A ceremony is scheduled to be held in late December to officially announce the upgrade of the pair of Tra Linh (Vietnam) - Longbang (China) border gates into international ones.

The People’s Committee of the northern province of Cao Bang had talks with leaders of the People’s Government of Baise city, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, at Tra Linh border gate in Trung Khanh district on December 14 to discuss the preparations for the ceremony.

Chairman of the Cao Bang People’s Committee Hoang Xuan Anh emphasised that the official announcement of the upgrade of the Tra Linh - Longbang border gates into international ones and the opening of the Na Doong - Na Ray border crossing will be an important landmark demonstrating the development of cooperation between Cao Bang and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as between Vietnam and China.

It will also help further reinforce and promote bilateral partnerships, particularly in trade in goods, especially farm produce, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, he noted.

Cao Bang and Baise currently have the pair of Soc Giang - Pingmeng border gates, the pair of Tra Linh - Longbang international border gates that include the Na Doong - Na Ray crossing, the pair of Po Peo - Yuewei border gates, and the Dinh Phong - Xinxing border crossing, of which the two last ones haven’t had trading activities since they haven’t been upgraded.

Anh asked the two sides to coordinate to handle procedures to create conditions for border residents to trade goods.

For his part, Mayor of Baise city Ge Guoke basically agreed on the ceremony organisation plan and also concurred in the cooperation orientations for different areas, including services, trade, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

He expressed his hope that Cao Bang will create conditions for Chinese businesses to make investment in the spirit of cooperation for common development.

Ge also said he hopes after the talks, bilateral agreements will be carried out in the most effective manner by sectors of both sides.

Vietnam, RoK extend duration of youth exchange cooperation pact

Hoang Quoc Long, head of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ youth affairs department, and Lee In-hyuk, Director-General of the Korean Foundation (KF) ASEAN Culture House, signed an extension of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in youth-related experience sharing and exchanges in Hanoi on December 14. 

Accordingly, the duration of the pact, signed on December 25, 2019, has been adjusted to last until December 31, 2027, instead of the end of 2024 as previously. Other terms remain in effect.

Long stated that this modification is crucial, providing a legal basis for both parties to actively and effectively continue conducting the cooperation programme. The signing ceremony is of great significance, demonstrating the efforts and responsibilities in maintaining and developing their sustainable cooperative relationship.

He requested the KF to further support and create conditions for Vietnamese delegations to visit and work in the Republic of Korea (RoK), ensuring the objectives that programme set forth.

In response, Lee hoped that by its new due date, the memorandum will be further extended and that the ministry will continue organising delegations of young leaders and intellectuals to the RoK in the near future.

Due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the three years of 2020, 2021, and 2022, both sides were unable to implement the memorandum. In 2023, they finally organised the first delegation exchange of young leaders and intellectuals in accordance with their commitment.

Experts discuss policy options to accelerate sustainable development in Việt Nam

Experts discussed pathways towards a greener economy, reducing poverty, inequality and social security, and ways towards growth in digital transformation during a workshop held on Thursday in Hà Nội.

The consultation workshop “Accelerate Sustainable Development in Việt Nam: Policy Options” was co-organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the United Nations (UN) in Việt Nam, and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

The workshop aims to assess the impact of policies and investments on economic, social and environmental indicators, including the sustainability of public debt.

Speaking at the workshop, Lê Việt Anh, Director of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment (DSENRE) under the MPI, said that this year marked the halfway point of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the latest UN report showed that on a global level, through reviewing the progress of implementing 140 specific goals, only about 12 per cent are on schedule, and about 30 per cent are behind schedule.

As many as 575 million people continue to live in extreme poverty, and only about one-third of countries will meet their goal of halving poverty by 2030.

More seriously, the world is returning to hunger levels not seen since 2005, and food prices in many countries are higher than in 2015-19.

Due to investment shortfalls in education, by 2030, about 84 million children will not be able to go to school, and 300 million children or adolescents will go to school but will not be able to read and write.

The global economic context continues to have complex fluctuations, making forecasting difficult.

Strategic competition between big countries is rising, increasing poverty and inequality; global foreign investment flows in 2024-25 are forecast to have more uncertainty; food and energy security, natural disasters, epidemics, environmental pollution and climate change continue to develop unpredictably.

“This situation will certainly pose unprecedented challenges for countries worldwide and Việt Nam in achieving the SDGs by 2030,” said Anh.

At the UN’s SDGs Summit in September this year, Việt Nam identified several groups of critical solutions.

They included putting people at the centre of the development process; considering science, technology and innovation as the decisive lever for success in realising sustainable development goals until 2030; improving human resources quality; strengthening management and effective use of resources; protecting the environment and responding to climate change and mitigating natural disasters; promoting digital, green and circular economy development; effectively using financial resources; and improving data availability to monitor and evaluate the sustainable development goals implementation.

Vietnamese Government has launched many policies and investment commitments, such as promoting three national target programmes on sustainable poverty reduction, new rural areas and socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas; enhancing energy transition with ambitious clean energy and renewable energy; and speeding up digital transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements.

“The policy scenarios are selected based on their compatibility with the key groups of solutions Việt Nam has set out to intensify the SDGs performance in the remaining half of the journey,” he said.

Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator, said, “Việt Nam has made great strides in improving living standards and lifting millions of people out of poverty. Building on these remarkable achievements, the leaders of Việt Nam have set a vision to become a high-income country by 2045 and realise net-zero emissions by 2050. This vision drives Việt Nam’s commitment to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.” 

Việt Nam’s second Voluntary National Review, presented by Nguyễn Chí Dũng, MPI Minister at the High-Level Political Forum in July, already outlined policy priorities and recommendations for SDG acceleration.

These priorities are well aligned with the six SDG transitions agreed on by member states at the SDG Summit – envisioned to generate significant multiplier effects across SDGs to promote economic prosperity while protecting human and environmental well-being. 

“In sum, the modelling results show that investing in people and the environment yields significantly positive economic and social benefits in the long run, while the pressures on the government’s fiscal space subside over time because the economic benefits outweigh the costs”, she said.

It also highlights the importance of mobilising various sources of finance, including private capital, to invest in key development priorities. 

“We hope that this macro-modelling exercise provides relevant evidence for crafting policy pathways suitable for Việt Nam to accelerate SDG transformations and to ensure that they are just and equitable,” she said. 

Cyclists to compete in 2024 Tour of Thailand

Việt Nam will take part in the Tour of Thailand cycling tournament which will be from April 1-10, 2024.

Officially the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhon's Cup Tour of Thailand, the competition is an annual professional road bicycle racing stage. The International Cycling Union's multi-stage race is part of the UCI Asia Tour.

The Tour will deliver points for world rankings, so it draws attention from leading Asian athletes. Vietnamese female cyclists are also regular participants of the event.

Next year’s event will have six stages for men from April 1 to 6 and three for women from April 8-10.

Last year, Asian champion Nguyễn Thị Thật of Việt Nam won the green jersey as the winner of the points classification. She took the lead after first two stages, but failed to maintain her position near the end of the last stage, losing the yellow jersey for the overall winner in the last minutes.

Earlier, Nguyễn Thuỳ Dung made history as the first Vietnamese to win the yellow jersey here in 2013.

In the coming race, Thật will vie against not only rivals from China, South Korea and Kazakhstan, but also her arch-rival Jutatip Maneephan, a strong road race and track cyclist.

In their latest meet at the 32nd SEA Games in May in Cambodia, Thật, riding for Roland Israel Premier Tech club, beat Maneephan to win the road race's mass start after losing to her in the criterium event. 

Earlier, Thật also overcame many riders to win the Asian championship title for the third time in June in Thailand. Maneephan finished in third position.

In other news, Việt Nam have wrapped up all Olympic qualification races, meaning that Thật will be the only Vietnamese cyclist at the Paris Olympics next July.

Thật secured her official place after her triumph at the 2023 Asian championship.

The final list of Olympians will be announced on July 8. There will be slots for 90 men and 90 women in the road race events. Other riders will take part in the mountain and BMX cycling events.

A total of 22 sets of medals will be awarded to the best cyclists.

“In 2024 we will have two important tournaments, the Asian championship in June in Kazakhstan and the Olympics in France," said Nguyễn Ngọc Vũ, general secretary of the Việt Nam Cycling and Motor Sports Federation.

"We will make up a plan for the team in general and for Thật particular so that she can get a high result in the Paris event," he said. 

Installation exhibition showcases the culture of ancient Thăng Long Citadel

The Centre for Temple of Literature Cultural and Scientific Activities organises the installation exhibition titled Dấu xưa văn hiến (Traces of Ancient Culture) at Thái Học Hall, Temple of Literature.

With the theme of Soi bóng Thăng Long (Reflection of Thăng Long), the exhibition features installation works by nine artists who explore diverse expressions of water linked with the ancient Thăng Long Citadel through a contemporary viewpoint.

The exhibition introduces visitors to stories involving Vietnamese cultural identity: about the first civilisation to explore the region, water improvement, battles in history linked with national heroes, and river festivities of the Thăng Long-Hà Nội region.

The artworks also reinvent historical relics through various periods of Thăng Long-Hà Nội region such as the Temple of Literature, Thăng Long Imperial Citadel, One Pillar Pagoda, Đồng Xuân Market and Long Biên Bridge, depicting the unique cultural development of the ancient capital.

The exhibition is divided into eight water-related themes about the Thăng Long-Hà Nội region that connect suitably through the contemporary lens.

The work Vũ Điệu Thăng Long (Thăng Long Dance) created with synthetic materials by sculptor Nguyễn Trường Giang portrays the rhythm of the flow down the Red River.

Artist Phan Minh Bạch created the artwork titled Hoa Sóng – Sóng Nước Nở Hoa (Wave Flowers - Flowering Water Waves) including three large-sized silk paintings. The work illustrates the Tô Lịch River, the Dragon symbol of the Lý Dynasty and West Lake through projection technology.

Artist Phạm Trung Hưng features modern technology in his work titled Mạch Nguồn (The Source) on the theme of reclamation, cultivation and harvesting. The artist used modern 3D mapping technology but still created a harmonious interaction with the architectural space of Thái Học Hall.

According to artist Vũ Xuân Đông, he and the other artists spent a long time dividing and curating ideas to deliver a harmonious overall concept for the exhibition.

Lê Xuân Kiêu, director of the Centre for Temple of Literature Cultural and Scientific Activities, highlighted the exhibition's role in showcasing Vietnamese history and the cultural heritage of Thăng Long Citadel through a contemporary lens.

"I hope that the exhibition could promote the Temple of Literature as a potential cultural and artistic space, inspiring artists to create more," he said.

The exhibition will continue until January 2, 2024, at Thái Học Hall, Temple of Literature, Hà Nội. 

Ariyana Convention Centre joins Asia Venue Alliance

The Ariyana Convention Centre Danang has joined the Asia Venue Alliance (AVA) as a founding member in boosting the co-operation and in hosting continental and world business events among Asian members.

Gentzsch Andre Pierre, General Manager of Furama-Ariyana Danang International Tourism Complex, said: "With AVA, we aspire to have a customer-friendly platform for providing world-class venues and technology in beautiful, exclusive, but often overlooked locations.”

The AVA, which involves leading convention centres in the Asian region, including Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre from Indonesia; International Convention Centre Tainan from Taiwan; Borneo Convention Centre Kuching from Sarawak, Malaysia, and Setia SPICE Convention Centre from Malaysia, committed to enhancing event hosting standards and elevating seamless Business Event (BE) experiences by signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in Penang, Malaysia.

Francis Teo, Chairman of AVA, emphasised: "I am proud to be one of the first co-founders of this alliance and hope that with this alliance, events from all over the world will flock to Asia. Our collective efforts have borne fruit and Asia is now well-positioned to be a global hub for world-class business events."

The establishment of AVA, by teaming up and sharing strengths, aims to establish a strong regional brand that shines globally in the competitive business event sector, according to AVA.

The alliance fosters collaboration through the exchange of events, cross-promotion, and sharing valuable industry insights, ensuring the dynamic and evolving events landscape among founding members, said the AVA release.

This historic occasion signifies the beginning of a new era in the business event industry across Asia, supported by the collective expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence of the founding members.

Furama’s International Convention Centre – honoured to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) 2017 – grabbed a series of World luxury Awards 2023 including the Best Convention Centre in Việt Nam, and V-Sense Wellness & Spa in the resort took the Best Theme Spa design in Asia.

Đà Nẵng hosted 5.8 million tourists, of which 1.6 million were international arrivals, in three quarters of 2023.

The central city’s tourism industry has been boosting its promotion of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions) and golf, two key products for tourism attraction.

In 2023, Đà Nẵng Golf Resort became a member of Asian Tour Destinations – the Tour’s exclusive network of world-class golfing venues, and golfers can have more options playing at many golf courses in central Việt Nam, including BRG Đà Nẵng golf clubs, Bà Nà Hills Golf Club, Vinpearl golf Nam Hội An, Hoiana Shore club and Laguna golf Lăng Cô. 

Consultation discusses policy choices to promote sustainable development

A consultation workshop was held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Hanoi on December 14 with a focus on policy choices to promote sustainable development in Vietnam.

The workshop aimed to improve the awareness of development challenges and opportunities of Vietnam, discuss policy choices to help the country reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and better the specialised capacity of Government agencies’ staff in making macro-economic analyses and assessments of economic, social, and environmental aspects of the development process.

Le Viet Anh, Director of the MPI’s Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment, said that to realise the SDGs, boost green transition, and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the Vietnamese Government has issued many policies and investment commitments on different fields such as stepping up the implementation of the three national target programmes on sustainable poverty reduction, new-style countryside building, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas.

Besides, it has also been accelerating energy transition by approving the eighth National Power Development Plan, which includes ambitious targets on clean and renewable energy, implementing the Political Declaration on establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and fostering digital transformation and the application of scientific and technological advances, he noted.

UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis said the country has made great strides in improving living standards and lifting millions of people out of poverty.

Basing on these attainments, she went on, Vietnamese leaders set the targets that the country will become a high-income nation by 2045 and secure net zero emissions by 2050. This vision is promoting Vietnam’s implementation of commitments to carry out the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.

The second voluntary national review, delivered by MPI Minister Nguyen Chi Dung at the high-level political forum last July, outlined six policy priorities and recommendations for accelerating the realisation of the SDGs.

Those priorities comprise promoting science, technology and innovation; developing quality human resources; efficiently managing resources, adapting to and mitigating climate change, and building green and circular economy; finance; data readiness; and putting people at the centre of every decision, policy, and action.

Tamesis held that these priorities highly match the six transformations to achieve the SDGs agreed by member countries at the SDG Summit.

Can Tho, Lao capital beef up agricultural cooperation

Leaders of Can Tho and the Lao capital Vientiane agreed to strengthen the localities’ agricultural cooperation at a meeting in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta city on December 14.

At the meeting, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Vientiane Anouphap Tounalom said he is impressed by Can Tho’s strong development and expressed his hoped that initiatives and policies serving the sides’ comprehensive cooperation will be implemented more extensively, with a focus on the development of the farming sector.

The official proposed the delta city increase scholarships for Lao students to study agriculture at Can Tho University and other local institutions with strengths in farming.

Secretary of the Can Tho People's Committee Nguyen Van Hieu stated that Vietnam has approved a strategy for sustainable agricultural and rural development, and the Vietnamese Government is implementing a programme to develop one million hectares of high-tech agriculture, ensuring that farmers' income increases by at least 30% compared to the traditional model. Research and technology transfer activities in the field are being vigorously promoted, especially in the Mekong Delta.

On the same day, the Lao delegation toured some agricultural institutions, schools, and businesses in Can Tho.

Ample room remains for ASEAN-Japan cooperation: researcher

President of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Watanabe Tetsuya said on December 14 that there are many fields with good potential for cooperation between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and between Japan and Vietnam.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Jakarta on threshold of the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation to be held in Tokyo from December 16-18, Watanabe said that the summit not only marks the 50th anniversary of the two sides’ friendship and cooperation but is also a very important opportunity to "renew" their partnership for the next 50 years.

The leaders will discuss major areas of cooperation such as politics, economics, socio-culture, along with many new projects. However, the researcher said that one of the important topics of the summit is energy transition cooperation, which is very important for both Japan and ASEAN.
 
In the context that ASEAN and Japan are facing common challenges, including the transition to a more sustainable and carbon-free economy and society, Watanabe thought that the two sides should cooperate extensively in this "front", adding that innovating platforms and supply chains is very important.

According to the ERIA President, ASEAN is a very fast growing economic region, and has many opportunities to promote economic growth, business and investment with a relatively young population structure. Meanwhile, Japan is a mature economy with huge investment capital, many research & development activities, as well as advanced technology in the fields of digital technology, semiconductor, and artificial intelligence (AI). Therefore, the two sides can complement and take advantage of each other's strengths.

Regarding Vietnam's role in ASEAN-Japan cooperation as well as Vietnam's position in Tokyo's "Global South", Watanabe assessed Vietnam as an emerging economy with great importance for other countries around the world. Japan and Vietnam have maintained good friendship for decades, and promoting bilateral cooperation will be beneficial for both countries, for ASEAN and the whole world.

He also listed a series of potential fields of cooperation between Japan and Vietnam, such as energy transition, digital economy, decarbonisation, electric vehicles, supply chains, automobiles and electronics.

Especially, for a strongly growing economy like Vietnam, improving public transportation is an important agenda, which offers an opportunity for Japan and Vietnam to cooperate in high-speed trains, subways and inner-city transportation, said the researcher.

He noted that many Japanese companies are currently looking for opportunities in investment and establishing production facilities in Vietnam, and this trend will continue to increase in the near future.

In addition, in the face of current geopolitical tensions and fierce competition between major countries, many companies and investors are adopting more flexible supply chain strategies. In that context, Vietnam is in a very good position and is one of the most attractive alternative investment destinations for global entrepreneurs, he added.

Vietnam and Laos step up cooperation in tourism

Vietnam and Laos will strengthen tourism connectivity and cooperate in attracting international visitors to one another, agreed Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung and Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket during their meeting in Hanoi on December 14.

Addressing the event, Vignaket emphasised that the tourism industry has become an important spearhead sector, serving as a growth driver of the Lao economy.

“We has designed a wide range of tourism products and are happy to learn that the number of Vietnamese tourists has currently ranked second among the total international visitors to Laos after Thailand,” she said.

Vignaket said that Lao tourists are interested in travelling to Vietnam thanks to the country’s famous historical and cultural sites, as well as various scenic spots, including beautiful beaches in the central and southern regions.

She expressed hope that Laos would receive more Vietnamese tourists in the coming time, especially when the 2024 Lao Tourism Year is organised.

For his part, Hung affirmed that tourism cooperation has been a key pillar in Vietnam-Laos relations in recent times. He said that Vietnam is an important source of tourists for Laos, and that tours will help people of both sides to gain greater insights into history and traditional culture, thereby fostering the Vietnam-Laos special friendship in the time ahead.

At the event, both sides agreed to effectively implement the cultural, arts, and tourism cooperation plan for the 2021 - 2025 period. Furthermore, the two countries will work together with Cambodia to deploy the programme titled "One journey, three destinations”.

Hung assured his guest that Vietnam will participate in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 to be held in Laos in January 2024.

Vietnam welcomed a total of 112,451 Lao tourists during the 11-month period, exceeding the figure of 98,500 recorded in the pre-pandemic period in 2019.

Northerners get warm before feeling chill on weekend

Northern localities of Vietnam will have another warm day on December 15 before a strong cold air wave is expected to hit the northern border on the following day. 

Daytime temperatures in the north, including in north-western and north-eastern localities and even in the capital of Hanoi, are forecast to stay high at between 21 and 31 degrees Celsius on December 15, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

However, the temperatures will drop sharply when the strong cold spell strikes northern border localities and moves further inland on December 16, said the centre.

The temperatures are anticipated to drop by 8 to 10 degrees Celsius on December 16 and nosedive further when the cold air wave accompanied by rain grips the whole region on the following days.

Weather experts warned that high mountain areas would be covered in frost when the temperatures tumble to a low of 2-3 degrees Celsius.

The cold air wave will also move further into the central region, causing the temperatures to fall to 15 – 18 degrees Celsius.

This is a strongest cold spell of this winter and is poised to last for five days, said the experts.

Nearly 3,000 workers to enjoy free Tet trips home

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour will offer nearly 3,000 free train and air tickets for workers in difficult circumstances for the coming Tet Lunar New Year.

According to the confederation, three flights with a total of 670 seats will be conducted to transport workers in the southern region home in the north to celebrate Tet.

The flights will depart from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Vinh Airport in Nghe An, Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa, Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and Cat Bi Airport in Haiphong on February 6-8 next year.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 other people working in the south will be given free train tickets to return home in the north. The trains from the south to the north will run on February 4-7, with return services on February 13-17.

The beneficiaries are those working in Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Long An, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Tay Ninh.
Tet Lunar New Year is the biggest and most important festival in Vietnam. The 2024 Lunar New Year’s Day falls on February 10.

Vietnam and Canada hold political consultation in Hanoi

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc and Canadian Deputy Minister of International Trade David Morrison co-chaired the third political consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level in Hanoi on December 14.

At the meeting, the two sides took note of the positive developments of Vietnam-Canada cooperative relations in recent times in many fields, especially in politics - diplomacy, economy-trade, development cooperation, security - defense, education and training.

Ngoc affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the comprehensive partnership with Canada, and it vows to further promote this relationship to new heights. He emphasized that the high-ranking leaders of the two countries have maintained regular contacts on the sidelines of regional and international conferences in the past year, helping to increase political trust and expand cooperation into new, potential fields.

Ngoc expressed his joy at the impressive growth of bilateral trade turnover, that hit more than US$7 billion last year, an increase of 16.5% compared to 2021. He at the same time asked Canada to increase investment in Vietnam.

He on this occasion thanked the Canadian Government for granting more than US$1.76 billion in official development aid to Vietnam from 1990 to present.

Morrison for his part affirmed that Vietnam is a leading important partner in Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. He noted that Canada wants to diversify and expand trade relations with Vietnam, especially in connecting businesses, supporting the export of Vietnamese agricultural products, and stepping up poverty reduction.

Canada wants to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam within the framework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he assured his host.

The Deputy Minister underscored the importance of Vietnam as an important bridge to strengthen cooperation with the region, and asked the Southeast Asian country to support Canada in fostering the strategic partnership between Canada and ASEAN.

The two sides agreed to further increase the exchange of delegations at all levels and promote cooperation in economy – trade - investment, security - defense, development cooperation, education - training, health, while expanding cooperation in the fields of climate change response, energy transition, clean technology, as well as local cooperation.

They vowed to bring into full play existing cooperation mechanisms between Vietnam and Canada, including the political consultation at the deputy foreign minister level, the joint economic committee, and the defense policy dialogue.

During the consultation, the two sides also discussed regional and international situations of mutual concern. They affirmed that they would continue to coordinate closely at international and regional forums such as the UN, APEC, ASEAN, CPTPP, and Francophonie.

Vietnamese PM receives Director of Harvard Vietnam Program

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh yesterday received Mr. Thomas J. Vallely, Director of the Vietnam Program at the US Harvard University.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hoped that Harvard University and its professors and scientists would strengthen cooperation in the fields of policy dialogue and education and training, contributing to promoting the effective implementation of the Joint Declaration on Upgrade Vietnam - United States relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development.

The PM said clearly that Vietnam has a consistent viewpoint is that rapid and sustainable development based on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation; On the other hand, science-technology cooperation and innovation are a new pillar and top priority in Vietnam-US relations.

At the meeting with Mr. Thomas J.Vallely, Prime Minister Chinh spoke about major development orientations, socio-economic growth and some strategic areas that Vietnam is focusing on developing and promoting international cooperation including the development of semiconductor chip industry, research, development and application of artificial intelligence while the country is building infrastructure, especially energy infrastructure and digital infrastructure. He added that Vietnam is taking heed of renewable energy development and green transformation.

The Prime Minister proposed Mr. Thomas J.Vallely who founded the Harvard Vietnam Program in 1989, and established the Fulbright School in Ho Chi Minh City in 1994 and the Harvard University's Vietnam Program to continue advising on socio-economic development policies and building appropriate policy dialogue activities.

Moreover, PM Chinh suggested Mr. Thomas J. Valleyly and the Vietnam Program at Harvard University provide specific recommendations to develop the above strategic areas in addition to cooperation and support for Vietnam in human resource training and connecting partners and investors in semiconductors and AI to Vietnam.

Vice President awards Labour Orders to Olympiad winners

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan has awarded Labour Orders to students who won prizes at International Olympiads and international science-technology competitions in 2023.

At a ceremony in Hanoi on December 15, the Vice President presented the Labour Orders to 16 students with outstanding achievements in International Olympiads in the 2022-2023 academic year, and the Prime Minister’s certificates of merit to nine others who showed excellent performance at the International Olympiads and sci-tech research examinations in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Xuan said the country's education and training work has witnessed innovations and development, attributing these to the efforts of the entire political system and people, with the Ministry of Education and Training playing a key role.

At present, Vietnam has about 6.2 million skilled workers with bachelor degrees or higher. There are six educational establishments ranked among the world's top-quality universities. Vietnam also ranked 48th out of 132 countries in the Global Innovation Index 2022.

Vietnam sent seven delegations with 36 students to regional and international Olympiads this year. All of them won medals, including 8 golds, 12 silvers, 12 bronzes and four certificates of merit, making Vietnam among the top 10 countries with the highest results. Many Vietnamese students achieved the highest scores.

The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) for high school students, named "Regeneron ISEF", took place in Dallas, the US, in mid-May and attracted contestants from 61 countries and territories. The Vietnamese delegation had seven projects, one of them won an official award and another received a special award from the US Agency for International Development, with a prize value of 2,000 USD.

Vietnamese, Lao hospitals collaborate on 9 kidney transplants in 2023

Military Hospital 103 of the Vietnam People's Army and Central Military Hospital 103 of the Lao People's Army joined hands to conduct nine successful kidney transplants from December 31, 2022 to December 15, 2023, heard a ceremony held in Vientiane on December 15.

Addressing the event, which reviewed the sides’ kidney transplant project and discussed collaboration orientations for 2024, Colonel Savengxay Dalasath, Director of the Lao hospital, affirmed that the joint work was made following the guidance and agreement of the two nations’ defence ministries.

Participants agreed that with support of Vietnamese experts, Lao doctors have gradually mastered kidney transplant techniques.

They also pointed out the issues that the Lao side needs to address, which involve the need for a law on organ transplants and the better provision of related machinery, equipment, and materials  as well as training of specialised personnel in the field.

They concurred that the Vietnamese hospital will continue to send experts to work with and support its Lao partner in conducting between 10 and 20 kidney transplants, in addition to further assistance in human resources training and technical transfer. The goal is to enable the Lao hospital to independently master the transplant techniques by 2025.

Workshop looks back on 50 years of Vietnam-Netherlands ties

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a workshop on 50 years of relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands, and their achievements and prospects, in Hanoi on December 15, as part of activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.

In her opening speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that the Vietnam-Netherlands relationship is typical of dynamic, effective and practical cooperation.

The two countries have become priority and important partners of each other through the establishment of a comprehensive partnership in 2019, with political trust increasingly consolidated. The Netherlands has become Vietnam's second largest trade partner in Europe and the biggest EU investor in Vietnam, she said.

According to the diplomat, the two countries established a strategic partnership on climate change response and water management in 2010, and a strategic partnership on sustainable agriculture and food security in 2014. They have rolled out specific and practical projects in the Mekong Delta. The bilateral relationship has expanded to national defence-security, transport and sci-tech, both at the central and local levels.

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar, for his part, expressed his wish to join with Vietnam in seizing opportunities of the next five decades, towards deepening collaboration in various fields, especially people-to-people exchange and sustainable development.

About orientations to future cooperation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said the two countries need to continue maintaining a solid political foundation through meetings at all levels and channels to facilitate cooperation in other areas.

Economy, trade and investment should remain an important pillar in the bilateral ties, she suggested, adding that both nations should take advantage of significant opportunities brought by legal frameworks such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

As they are seeing new opportunities and driving forces of cooperation in the circular economy and green growth, the diplomat proposed fully tapping Vietnam’s advantages and potential, with the support of the Netherlands, in institutional building, technology transfer and workforce training, towards sustainable development.

Over 2,000 runners take part in forest trail run in Lam Dong

More than 2,000 Vietnamese and foreign runners joined a forest trail run that started in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong on December 15.

The LAAN Ultra Trail 2023 held by the Da Lat city People’s Committee and Lam An Joint Stock Company features 10-, 35-, 55-, 75-, and 100-kilometre races that traverse the pine forests of the Lam Vien Plateau from Lac Duong district to Dam Rong district and Da Lat city.

The 100-kilometre forest trail is the longest in Vietnam so far. It passes through the forests of Bidoup Nui Ba National Park and those surrounding Da Lat, bringing a great challenge to domestic and international racers.

According to the organisers, the LAAN Ultra Trail 2023 is the fifth of its kind held in the province. This year, the organisers coordinated with Thailand’s Running Connect to improve the quality of the course to an international level. The race is sanctioned by the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB Index) scoring system, allowing athletes to qualify for ultra-long-distance running events around the world.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Tien Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province said that the off-road running movement in Lam Dong is trending, attracting a large number of domestic and international athletes.

He said such tournaments help the locality to develop its economy and tourism.

On this occasion, the event organisers and donors funded to build a suspension bridge in Pang Tieng village in Lat commune and donated bicycles to ethnic minority students in Lat and Dung K'Noh communes in the province’s Lac Duong district.

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