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2022 is the 17th year of PP22, the largest annual multinational mission for disaster relief preparedness and humanitarian assistance in the Indo-Pacific region.
In Vietnam, the PP22 group includes representatives from Australia, Japan, the UK, and the US, who will coordinate with Vietnamese partners in a number of activities and projects to benefit local people.
During the mission implementation in Phu Yen, PP22 will carry out healthcare activities in terms of internal medicine and dentistry; build new classrooms for some primary schools, and share specialised knowledge about the disaster response process.
Besides, the US Pacific Fleet Band will also join Vietnamese artists to perform at exchange programmes with the local community.
An opening ceremony for the PP22 mission will be held at Nghinh Phong Square in Tuy Hoa city of Phu Yen on June 20 evening.
Vietnamese cuisine charms French people at Paris festival
A culinary festival as part of Ici Vietnam 2022, an event to introduce Vietnamese culture to French people, took place at Place Monge Square in the 5th Arrondissement of Paris on June 18.
The culinary festival, the second of its kind held at Ici Vietnam so far, aimed to popularise the Vietnamese cuisine’s identities, from street food to the dishes served in restaurants.
It saw the participation of 26 associations, businesses, and restaurants of Vietnamese people in France such as Foyer Vietnam, Ba Noi, Ngoc Xuyen, Thanh Binh Jeune, Tra Art, and France Plumfoot.
They offered many typical foods and beverages nationwide such as “bun bo” (beef noodle soup), “bun tron” (mixed noodles), “nem cuon” (fresh spring rolls), “nem ran” (fried spring rolls), Vietnamese sandwich, sugarcane juice, tea, and coffee.
Local residents were also attracted to this festival by singing and dancing performances by Vietnamese-origin artists, along with folk games and the introduction of some French - Vietnamese books.
The Ici Vietnam Festival was an idea of a group of young Vietnamese-French people who wished to organise festive events on different areas, from cinematography, arts to cuisine, to introduce Vietnamese culture to the French. This idea has been supported by the Vietnamese People Association in France and Foyer Vietnam and held annually since 2018.
International Yoga Day celebrated in Can Tho city
The 8th International Yoga Day (June 21) was celebrated in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on June 19, bringing together around 700 Yoga practitioners.
The event was hosted by the Can Tho Union of Friendship Organisations in collaboration with the Indian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to Consul of India in HCM City Sunil Babu, this year’s Yoga International Day is themed “Yoga for Humanity” which aims to emphasise that the essence of Yoga is balance – not just balance within the body or that between the mind and the body, but also balance in the human relationship with the world in the post-pandemic period. Yoga emphasises the values of mindfulness, moderation, discipline and perseverance. When applied to communities and societies, Yoga offers a path for sustainable living.
It formed part of a series of events to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam – India diplomatic ties (January 7, 1972 – 2022).
Vietnam win gold at world aerobic competition
Vietnam won a gold medal at the 17th Aerobic Gymnastics World Championship which concluded on June 18 in Guimaraes, Portugal.
A team of five athletes, Nguyen Che Thanh, Le Hoang Phong, Tran Ngoc Thuy Vi, Nguyen Viet Anh and Vuong Hoai An, topped the group event from the qualification where they scored 20.094 points.
In the eight-team final, they scored 20.738 points to take the top place on the podium. Hungary finished second on 20.572 and Italy third on 20.077.
Also in Guimaraes, Vietnam claimed two bronze medals in the trio and mixed doubles events.
Bulgaria's Antonio Papazov, Tihomir Barotev and Darina Pashova secured the silver medal with 20.188 points on the board. While Vietnamese Vi, Thanh and Phong narrowly missed out on second place as they had to settle for bronze on 20.183 points.
In the mixed pair final, Hungary continued to dominate, with Fanni Mazacs and Daniel Bali recording 20.700 to top the standings. Tamires Silva and Lucas Barbosa of Brazil combined to make 20.600 to finished second and Vietnam’s Phong and Vi totalled 20.550 to walk away with bronze.
Vietnam also sent Thanh to compete in the men's individual class but he finished fourth, behind athletes from the Republic of Korea, Spain and Italy.
After three days of competitions, Hungary took the lead position in the medal tally with three golds, two silvers and one bronze. The RoK came second with three golds. Ukraine placed third with one gold and one silver.
Vietnam were at fourth on one gold and two bronzes.
Vietnam sees lowest daily COVID-19 infections in a year
The Ministry of Health on June 19 reported 533 cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, the lowest number recorded in the country over the past year.
The new infections, all locally transmitted, represented a decrease of 166 compared to the figure on the previous day.
They brought the country’s total caseload to 10,737,640 since the start of the pandemic.
The capital city of Hanoi remained the only locality with over 100 new cases reported, at 140.
A total of 4,255 patients were given the all-clear, bringing the total number of recoveries to 9,601,630.
There are 44 patients needing oxygen support, while no deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours.
Vietnamese throw away 54 kilograms of plastic waste yearly
As the amount of plastic waste from Vietnamese is rising quickly, many projects are being implemented in collaboration with international organisations to reduce plastic waste.
One of these projects is called "Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter," funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and jointly implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Expertise France, to reduce marine litter and support a transition towards towards the circular economy.
In the closing workshop of the project in Vietnam this week, partners of the project presented results regarding policy development and outcomes of pilot projects in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Phu Yen.
These pilot projects focused on researching and implementing solutions to the plastic waste problem and improving the collection, sorting and recycling of plastic waste inland and in ports.
The projects' initial outcomes have helped improve the current circumstances in the aforementioned areas and contributed to policy recommendations.
Every year, 11 million tonnes of plastic waste are discharged into the ocean worldwide, with 150 million tonnes currently in the ocean, disrupting the food chain of oceanic lifeforms. 75 percent of current plastic-based products will become waste in the future.
Plastic waste pollution is also negatively affecting the economy, with the costs reaching 1.3 billion USD yearly, comprising of greenhouse gas costs, health costs and waste management.
Vietnam is currently one of the top countries discharging plastic waste into the ocean. Plastic consumption in Vietnam has been rising quickly, from 3.8 kg per person in 1990 to 54 kg per person in 2018.
Vietnamese consumption of plastic products comes primarily from packaging with 57 percent and appliances with 29 percent. 80 percent of plastic waste in Vietnam comes from inland, and only 20 percent comes from fisheries.
As Vietnam is committed to solving plastic waste, the country has legalised many aspects of the solution to these problems, and the government have set a goal to reduce plastic waste in the ocean by 2030.
Mozambican Assembly President arrives in Hanoi for official visit
President of the Assembly of Mozambique Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias arrived in Hanoi on June 18, starting her six-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.
This is the first visit to Vietnam by Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias in her current post since taking office in January 2020. It is also the first by a president of Mozambique’s legislative body to promote joint works between the two parliaments.
Welcoming the Mozambican delegation at the Noi Bai International Airport were Vice Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Relations Le Anh Tuan and Mozambican Ambassador to Vietnam Leonardo Rosario Manuel Pene, among others.
The visit is expected to strengthen and spur the two countries’ traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, particularly in the parliamentary sphere.
It is a highlight in the nations’ bilateral engagements toward marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations which was established on June 25, 1975.
Last captive bear in Binh Phuoc transferred to rescue centre
The last captive bear in the southern province of Binh Phuoc was handed over to the centre of Free The Bears in the Cat Tien National Park on June 17.
Free the Bears in Vietnam, in collaboration with the management board of the Cat Tien National Park, the Forest Protection Sub-department of Region 3 and the Forest Protection Department of Binh Phuoc received the sun bear from a private facility in Chon Thanh district.
The 40-kg male sun bear is now in normal health.
Previously, the northern province of Son La reported no more bears being kept for bile in the locality after the last captive bear was handed over to the bear conservation centre in the northern province of Ninh Binh on December 11, 2021.
According to statistics of the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), there are nearly 300 bears being captivated in more than 100 private facilities, down over 90 percent over the past 15 years from 4,300 in 2005.
Vietnam, Cambodia look into land border demarcation
A meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee on Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting at chair level took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from June 13-17.
The Vietnamese side was led by Nguyen Minh Vu, Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee for Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting, while the Cambodian side was headed by Var Kim Hong, Senior Minister in charge of border affairs and Chairman of the Cambodia-Vietnam Joint Committee on Border Demarcation and Marker Planting.
The two sides focused their discussion on measures to ensure the stability of the border and boundary markers in order to contribute to consolidating and building a border of peace, stability, friendship and cooperation for mutual development between the two countries.
Accordingly, plans will be rolled out and implemented to address old markers that still exist in the field in areas where the demarcation has been completed; repair a number of border markers that are damaged or at risk of landslide; add a number of poles to clarify the direction of the border line in the field in some areas where the demarcation has been completed but there are difficulties in identifying.
The two sides affirmed their determination and efforts to find a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to both sides to complete the remaining 16 percent of border demarcation and marker erection.
They also agreed on the necessity of developing a new agreement on border regulations to replace the one signed in 1983 in order to facilitate coordination in management of the shared border.
Vietnam spreads peace, cooperation message at SAIFMM: Ambassador
Vietnam delivered a message of peace, cooperation and dialogue to all countries in the region and the world through the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (SAIFMM), which was held in New Delhi on June 16, stated Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency following the event.
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son showed active and positive engagement in all activities of the meeting, highlighting the spirit of Vietnam at the event and bringing to India a spirit of the 50-year-ties with the meeting’s host, he said.
Ho said that the Vietnamese FM’s speech at the event focused on the promotion of the close partnership between India and ASEAN as well as Vietnam in all issues of the region, making full use of the reached achievements and optimising the collaboration potential between India and ASEAN in general and Vietnam in particular for lifting the ties to a new height.
At the meeting, FM Son clearly affirmed Vietnam’s standpoints on all regional and international matters as well as disputes and competitions among world powers, and emerging issues in the region such as the East Sea and Myanmar issues, he said, adding that the Vietnamese representative even mentioned conflicts in other regions in the world.
According to Ambassador Ho, while making positive contributions to the meeting, Vietnam spread the message of its Party and State to the all circles of India after the 13th National Party Congress, especially when FM Son attended the 12th Delhi Dialogue, an important dialogue of the South Asian region on policy-related matters held in parallel with the SAIFMM.
Ho said he believes that Vietnam’s contributions to the success of the SAIFMM will be further promoted in the future. The proposals given by Vietnam at the meeting will become the common assets of Vietnam and India during their future partnership, he stated.
According to Ambassador Ho, the SAIFMM carried special meaning, as it marked the 30th anniversary of the ASEAN-India relationship, and was the first of its kind held in in-person format after a long disruption due to COVID-19.
It gave a chance for all parties to evaluate regional and international situation as well as recent complicated developments, thus sketching out future orientations for the ASEAN-India cooperation.
Legal proceedings launched against seven Mongolian nationals for stealing property
Legal proceedings have been initiated against seven Mongolian nationals involved in a theft of property worth nearly 1.2 billion VND ( about 51,800 USD).
Of them, one is accused of using property acquired by another person who commits a crime in line with Clause 2, Article 323 of the Penal Code while the rest are charged with “stealing property" in accordance with Article 173.
Initial investigation revealed that the group of Mongolian citizens was said to enter a pho (noodles) restaurant on Ly Quoc Su street in Hoan Kiem district on June 3 not to eat noodles but to approach a Swedish couple and steal their wallet with many items inside, including ATM and credit cards.
As soon as the Swedish man found he lost his wallet, he went to a local police station to report the case and ask for help. Later, the police arrested the group of Mongolians involved in the case.
Investigators determined that six of them directly engaged in the crime and the other did not enter the restaurant. However, he still received the money taken from the thieves. The case is under further investigation.
Exhibition of propaganda posters opens in Quang Ninh
An exhibition of propaganda posters relating to the Vietnamese revolution is being held at Quang Ninh Museum in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The exhibition is being co-organised by the provincial Department of Culture and Sports and and the Hanoi-based Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (VFAM)
According to Tran Thi Huong, Deputy Director of VFAM, the 45 posters on display have been selected to help spread the Party and State's guidelines and policies, contributing to the cause of national construction and defence.
The exhibition is divided into three parts: defending the fatherland, work and production, and studying and following Uncle Ho's teachings, Huong said.
The exhibition will run until July 31.
Logo design contest launched for 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties
The Japanese Embassy in Vietnam has launched a logo design contest for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1973-2023).
The logo will be used in commemorative and exchange programmes to celebrate the anniversary, according to the embassy.
The contest is open to all people, regardless of their nationalities, ages or professions. Each applicant shall submit only one entry which should be unpublished before.
Entries should be submitted via email to 50japan-vn@ha.mofa.go.jp by July 7 this year.
The winner of the contest will be announced at a ceremony held in September.
Media trip to promote Thua Thien-Hue tourism
A media trip called "Visit Hue" will be held for the first time with the participation of special guests, aiming to promote Thua Thien-Hue and attract domestic and international tourists to the central province.
The June 20-26 trip is organised by the provincial Department of Tourism in response to Festival Hue 2022.
Participating in the trip are bloggers Ly Thanh Co, Le Ha Truc and Lo Huu Duc Anh, actor Binh An, stylist Monsimi, Vlogger Hachi Hachi, photographer Vu Bao Khanh, Titokers Melon, Duong Vu and Hukha.
These special travellers will experience new tourism products such as rowing on Tam Giang Lagoon, viewing Hue’s ancient capital from a giant hot air balloon, and going on a zipline or highwire at Thanh Tan Hot Springs. They will also enjoy Hue dishes, street foods and royal cuisine. The trip is hoped to inspire them to write stories.
Global programme delivers health benefits for Vietnamese youth
More than 49,300 young Vietnamese have learned about risky behaviours and preventive measures associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), thanks to three years of instruction from the Young Health Programme (YHP).
YHP is AstraZeneca’s global disease prevention programme, focusing on young people aged 10 to 24 living in vulnerable environments and under-resourced settings around the world.
It aims to prevent the most common NCDs, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease and mental illness.
Since its launch in 2010, the YHP has reached more than 30 countries and 40 million youth with information about risky behaviours associated with NCDs.
It has gained international recognition and has won several prestigious awards including the 2018 Ethical Corporation Community Investment of the Year.
With a total investment of 750,000 GBP (VNĐ20.9 billion), YHP in Vietnam has been implemented in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung and Dong Anh districts.
NA delegation joins IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Egypt
Vice Chairwoman of the National Assemby (NA)’s Council for Ethnic Affairs Dinh Thi Phuong Lan led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the eighth Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh from June 15-16.
The annual conference provided a unique platform for young members of parliaments to meet, exchange, learn and identify common and innovative strategies to advance youth empowerment.
This year’s event, which attracted the participation of around 200 delegates from more than 60 countries and international organisations, included four sessions aimed at coordinating parliamentary action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure that global warming does not exceed 1.5 degree Celsius.
Thua Thien-Hue: Hot air balloon festival to thrill tourists this month
A hot air balloon festival, the largest of its kind held in Vietnam so far, will take place in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue from June 25 to 30 coinciding with the local signature Hue Festival this year.
The fourth edition of the festival this year will feature ten hot-air balloons that can carry 2-3 passengers each, and ten others for decorative purposes only.
The venue will be inside the Hue Citadel, the central structure of the local Complex of Hue Monuments – a UNESCO-recognised World Cultural Heritage.
On June 26, the musical concert EDM - Night of Lights is scheduled as part of the festival, staging famous artists.
Two jailed for distorting COVID-19 fight
Two people, both in Hanoi, have been jailed after spreading distorted information about the Party’s guidelines and policies on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
An Thi Mai Tram, 61, from Tho Quan ward, Dong Da district, received 42 months in prison and Nguyen Trong Bang, 50, from Dai Kim ward, Hoang Bai district, got 36 months in jail at a trial of the Hanoi People’s Court on June 17, for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate the interests of the State, and the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals” in line with Article 331, Clause 2 of the Penal Code.
According to the indictment, in September 2021 when Hanoi was imposing social distancing in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated March 31, 2020 on urgent measures against COVID-19, and implementing instructions of the Government and the municipal People’s Committee on COVID-19 vaccination and testing, Tram and Bang distributed leaflets that had distorted contents about the Party’s guidelines and policies on the pandemic combat, the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and the efficiency of the measures.
The pair called on people not to comply with social distancing regulations, not to get vaccinated and not to take COVID-19 tests as required by the Government and local authorities.
Quang Ninh resumes customs clearance at Ka Long int'l border gate after three years
Customs clearance activities at the Ka Long international border gate in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh’s Mong Cai city were resumed on June 17 after over three years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the return to normal operation at all border gates and openings in the city.
In the first phase of the pilot resumption, the gate will allow the passing of 40 boats of cassava flour to Dongxing city of China.
The boats have to meet a series of requirements, including having registration certificates issued by Mong Cai city, COVID-19 prevention equipment, and tracking devices.
The clearance time is set to run from 8am to 4pm (Vietnam time).
Earlier, Mong Cai has developed a disease control plan to ensure a safe zone for customs clearance of goods traded between the sides. Accordingly, all people entering the border gate area must show a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 virus which is valid within 48 hours, or undergo quick tests on the site with negative result.
Nearly 430 million USD needed for Can Tho-Hau Giang section of North-South Expressway
A proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Transport asking for evaluation of a feasibility report on the construction of the Can Tho – Hau Giang section as part of the eastern route of the North-South Expressway.
Located in the Mekong Delta, the Can Tho – Hau Giang highway comprises of the main route running from the road connecting National Highways 1 and 91 to National Highway 61B, and roads connecting it with the Nam Song Hau route and National Highway 1.
Under the feasibility report, the project has total investment of nearly 9.99 trillion VND (429.86 million USD), of which close to 1.76 trillion VND would be spent on site clearance and over 6.8 trillion VND for construction and design. The amount is up 225.19 billion VND compared to the approved investment policy for the project, due to the addition of a road connecting IC2 intersection with National Highway 1, and updated costs.
Most of the 37.65km main route will be in Hau Giang (37.05km) while the rest (0.6km) in the city of Can Tho, according to the proposal.
An Intelligent Transportation System is planned to be installed on the toll road project.
If approved, the project would start in the final quarter of 2022 and become operational in 2026.
Hundreds of COVID-19 vaccination points set up for booster doses in HCM City
Hundreds of vaccination points, both fixed location and mobile, have been set up across Ho Chi Minh City as part of the city's efforts to accelerate injection of COVID-19 booster doses on high-risk residents.
Seventy-two hospitals, including many private-owned ones, have registered to offer vaccination to date, in addition to commune-based medical stations, according to the municipal Department of Health.
The hospitals are busy preparing all necessities for the vaccination, with certain areas zoned off exclusively for people with vaccine appointments.
They were asked by the Health Department to maintain the COVID-19 vaccination service until the end of June.
Many mobile vaccination sites have also been established at industrial parks, export processing zones, schools and major residential areas. Mobile teams have been employed to provide COVID-19 vaccines for homebound people.
More than 50,000 people in the city have received the second COVID-19 booster shot (fourth dose) as of June 15. The southern metropolis has so far given 21 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to its residents.
VBS hands over cash assistance to Sri Lanka people
The Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) and the Vietnam - Sri Lanka Friendship Association held a ceremony on June 17 to hand over cash assistance worth 1 billion VND (over 43,000 USD) to the government of Sri Lanka to help people in Sri Lanka overcome difficulties caused by the economic crisis.
In recent years, the Buddhism organisation and Government of Sri Lanka have actively supported the VBS in hosting the three United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations in 2008, 2014 and 2019.
Addressing the event, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Vietnam Prasanna Gamage appreciated the support of the Vietnamese people, Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers, expressing the hope that the assistance will help the Sri Lanka Government and people overcome immediate difficulties.
The assistance will be used to purchase medical equipment and medicines – items that are very lacking in this country, Gamage said.
Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes
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