The pair of Mong Cai (Vietnam) - Dongxing (China) International Border Gate resumed entry-exit activities on February 21, after being suspended for almost three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tran Bich Ngoc, head of the Mong Cai International Border Gate Management Board, said as of 9am on February 21, 21 people have applied for exit procedures to enter China and nearly 30 Chinese entering Vietnam.

Previously, the administration of Dongxing city in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China on February 20 sent a letter to the People’s Committee of Mong Cai city in Quang Ninh province to inform the resumption of normal entry-exit activities from February 21.

Accordingly, entry and exit activities at the Mong Cai International Border Gate will take place from 7am to 8pm (Hanoi time).

People going through the border gate must have valid passports and fill in health confirmation cards. Those who enter China must present proof of a negative PCR-RT COVID-19 test result within 48 hours.

In the letter, the administration of Dongxing city affirmed that customs clearance of goods through border gates of Mong Cai and Dongxing has basically resumed since January 8, contributing to boosting socio-economic development of both sides.

Vietnamese officers continue relief work as two more quakes hit Turkey

The search and rescue teams from the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence have been deployed for emergency relief work in Turkey’s Hatay Province after two new earthquakes struck the country Monday night.

As of Tuesday morning, a further three people were killed and 213 injured in the latest quakes.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit at 8.04pm Monday, followed by a 5.8-magnitude quake just four minutes later, in Hatay where the Vietnamese officers are based for their humanitarian and relief operations.

Major General Phạm Văn Tỵ, deputy director of the Department of Search and Rescue and Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue, deployed 40 officers including commanders, military engineers, military medics and working dogs to take part in relief work.

The quakes further damaged buildings two weeks after the country’s worst earthquake in modern history killed more than 46,000 people.

The rescue forces of the People's Army of Việt Nam, which arrived in Turkey shortly after the earthquake, have carried out searches at 31 points in Antakya, helping identify 15 locations with earthquake victims using wall-penetrating radar.

The team found 28 victims' bodies, and coordinated with teams from Bahrain and Mexico to find three other locations with 10 victims' bodies, and helped three households.

The military medics of Việt Nam collected, treated and provided medicine for seven patients of the rescue teams from different countries.

During a meeting with relief teams from different countries, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked all countries for the aid provided to Turkish people day and night, as well as supporting search and rescue efforts with their teams.

He said the disaster once again showed the importance of international solidarity, adding that Turkey would never forget the support. 

Vietnam joins ASEAN village at Australia’s iconic multicultural festival

Embassies of ten ASEAN member states in Australia, including Vietnam, together have run an ‘ASEAN village’ space introducing their countries, peoples, cultures, and cuisines at the 25th National Multicultural Festival - Australia’s largest celebration of cultural diversity.

At the space, Vietnam displayed cultural publications, commercial goods, souvenirs, and tourism information serving visitors interested in the land. A fashion show of Vietnam’s traditional dress Ao dai performed by Vietnamese students in Australia also took place.

Addressing the opening of the symbolic village, Indonesian Ambassador and head of the ASEAN Committee in Canberra Siswo Pramono highlighted the dialogue partnership between the bloc and Australia.

ASEAN wants to step up regional cooperation especially in cultural and people-to-people exchange, he affirmed.

In response, Andrew Barr, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, said he is highly valued the ties and the importance of each to the other side in cultural exchange and economic cooperation.

The festival, lasting from February 17 to 19 in Canberra, featured 500 stalls of organisations, embassies, and communities representing more than 170 ethnic groups in the country. It attracted the participation of some 300,000 people.

RoK's CJ Group sponsors Vietnam’s national Taekwondo team

The CJ Group of the Republic of Korea (RoK) has become a sponsor for Vietnam’s national taekwondo team between 2023-2024 under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 20 between the group and the General Department of Sports and Physical Training (GDSPT).

Addressing the signing ceremony, GDSPT General Director Dang Ha Viet said the sponsorship signing marked an important step in the sustainable and long-term relationship between the two sides.

According to the official, Vietnam and the RoK share many cultural similarities, laying a foundation for the two countries to boost bilateral cooperation in many fields, including sports.

With a desire to promote Taekwondo, the traditional sport of the RoK, the CJ Group is committed to accompanying the development of this sport in Vietnam, he said, adding that great efforts have been made by the group to turn Vietnam into one of the world's Taekwondo powers.

Chang Bok-sang, President and CEO of CJ Vietnam, said the group will support Vietnam’s national taekwondo team to get the best results at the 2022 Asian Games which is scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8, 2023 as well as the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.

He also expressed his wish that the GDSPT will work with the group to maximise the effectiveness of the activity by devising proper training plans.

SEA Games 32 in Cambodia to see neighbouring countries' high-ranking leaders

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith will attend the opening ceremony of the 32nd SEA Games in Phnom Penh.

The information was revealed by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen while presiding over the graduation ceremony for nearly 2,000 students of Human Resource University, held at Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 20.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the Lao top leader will pay an official visit to Cambodia in May and attend the opening ceremony of SEA Games 2023.

The Prime Minister added that Vietnamese top leaders have also been invited to the opening ceremony of this regional sport events.

The National Organising Committee of the 2023 SEA Games – ASEAN Para Games (CAMSOC-CAMAPGOC) on February 16 held a meeting to review preparations for the SEA Games torch relay through provinces surrounding Tonle Sap lake. The meeting was presided over by Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and Permanent Vice-President of CAMSOC.

The minister said the torch relay will send a meaningful message showing the prevailing peace across the country.

Cambodia will host the 32nd SEA Games from May 5 to 17, 2023 and 12th ASEAN Para Games from June 3 to 9, 2023.

Both games are combined and called “Cambodia 2023” to reflect unity, diversity, and equality. The slogan of Cambodia 2023 is “Sport: Live in Peace”.

Vietnam places importance on people-to-people exchanges with Dominican Republic

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) attaches importance to people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and the Dominican Republic, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga has affirmed.

At a reception for General Secretary of the Dominican Republic’s United Left Movement (MIU) Miguel Mejia in Hanoi on February 20, Nga thanked MIU and people of the Dominican Republic for their support to Vietnam in the past struggle for national liberation as well as the present national construction and defence.

She also spoke highly of efforts by MIU and Mejia himself, who is also Minister for Regional Integration Policies, in promoting the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

VUFO will actively coordinate with the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Vietnam in implementing activities in order to enhance mutual understanding and contribute to strengthening the good friendship and effective cooperation, Nga affirmed.

For his part, Mejia highly valued great achievements Vietnam recorded over the past time, and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese people will reap more attainments in the time ahead.

He also pledged to make all-out efforts to consolidate and foster the friendship and cooperation between the two Parties and peoples, contributing to deepening the bilateral relations in a more pragmatic and substantive fashion.

Vietnam, RoK promote legislative ties

Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai on February 20 suggested the Republic of Korea (RoK) – Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group make more contributions to the bilateral legislative ties.

At a reception for a delegation of the RoK National Assembly led by Kim Hak-yong, former President of the group, in Hanoi, Hai suggested Yong and other Korean legislators continue supporting RoK firms to expand their investment in Vietnam, particularly in digital technology, renewable energy, support industries, semi-conductor industry and high-quality agriculture.

He highlighted the good bilateral legislative relations, with pragmatic achievements recorded in the spirit of the cooperation agreement signed by the two legislatures in July 2013.

The two sides have maintained high-ranking delegation exchanges, Hai said, recalling the official visit to the RoK by NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue in December 2021, and the visit to Vietnam by Speaker of the RoK NA Kim Jin-pyo last January.

The host lauded the role by the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group and contributions by Yong to the legislative ties.

He suggested the two sides maintain delegation exchanges at different levels with diverse, flexible forms in order to enhance mutual understanding and consolidate the political will on promoting the Vietnam-RoK relationship in a stable manner and for a long term, thus facilitating the expansion of cooperation across spheres.

The two sides should partner to comprehensively implement the 2013 agreement, share professional experience and urge the Vietnamese and Korean Governments to effectively materialise the reached agreements, he continued.

He also suggested RoK legislators coordinate with their Vietnamese counterparts in fostering cooperation between the two countries intensively, effectively and sustainably.

Hai emphasised the bridging role of friendship parliamentarians’ groups in the communication work to promote the friendship between people of Vietnam and the RoK.

For his part, Yong called the upgrading of the Vietnam-RoK relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership a turning point, which has opened up great opportunities for the bilateral cooperation.

The guest expressed his hope that the friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries will step up exchanges, contributing to boosting the legislative ties and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Entry-exit activities to be resumed at Bac Luan I bridge border gate on February 21

Normal entry-exit activities via Bac Luan I bridge border gate in the northern province of Quang Ninh will be resumed on February 21.

The administration of Dongxing city in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China on February 20 sent a letter to the People’s Committee of Mong Cai city in Quang Ninh province to inform the resumption of normal entry-exit activities.

In line with COVID-19 prevention and control measures, people going through the border gate must have valid entry and exit documents and fill in health confirmation cards. People who enter China must present proof of a negative PCR-RT COVID-19 test result within 48 hours.

In the letter, the administration of Dongxing city affirmed that customs clearance of goods through border gates of Mong Cai and Dongxing has basically resumed since January 8, contributing to boosting socio-economic development of both sides.

The People’s Committee of Mong Cai city has assigned relevant agencies working at border gates to arrange forces, vehicles and equipment, ensuring security and order while creating the most favourable condition for citizens of the two countries when completing entry-exit procedures.

Great potential for Vietnam-Czech Republic cooperation: Minister

There is great potential for cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said on February 20 when receiving his Czech counterpart Jozef Sileka.

Dien said that the two countries’ economic and trade cooperation is still modest, and not commensurate with their potential.

The bilateral trade turnover between the two countries only accounts for a small proportion of the total foreign trade turnover of both Vietnam and the Czech Republic. Direct investment from the Czech Republic into Vietnam and vice versa remains humble.

Vietnam's main exports to the Czech Republic include footwear, garments, aquatic products, industrial machines, machine spare parts, and electrical equipment, while its imports are machinery, equipment, tools, other spare parts, and iron/steel products.

Vietnam’s increasingly improved business and investment environment will be a favourable premise for the two sides to jointly find solutions for further investment cooperation, especially in industry and energy, Dien said.

He added that the two countries are accelerating the integration process, which is the basis for them to strengthen economic and trade relations.

He said he hopes that the Czech Republic, an important partner of Vietnam in Eastern and Central Europe, and related countries will soon hasten the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Dien calls for further support for enterprises of the two countries to access market information, and join trade promotion events towards cooperation agreements in energy and mining.

In particular, in the coming time, the two sides need to actively create conditions for the Czech-Vietnamese community to do business and develop in both countries.

For his part, Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sileka agreed with Dien’s recommendations, emphasising that Vietnam is both a friend and an important partner of the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic wants the two countries to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, and investment, particularly in auto manufacturing, energy, mining and minerals, transportation, and petrochemicals.

He said that Czech enterprises can share experience with their Vietnamese peers in developing renewable energy and improving power transmission.

Salt water intrusion to Mekong estuaries forecast to increase in March

Saltwater intrusion is expected to increase in Mekong estuaries in late March while Vam Co and Cai Lon rivers in the South of Vietnam will see major saltwater intrusion until late April.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta in the dry season of 2022-2023 is roughly on par with the average level of the past years.

Major saltwater intrusion in the Mekong estuaries will be concentrated in March, particularly from March 18 to March 25. In the Vam Co and Cai Lon rivers, major intrusion will occur from March 18-25 and April 17-23.

Phung Tien Dung, head of the Hydrological Forecasting Department for the Central, Central Highlands, and Southern regions under the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said on February 20 that from February 21-24, saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta will continue to increase, then decline.

The highest salinity at surveyed stations is at the same level as that in February 2022.

From February 20-28, saltwater with a salinity of 1% will intrude 65-70 km in the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rivers, 50-55 km in the Cua Tieu and Cua Dai rivers, 60-65 km in the Ham Luong and Co Chien rivers, 55-60 km in the Hau river and 25-30km in the Cai Lon river.

During the same period, 4% saltwater will intrude 50-60 km in the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rivers, 40-48 km in the Cua Tieu and Cua Dai rivers, 50-56 km in the Ham Luong and Co Chien rivers, 40-45 km in the Hau river, and 20-25 km in the Cai Lon river.

Localities in the Mekong Delta are urged to promptly follow hydro-meteorological forecast updates and take proactive measures to prevent and combat saline intrusion.

They need to take advantage of storing fresh water at low tide for agriculture and daily life.

It is recommended that farmers limit irrigation to minimise production losses. Before delivering water to crops, salinity needs to be monitored in areas where fruit trees have high economic value and poor salt tolerance.

Painting exhibition to mark 80th anniversary of Outline of Vietnamese Culture

Eighty paintings created between 1945 and 1954 by 30 Vietnamese artists will be displayed at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi from February 24 to March 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Outline of Vietnamese Culture.

The artists captured production activities and the resistance war in Vietnam, and praised the patriotism and solidarity of Vietnamese people.

The exhibition is intended to honour the artists who contributed to the nation with enthusiasm and sacrifice in the arts.

Another photo exhibition will also be held by the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism from February 27-28.

The two-part event will showcase documentary photos on the “Outline of Vietnamese Culture” and outstanding achievements in preserving and promoting Vietnamese cultural identities and activities in the past recent years.

The “Outline of Vietnamese Culture”, also known as the 1943 Outline on Culture, manifests the Party’s recognition of the significance of culture to the overall development of the nation.

The three principles of “nationalisation”, “popularisation”, and “scientification” stated in the document have kept their value over time, guiding the development of the national culture.

Workshop shares int’l experience in digital transformation

A workshop highlighting international experience in digital transformation and Industry 4.0 was held by the Agency of Enterprise Development (AED) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Hanoi on February 20. 

Addressing the event, Deputy Director of the agency Trinh Thi Huong said that Industry 4.0 and digital transformation promote flexibility in production, helping businesses adapt quickly to changes in markets.

Enterprises consider these an inevitable trend to improve production and business efficiency and competitiveness, and successfully implement a digital economy development strategy, she noted.
However, Huong noted that digital transformation is still a challenge for the Vietnamese business community, especially small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

According to her, the Government has many policies to support businesses to speed up digital transformation. 

A programme to support businesses in digital transformation in the 2021-2025 period, launched by the MPI, has benefited over 100 SMEs, helping them improve business strategy, and enhance production capacity by applying digital transformation roadmaps, and traceability and e-commerce solutions, she said.

Wilfgang Wiegel, a consultant from GIZ, gave digital transformation suggestions for businesses, and six important factors to accelerate digital transformation towards Industry 4.0, including strategy and innovation, customer decisions, automation of robotics technology, organisation, technology, and big data.

Tarek Hassan from GIZ’s Vietnam Digital Transformation Centre said digital transformation is bringing good opportunities for Vietnamese SMEs.

Within the framework of the Digital Transformation Centre Vietnam (DTC-VN) project funded by the German Government, GIZ has built a digital transformation plan in parallel with sustainable development designed with three pillars towards businesses, including raising awareness, strengthening ability and ecosystem capacity, Hassan said. 

As part of the “Industry 4.0” programme under the DTC-VN project, the workshop attracted the participation of 200 delegates representing ministries, sectors, and business associations in and outside the country. 

The DTC-VN project aims to raise awareness of SMEs and stakeholders about the benefits and impacts of digital transformation and Industry 4.0 on domestic manufacturers, helping businesses overcome barriers and successfully deploy technological solutions at optimal cost.

ASEAN Prize 2023 launched

The ASEAN Secretariat on February 20 officially launched ASEAN Prize 2023 for outstanding individuals and organisations in the region.

Known as Southeast Asia’s regional premier award, ASEAN Prize confers its annual accolade to individuals and organisations based in ASEAN as a recognition of significant contributions that aid in ASEAN Community-building.

Now on its sixth edition, ASEAN Prize continues to honour persons and organisations whose determination and perseverance have progressively driven the region towards harmony and sustainable development while, at the same time, forging a stronger ASEAN identity.

Candidates who fulfils at least one of the following actions are strongly encouraged to submit their application, including outstanding collaboration between ASEAN member states (AMSs) and between ASEAN and the world, outstanding people-to-people engagement among  the AMSs, outstanding economic integration and promotion of standards between the AMSs or other outstanding contributions to ASEAN Community Building.

Self-nominations will not be considered. The call for nomination is open from 20 February to 28 April 2023.

Following the nominations, the jury consisting of former Secretaries-General of ASEAN will convene to select one nominee who merits the Prize.

As in past years, the awardees for ASEAN Prize 2023 will receive the trophy and a monetary prize of 20,000 USD sponsored by Temasek Foundation of Singapore and Yayasan Hasanah of Malaysia.

ASEAN Prize has been awarded to three individuals and two organisations since it was launched in 2018. Last year, Iqbal Damit, a youth leader and community advocate from Brunei, was awarded the ASEAN Prize 2022 for championing humanitarian ground operations for marginalised and displaced persons across and beyond the region.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau expects stronger ties with Russia's Rostov Oblast

Leaders of the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau on February 20 had a meeting with a delegation of the Russian Federation Council led by its First Deputy Speaker Andrey Yatskin, who also represented the administration of Rostov Oblast, to discuss the two localities’ cooperation.

Welcoming the Russian delegation, Secretary of the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Party Committee Pham Viet Thanh described his guests’ visit as a demonstration of the flourishing ties between Russia and Vietnam, including his province, and a contributor to the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

Yatskin emphasised the long-standing bilateral relations, suggesting that aside from oil and gas, the two sides should explore cooperation chances in many other fields, including renewable energy.

For his part, Chairman of the Ba Ria - Vung Tau People’s Committee Nguyen Van Tho said the province is currently home to five investment projects worth 17.8 million USD from Russia. It also has two valid agreements with Russian localities at present, including the Nenetskiy autonomous region (signed in 2010) and the Republic of Bashkortostan (in 2017).

Meanwhile, Ba Ria - Vung Tau inked a cooperation deal with Rostov in 2000, but after years of implementation, their development directions have changed much. Therefore, the two provinces decided to terminate this agreement in 2022 to consider a new one.

Rostov Governor Golubev Vasily Yurievich pointed out cooperation prospects of the two sides in the fields his locality is strong at, including supplying cereals, cooking oil, oil refining equipment, and metal products; purchasing seafood and products of the light industry; and renewable energy.

At the working session, participants looked into potential cooperation areas and discussed agreements for signing.

Hanoi allows conversion of int’l driving licences online

Residents of Hanoi can now submit their requests for the exchange of their driving licences online, according to a notification released by the capital’s Department of Transport.

Specifically, applications for the exchange of international driving licences can be submitted through website https://dichvucong.gov.vn, with dossiers including a portrait photo, a copy of a driver's license, citizenship certificate or passport, and electronic health check granted by designated hospitals.

Meanwhile, for converting Level-3 driver's licences, which are managed by the transport sector, citizens must submit their applications via website https://dichvucong.gplx.gov.vn, with their driver's licence, ID card or passport, and health certificate attached.

After receiving confirmation on the system, citizens must bring their original documents to the single-window office to receive their converted licences in two hours, or have their licences shipped to their address via postal services.

Hanoi urges strengthening fire safety measures in karaoke parlours

Fire safety measures among karaoke bars in Hà Nội are still not good enough and more needs to be done to avoid further tragedies, according to the city’s police.

The authorities made the conclusion after inspecting all the parlours in the capital and have released detailed guidelines on fire prevention and control for these businesses following tragic fire that led to dozens of deaths last year in Bình Dương Province.

There are still limitations in the fire safety measures including water supplies for firefighting, fire-resistant requirements, distance requirements, exit requirements and measures to prevent the spread of fire as well as technical systems for fire prevention and control.

The guidelines detail fire-resistant requirements for the construction, dimensional access for fire services and water supplies for firefighting.

Karaoke establishments must ensure minimum distance with neighouring structures and the function must be in accordance with the design that is approved by the authorities.

Regarding exits, there must be at least two separate emergency exits on a floor with a capacity of more than 50 people.

Interior decoration materials, sound and heat insulation materials on walls, partitions and suspended ceilings of escape routes, emergency exits, escape ladder rooms and rooms with large gatherings of people must be made of high-quality materials that are non-flammable or difficult to burn.

In the future, police will point out the specific shortcomings and violations in fire prevention and fighting, and hold dialogues with the karaoke business establishments to guide and provide information of standards and regulations on fire prevention and fighting, thereby helping them to be able to reopen soon.

In mid-February, hundreds of karaoke establishments in Hanoi sent a group letter to concerned agencies calling for help when they were on the verge of bankruptcy after months of suspension due to fire safety issues.

According to the bars, they have been suspended for months following a large-scale inspection of fire safety issues by local authorities which concluded that they failed to meet fire safety measures.

Meanwhile, local authorities haven't issued instructions on how to fix their problems, especially as they have invested a lot in their businesses, the bar owners complained.

Colonel Pham Trung Hieu, head of the Hanoi Department of Fire and Rescue Police, said that the city has more than 1,500 karaoke parlors and bars.

There are 400 establishments that have been fully licensed with relevant documents on fire prevention and fighting.

Vietnamese swimmers look to continue success at 32nd SEA Games

After the team's unprecedented success at the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team last May, a 24-strong team will look to maintain Việt Nam's top-two regional position at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia in May.

The team will feature the nation's best athletes, including defending champions Nguyễn Huy Hoàng, Trần Hưng Nguyên and Phạm Thanh Bảo and young talents who shone at the recent National Sports Games (NSG), such as Nguyễn Quang Thuấn, Phạm Thị Vân and Nguyễn Thúy Hiền.

At last May's Games, Việt Nam secured a historic 11 golds, 11 silvers and three bronzes, along with five records. All belonged to the male swimmers after the legendary Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên retired before the Games.

The team's achievement, second only to Singapore, is even more impressive given Việt Nam previously never won more than ten titles, of Viên often contributed six to eight.

Head coach Nguyễn Hoàng Vũ said there were many works to prepare for the Games, but the most important one was maintaining his players' high performance and reaching their peak in May in Phnom Penh.

Among title favourites, Hoàng is still the best hope.

The 22-year-old bagged five golds, four in individuals and one in team categories, and two Games records. He is believed to continue his domination in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle after his amazing performance at the NSG last December, which brought him the first-ever Victory Cup trophy for the best male athlete of 2022.

Best young athlete of the year Nguyên took four golds and one Games record. The master of the individual medley since the 2019 Games will take charge of duty in this event this May.

Oneway Marathon Vũng Tàu to deliver special bonus to best club

The first Oneway Marathon Vũng Tàu is expected to lure 5,000 runners on April 23 with a special cash bonus, making it the largest such event in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province.

Athletes will compete in four categories of full marathon, half marathon, 10km and 5km, running through the 12 most famous landmarks of Vũng Tàu City such as Big Mountain, Small Mountain, Pineapple Beach, and Cape Nghinh Phong.

The tournament is designed to make sure athletes to have chance to admire the beautiful sunrise on the beach and the longest street of paperflower blossoms.

While the full details of the event will be introduced to public in a press conference next month, organisers revealed a special award of VNĐ111,111,111 (US$4,666) to a club whose members run the longest distance in total at the event.

The tournament is the second one in the annual Oneway Marathon system. It is co-organised by the Doanh Nhân Trẻ (Young Businessmen) online magazine, Radio the Voice of Việt Nam, and the Việt Nam Journalists Association.

Various types of wild animals found at house in Lâm Đồng

A local woman in Đam Rông District of the central highlands province of Lâm Đồng has been found illegally trading wild animals including civets, snakes, and red junglefowl.

The suspect was caught red-handed trading and storing wildlife animal on Sunday by the district police. A total of 70 animals were found at her home, including 26 chồn hương (Small Indian Civet), three snakes (including two King Cobra), six gà rừng (red junglefowl) and 37 bamboo rats.

The police also discovered 6kg of squirrel meat, 15kg of wild boar, 4kg of red junglefowl and three dead weasels.

The suspect admitted that she bought the wild animals from people who hunted them and planned to resell them to gain benefits.

Đam Rông police are working with the district’s forest protection authorities to further investigate the case.

Vietnamese authorities also recently seized more than 600kg of ivory smuggled from Africa.

According to the Biodiversity Conservation Agency, Việt Nam has imposed tougher measures against violators of wildlife and biodiversity conservation rules.

Wildlife-related crimes are considered serious, with convicted criminals now facing higher penalties and longer prison sentences in accordance with amendments to the 2015 Penal Code (revised in 2017). Violators may face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to VNĐ15 billion (US$650,000), with penalties rising in line with the quantity of wildlife trafficked.

National conference reviews operations of provincial people’s councils

A national conference kicked off in Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh on February 21 to review the operations of People’s Councils of provinces and centrally-run cities in 2022, with the participation of representatives from the provincial/municipal People’s Councils nationwide.

The event was co-chaired by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong, Permanent NA Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Council Nguyen Xuan Ky.

In his opening remarks, Man said the conference aimed to evaluate the performance of the People’s Councils; and propose solutions to further improve the quality and efficiency of their operations in the coming time.

The event was hoped to enhance coordination and responsibility in the supervision and guidance of the NA Standing Committee towards the People's Councils.

Participants heard that the People's Councils have made great efforts and innovations in implementing statutory tasks in response to requirements in each locality; closely followed guidelines of the Party, policies, and laws of the State and concretised those into resolutions, mechanisms, policies, and practical, feasible and comprehensive measures, thus significantly contributing to the implementation of goals and tasks of each locality as well as the whole country in 2022.
|
The provincial-level People’s Councils have recorded positive changes in their supervisory activities, Man said, adding that the People's Councils have increasingly affirmed their role as State authorities that represent the people's will, aspirations, and rights to mastery.

Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Quang Ninh province Nguyen Xuan Ky briefed on the locality’s socio-economic development achievements in recent years, saying that the provincial People's Council always represents people from all walks of life, and its responsibility to serve the people.

For many consecutive years, Quang Ninh has led localities nationwide in the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI); the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR), the People's Satisfaction Index and the Agency for the Service of State Administration Authorities (SIPAS), and the Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI). The results were significantly contributed by the People's Councils at all levels, he said.

The conference offered a good chance for Quang Ninh to learn from experience from other provinces and cities, and absorb valuable guidance from leaders of the Party and State, thus sketching out right decisions to keep the locality’s momentum of development in the coming time, Ky said.

Southern region witnesses downpours amid scorching days, high UV index

As of this morning, rains hit many districts of 1, 3, 10 and Binh Thanh District in Ho Chi Minh City.

Although weather condition is more pleasant without sunshine, many places faced high UV index causing huge hazards to human health.

On February 20, according to the Southern Regional Hydro-meteorological Station, the highest temperatures in the Southern region reached between 32 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius, over 34 degrees in some places.

The lowest temperature hovers around 22 degrees Celsius.

Today, Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region will see the possibility of showers, thunderstorms, cyclones, lightning and whirlwinds.

Previously, last night, the Southern localities experienced torrential rainfall, reaching up to 91.6 mm in An Giang Province.

It is expected that more thundery rains would hit the Southern provinces and cities from February 24 to February 25.

On the same day, the National Center for Hydrology Meteorology Forecasting issued a warning of a high UV index reading of 9, which is extremely dangerous.

The UV radiation level is highest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

In the next three days, the highest UV index will measure at 10 in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho City and Ca Mau.

The high UV index might cause life-threatening conditions such as heatstroke, heat exhaustion and thermal shock.

Tien Giang proposes to be advanced US$51.2 mln for Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project

The People Committee of Tien Giang Province has proposed the Ministry of Transport advance over VND1,257 billion (US$51.2 million) for spending on site clearance costs and resettlement for residents affected by the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project.

By February 9, the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has spent compensation for site clearance for 365 out of 922 households affected by the project.

It is expected that 468 households in Chau Thanh District will be received compensation with a total amount of more than VND958 billion (US$41 million).

The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project has a total investment of more than VND5,175 billion (US$219 million) from the Central budget, being implemented from 2021 to 2025.

The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project is located around 3.8 kilometers far away from the current Rach Mieu Bridge. According to the approved design, the project has a total length of 17.6 kilometers with its designed speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

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