National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man called for greater efforts in implementing outlined solutions to better state management in the natural resources and environment sector at the end of the question-and-answer session for the field on June 4.

The legislative leader reiterated that the Party and the State always pay attention to natural resources and environment management, natural disaster prevention and control, and climate change response.

In particular, he asked the Government, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, and other ministers and heads of agencies to effectively implement tasks outlined in the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam's Marine Economy till 2030, with a vision to 2045, and the 2023 Law on Water Resources.

The NA Chairman also required that the study and evaluation of offshore renewable energy, and the review of the implementation of the law on sea and island natural resources and environment must be completed within 2025, adding that policies and laws on geology, minerals and mining industries must continue to be refined, of which the draft law on geology and minerals should be completed to be submitted to the 7th sitting of the NA for discussion.

Earlier, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha fielded questions and gave explanations on issues raised by NA deputies in the natural resources and environment field.

The same day, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien took the floor, answering questions on issues under his authority, including the protection of consumer rights in e-commerce, measures to boost exports, accelerate the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs) and remove difficulties for businesses amidst global uncertainties, along with policies and laws on support industries and mechanics, especially those in service of agro-forestry-aquatic product processing, agriculture and rural development.

He highlighted that industrial production has gradually recovered and domestic trade developed strongly, noting that e-commerce has been growing at an average 20-25% a year, among the top five growth rates in the world. E-commerce now accounts for 8% of total consumer goods consumption of the country, the minister said, stressing that the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will step up solutions to better manage and monitor e-commerce activities and the rights of consumers.

Regarding FTAs, the minister said Vietnam has joined 16 such deals with more than 60 partners, noting they have helped domestic firms expand operation, diversify market and supply chain, and boost export.

However, the optimisation of the agreements has yet to meet expectations, he said, explaining that the country’s export and import still depend on some major markets. The Government, ministries, agencies and localities will pay more attention to this problem in the time ahead, the minister said./.

Registration invited for world conference of OVs, 2024 forum of OV intellectuals, experts

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) on June 4 issued an announcement inviting overseas Vietnamese (OVs) to register for attendance in the fourth World Conference of OVs and the 2024 forum of OV intellectuals and experts that are slated to take place from August 21-28.

The forum will be a venue for OV intellectuals and experts to present their recommendations on the country's green and sustainable growth.

Meanwhile, four topical discussions will be organised during the conference, focusing on hi-tech development, trade and investment of OVs in the home country, the role of Vietnamese associations and young OVs in strengthening national solidarity, and in preserving the Vietnamese culture and language in OV communities.

Those who wish to attend the event should contact Vietnamese representative agencies in their host countries to register while those who are now in Vietnam can register directly with the SCOV.

Registrations must be submitted by June 30, 2024./.

US citizen saved from drifting boat

A fishing boat in the central province of Quang Ngai has rescued a US citizen who was drifting off Vietnam's waters.

As soon as detecting the man drifting at 15°00′N- 109°42’E on June 3, the captain saved the man and towed his boat to the mainland.

On June 4, the 75-year-old man and his boat were handed over to Sa Huynh Border Guard Station for medical checkups and further assistance.

The man said that on April 5, 2024, he sailed a double-hull, motorised sailboat from Luzon island of the Philippines to Khanh Hoa province of Vietnam. However, while at sea, the boat's mast and engine were broken and he lost control of the vessel./.

French agency funds Ninh Thuan drought response project

An anti-drought, erosion and flooding project funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan has got in-principle approval from the provincial People’s Council.

The project, financed with 37.176 million EUR (40.4 million USD), is scheduled to run from now till 2027, targeting Ninh Son, Ninh Phuoc, and Thuan Nam districts.

It is set to contribute to water management and efficiency, strengthen Ninh Thuan’s resilience to more frequent phenomena of climate change, especially drought, and support local socio-economic development.

Specifically, a pipeline will be built to take water from the Song Than reservoir in Ninh Son to the Lanh Ra reservoir in Ninh Phuoc. A sustainable and efficient system will be formed to manage, operate and maintain water infrastructure facilities, particularly in agricultural production, to cope with drought and adapt to climate change.

The project is expected to ensure water for daily activities, industrial production, and tourism services in the target localities./.

Vietnamese athletes win four more gold medals at ASEAN Schools Games

Vietnamese athletes won four more gold medals and four silvers on June 4 at the ongoing 13th ASEAN Schools Games in the central city of Da Nang.

Specifically, in the women's 1,500m run event, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh won the gold medal while Nguyen Khanh Linh won the silver medal.

In the men's high jump event, Nguyen Thanh Phat secured the gold and Nguyen Van Tuan Anh bagged the silver.

In the women's long jump event, Ha Thi Thuy Hang took the gold while Le Thi Nhu Quynh won the silver.

In the women's 400m run, Le Thi Tuyet Mai grabbed the gold, while Vu Ngoc Khanh achieved the silver in the men's 400m run event.

After two days of competition, the Vietnamese athletics team won nine gold medals, seven silvers, and one bronze. Of them, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh won two gold medals in the 3,000m and 1,500m run events while Le Thi Tuyet Mai bagged two golds in the 400m run and 400m hurdle events.

Themed “Connect to shine together”, the 13th ASEAN Schools Games gathers more than 1,300 students and coaches from 10 countries in the region, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The event is taking place from May 29 to June 9, featuring six sports: swimming, basketball, badminton, track and field, Pencak Silat, and Vovinam./.

Vietnamese athletes win first two Pencak Silat golds at 13th ASEAN School Games

Vietnam's Pencak Silat athletes on June 4 won two gold medals in Seni events (performance) at the ongoing 13th ASEAN School Games (ASG) in the central city of Da Nang.

Female athlete Hoang Linh Dan earned the first gold medal in the women’s Seni event while Nguyen Thanh Long won the gold medal in the men’s Seni category.

At the 13th ASG, Pencak Silat competitions are taking place from June 3-6, with 16 events including Tanding (combat) and Seni (performance) of men and women in different weight classes.

Themed “Connect to shine together”, the 13th ASG gathers more than 1,300 students and coaches from 10 countries in the region, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Games is taking place from May 29 to June 6 with six sports, namely swimming, basketball, badminton, track and field, Pencak Silat, and Vovinam. The Vietnamese team has 190 athletes participating in all sports./.

Exhibition spotlights settlement of toxic chemical consequences

An exhibition on efforts to settle post-war toxic chemical consequences opened in the northern province of Quang Ninh on June 4, an activity in response to World Environment Day (June 5).

Themed “Order from the heart”, it is jointly organised by Quang Ninh Museum, the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Chemical Arms and the Ha Long University.

Nearly 300 photos, documentaries, publications and original artifacts are on display. They reflect an ecological and environmental disaster caused by wartime toxic chemicals in Vietnam, the joint endeavour by chemical soldiers and all people in addressing the environmental disaster, and the environmental protection associated with sustainable development in Quang Ninh.

Notably, many of the exhibits spotlight the difficulties, hardships, and sacrifice of the soldiers in handling toxic chemicals left in the environment after the war, as well as environmental protection initiatives carried out by students of the Ha Long University.

The exhibition aims to help raise domestic and foreign visitors' awareness of environmental protection and call for practical actions in response to World Environment Day 2024, themed "Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience".

The event at Quang Ninh Museum will run until July 4./.

Vietnamese runner earns two golds at ASEAN School Games

Following her first gold in the women’s 3,000m run, Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh secured another in women’s 1,500m on June 4 at the ongoing 13th ASEAN School Games in the central city of Da Nang.

She finished first in 4 minutes and 43.33 seconds while her teammate Nguyen Khanh Linh came second in 4 minutes and 43.40 seconds.

As of morning of June 4, the Vietnamese athletics team earned 6 gold and 4 silver medals at the Games.

The four other gold medals were obtained in the afternoon of June 3.

Le Thi Tuyet Mai captured one gold in the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 1 minute and 1.87 seconds. Duong Thi Thao claimed another with a result of 1.74 metres in the high jump event.

In the men’s 800m run, Duong Phu Toan crossed the finishing line first in 1 minute and 55.44 seconds while Luong Binh Duong earned a silver medal with 1 minute 55.75 seconds.

Also on June 3, in the men’s 3,000m run, Nguyen Le Hoang Vu and Nguyen Hoang Thinh secured the first and second places with respective results of 9 minutes 29.65 seconds and 9 minutes 30.41 seconds.

Another silver was captured by Pham Xuan Tien in the men’s long jump, and a bronze went to Trieu Thi Binh in the women’s 3,000m run.

Themed “Connect to shine together”, the 13th ASEAN Schools Games gathers more than 1,300 students, coaches from 10 countries in the region, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The event takes place from May 29 to June 9, featuring six sports: swimming, basketball, badminton, track and field, Pencak Silat, and Vovinam./.

Endangered reticulated python released into wild

A reticulated python (Python reticulatus) has been released to a special-use forest within the Pu Hoat natural reserve in the central province of Nghe An’s Que Phong district.

The reptile, weighing about 6kg and in stable health conditions, was handed over to the Que Phong forest ranger department on June 3, a day before the release.

Phan Dai Thang, a local who voluntarily brought the python to the authorities, said after buying it from the market, he learnt that it is a rare one needing strict protection.

Nguyen Van Sinh, the director of the reserve, said Python reticulatus is a critically endangered (CR) species listed in the 2007 Vietnam Red Data Book – a list of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam. It is also included in Appendix IIB/60 of the Government’s Decree 06/2019/ND-CP on the management of rare and threatened wild fauna and flora and implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Pu Hoat, recognised as a UNESCO world biosphere reserve in September 2007, spans 90,000ha and boasts a high level of biodiversity. Over 1,240 species of plants and more than 790 species and subspecies of animals have been identified here./.

Photo, video contest promotes digital society

The “Technology with Heart” award, the first of its kind in Vietnam to honour photos and video clips capturing how technology intertwines with life, has attracted over 800 works from more than 318 authors since its launch in January.

The joint initiative between the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) aims to spread nice images on the theme of people and technology, toward building a digital society where communities are better served, happier and wealthier, and stay safer thanks to scientific knowledge and products.

The entries include nearly 1,700 photos and 100 video clips, with 10 individual photos, 12 photo collections, and 10 video clips to be named at the award ceremony slated for June 5 in Hanoi.

Editor-In-Chief of the VNA's Vietnam Pictorial Nguyen Thang, also the head of the jury, said the majority of the entries closely adhere to the theme, showcasing the application and utilisation of technology in daily activities across various sectors such as health care, education, industry and agriculture. Particularly noteworthy is that they capture moments in all corners of the country, ranging from mountainous regions to plains, and from urban to rural and island settings.

Nguyen Quang Vu, Deputy Director of the VNA's Television Centre (Vnews) and a member of the jury, noted that the video clips demonstrate authors' creativity, humane perspective, and meticulous attention to topics as well as characters and post-production.

Chairman and CEO of Viettel Group Tao Duc Thang assessed that the award holds practical significance in communications efforts contributing to the advancement of the national digital transformation process./.

Six children injured after canopy collapses on them during dance performance

A dance performance celebrating summer break ended in calamity and horrific memories for thirteen children in Trạch Mỹ Lộc commune, Phúc Thọ, Hà Nội on Monday.

Six of the thirteen were injured after a canopy in Văn Lôi village's cultural house fell down from about three metres and landed on the stage, where the children performing a dance in a communal event.

Fortunately, the injuries to the children were minor and none are considered to be critical. Four have already been discharged from hospital and two are still hospitalised for bone fractures and head injuries, according to an update from the Phúc Thọ Department of Education and Training on Tuesday.

According to Nguyễn Đình Sơn, Chairman of Phúc Thọ People's Committee, the collapse was caused by heavy rains causing the mortar of the building to peel off, to fall onto the roof structure and bring the canopy crashing down.

In light of the incident, the Director of the Hà Nội Department of Education and Training Trần Thế Cương directed local Departments of Education and Training pay close attention to students' safety during the summer break. 

Residents, tourists enthusiastically participate in HCMC River Festival

On June 2, residents and tourists continued to flock to join and support sideline activities within the framework of the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, spanning ten days from May 31 to June 9.

Among them, the Tren Ben Duoi Thuyen (In the Wharf, On the Boat) space at Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe Inner-city Wharf (opposite No.1 Hoang Sa Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1) recreated the ambiance of the old Southwest floating market and showcased specialties from various regions that piqued visitors' interest.

For instance, booths featured waterway tourism products and yachts from the Vietnam Yacht Club; interactive activities for visitors included experiencing handicrafts, coconut leaf weaving, and introducing Southern folk dishes, fruits, and cakes. The floating stage hosted cultural and artistic performances free of charge in the evenings, such as Don Ca Tai Tu (Southern amateur music), Cai Luong (reformed opera), and acoustic music.

Tourists can explore independently or purchase all-inclusive tour packages from local travel agencies.

At the Inner-city Wharf, Nhieu Loc Boat Company offers three tour packages for visiting the floating market.

During this event, the HCMC Department of Culture and Sports hosts a Cultural Space at Bach Dang Park, showcasing various art forms of national cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. The event takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 31, June 1, June 7, and June 8, aiming to engage the public in appreciating and preserving Vietnam's traditional cultural values amidst international integration.

Government cracks down on illegal recruitment for Australian agricultural jobs

The Binh Duong Province Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs warns citizens against scams in agricultural job hiring to Australia.

Accordingly, to protect the rights of Vietnamese citizens wishing to work abroad and eliminate illegal recruitments, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs asked that the People’s Committees of all districts and cities in Binh Duong Province increase their propaganda activities to raise the public’s awareness about this matter.

Citizens should never apply for an agricultural job in Australia via any individuals or organizations until the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs officially announces the list of approved businesses and units to take charge of this application task.

Before this, the above Ministry has already issued a warning against the situation of some individuals or organizations impersonating Vietnamese and Australian functional agencies to receive money for agricultural job screening to Australia. This is a potential threat to social security and order.

Vietnam promotes economic diplomacy in Switzerland

The Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland and the Swiss-Vietnamese Economic Forum (SVEF) are organising several events at the University of Zurich for June 3-4.

The events are to enhance economic diplomacy for national development and to strengthen Vietnam-Switzerland cooperation in trade, investment, finance, innovation, and education.

Following a seminar on bilateral education and training cooperation on June 3, with the participation of several universities, educational institutions, and enterprises from both countries, the 2024 Swiss-Viet Economic Forum event is set to take place on June 4.

The forum will gather approximately 200 delegates from governmental agencies, local authorities, associations, investment funds, and businesses from both countries.

It will be conducted both in-person and online, focusing on four main topics: policies to promote trade, investment, and development in key sectors; the role and potential of strategic industries; opportunities for Vietnam-Switzerland cooperation in finance; and startup investment.

For more than half a century, the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Switzerland has developed comprehensively across all fields including politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, culture, education, and training. Among these, trade and investment cooperation are two crucial pillars in the relationship between the two countries, with substantial room for further development.

The forum aims to foster trade, investment, education, and innovation cooperation among ministries, local authorities, and businesses of both countries. The executive board of the Vietnam-Switzerland Economic Forum includes representatives from reputable Swiss businesses and renowned experts from the Vietnamese community in Switzerland working in economics, trade, finance, law, and education.

Vietnam Comic Contest winner to attend biggest French comic festival

The Kim Dong Publishing House and the French Institute in Hanoi have jointly launched a comic contest to seek Vietnamese writers to the Angoulême International Comics Festival due to be held in France in January 2025.

The contest is open to both professional and amateur creators aged 18 and above who are Vietnamese citizens living either in the country and abroad.

The organisers will accept entries on any theme that is tied to children aged 13 and above.

Submissions can be sent to the organisation board from June 1 to November 1, and the winner will be announced in December.

The ultimate winner of the contest will enjoy a one-week journey to France from January 25 to January 31 and will participate in the Angoulême International Comics Festival which is the biggest French comics festival and one of the largest events of its kind throughout Europe. 

The organisers will also present second, third, and consolation prizes at the awards ceremony in December.

Vinh Airport to close for upgrade

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has proposed to close Vinh Airport in the central province of Nghe An for four months for runway and taxiway repairs.

The upgrade work, which would cost an estimated VND745 billion (USD29.33 million), is scheduled to be carried out after the 2025 Tet Lunar New Year Holiday.

According to ACV, Vinh Airport has reported growth in passenger numbers over recent years. The airport saw passenger number growth of 15 percent during 2015-2019 and served 2.6 million passengers in 2022.

However, the taxiways and runways at Vinh Airport have degraded with cracks and damages seen on the surfaces, ACV said, adding that repairs need to be carried out soon to ensure safety.

ACV proposed to close the airport for four months, starting after the 2025 Tet Lunar New Year Holiday and completing before the summer holiday next year.

Thanh Hoa takes strong action against vessels staying uncontacted at sea

To fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the central province of Thanh Hoa has been augmenting checks and stringently dealing with the boats that stay uncontacted at sea.

So far this year, Thanh Hoa has been implementing an intensified crackdown on IUU fishing to join nationwide efforts towards having the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning lifted soon. Monitoring and handling the vessels with disconnected vessel monitoring systems (VMS) is one of the most important tasks.

By the end of May, Thanh Hoa had recorded 335 vessels without VMS signals at sea, including 124 for over six months and the rest for over 10 days, according to the fisheries sub-department under the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Facing that fact, the local administration has ordered relevant agencies and coastal localities to verify information and strictly deal with those vessels.

Authorities have sent delegations for conducting patrol and examination at sea, the vicinity of river mouths, and fishery ports. They have also worked with owners of the vessels breaking anti-IUU fishing rules as well as those at high risk of committing violations.

In the period, local authorities have detected and dealt with 57 cases, collecting 733 million VND (28,800 USD) in fines for such wrongdoings as not keeping logbooks, uninstalling VMS without equipment suppliers’ supervision, not submitting required information to fishery ports’ management boards before entering the ports, and losing VMS signals for more than 10 days.

Nguyen Duc Cuong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said to tighten control over VMS disconnection, authorities will enhance management over the vessels arriving at or leaving fishery ports, especially their catches, to prevent illegal fishing.

He noted that lists of the “three-no’s” vessels (no registration, no examination, no licences) and ineligible ones were made and sent to communal-level People’s Committees and border guard posts to strictly monitor their docking locations.

All the 1,097 fishing vessels that are 15 metres long and over in Thanh Hoa have been equipped with VMS. The province has also updated information about 2,752 local vessels on the national fisheries database (Vnfishbase). Examination results, fishing licences, vehicles arriving and leaving fishery ports, and the caught volume recorded at ports have also been regularly updated.

Vietnam has been working hard to carry out the EC’s recommendations about IUU fishing prevention and control, towards the goal of having the EC's “yellow card” warning over the problem lifted.

The EC issued a “yellow card” for Vietnam in this regard in 2017. It is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it is not. A “red card” may lead to a ban on aquatic exports to the EU.

The EC is scheduled to come to Vietnam for the fifth inspection around September - October this year./.

Animal traps transformed into elephant statues

Around 15,000 animal traps found at Pu Mat National Park in the central province of Nghe An have been used to create the statues of a mother elephant and its offspring.

The concept was created by lecturers and students from the Hanoi Architectural University following a visit to Pu Mat National Park.

According to Le Anh Tuan, deputy director of Pu Mat National Park, the traps were gathered and kept at a store from 2018.

Lecturers and students from the Hanoi Architectural University and staff from Pu Mat National Park spent 10 days making the elephant statues.

The works displayed at the national park convey messages about environmental and wild animal protection.

It is common to see animal traps in Pu Mat National Park. Since early this year, around 400 traps have been found.

The national park is home to 82 animal species, including 48 rare and endangered ones. Among those, 26 animal species are in the Vietnamese Red List and 21 in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Brussels exhibition spotlights Vietnam’s landscapes

Vietnamese landscapes and people have been brought closer to the international community as painter Doan Kim Khanh is showcasing her paintings at an exhibition in Brussels from June 2 to 23.

Throughout the exhibition, called “The land of love”, Khanh, a Vietnamese expat in Belgium, gives the public a glimpse of Vietnam’s iconic beauty, including the golden glow of Vietnam’s northwestern terraces, Trang Tien bridge and Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The exhibition also spotlights the tranquility of Belgium.

Jean Paul Chmin, a Belgian artist, said Khanh’s paintings help him get a better insight into the Vietnamese culture and people.

According to Khanh, the exhibition, a gift for her homeland and Belgium, reminds Vietnamese expats to respect and preserve national cultural traits no matter where they are./.

Cần Thơ supplies clean water to more households

More households in Cần Thơ are getting clean water as the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta city expands investment in water supply to rural and remote areas.

Danh Phước Bảy in Thới Trường 1 Hamlet in Cờ Đỏ District’s Thới Xuân Commune said he lives in an area with few households, among fields and far away from the commune’s centre, and canals there often dry up during the peak dry season.

However, locals do not worry about water since the city has installed pipes in the area, he said.

“Having plenty of clean water of reliable quality, conveniently obtained and safe compared to water from canals, makes people here are very glad.”

Bùi Thanh Hiếu, deputy head of the Cờ Đỏ District Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development, said in the 2023-24 dry season, the weather was severely hot, and in some localities in the delta households faced a shortage of water.

But in Cờ Đỏ, households received sufficient water, he said.

The city has laid 100km of pipes to provide water to more than 3,000 unserved households in the district since 2020, he said.

Nguyễn Thế Lâm, deputy director of the Centre for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation, said water pipelines have been installed or upgraded in Phong Điền, Thới Lai, Cờ Đỏ, and Vĩnh Thạnh districts since 2020.

The city has 118 clean water supply facilities with a capacity of 226,740cu.m a day in rural areas that provide water to more than 153,400 households.

The rate of rural households with access to clean water has reached 93 per cent now and is likely to increase to 94 per cent by the end of this year.

The city targets providing water to all rural households by 2030. 

Midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức regaining confidence under coach Kim Sang-sik

Once fading in the national team jersey under former coach Philippe Troussier, midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức has gradually regained his confidence under the guidance of new coach Kim Sang-sik.

Đức has been the focus of the Vietnamese senior team's three training sessions, always appearing happy and laughing with his teammates and coaching staff, a stark contrast to his demeanor when called up for the national team previously.

Sharing his thoughts on the changes in the team's training sessions under the new South Korean coach, Đức said: "Before training, the team often meet, watch videos, and listen to the coaching staff's tactical plans. Coach Kim always tries to convey the fastest and best strategies to apply in training."

During Monday's training session at the Việt Nam Youth Football Training Centre, Kim focused on carefully honing tactics for the Vietnamese team and evaluating player positions to build the most optimal lineup for the upcoming World Cup qualifier matches against the Philippines and Iraq.

With only five days to prepare for the match against the Philippines, it has been challenging for the entire team to smoothly operate the new tactics and football philosophy under the new head coach. Therefore, Coach Kim is seeking to make the most of available resources to come up with the most suitable solution.

Đức, with his impressive performances and high level of expertise, is considered a key factor in the Vietnamese team at the moment. The reigning Vietnamese Golden Ball winner said, "Currently, I am in my best form. If I get to play, I will play my best. Recently, the head coach has let the whole team experiment and practice many tactical schemes. I think the team need to quickly adapt and grasp the new strategies to prepare for the match with the Philippines on June 6 and give viewers the best performance."

It is known that the Philippines team will have many naturalised players in their lineup for the upcoming match, but Đức is confident that the Vietnamese team will have a reasonable response plan, as they have experience playing against Indonesia, a team with a strong core of naturalised players from Europe.

"We played against the Indonesian team, which also had many naturalised players. There's nothing to worry about, we will play our best. To me, every opponent is the same. It's been a long time since the team have won, and this is also the debut of the new coach. We will try to win the upcoming match at the home turf," Đức said.

Juvenile crime in HCMC rising, current laws falling short

The trend of juvenile crime in HCMC is becoming increasingly serious. However, current legal regulations for this group are showing many shortcomings, no longer able to keep up with new social developments.

Recently, there have been many cases of juvenile crime in HCMC. A typical example is the arrest of a 4-member gang of property robbers in District 12, all aged 16-17, who had committed at least 7 robberies. This gang roamed around the districts of 6, 11, 12, and Tan Binh looking for unsuspecting victims to snatch their mobile phones and sell them for money. The criminals' behavior was reckless, disregarding the law and endangering people.

Another case is on May 4, when 17-year-old T.V.K. (residing in District 5) and 19-year-old Nguyen Khoa Minh (living in District 8) were arrested by Thu Duc City Police for investigation into extortion. These two often went to Sala City (An Loi Dong Ward, Thu Duc City) pretending to be police officers, with Minh wearing a jacket with the People's Police logo and carrying handcuffs, to stop vehicles without rearview mirrors or drivers not wearing helmets to extort money. They have been successful in 3 cases.

A more worrisome case is 7th grader T.N.K. From January to April 2024, K regularly beat and bullied his classmate D.V.H, asking the victim to pay him VND30,000 (US$1.18) each day. On April 29, K requested H to give him VND100,000 ($4) and a mobile phone. H then told his family, resulting in K caught red handed by this family for extortion. K was immediately handed over to the police.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hung, Head of the Criminal Police Division under the HCMC Public Security Department, juvenile crime has become growingly serious in the city. These teenage criminals normally belong to a gang, using dangerous self-made weapons to snatch others’ property and ready to resist law enforcement when discovered.

Adolescents are those in the process of physical, psychological, and personality development, and thus particularly vulnerable during legal proceedings. However, from initiation of prosecution, investigation, indictment, trial, and even during the execution of sentences, there is no distinction made between handling cases involving minors and those involving adults.

Statistics from the HCMC People's Court show that a high proportion of minors are subjected to pre-trial detention measures such as temporary detention or arrest. This can disrupt their education and living conditions and limit their contact with family. The high rates of pre-trial detention to this group can also influence sentencing decisions, leading to harsher punishments for minors.

Deputy Chief Judge Pham Thi Thu Ha of the HCMC People's Court stated that the draft Juvenile Justice Law aims to protect human rights, civil rights, the interests of the State and organizations, maintain social order, and protect the best interests of juveniles.

It ensures that the handling of juveniles is appropriate for their age, cognitive ability, personal characteristics, the social dangerousness of their offense, while still educating and assisting juveniles in correcting their mistakes, improving their behavior, and helping them become beneficial members of society.

“International practice and current regulations state that in essence, sending juveniles to correctional institutions is not a judicial measure but a punishment, meaning a form of restricting freedom and placing them in educational institutions with strict discipline in accordance with the law. Therefore, its application is not encouraged.

Instead, other handling measures should be applied as stipulated in the draft law, such as: apologizing to the victim; participating in education and vocational training programs; increasing curfew hours; asking them to join in community service; educating them at the commune/ward level; and having family supervision," suggested Ha.

The matter of reintegration for juveniles also has inadequacies despite a number of regulations about this. However, these regulation merely focus on the first stage of reintegration, the time before adolescent criminals are released from prison. Yet there is no specific regulations or programs to maintain the positive results of the first stage, when they actually come back and live among the community.

The implementation of support activities for juvenile offenders often relies heavily on campaigns and lacks a structured approach. In some cases, the efforts are limited to monthly reports on the offenders' legal compliance, without providing any further assistance. This lack of comprehensive support hinders the effectiveness of reintegration efforts, leaving these individuals vulnerable to falling back into criminal behavior.

From 2018-2023, the HCMC People's Courts at two levels handled and resolved 1,381 cases involving 2,079 juvenile defendants. The outcomes included:

Imprisonment for 1,739 defendants
Suspended sentences for 328 defendants
Non-custodial rehabilitation for 12 defendants
Application of judicial education measures at correctional schools for 2 defendants

Vietnamese Australian scholars – a bridge for bilateral ties: congress

The Vietnamese Australian Scholars and Experts Association (VASEA) has made important contributions to developing human resources as well as cooperation projects between the two nations, Vietnamese Deputy Ambassador to Australia Nghiêm Xuân Hòa said while attending the association’s first annual congress on June 2.

Since its establishment in August 2023, VASEA has become a common house for scholars and specialists of the Vietnamese origin to exchange knowledge, expertise and experience, contributing to the development of the two countries as well as their bilateral ties.

Various activities have been held by the association, including conferences and short courses on digital transformation, energy efficiency, carbon market, climate change, leadership skills for sustainable development, digital economy and energy transition.

In his online speech, Australian Ambassador to Việt Nam Andrew Goledzinowski held that the Việt Nam – Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership should be endorsed not only by government agencies but also the private sector, universities, and organisations like VASEA.

He spoke highly of VASEA’s activities which back Việt Nam’s transition to green energy, and encouraged it to serve as a bridge to further connect Việt Nam and Australia for the common prosperity and success.

From Hanoi, Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Nguyễn Mạnh Đông said that the association’s practical activities have helped bolster the cooperation between the two countries, affirming contributions by overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and businessmen are important to the homeland and the international community amidst strong development of science technology, innovation, digital transformation and green transition.

According to Professor Nghiêm Đức Long, VASEA President, along with monthly conference, the association will arrange programmes to improve knowledge and leadership ability for young members.

VASEA will prioritise projects in key areas agreed upon by the two nations so as to contribute more to the bilateral cooperation, he said, adding programmes on science exchange, technology transfer and training that serve the development of circular economy and climate change response in Mekong Delta will be carried out. 

Strong job growth predicted for Q2: labor ministry

According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, three industry groups are expected to see an increase in labor demand compared to the previous quarter.

The second quarter of this year is expected to see a boom in employment, with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs forecasting a total workforce of 51.5 million, an increase of 200,000 on the previous period.

Three industry groups are forecast to see an increase in labour demand compared with the previous quarter, including furniture (up 2.6 %), textiles and textile products (up 2.0 %), and electronics, computer and optical products (up 1.6 %).

There are three industries where labor demand is predicted to fall in the second quarter, including printing and reproduction of recorded media (-3.8%), other mining and quarrying (-3.1%), and rubber and plastic products (-1.5%).

The ministry also reported on the labor market in the first quarter of 2024, with 52.4 million people in employment, an increase of 175,800 compared to the first quarter of 2023.

In the first quarter of 2024, the number of employed people reached 51.3 million, about 174,100 more than in the previous quarter, the agency added. The average income of workers continues to improve, reaching VND8.5 million ($314.8) per month, an increase of VND606,000 ($23.8) compared to the first quarter of 2023, it reported.

Occupations with increased employment include accommodation and food services (up 137,000), manufacturing (up 61,000), political and social organisations, public administration, defence and security (up 55,000), education (up 50,000) and transport and storage (up 29,000).

The report also shows that there were five sectors where employment fell: construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, information and communication, and real estate.

The ministry also reported that 50.5% of all employers require workers with a university degree or higher, another 44% require a college or vocational degree, and the remaining 5.5% require a primary degree or no technical qualifications. Meanwhile, 44.1% of jobseekers have a university degree or higher, 17.4% have a college or vocational degree, and 38.5% have no degree or certificate.

In terms of job vacancies, 67.3% of enterprises have a demand for labourers, a further 14.8% for middle managers and 8.5% for temporary jobs. On the other hand, some 56.9% of jobseekers are looking for non-executive positions, 28.2% for middle management and 4.9% for temporary jobs.

Companies offer different salary ranges according to the qualifications and skills of candidates: under VND5 million ($196.7) per month, VND5-10 million ($196.7-$392.2) per month, VND10-15 million ($392.2-$588.4) per month, VND15-21 million ($588.4-$823.7) per month, and over VND21 million ($823.7) per month.

Joint effort underway to tackle plastic waste challenges

The problem of “White pollution – plastic pollution” has become a tough challenge to Vietnam, asking for collaboration between the State and businesses to solve.

Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Thanh My of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment informed that to address the growing issue of white pollution, HCMC has been launching various joint propaganda campaigns and practical activities with businesses to encourage its dwellers to reduce the use of single-use or undegradable plastic bags, to gather and recycle plastic waste.

For instance, the city has introduced the project ‘Promoting a Circular Economy for Plastic Waste in Can Gio District’, sponsored by Coca-Cola Fund and operated by GreenHub; or the project to gather used plastic packaging in District 7 in cooperation with Unilever Vietnam.

GreenHub reported that after two years carrying out the above project in Can Gio District, positive signs have been seen regarding establishing a recycling value chain in the district, promoting a cleaner and greener environment for local residents.

Accordingly, five scrap yards experienced an increase in their income after receiving project support to improve their facilities. 51 female scrap collectors received training on occupational safety and were provided with work tools to enhance their performance. The project raised awareness about plastic waste collection, classification and recycling, as well as responsible tourism, to 2,000 tourists. It also provided information on plastic waste collection and classification to 76,516 individuals.

Unilever Vietnam stressed that it has always pioneered and committed to environmental protection via close collaboration with functional agencies and other organizations to solve environment-related problems. Besides the current project in District 7, it has worked with Central Retail Vietnam for waste sorting at source to help form a meaningful habit in the community.

At the national level, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has collaborated with Nestlé Vietnam to launch the project ‘Neutralizing plastic waste by 2025’, focusing on raising public awareness and promoting responsible plastic waste management practices.

The Ministry has also joined hand with Unilever Vietnam and other partners for the scheme ‘Public-Private Partnership Program for Building a Circular Economy in Plastic Waste Management’. The scheme welcomes the participation of 27 members which are businesses specializing in waste gathering and recycling or educational institutes sharing the same vision and mission on plastic waste management. These groups have also actively contributed to implementing the ‘National Action Plan for Ocean Plastic Waste Management by 2030’.

Environmental experts admitted that businesses always play a critical role in reducing plastic waste and facilitating activities for environmental protection purposes. They not only observe environmental laws but also actively implement various innovative measures to optimize input material use to help decrease emissions.

Confirming the willingness to go in line with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry in adopting feasible solutions for plastic waste reduction, Nestlé Vietnam has already switched from using plastic straws for their drink cartons to paper straws. Only in two years of 2021-2022, the corporation was able to cut down its plastic usage by approximately 2,400 tonnes. Currently, over 90 percent of its product packaging is designed for recycling.

Similarly, Coca-Cola Vietnam has officially announced its ambitious sustainable packaging goals: to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle/can sold globally by 2030 and to use at least 50 percent of recycled materials in packaging by 2030.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Environmental Protection Law identifies the business community as a vital factor in environmental protection. Effectively implementing environmental protection measures not only turns these enterprises into socially responsible businesses (SRBs) but also enhances their competitiveness, facilitates international market entry, and ensures sustainable development. The Ministry highly appreciates the collaboration of businesses, particularly the private sector, in partnering with the government to share the responsibility of addressing waste issues specifically and environmental protection in general.

Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Hong Quan – Head of the Institute of Circular Economy Research and Development (Vietnam National University-HCM) stated that the participation of businesses and international organizations in plastic waste management, and environment matters in general, brings about several practical benefits.

Thanks to their financial and technological advantages, along with their high responsibility, plastic waste gathering and treatment will be achievable goals. However, the Government should introduce policies and mechanisms to incentivize plastic waste recycling, develop markets for recycled products, and provide tax breaks and preferential loans.

Statistics from the from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment indicate that Vietnam generates over 1.8 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with HCMC alone producing around 80 tonnes per year. The amount of non-biodegradable plastic bags is increasing non-stop each year, leading to such a heavy burden to the environment that people consider it ‘White pollution’. Ultimately, this pollution type will negatively affect human beings’ physical health.

Thanh Hoa takes strong action against vessels staying uncontacted at sea

To fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the central province of Thanh Hoa has been augmenting checks and stringently dealing with the boats that stay uncontacted at sea.

So far this year, Thanh Hoa has been implementing an intensified crackdown on IUU fishing to join nationwide efforts towards having the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning lifted soon. Monitoring and handling the vessels with disconnected vessel monitoring systems (VMS) is one of the most important tasks.

By the end of May, Thanh Hoa had recorded 335 vessels without VMS signals at sea, including 124 for over six months and the rest for over 10 days, according to the fisheries sub-department under the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Facing that fact, the local administration has ordered relevant agencies and coastal localities to verify information and strictly deal with those vessels.

Authorities have sent delegations for conducting patrol and examination at sea, the vicinity of river mouths, and fishery ports. They have also worked with owners of the vessels breaking anti-IUU fishing rules as well as those at high risk of committing violations.

In the period, local authorities have detected and dealt with 57 cases, collecting 733 million VND (28,800 USD) in fines for such wrongdoings as not keeping logbooks, uninstalling VMS without equipment suppliers’ supervision, not submitting required information to fishery ports’ management boards before entering the ports, and losing VMS signals for more than 10 days.

Nguyen Duc Cuong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said to tighten control over VMS disconnection, authorities will enhance management over the vessels arriving at or leaving fishery ports, especially their catches, to prevent illegal fishing.

He noted that lists of the “three-no’s” vessels (no registration, no examination, no licences) and ineligible ones were made and sent to communal-level People’s Committees and border guard posts to strictly monitor their docking locations.

All the 1,097 fishing vessels that are 15 metres long and over in Thanh Hoa have been equipped with VMS. The province has also updated information about 2,752 local vessels on the national fisheries database (Vnfishbase). Examination results, fishing licences, vehicles arriving and leaving fishery ports, and the caught volume recorded at ports have also been regularly updated.

Vietnam has been working hard to carry out the EC’s recommendations about IUU fishing prevention and control, towards the goal of having the EC's “yellow card” warning over the problem lifted.

The EC issued a “yellow card” for Vietnam in this regard in 2017. It is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it is not. A “red card” may lead to a ban on aquatic exports to the EU.

The EC is scheduled to come to Vietnam for the fifth inspection around September - October this year./.

Photo, video contest promotes digital society

The “Technology with Heart” award, the first of its kind in Vietnam to honour photos and video clips capturing how technology intertwines with life, has attracted over 800 works from more than 318 authors since its launch in January.

The joint initiative between the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) aims to spread nice images on the theme of people and technology, toward building a digital society where communities are better served, happier and wealthier, and stay safer thanks to scientific knowledge and products.

The entries include nearly 1,700 photos and 100 video clips, with 10 individual photos, 12 photo collections, and 10 video clips to be named at the award ceremony slated for June 5 in Hanoi.

Editor-In-Chief of the VNA's Vietnam Pictorial Nguyen Thang, also the head of the jury, said the majority of the entries closely adhere to the theme, showcasing the application and utilisation of technology in daily activities across various sectors such as health care, education, industry and agriculture. Particularly noteworthy is that they capture moments in all corners of the country, ranging from mountainous regions to plains, and from urban to rural and island settings.

Nguyen Quang Vu, Deputy Director of the VNA's Television Centre (Vnews) and a member of the jury, noted that the video clips demonstrate authors' creativity, humane perspective, and meticulous attention to topics as well as characters and post-production.

Chairman and CEO of Viettel Group Tao Duc Thang assessed that the award holds practical significance in communications efforts contributing to the advancement of the national digital transformation process./.

Đắk Nông strengthens rabies prevention

Faced with a dangerous rabies situation, the People's Committee of Đắk Nông Province will establish a team to catch unleashed dogs and cats in public areas.

According to information from the Provincial Center for Disease Control, from the beginning of the year until now, the province has recorded one death due to rabies and 16 cases of rabies infection.

Faced with the above situation, the committee has requested relevant departments to strictly implement rabies prevention.

Accordingly, the Department of Health is required to increase rabies vaccination points, especially in localities with large areas and difficult terrain. The department must ensure adequate vaccines and anti-rabies serum, while also ensuring that each district and city has at least one rabies vaccination point and enough facilities and equipment to treat rabies.

The Department of Health must provide comprehensive guidance to relevant agencies about rabies prevention and control measures, with a focus on preventing transmission to humans.

In addition, governments at all levels need to have measures to manage the number of dogs and cats in each household. For unleashed dogs and cats in public areas, a catching team needs to be established, according to the committee. 

According to the People's Committee of Đắk Nông Province, prolonged and intense hot weather creates favourable conditions for a strong rabies outbreak.

Allowing dogs and cats to roam without a muzzle increases the risk of rabies transmission.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province wants people raising dogs and cats to register with local authorities to manage information related to breeding, vaccination, quarantine, and transportation.

The Department also proposed many measures to raise public awareness so that people can isolate cats and dogs with unusual symptoms or are suspected of having infectious diseases and promptly seek support from veterinary agencies or local authorities. 

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