would approve it and assign CAAV and relevant authorities to support this work.

After the planning is built and approved, the ministry will assign relevant authorities to implement the upgrade of the airport.

Tuy Hoa is a level 4C airport and level 1 military airport, with a capacity of 100,000 passengers and 1,000 tonnes of cargo per year. By 2025, the airport will accommodate 300,000 passengers and 2,000 tonnes of cargo per year.

HCMC to rethink policies to attract talented staff

Despite HCMC’s preferential policies to attract and retain talented staff implemented for years, the number of experts, especially young ones, is still lacking in many fields. 

Ho Chi Minh City attracted only 19 science and technology experts from 2014 to 2019 to work in companies for economic, social and cultural development under pilot regulations, including 5 Vietnamese experts, 6 foreigners and 8 expatriates.

Foreign experts have greatly contributed to the implementation of science and technology development programs for the city, such as the MEMS Industry Groups Technology Development Process, or the successful research on pressure sensors for water level monitoring systems at sewers, said the Management Board of the HCMC High-Tech Park.

However, over time, there are only about 10 people working in public non-business units with the function of scientific research and technology transfer in the high-tech field.

Additionally, the working experts are mostly focused in a handful of research topics and on a narrow scale. Many fields are in desperate need of high-quality human resources but have not been recognized or given preferential policies.

Although the HCMC People’s Council in 2018 issued Resolution No. 20/2018/NQ-HDND stipulating the income of experts, scientists, and people with special talents for the fields that HCMC needs personnel in during the 2018-2022 period, no one has been recruited in related departments.

The HCMC People’s Council observed that the implementation of the policy has been lacking with no promotion within the last 2 years, and public agencies’ staff selection has not been thorough.

Fortunately, the newest Decision promulgating the process of attracting and selecting experts, scientists and people with special talents from the city’s People’s Committee has received a lot of positive feedback from college graduates and overseas expatriates.

HCMC currently needs to attract 14 talents and experts for the Department of Planning and Investment, the Agricultural Hi-tech Park, High-tech Park and Institute of Computational Science and Technology.

There is a number of impractical requirements within the policies that have turned away applicants, for example the requirement for experts to sign exclusive contracts.

Reality have also shown that the city mainly targets middle-aged and even retired professionals who can spare their time in Vietnam, while neglecting people of working age.

HCMC determined to build green, friendly city

A green corner of Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: SGGP)

Ho Chi Minh City authorities are determined to build the city into a green and friendly place. 

According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has issued a decision 529 on building a green and friendly city.

Under the decision, all related agencies, organizations and district authorities must implement the plan or include it into sanitation plan and greenery development plan.

To implement the direction of the municipal People’s Committee, the Department has been spreading the awareness about environmental sanitation, planting and protecting trees as well as developing green space for districts.

The Department raised people's awareness of environmental hygiene by designed posters, leaflets. Moreover, cars with speaker have been going around the city and movies about fighting plastic garbage have been shown in television.

Alongside, the Department and the Department of Education and Training also issued guidelines in schools to promote environment conservation activities for greener schools.

Related agencies and organizations also worked together to compile questions for virtual contest aiming to spread environment protection connecting with the direction 19-CT/TU and plan to build a greener and friendly city for children. The contest has attracted participation of 42,000 students.

Fare table is being built for first metro line in HCMC

The fare level of Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line is being built to submit to the People’s Committee of HCMC for approval, according to the Management Authority for Urban Railways HCMC (MAUR). 

The HCMC People’s Committee has asked MAUR, HCMC Urban Railway Company No.1 (HURC1), the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Finance, Department of Transport,  the HCMC Management Center of Public Transport (MCPT) and relevant units to work together to build up the fare level when the project starts commercial operation in the first phase.

In addition, the Department of Transport has collected opinions of other departments and units to submit a report on the metro line operation plan to the municipal People’s Committee.

MAUR and HURC in coordination with the Vietnam Register will implement testing services for fire prevention, environment protection and other specific safety and security standards before opening the line to the public.

Student start-ups: students encouraged to be entrepreneurs

Colleges are increasingly offering academic courses and policies in entrepreneurship, start-up workshops and summer programs for students to encourage them to start their own companies as per the government’s resolution No. 35 on national start-up. 

The Project to support student to go into starting their own business in the 2017-202 period with orientation to 2025 aims that most of universities and colleges have been doing to help students start businesses including ideas for business projects, employment opportunities, connection with entrepreneurs or fund for risk investment. The project cost VND239.2 billion (US$ 10,269,305).

Many projects, which had won the Startup Idea Contest - CiC 2020 organized by VNU-HCM Innovative Entrepreneurship Center under the Software Technology Park in Ho Chi Minh City, continue to persuade investors at a meeting for fundraising to accelerate projects’ commercialization.

For instance, idea-based Korona Board Game about global disease prevention of two students Vo Duc Minh and Nguyen Anh Kiet from the University of Science and the Can Tho University respectively has been released in the market and brought in revenue for the two students.

At the fundraising session, three investors agreed to pay US$15,000 to develop and upgrade the product with orientation towards for European and American markets. One of investors, Director of Vu Phong Solar Pham Nam Phong said that the game is potential for the local market and it has big chance to enter European and American markets.

Being a winner of a competition in 2018, student Nguyen Danh Thanh from the University of Economics – Law under National University of Ho Chi Minh City later failed in his startup business because he was focusing on sale. At the fundraising meeting, he managed to persuade Director Pham Nam Phong to invest VND 300 million for development after the previous failure.

At the event, his project has had two million views and many enterprises agreed to sign advertisement contract with the project. Danh Thanh shared that he learnt a lot after failure in 2018. This time, he will focus on community development with assistance of enterprises expecting the project will achieve success.

Similarly, many successful projects at the fundraising event have been invested by enterprises that agreed to pour money into startup projects’ commercialization development, such as the GreenTown Vietnam project of a group student of the Fulbright University Vietnam and the Weshare.asia project.

Deputy Director of Information Technology Park (ITP) under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) Le Nhat Quang said that the first fundraising meeting provided opportunities for students and investors to find capital and human resource as well as connected students and investors and their projects will be commercialized.

These steps will become a journey to turn students' ideas of startup into business opportunity, which is the apparent evidence proving the importance of entrepreneurial spirit in the Ho Chi Minh City National University’s strategy.

Former Principal of Nguyen Tat Thanh University Professor Nguyen Manh Hung affirmed schools’ guidance and support is necessary for students’ successful startup. To nurture and promote students' startup activities, schools should establish centers for business innovation and incubation and creative entrepreneurship clubs for supporting startup projects.

Annually, schools usually allocate VND2 billion (US$ 86,379) supporting students’ startup projects. To facilitate start-up activities, the school also launched start-up support centers such as the center for business innovation and incubation and creative entrepreneurship club, Associate Professor - Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung added.

Ho Chi Minh City-based Industrial University spends VND 10 billion for university students’ start-up funds and offers VND 50 to VND500 million as financial aid to help students carry out their startup business. Especially, students can borrow VND 200-VND500 million when their parents act as guarantors.

Moreover, students must pay back the loan within 36 months. However, successful large projects can be enjoy entitlement to loan extension.

The school investment has been fruitful when sudents won one first prize, one second prize, and one third prize of the Euréka Scientific Research Student Award in the field of natural resources - environment, information technology, and pharmaceutical chemistry in 2019.

Lately, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Ministry of Education and Training have signed an agreement to deliver lessons of good lifestyle, ethics, awareness of regulation, and foster students’ scientific creativity and students’ entrepreneurial spirit for the 2020-2021 period.

HCMC to offer shuttle service at Tan Son Nhat Airport

With regard to lane splitting for vehicles which pick up and drop off passengers in Tan Son Nhat Airport, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport yesterday proposed in its dispatch the airport to offer a special parking lot in lane B for shuttle bus in domestic terminals. 

According to the Department of Transport, this will facilitate passengers as well as encourage them to use public transport. Simultaneously, the airport should allocate a part of lane C for cabs to satisfy people’s demand of travelling so that people do not have to walk toward Truong Son Street to pick up a car resulting in traffic congestion in the street.

Alongside, surveillance cameras should be installed to monitor violation in internal street which will be transferred to traffic police for a fine later.

The Department of Transport also proposed Tan Son Nhat Airport to build a pedestrian overcrossing or a tunnel connecting the domestic terminal and the airport’s parking lot to help passengers’ relatives whose vehicles are kept in the parking lot not walk in lanes A, B, C, and D.

Moreover, the airport was proposed to install two elevators in the parking lot before December 20 (according to Lunar calendar) to serve passengers in peak season before Tet holiday ( the Lunar New Year) 2021.

The airport safe guards must work to help passengers get buses.

Viettel to face Hai Phong in 2021 V.League 1 opener

Reigning champions Viettel FC will host Hai Phong FC in the opening game of the 2021 V.League 1 season following a draw held on December 12 in Ha Noi.

The national premier league will start on January 16 with 14 teams, including the newly-promoted Binh Dinh. 

The top six teams will go into a playoff for the title starting in July, while the remaining eight will battle it out to avoid relegation.

The champions will pocket a bonus of VND3 billion (US$130,000).

The club who finish second from bottom will face the second-placed team from the V.League 2 for a place in the top flight in 2022.

“The first match is always a difficult one, so we will prepare carefully and play as well as possible,” said Viettel goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh.

“I hope both teams put on a good show for the supporters.”

Viettel won the national trophy after winning a dramatic final 1-0 against Sai Gon last month. Formally known as The Cong (Military Team), Viettel have won 18 league titles, and only returned to the topflight in 2019 after spending several years in the lower leagues.

Hai Phong are unlikely to be a pushover this year despite finishing 12th last season having defeated former champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Song Lam Nghe An FC and Becamex Binh Duong in the past.

In their last three meetings, Viettel won two and lost one, with the most recent being a 4-0 victory.

Newcomers Binh Dinh are back in the premier league after a 12-year absence.

They will face Song Lam Nghe An away at Vinh City Stadium.

Pre-season, coach Nguyen Duc Thang said he was quietly confident in his team.

“We have been preparing for the new challenge since after the end of the last season, with three intensive training camps in the Central Highlands,” said Thang, whose team have also been busy in the transfer market recently.

“We are looking for three foreign players and three midfielders to strengthen our squad. I hope we can fill the hole in the next few weeks.

“We’re the new boys so we have to be realistic and set a target first of staying up. A top six finish would be a dream,” he said.

In other matches, runners-up Ha Noi FC will visit Nam Dinh FC at Thien Truong Stadium.

The hosts are unlikely to be challenging Ha Noi but they have posed questions of the six-time champion team for the past two seasons.

Elsewhere, Hoang Anh Gia Lai under new coach Kiatisuk Senamuang will travel to Thong Nhat Stadium for a clash with Sai Gon FC; Hong Linh Ha Tinh will host Quang Ninh; Binh Duong will entertain Thanh Hoá, while SHB Đà Nẵng will play HCM City.

Gov’t establishes Road Network Planning Appraisal Council

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has decided to set up a Road Network Planning Appraisal Council led by Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung.

Members of the Council are representatives from ministries: Transport, Planning and Investment, Finance, Construction, Home Affairs, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources and Environment, Public Security, National Defense, Culture-Sports-Tourism, Science and Technology, Industry and Trade, Education and Training, Information and Communications, Government Office, several localities and associations, and experts.

The Ministry of Transport shall function as the permanent body of the Council.

The Council is responsible for organizing appraisal of road network planning scheme in 2021-2030, vision to 2050.

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/SGGP/VOV/NDO/Dtinews/SGT/VIR