A total of 100 COVID-19 infections were recorded in Vietnam in the past six hours to 6pm on June 7, including 25 imported cases, according to the Health Ministry.

Among 75 domestically-transmitted cases, 30 was logged in Bac Giang, 23 in Bac Ninh, 20 in Ho Chi Minh City, one in Binh Duong, and one in the Tan Trieu facility of the National Cancer Hospital. Of the total, 72 were detected in concentrated quarantine sites or locked-down areas.

To date, Vietnam has documented 8,983 cases, including 1,581 imported cases.

On June 7, additional 141 patients were given the all-clear, raising the number of recoveries to 3,509. The number of fatalities now stands at 53.

Among patients undergoing treatment in medical establishments, 216 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 72 twice and 75 thrice.

The ministry called on everyone to follow its 5K message, including khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration), and get vaccinated./.

 A magnitude 3.3 earthquake jolts central Vietnam

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake on the Richter scale jolted Bac Tra My, a mountainous district of Quang Nam province, central Vietnam, on the morning of June 7.

The earthquake occurred at 05:41:57 at a depth of approximately eight kilometers, said the Institute of Geophysics under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

The quake has caused many local people to clearly feel the tremor, according to local media outlets.

So far, no fatalities or property damage have been reported.

The Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Geophysics said it was monitoring the quake.

On May 30 two minor quakes measuring 3.1 and 2.6 on the Richter Scale also hit the locality.

Vegetable vendor tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Hanoi

The Hanoi Centre for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed on June 7 that a local resident who runs a fruit and vegetable stall in a wet market in Dong Anh town of Hanoi capital has been diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The patient, a 45-year-old woman, had initially started to show symptoms of the COVID-19 on May 30 like a sore throat and snivel.  

She then visited Bac Thang Long Hospital in order to undergo a checkup and have samples taken to check signs of the virus. The test proved on June 6 she had carried the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The source of infection remains unknown, said the Hanoi CDC.

Local authorities scrambled to conduct field investigations and issued warnings against those visiting a number of locations in Dong Anh.

By utilising contact tracing methods, relevant agencies have initially identified and isolated 19 people in close contact with the patient.

At present, contact tracing is underway in an effort to swiftly quarantine and test individuals who came into contact with the vegetable vendor.

Vietnamese national dies of COVID-19 in Cambodia

The authorities of Prey Veng province in Cambodia announced on June 6 that a 69-year-old Vietnamese citizen who had previously tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus died after undergoing a week of treatment.

The female patient was initially hospitalised on May 30 after suffering from symptoms such as a shortness of breath, a fever, and a persistent cough for four consecutive days.

Upon arrival at hospital she was immediately tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with the test results coming back positive.

The woman had resided in Prey Veng city before eventually passing away on June 5 due to COVID-19.

June 6 alone saw Cambodia report 11 deaths linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with 631 new infections and 1,069 recoveries.

So far the neighbouring country has recorded 34,244 COVID-19 cases, including 6,827 patients who are currently under treatment and 263 deaths.

Approximately 2.73 million people out of a total population of 10 million have so far been vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Cambodia’s Health Ministry.

Bac Giang: Children under five allowed to be quarantined at home

Children under five years old who had close contact with COVID-19 patients are now allowed to undergo mandatory quarantine at home provided that all pandemic prevention requirements are met, according to an urgent notice from the Ministry of Health to the northern province of Bac Giang, which is being hard hit by new COVID-19 outbreaks.

The notice, signed by Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son on June 5, provided new instructions on medical quarantine for children under 15 years old in the northern province, which has been Vietnam’s COVID-19 hotspot since early May.

The move aims to guarantee a safe and convenient living environment for children during the quarantine period, reduce pressure on overloaded concentrated quarantine sites and prevent cross-infections in Bac Giang.

Accordingly, children under 15 years old are required to be quarantined for 21 days. Those under five are allowed to fulfil quarantine orders at home if all preventive requirements against the spread of the coronavirus are met.

Those aged 5-15, meanwhile, must stay at concentrated quarantine sites in 7 days and can complete the rest of their quarantine period at home if they test negative with the virus thrice during the first 7 days.

The number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the latest wave of outbreaks since April 27 has hit 5,340 as of 12pm June 5, more than half of which were recorded in Bac Giang./.

Vietnam logs 92 more COVID-19 cases on June 7 morning

Vietnam confirmed 92 more COVID-19 cases in the past six hours to 12pm on June 7, including 68 infections in Bac Giang, 14 in Ho Chi Minh City, seven in Lang Son, two in Ha Tinh and one in Hanoi, reported the Health Ministry.

Of them, 84 cases were found in quarantine facilities or locked down areas.

As of 12pm on June 7, the country recorded a total of 8,883 infection cases, including 7,327 local transmissions and 1,551 imported. There were 5,757 new cases detected since the fourth COVID-19 outbreak wave hit the country on April 27.

The provinces of Yen Bai, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai, Nghe An, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Dak Lak, Nam Dinh, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Son La and Ninh Binh have gone through 14 consecutive days without new infections.

According to the ministry’s Medical Service Administration, 3,368 patients have so far been given the all-clear from the virus SARS-CoV-2, and 53 died from the disease.

Among patients undergoing treatment in medical establishments, 242 tested negative once to SARS-CoV-2, 72 twice and 78 thrice.

The ministry called on everyone to follow its 5K message, including khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration) and get vaccinated./.

President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to be closed for maintenance

The Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh and the Monument to War Heroes and Martyrs in Hanoi will be closed to the public from June 11 to August 11 for periodic maintenance this year.

Respect-paying activities for President Ho Chi Minh and war heroes will resume on August 12, announced the mausoleum management board on June 4.

President Ho Chi Minh passed away on September 2, 1969. His body was embalmed and placed in a glass coffin inside the granite mausoleum.

The mausoleum has become an important landmark of the capital city and is integral to the political and social history of Vietnam./.

Vietnamese embassy in Australia calls for support to COVID-19 fight

The Vietnamese Embassy in Australia on June 5 sent the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee’s appeal to overseas Vietnamese in the country to raise funds for the fight against COVID-19 in the homeland.

The embassy said since the pandemic broke out, the entire Vietnamese Party, people and armed forces have taken drastic actions to combat the pandemic with the motto of “fighting the pandemic is like fighting the enemy”. However, many clusters have appeared in cities and provinces with the number of infection cases rising sharply since April 27.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Business Association in Australia also conveyed the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese (BAOOV)’s document calling on Vietnamese entrepreneurs worldwide to offer donations to buy COVID-19 vaccines in Vietnam.

Recently, the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Australia also conveyed the Vietnamese Government and VFF’s call to the Vietnamese community in the country to contribute to the homeland's fight against the pandemic./.

Chieng Yen - Promising land for tourism

 

Chieng Yen commune in Van Ho district, northern Son La province, boasts wild and majestic natural landscapes that provide ideal conditions for it to develop community-based tourism. Its advantages are being developed by local authorities and villagers to generate incomes while promoting the traditional culture of the Thai and Muong ethnic minority people.

Chieng Yen commune has 10 households running homestay businesses.

People have preserved traditional cultural features in community tourism villages such as Nà Bai and Phụ Mẫu, including stilt-houses, arts groups, and brocade-weaving, among others, to keep tourists entertained.

Tourists can immerse themselves in untouched natural landscapes and listen to love stories at Tat Nang Waterfall.

Apart from its local specialties and products, Chieng Yen also has a host of attractive sites for tourists, such as Ta Nang Waterfall and hot springs. With unique cultural features, the commune is expected to become a key destination on every journey to Vietnam’s northwest./.

Entries invited to national fine art photo contest on Vietnam’s sea and islands

Photographers are being invited to send entries to a national fine art photo competition and exhibition on Vietnamese sea and islands newly launched by the Party Central Committee’s Commission of Popularisation and Education.

The competition aims to promote the beauty of Vietnam’s sea and islands among art lovers domestically and internationally and honour people with outstanding contribution to socio-economic development and safeguarding the country’s maritime sovereignty.

It is open to both amateur and professional photographers, either Vietnamese citizens living at home or overseas or foreigners in Vietnam.

Entries are suggested to depict the beauty of Vietnam’s sea and islands and the close ties between them and generations of Vietnamese people; life of soldiers and people in coastal areas and at sea and how people in these areas preserve and promote their distinctive tradition cultures. The entries can also describe activities to protect marine environment and ecosystem and international cooperation to ensure peace and security at sea.

They must be submitted at www.anhnghethuatbiendaoquehuong.com before midnight of September 30, 2021.

Winners will be awarded with medals and prizes in cash worth up to 20 million VND (872 USD) and have their works displayed at an exhibition held by the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists./.

Dong Nai to build more roads linked to Long Thanh Airport

The People’s Committee of Dong Nai province has approved investment plans for four local roads, most of which are directly connected to Long Thanh International Airport - a driving force for investment and economic development in the southern region.

Investment in those projects is expected to hit more than 7 trillion VND (304.3 million USD), excluding site clearance costs.

The provincial People’s Committee has assigned relevant units to prepare pre-feasibility studies, propose investment plans, review demand for land use and estimate compensation and clearance costs.

Capital for the road construction will be taken from the budget and the land funds along the two sides of the roads. The province has requested relevant districts coordinate with units involved to exploit the land funds and put potential land lots up for bidding.

Construction of the four roads will be conducted during 2021-2025.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Cao Tien Dung said demand for transport connectivity in Dong Nai is a pressing matter as the airport is now under construction and is expected to be put into operation in 2025.

Roads directly or indirectly linked to Long Thanh will play an important role in the province’s development, as they can help bring into full play opportunities brought about by the airport.

The airport will be built in three phases over three decades, and is expected to become the country’s largest.

In the first phase, one runway with a length of 4,000 metres, taxiways, an apron, and a passenger terminal with other auxiliary works sprawling 373,000 sq.m will be built to serve 25 million passengers and handle 1.2 million tonnes of cargo each year.

The airport is designed to have four runways, four passenger terminals, and other auxiliary facilities to ensure a capacity of 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo a year by 2040.

Covering a total area of more than 5,580ha, the airport will straddle six communes in Long Thanh district. It is expected to cost 336.63 trillion VND (14.5 billion USD), with the first phase requiring over 109 trillion VND./.

Forty-four COVID-19 cases added to national count

Vietnam recorded 44 new cases of COVID-19, all domestic infections, over the past 12 hours to 6:00am on June 7, raising the national tally to 8,791, according to the Ministry of Health.

Of the new cases, Bac Giang, the country’s current largest coronavirus hotspot, accounted for the majority with 24 infections, followed by Ho Chi Minh City (12), Bac Ninh (6), and Ha Nam (2). They were all detected inside quarantined or locked down sites.

The number of domestic infections reported since April 27 when the fourth coronavirus wave hit Vietnam mounted to 5,655.

Fifteen provinces, including Yen Bai, Quang Ngai, Nghe An, Dak Lak, Thua Thien-Hue, Nam Dinh, Hoa Binh, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Son La, Ninh Binh and Dong Nai, have gone through 15 days without new COVID-19 cases.

Among active patients, 242 have tested negative to the virus once, 72 twice, and 78 thrice. The death toll remained at 53 and the number of recoveries totalled 3,368.

There are 183,923 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entered Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions have been quarantined nationwide.

As of June 4, 1.24 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered nationwide, with a total of 33,643 people fully vaccinated with two shots./.

Religious organisations’ leaders to be held accountable for violating pandemic prevention rules resulting in COVID-19 transmission

Leaders or representatives of religious organisations, establishments and congregations will be held accountable if their places of worship fail to follow COVID-19 prevention and control rules resulting in virus transmission among dignitaries, followers, and the community, according to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

This is part of the content of a document from the committee recently sent to leaders of religious organisations, asking for enhanced application of anti-COVID-19 measures.

The move followed a COVID-19 outbreak that started from a religious group named “Hoi thanh truyen giao Phuc Hung” (Revival Ekklesia Mission) in Ho Chi Minh City and then spread to many localities.

Therefore, the Government committee requested leaders of religious organisations to continue communication activities to encourage their dignitaries, followers, and establishments to seriously adhere to the instructions on COVID-19 prevention and control.

They were asked to suspend all religious activities at places of worship and the sites registered for concentrated religious practices and put up warning signs at those areas. Religious establishments and sites of religious practices must coordinate with authorities in contact tracing if any of them records suspected cases.

The Government committee required religious organisations to update COVID-19 information from official sources on their websites and other means of communications, and disseminate the information to their facilities in remote areas and pandemic hotbeds.

It also recommended religious organisations call on their subsidiaries, dignitaries, and followers join hands with authorities in the pandemic fight and contribute to the COVID-19 vaccine fund.

The COVID-19 cluster at the place of worship of the Revival Ekklesia Mission group in Ward 3 of Go Vap district, HCM City, was found on late May 26.

As of 3pm on June 4, there had been 310 infection cases (F0), 5,377 F1s (people directly meeting the confirmed patients), and over 320,000 F2s (those with close contact with F1s) related to this cluster.

Apart from 20 of the 22 district-level localities in HCM City, the outbreak from this hotbed has spread to 15 provinces and cities, with eight reporting infection cases and seven others recording F1s or F2s.

The numbers of F0s, F1s, and F2s related to this cluster are forecast to keep increasing on the coming days./.

Virtual race calls donations for COVID-19 vaccine fund

A virtual race is underway to raise money for Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund, with the message “Steps for Solidarity”, according to the Vietnam Sports Administration.

Launched by the e-newspaper VnExpress on June 2, “Run for Vaccine” aims to join the Government and Ministry of Health’s drive to call for donations to the COVID-19 vaccine fund.

Each participant will make a contribution of 100,000 VND (4.36 USD) to the fund. The race is expected to attract about 10,000 runners. As of noon June 5, four days after registration started, more than 3,200 people had registered to join the virtual competition.

After registration, runners can start running from the next day. The race has four distances – 10 km, 21 km, 42 km, and 100 km – and each runner has 21 days to complete the distance they have registered.

There is no limit on the number of runs as long as the runner complete the distance with a speed of three to 12 minutes per km.

The registration will open until July 18.

After completing the challenge, the runner will receive a virtual certificate and a virtual medal to celebrate a meaningful journey.

The COVID-19 vaccine fund has been set up to receive voluntary financial and vaccine donations and assistance from organisations and individuals for the procurement and import, doemstic research and production, and provision of COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam needs 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine costing 25.2 trillion VND (1.1 billion USD) to inoculate the roughly 75 million people needed to reach herd immunity.

On June 5, the State-run Vietnam Electricity (EVN) announced it will donate 400 billion VND to the fund. The corporation and its members have contributed more than 408 billion VND to the national COVID-19 fight since late April./.

New green growth strategy to promote carbon-neutral economy

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is working with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to draft a national strategy on green growth for 2021-2030 and vision to 2050.

Part of making Vietnam a carbon-neutral economy as soon as possible, the draft strategy sets targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, greening all economic sectors, promoting sustainable consumption, and enhancing resilience during the green transition process, among other matters.

Science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, culture, healthcare, education, and equality in access to opportunities and benefits from growth achievements will be promoted to ensure the dual tasks of achieving green and inclusive growth and building a Vietnamese society in which no one is left behind.

Targets, missions, and measures in the new strategy will be based on a wide range of quantitative methods, econometric models, cost-benefit analysis, and the impact on socio-economic development.

The strategy updates new factors of influence to the green growth and ensures synchronicity with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on greenhouse gas emission reductions.

The strategy will be adjusted to limit any overlaps and create favourable conditions for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

According to the ministry, the national strategy on green growth during 2011-2020 and vision to 2050 was approved by the Prime Minister on September 29, 2012. After eight years of implementation, it helped raise public awareness about the significance of green growth. Measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions were carried out widely, resulting in such emissions falling 12.9 percent compared to the normal development scenario.

Energy consumption per unit of GDP declined by an average of 1.8 percent each year, while 46.9 percent of businesses targeted cleaner production by 2020 compared to 28 percent ten years earlier. In particular, outstanding loans funding green growth stood at nearly 238 trillion VND (10.36 billion USD) by 2018, or 235 percent higher than the figure in 2015./.

Hanoi Library displays documents on President Ho Chi Minh

More than 400 documents and newspapers featuring President Ho Chi Minh are being displayed by the Hanoi Library to mark the 110th anniversary of his departure to seek ways for national salvation (June 5).

Through the exhibition, the library aims to highlight the significance of the President’s journey, his great contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, and his role in international communist and worker movements.

It also praises the late leader’s ideology and morality, and his sentiments towards the capital city.

The works are also introduced on the website of the library to make it easier for readers to access given the COVID-19 pandemic.

The display runs from June 4-17.

A virtual book fair and exhibition is also underway at www.book265.vn to mark the 110th year since President Ho Chi Minh left Vietnam to go on a journey around the world to seek ways to save the nation.

Launched on June 4, the event is held by the Ministry of Information and Communications in partnership with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism./.

Deputy PM lauds businesses' contributions to COVID-19 vaccine fund

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, met on June 4 with representatives from associations and businesses that have contributed ideas and support to the Fund for Vaccination Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

On behalf of the committee, the Deputy PM thanked Vietnam’s business community for its efforts to overcome the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, affirming that Vietnam’s economy continues to develop on the back of the ceaseless efforts of businesses.

He said that there are insufficient vaccine doses in Vietnam, not because of a lack of funds but because of scarce global supply.

The Government hopes the people and the business community will further contribute effort, intelligence, and funding to preventing and controlling the pandemic in general and accessing vaccines in particular.

The establishment of the Fund for Vaccination Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 aims to ensure sustainable financial sources for vaccinations against COVID-19, he noted.

Along with those prioritised for vaccinations under Resolution No 21/NQ-CP, the Ministry of Health (MoH) should soon add high-risk groups such as workers in factories and construction sites and those who work in poorly ventilated areas and have regular contact with many people, updating their health status for initial screening and preparing for vaccinations, he said.

Dam affirmed that the Government does not require businesses to pay for vaccinations for their employees, adding that the MoH plans to buy 170 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc welcomed effective and timely efforts and direction from the Government in the fight against COVID-19, in a spirit of “fighting the pandemic is like fighting an enemy” while ensuring the dual goal of pandemic containment and economic development.

Vietnamese businesses will continue to make contributions to the fund, serving vaccine procurement and import as well as research and production in the country, he stressed./.

Deputy PM calls for natural disaster response scenarios amid COVID-19

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh asked localities to outline scenarios for natural disaster responses amid the COVID-19 pandemic at an online national conference on national disaster prevention and control, and research and rescue on June 4.

Up to seven storms are forecast to hit mainland Vietnam this year, he explained, while calling for determination to minimise any losses.

Thanh, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, emphasised the need to improve forecasting capacity and invest more in natural disaster studies and the hydrometeorological monitoring system.

Natural disasters have become fierce and unexpected, the Deputy PM pointed out, highlighting the role of leaders in response efforts.

He assigned tasks to the ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, National Defence, and Public Security, as well as localities, which, he said, play a crucial role in this regard.

According to Tran Quang Hoai, General Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control, Vietnam faced 14 storms, a depression, 120 flash floods and landslides, 90 earthquakes, and other types of natural disasters last year, with 357 fatalities and economic losses of 39.96 trillion VND (1.73 billion USD).

UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra lauded the Vietnamese Government for its efforts in minimising disaster risks and boosting response measures.

In the context of the pandemic, improving preparedness and capacity as well as planning work, especially in localities, will be key to Vietnam’s success, he said.

UN agencies stand side-by-side with Vietnam and commit to further assisting the country in disaster response and climate change-related risks, he affirmed./.

Lao PM extends sympathy to Vietnam over COVID-19 outbreak

Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh said he firmly believes that under the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and with the high resolve of the Government and people, Vietnam will soon contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter sent to his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, the Lao leader expressed his sympathy over the complex developments of COVID-19 in many Vietnamese cities and provinces.

Lao leaders and people highly value the drastic and timely measures adopted by Vietnam to fight the pandemic, he stressed.

On this occasion, Phankham Viphavanh thanked the Vietnamese side for its support to Laos during the pandemic combat, and affirmed that the Lao Party, Government and people are willing to stand side by side with Vietnam, in line with the spirit of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Over the past days, many agencies and organisations in Laos raised funds to aid the pandemic fight in Vietnam.

Laos’ National Assembly Vice Chairperson Khambay Damlath and PTL Holding Committee Limited Strategy and Planning Chairman Alounkeo Kittikhoun, who is also former Minister of the Lao Prime Minister’ Office, on June 3 and 4 handed over 30,000 USD in total to the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos to support the pandemic fight in the neighbouring country.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung thanked the meaningful and timely gift from the Lao side, and noted his belief that Vietnam will fulfil its dual goal of pandemic containment and socio-economic development./.

Russia to discuss Sputnik-V production cooperation with Vietnam

Russia is going to discuss the cooperation in manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik-V in Vietnam, according to Press Secretary for the Russian President Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov told the media on June 3 that Russia will contact the Vietnamese side to discuss the vaccine production cooperation, noting this issue was mentioned in a letter that Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently sent to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

On the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev said he had reported the list of countries wishing to produce the Russian vaccine to President Putin, and that 20 manufacturers of 14 countries, including Vietnam, have expressed their willingness to cooperate in this regard.

Many important agreements on the Sputnik-V production have been reached, and more and more countries, mostly recently Vietnam, have voiced their readiness to manufacture the vaccine.

Addressing the economic forum on June 4, Russian President Putin noted Sputnik-V is highly effective in preventing COVID-19, and it is receiving attention from business people in Europe who are ready to come to Russia to get vaccinated./.

Vietnam, Russia should cooperate in IT development: insider

Vietnam and Russia can cooperation in developing information technology (IT) and implementing major projects in this field, a representative of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) has said.

Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General of VINASA, made the remark while attending via videoconference a roundtable workshop as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 4.

Talking about Russia’s role in the IT market of Vietnam, she said people are now living in a world where technology can change everything.

Russia and Vietnam boast a time-tested friendship, she noted, adding that while Russia owns strong technological platforms, Vietnam has an advantage in IT personnel.

Therefore, the two countries can cooperate in IT development and implementation of large projects, according to Giang.

At the workshop, Andrey Bezrukov, President of the Technological Sovereignty Exports Association and a professor at the Department of Applied International Analysis at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, said Russia needs to become a technological hub, which is one of the major tasks for the country in the next 20 - 30 years.

Assistant to the Russian President Andrey Fursenko suggested his country export scientific ideas to be applied in other countries, noting that it should set international-level strategic targets about technological development, such as in the fields of vaccine production, environment, and energy, so as to export knowledge./.

Bac Giang province moves to sustainable develop tourism

In the time ahead, the northern province of Bac Giang is going to summon resources and push ahead with measures to fully tap into tourism potential and advantages and sustainably develop this industry, according to Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Minh Ha.

Ha said Bac Giang is exerting efforts to turn tourism into an important economic sector that makes up an increasingly large proportion of the local economy. Developing tourism will be associated with popularising images of Bac Giang and building a tourism brand for the province.

The provincial steering committee for tourism development will keep assisting investors to effectively carry out the tourism projects approved by the provincial People’s Committee. It will also continue providing advice for the People’s Committee about ways to attract investment to tourism development for the 2021 – 2025 period.

Meanwhile, the district-level steering committees will continue ensuring the State management over tourism and proactively inspect the site clearance progress in tourism projects. They will also work out new and more effective mechanisms and policies to create conditions for businesses and investors to develop tourism services.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism is coordinating with other departments, sectors, and localities to improve tourism management, particularly over travel companies. Besides, it will speed up the recognition of tourist destinations and issue operational regulations for local places of interest.

Bac Giang is applying itself to making considerable improvements in community-based tourism and strongly reforming and applying digital technologies to tourism promotion, Ha went on.

The province will devise appropriate mechanisms, policies, and measures to create optimal conditions for investors to develop tourism infrastructure in potential attractions, the official noted, adding that certain mechanisms will also be applied to invite major and capable investors.

Enterprises operating in the tourism industry will receive due attention to connect with other provinces and cities in order to create momentum for local tourism.

Provincial authorities will also improve the planning quality, zone areas for potential tourist destinations early so as to attract investment, and develop a uniform transport system to facilitate the connectivity among local places of interest as well as between tourist sites in Bac Giang and neighbouring provinces.

Since 2016, Bac Giang has welcomed about 7.7 million visitors and earned more than 4 trillion VND (nearly 173.9 million USD) in tourism revenue.

It has been developing three types of tourism based on local potential and advantages: cultural - spiritual tourism, historical - cultural tourism, ecological - leisure tourism.

The provincial People’s Committee has given in-principle approval to six key tourism projects invested with a total of more than 2.54 trillion VND.

So far, it has completed the first phase of the Tay Yen Tu (Western Yen Tu) spiritual and ecological tourism site; the first phase of a project on preserving restoring, and bringing into play the values of the Yen The Uprising’s relic sites, which are special national historical relics; the Truc Lam Phuong Hoang Monastery; and the centre for preserving and introducing Vinh Nghiem Pagoda’s woodblocks.

In addition, Bac Giang has continued stepping up the preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural values as seen in a wide range of activities, including organising the biennial Quan ho and Chau van singing festivals; opening Then, Soong Co, and Sinh Ca singing classes and clubs; and providing training in the ancient Quan ho folk songs.

Community-based tourism brands have been built for Ven village in Yen The district and Na O village in Son Dong district while the Tay Yen Tu tourism brand has also taken shape, thereby helping to introduce the special values of the local culture and people and the Truc Lam Yen Tu Buddhist sect to domestic and foreign visitors./.

Vietnam, Ethiopia enhance bilateral ties

Vietnam and Ethiopia will build on their friendly ties in politics and socio-economic affairs to continue coordinate and support each other at multi-lateral mechanisms, including the African Union (AU).

The agreement was reached between Vietnamese Ambassador to Ethiopia and Tanzania Nguyen Nam Tien and Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde on the occasion of the Vietnamese diplomat presenting his credentials to the Ethiopian State leader on June 1.

President Zewde affirmed her wish to strengthen Ethiopia-Vietnam relations, and asked Vietnam to continue providing support for her country in the time ahead. 

Ambassador Tien said a priority during his term is to promote relations between the two countries in all aspects, particularly trade and investment. He affirmed that Vietnam is willing to support and create favourable conditions for Ethiopia to early open its embassy in Vietnam.

Earlier, the Vietnamese Ambassador held a working session with Molalign Asfaw, Director-General for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs  of Ethiopia, during which he proposed that the two countries increase the exchange of high-level visits and push forward with the implementation of signed agreements after the COVID-19 pandemic is put under control.

Asfaw noted that there is much room for the two countries to expand trade, which is currently valued at 20 million USD a year at present. He said Ethiopian welcomes investment from Vietnamese businesses, and urged more exchanges between the two governments, ruling parties, business communities and people.

Ambassador Tien also had a meeting with officials from the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) to discuss ways to enhance the ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the PP.

Meeting with the Vietnamese community in Ethiopia, the ambassador stressed that the Vietnamese Embassy is always ready to give support to the community, especially amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic./.

President Ho Chi Minh’s departure 110 years ago commemorated in HCM City

The administration of Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh Museum, located at Nha Rong Wharf, on June 5 to celebrate 110 years since the late leader’s start on a journey to look for ways to save the country from colonial yoke.

In his speech, Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen recalled the life and revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh (1890 - 1969), who was known as Nguyen Tat Thanh when he boarded a vessel at Nha Rong Wharf on June 5, 1911, embarking on a 30-year journey around the world to seek a path to national liberation.

Nen affirmed that Ho Chi Minh left priceless and sustainable legacies for later generations, with the biggest being the aspiration for national independence and socialism.

The President’s ideology, morality, lifestyle, and the entire life he spent on fighting for national independence and people’s freedom and happiness will forever guide the country on the path to build a country of prosperity and happiness, the official noted.

He added that with the patriotic tradition and solidarity, the whole city will exert joint efforts to develop and become more wealthy and civilised, thus better deserving its honour to be named after President Ho Chi Minh.

On this occasion, a delegation of municipal leaders led by Nen offered incense and flowers in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh, along with President Ton Duc Thang – one of the first revolutionaries of the workers’ and proletarian revolutionary movements in Vietnam, at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at Nha Rong Wharf./.

Russia to discuss Sputnik-V production cooperation with Vietnam

Russia is going to discuss the cooperation in manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik-V in Vietnam, according to Press Secretary for the Russian President Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov told the media on June 3 that Russia will contact the Vietnamese side to discuss the vaccine production cooperation, noting this issue was mentioned in a letter that Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently sent to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

On the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev said he had reported the list of countries wishing to produce the Russian vaccine to President Putin, and that 20 manufacturers of 14 countries, including Vietnam, have expressed their willingness to cooperate in this regard.

Many important agreements on the Sputnik-V production have been reached, and more and more countries, mostly recently Vietnam, have voiced their readiness to manufacture the vaccine.

Addressing the economic forum on June 4, Russian President Putin noted Sputnik-V is highly effective in preventing COVID-19, and it is receiving attention from business people in Europe who are ready to come to Russia to get vaccinated./.

Vietnam, Russia should cooperate in IT development: insider

Vietnam and Russia can cooperation in developing information technology (IT) and implementing major projects in this field, a representative of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) has said.

Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General of VINASA, made the remark while attending via videoconference a roundtable workshop as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 4.

Talking about Russia’s role in the IT market of Vietnam, she said people are now living in a world where technology can change everything.

Russia and Vietnam boast a time-tested friendship, she noted, adding that while Russia owns strong technological platforms, Vietnam has an advantage in IT personnel.

Therefore, the two countries can cooperate in IT development and implementation of large projects, according to Giang.

At the workshop, Andrey Bezrukov, President of the Technological Sovereignty Exports Association and a professor at the Department of Applied International Analysis at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, said Russia needs to become a technological hub, which is one of the major tasks for the country in the next 20 - 30 years.

Assistant to the Russian President Andrey Fursenko suggested his country export scientific ideas to be applied in other countries, noting that it should set international-level strategic targets about technological development, such as in the fields of vaccine production, environment, and energy, so as to export knowledge./.

Vietnam’s southernmost province a magnet for tourists

Home to pristine beautiful sites and historical and cultural values throughout more than 300 years of its formation and development, the southernmost province of Ca Mau offers a range of interesting experiences for visitors from both inside and outside the country.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Hong Quan said that as one of the four localities in the Mekong Delta key economic region, Ca Mau boasts a world biosphere reserve associated with the Ca Mau Cape National Park, and the U Minh Ha National Park, which offer opportunities for developing eco-tourism.

The Ca Mau Park was added to a list of wetlands of international importance in 2012, becoming the 2,088th of its kind in the world and the fifth in Vietnam, with a large area of intertidal mudflats and submerged forests. It is the only place in Vietnam with three sides bordering the sea and where two different tidal regimes interact, which contributes to building new mudflats and creating favourable habitats for many species.

The site also provides important stopover and wintering habitats for a large number of water birds. In 2010, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recorded many globally-endangered species in the area, including primates, birds, otters, reptiles, and fishes.

Along with freshwater and mangrove forest ecosystems, Ca Mau also has humanities-based tourism products with national and provincial historical and cultural relic sites.

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tieu Minh Tien said that local cultural features such as “don ca tai tu” (southern amateur singing), “gac keo ong” (apiculture in the wild), and a number of food specialties contribute to attracting visitors.

A species of crab in Nam Can district and a fermented fish hot pot in the U Minh Forest are in the list of the Top 100 specialties in Vietnam in 2020-2021 by the Vietnam Record Organisation (Vietkings).

Ca Mau dried shrimp and U Minh honey, meanwhile, are also among the Top 100 Vietnamese specialty gifts./.

HCM City to set up centre to support companies’ digital transformation

The Quang Trung Software City Development Co in HCM City is collaborating with the city Departments of Information and Communications and Science and Technology to set up a centre for supporting businesses achieve digital transformation, it says on its website.

DXCenter, to be established in the city’s downtown, will link various components of the digital economy to support digital adoption and efforts to boost digital transformation.

It will strengthen supply chains, transfer technologies and innovations, carry out research into digital products, increase awareness on digital transformation, promote the innovation eco-system for start-ups, and help businesses develop digital products.

It will also tie up with prominent partners globally for digital transformation and seek funds to support digital transformation, evaluate effectiveness of digital products and support research and development of digital products and solutions.

HCM City last year launched the Digital Transformation Scheme focused on building e-governance, using information technology to serve the public and businesses and solving problems related to social security./.

Int’l organisations’ representatives praise COVID-19 vaccine fund initiative

Representatives of international organisations in Vietnam have spoken highly of the solidarity and sense of responsibility amongst the people in the COVID-19 fight through the vaccine fund initiative.

The fund was officially inaugurated on June 5, with an aim to mobilise social resources so as to facilitate the purchase and importation of vaccines as well as the research and production of homegrown ones.

Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam, said the mobilisation to improve access to COVID-19 vaccine of the Vietnamese Government is carried out in a timely manner and in line with the global vaccine initiative.

That the Government manages and equitably uses donations from individuals and private firms is hoped to result in new values for the strategy to fight the ravaging pandemic, he added.

UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra affirmed that the initiative has received support from the UN over the months.

He noted that there should only be one fund at the national level, under the supervision and guidance of the Government.

Welcoming the inauguration of the vaccine fund, Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, said that the Vietnamese Government has made an accurate move in speeding up the inoculation drive.

For her part, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen said a UNDP study showed that people in the country are highly in favour of COVID-19 prevention and control measures of the Government.

Therefore, she expressed her belief that people from all walks of life, especially businesses will respond to the Government’s call and make contributions to the newly-established fund.

Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam, said the establishment of the vaccine fund has a significant role to play in Vietnam’s strategy in battling COVID-19.

He also said he believes that the Vietnamese Government plays a core role in the mobilisation and connection of resources.

As of 8pm on June 5, the fund, which was approved by the Government on May 26, had received 1.036 trillion VND (45 million USD).

Vietnam is projected to need 150 million doses of vaccine to inoculate about 75 million people at an estimated cost of 25.2 trillion VND./.

Map on President Hồ’ s 30-year national salvation journey released

A map featuring President Hồ Chí Minh’s 30-year journey to seek ways for national salvation has been released by the HCM City-based Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House to mark its 110th anniversary. 

It highlights the major periods from the time he left Nhà Rồng Wharf in Sài Gòn (now HCM City) on June 5, 1911, until he founded the Party, led the Vietnamese people in their struggle for independence and established the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam in 1945. 

The 1911-1929 period depicts the evolution of patriotic young man Nguyễn Tất Thành into communist Nguyễn Ái Quốc (an alias he used) in the movement to liberate colonial peoples and achieve independence for Việt Nam.

The 1929-1945 period features Nguyễn Ái Quốc’s founding of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the leadership of the people for launching a successful uprising against the French and Japanese, and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam.

The map includes details of dates and locations.

“The map will help young people learn about President Hồ, his career and his contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Communist Party, the liberation of the nation and the movement of international communists and workers,” a spokesperson for Trẻ Publishing House said. 

The publisher released a series of books about the late president and his career in May, including Bác Hồ Với Quốc Hội Việt Nam (President Hồ and the Việt Nam National Assembly). 

The book features his remarkable achievements in communicating with people of different classes and backgrounds in the 1940s and reading the Declaration of Independence as President on September 2, 1945.

It also includes accounts by historians and researchers about his contributions to the Party and nation. 

Documentary looks into President Hồ Chí Minh’s testament

The HCM City Cinema Association has presented the documentary series Sài Gòn - Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh: 50 năm thực hiện di chúc Bác Hồ (Sài Gòn - HCM City: 50 years of implementing Uncle Hồ’s testament) on HCM City Television (HTV).

The film, consisting of nine episodes, is directed by seven experienced filmmakers from the association including Nguyễn Mộng Long, winner of Best Director in the documentary category at the Golden Lotus Awards in 2013, and Dương Cẩm Thúy, the association’s chairwoman.

Thúy, general director of the documentary, said: “We want to send our gratitude to people and witnesses, and our staff who supported us in 2019 and 2020 to make this meaningful documentary.”

“The film aims to mark 50 years of implementing President Hồ Chí Minh’s testament, and provide an opportunity for today generations, especially youth, to review and learn about the last words of the beloved leader, the Vietnamese hero of national liberation and the great man of culture,” Thúy said.

The documentary features a review of the testament which the President began to write in May 1965 and last amended in May 1969 – four months before he passed away. It has become a guideline for Việt Nam’s revolution and development over the past half century.

The work highlights the brave spirit and patriotism of Vietnamese people and soldiers during two resistance wars and in the process of nation-building.

The movement of studying and following President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle is reflected as well, especially his thoughts on uniting the people, building a strong Party, leading a simple life, and fighting against corruption.

The series also highlights the development and outstanding economic, social and economic achievements of HCM City after 50 years of implementing President Hồ Chí Minh’s testament.

It includes the city’s activities of caring for war invalids and families of war martyrs and those who sacrificed their lives for national independence, and social affairs programmes for new-style rural areas.

It also honours organisations and individuals following President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle, as well as overseas Vietnamese who have greatly contributed to the development of the city and the country.

The documentary describes HCM City as a modern and smart city, introducing its progress and results in becoming a smart city, and modern buildings and infrastructure.

Nguyễn Thành Danh, a resident in Đồng Nai Province, said: “The document gives me a clearer overview of the President’s testament and the implementation of the testament in nation-building and life, and educates the youth about our descendants' sacrifices in protecting the country’s liberation.”

The Sài Gòn - Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh: 50 năm thực hiện di chúc Bác Hồ documentary is being broadcast at 10am on Mondays and Tuesdays on HTV9.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes