Hanoi has maintained its leading position in many patriotic emulation movements, especially the programme on new-style rural area building.

All communes and districts in the city have been recognised as new rural areas so far. The number of advanced new rural communes is expected to reach 172 at the end of this year, and model new rural communes, 113.

Responding to the nationwide patriotic emulation movement on new-style rural area building, the municipal Party Committee has established a steering committee and launched many relevant programmes and plans.

Under the city People’s Council's resolutions on the allocation of capital to projects implementing the national target programme on new rural area building, Hanoi earmarked more than 1.22 trillion VND (50.27 million USD) in 2022 and 1.71 trillion VND in 2023 to support its towns and districts in the effort.

The programme has received the warm response of department, agencies and associations, including the city's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, the youth union, the farmers’ association and the women’s union.

According to deputy head of the city permanent office for new rural area building coordination Nguyen Van Chi, since 2021, Hanoi has mobilised more than 40.65 trillion VND for the programme, with 8.69 trillion VND in 2023.

Cultural exchange promote Da Lat-Chuncheon twinning relationship

A cultural and art exchange between the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong’s Da Lat city and Chuncheon city of the Republic of Korea’s Gangwon province took place in Da Lat on December 28, drawing thousands of domestic and foreign visitors.

The event was part of a series of activities to mark the 130th anniversary of the city's formation and development and the recognition of Da Lat as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of music.

At the exchange, artists of Da Lat and Chuncheon performed traditional cultural and artistic performances to promote the culture of each country and each locality.

Addressing the event, Dang Quang Tu, Chairman of the Da Lat city People’s Committee said Da Lat and Chuncheon established a friendly relationship in 2016 and a twinning relationship in 2019.

Since then, the two cities have held many effective exchanges and cooperation activities such as friendly visits and the exchange of delegations, according to Tu. Many students from Da Lat have come to study at universities in Chuncheon city, he said.

The cultural and art exchange will strengthen the solidarity and friendship between the two cities and is also an opportunity for residents of Da Lat and tourists to understand more about Korean culture and people and vice versa, he went on.

Yook Dong Han, Mayor of Chuncheon city, said he hopes that diverse cultural and art exchanges will be continued in the future between not only professional artists but also the people of both cities. The organisation of Korean - Vietnamese cultural exchange in Da Lat city annually is a meaningful event which aims to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries, he added.

According to the Lam Dong provinical People’s Committee, the province welcomed 8.65 million tourists in 2023, including 400,000 foreign visitors, an increase of 167% over the same period last year. In particular, the number of foreign visitors to Da Lat city this year increased sharply, of which Korean visitors accounted for 80%.

Binh Dinh seeks to boost tourism cooperation with southern Lao provinces

A meeting was held in Binh Dinh on December 28 to discuss how to promote tourism development link between the south-central province, and Atapu, Sekong, Champasak and Salavan province, southern Laos.

According to Vice Chairman of the Binh Dinh provincial People's Committee Lam Hai Giang, delegates were provided with information about destinations, tourism products and services and tourism resources, helping them understand more about the history, culture, nature and people of Binh Dinh, thus expanding cooperation between Binh Dinh and southern provinces of Laos to develop appropriate tourism products in the future.

Binh Dinh will continue to focus on effectively implement cooperation programmes among sides, and work closely with the Lao localities to contribute to further strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, Giang said.

Jointly organised by the Department of Tourism of Binh Dinh and tourism management agencies of the southern Lao provinces, the event aims to concretise a cooperation agreement for the  2021 - 2025 period signed on March 30, 2023  between the Binh Dinh provincial People's Committee and the authorities of the Lao localities.

Previously, a delegation of the Lao localities including representatives from tourism associations and travel agencies, and owners of hotels and tourist sites, made a trip to famous tourist destinations in Binh Dinh, which serves developing tours and tourism products in the future.

Science-technology policies must keep up with sectoral transformation: minister

Management policies and framework for science and technology need prompt review and adaptation to keep up with the rapid transformation of the sector, according to Minister of Science and Technology Huỳnh Thành Đạt at the sectoral year-end review on Thursday.

While achieving significant results, there are still areas for improvement in science-technology management that must be addressed in the near future, he said.

Reports at the review conference said that despite multiple challenges in 2023, the sector has fundamentally completed tasks and missions assigned by the National Assembly and the Government. 

With more than VNĐ12 trillion (US$493.8 million) allocated from the State budget, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has funded the operations of the National Foundation for Science and Technology and the National Technology Innovation Fund.

Science and technology development funds at the local level also garnered more attention, nurturing an important resource for technology research and development among companies for their business and production activities. 

The investment ratio between the government and private companies also progressed in a positive direction with the mobilisation of non-state capital for science and technology. 

In 2023, the MoST has been continuing its collaboration with other ministries and departments to implement national-level science-technology programmes and missions for the 2021-2025 period with a vision to 2030. 

These include 22 programmes approved by the Prime Minister, and 22 other science-technology programmes for the 2021-2025 and 2021-2030 periods approved by the science and technology minister. 

The MoST also works with relevant stakeholders to construct a sound foundation for the semiconductor industry, promoting rapid and sustainable economic development. 

Some of the key areas of focus for development include artificial intelligence, big data analysis, the Internet of Things (IoT), advanced robotics, 3D printing and virtual reality technology. 

The national startup and innovation ecosystem is also gradually taking shape with increasing scale and operations, while innovation investments retain a relatively good growth rate compared to ASEAN.

Việt Nam currently counts more than 3,000 startups, alongside 140 universities and institutes that conduct innovation and startup activities with incubators, support clubs and centres. 

The MoST is also working on the National Startup Support Centre under its authority, with offices planned for Hà Nội, HCM City and Đà Nẵng. 

The ministry has announced nearly 14,000 national standards (known as TCVN) and more than 800 national technical regulations (QCVN), which aim to foster a fair business environment and improve alignment with regional and international standards.

Other areas of focus include the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, and the application of atomic energy in health care, construction, agriculture and industrial production.

Minister Đạt said that in order for science, technology and innovation to become a key driving force and breakthrough in socio-economic growth, it is necessary to have innovative thinking, and comprehensive implementation of major solutions for the national innovation system development.

Better international cooperation and integration in the sector is also needed, he added. 

The MoST will continue acting as an advisor to the government on facilitating scientific research, technology development and innovation, thereby encouraging practical science-technology advancements for the benefit of the country, its people and society. 

PM Chính asks transport sector to focus on infrastructure

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked the transport sector to prioritise infrastructure investment, considering it one of the top-priority tasks this year.

This includes prioritising resources, monitoring progress, and ensuring quality of key projects such as the construction of the Long Thành International Airport and highway projects using the public-private partnership model.

The directives were issued during the teleconference to review the activities of 2023 and outlined the plans for 2024 for the transport sector. The conference, organised by the Ministry of Transport, was connected to 63 cities and provinces.

Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Thắng reported that in 2023, the ministry was among the earliest to propose and receive the Prime Minister’s approval for the national master plan for the transport sector. The ministry also completed the proposal for the investment strategy for the north-south high-speed railway and the plan to mobilise capital from the society for investing in airport infrastructure.

In 2023, the sector achieved breakthroughs in the development of transportation infrastructure with 26 projects initiated and 20 projects completed. Among them, nine components of the highway projects were put into operation, covering a total length of 475 kilometres. This increased the overall length of operational highways across the country to 1,892 kilometres.

2023 saw continued growth. By the end of this November, the volume of goods transported increased by 12.9 per cent, passenger volume increased by 11.5 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.

In terms of public investment disbursement, the ministry was assigned a plan to disburse over VNĐ94 trillion (US$3.87 billion), the largest amount in history. As of this December, the disbursement volume reached about 90 per cent of the plan, and it is expected to exceed 95 per cent by the end of the year.

In ensuring traffic safety, the ministry handled 34 traffic hot spots and 49 accident-prone sites.

In the aviation sector, the ministry directed the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation to ensure the safety of nearly 753,000 flights, accounting for nearly 114 per cent of the plan for 2023.

The ministry’s digital transformation efforts were highlighted as one of the most outstanding achievements. In 2023, the ministry completed four key tasks assigned in Project 06, including sharing drivers' license data and vehicle registration data, promoting online public services for drivers' license conversion, connecting the ministry’s administrative procedure system with the national population database, and building a digital repository of administrative procedure results.

Thắng stated that in 2024, the transport sector will continue to focus on building and improving institutional mechanisms to ensure smooth and safe transportation operations.

The sector has set a target for a 7 per cent increase in transportation volume, an 8 per cent increase in passenger numbers compared to 2023. The volume of goods passing through Việt Nam's seaports in 2024 is targeted to reach about 785 million tonnes, a 4 per cent increase compared to 2023.

Speaking at the conference, PM Chính commended the achievements of the ministry in 2023.

According to the Prime Minister, in 2023, the ministry was assigned many important and challenging tasks. The ministry assigned leaders and agencies to supervise the implementation of new projects while addressing shortcomings and errors in ongoing projects. They also resolved difficulties, including issues related to land acquisition and site clearance.

The Prime Minister noted that during the development of the sector’s master plans, the ministry must adopt innovative thinking, strategic vision, and maximise the country's unique potential and competitive advantages.

Furthermore, the planning must ensure connectivity and equality among regions and with neighbouring countries.

Regarding institutional improvement, PM Chính praised the ministry’s efforts in building and refining institutions. The ministry submitted 13 decrees to the Government, achieving 100 per cent of the Government’s plan.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the transport sector must focus on the development of transportation infrastructure. He also pointed out some limitations that the sector needs to overcome in managing transportation activities, controlling traffic accidents, deploying intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and attracting capital for the development of transportation infrastructure.

For local projects, the ministry must closely coordinate with localities to accelerate the execution progress while ensuring compliance with regulations and preventing corruption, he said. 

SHTP collaborates with Ansys to improve quality of semiconductor manpower

HCM City's Sài Gòn Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) and US-based Ansys Software Pvt Ltd. (Ansys) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate to foster electronic design expertise and advance the semiconductor industry in Việt Nam.

Through this collaboration with the leading high-tech hub in Việt Nam, Ansys, a company specialising in designing technical simulation software, plans to explore the opportunity to provide its Academic Teaching Lease license and relevant Coursework to local universities through the Ansys Innovation Space.

The universities involved in the collaboration are known for their strong engineering departments and provide access to a valuable talent pool for the growing engineering simulation industry in the region.

The collaboration is intended to enable these students to gain practical experience in IC design and learn how to solve complex technical challenges while using simulation software.

Rafiq Somani, vice president of South Asia and Indian Ocean, Ansys, said his company is excited to collaborate with SHTP and the prestigious universities to support the expansion of electronic design expertise in Việt Nam.

SHTP plays a vital role in fostering the development of the high-tech industry and promoting innovation and creativity in the region.

“By providing access to our software tools, we aim to equip the next generation of engineers with the skills they need to contribute to the growth of the high-tech industry in Việt Nam,” he said.

Nguyễn Anh Thi, head of SHTP's Management Board, said this collaboration will contribute significantly to strengthening the capability of the Electronics and Semiconductor Center (ESC) in SHTP, the development of the local semiconductor industry and the growth of the Vietnamese economy.

With a strong commitment from Ansys to promote training and research activities in this field, SHTP looks forward to a fruitful collaboration.

“The programme will enable our students to gain access to the latest technology and methodologies in engineering simulation and acquire practical experience that will help them succeed in the high-tech industry,” he said.

Established in 2002, SHTP is located in Thủ Đức city and covers an area of 913 hectares with the aim of fostering the development of high-tech industries and promoting innovation and creativity in the region.

The park is home to more than 160 companies, including multinational corporations, research institutions, and startups.

With the goal of becoming a key driver of economic growth in the region and attracting local and foreign investment, it is promoting technology transfer, talent development, and collaboration between academia and industry to accelerate innovation and sustainable development. 

Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin aims for progress and innovation in 2023-2028 term

The 5th National Representative Congress of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin for the term 2023-2028 commenced in Hà Nội on Friday.

The event witnessed the active participation of over 300 delegates and representatives, collectively representing the interests of more than 400,000 members nationwide.

Addressing the Congress, Bùi Thị Minh Hoài, a Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Commission for Mass Mobilisation, acknowledged and commended the accomplishments of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin during the previous term. She emphasised that the Party and State have issued numerous guidelines and policies to progressively improve and enhance the material and spiritual lives of the people, including implementing social protection and focusing on policy beneficiaries and disadvantaged individuals in society, especially victims of Agent Orange.

Despite significant financial allocations for subsidies, healthcare, rehabilitation, and support for areas severely affected by Agent Orange, the environmental and health impact remains severe, and social policies cannot fully compensate. Hence, there is a continued need to "join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange," instil faith in victims, alleviate difficulties, and strive for community integration, she said.

Hoài urged the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to clearly define directions, goals, tasks, and practical solutions to carry out the Association's political mission in the next period. She stressed the importance of the Association aligning with and implementing the Party's policies and the State's legal policies related to Agent Orange victims. The Association should coordinate efforts to advise and propose measures to effectively mobilise resources to support, care for, and help victims, ensuring that all policies reach the intended beneficiaries, she said.

Furthermore, she stated that the activities of the Association should emanate from the legitimate aspirations, rights, and interests of victims, aiding their gradual integration into the community.

The 5th National Congress of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, for the term 2023-2028, also serves as an occasion to prepare for celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Việt Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (January 10, 2004 - January 10, 2024). This event marks the growth and development of the Association from central to local levels, affirming its position, reach, and prestige domestically and internationally.

Former traffic policeman sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping

The Hà Nội People's Court conducted a trial yesterday, sentencing Nguyễn Đức Trung, 31, former Captain of the Traffic Police Department in Vĩnh Phúc Province, to 20 years in prison for the crime of "Kidnapping for Property Seizure".

Trung kidnapped a 7-year-old boy in the Việt Hưng urban area in Long Biên, Hà Nội and demanded ransom from the boy's family.

In his testimony, Trung confessed that in 2019, he was under huge debt and that led him to look for rich households and steal their properties, intending to sell them to repay his debts.

On July 4, 2023, Trung rented a car and acquired a ZORAKI M906-TD 9mm rubber bullet gun for intimidation.

Trung then targeted the Việt Hưng and Vinhomes urban areas for property theft, but encountered no susceptible houses.

On the afternoon of August 14, 2023, Trung decided to kidnap a child to threaten the family and demand ransom. To carry out the kidnapping, Trung purchased a large roll of adhesive tape, a pair of gloves and two elastic cords which he stored in the car.

Trung drove the car to the Việt Hưng urban area, where he saw 7-year-old Nguyễn Hoàng P riding a bicycle alone. Trung forced the child onto the car and used the cord to tie his hands, placing the child in the front passenger seat.

The kidnapper then called P's mother, demanding VNĐ15 billion (US$618,000) in ransom. As the family could only prepare over VNĐ13 billion (US$535,000), Trung agreed to accept this amount. When P's mother handed the money to Trung, the police arrested the suspect along with the evidence.

The trial panel determined that Nguyễn Đức Trung's actions violated the life and property of the child P and his family, causing panic for society, and thus sentenced him to 20 years in prison, in accordance with Article 169, Paragraph 4, Point a) of the Criminal Code. 

HCMC to immunize babies with 5-in-1 vaccine

The HCMC Center for Disease Control and Prevention (HCDC) yesterday informed that it has receive 8,100 doses of DPT-VGB-Hib (SII) to serve babies from 18 months and below. 

The 8,100 doses of DPT-VGB-Hib (SII) are provided by the Ministry of Health to inoculate users against the five common diseases of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, pneumonia/meningitis caused by Hib bacteria.

The healthcare sector in HCMC is going to launch a citywide vaccination campaign with these doses for eligible babies from 2 to 18 months old. The campaign should begin right after the New Year Day and last about one week.

HCDC reported that until December 28, 2023, there were about 7,500 babies from 2 to 18 months not being vaccinated with dose 1 of SII yet. These subjects are the priority of this first vaccination campaign in 2024.

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