The Vietnamese government has issued Resolution 13/NQ-CP, approving the dossiers for the building of a decree on personal data protection.

According to the resolution, personal data are processed without the consent of the data subject in several cases, such as protecting the life and health of the data subject or others in an emergency situations; the personal data controller; the personal data processor; the personal data controller and processor; the third party holding responsibility for proving these cases; the disclosure of personal data in accordance with the law; data processing by competent state agencies in the event of an emergency on national defence, national security, social order and safety, major disasters, and dangerous epidemics; and in case when there is a risk of threatening security and national defense but not to the extent of declaring a state of emergency.

Personal data can also be processed without the consent of the data subject to prevent and combat riots and terrorism, and to prevent and combat crimes and law violations in accordance with the provisions of law; to fulfill the contractual obligations of the data subject with relevant agencies, organisations, and individuals as prescribed by law; and to serve activities of state agencies prescribed by specialised laws.

The Government has also approved the content of the draft Decree on Personal Data Protection, and assigned the Minister of Public Security to prepare a report about this draft Decree to submit to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly for approval, as prescribed in Section 3 of Article 19 in the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents in 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2020).

Vietnam, Australia hold third security dialogue at deputy-ministerial level

The third security dialogue at the deputy-ministerial level between Vietnam and Australia took place in Canberra on February 22 to enhance bilateral cooperation in security and law enforcement issues of common concern.

The dialogue, held under the countries’ joint statement on their strategic partnership signed in March 2018, was co-chaired by Sen. Lt. Gen. Luong Tam Quang, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Public Security, and Sophie Sharpe, Deputy Secretary at the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Among the issues under consideration, they discussed the enhancement of cooperation in exit, entry, and the fight against illegal maritime migration to Australia so as to improve the migration management capacity, receive citizens back, and share information and improve the air security capacity.

The officials looked into the promotion of ties in cyber security, data security, and essential technology through the consideration of possibility for coordinating in anti-cybercrime programmes.

They exchanged information about organised crimes, drug and precursor trafficking, and the combat against money laundering. The two sides agreed to boost collaboration via the joint anti-transnational crime team, provide equipment support, work together to deal with requests for the extradition of internationally wanted fugitives and for  mutual legal assistance related to extraditions and criminal matters, and push ahead with the cooperation in improving the law enforcement capacity of the Vietnamese ministry’s officials via the Asia Region Law Enforcement Management Programme (ARLEMP).

Vietnam and Australia will support the exchange of information about actions and policies to ramp up the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, and boost the adherence to international standards through sharing financial information about suspicious transactions and jointly fighting organised and transnational crimes, they said.

They also discussed the reinforcement of partnerships in minimising disaster and climate change risks, along with in improving the response and recovery capacity through delegation exchanges with the National Emergency Management Agency of Australia.

Another issue on the table was to keep sharing information about the regional and global situations related to each country.

Vietnam, Laos enhance cooperation in forest protection

The Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in coordination with the Department of Forest Inspection of Laos, organised a conference in the central city of Hue on February 24 to review their cooperation in the last five years and discuss coordination activities in 2023 – 2028.

The event brought together representatives of forest management and protection units in 10 provinces of Vietnam and Laos.

The two agencies agreed to exchange information on new regulations and policies in managing and protecting forests, and timber and wildlife trade; continue mutual support at international forums; share experience in formulating mechanisms, policies and laws; strengthen cooperation in preventing and controlling forest fire along the border areas shared between the two countries; and coordinate to build a system for early detecting and monitoring forest changes.

They will also coordinate in deploying many activities to respond to changes in wood and wood products in the international market, especially large ones; improving sustainable forest management ability; and creating favourable conditions for businesses to expand investment in producing and processing forest products in accordance with current laws of the two countries.

The two agencies will work closely to supervise and promote trade in forest products; enhance coordination in preventing illegal cross-border transportation and trade of rare animals and plants; and boost communication and education activities to raise public awareness on forest protection and biodiversity preservation.

They will also coordinate in proposing bilateral programmes and projects and mobilising resources from international organisations to build a cross-border biosphere reserve; monitoring the conservation and restoration of endangered species; and searching for, breeding and restoring the saola (an endangered bovine, scientifically known as pseudoryx nghetinhensis) population in the central area of Truong Son Mountain Range between the two countries.

Vietnam and Laos share a 2,340 km borderline, sketching through 10 Vietnamese provinces which adjoin 10 Lao provinces. The two countries share seven international border gates, and six main border gates.

ASEAN Women Circle explores Indonesian musical instrument in Hanoi

The ASEAN Women Circle in Hanoi (AWCH) recently took part in a tea party and experienced playing the Angklung, an Indonesian musical instrument in an event hosted by Kristien Abdi, the spouse of the Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam.

Vu Thi Bich Ngoc, spouse of the Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs, joined other members of the AWCH at the event.

In her opening remarks, Abdi said through the tea party, ASEAN friends would be able to gain a greater understanding of Indonesian culture and people, contributing to deepening the solidarity and friendship that exists among ASEAN countries.

At the event, AWCH members were introduced to the Indonesian musical instrument Angklung, an instrument which was recognised by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. The instrument consists of two to four bamboo tubes suspended in a bamboo frame, bound with rattan cords.

This was the AWCH’s first activity in 2023 to introduce the culture and cuisine of different ASEAN member states to each other.

50th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties celebrated in Hanoi

The Embassy of Australia held a meeting in Hanoi on February 24 evening to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam -Australia diplomatic ties (February 26, 1973 - 2023).

In his remarks, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski affirmed that establishing diplomatic relations with Vietnam was one of the first foreign policies of the Australian government led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.

The year 1973 also marked the opening of the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, which has served as a bridge of cooperation between the two countries, he said.

Mentioning milestones in the bilateral relations, the diplomat said Australia was one of the pioneers in investing in Vietnam right after the Southeast Asian nation opened its economy in the 1980s, with the presence of the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ), RMIT University, and Telstra - Australia's leading telecommunications and technology company.

He also highlighted fruitful cooperation between the two countries in education, national defence and security, agriculture, culture and tourism.

Present at the ceremony, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son noted that since the establishment of the diplomatic ties, the Vietnam-Australia relationship has been developing sustainably and rapidly.
 
In 2009, the two countries elevated the relationship to a comprehensive partnership, and issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2018, the minister said.

Vietnam and Australia have become reliable partners of each other both bilaterally and multilaterally, he stressed.

They are also among the top ten trading partners of each other, with two-way trade hitting 15.7 billion USD last year, doubling the figure recorded before 2018, he said, adding that Australia’s official development assistance (ODA) has significantly contributed to Vietnam’s socio-economic development.

The bilateral collaboration in national defence and security, agriculture, labour and climate change response has been expanded, benefiting both sides, according to the minister.

Son also highlighted people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education and tourism, saying people-to-people exchanges will create a good premise for the bilateral relationship to grow further in the time to come.
 
Vietnam has received Australia’s support in its efforts to run for seats at international organisations, with the most recently the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure, he continued.

The Royal Australian Air Force also helped to carry Vietnamese soldiers to Africa for UN peacekeeping missions, the minister added.

Son expressed his belief with reciprocal economies, great potential of each country and increasing political trust, the Vietnam-Australia relationship will be advanced to a new height, for the sake of their people and for an Asia-Pacific region of peace, cooperation and prosperity.

Bac Ninh province strives to preserve folk painting genre

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Red River Delta province of Bac Ninh on February 24 inaugurated an exhibition house to introduce Dong Ho, an outstanding folk painting genre which is on the verge of oblivion.  

Deputy director of the department Nguyen Van Dap said the provincial People’s Committee approved a project on preserving and promoting heritage values of Dong Ho in Thuan Thanh district for 2014-2020, with a vision towards 2030.

Accordingly, Bac Ninh will pay more attention to promoting the paintings, build a dossier seeking UNESCO’s recognition of the Dong Ho folk painting genre as part of the humanity’s intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, and build a preservation centre.

As the highlight of the preservation centre, the exhibition house covers over 500 sq.m with more than 1,000 documents and objects reflecting the history of the painting genre, its values and the preservation work.

This genre had been in its prime before 1944. At that time, local residents mainly earned their living by making paintings to sell in the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival and producing votive papers. The village was busy all year round, and there were up to 17 clans involved in making paintings. Usually, the whole village made votive papers from the first lunar month to the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. From the 8th to the 12th month in the lunar calendar, they turned to producing paintings for Tet.

Over hundreds of years of development, Dong Ho folk paintings have become an indispensable “spiritual food” for a large number of people from all social strata in the country for many centuries.

Each painting has its own meaning, reflecting aspirations of the working class, from simple to sacred and noble things. Such paintings as “Vinh hoa” (Honour), “Phu quy” (Wealth), “Tien tai” (Richness), “Ga dai cat” (The rooster of good fortune), “Phuc” (Happiness) and “Tho” (Longevity) show the wishes for a new year.

Meanwhile, to commemorate national heroes, artisans created “Hai Ba Trung tru giac Han” (Trung Sisters defeat the Han enemy), “Ba Trieu danh quan Ngo” (Lady Trieu fights against the Wu troops), and “Ngo Vuong Quyen danh Nam Han” (King Ngo Quyen fights against the Southern Han troops), among others. To inspire the traditional fondness for learning and the respect for teachers, there are such works as “Hieu hoc” (Fond of learning), “Vinh quy bai to” (Returning home to pay tribute to ancestors after achieving academic honours), “Muc dong doc sach” (Herdsman reads book), and “Thay do coc” (Toad teacher).

Dong Ho paintings also criticise bad habits, vices, as well as injustice in society. Among them, “Dam cuoi chuot” (Mice’s wedding) is a profound satirical implication. The cat represents the ruling class that is greedy and eager for bribery while the mice, representing peasants, are wise and always stay alert to the cat. Meanwhile, “Danh ghen” (Jealousy) criticises men’s womanising while secretly giving advice to them to help prevent a family tragedy.

“Tu quy” (The four seasons), “Tung hac” (The pine and the crane), “Ke cuc” (The rooster and the chrysanthemum), “Lien ap” (The lotus and the duck) imply the virtues of honourable persons. There are also paintings depicting traditional cultural activities of the daily life or festivals in the northern region like “Danh du” (Swinging), “Danh vat” (Wrestling), “Ruoc trong” (Drum procession), “Mua rong” (Dragon dancing), “Mua lan” (Kylin dancing), and “Choi trau” (Buffalo fighting).

Foreign NGOs honoured for contributions to HCM City's socio-economic development

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) on February 24 held an annual meeting with foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the city.

The meeting aimed to review activities and acknowledge positive contributions of foreign NGOs to HCM City's socio-economic development in the 2021-2022 period. It offered an opportunity for foreign NGOs and Vietnamese partners to exchange information on difficulties and the city's current needs.

Addressing the event, HUFO Vice President Nguyen Thi Hong Diem briefed participants on the city’s socio-economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period.

Last year, foreign NGOs and foreign companies offered more than 636 billion VND (26.7 million USD) worth of aid to Vietnamese partners in HCM City, she said.

The figure reflected a closer cooperative relationship between HUFO and foreign NGOs in the city and Vietnamese partners, Diem said.

The official called for more support from the international community and foreign NGOs in a number of fields, including smart urban development; education and vocational training; providing medicine and treatment for poor patients and raising public awareness on environmental protection.

While appreciating the supporting programmes and projects from foreign NGOs, Pham Dinh Nghinh, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Child Welfare Association, proposed more assistance to children in the city, especially orphans, disabled children, and children at charity houses in the coming time.

Focus should be placed on intervention activities and helping groups of children with special circumstances as well as those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

On this occasion, the municipal People’s Committee and HUFO presented certificates of merit to 15 collectives for their active contributions to the city’s social security activities in 2017-2022.

Well-known musician’s songbook for kids released

A songbook for children by veteran musician Phạm Tuyên has been released to meet the needs of young audiences.

The book, Bài Hát Lớn Lên Cùng Con (Growing Old with the Songs), includes 20 of the best songs that the artist has written and composed.

It was collected by the artist’s daughter, reporter Phạm Hồng Tuyến.

Tuyến selected these songs from many of his father’s works about children, love and childhood to celebrate the artist’s 94th birthday.

The book includes famous songs in the 1970s-80s, such as Đêm Pháo Hoa (Firework Night), Cô và Mẹ (Female Teacher and Mom), Cả Tuần Đều Ngoan (Being Good Children All Week) and Trường Cháu Là Trường Mầm Non (My Kindergarten), which are still fresh today.

Tuyên was born in Hải Dương Province. He had a great passion for music and was a self-taught musician when he was a boy.

In 1947, he joined the resistance war against the French. In 1958, he moved to live in Hà Nội and worked for Radio the Voice of Việt Nam .

Tuyên has composed more than 700 pieces of music. Many of his songs are

in praise of President Hồ Chí Minh and patriotism.

One of his most famous songs is Như Có Bác Trong Ngày Đại Thắng (Uncle Hồ Seems to Be with Us on the Festive Day of Grand Victory).

The song was composed in just two hours and recorded on April 28, 1975. It was broadcast in a special newscast on Radio the Voice of Việt Nam on April 30, when the prolonged war for South Việt Nam liberation and unification ended. It has since inspired and elated millions of Vietnamese people with its echoes of the nation’s triumph.

He also wrote many songs for children and young people, and has released several music books.

The book, Bài Hát Lớn Lên Cùng Con, featuring Tuyên’s songs for children, is published by the Kim Đồng Publishing House. 

Press agencies accompany health sector: meeting

The press circle in general and key press agencies in particularly always accompany the health sector, heard a meeting held in Hanoi on February 24 on the occasion of Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27).

The function was co-organised by Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Radio The Voice of Vietnam (VOV), and Vietnam Television (VTV), and the Ministry of Health.

In his opening remarks, Editor-in-chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper Le Quoc Minh, who is also deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association, extended his best wishes to leaders of the health ministry and medical facilities.

He said many reporters worked on the forefront of the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting efforts by doctors during the fight, while many others travelled to remote and natural disaster-hit areas to cover the news relating to health service there.

Minh also emphasised the press’s role in building policies on health care, and affirmed that Nhan Dan Newspaper, VNA, VOV and VTV will pay more attention to the communication work on medical activities.

VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang said many health workers have inspired journalists, saying there are professors, doctors, pharmacists, managers and village midwives who have braved difficulties and hardships, and even risked their lives to create miracles and bring life and health to people.
 
Press agencies, particularly major ones, will always accompany medical forces, and work together with the health sector in seeking solutions to obstacles, contributing to mobilising the strength of the entire society in health care, she continued.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasised the role of press agencies in popularising guidelines of the Party, policies of the State and strategies of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in a rapid and accurate fashion.

Notably, Nhan Dan Newspaper, VNA, VOV and VTV proposed and rolled out many communication solutions during the pandemic combat, Tuyen said, expressing his hope that the communication work on health care will be stepped up in the time ahead.
 
He suggested building close links between the medical sector and press agencies for the public’s health, and that press agencies and media managers should prioritise resources to the communication work in health care.

The event featured two seminars, during which delegates shared their views on the role of grassroots health service and the settlement of post-pandemic issues, among others.

Gov't Party Civil Affairs Committee, Party delegation of NA coordinate effectively

The coordination between the Party Civil Affairs Committee of the Government and the Party delegation of the National Assembly (NA) has contributed to the country's achievements in 2022, heard a conference in Hanoi on February 24.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary of the Government’s Party Civil Affairs Committee, expressed his belief that the two sides will continue their close coordination and make more innovations, especially in law making, thus creating a legal framework for national development.

For his part, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Secretary of the Party delegation of the NA, noted that the coordination has proven effective and won the support from people and voters.

At the conference, the two sides looked into preparations for the fifth session of the 15th legislature, and set out coordination orientations for 2023 and the coming years, not only in law making but also in the supervision work and other tasks.

NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong said the two sides will join hands in making preparations for the law and ordinance building programme in 2023 and 2024.

They will also partner in implementing the 2023 supervision programme of the NA and its Standing Committee, he added.

Over 1.17 trillion VND raised for needy people in "humane Tet" campaign

More than 1.17 trillion VND (49.16 million USD) was mobilised during a campaign launched by the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) in support of needy people on the occasion of Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival.

The donations, in both cash and kind, have been delivered to more than 2.61 million poor people and those in difficult circumstances, the VRC Central Committee reported at a meeting on February 24.

Apart from the handover of gifts, there were fairs and cultural exchanges held in localities as part of the campaign.

President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society Bui Thi Hoa said the campaign received warm response from VRC chapters at all levels, stressing that the attention of all-level Party Committees and authorities, innovations by VRC units, the diversification of activities, the consensus between VRC officials and volunteers, and the engagement of beneficiaries are important to the implementation of the campaign.

The 2024 edition is expected to be rolled out in 20 cities and provinces nationwide.

HCM City looks to foster cooperation with Japanese partners

Ho Chi Minh City has attached great importance to and highly evaluated the good relationship between Vietnam and Japan and always defined its important role in enhancing the two countries’ bilateral ties, a municipal official has said.

Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, made the statement at a reception for Takei Shunsuke, State Minister for Foreign Affair of Japan, on February 24.

HCM City has always paid attention to and cooperated with the Consulate General of Japan in the city in effectively implementing cultural activities and people-to-people exchanges with the East Asia country, he said.

The city highly appreciates the upcoming Vietnam-Japan Festival in 2023, considering it a major event marking the start of a range of activities in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Mai said, adding that it has closely coordinated with the Japanese side to ensure the success of the festival.

The official suggested the Japanese Government and partners expand and diversify forms of cooperation with HCM City, thus contributing to improving the city's integration capacity and spreading their fruitful collaboration to the southern key economic regions and other localities.

For his part, Takei said the relationship between Japan and Vietnam has been developing well. The two countries have regularly exchanged high-level delegations, supported each other to overcome difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and determined to continue promoting their relations.

Japan highly appreciated the potential of HCM City and hoped that the city will further improve the investment environment, creating more favourable conditions for Japanese businesses as well as contributing to fostering cooperation between the two countries, he said.

Takei emphasised that Japan has always paid attention to the future of the two countries' relations, including the implementation of official development assistance (ODA) projects in Vietnam and HCM City.

The diplomat also said that Japan welcomes and supports the city to expand exchanges and cooperation with Japanese partners, including Japanese localities that HCM City has signed friendship cooperation agreements with.

During his working visit to HCM city, the Japanese official will attend the opening ceremony of the Vietnam-Japan Festival 2023 and inspect the progress of the city’s Metro Line No 1 project.

Ambassador encourages young Vietnamese footballers playing for Korean clubs

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (RoK) Nguyen Vu Tung has met with young Vietnamese footballers and leaders of some Korean football clubs to encourage the players to show their best performance and ask for the clubs' support to them before the K-League 2 tournament officially kick off in early March.

The Ambassador expressed his delight at three Vietnamese footballers playing in the RoK's tournament in 2023, saying that they are considered “sports ambassadors”, contributing to strengthening the two countries' ties.

He suggested them exert efforts to practise while learning more the Korean language so as to quickly integrate into their teams.

At the meetings, leaders of the Cheonan City and Seoul E-land football clubs spoke highly of the young Vietnamese players’ skills, and promised to create the best possible conditions for the players during their time at the clubs.

They said they will make efforts to contribute to the sound relationship between the two countries through practical activities from the clubs.

Vietnamese striker Nguyen Van Toan is playing for Seoul E-land, while striker Vu Minh Hieu and defender Nguyen Canh Anh are in the blue jersey of Cheonan City FC in this year's tournament that kicks off in early March.

HCM City marks 50th anniversary of Vietnam - Australia diplomatic ties

The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony on February 24 to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of the Vietnam - Australia diplomatic relations (February 26, 1973 - 2023).

In his remarks, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai said the two countries have obtained numerous achievements in their relations, from politics, investment, trade to education, development cooperation, and security - defence.

Economic cooperation is one of the highlights. Last year, Australia was the seventh largest trading partner of Vietnam, with bilateral trade topping 15.6 billion USD. Australia ranked 20th among 141 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation, with 583 projects worth nearly 2 billion USD. Many big enterprises of Vietnam such as Hoa Phat, Sovico, and VCB are also operating in Australia.

On that basis, trade and investment links between HCM City and Australia are also thriving, he went on, elaborating that annual bilateral trade has surpassed 1.2 billion USD, and Australia now has 274 investment projects worth over 200 million USD in the southern metropolis.

HCM City also has dynamic relations in trade, education - training, innovation, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange with such Australian states as Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.

Expressing his gratitude to generations of the two countries’ leaders and people for their unceasing efforts to build up the bilateral ties, Mai expressed his belief that the dynamic growth of HCM City - Australia relations will greatly contribute to the sustainable development of the relationship between the two nations.

Addressing the event, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski said that after five decades, the two countries have built a special friendship and partnership on the basis of mutual trust, paving the way for the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2018 and the commitment to upgrade the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in the future.

As a trade and economic centre and a hub for people-to-people links, HCM City plays a critically important role in the Australia - Vietnam relations. About 75% of Australia’s investment in Vietnam is poured into the southern region, concentrating in HCM City and nearby provinces. The city has also recorded positive results in education cooperation, as seen in the presence of RMIT University and Western Sydney University, according to the diplomat.

The ambassador said he believed that with the strong connections between the two countries’ citizens and the two governments, the bilateral relations will develop even more to obtain numerous achievements in different fields such as innovation, climate change response, education - training, and defence - security. At the same time, HCM City will maintain its core role in the enhancement of those ties.

HCM City leaders extend greetings to outstanding doctors ahead of Doctors’ Day

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen on February 24 led a delegation of municipal officials to visit and extend greetings to outstanding doctors who have made great contributions to the medical sector, on the occasion of the 68th Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27).

Visiting Prof. Doctor Tran Dong A, a Labour Hero and People’s Doctor, former Vice Director of Nhi dong (Children) Hospital 2, Nen showed respect to the doctor for his devotion to the medical sector. The 80-year-old professor has still worked at the hospital to train young doctors.

The professor said he will continue to work and train more talent doctors for the city, especially in child organ transplantation, as the hospital is planning to build the first child organ transplantation centre in the southern region.

Visiting Prof. Doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, former Director of Tu Du Hospital, the city leader showed admiration to the talent of the professor who owns numerous scientific achievements that contribute to making great strides in the field of infertility treatment in Vietnam. The Hero of Labour has inspired the young doctor generation and set a good example in charity activities, he said.

Professor Phuong affirmed that she will continue to devote herself to the medical profession through many ways, including treating patients, sharing her knowledge and training doctors, contributing to the development of the medical sector of Ho Chi Minh City.

Military rescuers commended for search and rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey

The Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony in Hanoi on February 24 to commend officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) who had participated in humanitarian relief and search and rescue operations in Turkey following the devastating earthquake on February 6.

The VPA sent a 76-member team to Turkey, who were assigned to work in Hatay province, one of the localities hardest hit by the quake. During the deployment period from February 13-22, the VPA team performed search in 31 locations and located 15 points with victims, including two with signs of survivors. As a result, 28 bodies of victims had been brought out of the debris.

At the same time, the team coordinated with their peers from Bahrain and Mexico to discover three locations in which 10 victims were buried, while helping three households to find stable shelters. Military doctors of the team provided medical checks and treatment to seven patients from the rescue team of other countries and one local person. They also presented nearly 25 tonnes of goods, including military rations, rice, milk, medical equipment, and many other necessities to earthquake victims.

The VPA team’s activities were appreciated by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, and leaders of Hatay province and relevant agencies in the host country.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the VPA and Deputy Minister of National Defence, commended the officers and soldiers for making great efforts and well coordinating with their peers from Turkey and other countries to effectively conduct search and rescue and humanitarian relief activities, despite harsh weather conditions and difficulties in daily activities.

Their actions demonstrate the high sense of responsibility, capacity and prestige of the VPA in the face of non-traditional security issues, which have earned recognition and appreciation by the international community, the Government and people of Turkey, he said.

Turkish Ambassador Haldun Tekneci expressed his gratitude for Vietnam – one of the first countries sending their rescuers to his country after the devastating disaster.

This noble action reflects Vietnam's commitment to carrying out its global humanitarian mission, and also shows the very good relationship that Turkey and Vietnam have pursued for many years, he stressed.

At the event, 76 individuals of the VPA team were presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister.

Healthcare sector asked to develop fair, quality, effective medical system

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 24 asked the healthcare sector to develop a fair, high quality, effective and internationally integrated medical system, with the growth of both State-owned and private medical systems and the modern and traditional medicine.
 
Chairing a national conference to launch healthcare tasks for 2023, the government leader highlighted the significant role of the medical sector, and lauded the achievements that the sector made in 2022 in protecting public health. Last year, the sector successfully conducted the largest ever COVID-19 vaccination campaign and effectively responded to other diseases, he highlighted.

In the year, the sector completed all the three socio-economic targets assigned by the National Assembly and 13 out of the 16 specific medical goals, he noted, adding that the sector is facing many shortcomings while its mission is tougher with the emerge of many new diseases.

PM Chinh said he hopes the health sector will continue to promote its tradition, effectively implementing the Party and State’s policies and orientations, especially the Party Central Committee’s resolution on the protecting, caring and improving people’s health and population work in the new situation.

At the same time, it is necessary to pay greater attention in human resources development and complete policies and mechanisms to ensure its sustainable development, he stressed.

The PM also requested the sector to promptly review the 10-year implementation of Directive 06-CT-TW on reinforcing and completing the local medical system to lay the foundation for the Party Central Committee’s directive in the field.

Along with stepping up progress of programmes and projects to enhance its capacity and speed up public investment disbursement, the sector should concentrate on implementing the national digital transformation programme and seeking solutions to the shortage of medicine, medical equipment and bio-product.

He asked the sector to coordinate with other ministries and sectors to propose policies to attract high-quality human resources and strengthen science and technology research and transfer, and ensure the rational development of medical facilities at all levels and among regions.

On the occasion of the 68th Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27, 1955-2023), the Government leader extended greetings to all doctors, officials and staff of the medical sector across the country, and called on all sectors, organisations and businesses to continue their support to the sector.

In 2022, despite huge difficulties and challenges, the heath sector recorded positive results in almost all aspects, especially the COVID-19 prevention and control, contributing to the country’s economic recovery and development and bringing people’s life and socio-economic activities back normal.

This year, the sector will focus on continuing to develop the medical system in a fair, quality, effective and sustainable manner, efficiently controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging diseases, while strengthening the local medical system and the preventive medicine system, enhancing the treatment capacity of medical facilities at all levels.

The sector is aiming to solve the shortage in human resources, medicine, medical equipment and bio-products, while striving for 93.2% in health insurance coverage, 12 doctors out of every 10,000 people, and 32 beds for every 10,000 people. The satisfaction rate for medical services is expected to exceed 80%.

Việt Nam, Laos to consolidate sport cooperation

Việt Nam and Laos have decided to strengthen their relationship in sport during a three-day working trip of Lao Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Khanthaly Siriphongphanh to the country.

Việt Nam's Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoàng Đạo Cương confirmed the two sides will consolidate and strengthen the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

He reviewed that the cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Việt Nam and the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos for the period 2016-20 was successful and obtained remarkable results, leading to a five-year extension from 2021-25. This will be a strong base for stronger cooperation in the coming years, thereby setting sport in the two countries in a stable position in the Southeast Asia region.

The two sides' sport authorities signed an annual cooperation programme, and exchanged officials for learning and supporting each other in regional and international competitions. Việt Nam hosted Lao national teams to practise in preparation for SEA Games, helped build the Lao national training centre and successfully organised the 25 SEA Games in 2009.

In addition, Việt Nam regularly supported Laos with funding for practising activities and sent experts to train national team athletes to achieve high results at SEA Games and international competitions. Every year, the colleges of sport in Vietnam welcomed many Lao students to study and train in the short and long terms.

Việt Nam, as hosts of the 31st SEA Games, supported 50 per cent of the participating fee for Laos, who earned two golds, seven silvers and 33 bronzes.

The Deputy Minister hoped that the two sides would renew their sports cooperation for the next period based on the former agreement with a view to strengthening the exchange for learning experiences, management and development of sports in each country.

Responding to Cương's remarks, Siriphongphanh expressed her appreciation for the cooperation of the two ministries and congratulated Việt Nam's 31st SEA Games success.

Siriphongphanh agreed with the proposal of resigning sport cooperation agreement and said Lao people thanked Việt Nam for the enthusiastic support for training students and human resources for the sport industry. She hoped to receive further support from the Vietnamese side in training and fostering university and high-level lecturers in sport.

Siriphongphanh later paid a visit to the Hà Nội National Sport Training Centre, Hà Nội Sports Training Centre, Mỹ Đình Sport Complex, the Bắc Ninh Sport University and the Hà Nội University Of Physical Education and Sports.

The Deputy Minister, who returned home on February 23, appreciated Việt Nam's training facilities and conditions as well as the strict discipline of management and professional attitude of athletes.

She said Việt Nam provided a good nutrition regime and bonus policy for athletes who grabbed high results. The socialisation in sports activities is increasingly effective, promoting the development of sports. Typically, men's and women's football teams have had great success recently. Việt Nam has made strong progress and became one of top countries in the region.

Siriphongphanh expressed that Lao sports was in a strong transforming process following strong teams such as Thailand and Việt Nam and has also set its sight on international competitions.

However, due to a limited source of finance for sport activities, the development has not grown remarkably.

Siriphongphanh expected to receive more support from the Vietnamese side on different fields of management, coaching methods, international cooperation and expert hiring to help Laos reach a higher level.

Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, director of the Hà Nội National Sport Training Centre, said the centre always welcomes Lao sport teams to come for intensive training sessions and competitions. Officials and experts were happy to share their experience and knowledge for their Lao counterparts in sports that Việt Nam are good at.

He said Việt Nam was home to high-quality coaches who were at international level. Many Vietnamese referees were invited to officiate at large international competitions. His officials and staff were ready to coordinate and assist Lao colleagues in coaching, especially in martial arts.

Việt Nam Sports Administration (VSA) Deputy Director Lê Thị Hoàng Yến also spent time to review Laos' progress in recent years. She appreciated the country's managers and leaders who had receptive minds, and were eager to learn and improve their knowledge in sport from other countries in the region, including Việt Nam.

She said Việt Nam and Laos had been traditional partners for a long time so the VSA in general and national sport training centres in particular would love to share and create the best conditions in responding to Laos' requests for help. It would definitely tighten the sports relationship and push the cooperation of the two countries to a higher level. 

Hanoi 1 to face Coal and Minerals in National Cup final

Hà Nội 1 will vie for the championship trophy against Việt Nam Coal and Minerals in the final of the National Women's Football Cup on March 1.

Hà Nội 1 on February 24 earned their slot after beating Thái Nguyên T&T in a penalty  shootout while Coal and Minerals defeated Phong Phú Hà Nam 1-0.

Thái Nguyên played stronger than the former national champions in the first 45 minutes of the semi-final match. They created more threatening chances than Hà Nội but none of them were converted into a goal.

In the second half, coach Đặng Quốc Tuấn strengthened his front line with several changes, including national team striker Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã. The team showed their power with consecutive attacks, pushing Thái Nguyên back in defence.

However, Hà Nội 1 also failed to find the back of the net past goalie Lê Trịnh Khánh Linh, leading to game to be decided by penalties.

Forward Nguyễn Thị Hải Yến was the only Ha Noi player to miss her shot, while Thái Nguyên's Lương Thị Xuyến and Lê Thị Thùy Trang came up short.

In the other semi-final, Hà Thị Nhài scored the only goal of the match at the 55th minute. Ha Nam goalkeeper Hải Yến made a deadly mistake as she could not catch a ball cleanly, giving Nhài a chance to shoot it straight to the net.

It was the second time in a row that Coal and Minerals beat Hà Nam at the National Cup. Last year, they won 2-0 in the group round.

His striker Hải Yến was also confident ahead of the gold-medal match.

The final will be held at the PVF Football Centre at 3pm on March 1 and will be aired live on On Football channel, Youtube/Fanpage On Sports, VFF Channel and app On Plus. The winner will walk away with VNĐ100 million (US$4,200).

On February 28, Thái Nguyên and Hà Nam will vie for the bronze medal. 

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