People visit Nguyen Hue flower street in Ho Chi Minh City during Tet. (Photo: VNA)

Nguyen Hue flower street in Ho Chi Minh City attracted over 1.2 million visitors from February 7-14 (from the 28th day of the 12th lunar month to the 5th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Dragon).

The flower street was organised by Saigontourist Group under the direction of the HCM City People’s Committee, and supported by agencies and departments.

According to the organiser, about 10 million images relating to the flower street have been posted on the media and social networks during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

Seensio Go app - an AI-powered Augmented Reality app for Vietnam’s most visited landmarks, starting with Nguyen Hue walking street have recorded tens of thousands of downloads. App users can witness a dragon fly over the iconic tourist site during Tet, snap selfies with SeensioGo-specific characters and share them on social networks.

Pham Huy Binh, Chairman of the Saigontourist Group, said that the flower street clean-up will be finished by February 16 morning instead of February 15 as previously planned. Meanwhile, the two dragon mascots at the street welcome gate will be kept until the end of the first lunar month.

Vietnam to join global efforts addressing impact of climate change, food insecurity: Diplomat

Vietnam is committed to actively contributing to global efforts to maintain international peace and security through cooperation to address impact of climate change and food insecurity, Minister Counsellor and deputy head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations Nguyen Hoang Nguyen has said.

Addressing the UN Security Council’s high-level open debate on “Impact of Climate Crisis, Food Insecurity on Efforts to Achieve Peace, Development” on February 14, Nguyen emphasised that poverty is both the root and a consequence of conflicts, while climate change is a factor that worsens food insecurity and increases threats to international peace and stability.

The UN Security Council needs and can do more to break the vicious cycle of climate change, food insecurity and conflicts, he stated.

First, the council needs to promote its role in preventing conflicts, take a more comprehensive and balanced approach between traditional and non-traditional security threats. Second, it is necessary to strengthen consultation and coordination with UN agencies, relevant mechanisms and initiatives at the international, regional and national levels to promptly handle security risks from climate change and food insecurity. And third, it is also important to ensure compliance with international law and the UN Charter in conflicts, the Vietnamese representative said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres underscored that climate chaos and food crises are serious and mounting threats to global peace and security and, as such, should be addressed by the Security Council.

Participants called on global cooperation, including in further promoting the role of the UN and its Security Council, to ease impact of climate change and food insecurity, especially in conflict-hit countries and regions.

Uruguayan newspaper hails Vietnam’s “bamboo diplomacy”

The vibrant relations with Latin America have contributed to the successes of Vietnam’s diplomacy last year, according to an article ran by the El Popular (People) e-newspaper, the organ of the Communist Party of Uruguay.

The article highlighted the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Latin American nations, saying it made important, outstanding progress in the year.

It commended the concerted and comprehensive implementation of the foreign policy by Vietnam, which covers all the Party, State and people-to-people diplomacy, and demonstrates the country’s “bamboo diplomacy.”

The term “bamboo diplomacy” was coined by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong at a diplomatic conference in 2016 and reiterated at the first national conference on foreign affairs in 2021. At these meetings, the leader likened Vietnam’s foreign policy to bamboo, with strong roots, solid stems, and flexible branches.

The article said Vietnam’s high-ranking leaders made more than 40 visits to neighbouring countries, important partners and traditional friends, and welcomed nearly 50 leaders of foreign countries and international organisations last year.

Such activities contributed to raising the quality of Vietnam’s external affairs and international integration, as well as the country’s position and reputation in the international arena, it noted.

It recalled the visits to Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue from April 22-29, 2023, and another to Brazil by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh from September 23-25 in the same year.

Vietnam also welcomed many high-ranking delegations from countries in the region, including those led by President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; El Salvador's Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco; and Minister of Policies for Regional Integration of the Dominican Republic Miguel Mejía; and Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy of the Commonwealth of Dominica Vince Henderson, the article said.

Association to present 30,000 books to mountainous children in 2024

The Vietnam Writers' Association (VWA) will present 30,000 books to children in mountainous and far-flung areas in 2024, according to VWA President Nguyen Quang Thieu.

Thieu said that the activity is part of a project to provide free books to children in mountainous and remote areas, which was launched in 2021.

According to the VWA leader, this year, the association plans to implement various activities, including the printing of 50 outstanding works in the past 50 years.

The association will hold the 22nd Vietnam Poetry Day on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Dragon at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and announce the winners of the VWA Awards 2023, the young author awards 2023, and impressive female author awards 2023.

In 2024, the VWA will host the Mekong literature conference in October in Hanoi, while coordinating with the Chinese Writers Association to organise a conference, and welcoming writer delegations from Cuba, Palestine, the Republic of Korea, and Colombia, he said.

The VWA President said that the association will launch a project to assist Cuban writers in printing their collections. Starting from 2024, the association will print five outstanding works by Cuban authors each year, with about 2,000 copies for each work, which will be sent to Cuba.

Thieu underlined that the VWA had a good year in 2023, with the organisation of the 21st Vietnam Poetry Day themed “New Rhythms” at Hanoi's Thang Long Imperial Citadel, among other exciting events throughout the year.

Nearly 57,000 people visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum during Tet

More than 56,600 visitors, including 29,050 foreigners, paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday from February 9 - 12.

Meanwhile, over 500 visitors offered incense to the late leader at the Da Chong (K9) historical relic site in Hanoi’s outlying district of Ba Vi in the period.

During the most important annual festival in Vietnam, people often commemorate their ancestors and those who rendered great services to the nation.

President Ho Chi Minh was born on May 19, 1890 in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, the central province of Nghe An. He devoted all of his life to the national liberation cause while tirelessly striving for peace and progress in the world. 

He led the nation to success in the struggle for national independence and in establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) following the August Revolution in 1945. The President passed away on September 2, 1969.

His mausoleum, opening to the public on August 29, 1975, is an important landmark of Hanoi capital city and stands integrated to the political and social history of Vietnam.

K9 was a venue where President Ho Chi Minh, Politburo and Party Central Committee members decided the country’s crucial issues during the anti-American war. It was also chosen to preserve the body of the late President from 1969-1975.

Hanoi serves 653,000 visitors during Tet

The capital city of Hanoi has welcomed about 653,000 visitors in seven-day Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays from February 8-14, up 21.6% year on year, including nearly 103,000 foreigners, a rise of 2.2% over the same time last year, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

The department said that total revenue from tourism activities is estimated at 2.35 trillion VND (96.21 million USD), a surge of 35.1% over the same period last year.

Foreign visitors are mostly from the Republic of Korea, China, the US, India, France, the UK, Germany, and Japan.

Most crowded destinations included Huong Son relic and landscape site, which served 80,600 visitors, Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) with 106,000 travelers, and Thang Long Imperial Citadel with 48,700 tourists.

Director of the department Dang Huong Giang said that various activities have been conducted to improve the infrastructure system in local destinations and ensure safety, security, and sanitation at tourist attractions, thus providing best services to visitors.

Vietnamese Government ranked 39th in AI readiness

The Vietnamese Government ranked 39th out of 193 countries in terms of artificial intelligence (AI) readiness on a 2023 report by the UK-based Oxford Insights.

This marks a significant jump for Vietnam's AI readiness. The country ranked 55th in 2022, 62nd in 2021, and 76th in 2020.

The Oxford Insights annual report looks at the preparedness of governments to use AI to deliver public services to their citizens. The report includes 39 indicators that measure governments' digital capacity, technological capabilities, and data infrastructure.

With a total AI readiness score of 54.48, Vietnam ranks at 9th place within the East Asia region. This score is lower than four of the country's ASEAN peers — Singapore (which ranked 1st), Malaysia (6th), Thailand (7th), and Indonesia (8th) — but higher than the readiness rankings of Philippines, Laos, and Cambodia.

Vietnam's score is also higher than East Asia's average ranking of 51.41, which places it 4th among the 9 global regions covered in the report.

On January 26, 2021, Vietnamese Prime Minister issued a decision on the "National Strategy for Research, Development, and Application of Artificial Intelligence until 2030." This strategy set the goal of promoting research, development and application of artificial intelligence, making artificial intelligence a crucial technological field for Vietnam in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, contributing to the socio-economic development and gradually establishing Vietnam as a bright spot in research, development and application of artificial intelligence in the region and the world.

Since then, AI technologies have been deployed across multiple sectors in Vietnam.

By 2030, Vietnam aspires to be one of the top four nations in ASEAN and among the top 50 globally in the realm of AI research, development and application. The country aims to trademark 10 AI technologies and create three high-performing national data and computing centres.

Vietnamese community in Thailand enjoys Tet festival

Nearly 1,000 Vietnamese in Thailand gathered in Nong Bua Lamphu on January 13, the fourth day of the first lunar month, to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival, the most important of Vietnamese in a year.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Thailand Tran Van Sau highlighted achievements that the Vietnamese community in Thailand made in 2023, and extended Tet greetings to all Vietnamese people in the country.

Vietnamese General Consul in Khon Kaen Chu Duc Dung hailed the role and contributions that the community has made to the homeland.

Through cultural exchanges as well as religious activities, the community has helped maintain the national identity and spread cultural values of Vietnam in Thailand, contributing to fostering the friendship between the two countries.

Nong Bua Lamphu Governor Suwit Chanworn expressed his deep impression at the traditional New Year celebrations of Vietnam.

Hailing contributions by the Vietnamese community to the local socio-economic and cultural development, he held that this is one of the many evidences of the close ties between Thailand and Vietnam.

At the event, participants had a chance to enjoy art performances by artists from Ho Chi Minh City.

Tan Son Nhat airport serves record number of passengers during Tet holiday

The Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City welcomed nearly 148,000 passengers on February 14, the highest level since the beginning of the Tet peak season 2024.

According to the airport’s operation centre, it served 934 flights on the day, including 836 passenger ones.

This is the second consecutive day that the airport has welcomed a large number of passengers passing through. On February 13, it served 843 flights with 136,500 passengers.

To prepare for this peak season, the airport coordinated closely with airlines to update flight schedules and prepare resources and equipment to serve passengers.

From February 6, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) started piloting cashless parking payments at the airport to save the time through the station.

Previously, the airport also officially applied apply the A-CDM coordinated decision-making model on February 1 which helps improve operational efficiency such as increasing the rate of on-time flight and minimising cases where aircraft stop and wait for a long time on taxiways.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park targets 3 million tourists by 2030

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park is expected to attract about 3 million tourist arrivals and earn 1.5 trillion VND (61.5 million USD) in tourism revenue by 2030.

The target is part of a plan on ecological, resort, and entertainment tourism for the park in the 2021 - 2030 period recently approved by the People’s Committee of central Quang Binh province.

The plan covers nearly 130,000ha, the majority of which is the forest and mountain located in an area of sustainable forest management.

It is indented to maximise the park’s potential and advantages in terms of natural resources, biodiversity, landscapes, and the cave system along with the beliefs and culture of local ethnic groups. It also aims to improve economic benefits from forest, help provide jobs, raise income, and improve the material and spiritual lives of locals. The region will also develop ecological, resort, and entertainment tourism routes and sites in the park to serve as a basis for attracting tourism investment.

With this plan, Quang Binh looks to increase the number of visitors to Phong Nha - Ke Bang by nearly 13% to 1.5 million and tourism revenue to some 500 billion VND during 2024 - 2025.

To that end, the province has been working to capitalise on the tourism products mentioned in the plan. In particular, it will prioritise developing specific and world-class nature and cave exploration, resort, and entertainment tourism to live up to the potential of the national park – a world natural heritage site.

Over the past years, local authorities have implemented many forest management measures in Phong Nha - Ke Bang, including protecting and sustainably developing forest resources, and conserving natural resources, biodiversity, and endangered plant and animal species. It is also taking great care of landscapes, and cultural and historical values, along with boosting the value of forest environmental services.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, covering more than 123,000 ha, harbours terrestrial and aquatic habitats, primary and secondary forests, sites of natural regeneration, and tropical dense forests. It is also rich in large, often spectacular, and scientifically significant caves, including Son Doong - the world's largest cave.

The property has been honoured as a world natural heritage site twice.

On July 3, 2003, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO recognised this park as a world natural heritage for the site’s exceptional global value in terms of geology and geomorphology.

Twelve years later, on July 3, 2015, the park was once again honoured, this time for the criteria of outstanding value representing the evolutionary and development processes of terrestrial ecosystems, and of possessing meaningful natural habitats for biodiversity conservation.

Japanese professor appreciates Vietnam’s culture of valuing human relations

Vietnam’s valuing human relations over economic interests is an outstanding feature, according to Prof. Junichi Iwatsuki at the University of Tokyo.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency's correspondents in Japan on Vietnam’s culture, the professor on sociolinguistics said he was impressed when Vietnamese people value the interpersonal relationship and place it above all others.

Iwatsuki recalled the time when he studied in Vietnam, his host treated him like a family member, thereby helping him deeply understand the Vietnamese lifestyle and culture.

The professor also cited a speech by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 2022 National Cultural Conference as saying that the focus of cultural development is the development of human beings with dignity and the development of a healthy cultural environment.

According to the scholar, the good news is that Vietnam is currently achieving economic growth and transforming into a society where people can live a life with well-being. In this trend, he stressed the need to think about how to achieve a balance between economic growth and social harmony.

Iwatsuki affirmed that the cultural exchange between Japan and Vietnam has a relationship with the culture of the Vietnamese people, that is awareness of morality.

Joint force critical to accelerate digital transformation

It is critical for Vietnam to promote coordination among related parties to accelerate digital transformation, according to Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung.

Digital economy is playing an increasingly important role in driving economic growth, Hung said, adding that the key for digital transformation in 2024 is “change of approach.”

Instead of calling on fields to implement digital transformation, the ministry will commission teams, including network operations and digital technology companies, to work on digital transformation application for each field, Hung said.

The mission of the digital technology industry is to use digital technology to make Vietnam develop and become a high-income country by 2045. To do so, it is necessary to master technology and encourage innovation, design and manufacturing in Vietnam.

“We are in the early stage of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. We need to focus on AI development,” Hung said.

“In this era of digital transformation, no one will be the fastest. The focus is collaboration. Whoever cooperates well will win.”

Vietnam has been among the leading countries in the field of digital transformation and innovation in the region.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation ranked Vietnam 46th in the innovation index in 2023, up two grades compared to 2022.

According to Pham Hong Quat, Director of the ministry’s National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialisation Development, organisations supporting innovation start-ups in both the public and private sectors are growing rapidly in both number and operational capacity.

There is large potential for digital transformation, especially in food-tech, healthcare, logistics, green growth and carbon credit, he said.

“Vietnam has opportunities in international integration, digital transformation, green growth, circular economy and sustainable development goals. But there are also challenges,” Quat said.

In late December, the Prime Minister approved the project on improving State management and law enforcement capacity on digital transformation to 2025, with a vision to 2030, stressing that human resource, institution and technology are three decisive factors for the success of digital transformation.

According to Hung, solutions to address human resources challenges can be varied year to year.

In 2024, the focus will be on building virtual assistants to support officials and civil servants, especially for positions working a lot with regulations and data, so that they will have time for creativity, Hung said.

Application of technology will help reduce workload by three times, Hung stressed.

To promote inclusive digital transformation, the ministry has launched Lang So (Digital Village) portal with an aim to help people understand how digital technology is applied to aspects of daily life and equip them with digital skills to change the way they live, work and do business, and to become a part of the digital economy.

With nearly 11,000 commune level administrative units, 29,000 cooperatives and five million business households, every individual, every village, every commune and every person should become an inspirational story in digital transformation, according to the ministry.

Vietnam’s digital economy is expected to gain robust growth and reach an estimated 45 billion USD by 2025, driven by e-commerce and online travel, according to a joint report by Alphabet, Temasek Holdings, and Bain & Company in November.

The report said Vietnam remains the fastest growing digital economy in Southeast Asia for the second year in a row and is expected to hold this position until 2025.

Exhibition on education history during royal period held at Temple of Literature

A special display featuring the national education history during the royal period is opening at the Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) in the centre of Hanoi.

The exhibition themed Khoi Nguon Dao Hoc (Initial Sources of Education) highlights the outstanding contributions of prestigious people in the "historical flow" of Vietnamese education.

It includes more than 300 documents and artefacts with contents showcased in four parts to feature and recreate life of honourable people including kings and scholars, such as kings Ly Thanh Tong (1023-1072), Ly Nhan Tong (1066 - 1128) and Le Thanh Tong (1442 - 1497), Scholar Chu Van An (1292-1370) and other influential people such as Queen Mother Y Lan, and academics Le Van Thinh, Than Nhan Trung and Luong The Vinh.

Speaking at the opening ceremony held early this month by the Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam Cultural and Scientific Centre (VCSC), Do Dinh Hong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, said through the displayed documents and artefacts, a heritage space will be created serving well the needs of visitors to learn about the contributions of academic luminaries to education and fostering talents, and their lessons are still valuable in today's social life.

Le Xuan Kieu, Director of the VCSC, said the exhibition was carried out by officials and staff of the centre with the help of Vietnamese scientists and experts from France.

The exhibition tells the stories of three kings, a queen, a scholar teacher and doctorates. They all have virtue and high intellect, sharing the same vision of school and education – factors that enable us to move towards a more peaceful, prosperous and equitable society, according to Kieu.

The event also helps the public better understand the history and development of Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam, the first national university, as well as the ancient Vietnamese education and examination system during the royal period.

Amélie, a representative for Beau Design, the foreign unit which carried out the Khoi Nguon Dao Hoc project, said that the display content aims to honour five famous people who strived to turn education into a core foundation of the Dai Viet nation.

The content is associated with the history of Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam. It is also a continuation of the exhibition space themed "Quoc Tu Giam - The First National University" to further spread the values of the relic site, and honours its status as the first national school in the royal period, according to Amélie.

Amélie also said the display gathered maximum historical data and arranged the spaces to convey the values of intellect and memory.

With a contemporary, formal and sustainable style of expression, the design focuses on the theme of education through artefacts and associated values that attract visitors, especially young people, through interactive forms of expression, she added.

The colours used for the display are reminiscent of past dynasties while artefacts such as the students' desks or desks in the kings' study rooms are arranged to spread the image of famous people's efforts and spirit of learning during the royal era.

The exhibition content also aims to present famous people not as monarchs but as exemplary role models, according to Amélie.

Party leader offers incense at Thang Long Imperial Citadel

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid tribute to the kings and ancestors who made enormous dedications to the country at Kinh Thien Palace, part of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, in Hanoi on February 13.

He was accompanied by Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chief of the Party Central Committee’s Office Le Minh Hung, along with other officials of the Party and Hanoi.

Offering incense to the kings and ancestors on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the Party leader and officials reported on national development achievements and prayed for peace for the country as well as wealth and happiness for the people.

Talking to the staff of the relic site, General Secretary Trong said the Thang Long Imperial Citadel embodies the quintessence of the national culture and also witnessed successive feudal dynasties constructing and defending the country, which contributed to the time-honoured history and culture of Vietnam.

He asked them to uphold the highest sense of responsibility to help preserve and promote the historical and cultural values of the citadel’s central sector, which was recognised as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

Kinh Thien Palace was built in 1428 under the Le Dynasty (1428 - 1789) on the ground of Can Nguyen Palace of the Ly Dynasty (1009 - 1225) and Thien An Palace of the Ly and Tran (1226 - 1400) dynasties.

During the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 - 1945), a new citadel was built under the reign of King Gia Long, but Kinh Thien Palace still formed an important part there. This palace was renamed Long Thien in 1841.

Vietnam committed to combat illegal trade of small arms, light weapons

The Government of Vietnam comprehensively manages the production, use, and transportation of weapons according to Vietnam law, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) Minister Counsellor Le Thi Minh Thoa has said.

Addressing at a meeting held in New York on Feburary 12 by the Preparatory Committee for the fourth UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in All Its Aspects, Thoa shared her concern about negative consequences of illegal trade of small arms and light weapons, saying that it would increase violence and instability, and seriously impact international peace and security.

In that context, the fight against illegal trade of SALW should be placed within a broader framework of action to help strengthen international security, seek solutions, prevent conflicts and crime, and promote development, she added.

The Vietnamese representative underscored the need to abide by international law and UN Charter, guarantee the right to produce, import, and possess small arms and light weapons for national security and defence.

Vietnamese laws and legal documents clearly stipulate that small arms and light weapons and related equipment only serve national defence and security purposes, and the import of weapons, unless permitted by the State, is prohibited. Illegal acts of transporting, using, and trading weapons and explosives constitute criminal offenses, she said.

Vietnam has participated in relevant regional mechanisms, including the ASEAN Ministerial Meetings on Transnational Crime, and meetings within the framework of the ASEAN regional forum. Vietnam and ASEAN countries discussed and approved the ASEAN Declaration on Combating Arms Smuggling last August.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese representative reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to implementing measures and coordinating with relevant partners to achieve the programme's goals.

The Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects was adopted by all UN member states in 2001.

The conference to review the implementation of the action programme is held every six years, following the meeting of the Preparatory Committee. This meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the fourth review conference is expected to close on February 16.

Vietnam prioritises building inclusive, equal, resilient society: diplomat

A diplomat of Vietnam has emphasised the country’s priority of building an inclusive, equal, and resilient society where no one is left behind while addressing the 62nd session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development on February 12.

The session from February 5 to 14, themed “Fostering social development and social justice through social policies to accelerate progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication”, saw the presence of representatives of UN member states and relevant international organisations.

In her remarks, Minister Counsellor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, reaffirmed the country’s strong commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and underlined its priority of building an inclusive, equal, and resilient society where no one is left behind.

Basing on that orientation, Vietnam has carried out a number of policies on education, social security, and poverty elimination, thereby obtaining such results as reducing the multidimensional household poverty rate to 4.3% in 2022, raising the average income of poor households by 230%, and increasing the rates of literate people and school-age children attending school to over 90%, she noted.

Besides, Thoa added, Vietnam pledges not to pursue economic growth at the expense of the environment but make persistent efforts to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2050, especially its participation in and implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

She held that there remain numerous challenges to the realisation of the social development and social justice target due to limited resources. This requires international cooperation be enhanced in building capacity and giving technical support for developing countries like Vietnam so as to promote efforts towards the common target of social development and social justice.

At the session, many participants shared the view that the process of promoting social development and social justice is being affected considerably by such global challenges as conflicts, climate change, and economic uncertainties.

Given this, it is necessary to step up national and international efforts to increase the provision of core social services, social security, and high-quality health and educational services with reasonable costs for all people, they said.

Ha Long port welcomes first int'l cruise ship in the Year of the Dragon

Chinese-flagged cruise ship Zhao Shang Yi Dun carrying 600 passengers docked at Ha Long International Cruise Port in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh on February 13 (the fourth day of the Lunar New Year)., bringing 600 visitors to the famous tourist destination in the north of Vietnam.

This is the first international cruise ship docking at the port in the Year of the Dragon.

The tourists visited Ha Long Bay, experienced local culture and cuisine, visited Quang Ninh Museum and some famous attractions in Ha Long city. It was planned to leave Ha Long at 5:00 pm the same day to travel to other Vietnam’s tourist destinations.

The Zhao Shang Yi Dun - a high-class cruise started to operate the Shenzhen - Ha Long route last November, with an average frequency of four times per month.

According to the registrated schedule, it will continue to bring tourists to Ha Long on February 20 and February 27. By the end of this month, it will bring more than 12,000 passengers to Quang Ninh.

The number of tourists coming to Ha Long by sea is forecast to recover, with nearly 60 cruise ships registered to dock at Ha Long International Cruise Port.

In the first three days of the Lunar New Year (February 10-12), the port received 336 ships with nearly 11,000 visitors to Ha Long Bay, an increase of nearly 2.5 times compared to the same period of last year.

Da Lat enjoys growth in tourist arrivals during Tet holiday

The resort city of Da Lat welcomed about 153,000 tourist arrivals from February 8 to 12, the first five days of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, rising 22.4% year on year, reported the municipal People’s Committee.

About 10,800 of the arrivals in the city, located in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, were international visitors while 142,200 others were Vietnamese, respectively increasing 8% and 20.16%, statistics show.

Visitors to Da Lat are likely to continue rising in the coming days as the Tet holiday will last through February 14, the fifth day of the Year of the Dragon, the People’s Committee said.

It forecast the occupancy rate will reach 90 - 95% at local three- to five-star hotels and 75 - 85% at other types of accommodation facilities during this occasion.

Located on Lam Vien Plateau at an altitude of 1,500m above the sea level, Da Lat, a popular tourist attraction, spans 394sq.km and has a population of about 260,000 from many ethnic groups.

The city and other localities in the Central Highlands are home to the cultural space of the gongs, recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity in November 2005.

Da Lat, also linked with many famous musicians and singers of Vietnam, is working to become a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of music.

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