A vehicle is inspected at a vehicle inspection centre in Hà Nội. Currently, 275 CVIs remain active out of 295 registered CVIs in the country. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh

The Ministry of Transport is taking a tough stance on corruption in the vehicle inspection system, following a series of high-profile cases where inspectors were caught accepting bribes to overlook safety violations.

The Gia Lâm District People's Court in Hà Nội on July 15 sentenced ten inspectors to prison for accepting bribes to pass vehicles that did not meet safety standards.

According to the indictment, the inspectors, the Centre for Vehicle Inspection (CVI) 29.02S's former employees, instructed car owners to leave money inside their vehicles, ranging from VNĐ100,000 (US$4) to VNĐ200,000 per vehicle.

They then collected and divided it among themselves, with the centre's director taking the largest share. The court found they had received VNĐ426 million (US$16,800) in bribes.

Nguyễn Khánh Tùng, the centre's former director, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and Nguyễn Khánh Hưng, the centre's former deputy director, 31 months.

The remaining eight convicted were given suspended sentences of between 26 and 30 months.

The case is the latest in a series of bribery scandals involving Việt Nam's vehicle inspection system. In recent months, many other inspectors have been arrested and charged with similar offences.

The Ministry of Transport has issued a document outlining a multi-pronged approach to improve the situation, which involves consulting the Department of Science, Technology and Environment for advice on tightening controls on inspection activities.

The document also highlights the tasks for the Vietnam Register, which include reviewing and advising the Ministry on legal and technical issues related to inspection work, promoting the use of information technology in supervision and management, stepping up the training of inspectors and staying vigilant to sectors that are susceptible to bribery.

The Departments of Transport are tasked with complying strictly with the Ministry's instructions on supervising inspection activities, leveraging surveillance cameras for better monitoring and enforcement and conducting surprise inspections to root out misconduct at their provinces' CVIs.

According to the National Traffic Safety Committee, 275 CVIs remain active out of 295 registered CVIs in the country. In the first six months of 2024, they inspected about 2.8 million vehicles, of which more than 450,000 failed to meet technical safety standards.

With more inspectors to be tried in the coming months, the Vietnam Register is concerned about inspector shortages that could lead to vehicles lining up in CVIs, causing congestion in the system.

In response, the Ministry reveals that it is drafting a new decree amending Decree No.30 and Decree No.139 on vehicle inspection, which is expected to avert the bottlenecks.

In the first half of the year, CVIs also inspected around 1,800 railway carriages, 130 locomotives and 14,800 inland waterway vessels. Meanwhile, 200,000 new automobiles and 1,150,000 motorcycles and electric motorbikes were registered nationwide. 

Deputy PM requires the master planning of the urban railway network with a century-long vision

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà has directed Hà Nội and HCM City to select top design consultancy firms to finalise and appraise the master plans for their urban railway networks, envisioning a century-long development.

He also urged the People's Committees of Hà Nội and HCM City to expedite the opening of the elevated sections of the Nhổn-Hà Nội Station and Bến Thành-Suối Tiên metro lines ahead of schedule.

He made the remarks during the second meeting of the task force overseeing the progress of urban railway projects in both cities, at the Government headquarters on Wednesday.

Deputy PM Hà noted that since the first meeting, task force members have completed nine out of 16 assigned tasks and are continuing to implement the remaining seven tasks as planned.

Regarding the two urban rail network development proposals for the two cities, the Deputy PM emphasised the need for a unified perspective on objectives, tasks, solutions and general policies, while also considering local characteristics such as construction planning, development space, economic growth forecasts and population size.

The Ministry of Transport is responsible for compiling and submitting proposals to the appropriate authorities according to regulations.

The urban rail networks in Hà Nội and HCM City must also integrate seamlessly with the North-South high-speed railway, including aspects like stations, technical design standards for tracks, locomotives, carriages and operating systems.

The Deputy PM suggested learning from countries with advanced, modern subway networks to develop comprehensive and feasible plans for technology transfer, including construction of underground structures, locomotives, carriages, management, operations and human resource training, aiming to build a synchronised, modern railway industry.

Deputy PM Hà asked the Ministry of Finance to lead the evaluation of the overall economic impact of the urban rail development proposals for the two cities, as well as the North-South high-speed railway and to assess the feasibility of balancing public investment capital.

Based on this evaluation, the People's Committees of both cities should continue to work closely with relevant ministries to develop policy packages and plans to mobilise the highest possible levels of socialised resources through methods like Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT).

"The mechanisms and policies for developing urban rail networks in Hà Nội and HCM City must be synchronised, feasible and specific, clearly outlining the procedures, responsible parties, obstacles and proposals for resolution to the competent authorities," he stressed.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Danh Huy reported that Hà Nội has made significant progress on the Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro line. The city outline planned for completion of the line, conducting trial operations of the elevated section, finalising fire safety reviews and training personnel.

The Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Construction, and Ministry of Finance have directed efforts to evaluate and certify safety for the Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro line, inspect the site, review acceptance conditions, complete procedures and sign off on loan allocations for the underground segment. An environmental permit assessment council has also been established.

Dương Đức Tuấn, Vice Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee, said that the elevated section of the Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro line is expected to be completed and operational by the end of July 2024.

Similarly, the Bến Thành-Suối Tiên metro line in HCM City has finalised the timeline adjustments and submitted investment capital allocation requests to the appropriate authorities.

The city is expediting the completion of the remaining construction tasks, conducting trial runs, operating system tests, ensuring fire safety compliance and obtaining environmental approvals for operational status by December 2024.

During the meeting, the task force reviewed and provided feedback on the two urban railway network development proposals for Hà Nội and HCM City by 2035, focusing on mechanisms, policies and resource mobilisation strategies suitable for each city’s socio-economic development.

Leaders from the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Construction emphasised that these are large and complex projects involving multiple disciplines. Given the current legal constraints, it is necessary to conduct thorough research, analysis and evaluation, drawing on international experiences and past investment practices, to propose objectives and solutions for building modern, integrated urban railway systems.

The Nhổn-Hà Nội Station metro project stretches 12.5km and includes eight elevated and four underground stations.

Construction began in 2009, with an initial completion target of 2015. After four extensions, the project is now expected to be completed in 2027.

The Bến Thành-Suối Tiên metro line covers 19.7km, connecting Bến Thành Market in District 1 to Long Thành Depot in Thủ Đức City. The line features three underground and 11 elevated stations. Construction started in 2012, but the project has seen multiple delays, with costs escalating to over VNĐ43.7 trillion ($1.71 billion). 

Cancer hospital to get new site with high-tech cancer treatment

The National Cancer Hospital (Hospital K) will soon open a new branch, its fourth site, in Hữu Hoà Commune, Thanh Trì District, Hà Nội.

Professor Lê Văn Quảng, director of the hospital, announced on Wednesday afternoon that this fourth branch will house the Proton Therapy Centre, a radioisotope production area for on-site use, and treatment beds.

The Proton Therapy Centre, the first of its kind in northern Việt Nam, will specialise in treating nervous system cancers, particularly in children, as well as lung and prostate cancers.

"The investment in this high-quality cancer treatment centre, equipped with advanced radiation therapy systems, aims to enhance cancer treatment for Vietnamese patients domestically, eliminating the need for overseas treatment," he said.

The Hà Nội administration has granted preliminary approval for the hospital's fourth branch to be located on an 8.6-hectare site, nearly one and a half times larger than the hospital’s third branch.

Construction is expected to commence in the third quarter of this year once the land transfer is completed.

With the addition of this new branch in Hữu Hoà Commune, Thanh Trì District, the hospital will operate four facilities: the first branch at No. 43 Quán Sứ Street, Hoàn Kiếm District; the second branch at Tựu Liệt - Tam Hiệp Street, Thanh Trì District; and the third branch at No. 30 Cầu Bươu Street, Thanh Trì District.

Currently, the capacity of cancer treatment facilities meets only about 20 per cent of demand.

The addition of modern treatment facilities is expected to alleviate pressure on existing specialised cancer hospitals.

Professor Quảng said that after legal procedures are finalised by the Ministry of Health and the Hà Nội People's Committee, land clearance would begin around September to October this year.

Statistics showed that in the first six months of this year, the hospital received and treated a total of 209,887 patients, both outpatient and inpatient.

The hospital has implemented new techniques, particularly in surgical oncology, such as single-incision endoscopic surgery combined with breast cancer reconstruction and robotic endoscopic surgery for digestive, renal, and thyroid cancers.

The hospital has also organised online consultation programmes and remote healthcare services, which have garnered high praise from colleagues, patients, and the public.

Students invent colour-changing food wrap to warn against food spoilage

A team of students at the Vietnam National University (VNU), HCM City has invented food wrap from agricultural byproducts that can change its colour when food spoils.

Dragon fruit and passion fruit peels have been used by Nguyễn Hoàng Kim Long, Nguyễn Ngọc Thùy Dương and Lê Thùy Linh from the Department of Biotechnology, VNU International University to make the wrap.

Long said they realised that farmers mostly focus on economic values of farm produce and ignore its byproducts, which can be recycled to make environmentally-friendly items.

Learning that passion fruit peel contains a lot of pectin - a natural fibre often used to improve consistency and create gel in many dishes - they started to experiment.

Thanks to the instruction of lecturer Lê Quang Phong, head of the Applied Chemistry Department, International University, in four months, the students conducted tests to check the growth rate of microorganisms and quality management to prove the safety of the product.

Dương, one of the students, said the process of creating food wrap includes collecting, cleaning and drying fruit peels. Through the extraction process, pectin from the passion fruit peel and betacyanin in red dragon fruit peel are obtained.

These extracts are mixed with water then poured into moulds and dried at 60 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. After obtaining the finished product, it will be laminated and shaped to complete the biological food wrap, she said.

“This process lasts about seven to ten days. The highlight of the biological food wrap developed by the team is its ability to change colour when food is damaged.

“The betacyanin pigment in red dragon fruit peel has the ability to change colour based on the pH of the environment. If foods such as meat, fish are spoiled, the pH level will gradually decrease. When food begins to spoil, the wrap will gradually change from pinkish red to yellow or transparent,” she told Giáo Dục&Thời Đại (Education and Times) newspaper.

Just by observing the food wrap’s colour, users can recognise to what extent the food is spoiled, thereby preventing food poisoning cases. The food wrap also has good antibacterial and antioxidant properties, helping to extend food life, Dương said.

With 200 grams of fruit peel, the team can create a 20-metre roll of food wrap with an estimated cost of VNĐ70,000 per roll. Compared to plastic wrap, this product is more costly, but compared to other types of biofilm on the market, their eco food wrap has a more competitive price.

Dương admitted that her wrap is not as smooth as nylon wrap. The product has a shelf life of three to four weeks under low temperature conditions (in a refrigerator environment) and must avoid direct exposure to sunlight.

If the above conditions are not met, the wrapping film will lose its colour and change features, she said.

Dương said: “Our team wants to be able to solve waste peels in farming, helping farmers have a new source of income from discarded products. We also hope that people can reduce plastic waste, change living habits and use friendly products to make the environment greener.”

Lecturer Lê Quang Phong said the project was creative and the students knew how to use renewable and organic materials that are friendly to humans. The group took advantage of fruit peels to make products with high economic value, supporting farmers and meeting consumer needs.

“Today, consumers are very concerned about health and the environment, so there is a high demand for green products. The eco food wrap is completely capable of being commercialised and sold to the market,” he said.

Hậu Giang Province develops nature-based agriculture

Hậu Giang Province is developing nature-based agriculture and applying advanced techniques to increase efficiency.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province is affected by climate change, especially saltwater intrusion in its rivers in the dry season, which impacts agriculture.

To cope, it has restructured cultivation and developed nature-based farming models suitable for each locality.

Long Mỹ District normally suffers from a shortage of irrigation water in the dry season, and so local authorities encourage rice farmers to switch to drought-resistant crops such as soursop.

In the district’s Thuận Hoà Commune, the soil was severely contaminated by alum in the past and farmers could only grow cajuput.

After an irrigation network was created in the commune, farmers switched to rice but yields were low.

In the last 10 years they switched to soursop because the fruit is resistant to drought and saltwater.

Võ Văn Quang, who has a 1ha soursop orchard in Thuận Hoà, said the lives of locals have improved significantly after making the switch.

“My family earns VNĐ80-100 million (US$3,100-3,900) a year from growing soursop.”

The province has developed many nature-based farming models to cope with natural disasters, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In places affected by alum and saltwater intrusion, it recommends a switch to vegetables, livestock, aquatic species, and rice-aquatic species, and seeks to develop ecotourism.

Where rice remains predominant, it develops large-scale rice fields by pooling smaller holdings and increases the use of advanced farming techniques and mechanisation.

Where farmers grow vegetables and fruits, it seeks to use efficient automatic irrigation, researches and creates plant varieties that can grow in saltwater- and drought-affected areas.

It propagates greater use of organic fertilisers and creation of ditches in orchards and fields to store water for irrigation.

Ngô Minh Long, director of the department, said to restructure and develop nature-based agriculture to produce high-quality and diverse products, his agency is developing high-tech, clean and smart agriculture adapted to climate change.

It would research and apply technology, identify suitable crops for each locality, develop concentrated farming areas, and teach farmers growing processes, he said.

It would prioritise crop varieties with high quality and yields that could adapt to climate change, he said.

It would convert fields that grow just rice into ones that alternate the grain with vegetables or aquatic species to adapt to climate change, he said.

Farmlands account for 86 per cent of the province’s total area.

The province is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s “project to sustainably develop one million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta,” and aims to have 46,000ha under rice by 2030 under the project.

It produces 1.1 million tonnes of paddy a year and rice accounts for 40 per cent of its agricultural production in value terms.

Its fruits include seedless lime, green skin and pink flesh grapefruit, soursop, and jackfruit, a lot of it grown to Vietnamese and global good agricultural practices standards.

Farmers also grow vegetables in net and polygreen houses equipped with automatic irrigation.

The province has 32 companies and 38 co-operatives that have linked with nearly 40,000 farmers owning a total of 38,656ha.

The province has embraced the national “One Commune – One Product” (OCOP) programme to improve value, agricultural efficiency and the lives of rural people.

It has 266 OCOP products rated between three and four stars.

The highest rating under the programme is five.

These products are sold nationwide, through many supermarkets, and exported, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Long, its director, said the province has developed more than 20 agricultural and rural tourism sites that introduce and sell OCOP products.

In Phụng Hiệp District, the number of tourism sites has increased from eight two years ago to 10 now. They have linked up with traditional craft villages and OCOP producing establishments to offer tourism services.

They attracted 240,000 tourists last year, up five times from 2022.

Many OCOP making establishments also offer experience tourism for additional incomes.

The Ngọc Đào Goat Milk Farm in Châu Thành A District’s Tân Hoà Commune has six four-star OCOP products – pasteurised goat milk, freeze-dried goat milk yogurt, freeze-dried fermented goat milk, and freeze-dried fermented goat milk with jackfruit, durian and mango.

The farm raises around 350 goats and produces 1,000 litres of goat milk a month. It has been offering tourism services since 2018 and visitors can try their hands at feeding goats and watch the processes of making products from goat milk and also try them.

Tô Thanh Tùng, Chairman of the Tân Hoà People’s Committee, said: “Ngọc Đào Goat Milk Farm is the commune’s only tourism site and attracts many tourists.”

In the absence of other tourism sites to link with the farm, it could not promote its ecotourism strength, he said.

It has petitioned the district and province authorities to invest in developing more tourism sites in the commune and in transport infrastructure for tourists, he added.

Huế seek $252 million for urban and health care projects

The central province has proposed a series of key investment projects including a new urban and health care service in 2025-30, calling for an investment of more than VNĐ6.3 trillion (US$252 million) from the State budget, ODA and preferential loans.

The province said the proposals, already sent to the government for approval, will mean a complete face lift for the local area helping it to new growth for decades.

It also said a consortium of Doji Gold & Gem Group and Doji Land company has won the bid for a new luxury trade-service-housing complex project in the new An Vân Dương urban area.

The Doji consortium will be developing the complex across an 18.2ha area, with an investment of VNĐ4.6 trillion, providing accommodation and services for 9,000 people.

The province also plans to build a research-training and clinical medical centre in the Huế Central Hospital.

It will use non-refundable ODA sourced from the Korea Foundation for International Heathcare (KOFIH), with an investment of VNĐ250 billion ($10 million). An expansion and construction of the Huế Central Hospital No 2 project in Phong Điền district will give the district a further 500 hospital beds, easing overload of the downtown hospital.

The project has been looking to an investment of VNĐ351 billion ($14 million) from the Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF) through the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM).

The current downtown-based Huế Central Hospital also plans to build a new 900-bed hi-tech anesthesia and stroke centre, with total investment of VNĐ 1.1 trillion ($44 million).

The province said the huge investment in the hospital and the new urban project, is preparing the ground to it becoming a central government-managed urban area from 2025. Thừa Thiên-Huế is designing it as a ‘smart’, a low carbon and a ‘zero plastic waste’ metropolis.

Aeon Mall Việt Nam said it plans to build its first trading area, Aeon Mall Huế, with an investment of $170 million in An Vân Dương new urban area.

Huế has built six industrial zones on 2,600ha, creating a smooth space for domestic and foreign investors.

The $104 million-invested Gilimex Industrial Park – the first ‘green and clean’ destination for domestic and foreign investors – has been under development ready to host key hi-tech investors from international and domestic sources.

Thừa Thiên Huế has already granted licences to 19 new investment projects, worth $208 million, including eight FDI projects worth $33.2 million.

Cần Thơ airport extends operational hours

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has accepted a request from Cần Thơ International Airport to extend its operating hours, a move designed to help the airport meet growing demand.

Operating hours will be extended by four hours every day, from 5am to 11:59pm, effective from July 13 to September 4.

The CAAV has also requested the airport inform relevant agencies and units of the airport, as well as related parties, to coordinate operations and ensure security, safety, and efficiency.

The Việt Nam Air Traffic Management Corporation will collaborate with the airport to provide information in accordance with regulations.

Additionally, the CAAV has asked Vietnamese carriers to increase flights to Cần Thơ, especially on the Hà Nội – Cần Thơ route, and to expand new domestic and international routes to Cần Thơ.

The CAAV will continue to study policies to facilitate operations of Vietnamese airlines and foreign airlines to Cần Thơ.

Currently, there are five flight routes to Cần Thơ from Hà Nội, Vinh, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng, and Côn Đảo, with a total of 11-12 round trips each day.  

Seven convicts in Việt Á Case recommended for reduced sentences

Seven convicts in the notorious Việt Á Case were proposed for sentence reductions during an appeal trial on July 17.

Phan Quốc Việt, Việt Á company's former General Director, is among those appealing for reduced prison terms.

He was sentenced to 25 years behind bars during the first-instance trial, for bribing several government officials to obtain licences to sell COVID-19 testing kits at high prices during the pandemic.

During the appeal trial, heard by the Central Military Court, the prosecutor argued that the payment of VNĐ200 million (US$7,890) in compensation for damages by Việt Á and his role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic could be considered an extenuating circumstance in his favour.

The prosecutor, accordingly, proposed reducing his sentence from 25 years to 22 years.

Trịnh Thanh Hùng, former Director of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic-Technical Sectors and Hồ Anh Sơn, former Deputy Director of the Military Medical Academy’s Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, are other convicts who have filed appeals seeking sentence reductions.

Hùng and Sơn were found guilty of abusing their powers as they collaborated with Việt to enlist Việt Á as the Academy's project partner, enabling it to secure licences for test kit mass production.

The prosecutor proposed a reduced sentence for Hùng, from 15 years to 13 years in prison, on the grounds of a Deputy Minister of Science and Technology's request, his compensation for damages and his role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similarly, the prosecutor proposed Sơn to be sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, down from his original 12-year term.

Another convict, Nguyễn Văn Hiệu, former Head of the Academy's Equipment and Supplies Division, was also recommended for a reduced sentence.

Hiệu was convicted of violating bidding regulations to help Việt Á win bids, becoming the test kid supplier for the Academy. Việt paid Hiệu more than VNĐ3.5 billion (US$138,000) for the help.

After weighing the mitigating factors, the prosecutor proposed Hiệu be under lock and key for five years, instead of seven years as ruled in the first-instance verdict.

Three other convicts recommended for reduced sentences are Vũ Đình Hiệp, Việt Á's former Deputy General Director, Lê Trường Minh, former Head of the Academy's Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department and Ngô Anh Tuấn, former Head of the Academy's Finance Department.

Hiệp, convicted of bribing government officials to win contracts with various Centres for Disease Control, and Minh, accused of forging documents to help Việt Á win the bids, were recommended to have their sentence reduced from six years to four years in prison.

Tuấn, found guilty of taking Việt's money to assist him in his scheme is appealing for a two- year jail term with the sentence suspended. He was sentenced to four years at the first-instance trial. 

HCM City strengthens information security protection

HCM City is implementing solutions to ensure information security, including a four-layer protection model.

Lâm Đình Thắng, director of the city’s Department of Information and Communications, answered questions from delegates at the 17th session of the municipal People's Council meeting on Monday, focusing on the city’s socio-economic and defense-security situation.

He said the city is carrying out a surveillance system open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and building a backup database centre.

It sets a target of reviewing 100 per cent of the information technology infrastructure and ensuring connectivity among the city, districts, wards, communes and towns.

The department is collaborating with relevant units to review and identify the need for investment in over 3,000 devices for units and localities of VNĐ150 billion (US$5.9 million).

Regarding slow network access in localities affecting the interaction between residents and authorities, the department gave three reasons, including old and degraded computer infrastructure; huge demand for digital transformation and the arising requirements triggering difficulties for platform management; and software and platforms of ministries and agencies not in accordance with the city.

Regarding information security and network security, the city is implementing a number of solutions such as placing all data in the city's data centre, which is monitored 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

The city is researching and building a backup data centre project.

It is deploying the four-layer information security protection model at agencies and units, a database centre, a team of independent assessment experts and system-to-system connection ensured by centrally-run agencies.

The city also has an information security response network to support units when incidents occur.

As for data sharing, the city's database system has been linked to an integrated and shared digital database platform such as a system for handling administrative procedures, receiving and resolving information via switchboard 1022, and a unified system for resolving complaints and denunciations.

In the upcoming time, the city will put into operation systems for land management, construction licenses, electronic school records and electronic medical records. 

Đồng Nai farmers again enthused about pepper as prices soar

Pepper prices increased in the first half of this year, bringing cheer to farmers in the southern province of Đồng Nai and encouraging many to grow it again.

The spice is sold at up to VNĐ200,000 (US$7.82) per kilogramme, and seedling prices have increased from VNĐ8,000-10,000 (US$0.31- 0.39) to VNĐ20,000-25,000 (US$0.78-0.97) in the past month.

Pepper growers have been focusing on renovating old orchards and expanding the crop in the hope of making a killing this season.

Trần Văn Vịnh, who has a one-hectare pepper farm in Cẩm Mỹ District’s Lâm San Commune, said his first harvest fetched at VNĐ180,000 (US$7.03) per kilogramme, enough for him to plant new seedlings to replace unproductive ones.

“Pepper plants adapt well to the province’s topography and yield great output if given enough care.”

He hoped prices would remain steady to ensure farmers get stable incomes.

Lê Quang Thành of Xuân Lộc District’s Xuân Thọ Commune said the high prices have allowed him and other farmers to confidently invest again in growing pepper.

Years of low prices have discouraged farmers from continuing planting pepper, and some even abandon their crops.

This resulted in a 30-50 per cent drop in output in the past few years and the area under the spice shrinking to just 11,000ha from over 19,000ha in 2018.

Nguyễn Văn Thắng, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said farmers need to improve soil quality before planting new pepper plants, especially where there have been mass deaths in the past.

It is important to carefully research and choose quality seedlings and undertake organic farming to preserve soil quality, he said.

Farmers need to link up with cooperatives to get guidance and support for sustainable planting, cultivation and harvesting, he added.

Nguyễn Thanh Tân, vice chairman of the Xuân Lộc District Farmer Association, said though most local farmers are experienced in growing pepper, the district would continue to teach them new planting and caring methods and encourage them to opt for organic farming. 

HCM City targets completion of metro pedestrian bridges by September

Construction of pedestrian overpasses to nine stations on metro line No. 1 is being speeded up to ensure completion by September, according to the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR).

The 19.7km line from Bến Thành Market in District 1 to Suối Tiên Theme Park in Thủ Đức City has 14 stations, three of which are underground.

The nine pedestrian overpasses are being built at Tân Cảng, Thảo Điền, An Phú, Rạch Chiếc, Phước Long, Bình Thái, Thủ Đức, Sài Gòn High-tech Park, and Việt Nam National University HCM City stations.

Among the final items of construction, they provide easier access to the stations from across Hà Nội Highway and from two streets running parallel to it.

According to MAUR, the staircases and bridges need to avoid other infrastructure such as power, telecom and water lines, drains, trees, and lights.

Most infrastructure has been relocated to enable the construction of bored piles, pile caps, columns, and bridge caps.

The contractor is installing large cross beams measuring 22 to 37 metres in length and weighing 46 to 75 tons, with the work being done from 10pm to 5am daily and in the mornings on weekends to avoid traffic disruptions.

The installation of beams at Thảo Điền Station was completed in last week.

It was a challenging task since it is close to 110kV power lines and complex traffic intersections near Sài Gòn Bridge.

Besides, the beams were brought on super-sized heavy vehicles whose weight the infrastructure there could not support.

Traffic through Đen Bridge has been temporarily halted, and a temporary bridge has been built above the existing structure for the passage of the giant vehicles.

MAUR targets completing by July five of the nine pedestrian bridges at Tân Cảng, Rạch Chiếc, Phước Long, Bình Thái, and Sài Gòn High-Tech park stations.

The ones at Thảo Điền and An Phú will be completed in August.

The remaining two, at Thủ Đức and Việt Nam National University-HCM City stations, will be finished in September.

They will be subject to fire safety and rescue inspections in the fourth quarter.

Cát Bi Airport to receive 13 million passengers annually by 2030

The Minister of Transport recently signed a decision approving the master plan for Cát Bi International Airport in the northern port city of Hải Phòng for the period 2021-30, with a vision to 2050.

According to the plan, during the 2021-2030 period, Cát Bi International Airport will be classified as a 4E airport (according to ICAO standards) and a level 1 military airport, with a capacity of approximately 13 million passengers per year and 250,000 tonnes of cargo per year.

Cát Bi Airport will accommodate aircraft types of code C such as A320/A321 and equivalent, and code E such as B747/B777/B787/A350 and equivalent.

The existing apron will be expanded to accommodate about 30 aircraft parking positions.

By 2050, the airport will maintain its classification as a 4E airport and a level 1 military airport, with a capacity of about 18 million passengers per year and 500,000 tonnes of cargo per year and is accessible for aircraft types of codes C and E with an expanded apron to accommodate approximately 50 aircraft parking positions.

Regarding the runway system, during the 2021-2030 period, the current runway with dimensions of 3,050m x 45m and a material shoulder width of 7.5m will be maintained.

By 2050, a second runway will be planned, located approximately 215m south of the existing runway centreline, with a length of about 2.4km and material shoulder dimensions as per regulations.

A new air traffic control tower will be built at a location north of the airport, covering an area of approximately 1.8ha.

The Ministry of Transport has tasked the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV) with studying and incorporating feedback from the Planning and Investment Department's appraisal report to manage and implement the plan according to regulations.

CAAV will coordinate with Hải Phòng City’s People's Committee and relevant agencies to announce, manage, and implement the plan.

The Hải Phòng People's Committee is responsible for reviewing and updating the planning contents into the local planning, allocating and protecting land resources to meet the airport's development needs according to the approved plan. 

VNR proposes allocating $50.7m for urgent reinforcement of high-risk railway works

Việt Nam Railway Corporation (VNR) has recommended prioritising the allocation of approximately VNĐ1.29 trillion (US$50.7 million) for the urgent reinforcement of railway works facing high safety risks.

This includes about VNĐ500 billion ($19.6 million) for reinforcing 12 critical tunnels, VNĐ700 billion ($27.5 million) for reinforcing 94 bridges and VNĐ95 billion ($3.7 million) for reinforcing 14 additional works. These crucial projects will be part of the mid-term public investment capital plan for the period of 2026-2030, or will supplement annual maintenance and repair funding.

A representative from the Việt Nam Railway Authority also stated that investment should focus on the Hà Nội – HCM City railway line, which has the highest passenger traffic.

For the Hà Nội - Đồng Đăng, Yên Viên - Lào Cai and Gia Lâm - Hải Phòng lines, targeted investments should ensure safety and prioritise stations with high transportation demand.

Regarding funding sources, the authority has proposed to the Ministry of Transport that smaller projects with less complex technical requirements should use annual railway infrastructure maintenance funds. Larger, more technically complex projects should be allocated mid-term public investment capital for the 2026-2031 period.

Approximately VNĐ5 billion would be allocated from economic operational funds to inspect 12 tunnels on the Hà Nội – HCM City railway line, and about VĐ3 billion to inspect Hà Nội, Hải Phòng and Đà Lạt stations. Additionally, a project to reinforce the weak tunnels on the Hà Nội – HCM City railway line aimed to provide temporary safety measures for critical sections with high safety risks until a comprehensive renovation project can be carried out, it said.

While waiting for the projects to be implemented, the VNR would direct railway joint-stock companies to inspect, monitor and be on standby with sufficient materials, personnel and equipment to respond promptly to any emergency situations.

Many railway tunnels and bridges are facing safety risks due to their age, raising serious concerns about train safety. In April 2024, the Bãi Gió Tunnel on the north-south railway line through Đèo Cả experienced a landslide during construction, causing a nearly ten day blockage of the national railway. Similarly, the Chí Thạnh Tunnel also suffered a landslide at the end of May. Fortunately, there were no casualties from either landslide.

The VNR reported that the Bãi Gió Tunnel landslide alone cost the corporation over VNĐ50.4 billion. This included more than VNĐ3.6 billion in emergency response costs, over VNĐ18.7 billion in direct damages and over VNĐ28 billion in lost revenue due to the disruption.

Additionally, the prolonged impact of the incident led many passengers and shippers to switch to alternative modes of transport, resulting in a revenue decline even after the issue was resolved.

According to the VNR, the entire network has 12 tunnels which are considered in a critical condition, out of a total of 39. These 12 tunnels are all on the Hà Nội – HCM City line, built and put into operation between 1926 and 1936 and have never been repaired, reinforced or renovated.

The concrete linings of these tunnels have deteriorated, cracked and become waterlogged, with narrow clearances posing significant safety risks, requiring reduced train speeds.

According to Nguyễn Văn Định, head of the Đèo Cả railway management team, the area has seven tunnels, all built during the French colonial period and now heavily weathered and leaking.

The Đèo Cả area, the soil and rocks are loose, making landslides more likely during the rainy season.

A recent project with a budget of VNĐ7 trillion (275.6 million) only reinforced three tunnels, mainly addressing water leakage points. The iron sleepers used in these tunnels, dating back to the French era, are heavily corroded and replacements are scarce since they are no longer manufactured. The unit had to select usable iron sleepers from other projects to replace concrete ones as a precaution. 

Key transportation projects delayed due to sand shortage for road embankments

Many national key transportation projects are experiencing delays due to a shortage of sand for road embankments.

This shortage, coupled with extraction capacity issues, is expected to significantly impact the completion timelines of these projects, if not addressed promptly.

According to the Construction Investment Management Department (Ministry of Transport), the North-South Expressway projects have been handed over 717.47 km of land (equal to 99.5 per cent) but the projects’ progress had not completed by June 20, due to delays in relocating high-voltage power lines in some localities and in supplying of imported electrical equipment and high-voltage line accessories.

The construction value for the North-South Expressway projects has reached approximately VNĐ40.62 trillion (US$1.6 billion) equal to 41.3 per cent of the contract value.

Some component projects are on track, with more than 45 per cent completion, including Bãi Vọt-Hàm Nghi, Bùng-Vạn Ninh, Vạn Ninh-Cam Lộ, Chí Thạnh-Vân Phong, Vũng Áng-Bùng, and Vân Phong-Nha Trang.

However, several component projects such as Quảng Ngãi-Hoài Nhơn, Cần Thơ-Hậu Giang and Hậu Giang-Cà Mau are at risk of missing deadlines. The delays have been put down to the slow approval of construction material mines, inadequate sand extraction capacity and contractors not meeting construction requirements.

For the sections from Cần Thơ to Cà Mau provinces, local authorities have approved 16 out of 19 million cu.m of sand needed for the project, leaving a shortage of 3 million cu.m. Currently, only 14.9 million cu.m is being mined.

To date, 5.93 million cu.m of sand has been delivered to construction sites, whereas the required volume to complete embankment work is 10.8 million cu.m.

The average exploitation rate is 27,000 cu.m per day, which falls short of the 70,000-90,000 cu.m per day needed.

Trần Văn Thi, director of the Mỹ Thuận Project Management Board, said that the project's progress is at 34 per cent compared to the plan, lagging by 14 per cent due to the sand shortage.

"To complete the project by 2025, we need approximately 9.6 million cu.m of sand by 31 October," said Thi.

“We request Đồng Tháp, An Giang, Vĩnh Long, Tiền Giang, Bến Tre and Sóc Trăng provinces to support the project by increasing the exploitation capacity of river and sea sand mines."

To ensure the sand exploitation capacity meets the construction progress of the Cần Thơ-Cà Mau Expressway Project, the Ministry of Transport has requested Bến Tre and Tiền Giang provinces to provide 2 million cu.m of sand for the project in July.

Additionally, the ministry has asked An Giang Province to allocate 2.43 million cu.m of sand from the Châu Đốc-Cần Thơ-Sóc Trăng Expressway Project to the Cần Thơ-Hậu Giang and Hậu Giang-Cà Mau sections, as directed by Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà.

To resolve the sand supply issues, the ministry has urged provinces with sand resources, including An Giang, Đồng Tháp, Tiền Giang, Sóc Trăng, Trà Vinh and Bến Tre to co-ordinate closely with the inter-agency task force led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The review is to adjust the allocation of materials, ensuring the supply meets project requirements, especially for those scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.

An Giang, Vĩnh Long, and Đồng Tháp provinces are requested to allow contractors to maximise the exploitation capacity at existing mines, based on strict monitoring of erosion levels.

They are also encouraged to approve new mines and prioritise commercial sand purchases to meet project timelines.

During an inspection of the Cần Thơ-Cà Mau Expressway Project earlier this week, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính directed local authorities to resolve all remaining land clearance issues and hand over the land to contractors by July.

To meet the project deadlines, the Prime Minister also asked local authorities to allocate mines, adjust extraction capacities, and coordinate sand supply for the project.

Sea sand, once treated and delivered to the site, has a lower salinity than required, even lower than river sand and should be used for the project's embankments. Constructors should also explore the use of fly ash for filling. 

Health check-ups at Bạch Mai Hospital to be provided until 9pm from August

Hà Nội-based Bạch Mai Hospital, the leading healthcare facility in the north, will examine patients outside of regular working hours, until 9 pm from August 1.

Associate Professor Đào Xuân Cơ, the hospital’s director, said the medical examination hours would be expanded from 5pm to 9pm, with reception and some examination desks opened early from 5-6am to serve patients, especially those from distant locations.

This move aims to meet the recent surge in demand for health check-ups, while also achieving the goal of examining all patients during the day. Up to 10,000 patients visit the hospital every day for checkups, which causes congestion.

Departments within the hospital have taken action to alleviate the queues.

The hospital has been able to overcome its medicine and medical supply shortfall. The hospital unveiled a number of medical equipment systems earlier this year, including seven endoscopic surgical systems, 19 digestive endoscopy systems, three computed tomography scan machines, and four magnetic resonance imaging machines.

This is the first time that seven magnetic resonance imaging machines have been running simultaneously at Bạch Mai Hospital. Patients who have a scan indication can essentially be scanned on the same day without having to wait, Cơ said.

The modern equipment meant many more patients had come in for examination and treatment, he said.

The imaging and testing department would prioritise outpatients in the morning and inpatients in the afternoon and evening.

"With these arrangements, testing results are typically received in the early afternoon, allowing most patients who travel from faraway places to return home that same day. This is a great effort to help patients save money without having to rent accommodation to wait,” he said.

The hospital has also promoted digital transformation by assisting patients to register for medical examination and treatment via a hotline or app.

Every day between 2,000 and 2,500 people sign up for medical examinations via these new channels, according to Cơ.

Registering in advance helps to minimise crowding and waiting time is minimised. Additionally, it relieves doctors of pressure while improving the standard of medical examinations and consultations.

At the hospital, medical prescriptions have not been printed since July 8. Results of testing and scanning will not be printed from the start of August and everything will be online.

This helps save about VNĐ30 billion per year.

Online medical records will be put on a trial basis from August, before being officially applied at all departments this year.

Online medical records help connect patient information to all relevant departments. Doctors may readily track their development and use that information to forecast and schedule additional treatments for their patients.

Each patient will get a code unique to them with the aim of creating a fully paperless system. 

Trial begins for gold smuggling case from Cambodia into Việt Nam

The trial began on Tuesday of a group of people accused of smuggling a large amount of gold from Cambodia into Việt Nam, to take advantage of higher prices for the precious commodity, with the gang expected to make around $700,000 from the illicit deal.

The court heard that a gang planned to take advantage of the differential in gold prices in Việt Nam, to smuggle more than six tonnes of gold bars over the border into several provinces.

The People’s Court of Hồ Chí Minh City on Tuesday started the first hearings into the large-scale gold smuggling case that occurred in Tây Ninh Province, HCM City and several other localities.

Nguyễn Minh Phụng, 43, from Bình Định Province, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Giàu, 44, from Tây Ninh Province, Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng, 39, from Tây Ninh Province, and their accomplices are trialled for allegedly smuggling over six tonnes of the highly priced metal from Cambodia to Việt Nam.

The trial, which is expected to last for three days, is being presided over by Judge Nguyễn Thị Hà.

According to the case file, Phụng had previously worked at a gold shop, dealing in gold, silver, and foreign currency exchange, and had connections in the jewellery industry in HCM City, Tây Ninh and Cambodia.

Noticing that the gold price in Việt Nam was higher than in Cambodia, the defendant agreed and arranged to sell smuggled gold to domestic gold shop owners.

The indictment states that in 2022, Phụng began establishing and operating a smuggling ring to buy and sell gold bars from Cambodia to Việt Nam.

Phụng would receive orders from domestic customers and contact counterparts in Cambodia to place orders. Giàu was responsible for organising the transportation of money and gold across the border.

Giàu, a border resident living near Chàng Riệc border gate in Tây Ninh Province, exploited border policies by hiding gold under ice-laden tricycles to smuggle it across the border.

Investigations revealed that from August 3 to September 28 of 2022, Phụng and her associates smuggled 4,830kg of gold bars worth VNĐ6.644 trillion (US$260 million), making a profit of VNĐ17.6 billion ($697,000).

Phụng profited VNĐ2.4 billion ($94,700), Giàu profited VNĐ13.8 billion ($544,000), with the remaining split among the other 20 defendants.

The indictment determined that Phụng sold 4,830kg of gold bars to many people, including 560kg to Huỳnh Minh Khánh (Khánh Kim Loan gold shop), 268kg to Nguyễn Thị Minh (Kim Hiền Bình Minh gold shop), 294kg to Đặng Thị Thanh Hằng, 1,828kg to 36 other customers and 1,804kg to unidentified retail customers. The investigation agency seized 76kg of gold.

Additionally, another gold smuggling ring, led by Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng (Giàu's younger sister), smuggled 1,320kg of gold bars worth over VNĐ1.8 trillion (approximately US$70.9 million). Phượng profited over VNĐ3 billion ($119,000) and Giàu VNĐ3.7 billion ($146,000).

Connected to the case, Đặng Thị Thanh Hằng (the owner of Phúc Hằng gold shop) left the country before prosecution began, leading the Ministry of Public Security to issue a warrant for her arrest, with further action to be taken upon her capture.

HCM City’s 5th AI Challenge contest opens

The fifth edition of HCM City’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Challenge contest for AI-powered solutions and products is open to entries until July 31.

Speaking at the kick-off event held in the city last Friday, deputy director of the city’s Department of Information and Communication Võ Minh Thành said the contest aimed to promote scientific research activities and innovative start-up projects in AI applications, which would contribute to effectively implementing the city's digital transformation strategy and promote the process of building a smart city.

“It encourages individuals and research groups at home and abroad to propose AI-powered solutions to help local authorities deal with current social problems in the city,” he said.

The contest targets information technology students, AI experts across the country and overseas Vietnamese, according to organisers.

It is divided into two tables, including Table A for college and university students and youth, and Table B for high-school students.

Its two categories are AI-Challenge and AI-Solution.

AI-Challenge seeks AI-based solutions for event retrieval from visual data.

AI-Solution looks for outstanding solutions and products based on artificial intelligence technologies in key socio-economic sectors such as production, business, transportation, finance, healthcare, education, tourism, agriculture, and serving the community.

The contest format is similar to international competitions such as Lifelog Search Challenge (LSC) and Video Browser Showdown (VBS).

All domestic and foreign individuals and organisations can register online by filling out a form at https://aichallenge.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/ or at the Department of Information and Communications office No. 59 on Lý Tự Trọng Street in District 1.

The organisers are encouraging participants to attach files, photos, videos and links related to their work.

A jury of experts and scientists from universities and associations will decide the winners.

The number of prizes will be decided by the organising board and the judges, with total prize value of VNĐ200 million (US$7,855).

Funding for the prizes will be mobilised from various sources.

The awards ceremony is expected to be held in October.

The winners will be supported to connect with experts and scientists to continue completing their products, or introduce their solutions and products to potential organisations and companies.

They will also have the opportunity to participate in the 13th International Symposium on Information and Communication Technology (SoICT 2024), and the best ones will be introduced to attend the 2025 ACM Multimedia Conference to be held in October, 2025 in Ireland.

Many sideline events will be arranged within the framework of the contest, including a scientific conference called "The HCM City AI research and development programme - Improving human resources, building the future"; a meeting between the city leaders and outstanding students in information technology and AI; and training to raise awareness and skills about AI and digital transformation in the city.

This year’s contest is organised by the city’s Department of Information and Communications in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Science and Technology, the Việt Nam National University-HCM City, Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union of HCM City, the HCM City Computer Association and Youth Centre of Science and Technology Development.

Last year, the contest attracted 631 teams and more than 2,700 contestants at home and abroad. 

Tiền Giang lures tourists with its history, culture

Having a rich history and diverse culture, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Tiền Giang targets to become a new favourite destination among tourists.

Võ Văn Chiến, deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the province will host many more tours to visit historical and cultural sites to develop its sustainable tourism industry and meet the demands of tourists.

Tiền Giang now has more than 2,100 historical and cultural relics, including archaeological sites, revolutionary historical relic sites, religious sites, and ancient architectural buildings.

One of the most visited destinations among local and international visitors is the Đông Hoà Hiệp ancient village in Cái Bè District.

The village is well-known for its beautiful and peaceful landscape. It is surrounded by canals, ancient houses built in the 19th century, and orchards with different kinds of trees giving fruits all year round.

Along with Đường Lâm in Hà Nội and Phước Tích in Thừa Thiên – Huế Province, Đông Hoà Hiệp was one of three ancient villages chosen by the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to launch the project “Promote Self-sustaining Community Development in Vietnam through Heritage Tourism” between 2011 and 2014.

Nguyễn Văn Nha, chairman of Cái Bè District’s People's Committee, said Đông Hoà Hiệp attracts tourists to explore 100-year-old architects with signature elements of traditional garden houses in the South of Việt Nam such as an ancestral altar, horizontal panels carved with parallel sentences conveying the moral teachings and principles of ancestors, as well as wooden columns carved with decorative motifs of dragon, kylin, turtle and phoenix.

The district welcomed nearly 25,000 visitors, including 2,215 international tourists, in the first six months of 2024, an increase of 20 per cent compared to last year.

Apart from the ancient village, Tiền Giang is popular for the Gò Thanh Archaeological Site in Chợ Gạo District.

The archaeological site is the remaining relic of Óc Eo culture, the foundation for the ancient kingdom of Phù Nam that existed from the first to seventh century AD.

Visitors can also explore the Royal Mausoleum in Gò Công District, which is a complex of tombs of the members of the Phạm Đặng Family, including Phạm Đặng Hưng, father of Queen Từ Dụ and grandfather of King Tự Đức of the Nguyễn Dynasty.

Chiến said most of the historical and cultural relics in Tiền Giang are related to religious and spiritual activities to honour the land’s rich history and cultural values, and contribute to attracting more tourists.

In the first six months of 2024, Tiền Giang served 850,000 visitors, including 300,000 international visitors, a year-on-year rise of 21.1 per cent. Its tourism revenue reached VNĐ600 billion (US$23.5 million).

The province targets to attract 800,000 visitors by the end of 2024. Tourism revenue is expected to reach VNĐ650 billion ($25.45 million). 

Artists raise fund to build memorial house for cải lương guru

Veteran and young artists are working to raise funds to build a memorial house for late theatre scriptwriter Viễn Châu, a guru of cải lương (reformed opera).

The construction will cost VNĐ70 billion (US$3 million) and will begin in September.

People’s Artist Lệ Thủy has appeared in several cultural events and shows in HCM City and southern provinces to encourage organisations and individuals involved in raising the money.

Her peers, such as cải lương stars Thanh Hằng, Phượng Loan and scriptwriter Hoàng Song Việt, are also involved.

The artists have raised more than VNĐ2.5 billion ($100,000) from their fans at home and abroad to build the house.

Thủy and her staff will also perform and release a series of online performances to raise money.

“Late artist Viễn Châu was my great teacher. The memorial house for Châu in his homeland, Trà Vinh Province, will encourage local people, particularly youngsters, to learn more about their history, culture and traditional arts,” said 76-year-old Thủy, who has 60 years in the industry.

Thủy won several top prizes at national traditional theatre competitions and festivals. She has performed in more than 300 plays, videos and films.

The People’s Committee of Trà Vinh Province approved the project to build the memorial house for Châu last year.

“The house will honour the career of Châu, a leading scriptwriter of cải lương – a traditional genre of southern theatre which began in the early 1920s in the Mekong River Delta region,” said the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Director Dương Hoàng Sum at a press conference to raise money in Cần Thơ City.

Sum said the house will be “a tourist site attracting visitors who are keen to know about Châu’s life and career, and his contribution to the development of southern theatre.”

The house will be built on 11,300 square metres of land in Đôn Xuân Commune in Duyên Hải District. It will cover 16 areas, including an exhibition house for displaying photos, pictures, and objects about cải lương.

It is scheduled to be completed in late 2025.

Châu was born in 1922 in Trà Vinh Province.

He wrote and composed 200 vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) songs and 70 cải lương plays. Vọng cổ songs are used in cải lương and are popular among farmer families.

Châu's highlighted plays include Chuyện Tình Lan và Điệp (Love Story of Lan and Điệp), Sau Bức Màn Nhung (Behind the Velvet Curtain) and Tình Mẫu Tử (Mother's Love), all in praise of southern women and their character.

His vọng cổ songs combine traditional tunes and western music.

As a musician, Châu travelled around the country and to many countries, such as Italy and France, to perform and introduce cải lương to the world.

He also worked for several art schools to train theatre students, including cải lương stars Thủy, Ngọc Giàu and Bạch Tuyết.

In 2012, he was awarded the title People’s Artist, and Labour Order, third class, by the Government in 2014 for his contributions to the development of southern theatre.

He died in HCM City in 2016. 

U19 Việt Nam team ready for ASEAN U-19 Boys' Championship

The U19 Vietnamese team are ready for the ASEAN U-19 Boys' Championship 2024 in Indonesia.

Head coach Hứa Hiền Vinh has selected a squad of 23 players for the tournament, after removing defender Nguyễn Mạnh Hưng, striker Nguyễn Anh Tuấn and Czech-based midfielder Hồ Hữu Hưng from the initial roster.

The championship is scheduled to take place in Indonesia until 29. Việt Nam have been drawn in Group B and will play their opening match against Myanmar on July 18, followed by a fixture against Australia on July 21, before ending the group stage with a game against Laos on July 24.

Evaluating Việt Nam's group, coach Vinh said: " Việt Nam's group is relatively heavy. Australia won the championship in 2020, did not participate in 2022 and returned this time, so they are strong. In addition, Laos are also unknown, two years ago they won second place. Overall, the group is relatively competitive, but the Vietnamese team aim to get through the group stage to get to the semi-finals."

Midfielder Thái Bá Đạt expressed confidence in the team and said: "The opportunities are always divided equally among all teams, it's just that which ever team shows themselves better will win, Việt Nam is not afraid of any opponent."

This regional event will feature the application of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology for the first time in the history of the ASEAN U-19 tournament. While this is expected to improve the accuracy of referee decisions, coach Vinh has provided specific instructions to the players to avoid potential pitfalls, as Vietnamese football teams have often received unfavourable VAR decisions in the past.

The ASEAN tournament this year consists of 12 teams divided into three groups. The top three teams and the best second-placed team will progress to the semi-finals, with the two winning teams competing for the championship title and the losing semi-finalists playing for third place.

To prepare for the ASEAN event, the Vietnamese team recently participated in a friendly international tournament in China, where they faced hosts China, South Korea and Uzbekistan. 

Elite boxers gather for belts at Hoiana Legendary Title Match

Two title fights in one night will be the highlight of the Hoiana Legendary – WBO International Title Match on August 3, the first professional boxing event held in Quảng Nam Province.

The event, the biggest show in Việt Nam this year, will have fighters from seven visiting countries and will include eight international bouts including the WBO Global and IBF Asia title fights at the Hoiana Resort & Golf.

The WBO Global Championship match will feature Chinese defending champion Zhu Dianxing, in the minimum weight class (47.5kg) and challenger Jerry Francisco, a leading combatant from the Philippines.

Zhu owns an impressive fighting record with 13 wins (11 knockouts) in 14 matches. One of his wins was at Việt Nam's WBO Global Title Match – Hồ Tràm Rumble last November – when he successfully defended his title after flooring Thai Sanchai Yotboon in the third round.

Meanwhile, Francisco has competed 12 matches, with ten wins, two of them knockouts and two losses.

The other highlight is expected to be the IBF Asia Welterweight (67kg) match between Chinese Aketelieti Yelejian and South Korean Kim Su Jin, both are ranked second in their respective countries.

In the eight years since turning professional, Yelejian has fought 13 times, with eight wins, two of them knockouts, four losses and one draw.

Kim has taken part in 14 bouts, winning nine and losing four since his debut in 2015.

At the Hoaina event, there are three matches of Vietnamese boxers.

Đinh Hồng Quân will take on Indonesian prospect Paisal Panjaitan in a six-round 61kg class.

Quân, one of Việt Nam's most recognisable pro fighters, is a former IBF Asia belt champion in this weight class. The former training partner to the legendary Manny Pacquiao has lots of experience to go with his granite chin and power punching. This will be Quân’s first appearance since March's WBO Global Match where he was an impressive winner, beating Japan’s Katsunori Endo.

Panjaitan, who is ranked number two, is big and strong and hunting another knockout for his highlight reel at the Hoiana event. He has only one loss on his resume and it came at the hands of local legend Nguyễn Văn Hải at the Fortunes of War in 2022. He intends to redress his Việt Nam scorecard in this heated contest.

The second Vietnamese, Vũ Quang Vinh, will receive Jeong Jaewook of South Korea in a four-round 62kg match

Vinh is the debut fighter here, but one of the most avoided boxers in Việt Nam.

He is slick, has loads of power and exudes the confidence of a more seasoned fighter. He really wants to have a great opening bout to show that he has something extra special.

Jung is a young fighter making his debut in 2023. The 19-year-old was responsible for two excellent wins, the highlight being a knockout last December. His lone appearance this year resulted in a highly controversial loss.

The South Korean will be looking for redemption at Hoiana and will extend no mercy towards his opponent.

The final fighter is Trần Tấn Quang Đạo who will fight China's Xu Senlin in a four-round match at 63.5kg.

Đạo was lauded as the most improved performer of 2023 posting two excellent victories at local tournaments, before a narrow and contentious points loss in his final bout that year.

The Hanoian boxer brings a continually evolving skillset to the ring – beautiful variety on the jab, nice distance and timing on counters, working for angles so that he can work on both his inside and long game.

Xu arrives in Việt Nam off the back of a last start stunning knockout performance. He is famed for his cardio and durability.

Xu is tall and despite his moderate hand speed, he packs plenty of firepower that is sure to be a threat to his Vietnamese opponent for every second of this four rounder.

The Hoiana Legendary – WBO International Title Match is jointly organised by AICR, Cocky Buffalo and Vietnam Boxing Organisation.

Supreme People's Court strengthens judicial ties with Cambodia, Laos

The Supreme People's Court of Vietnam hosted the seventh conference of courts from provinces sharing borders with Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in the central province of Quang Nam on July 18.

Chairing the event, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binh highlighted the invaluable legacy of solidarity, friendship and political trust among the three countries, which holds long-term strategic significance in the cause of their national construction, defence and development.

Vietnam always attaches importance to and prioritises this relationship, considering it a strategic task and top priority in its foreign policy, he said, adding that the establishment and maintenance of the conference marks a significant milestone in judicial cooperation, elevating collaboration among the judicial systems of the three countries.

The conference focused discussions on reviewing the implementation of the joint communiqué issued at the sixth conference in 2022, sharing experiences in trying foreign-factored criminals and ongoing judicial reform in each country, and enhancing judicial cooperation among the three courts, with an emphasis on achievements in using modern technology for court operations.

It stressed the importance of international judicial cooperation and information exchange among border courts, and outlined solutions to addressing challenges in handling transnational criminal cases, judicial entrustment, and mutual legal assistance among the three courts.

The Chief Justices of the three nations also signed an agreement on crime prevention and control and cross-border civil dispute settlement, especially emerging issues in ASEAN and Indochina.

In the lead-up to the 77th anniversary of the War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day (July 27), Binh also visited heroic Vietnamese mothers and a centre for nursing and rehabilitation for people with meritorious service in Quang Nam./.

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