Drones are increasingly used on rice fields in Hau Giang Province

Farmer Tu Tan in Thoai Son District of An Giang Province joyfully sold his harvested rice at a price of VND8,800 (US$0.36) per kilo. Owning a large field of 35ha, this is the first time in his 40 years of growing rice that he has sold produce at such a high price.

He happily informed that his winter-spring, summer-fall, and fall-winter rice crops yield 8 tonnes, 7.5 tonnes, and 6 tonnes respectively, reaching a total of 21.5 tonnes per hectare in 2023. He earns a profit of VND100 million ($4,125) a hectare a year. Observing the province’s model of ‘No-Footprint Farming Techniques’, his field produces a much higher output than others following traditional growing methods.

On his field, nearly all planting steps from sowing seeds to spraying fertilizer, pumping water are the responsibilities of machines, including his five drones, each of which is worth VND200-500 million ($8,250-20,630).

Tu Tan also hires four experienced technicians to monitor the machines and offer service to all farmers in Thoai Son area. Their job is to control the drones, capture the surface of the fields in order to program a drone schedule for seed sowing, fertilizer and pesticide spraying. Effectively implementing AI technology, this is why the model is called ‘no footprint’.

In Long An province, agricultural drones are being widely used on 60,000ha of rice fields in the project ‘Building a Hi-tech Production Area’, aiming at changing rice farmers’ awareness and agricultural practices. Participants are encouraged to decrease the density of seed sowing while using fertilizer more logically and choosing organic fertilizer in order to improve crop fertility, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect the environment in increasingly complex climate change conditions.

Director Truong Van Phu of Lua Mua Noi Service-Agriculture Cooperative in Vinh Dai Commune of Tan Hung District shared that the use of drones in pesticide spraying helps to reduce the amount, minimize the chance of unintentionally trampling on rice plants, protect farmers’ health, decrease both labor and cost.

At present, about 70 percent of rice fields in Dong Thap Muoi area is using drones for pesticide spraying. This proportion is expected to rise in the near future when the new rice growing model proves to save cost by VND0.5-4.3 million ($20.6-177) while increasing profit by VND1-4.8 million ($41.3-198) a hectare.

Deputy Director of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of An Giang Province Nguyen Thi Giang stated that her province has already launched various programs, projects, and models applying drones in agricultural activities, which have been wholeheartedly welcomed by local farmers and cooperatives. Some have even invested to buy more than 30 drones and seen promising results.

Deputy Director Giang further informed that many provinces in the Mekong Delta have installed smart insect monitoring stations. The provinces of Hau Giang, Soc Trang, and Long An have become models in this aspect.

Being an experienced user of the app Mekong Farm, farmer Van Hung from Long Phu District of Soc Trang Province excitedly shared the usefulness of timely warnings from the app so that he is well aware about the kinds and density of pests on his rice field. He can then select proper pesticides and the best time to spray them.

Hung is one among thousands of farmers in Soc Trang Province benefiting from the establishment of 7 smart insect monitoring systems in the provinces to provide prompt warnings to plant growers. The system consists of light traps placed on fields, a central processing system, and an app to update the status of pests on each field.

A calculation of the quantity of insects, the current temperature and humidity at all light traps via a modern camera system can create and send data to the center in the form of numbers or charts. The data are carefully analyzed to produce suitable warnings in the app so that farmers are well aware of their field’s pest status.

Director Huynh Ngoc Nha of the Soc Trang Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that 70 percent of the dwellers in the province are living on farming. Therefore, carrying out digital transformation and implementing advanced technologies in agricultural activities is inevitable here for practical results.

Similarly, the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Long An Province has installed 9 smart systems to help the agriculture sector of the province to timely update the pest status in all fields and deliver corresponding warnings to farmers. The system is able to recognize more than 100 insects. Each station can send one image of the assigned area per hour to the data analysis center. Operating with solar energy, this system can work non-stop and safely.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to support local waste-recycling

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has announced plans to assist local facilities in collecting and recycling waste, including used batteries.

The move was an answer to voters' concerns about unsafe battery disposal in many facilities in the country. They said the lack of up-to-standard battery recycling facilities was posing high environmental risks. 

But it is unfair to put all the blame on waste-recycling facilities.

In fact, under the Law on Environment 2020, producers and importers must either recycle their waste or make financial contributions to the Fund for Environment Protection, which will be allocated for waste treatment.

However, scores of producers and importers keep disregarding the regulation, resulting in some used batteries ending up in landfills untreated.

Voters thus urged the ministry to tighten up on battery disposal and keep a closer watch on producers and importers to ensure they stick to the regulation.

In response, the ministry said it had drafted a decree regulating the use of the Fund for Environment Protection. Once the decree comes into force, the fund will be used to support local facilities in waste recycling, including used batteries. 

The ministry also said it was tightening current regulations in Decree 08 to ensure a higher rate of solid waste, including used batteries, would be recycled. It also keeps producers and importers under surveillance to ensure they act within the law.

Under the decree, producers and importers of single-use batteries are obliged to contribute 1 per cent of their revenues to the fund to finance waste treatment. Meanwhile, producers and importers of rechargeable batteries are required to either recycle their waste or make a financial contribution to the fund.

People run to raise voice against violence against women and girls

More than 1700 international and Vietnamese athletes declared their commitment to stopping violence against women through a run yesterday in Hà Nội.

Entitled "Run for Zero Violence against Women and Girls in Việt Nam", the event around Hoàn Kiếm Lake was a chance for people of different ages and abilities, to say "No Excuse" to all forms of gender-based violence whether physical, mental, sexual or digital.

The second edition was organised by the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescent (CSAGA) as commissioned by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Việt Nam in partnership with the Government of Australia.

"I have been waiting for this race for months," Nguyễn Thị Lan Anh told Việt Nam News.

"The run pushes our spirit and here we can see everyone joining hands to end violence, especially violence against women and girls," said Anh who competed in a wheelchair.

The race was part of Việt Nam’s National Action Month for Gender Equality, and Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence, which runs from November 15 to December 15.

This event was also part of the annual "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 running through to International Human Rights Day on December 10.

Together with other UN agencies in Việt Nam, UNFPA Việt Nam aim to raise awareness and spark advocacy for change. It’s high time to take action to end all forms of violence and harmful practices including child marriage, digital violence, intimate partner violence and rape, among other atrocities.

“We all believe that light will overshadow darkness and smiles will wipe away the tears. In collaboration with UNFPA, we have organised this second running race in the hope that our efforts will contribute to bringing about peaceful lives to all women and girls," Nguyễn Vân Anh, CSAGA director, said.

"They deserve to live without fear of gender-based violence. Let’s take action towards a healthy and sustainable development.

"Organising the race at Hoàn Kiếm Lake, an iconic landmark of the capital city, is one way to lure people's attention to our message of love and 'zero violence against women and girls'.

"Elsewhere out there, many women and girls still have to run away and fear violence. Through our event, they might know that many people are by their side and want to change the situation of gender-based violence in Việt Nam."

Violence against women and girls happens everywhere, in homes, schools, businesses, parks, public transport, sports arenas, and increasingly online. Gender-based violence remains the world’s most chronic, devastating, and most overlooked violation of human rights.

The second National Study on Violence against Women in Việt Nam in 2019, showed that 63 per cent of married women aged 15-64 reported experiencing some form of violence at least once in their lifetime by their husbands or intimate partners.

Half of women who experienced violence kept silent, and over 90 per cent of gender-based violence survivors did not seek any help at all.

Women with disabilities, young people, LGBTQI+ and ethnic minorities are more likely to be targeted with abuse or harassment or have their images abused online. Between 40 and 68 per cent of young women with a disability experience sexual violence before age 18.

“Today’s race shows our strong commitment to ending domestic violence and gender-based violence both in the real world and in the virtual world," said Matt Jackson, UNFPA representative in Việt Nam.

"Today we say 'No More Violence. No Excuse!'. Everyone has the right to body autonomy and equal access to sexual and reproductive health. So however, you run, jog, walk, roll, wheel – however you make your way around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, today we are all racing for equality. For our shared goal where all women, girls and young people can live free from violence."

Australian Deputy Ambassador Mark Tattersall said: “This morning we send a message from the heart of Hà Nội to all people in Việt Nam: violence against women and children is never acceptable. We are here in support of victim-survivors and bystanders to violence against women and children who choose not to stay silent. Ending violence against women and children is the responsibility of all.”

Vietnam promoting collaboration in plastic waste processing

Devising effective initiatives to overcome plastic-related challenges, Vietnam is one of the leading countries in the world to actively handle negative impacts of plastic on earth for a more sustainable development.

In 2020, Vietnam joined in the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) and National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP).

Christian Kaufholz, Director of GPAP, shared that along with global economic growth is a significant rise in consumption, leading to a remarkable increase of plastic waste.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment informed that in February 2020, it signed an agreement with 30 pioneer businesses about a public-private partnership initiative in establishing a circular economy model for plastic waste management.

The agreement aims at controlling the life circle of products, raising the public’s awareness, and fostering innovation related to this field nationwide.

Until now, the parties to this agreement have collected and recycled more than 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste. In addition, over 2,500 job openings have been provided to laborers, and the propaganda campaign on waste sorting has reached about 12 million citizens.

To better follow the circular economy model, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry encourages more investments into cutting-edge, efficient recycling technologies to systematically improve waste collection. The task of sorting waste at source should also be promoted.

Cambodia Culture Week in Vietnam opens

Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts on December 3 kicked off the Cambodia Culture Week in Vietnam 2023 in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, the Secretary of State of Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts Net Phoumary said this is an important mark as the two countries start implementing their 2023-2027 cooperation plan on culture and fine arts.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong said that besides Soc Trang province, the Cambodia Culture Week also takes place in Dong Thap as part of a series of cultural exchange events in the Vietnam - Cambodia border area.

He said the activities create favourable conditions for people in the border areas of the two countries to exchange, introduce unique cultural features, and work together to build and protect the Vietnam - Cambodia borderline, contributing to the solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two peoples.

Fifty years of Vietnam - Italy diplomatic relations marked in Hanoi

The 50th anniversary of the Vietnam - Italy diplomatic relations (1973 - 2023) was celebrated at a ceremony held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Italian Embassy in Vietnam in Hanoi on December 3.

Since bilateral diplomatic ties were set up on March 23, 1973, Vietnam and Italy have become increasingly important partners of each other in all spheres and cooperated closely in both bilateral and multilateral aspects.

The upgrade of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in January 2013 is considered a historic step heralding an important journey of their connections and promoting the intensive, comprehensive, effective, and sustainable development of cooperation.

Addressing the event, VUFO President Phan Anh Son said Italy is an important partner and a faithful friend of the Vietnamese people. He described people-to-people exchanges as a highlight of the countries’ relations and a contribution to their mutual understanding.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy donated nearly 3 million vaccine doses to Vietnam while the Vietnamese Government and people gave medical masks as assistance for the European country. Both sides supported each other to surmount the pandemic, he noted.

To develop their relations both extensively and intensively, Son perceived that the countries should keep reinforcing the foundation of their cooperation, which is a traditional, close-knit, and extremely precious friendship nurtured by generations of their leaders and peoples.

In the time ahead, VUFO will continue working closely with Italian partners and organisations to diversify people-to-people diplomatic activities to bolster multifaceted cooperation, he went on.

For his part, Italian Ambassador Macro Della Seta said this year, the two countries have marked the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations via a wide range of programmes, including cultural events and initiatives and high-level visits.

Notably, President Vo Van Thuong paid an official visit to Italy in July during which the two sides issued a joint statement on strengthening their strategic partnership, the diplomat added.

Festival held to forge Vietnam-India friendship

The 11th Vietnam – India People's Friendship Festival opened in Chennai, the capital of India’s Tamil Nadu state, on December 2 evening, aiming to strengthening the friendship at all levels within the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

The festival is co-organised by the All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) and Tamil Nadu’s authorities, with a 25-member Vietnamese delegation to the event led by Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association (VIFA) Ha Minh Hue.

In his remarks, Hue emphasised the traditional friendship between Vietnam and India, and expressed his delight at the great achievements they have recorded since the establishment of the bilateral strategic partnership in 2007, and the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

These achievements have helped promote the cooperation in a more substantive manner in all the five pillars of politics-diplomacy, national defence-security, economy-trade, science-technology, and education-training and people-to-people exchange, he went on.

The festival, which brings together delegates representing people from all walks of life, is expected to contribute to enhancing the friendship in the new situation, he said.

Pallab Sengupta, Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Central Committee, President of the World Peace Council, and presidium member of the AIPSO, reviewed the Vietnam-India solidarity and mutual support, and stressed the importance of people-to-people exchanges.

This year’s event featured special art performances by Vietnamese and Indian artists.

Earlier the same day, the Vietnamese delegation paid a courtesy visit to AIPSO leaders, and had meetings with representatives of the CPI and the Communist Party of India –Marxist in Chennai.

Vietnamese culture spotlighted at Asian fair in France

A Vietnamese cultural space was set up at the large-scale 2023 Asian fair (Salon d’Asie 2023) held in France’s Lyon city from December 2-3.

This was the first time Vietnam had officially joined the event, aiming to maintain the participation in the coming years, contributing to promoting the image of Vietnam as a friendly and hospitable nation to international friends.

Vietnamese Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang called Vietnam’s partaking in the fair as an honorary guest a meaningful event in 2023 that marks the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties, and 10 years of the strategic partnership.

The Vietnamese space was set up by 11 partners operating in such spheres as cuisine, tourism, culture and martial arts, drawing large crowds of visitors.

The event will create a premise for Vietnam to participate in activities in the Eurexpo exhibition centre that houses the fair in the time ahead, said deputy director of the Vietnamese culture centre in France Tang Thanh Son.

The fair featured hundreds of booths by Asian nations, and attracted about 62,000 visitors.

Student basketball tournament tips off in capital

The best 14 teams will compete in the National University Basketball Championship Finals from December 4 to 9 in Hà Nội.

After qualifications in three regions, North, Central and South that featured nearly 140 teams, organisers found the eight strongest male teams and six female. 

The number of people taking part has increase by 35 per cent compared to last season.

On the women's side, hosts Hà Nội National University of Education will play Đà Nẵng University and Việt Nam National University Hà Nội in Group C.

Defending champion Tôn Đức Thắng University, Foreign Trade University and HCM City University of Economics and Finance will compete in Group D.

On the men's side, reigning champions RMIT will defend their title against HCM City University of Education, Hà Nội National University of Education, and University of Transport and Communications in Group B.

Đà Nẵng University, Foreign Trade University, Việt Nam Maritime University and Hoa Sen University are drawn in Group A.

Among them, the Maritime University take part in the finals for the first time.

"Last year, we worked really hard to compete in the championship. This year, we have to work harder because defending a title is always much more difficult than winning one and the pressure will be higher," said Nguyễn Phạm Huy Nguyên, a representative of RMIT, at a press briefing on November 3.

"Luckily, we passed the qualification and now we will strongly be focused to have highest result in the final round."

The second tournament is jointly held by the Ministry of Education and Training's Physique Education Department, Max Sports (MSE) and Vietcontent following a long-term partnership which is sponsored by Doppelherz, Động Lực Group and Bản Việt Bank.

Balance bike riding tournament features 700 child cyclists in Hà Nội

The eighth Ander Saro Cup Việt Nam, a balance bike racing for children, will features 700 young cyclists competing for trophies on December 10 in Hà Nội.

According to organisers, this will be the largest edition which will see competitors nationwide gathering at the Aeon Mall Long Biên.

The tournament aims to encourage and improve exercise for children from a young age.

Previously, the competition was organised in different cities and provinces such as HCM City, Lâm Đồng, Hải Phòng and Hà Nam.

In addition, children's independence and confidence through physical activities will be promoted. At the same time, it will unite family members and spread positive messages and encourage sports in children from a young age.

"We are very happy that the tournament brings many useful activities for children, creating health, courage, and determination of children," said Hoàng Xuân Lương, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Olympic Committee (VOC).

"The VOC will accompany the tournament, supporting in term of policies and directions to create a useful annual playground for children."

Head of the organising board Trần Quang Huy said to ensure the quality of the tournament, the number of children participating will be limited to 700. They would take part in individual categories and family relay this year. But it was expected to welcome up to 2,000 children in the following years.

"We have the desire to organise an international-scale Ander Saro Cup competition in Việt Nam in the coming years. Vietnamese athletes can exchange, learn and connect with friends around the world," said Huy.

"To do that, we need help and guidance from the VOC, sponsors and media.”

VNU-HCM promotes training in high-quality IC design

Seeing strong demand for human resources in the semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) technology industry in Việt Nam, Việt Nam National University-HCM City (VNU-HCM) targets to train about 1,500 engineers and 500 master's degree students in IC design by 2030.

VNU-HCM chancellor Vũ Hải Quân said the university had set a goal of providing in-depth training in IC design to meet the need for high-quality human resources for the development of the semiconductor IC technology industry in the country and the world.

“This target helps affirm VNU-HCM’s position domestically and internationally, contributing to the implementation of the university’s goal to be among the leading higher education institutions in Asia,” he said.

Accordingly, its member universities will train and grant industrial and international certifications in IC design to around 15,000 engineers over the next seven years.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has recently emphasised the need to increase investment in the development of human resources for the research of semiconductor IC technology in Việt Nam.

Many local universities have begun enrolling and training students in IC design and IC Technology majors to meet labour market demand in this field.

However, training human resources in this field requires the schools to have good facilities, modern laboratories, training programmes, experienced teaching staff, and cooperation networks.

Among member universities of VNU-HCM, the HCM City University of Technology has been a pioneer in training the semiconductor IC design industry for over 20 years, providing about 300 students with expertise related to IC design to the labour market each year.

So far, more than 6,000 students have graduated in this field from the university.

The HCM City University of Technology Principal Mai Thanh Phong said the semiconductor IC supply chain was divided into four stages: design, production, packaging and testing, and equipment manufacturing.

“Việt Nam has many advantages to participate deeply in IC design for the global semiconductor IC supply chain, which accounts for 53 per cent of the added value of a product,” he said.

Many big IC companies, such as Samsung, LG, Sharp and Foxconn, were reported to be planning to expand in Việt Nam, creating a demand for high-quality semiconductor IC human resources and huge opportunities for the country.

Therefore, Việt Nam needed stronger human resources to serve the growing IC demand and create greater investment opportunities.

To meet this urgent demand, the HCM City University of Technology stayed ahead of the world's science and technology development trends, Phong said.

The university’s vision is to become an excellent scientific research and training centre that plays a pioneering role in leading the domestic semiconductor IC field, according to Phong.

Its training programmes in IC are developed and taught by a team of 200 lecturers from the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Department of Materials Technology.

All lecturers graduated with PhD degrees from countries with advanced semiconductor IC industries such as the US, Germany, France, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

In the upcoming 2024-25 academic year, the university will officially begin two new majors, IC design and Semiconductor IC.

Graduates from the university with bachelor's degrees in IC Design will be able to find a job at most IC design companies both locally and abroad.

The Semiconductor IC major at the post-graduate level will provide advanced knowledge and skills in designing and manufacturing ICs.

“The majors are expected to supply high-quality human resources for the semiconductor IC industry," Phong added.

Huỳnh Phú Minh Cường, deputy head of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the HCM City University of Technology, said training high-quality IC design engineers required modern laboratories, good training programmes, experienced lecturers, and collaboration between domestic and international training institutions.

Since 2013, the university set up a lab for microchip and high-frequency systems which specialises in the design and testing of semiconductor ICs, with modern equipment and a research team of about 40 people.

The research team of the lab successfully designed the three microchips of CMOS RF DVB-T2 TUNER, attached with the university logo, which had been manufactured in Taiwan (China).

“Everyone is working hard to show the skills of the university’s professional team and the effectiveness of the training programmes here,” he said.

The HCM City University of Technology has established cooperation relationships in training and scientific research in the field of semiconductor IC with many famous universities in the world such as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Texas A&M University in the US, and KAIST in the Republic of Korea.

The school has also cooperated with large organisations and businesses such as Marvell Technology and Synopsys, and received copyright sponsorship of specialised software systems from Synopsys and Cadence - the world's two largest companies providing IC design tools.

To achieve the goal of in-depth training in IC design, Vũ Hải Quân said it would be necessary to invest in a system of laboratories in both the north and south of the country for common use by universities in research and training in IC design.

“Through these laboratories, Việt Nam can develop a number of innovative startups in the field of semiconductor IC technology,” he said.

He proposed that the Government soon issue a strategy for developing the semiconductor technology industry, including investment resources for training and research.

He also recommended policies on promoting links and cooperation between universities and businesses; international cooperation; and cooperation with universities around the world to expand and develop advanced training programmes on IC design. 

Adilson Da Silva win 2023 Vinpearl DIC Legends Việt Nam

Brazilian Adilson Da Silva won the 2023 Vinpearl DIC Legends Việt Nam, on December 2 in Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa Province.

The three days of competitions of the first Legends Tour in Việt Nam and Southeast Asia, saw many changes on the leaderboard. 

Joakim Haeggman and Andrew Marshall, the two golfers placed third after the first two days did not reach their peak and dropped in the rankings.  Meanwhile, Scott Hend and Ricardo Gonzalez were in good form and rose to the high positions.

However, none of them could beat Da Silva who maintained their best performance from the beginning to the end.

He suffered a bogey in the early hole but his birdies in the holes 10, 11 and 12 helped him to stay on top.

A birdie at 17 and a par at 18 confirmed him as the champion of the first DIC Legends event with 10-under 216.

He walked away with the prestigious trophy and a prize of US$93,500.

Hend scored 7-under 216 to place second, followed by Gonzalez and Michael Campbell who shared the third position with 6-under 216.

In the Best Amateur, there were no surprises when Lê Chúc An won with 109 points. Nguyễn Viết Gia Hân (102 points) and Nguyễn Anh Minh (88 points) were second and third, respectively.

An and her teammate Emanuele Canonica and Simon Khan won the Team Alliance prize. 

Prenn Pass upgrade work to be completed before Lunar New Year Holiday

The upgrade and expansion of the Prenn Pass, Da Lat City’s main access route, in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, is being completed before the Tet Lunar New Year Holiday. 

The upgrade and expansion of the Prenn Pass, Da Lat City’s main access route is being completed before the Tet Lunar New Year Holiday.

According to Deoca Group, the project's contractor, 85 percent of the project has been finished and they're taking advantage of the dry season to speed up the final work so that the project can be completed ahead of Tet.

Lam Dong People’s Committee began upgrading and expanding the Prenn Pass on February 10.

The VND533-billion project started in February on the 7.40-kilometre pass which connects the tourist city of Da Lat with Lien Khuong International Airport and the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway linking the southeastern province of Dong Nai with Lam Dong.

Lam Dong People's Committee said that the project would help solve traffic congestion problems, ensure traffic safety, especially at weekends and on holidays; and increase the pace of socio-economic development of Da Lat and Lam Dong Province.

Prenn Pass, built by France in 1943, sees the highest level of traffic out of all roads leading into the city. The new upgrades will improve many of the dangerous curves along the pass.

Hanoi pitches for firefighting equipment upgrades

Hanoi People's Committee have just proposed buying more firefighting equipment including helicopters, firefighting robots and specialised firefighting vehicles and ships to better facilitate firefighting activities in the city. 

In their proposal to the municipal people's council, the committee said that despite some positive development in their recent firefighting activities, there are many shortcomings and challenges facing local firefighters.

"Improper urban planning in many areas has caused difficulties for firefighting work," the committee explained. "Hanoi has over 4,500 small streets and lanes with lengths of over 200 metres that fire engines are unable to access. Many illegal constructions have also affected firefighting activities. In addition, frequent traffic congestion especially during rush hours also pose a big challenge."

Meanwhile, local fighters are facing an equipment shortage. The city has 238 fire engines, but nearly 30 percent face frequent breakdowns.

To prepare for a better firefighting plan until 2030, the committee proposed to buy 99 fire engines and some specialised firefighting vehicles and ships to better facilitate firefighting activities in the city.

WWF supports Vietnam to achieve sustainable development

The World Wide Fund for Nature Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam) has collaborated with various organizations in Vietnam to implement propaganda activities on environment protection, biological diversity, circular economy and sustainable development.

Previously, last month, the WWF collaborated with the Administration of Seas and Islands under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment to host a forum to call for provinces and cities nationwide to commit not to releasing plastic waste into the environment in response to the initiative of 1,000 Plastic Smart Cities.

Besides, the WWF has collaborated with relevant ministries and agencies to perform the propaganda mission to raise awareness for the communities, especially young generations of environment protection; join hands to act for the environment and spread the models heading to the circular economy and sustainable development.

Vietnam-Switzerland Solidarity Day held in Zurich

The Switzerland-Vietnam Friendship Association (SVFA) in coordination with the Vietnamese community in Switzerland held Solidarity Day 2023 in Zurich on December 3 to strengthen solidarity and mutual support between people of the two countries for peace and friendship among nations in the world.

The event also drew the participation of representatives of the Vietnamese community in France and Italy.

In his remarks at the event, Y Thong, Deputy Minister - Vice Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always appreciate SVFA’s spiritual and material support as well as its projects in Vietnam which contribute to settling consequences of war and reducing poverty in the country.

He also affirmed that the SVFA and the Association of Vietnamese in Switzerland always support and coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland, as well as Vietnam’s Permanent Mission in Geneva in activities aiming at promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges and collecting donations to help disadvantaged people in Vietnam.

On this occasion, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of Vietnam's Permanent Mission to the UN, the World Trade Organisation and other organisations in Geneva, recalled the association's contributions over the past years. She hoped that members of SVFA and the Association of Vietnamese in Switzerland will continue to maintain and expand the activities of the two associations.

President of the SVFA Anjuska Weil expressed her belief that with the support of the Vietnamese Embassy in Bern and the Vietnamese Mission in Geneva, more projects supporting the needy in Vietnam will be carried out in the future.

Binh Duong hosts 2023 Horasis Asia Meeting

The 2023 Horasis Asia Meeting opened in the southern province of Binh Duong on December 4, attracting over 700 participants.

Organised by the provincial People’s Committee and Horasis Forum, the event features discussions on global issues such as creating smart communities, attracting investment, innovation, developing AI application technology, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, Chairman of the Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Minh said that this is the fourth time the province has hosted Horasis events, which provides the province with an opportunity to show international partners its socio-economic development achievements, new projects, and orientations to attract investors. 

At the meeting, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat pointed out Vietnam's great achievements after nearly four decades of renewal, which make Vietnam a dynamic and important driver in regional socio-economic development, with GDP increasing more than 100 times. At the same time, it is an ideal destination for foreign investors

Dat emphasised that Vietnam is aiming for three strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure, and human resources. Strong application of science and technology is identified as the decisive factor in achieving these goals, he said.

The official added that creating favourable conditions for foreign-invested economic sectors is also a top priority of the Government of Vietnam. 

Held in Binh Duong - a key economic hub of Vietnam, the Horasis forum has become an important platform for sharing visions and ideas about development. 

The province has 29 industrial parks and 12 industrial clusters, attracting thousands of foreign direct investment projects with an investment capital of more than 40 billion USD.

Binh Duong is also one of Vietnam's leading localities in building smart urban areas. With many notable successes, the province is highly valued by the international community, maintaining its top position in the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) in 2023.

Founded in 2005, the Horasis Asia Meeting is an international investment promotion organisation to connect investors who are multinational groups. Horasis is a global visions community committed to providing a platform for companies from emerging and developed markets to seek global partners. In addition to the Horasis Asia Meeting, Horasis hosts the annual Horasis Global Meeting, Horasis China Meeting, and Horasis India Meeting, among others.

Vietnamese, Algerian parties bolster relationship

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh had a meeting on December 4 to congratulate Abdelkrim Benmbarek for being elected as Secretary General of Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) Party.

Khanh also handed a congratulatory message from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to the Algerian official.

At the reception, Secretary General Abdelkrim Benmbarek said that the FLN upholds traditional values and attaches importance to international friends. He also pledged to continue his mission and expressed his willingness to cooperate through party channels with the Vietnamese side through activities such as exchanging delegations and sharing experiences.

For his part, Ambassador Khanh emphasised that the Vietnamese Party and State leaders always keep a close watch on the results of the 11th Congress of the FLN and highly value the important role of the FLN in Algeria. He also expressed his hope that the two parties will continue cooperating to promote bilateral relations to new heights.

On this occasion, the two sides also discussed issues of mutual concerns and proposed measures to promote cooperation such as organising online theoretical exchanges between political academies of the two countries.

They also talked about exchanges in bilateral experiences in economic development, anti-corruption and modernisation of the country, education of education for the young generations, and expanding cooperation between localities of the two countries.

The two sides agreed to organise joint activities to mark major anniversaries in 2024.

Da Nang aspires to collaborate with Malaysia in high-quality workforce training

Da Nang looks forward to teaming up with Malaysia in high-quality workforce training, particularly in the fields of information technology and semiconductor chips, meeting the sides’ human resources demand, stated Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ho Ky Minh at his meeting with visiting Malaysian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Firdauz Bin Othman on December 4.

Noting that tourism is among focuses of cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam, including Da Nang, Minh hoped Malaysia will make investment and form partnerships in the central coastal city’s restaurant and hotel sectors. Da Nang will facilitate connections to ensure the most favorable investment conditions for Malaysian businesses, he affirmed.

Minh hoped that in the near future, Malaysian investors would be interested in exploring investment and collaboration opportunities with the central economic hub in new areas related to human resources training and development. Currently, the central city has a well-established system of universities, colleges, and vocational schools that provide excellent training, he elaborated.

In response, Firdauz Bin Othman pointed to the much higher number of Malaysian tourists to Vietnam in 2023 compared to the previous years. Malaysians enjoy traveling to Vietnam, and Da Nang is one of their preferred destinations.

He told his host that, after the visit, he will discuss with Malaysian firms the direction of joint works between Malaysia and Da Nang. He expressed his desire for both sides to have positive and fruitful development cooperation in the future.

Malaysia consistently ranks among the top ten international markets of visitors to Da Nang. In the first nine months of 2023, the city welcomed 68,619 Malaysians, accounting for 4.63% of its total volume of foreign visitors. Its export and import turnover with the country, meanwhile, stood at about 8.5 million USD and 7.2 million USD, respectively. Currently, Da Nang houses 18 Malaysian-invested projects worth over 222 million USD.

HCM City, northwestern provinces promote tourism development collaboration

The People's Committees of Ho Chi Minh City and eight expanded northwestern provinces convened a tourism promotion conference in the southern economic hub on December 4, aiming to promote their culture and tourism domestically and internationally.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung stated that the city always considers tourism development collaboration a crucial task, adding it has teamed up with 49 provinces, cities, and key economic zones nationwide.

The southern metropolis and the expanded northwestern region have coordinated in various events and conducted surveys to develop new tours, routes and products connecting the sides, he noted.

Representing the region, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Bien province Vu A Bang said that the conference is among activities to carry out cooperation programmes and agreements in the field between the provinces and the city for 2020-2025.

The official stressed that via the event, the local tourism industry hopes to enhance connections and joint work with the city, creating opportunities for many tourism enterprises to update information and expand their market.

He said the conference is expected to serve as a platform for local authorities, state management agencies, and travel firms to exchange ideas and assess potential, opportunities, and orientation for building their products. It also involved sharing experience in tourism development cooperation and proposing solutions and initiatives for future links between the localities.

The expanded northwestern region comprises Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, and Ha Giang. It possesses rich tourism resources with magnificent nature, distinctive culture, and glorious history, making it attractive to tourists. Renowned attractions include Mount Fansipan in Lao Cai, known as the roof of Indochina, the UNESCO Global Geopark Dong Van Karst Plateau in Ha Giang, and the Mu Cang Chai terraced fields in Yen Bai.

Federation of Vietnamese people associations set up in Germany

The federation of Vietnamese people associations in Germany was established at a congress held in Berlin on December 3.

The event was attended by over 300 delegates representing over 80 organisations and associations of Vietnamese people and intellectuals across the 16 states of Germany.

At the congress, participants elected a 40-member executive board with General Director of the Berlin-based Dong Xuan trade centre Nguyen Van Hien chosen as Chairman.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Vu Quang Minh described the congress on the federation establishment as a long-awaited event as the community of more than 200,000 Vietnamese in the European country had an urgent need for a “common home” officially representing their rights and interests.

The diplomat praised the congress’s adoption of the federation’s statutes and the election of an executive board gathering representatives from all strata and across Germany. He expressed his belief that the representatives will contribute to the development of a strong Vietnamese community in Germany.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, Chairman Hien said that with nearly 200,000 people and about 10,000 businesses operating in various sectors, Vietnamese form a large and strong Asian community in Germany and has received high evaluation during their integration into the local society.

He noted organisations and associations of Vietnamese people have basically met the demand of the community in their localities or specialised fields, but there was still a shortage of a “common home”. The federation will represent the community’s common voice at the federal level to coordinate and support activities of those organisations and associations.

The federation will serve, protect, and represent the rights and legitimate interests of Vietnamese people. It will help build an increasingly strong and united community with continued development, successful integration, and a growing stature in both Germany and Vietnam. It will also actively contribute to the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, Hien added.

HCM City, Saint Petersburg strengthen cooperation in areas

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan on December 4 held a working session with a delegation of Saint Petersburg led by Grigoriev Evgeny Dmitrievich, Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of the Russian city.

At the session, Hoan said HCM City is willing to promote cooperative activities with St Petersburg in trade, education, and healthcare.

The city encourages and creates favourable conditions for local businesses to engage in trade with St Petersburg, while promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two localities, he said.

Hoan emphasised that the city highly appreciated the signing of cooperation agreements between Vyborgsky district and Thu Duc city, and between Kronstadt district and Can Gio district, hoping the agreements will soon be translated into specific cooperation programmes and projects.

Moreover, Ho Chi Minh City is ready to coordinate with St Petersburg to speed up the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the elected bodies of the two cities. 

For his part, the Russian official said that St Petersburg wishes to work with Ho Chi Minh City to concretise cooperation agreements into specific tasks and projects for the benefit of the people of the two countries.

Highly appreciating the socio-economic potential and position of Ho Chi Minh City, he called on Ho Chi Minh City leaders to support the signing of MoUs for cooperation between districts and agencies of the two localities.

Dmitrievich said that he supports the launch of direct flights between Saint Petersburg and Ho Chi Minh City.

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