The diplomatic sector will continue improving public consular services, both at home and abroad, to contribute to the common efforts in post-pandemic recovery and development, an official has said.

Doan Hoang Minh, Acting Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)’s Consular Department, said most countries removed travel restrictions in 2022, and Vietnam was one of the first to reopen its borders, in mid-March. Since then, the number of people going abroad for working, studying, tourism, and business purposes as well as those entering the country has bounced back strongly.

Highlighting the ministry’s determination to build a comprehensive, modern, professional, clean, and strong diplomatic sector, he said that in the current context, as the Government is stepping up administrative procedure reforms and demanding ministries and sectors boost measures for post-pandemic economic recovery, the ministry is deeply aware of its responsibility for continuing to improve the quality of consular services.

Diplomatic staff members in Vietnam and abroad will work with the highest sense of responsibility and consider people’s satisfaction as the meter of their performance, he said.

As consular duties are increasingly diverse and complex, a task identified by the MoFA is to press on with reforming the performance of consular services, Minh noted, elaborating that the ministry views institutional building as the basis and the perfection of rules and processes and administrive reform the breakthrough step.

It also attaches importance to personnel training and IT application to the consular work, the official added.


In particular, they have provided constant updates about other countries’ travel, residence, exit, and entry policies to propose ways for creating the best possible conditions for travel and business activities between Vietnam and other countries; kept raising staff members’ awareness; arranged capable personnel and boosted IT application for public services; listened to people’s opinions to make appropriate adjustments to consular procedures; and coordinated with domestic and overseas agencies to tackle obstables to citizens’ residence and mobility, Minh went on.

He expressed his belief that with strong determination and concrete measures, the consular work in 2023 will continue bringing into play its role as an important part of the diplomatic sector, thus meeting people and enterprises’ growing demand in the new context.

Ambassador promotes cooperation between France's Saintes and Vietnamese localities

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang recently paid a working visit to Saintes, a city in southwestern France, to promote cooperation between the city and Vietnamese localities and attended the Vietnamese Culture Day.

At a meeting with Saintes Mayor Bruno Drapron, the city's department of commerce and trade, representatives from Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and the local farmers’ association, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang highlighted cooperation potentials between the two countries’ localities in various fields such as agriculture, sustainable tourism development, railway, seaport and technical infrastructure.

For his part, the mayor said that the city will study how to transfer skills and technology to Vietnamese partners and acquire experiences and technique from the Vietnamese side, as well as work together with the Vietnamese side to design strengthen cooperation between the localities of the two countries in the time ahead.

During his trip, the ambassador visited Chadignac vocational school which has cooperated with Vietnam’s Thang Long Gifted school in Da Lat (the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong) in French language teaching, the first step towards bigger projects.

The ambassador and his entourage also attended a display and show of Vietnamese ethnic minority costumes as part of the Vietnamese Cultural Day in Saintes which lasts from the Lunar New Year to June. The event is a chain of activities such as film screenings, seminars on Vietnam's tourism and economy, performances of ethnic musical instruments, fashion shows, displays of Vietnamese ethnic minority costumes, and cuisine introduction. 

Ambassador Thang praised the coordination and support of Saintes city in organizing the Vietnamese Culture Day, a significant event to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France and the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership.

Training course opened for Party Central Committee’s alternate members

The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission on February 5 opened a training course to update knowledge for alternate members of the 13th Party Central Committee.

Addressing the opening ceremony, permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong underlined the significance of the Party’s personnel training work.

The 6-week course will focus on 29 topics covering such contents as those associated with the documents of the 13th National Party Congress and the 13th Party Central Committee’s meetings regarding the Party and State building, the promotion of socio-economic, cultural and human development as well as security, defence, external relations, and leadership and management science in the new situation.

Lecturers are those who hold leadership and management positions in the Party and State.

Thuong said that the course is expected to help the 20 participants become more politically matured and steady, deserving the trust of their older generations.

Pre-feasibility studies of two railway projects to be submitted in 2024

The Railway Project Management Board is moving forward with the pre-feasibility studies for the Thủ Thiêm-Long Thành and Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu railway projects, as it aims to submit the results in 2024. 

The pre-feasibility study for the railway connecting Long Thành International Airport is scheduled to be completed next year, according to a representative from the Ministry of Transport.

The People's Committee of Đồng Nai Province has suggested taking on responsibility for the two projects as a public-private partnership (PPP), which the Ministry of Transport has supported. 

The Ministry has also asked Bình Dương and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces, as well as HCM City, to offer their comments on the proposal.

Given the technical complexity of railway projects, the Ministry of Transport is considering seeking assistance from foreign sponsors and investors to ensure feasibility and synchronisation in the exploitation process.

The Railway Project Management Board is also finalising agreements on the locations of railway stations with the localities that the projects will pass through.

The Thủ Thiêm-Long Thành light rail is expected to stretch for 38 km, connecting HCM City and Đồng Nai Province, with a total investment of over US$1.7 billion. 

The route will be elevated, featuring 19 elevated stations and a depot behind Long Thành International Airport, which is set to open in 2025.

The 65-km-long Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu railway would run from Trảng Bom District in Đồng Nai Province to the Cái Mép-Thị Vải International Port Complex in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, with an estimated investment of over $2.3 billion. 

PM asks north-central, central coastal regions to create development breakthroughs

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the north-central and central coastal regions to create more breakthroughs in development to match their potential and advantages while addressing a conference in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province, on February 5.

The conference touched upon the implementation of the Government’s action plan to materialise the Politburo’s Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW dated November 3, 2022 on orientations for socio-economic development and national defence and security in the two regions by 2030 with a vision towards 2045. It was also intended to promote investment in the regions with the theme of “Linkage - Breakthroughs from maritime economy - Rapid, sustainable development.”

The regions hold strategic positions and roles of special significance in terms of economy, especially maritime economy, politics, culture, social affairs, environment, external relations, national defence and security, as well as sea and island sovereignty, the PM pointed out.

Notably, they are home to five cultural and natural heritage sites, and six intangible cultural heritages recognised by UNESCO, he said.

The leader, however, expressed his concern that such unique potential and competitive advantages have yet to be maximised in socio-economic development, with limitations still remaining in mechanisms and policies, infrastructure and human resources.

Given this, PM Chinh asked the regions to mobilise resources for development, and take people and businesses as the centre, subject, resources, momentum and target of development.

He urged ministries, agencies and localities in the regions to quickly map out their own action programmes and plans to seriously implement the Politburo’s resolution and the Government’s action plan.

Focus should be paid to perfecting institutions, regional planning schemes and regional connectivity policies, and promoting the maritime economy, digital transformation, green economy, circular economy, and tourism, forest and agriculture-based economy, he noted.
 
The PM also mentioned the three development engines of consumption, investment and export, and asked the regions step up investment in socio-economic infrastructure, especially in the field of transport.

Regarding investment promotion, he stressed that cooperation should be conducted selectively based on quality, efficiency, technology and environmental protection criteria.

He called on investors, businesses and development partners to continue accompanying Vietnam and the regions in particular, urging them to sketch out long-term, sustainable business strategies, and fulfill their commitments.

On this occasion, localities in the regions unveiled the list of projects that are luring investment, covering infrastructure at industrial zones, seaports, wind power, transport infrastructure, tourism and logistics.

Representatives from ministries and localities also proposed solutions to spur development in the two regions.
 
As part of his working trip to Binh Dinh, PM Chinh had a working session with local officials, during which the leader expressed his impression on the province’s performance in infrastructure development and its housing policy towards social policy beneficiaries and low-income earners.

Mentioning Binh Dinh’s potential and strengths in maritime economy and tourism, PM Chinh expressed his belief that the province would create breakthroughs to lead the south-central coastal region.

Binh Dinh needs to pay attention to the three strategic breakthroughs of institutions, infrastructure and human resources, and administrative reform, he continued.

Industry should be turned into a key economic sector, while agriculture should grow sustainably, with modern, effective aquaculture, focusing on high-tech shrimp farming and tuna fishing, he said.

The PM also suggested the province call for more investments in maritime transportation, logistics, warehouses, finance, banking, and post and telecommunications.

On this occasion, the PM made field trips to and attended inauguration ceremonies of serval facilities in Binh Dinh.

Woman drowns in Đồng Nai River boat accident, 11 rescued

A woman died after a boat overturned on the Đồng Nai River at about 8.30am on Sunday.

The boat capsized near Ba Xê Island in Long Bình Tân Ward, Biên Hòa City in Đồng Nai Province.

Twelve people fell into the river. Eleven of them were saved, however, a 32-year-old woman drowned.

The victim’s sister told the Nhân Dân (The People) newspaper that the victim was three months pregnant.

The cause of the capsizing is under investigation. Initial information shows that the boat collided with a barge.

The 2.15-tonne boat had a permit for transporting passengers. 

The Đồng Nai River is nearly 600km in length and is the second largest river in the southern area, after the Cửu Long River. 

Activities held to celebrate Lunar New Year in Malaysia, Australia

The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia on February 4 held a get together on the occasion of Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

It drew the participation of officials and staff of the representative agencies of Vietnam in Malaysia, overseas Vietnamese, students, representatives of associations and delegations of Vietnamese people in the host country.

Addressing the event, Chargé d'affaires of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh briefed the participants of the socio-economic situation of Vietnam in the past year.

Despite unpredictable developments of the world situation and numerous difficulties, Vietnam's economy grew over 8%, the highest in the past 10 years. The relationship between Vietnam and Malaysia has been increasingly consolidated and developed and the two sides agreed to continue to create conditions to further promote trade, investment, science and technology and innovation relations.

The diplomat highly appreciated the Vietnamese community in Malaysia who have always attached to the homeland and have various activities to contribute to help fellow countrymen. Anh said she hoped that they will stay united, have a better life, and to integrate well into their second homeland.

Anh also wished them a New Year of happiness and prosperity.

On behalf of the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association, Tran Thi Chang said the association wants to receive more support from the embassy in the upcoming programmes when the two countries are about to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The same day, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Sydney organised a programme named "Xuan Que Huong" (Homeland Spring 2023) which brought together members of representative agencies, business associations, student associations and hundreds of overseas Vietnamese in Australia.

Vietnamese Consul General in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia Nguyen Dang Thang affirmed that the relationship between the two countries has continuously developed strongly in the past 50 years, partly due to the significant contributions of the Vietnamese community in the host country - the "people's ambassadors" of Vietnam as Uncle Ho once said.

Participants at the event enjoyed Vietnamese traditional music performances as well as folk games which were believed to help younger generations understand more about cultural traditions of their homeland.

Poetry lovers enjoy poetry day in HCMC

Poetry lovers in Ho Chi Minh City could enjoy a night when Vietnamese Poetry Day returned after three years of hiatus due to Covid-19.

The Vietnamese Poetry Day took place at the campus of the Union of Literature and Arts Associations of Ho Chi Minh City on February 4 and 5.

Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu, Head of the Propaganda and Education Department of the HCMC Party Committee Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue, Vice Chairman of HCMC People's Committee Duong Anh Duc, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Education Department of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Tho Truyen, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association Nguyen Quang Thieu and a large number of guests and poetry lovers attended the event.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, writer Bich Ngan, Chairwoman of the city Writers' Association, said that Vietnam Poetry Day is a poetry festival giving a chance for poets and poetry lovers to gather together.

With the theme ‘Khat vong phuong Nam’ (Southern Aspiration), the Vietnam Poetry Day 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City expressed the desire of the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association, to continue to accompany civil servants, soldiers and city dwellers while focusing on building a new city, where the happiness of each person is both the center and the driving force of development, writer Bich Ngan expressed.

Water resources prepared for winter-spring rice crop

A number of localities in the northern midland and Red River Delta regions have completed the preparation of water resources for the 2022-2023 winter-spring rice crop, according to the Department of Water Resources under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Apart from Ha Nam province, where the work has been done, other localities in the regions like Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen and Hanoi are also almost ready for the cultivation of the winter-spring rice crop.

As of 4pm on February 4, the area of land provided with water reached 427,134 ha, making up 85.7% of the total area, the department reported.

The department has asked the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development in cities and provinces to direct relevant units to ensure the irrigation work.

Vietnam’s rice export is forecast to continue reaping successes this year as the world's rice prices remain high at least in the short term as global economic and political uncertainties have resulted in a high demand for rice reserves, according to experts.

According to the Vietnam Food Association, by the middle of last month, Vietnam earned nearly 115 million USD from exporting more than 226,000 tonnes of rice, an increase of over 41% in terms of both volume and value compared to the same period last year.

The country exported ST24 and ST25 rice to the Middle East region with a record-high price of 1,000 USD per tonne, doubling the price of normal white rice.

Vietnamese rice further penetrated demanding markets like Japan and the EU.

According to experts, more than 80% of rice varieties in Vietnam are fragrant high-quality rice, which is an important factor that helps increase Vietnamese rice's value and accessibility to markets.

This year’s rice prices are forecast to return its peak in 2019 thanks to periodical factors and increasing demand for rice reserves in countries, including such populous nations as China and India.

Last year, Vietnam exported nearly 7.2 million tonnes of rice, gaining 3.49 billion USD.

Public awareness programme broadened to battle illegal fishing

Besides strict administrative measures to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, authorities in coastal provinces and cities in Vietnam have begun communication programmes to raise awareness for fishermen to curb the issue.

These communication programmes need to be effective to curb IUU fishing, especially since the European Commission (EC) issued a “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood in 2017.

Last year, the provincial People's Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau issued a warning radio message to keep fishermen in line. Accordingly, when a fishing vessel goes out of monitoring signal range for over six hours, the ship owner will receive a message instructing the vessel owner to handle the situation.

If a fishing vessel loses the signal near a border area, the vessel owner's family will receive a notice from the province’s Fisheries Sub-Department.

Commune officials have joined supervising and supporting fishermen and their families to avoid IUU fishing.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, said that it is difficult to identify foreign waters due to insufficient patrols, large areas and a lack of demarcations for boundaries.

Vinh said that localities with fishing ports are take handling violations very seriously.

For example, in Phuoc Tinh commune, Long Dien district, the local Party Committee issued a plan to implement Resolution No. 12-NQ/TU of the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee on punishing vessels that violate foreign waters for illegal fishing.

In addition to strong measures to punish violations of illegal fishing, localities also strengthened measures, raising awareness of the fishing community in combating illegal fishing.

As a locality with the largest fishing fleet in Vietnam, the southern province of Kien Giang province has undertaken effective solutions.

Lam Minh Thanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Kien Giang province, sent a letter calling on fishing vessel owners and fishing businesses, captains, and fishermen to join the fight against illegal fishing.

The Kien Giang provincial People's Committee has also promoted the sustainable development of marine aquaculture. The local authorities provide timely and effective support for fishermen.

Specifically, fishermen are supported to access new loans, and to install journey monitoring equipment.

HCMC launches healthcare work monitoring program at more than 50 schools

HCMC will carry out a healthcare work monitoring program at city-based schools in 2023 from February to April.

The Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, on the afternoon of February 2, sent a written request to the leaders of the Department of Education and Training of Thu Duc City and 21 districts and principals of high schools and affiliated units on the coordination with the HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to implement school healthcare work monitoring program in 2023.

Accordingly, the schools must ensure the monitoring time according to the schedule of the inspection team under the Steering Committee for school healthcare work in Thu Duc City and 21 districts without affecting their teaching and learning activities.

Specifically, from February to April 2023, the HCDC will coordinate with the inspection team to implement supervision of school healthcare work in more than 50 schools from the preschool to high school levels.

Particularly, the inspection will be carried out comprehensively, including the requirements on the conditions of facilities, environmental sanitation, school meal organization, conditions of health care for students, and the prevention of infectious diseases.

In addition, supervision activities also pay attention to the propaganda and education of school health, especially the application of information technology to the care, protection, and management of students' health.

Vietnam shows leading role in regional health services: US CDC

Vietnam is getting involved in global health security agendas by sharing data from what’s happening in the country and collaborating on best practices with a lot of other countries in the region.

Vietnam’s enthusiastic about being the leader in the region for public health services and different issues, including increasing health security, and the establishment and operations of medical centers, including the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED). Vietnam has been selected to serve as one of the ACPHEED locations.

Vietnam is one of the leaders in the regional health models which the country wants to see succeed and the US wants to support Vietnam in that leadership, he said, noting, “I’m encouraged by the fact that Vietnam is not just responding to one disease problem at a time between things but it helps move toward a better future.”

Specifically, the Hanoi-based CDC Southeast Asia Regional Office will focus on different issues throughout the ASEAN region and discuss what can be done to increase health security there. The regional office will be working a lot with the public health agency that ASEAN is developing.

Regarding the CDC Regional Office which was launched in August 2021 by US Vice President Kamala Harris, Dr. Dziuban said it’s not only a country office between the US and Vietnam. It’s a sign of how important Vietnam plays in the region in the health sector. “We can work not just on our relationship between the countries and our partnership on health but Vietnam’s position as a leader across the region as well.”

According to the health expert, Vietnam is investing in its own institutions and more importantly is developing a national CDC, which will oversee the country’s public health system.

The US CDC is working closely with Vietnam’s Ministry of Health every day in terms of technical assistance and capacity building for the establishment of Vietnam’s National CDC.

The national center will matter a lot to Vietnam as it’s designed specifically for the country’s health system to protect Vietnamese people, Eric Dziuban said. 

The decision on the establishment of Vietnam’s National CDC was made by Acting Health Minister Dao Hong Lan in August 2022. The center is expected to enable Vietnam to better response and combat emerging infectious diseases.

Dr. Dziuban said it’s not easy to create new systems like this. That’s why US CDC will be working with the Vietnamese government to put this together over a long period. He added that it will take months or even years for US CDC to set up a new health system and the agency will successfully help it from the beginning.

“All the things we’ve been able to do here together is improving Vietnam’s overall public health,” he emphasized. “It really shows that our partnership still has a lot of room to grow, and it’ll keep getting better.”

Personally, the health expert has spent time as a medical doctor treating patients individually, seeing them in the exam room, and writing prescriptions, and as a public health doctor working on the health systems and trying to stop the spread of disease throughout communities.

Concerning Covid-19 and other emerging diseases in 2023, he said keeping the protection levels high is going to be a focus area in the year.

The year 2023 also marks the 25 years of the US CDC in Vietnam. It’s the process that the two sides address shared health priorities. This year there will be a series of schedules in which leaders will discuss opportunities to build on existing successes of the longstanding relationship in health between the agency and Vietnam and with regional partners, such as ASEAN.

In her visit to Vietnam in June 2022, Dr. Deb Houry, US CDC Acting Principal Deputy Director, said: “Our longstanding partnership with the Government of Vietnam is an excellent model for how the US CDC can work with countries throughout Southeast Asia to address shared health threats.”

Localities asked to inspect, trace alcohol origin to prevent methanol toxicity

Localities were proposed to collaborate with functional forces in strengthening food safety inspection at alcohol production and trading establishments amid surge of methanol poisoning cases at the beginning of the year.

According to the proposal of the Vietnam Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health, the Departments of Health of localities and Food Safety Management Authority of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang City and Bac Ninh Province were assigned to direct the functional forces to strengthen the monitoring and soon detect the suspected cases of alcohol poisoning and methanol toxicity, especially those having alcoholism.

Moreover, the functional agencies should strengthen inspection and regularly monitor food safety at alcohol production and trading establishments, especially hand-made alcohol production households to timely prevent disqualified, unsafe alcoholic liquid with unclear origin causing a health risk to customers.

In addition, the units should pay attention to propagandizing and giving guidance to residents to avoid using strange animals and plants of unknown species to soak in drinking wine and not to drink alcohol of unknown origin in the market.

During the recent Lunar New Year's Eve, the Anti-toxicity Center of Bach Mai Hospital received around 30 cases of alcohol poisoning with the blood alcohol concentration many times higher than limit.

Seventh National Press Awards on Party Building presented

The 7th National Press Awards on Party Building, the Bua Liem Vang (Golden Hammer and Sickle) Awards 2022, were presented at a ceremony held in Hanoi on February 3.

The event was organised by the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission, the Nhan dan (People) newspaper, the Communist Review, the Vietnam Television, and the Vietnam Journalists’ Association.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue attributed Vietnam’s achievements in 2022 partly to important contributions by the press, noting that the diverse realities in the country and significant attainments in Party building and rectification have become a great source of inspiration for journalists to create high-quality works on the Party building.

He highly valued the journalists and press agencies which submitted 2,031 entries to the competition, of which the best 72 were honoured, including six granted Prize A, 12 with Prize B, 18 with Prize C, 30 with the consolation prize, and eight with the specialised prize.

The top legislator described the entries and the award-winning ones as results of journalists’ sense of responsibility, dedication to their job, and patriotism.

He held that the influence of the Party building-themed press works reflects the strong support from all-level Party committees and authorities, the entire political system, as well as all people for the revolutionary press of Vietnam.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, Hue called on people of all social strata to actively engage in the Party and political system building and rectification through concrete and practical actions.

He also asked press agencies to push forward with their performance in this regard, including protecting the Party’s ideological foundation, adamantly refuting wrongful and hostile viewpoints, and combating corruption, negative phenomena and wastefulness, for the sake of a clean and comprehensively strong Party.

At the event, 15 collectives with major contributions to the organisation of the Bua Liem Vang Awards 2022 also received commendation.

Right strategy needed for the national database centre: experts

Local officials and experts discussed the establishment of the national database centre at a conference held in Hà Nội on Friday, highlighting that the right approach will make it a driving force for the country’s development.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyễn Duy Ngọc said the centre that was being studied to propose to the Government, would be “centred around people, aiming to serve people, businesses and the Government.”

He noted that this centre had been assigned to the Ministry of Public Security which has substantial experience in projects on collecting and developing national data on population as well as identity card and electronic identity verification projects.

He stressed that the ministry had a police force at four levels with strict discipline and the capacity to carry out the task that the Government assigned.

Professor, Dr. Hồ Tú Bảo, Director of the Data Science Laboratory of the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM), consultant of Project 06, said: “Data connectivity and data mining are at the heart of digital transformation. The source of data and connections created and exploited is the basis and engine of innovation and digital transformation, and creates a lot of opportunities for connection and sharing.”

Associate Professor, Dr. Tạ Hải Tùng, Rector of the School of Information and Communication Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said: "The sharing of data can bring large benefits, helping GDP growth increase from 1 to 2.5 per cent, which means direct and indirect benefits of up to billions of US dollars.

He stressed the need to put people at the centre, calling for clear policies and implementation roadmap along with the construction of investment technology infrastructure.

Participant experts and scientists also discussed security and safety in data sharing.

The Ministry of Public Security assigned the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order to gather the opinions of the participants and further discuss them at an upcoming conference.

In January last year, PM Phạm Minh Chính signed Decision No. 06/QĐ-TTg on developing the application of data on population, identification, and electronic authentication data for national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period, with a vision to 2030.

Under the scheme, the national population database, e-identification and e-authentication system as well as citizen ID cards with electronic chips will be used flexibly and creatively to serve administrative procedures and online public services, socio-economic expansion, digital citizens development, the completion of the ecosystem on connecting, exploiting and enriching population data, and the directions by leaders at all levels.

In the 2023-2025 period, e-identification and e-authentication are expected to be applied to all people conducting administrative procedures at one-stop-shop offices at all levels.

Meanwhile, in 2022-2023, the e-identification and e-authentication system will be upgraded, completed and applied in e-transactions serving socio-economic development. 

Exhibition pays tribute to General Võ Nguyễn Giáp

A poetry and photography exhibition on late General Võ Nguyên Giáp is opening in the central province of Quảng Bình as part of the activities celebrating the 93rd founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (February 3, 1930-2023).

It is jointly organised by the Quảng Bình Museum and the Việt Nam Women's Museum.

The exhibition, entitled Theo Dấu Chân Đại Tướng Võ Nguyên Giáp (Following the Footsteps of General Võ Nguyên Giáp), features 110 poems by teacher-poetess-journalist Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Dung that are displayed on 92 silk panels.

Dung said the opportunities to meet the nation's legendary general in person inspired her to write many poems about him over more than 20 years.

The poems introduce to the public stories and images of the historic victory of the Điện Biên Phủ battle against the French forces and the life and career of the general.

The exhibition consists of three themes.

The first, entitled The Way to the Historic Victory of Điện Biên Phủ, introduces the Điện Biên Phủ military campaign under the command of Gen Giáp.

The second showcases the simple and everyday moments of the general, while the third affirms the sentiments and respect of the Vietnamese people for him.

According to Lê Thị Hoài Hương, director of the Quảng Bình Museum, the exhibition aims to honour and pay tribute to Gen Giáp’s great merits and contributions to the cause of national liberation and reunification, as well as to building and defending the motherland.

It also aims to commemorate the general’s sentiments and concern for the Vietnamese people in general and people of Quảng Bình in particular, she added.

Poetess Dung presented the silk panels displaying 110 poems about Gen Giáp to the Quảng Bình Museum.

The exhibition will be open until February 20.

HCM City Wings signs Phan Thanh Cảnh as new coach for youth team

Phan Thanh Cảnh will become the head coach for the Hochiminh City Wings’ youth team for the 2023-2024 VBA season. 

On Tuesday night, the official fanpage of the team announced the appointment of coach Phan Thanh Cảnh as coach of the club's youth team. 

This is a good hire for the team as Cảnh is a quality domestic coach and has achieved much in the VBA. 

Cảnh was for many years an assistant coach at the Saigon Heat and the Vietnamese basketball team. He has led teams to compete in many international tournaments such as the ABL or SEA Games.

He also had four consecutive seasons leading the Đà Nẵng Dragons in the VBA from 2019 to 2022. 

During his four years in Đà Nẵng, he built a foundation for youth training for the club and created opportunities for "homegrown" players such as Mai Phước Thịnh or Trân Xuân Hoài Bảo to debut in the VBA.

The decision to appoint coach Cảnh is an ambitious move by the Hochiminh City Wings’ management board.

With proven training and coaching expertise, he is expected to contribute to the club's stable development going forward.

The Hochiminh City Wings are transforming the VBA under the direction of coach Erik Olson. With Cảnh as the youth team coach, the club will have an abundant source of players in both quality and quantity, thereby creating competition and developing the team further in the future.

The first challenge for coach Cảnh will be the National U23 Basketball Championship taking place from April in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu.

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