The number of people killed in the fatal Quảng Nam road accident has increased to 10.

87-year-old Nguyễn Quế from Quảng Ngãi Province died at home on Tuesday evening and Đinh Tám, 40, from the same locality also lost his life.

The remaining 11 victims from the accident are still being treated at the Quảng Nam Central General Hospital. 

It is reported that the passengers on the 16-seat minibus were travelling for medical examinations when it crashed with a heavy goods vehicle early Tuesday morning. 

Khuất Việt Hùng, deputy chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, arrived at the crash site and inspected the scene in Núi Thành District of Quảng Nam Province. 

He also travelled to Quảng Ngãi Province to visit the families of the victims.

PM Pham Minh Chinh visits Ben Tre province

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has paid a visit to the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre to attend the 110th birth anniversary of Huynh Tan Phat, former President of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, former Deputy Prime Minister and Vice Chairman of the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee.

Within the framework of the visit, on February 15, PM Chinh visited and presented gifts to policy beneficiary families and children with disabilities in Ben Tre, and inspected some major infrastructure projects in the locality.

Visiting children at the School for Disabled Children of Ben Tre in Son Dong commune of Ben Tre city, PM Chinh encouraged the children to work hard in learning and practicing to integrate into the society.

He lauded efforts by officials and teachers of the schools in caring for the children, and asked leaders of Ben Tre to pay greater attention to improving the quality of teachers and education management officials in the time to come, and support special education facilities.

The same day, PM Chinh visited and presented gifts to Le Thi Khanh, a Heroic Vietnamese Mother in Chau Thanh township of Chau Thanh district. He affirmed that the Party, State and people always remember the contributions and sacrifice by policy beneficiary families and work hard to care for them.

Also on February 15, the Government leader inspected construction of the Rach Mieu 2 bridge, which connects the two banks of Tien River, linking Ben Tre and Tien Giang province.

 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets workers at the construction site of Rach Mieu 2 bridge project. (Photo: VNA)
Having a total investment of over 5.17 trillion VND (218.88 million USD) using central budget, the project started in March 2022 and is scheduled to complete in early 2026.

Regarding ground clearance work, PM Chinh requested the local administration to promptly process resettlement and compensation work to stabilise the life of affected people on the basis of balanced interest between the State, people and businesses.

PM Chinh also took a helicopter tour to examine the coastal road project which connects Ben Tre, Tien Giang and Tra Vinh provinces. It has a total investment of about 28.5 trillion VND (1.2 billion USD), divided into two phases. In the first phase from 2021 to 2025, the investment is over 13 trillion VND. Currently, the designing and surveying procedures for the project is underway.

Committee extends sympathy to earthquake-affected Vietnamese in Turkey

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu, who is also Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA), has extended sympathy to and shared earthquake-induced difficulties of the Vietnamese community in Turkey.

In a letter sent to the community on February 14, the official said no casualties among Vietnamese in Turkey have been reported so far, but the life of some of them has been seriously affected.

Following the natural disaster, the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey and the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran and Syria have updated the situation and coordinated with the provisional executive board of the Vietnamese Association in Turkey to prepare measures in support of overseas Vietnamese in the country.

Given the lingering impacts of the earthquake, the committees hopes that the community will continue staying united to overcome the difficulties, and support local residents in recovery efforts as possible, according to the letter.

The committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey always accompany the community, Hieu affirmed.

In case of emergency, citizens may contact the embassy by phone: 90 (312) 446 80491 or email: vnemb.tr@mofa.gov.vn; the citizen protection hotline of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 84 981 84 84 84,  email: baohocongdan@gmail.com; and the committee: 84 24 38240 401, email: vu1.ubnv@gmail.com.

People-centred approach needed in responding to sea level rise: Diplomat

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), on February 14 emphasised the necessity to take  comprehensive and human-centered measures to respond to climate change and sea level rise.

Addressing an open debate on “Sea-level rise: Implications for international peace and security” held by the UN Security Council, the Vietnamese diplomat affirmed that Vietnam clearly understands negative impacts of sea level rise on the socio-economic development, peace, security and existence of many countries.

Relevant UN agencies should strengthen their roles and coordination in this regard, he said, noting that the UNSC needs to consider organising more discussions with scientists and experts to share international and regional experiences on the impacts of sea level rise on peace and security.

Giang also suggested the council build a database on multidimensional impacts of this issue, and adopt an early sea-level warning system in conflict zones.

Cuba honours Vietnamese journalist

The Cuban Association of Journalists (UPEC) presented the Felix Elmusa Medal – the highest honour of the organisation - to journalist and translator Vu Van Au, a former staff of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), in recognition of his contributions to the popularisation of information on Cuba’s social life and achievements across fields.

The 90-year-old Au was honoured at a ceremony on February 13 to launch the Vietnamese - Spanish Dictionary compiled by himself, which is the first bilingual dictionary of this kind compiled and printed in Vietnam.

Vu Trung My, Vice General Director of the Americas Department of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, said his father has painstakingly compiled the dictionary since 2009 with the hope that the publication will be a useful tool for studying Spanish in Vietnam, and serve as a bridge between Spanish-speaking countries and Vietnam.

Journalist Walfredo Angulo, who was a reporter of Cuban news agency Prensa Latina in Indochina in 1983, recalled memories, support, and solidarity with colleagues from the VNA in particular and the Vietnamese people in general in difficult years.

In 1966, for the first time, he became the head of the VNA's office in Havana, where he continuously worked until 1973. He again held a similar position in 1992-1996.

He was an interpreter for late Vietnamese and Cuban Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro and other leaders and famous people.

At present, Au still joins activities to promote the special friendship and close solidarity between the two nations, and the compilation and translation of numerous books.

Beauty of love, women on exhibit at Fine Arts Association

A new exhibition featuring women and love by six young artists is on display at the HCM City Fine Arts Association celebrating Valentine's Day.

The event called Mùa Yêu Thương (Season of Love) introduces a series of 100 works by Tạ Thị Bê, Vũ Thị Cúc, Đinh Thảo Nguyên, Nguyễn Hoàng Diệu, Nguyễn Văn Thạnh and Hữu Thanh Tùng from the art club Saigon Art Gallery.

Highlighted paintings are on canvas, acrylic and watercolour featuring women, flowers and love along with southern culture and lifestyle.

The artists’ art reflects life and women. Their paintings of women are beautiful and honour women as they love and are devote to the world.

Female artists Vũ Thị Bê, Tạ Thị Cúc and Đinh Thảo Nguyên use vivid colours to send their messages of art. Their paintings are very Vietnamese.

Male artist Nguyễn Văn Thạnh is a professional in oil and lacquer arts. He finds himself while painting the beauty of rural areas of the Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta region and local women in daily life. His works introduce the culture and lifestyle of the South to viewers.

His previous solo exhibition of 50 oil paintings called Câu Hò Sông Hậu (The Folk Song of the Hậu River) was organised at the city’s Youth Cultural House last year. It also featured female farmers of Southern provinces.

Mùa Yêu Thương will close on February 16 at 218A Pasteur Street in District 3.

Da Lat plans to open casinos, new night market at tourist destinations

Da Lat has proposed to Lâm Đồng Province that the city open food markets, new night markets, and casinos in the Valley of Love and other tourist destinations as part of its night-time economy development project.

The Đà Lạt People’s Committee plans to open a musical park at a city flower garden, and a food market in the area of Trần Lê and Hoàng Văn Thụ streets. Business hours of cafes, cinemas, and shopping centres will be lengthened to increase sales.

In the period of 2023 to 2030, a 1,600-metre walking street on Trần Quốc Toản Street will be opened. A new, modern night market located in the city’s Light Park will also replace the current one on Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street.

There will be different programmes and activities in each location to stimulate local demand and tourism.

The city also proposed to let Thành Công Lâm Đồng Tourism Joint Stock Company develop a night-time economy complex, including shophouses and casinos at the Valley of Love and other destinations.

The city’s night-time development project aims to reduce heavy traffic in the city centre, exploit the potential local economy, and bring positive changes to its tourism. 

Embassy delegation visits businessmen in Moscow-based Sadovod shopping complex

A delegation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia led by Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi on February 14 visited Sadovod shopping centre in Moscow to inquire about the business situation of Vietnamese people there.

At the meeting, representatives of 7,000 Vietnamese businesspeople introduced the delegation to the busines situation and activities to support Vietnamese businesspersons last year and their support plan for this year.

On this occasion, Khoi extended his Lunar New Year greetings to the businesspersons and applauded their efforts to overcome difficulties and their assistance to each other, especially in difficult circumstances.  

Khoi also expressed his thanks to the Board of Directors and Management Board of the Sadovod shopping centre for orgainising cultural and sports activities for the businessmen.

He urged the centre’s management board to pay more attention to the working environment of the traders, especially security, fire safety, and disease prevention, as well as creating the necessary conditions for them to complete procedures required by local authorities.

For his part, Maksim Rashbilovich Zakharyaev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sadovod Shopping Centre, highly appreciated the industriousness and hard work of Vietnamese people at the centre.

He talked about the centre's development plan with activities to continue to create a proper business environment so that businessmen there can improve and expand their business activities.

Vietnam looks to boost tourism cooperation with RoK's Jeollabuk-do province

The Republic of Korea (RoK) is one of the favourite destinations of Vietnamese tourists, especially young people, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Ha Van Sieu has said.

He made the statement at a workshop held in Hanoi on February 14, aiming to introduce tourism potential of the RoK province of Jeollabuk-do. The event attracted the participation of leaders of VNAT, Hanoi’s Department of Tourism and representatives from more than 50 travel companies as well as airlines in Vietnam.

Last year, 185,000 Vietnamese tourists visited the RoK after the country reopened its borders. Meanwhile, Vietnam received 965,000 Korean visitors, accounting for 26% of the total foreign arrivals.

With its long-standing historical values, unique culture, beautiful nature and being recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a Creative City for Gastronomy, the province will definitely be a potential destination for the Vietnamese market in the future, Sieu said.

Vietnam is also a market that Jeollabuk-do is targeting, because the province's tourism promotion website has a Vietnamese version, which is  friendly for Vietnamese users.

Addressing the workshop, Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeollabuk-do, said he hoped that Vietnamese travel companies and tourists will know more about the province and choose Jeollabuk-do as a destination for their upcoming travel schedules, noting that this year it will host Asia Pacific Masters Games 2023 and Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree 2023.

The signing ceremony of a MoU between Jeollabuk-do province and Vietravel Hanoi and Saigontourist of Vietnam was held within the framework of the event.  The two sides committed to jointly promoting and building tourism products in the near future./

Minister of Foreign Affairs receives former French Prime Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception in Hanoi on February 14 for former Prime Minister of France Edouard Philippe, who is now Mayor of Le Havre city.

Son expressed his pleasure to welcome Philippe on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties, and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership.

He thanked the former French PM for his sentiments and support to Vietnam as well as the relations between the two countries in any position, and affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and advocates enhancing the comprehensive cooperation with the EU, including France.

For his part, Philippe, who is on a visit to Vietnam from February 13-16, expressed his impression on achievements Vietnam recorded across spheres as well as the country’s strong development since his first visit to Vietnam as the PM of France five years ago.

The former PM said he hopes to return Vietnam to promote relations between localities of the two countries, and the France-Vietnam strategic partnership.

The host and guest shared the view that the strategic partnership is developing fruitfully and practically in all areas, with high political trust.

Son stressed that France is a leading European trade partner, investor and development assistance supplier of Vietnam, with two-way trade recovering quickly after the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting 5.3 billion EUR (5.7 billion USD) in 2022, up 10% year-on-year.

He suggested the two countries optimise opportunities generated by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and called on France to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to give encouragement to Vietnamese and French investors.

Son also noted his hope that France will urge the European Commission (EC) to soon lift its “yellow card” imposed on Vietnam’s seafood in order to maintain the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fishermen and meet the interests of millions of European consumers.

Philippe expressed his hope to expand cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities in the areas of Le Havre’s strengths like seaport, shipbuilding, logistics, higher education and training for officials and public servants.

Le Havre will attend the 12th conference on cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities in the coming time, he said.

The two sides also compared notes on regional and international issues of shared concern. Regarding the East Sea issue, they emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and peacefully settling disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Exhibition showcases preservation of Van Mieu Temple of Literature from 1898-1954

An exhibition opened at the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature Complex) in Hanoi on February 14, giving insights into the revival and conservation of Van Mieu in the 1898 – 1954 period.

Part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic ties (1973-2023), the event features a photo collection of the L'École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO-French School of Asian Studies), depicting a journey of people involved in the preservation of the site. Van Mieu was a temple dedicated to Confucius given the popularity of Confucianism in Vietnam in feudal times. 

Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong said the reviewed period saw a close collaboration between personnel of the relic site and EFEO in the protection and regular maintenance of Van Mieu. Their efforts have restored the worship area, and maintained its important role in relation to the landscape of Hanoi.
 
At that time, considering the site an important relic, EFEO made efforts to help turn it from an abandoned ruin into one of a first rate heritage venue in the capital. Major restorations in the past took place in 1920, 1954 and 2000.

The exhibition remains open for visitors until April 30.

Video clip promoting Japanese tourism released in Vietnam

The Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) on February 14 released a video clip promoting Japanese tourism with the participation of Nhi Thang Family, including renowned Vietnamese singer Dong Nhi, businessman Ong Cao Thang and their daughter Winnie.

The video clip is part of a large-scale Japanese tourism promotion campaign on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic relations (September 21, 1973-2023). The clip can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR7smKYxmZE.

During the campaign, which began in November 2022, the Nhi Thang family was appointed as the local Japan tourism ambassadors.

The JNTO has organised numerous promotional activities, including participating in travel, and stepping up online advertising to attract more Vietnamese visitors to the country.

According to the JNTO in Vietnam, 28,200 Vietnamese people visited Japan in December 2022, down 7.9% against that in the same month of 2019 before the COVID-19 broke out, and bringing the total number in the whole year to 284,000.

Outcomes of 15th NA’s second, third extraordinary meetings reviewed

The National Assembly's Standing Committee reviewed the outcomes of the 15th NA’s second and third extraordinary meetings, during its ongoing 20th session in Hanoi on February 14 morning.

Accordingly, the NA passed the revised Law on Health Examination and Treatment, the national master plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, a resolution on the extension of some COVID-19 prevention and control policies, and the continued use of registration certificates for medicines and medicinal ingredients that expired from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024, as well as several fiscal and budget issues.

The personnel work at the two meetings was carried out cautiously and seriously in line with the Party's guidelines and the principle of democratic centralism, with a high level of consensus among deputies.

The success of the two extraordinary meetings continues to affirm the strong will and political determination of the NA and its Standing Committee in dealing with urgent issues of the country, the efforts for innovation, and resolute actions for the interests of voters and people, Cuong affirmed. He added that it demonstrates the sound, consistent and timely leadership of the Party, the close coordination of the entire political system, the thorough and urgent preparations made by the NA’s organs, the Government and relevant agencies, the close supervision by voters and people nationwide, and the timely and accurate coverage by the press and news agencies.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue asked the Government, NA organs, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuracy, the State Audit Office, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and socio-political organisations to promptly prepare for the 15th NA’s fifth session, firstly convening a conference of full-time NA deputies to offer opinions on important contents or bills with mixed opinions before submitting them to the legislature for consideration.

Vietnam boosts effective enforcement of Torture Convention

Vietnam will make more efforts to increase the effectiveness of the enforcement of legal regulations on anti-torture.

This is the main task of a plan, recently approved by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, on enhancing the efficient enforcement of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Torture Convention), as well as implementing appropriate recommendations of the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The plan aims to continue the effective implementation of the 2013 Constitution and define tasks and the roadmap to implement them in order to efficiently carry out regulations of the convention and relevant recommendations of CAT, thus contributing to promoting people's enjoyment of the right to health and bodily autonomy, in accordance with the Constitution, laws and socio-economic conditions of Vietnam; and to ensure foreign and domestic requirements, national security, and social order and safety.

The plan assigns tasks to each ministry, sector and locality, and requires effective coordination between them.

It stresses the need to continue investing in building and completing facilities and equipment serving State agencies’ related works, and improving the efficiency of the implementation of regulations on ensuring rights and regimes of those held in custody or temporary detention, sentenced persons and those subject to administrative handling measures.

Under the plan, Vietnam will raise the efficiency of receiving and handling denunciations related to torture, and step up the investigation, prosecution and trial in a strict and public manner.

Attention will be paid to the intensification of communications, education and training on the Torture Convention as well as national law on this issue, and the country’s efforts and achievements.

Stronger cooperation with Cambridge University sought in green growth, sci-tech
 
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long made a working visit to the University of Cambridge on February 13 aiming to promote Vietnam's cooperation with the world’s leading university, especially in the fields of scientific and technological research, and green and sustainable growth.

Education is an important pillar in the Vietnam-UK cooperation relationship, the ambassador said at his meeting with the university's leadership, noting that the UK has been Vietnam’s biggest partner in higher education with more than 100 collaborative projects in this regard.

Long expressed his wish that Cambridge University will support Vietnam in doctoral training with the goal of increasing the number of doctoral students in the UK in general and Cambridge University in particular.

Pointing out that green and sustainable growth is a potential area of cooperation in the context that Vietnam is targeting carbon emission neutrality by 2050, the diplomat said Cambridge can become an important partner of the country in the field of green transition, especially through its Cambridge Zero programme.

He also hoped to strengthen collaboration between Vietnam and the university in computer science and artificial intelligence, adding that Vietnam is ranked second in the world and first in Southeast Asia in IT sub-contracting.

For his part, Professor Andy Neely, vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge, shared the view on the potential of cooperation in green growth.

He said that the university attaches great importance to maintaining relationships and collaboration with students after graduation, including foreign students.

Within the framework of the visit to Cambridge, Ambassador Long met the Vietnamese Student Association at the university. While appreciating the association's activities, he called on Cambridge's students to act as ambassadors connecting the university with Vietnam in terms of scientific research cooperation.

Mountainous provinces should avoid spreading investment too thinly: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang has called on northern midland and mountainous regions to avoid spreading investment too thinly, which wastes resources and affects settlement work.

On Monday, the Deputy PM chaired an online conference with provinces in the region on implementing the three National Target Programmes to promote new rural construction, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Speaking at the conference, the Deputy Prime Minister praised localities' efforts while acknowledging the recommendations from ministries and sectors of the Government on areas to improve. 

He suggested localities strengthen inspection and supervision and combine the content of the National Target Programmes into each locality's own programmes. 

The northern midland and mountainous region is made of 14 provinces; Bắc Kạn, Cao Bằng, Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Thái Nguyên, Phú Thọ, Bắc Giang, Hòa Bình, Sơn La, Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Tuyên Quang, Lạng Sơn, and Hà Giang.

The areas, which account for nearly one-third of the country, are significant in terms of geopolitics, national defence and security, though these often remote areas still face many difficulties; the region's average poverty rate in 2022 is 17.4 per cent, higher than the national average of 5.2 per cent. 

Around 14.7 million people are living here, accounting for 15.2 per cent of the country's population, of which ethnic minorities account for nearly 50 per cent of the population.

The average rate of communes meeting new rural standards in the region in 2022 is about 43.6 per cent, much lower than the national average of about 72 per cent. Budget revenue is still limited, and these areas need a lot of support from the central budget.

In 2021-2025, the Central Government and 14 northern midland and mountainous provinces completed allocating a total development investment capital of VNĐ44 trillion, accounting for 44.18 per cent of the total development investment capital localities across the country.

In 2022, the central budget to support the implementation of the three National Target Programmes for the region was VNĐ15 trillion (including the capital in 2021, which will be transferred to 2022), accounting for 45.36 per cent of the total budget of the government's supporting fund.

Regarding local capital, 13 out of 14 provinces in the region (all except Hoà Bình) have allocated VNĐ2 trillion of local budget capital to implement the three programmes.

In 2023, the total capital allocated from the central budget to regional localities is VNĐ10 trillion. As of January 31, 13 of 14 provinces have completed the capital allocation, while Tuyên Quang urgently completes the procedures.

Regarding the disbursement results of the central budget, as of December 31, 2022, the provinces in the region disbursed over 40.54 per cent, higher than the national average (37.73 per cent). 

HCM City win big; Thái Nguyên, Hà Nội earn three points

Defending champions HCM City beat Hà Nội 2 6-0 in the opening match of the National Women's Football Cup on February 14 in Hưng Yên Province's PVF Centre.

Ngô Thị Hồng Nhung scored her double at the fourth and 14th minutes into the match. She assisted midfielder Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy to score the second goal at the eighth minute.

Trần Nguyễn Bảo Châu, Nguyễn Thị Thùy Trang and Phan Thị Trang netted one each for the champions in the 27th, 31st and 33rd minutes, respectively.

In the second half, both teams made changes but neither could score more goals.

Earlier, Thái Nguyên T&T beat Việt Nam Coal and Minerals 1-0 with the only goal at the 63rd minute by midfielder Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Anh.

HCM City tops Group A with three points and will play second-placed Thái Nguyên in the next match on February 17. Meanwhile, Việt Nam Coal will see Hà Nội 2.

In the Group B activities, Hà Nội 1 won 2-0 over arch-rival Phong Phú Hà Nam at the Việt Nam Youth Football Centre in Hà Nội.

Goals belonged to striker Phạm Thị Hải Yến at the 43rd minute and Thanh Nhã at the 73rd.

In the next round, Hà Nội 1 will take a rest while Hà Nam will meet Sơn La.

The National Cup is held on February 14 to March 1. 

Last year, HCM City beat Hà Nội I 5-4 in a penalty shootout to lift the trophy.

Tam Kỳ City launches ‘Say No to wildlife’ campaign

Tam Kỳ City has initiated a comprehensive effort to eradicate wildlife meat consumption in the region.

Dubbed "Say No to Wildlife Meat Consumption," the plan aims to achieve a "zero wildlife consumption" goal by 2030.

The city's People's Committee has unveiled a series of action programs to eliminate all wildlife-related activities, from trade and transportation to storage and cooking in restaurants and shops.

The seven-year plan is a far-reaching effort that will demand the cooperation of state agencies, hotels, restaurants, bars, pet shops, herbal medicine shops, and communities to halt the use of wildlife products, even in private homes.

In a survey in Tam Kỳ City alone by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2020, 93.5 per cent of asked people agreed that wildlife meat was the most used among related products.

According to another survey in 2021, many consumers of Tam Kỳ believed using fresh wildlife meat helps demonstrate them as luxury gastronomers or rich people while supporting them stronger with nutrition.

Huế City also committed to becoming the first urban in Việt Nam 'Say No to Wildlife Meat'.

Tay Ninh to hold first vegetarian food festival

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tay Ninh Province held a press conference on February 13 to announce its first vegetarian food festival set for February 17 to 19.

According to the department, the festival will feature 80 stalls with 188 vegetarian dishes and an art show of flowers and fruits.

Guests will have the opportunity to learn how to make vegetarian food and explore Tay Ninh’s vegetarian specialties.

According to Tran Anh Minh, director of the department, the festival aims to preserve and promote the province’s national intangible cultural heritage and tasty vegetarian food.

VND1.7-trillion bridge in Quang Ninh to be completed in September

Work on the VND1.7-trillion Cua Luc 3 Bridge project, the second to cross over Cua Luc Bay, is expected to be completed in September this year, according to the local media.

The 2.6-kilometer Cua Luc 3 Bridge starts from the main route of the FLC Urban Area in Ha Khanh Ward and ends at the intersection with Road 279 in Thong Nhat Commune, Ha Long City.

The six-lane bridge requires an estimated VND1.7 trillion from the province’s budget.

Together with Cua Luc 1 Bridge or Love Bridge, Cua Luc 3 Bridge will help shorten the distance from the Hon Gai area to Hoanh Bo, and promote economic development in the surrounding areas and Halong City.

Work on the project started in September 2020 and was scheduled to be completed in April last year. However, the contractors were forced to adjust the bridge’s direction to avoid negative impacts on the mangrove ecosystem and soil, resulting in construction delays.

After resolving the issue, the contractors mobilized human resources, machinery, and equipment to speed up the construction and strive to complete it before September this year.

The Government previously approved the master plan of Halong City for the period of 2021-2030 with five economic zones. Cua Luc Bay was set to be the city’s center, linking to Halong Bay and other areas in the north of the city.

Ninh Thuan to build road linking seaport and Central Highlands

Ninh Thuan Province will spend VND2.1 trillion developing a road connecting the Ca Na seaport complex with the Central Highlands region.

The project was passed by the provincial People’s Council yesterday, February 14, the local media reported.

Work on the 41-kilometer-long road will begin this year. When it is opened to traffic, the road will promote the transport of goods and bauxite from the region’s two bauxite mines, Tan Rai in Daklak and Nhan Co in Lam Dong, to the Ca Na seaport for exports.

In addition, the road will boost tourism and import-export activities in Ninh Thuan and the Central Highlands region.

The Ca Na seaport, with 17 wharves, is the transshipment hub of the south-central and Central Highlands regions, and contributes to easing the burden on seaports in the southeastern region.

In late 2022, Ninh Thuan Province broke ground on a 14.8-kilometer road connecting the North-South expressway with National Highway 1 and the Ca Na seaport at a total cost of VND903 billion.

A 62.5-kilometer-long road linking Ninh Son District in Ninh Thuan Province and Duc Trong District in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is underway, with total capital of VND1.5 trillion.

Gov't approves Quang Ninh provincial master planning for 2021-2030

The northern province of Quang Ninh strives for an average gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of 10 percent per year and a GRDP per capita of US$19,000-20,000 in the 2021-2030 period.

These goals were set in the Quang Ninh provincial master planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, which was approved by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.

Accordingly, the province, covering an area of 6,206.9 kilometers, has 13 administrative units including four cities (Ha Long, Mong Cai, Cam Pha and Uong Bi), two towns (Quang Yen and Dong Trieu) and seven districts (Binh Lieu, Tien Yen, Dam Ha, Hai Ha, Ba Che, Van Don and Co To). 

The locality aims to become a growth pole of the North, a tourist center, a marine economic center as well as a gateway to the Northern key economic region and the whole country with sustainable urban development and a green growth model adapting to climate change and sea level rise. 

By 2025, the locality targets to welcome 25 million arrivals, including 8 million foreigners and the tourism sector's growth will achieve 6 percent per year. 

The population growth rate will reach 1.9 percent per year in the 2021-2030 phase and the locality will have a population of 2.64 million people by 2030. 

Quang Ninh targets to become one of the five leading localities in terms of human development index. 

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