Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh has issued Directive No. 05/CD-UBND, calling on all citizens to register an account on the iHaNoi app, which aims to enhance online interactions between citizens, businesses, and local authorities on the digital environment.

The initiative is part of Project 06, which will develop population data, identification, and e-authentication applications by 2030, in line with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's directives for Hanoi's digital transformation. It aims to enhance transparency and increase the participation of citizens and businesses, thereby strengthening public trust in the municipal authorities.

Hanoi strives to be a leading locality of digital government, economy, society, and citizens, towards building a civilised and modern capital city and maintaining high rankings in the Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS).

Thanh asked departments, sectors and agencies, and chairpersons of the People's Committees of districts, townships, communes, and wards to set an example by creating individual accounts on the iHaNoi App for 100% of the civil servants by July 30, 2024.

The community digital transformation teams are required to closely coordinate with the local police and youth organisations to effectively implement communication campaigns to popularise relevant information and guide residents in installing the app.

The municipal Department of Information and Communications is demanded to work closely with the municipal People's Committee Office, the police, and relevant agencies and units in monitoring and supervising the information safety and security for the app under their authorised responsibilities and duties.

The Military Industry and Telecommunications Group (Viettel) – the developer of the app, has been requested to collaborate with related units to ensure the continuous and effective operation and information security and safety of the app. /.

Lao Cai new products meet tourists’ travel trends

The northern province of Lao Cai has seen strong growth in the tourism revenue so far this year thanks to its effective measures to optimise its advantages and update new travel trends to provide unique and attractive tourism products to domestic and foreign visitors.

One of the new products that have drawn a large number of visitors recently is farmstay which allows tourists to join locals in agricultural activities such as growing crops or raising fish and livestock, and enjoy their products.

Ta Van commune in Sa Pa township has emerged as a hub for farmstay tourism. Hoang Hien, the owner of Hua homestay, said that she found that visitors are particularly interested in experiencing the local life and enjoy paddy transplanting with local residents.

In the community house of the Red Dao in Phin Ngan, Bat Xat district, many visitors were excitedly preparing traditional meals with local residents. They can also follow locals to the wood to collect herbal medicinal plants in preparation for bathing water which has been well-known as a specialty of the Dao people.

Thanks to the massive forest area, farmstay tourism model is booming in Lao Cai, generating double benefits, helping increase income for locals and promote sustainable environment. In order to expand agrotourism, Lao Cai has worked to connect tourists and destinations by organising events and farm trips for travel firms and media agencies.

Meanwhile, the locality is developing many other tourism products in association with the promotion of the cultural identities of local ethnic minority groups.

At the same time, Lao Cai has strengthened coordination with domestic and foreign localities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Yunnan (China), and Nouvelle Aquitaine region (France) to promote its tourism sector.

In the time to come, the Lao Cai Department of Tourism will organise a number of large-scale events to lure visitors, including Bac Ha White Plateau Festival, Rose and Love Festival, Triathlon tournament in Bac Ha, Sa Pa Snow Festival, and international tourism fair 2024.

According to the provincial Department of Tourism, in the first haft of 2024, the province earned 13.5 trillion VND (531.18 million USD) from tourism services, a surge of 24% year on year.

The locality welcomed more than 4.1 million visitors, fulfilling 48.67% its plan for the whole year. Sa Pa township, honoured by Tripadvisor as one of top five Trending Destinations in the world in 2024, has still been the major tourist hub of Lao Cai, which served nearly 2 million visitors in the first half of this year.

This year, Lao Cai aims to attract 8.5 million visitors to earn over 27 trillion VND./.

Vietnam suggests promoting exchanges between ASEAN, Russian youths

Exchange and training activities for young people in the fields of communications, agriculture, culture and sports should be promoted, Deputy Director of the International Department of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Le Hong Nhung has said.

Nhung made the suggestion at the third congress of the international council of the World Youth Festival (WYF) Directorate, which ended on July 8 in Moscow, Russia.

She went on to say that youth exchanges should be organised regularly and expressed her wish that there will be activities to foster connections and promote exchange and mutual understanding between youths of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Russia.

Vietnam is ready to expand bilateral cooperation in international youth-related affairs, Nhung added.

Participants at the event introduced solutions to popularising Russian as an international language.

WYF-2024, which took place in Sochi from July 1-7, brought together 20,000 young people, including 10,000 delegates of Russia and the rest from other countries and territories./.

Czech firm eyes to boost environmental protection cooperation with Vietnam

Mega Group of the Czech Republic is very interested in promoting cooperation with Vietnamese businesses in environmental protection, especially water treatment, said its CEO Lubos Novak.

During a working session with representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Republic on July 8, Novak introduced the company's main activities and ongoing projects, with water treatment being one of its strengths.

Mega can sell and transfer its most advanced technologies to Vietnamese businesses, he said, adding that through cooperation with Mega, Vietnamese enterprises can access the most cutting-edge Czech and European technologies in environmental protection.

Since 2023, Mega has collaborated with a partner in Vietnam in providing water treatment solutions, he noted.

Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam highly valued Mega Group’s business experience, saying the country is a potential market for companies operating in the field of environmental protection like Mega.

The diplomat also acknowledged Mega's goodwill in promoting cooperation investment and technology transfer in Vietnam.

The pace of urbanisation and industrial development in major cities and industrial zones necessitates water treatment and environmental protection solutions, he said, stressing that with a large population and demand for clean water in both rural and urban areas, Vietnam needs suitable technologies in this regard.

Established in 1976, multi-sector technology group Mega has six subsidiaries which are implementing cooperative projects in 18 countries worldwide./.

Important results recorded in ethnic minority affairs: official

Many important results have been recorded in ethnic minority affairs, especially the implementation of related programmes and policies, so far this year, helping with socio-economic development and defence - security safeguarding in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

This was announced at a national conference held by the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs in Hanoi on July 8 to review the performance in the first half of 2024 and launch tasks for the remaining months.

Deputy Minister - Vice Chairwoman of the committee Nong Thi Ha reported that the coordination among the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, and entire political system, the attention from the whole society, and the efforts by ethnic minorities themselves have created significant momentum for the implementation of ethnic policies.

Apart from important results in executing programmes and policies, information dissemination, digital transformation, and legal education among ethnic minority people have been enhanced. International cooperation in relevant affairs has been promoted. Meanwhile, the apparatus and contingent of cadres involved in the work have also been improved.

Notably, she added, progress has been made in the disbursement of funds for the national target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Ha cited the Ministry of Finance as reporting that public investment disbursement under this programme approximated 4.36 trillion VND (over 171 million USD) by the end of May, equivalent to 28% of this year’s target.

The other two national target prorgammes for 2021 - 2025, on sustainable poverty reduction and new-style countryside building, have continued to be carried out strongly in beneficiary areas, giving a facelift to transport facilities and schools in poor districts. They have continued providing assistance in livelihood development and poverty alleviation, boosting vocational training and sustainable employment, and supporting poor and near-poor families to build houses, according to the official.

Pointing out some focal tasks for the year’s second half, Hau A Lenh, Minister - Chairman of the committee, said it is necessary to keep a close watch on the situation of ethnic minority and mountainous areas; make timely report on ethnic affairs and policies, especially security and environmental hotspots, natural disasters and diseases, to take timely actions; and coordinate with competent agencies in communications to raise ethnic minority people’s awareness of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws, thereby helping strengthen the public’s trust and consensus.

He also underlined the importance of properly drafting ethnic plans and policies; working with ministries, sectors, and localities to speed up programmes and policies; conducting reviews and amendments to ensure those programmes and policies are consistent with the system of ethnic policies; and pressing on with the survey of the 53 ethnic minority groups’ socio-economic situation to serve as a basis for building ethnic policies for 2026 - 2030 and beyond./.

Vietnamese player among Top 5 fastest spikes in women’s volleyball

Vietnamese player Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen features on the list of the Top 5 fastest spikes in women’s volleyball, according to the official website of the Olympics games olympics.com.

The 24-year-old volleyball player recorded a spike speed of 107km per hour in a game played on July 7 as Vietnam overcame Belgium to win a bronze medal at the 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup held in the Philippines.

Tuyen hailing from southern Vinh Long province recorded the impressive speed to be placed in fifth position, followed by Tandara Caixeta of Brazil with a time of 106.9 km/h.

Paola Egonu obtained the women’s world record for spike speed with a time of 112.7 km/h. The Italian hit the speedy mark in the first set of the Volleyball Nations League final against Brazil in July, 2022.

Tijana Bošković of Serbia came second with 110.3 km/h, whilst the third and fourth positions went to Kiera Van Ryk of Canada with 108.1 km/h and Tijana Bošković of Serbia with 107.5 km/h.

This marks the first time in history that a Vietnamese women’s team has won a bronze medal at the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) Challenger Cup.

Vietnam peaked at 32nd in the world out of a total of 77 countries and territories worldwide after adding an additional 6.3 points to mark the highest ever position achieved by the national women’s volleyball team in the global rankings./.

HCM City roundtable urges healthcare industry to use social media for communications

Social networks are a powerful tool for healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals to disseminate medical knowledge, promote accurate medical information and increase public awareness of risk factors and pathologies, heard a roundtable.

Vu Manh Cuong, Director of the Ministry of Health’s National Centre for Health Education and Communication, told the roundtable held by the Ho Chi Minh City University Medical Centre on July 6 that Vietnamese spend an average of two hours and 33 minutes on social networks every day.

So it makes eminent sense for health facilities to use digital channels to communicate with patients and share knowledge and information on them and prevent the spread of misinformation, he said.

Top hospital managers and healthcare professionals need to acknowledge the role of social media influencers in helping promote medical information and improve public health, he added.

Nguyen Van Thang Long, a lecturer at RMIT Vietnam, said around 66 per cent of healthcare facilities use traditional methods to disseminate information to patients, with a focus on statistics and medical jargon.

But on social media, which attracts large numbers, misinformation is rampant, he lamented.

Healthcare facilities need to transform contents into inspiring stories to attract the public and help healthcare professionals communicate on digital channels, he added./.

Vietnam, UNDP discuss boosting circular agriculture practices

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam co-chaired a policy dialogue conference in Hanoi on July 8 to discuss enhancing international cooperation and multi-sectoral coordination in circular economy in agriculture.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien highlighted Vietnam's commitment to a circular economy, pointing to existing policies and directives, including Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.

The agricultural sector has promoted the application and implementation of circular agriculture, explicitly addressed in the 2021-2030 strategy for sustainable agriculture and rural development (with a vision to 2050), and a scheme promoting the application and transfer of sci-tech for a circular agricultural economy by 2030, he said.

Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, commended Vietnam's efforts to fulfill its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - commitments made under the Paris Agreement. She acknowledged the multifaceted benefits of circular agriculture – addressing climate change goals, enhancing economic competitiveness, and protecting human health and ecosystems.

She called for stronger collaboration to build and perform circular economy policies. This includes ensuring equitable investment allocation, fostering knowledge sharing and cooperation, and leveraging the power of agricultural value chains and sci-tech for communication campaigns to raise awareness.

UNDP, she reaffirmed, remains committed to supporting the Vietnamese Government in this journey.

Representatives from international and non-governmental organisations, the private sector, ministries and agencies shared insights on international cooperation mechanisms, interdisciplinary coordination to promote circular agriculture practices, and successful case studies.

Participants underlined public-private partnerships in driving the success of circular agriculture, with the private sector applying sci-tech to advance relevant initiatives./.

Intellectual property serves as foundation for net zero

Vietnamese businesses need to proactively apply science and technology, as well as intellectual property as a lever in their development strategy to promote production in a green and environmentally friendly direction, said Luu Hoang Long, Director of the Department of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Innovation towards net zero is gradually being targeted by the business community in the context of complex climate change developments.

The journey towards net zero affirms the urgency in applying science and technology to businesses' production to contribute to implementing commitments at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (COP26).

Long said innovation is a process of continuous movement, while intellectual property is the result of the innovation process.

It also serves as a catalyst and an input to promote innovation. Intellectual property is the foundation and used as a tool to encourage innovation in each country, leading to different developments depending on each country's factors.

To realise Vietnam’s net zero commitment by 2050, it is necessary to create policy mechanisms that directly impact businesses on the journey towards net zero, he said.

Nguyen Quan, Chairman of the Vietnam Automation Association, said smart and green production along with innovation are not just trends, but also key factors for businesses to succeed in the digital era.

Thanks to the combination of operational technology and information technology, smart manufacturing and green manufacturing have helped businesses increase efficiency, optimise green production processes and enhance their competitive position, he said.

“The net zero commitment is the key for businesses to transition to sustainable business models. This is also the premise for each business to improve its competitiveness and meet the requirements of international economic integration.

“Commitment to sustainable development of businesses and application of digital technology is an important premise to ensure that total national greenhouse gas emissions reaches zero net emissions by 2050,” he said.

According to Long, in each country, intellectual property brings both challenges and opportunities for innovation activities, directly impacting the implementation of sustainable development goals.

In Vietnam, policies and laws on intellectual property have been basically completed. The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Intellectual Property Law contributes to promoting innovation based on intellectual property rights, improving the capacity to exploit intellectual property rights.

Many provinces, cities, universities, research institutes and large enterprises have policies to support and promote the development of intellectual property and encourage the creation, protection and application of new technical solutions. That has increased the number of patent applications submitted to the Intellectual Property Office./.

Hanoi gears up for 70th Liberation Day with Ao Dai, cultural events

The capital city of Hanoi is set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its Liberation Day (October 10) with a vibrant programme led by the Hanoi Women's Union.

The union will kick things off on October 5 with the donation of 70 houses, symbolising its commitment to social welfare.

On the same morning, a mass dance performance featuring the Ao Dai (traditional long dress) will take place across all 579 communes, wards, and townships.

September and October will see events dedicated to recognising exemplary women who have made significant contributions to Hanoi in 2024.

August-September will be a busy time. The "Check in Hanoi" challenge will encourage residents and visitors to explore the city's cultural and historical landmarks while wearing the Ao Dai. Additionally, there will be an exchange with female entrepreneurs and presentation of the "Capital's Golden Lotus" awards to honour skilled craftswomen from Hanoi's craft villages and streets.

Throughout August, women and students are encouraged to wear the Ao Dai every Monday and Friday, and during special events as well.

The Hanoi Women's Start-up and Innovation Festival will showcase local agricultural products alongside a forum designed to engage women in shaping a peaceful and creative city.

Adding to the festive spirit, a folk dance contest is scheduled for mid-September. The grand finale will be the Ao Dai Carnival, themed "Hanoi Women in Integration and Development," where the city will come alive with a vibrant display of fashion and cultural expression./.

Effective solutions adopted to boost Da Nang’s administrative reforms

Departments, agencies, and localities in the central city of Da Nang have adopted effective solutions to boost their administrative reforms, said vice director of the city’s Home Affairs Department Tran Trung Son.

He said that some units last year made significant improvement in their administrative reform indexes after implementing measures in all fields.

The Da Nang State Treasury is a central agency based in the city that has had the highest administrative reform index for years.

Deputy Director of Da Nang State Treasury Mai Phuoc Thanh said that the implementation of the electronic treasury is considered an important and key step in reforming administrative procedures, helping improve the service quality of the State treasury system.

To date, the treasury has provided all administrative procedures on Level 4 and integrated them into the national public service portal.

All units receiving State budget in the Da Nang State Treasury must use online public services with more than 1,500 documents per day, or nearly 400,000 documents per year being processed online.

“Using online public services helps organisations and individuals reduce time and travel costs for sending documents and receiving results of administrative procedures. They also help increase transparency and accountability, and improve the responsibility, professional qualifications and information technology skills of civil servants who are assigned to handle administrative procedures," Thanh said.

In 2022, Lien Chieu district was among the seven districts that were ranked “Good” in the city’s administrative reform ranking. However, under the drastic direction of the district’s leaders and the participation of all levels, branches and localities, last year the district thrived and rose to the second position in the city, just after Son Tra district.

Vice Chairman of the district People's Committee Tran Cong Nguyen said that based on the results of ranking in 2022, the district People's Committee directed units to focus on evaluating and clarifying shortcomings and limitations of the administrative reforms and seeking solutions for them.

The district reviewed and proposed the municipal authorities to reduce time for handling four administrative procedures.

By the end of 2023, the district has digitalized 97.33% of the administrative procedures.

In 2022, the city’s Health Department was ranked at the bottom in the city’s administrative reform rankings with 62.46 points. In 2023, the department rose to 14th place with 82.38 points.

Deputy Director of the department Vo Thu Tung said healthcare facilities in the city allow health insurance participants to use chip-based ID cards or VNeID app to register for medical examination and treatment services.

The number of people using ID cards to access medical services and cashless payment is increasing, which helps save time to handle administrative procedures and improve the quality of medical services.

The online issuance of birth certificates and death notices also proved effective to help people save time and reduce the risk of lost records.

According to the Public Administrative Reform (PAR) Index analysis report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Da Nang ranked 12th among the 63 provinces and cities nationwide in the PAR Index ranking in 2023 with 87.68 points, an increase of 1.14 points but down seven places compared to 2022.

Da Nang was placed 3rd after Hai Phong and Ha Noi among the five centrally governed cities./.

Quang Ninh works hard on renewable energy development

The northern province of Quang Ninh has planned to develop environmentally friendly energy industries and maintain its status as a national energy hub, particularly in wind power and LNG (liquefied natural gas) electricity in the northern region.

According to a planning approved by the Prime Minister for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, Quang Ninh aims to gradually transition towards clean and renewable energy development.

In the current context of climate change, the development of green and renewable energy is a crucial issue that countries are concerned about, and holds a significant position in sustainable economic development orientations.

Quang Ninh, with its coastal advantages, has significant potential for developing green energy and renewable energy. Over the recent years, alongside the enhancement of comprehensive infrastructure systems, the locality has paid heed to conserving and promoting sustainable values related to the natural environment. Developing renewable energy is one of the priorities that Quang Ninh always focuses on.

The province currently boasts 250 kilometers of coastline, coupled with the best national electricity transmission and infrastructure connectivity systems, which provide a solid foundation for developing wind power energy.

According to the Institute of Energy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Quang Ninh has excellent potential for wind power development (onshore and offshore), about 13,000MW along the coast and about 2,300MW onshore.

This energy source is most concentrated in Co To district and Mong Cai city. These areas benefit from their geographical location, extensive coastline, tropical monsoon climate, and abundant renewable energy resources, facilitating the localities’ exploitation, production, and development of renewable energy sources, thus ensuring long-term and stable electricity supply.

Thanks to the potential mentioned above, Mong Cai city itself has planned to develop renewable energy on Vinh Thuc and Vinh Trung islands soon.

With these advantages, Quang Ninh is now a national electricity production centre, supported by a diverse electricity transmission system. It boasts potential to generate approximately 13 GW of offshore wind power, helping it attract more investment into clean and renewable energy development.

The Prime Minister has approved the locality’s proposal to develop an LNG power project with a total capacity of its first period of 1,500 MW in Cam Pha city.

As the first power plant using imported LNG in the northern area, the project will be invested by Quang Ninh LNG Power JSC - a consortium of PV Power, a subsidiary of state-owned Petrovietnam; the Quang Ninh-based Vietnam Mechanical Assembly JSC (Colavi); and Japanese firms Tokyo Gas and Marubeni with a total investment capital of 47.4 trillion VND (over 1.86 billion USD). Once completed, it is projected to supply the national grid with approximately 9 billion kWh of electricity per year, and contribute around 57.7 trillion VND to the local budget over 25 years.

The project is expected to help realise the goal of building Quang Ninh into a growth hub, a gateway for international economic cooperation, and a source of fuel and energy supplies for the whole country.

The province has also proposed a plan for the development of wind power in the 2021 -2040, with a total capacity of 5,000 MW.

In the time to come, provincial authorities will concentrate on promoting green industrial development, rapidly increasing the contribution of high-tech, high-value-added processing and manufacturing industries, towards making the processing and manufacturing sector a main pillar of the local economy.

Attention will be paid to developing concertedly and rationally, and diversifying types of energy; prioritising the exploitation and effective use of sources of renewable, new and clean energy to reduce dependence on fossil energy sources; and maintaining its role as a national energy hub./.

51.4 million labourers employed in Q2: GSO

The number of labourers employed in the last six months reached 51.4 million, increasing by 195,800 compared to the same period last year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) has reported.

Notably, the rate of those joining the labour force in the second quarter was reported at 68.6%, the office said.

During the April - June period, the nationwide labour force aged 15 and above stood at 52.5 million, lifting the total in the first half to nearly 52.5 million, marking a rise of 196,600 year-on-year.

In the last quarter, the percentage of Vietnamese workers with degrees or certificates accounted for 28.1%, up 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous quarter and by 1.3 percentage points year on year.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate among the working-age population in the period remained unchanged at 2.27% compared to the same period in 2023.

The average income of workers in the first half of 2024 was 7.5 million VND (nearly 300 USD) per month, up 7.4% or 519,000 VND compared to the same period last year.

Pham Hoai Nam, Director of the Population and Labour Statistics Department, at the GSO said Vietnam is still in a period of golden population structure with a large and annually increasing working-age population, which is an advantage for supplementing the labour force, including employed workers.

However, Nam pointed out that in addition to positive signals, the labour market still remains limited, and the quality of labourers has yet to meet the demand as over 70% of workers have not received training beyond the elementary level./.

People-to-people diplomacy contributes to Hanoi’s development

People-to-people diplomacy activities have contributed to the development of the capital city of Hanoi, heard a recent conference held by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organsations (HUFO) to review people-to-people external relations in the first half of this year and set tasks for the second half.

Speaking at the event, HUFO President Nguyen Ngoc Ky said that Hanoi will expand cooperation with the capitals of other countries, capitalise on external resources for development, and strongly introduce its images to international friends to foster cultural and economic exchanges, thus contributing to local development.

In the coming time, HUFO and its member associations will focus on implementing resolutions and directives of the Politburo, the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, and the Hanoi Party Committee to enhance the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in the new context.

A focus is the amended Capital Law, particularly Clause 2 of Article 52, which emphasises the strengthening of people-to-people diplomacy, said Ky.

He added that HUFO will further develop its organisation and persuade foreign NGOs to support humanitarian and charitable activities.

It will also organise annual peace and friendship events linked to political and diplomatic milestones of the city and the country, pursuing reformed and creative approaches to leave good impressions on international friends.HUFO reported that the first half of 2024 saw numerous successful activities for peace, solidarity, friendship, and cooperation, including a celebration of the 45th anniversary of the southwestern border defence war's victory and the defeat of the genocidal regime in Cambodia, an international art exchange welcoming New Year 2024, a friendship spring travel 2024 programme, and a friendship exchange marking the traditional New Year of some Asian countries.

In the time ahead, HUFO and its member associations are set to boost the dissemination of information for foreign service.

They will also hold various activities involving international friends to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Hanoi's liberation and 25 years since the UNESCO recognition of Hanoi as a "City for Peace"./.

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