The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (RoK) reaffirmed commitment to further advance their partnership at the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN-RoK Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) held at the ASEAN headquarters on March 21.

The meeting was co-chaired by Permanent Representative of Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, and Ambassador of the RoK to ASEAN Lee Jang-keun. It was the last JCC meeting co-chaired by Vietnam in its role as the coordinator for ASEAN-RoK relations in the 2021-2024 period.

The meeting took note of the good progress made in ASEAN-RoK cooperation over the past one year, including through follow up to the outcomes of the 24th ASEAN-RoK Summit and activities to implement various areas of cooperation under the ASEAN-RoK Plan of Action (2021-2025). 

The meeting welcomed the RoK’s continued support for ASEAN Centrality, ASEAN Community building efforts as well as the RoK’s strong commitment to substantially strengthening ASEAN-RoK cooperation, as reflected in various initiatives of the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI). 

Both sides welcomed the celebration of the 35th Anniversary of ASEAN-RoK Dialogue Relations this year. The meeting welcomed the RoK’s proposal for an ASEAN-RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and looked forward to the establishment of the CSP at the 25th ASEAN-RoK Summit in conjunction with the 35th Anniversary.

The meeting highlighted the importance of the implementation of the ASEAN-RoK Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) adopted at the 24th ASEAN-RoK Summit last year. Both sides agreed to continue strengthen practical cooperation in the four priority areas under the AOIP, including maritime cooperation, connectivity, and sustainable development goals. The RoK confirmed its strong support to Laos’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year, particularly in the implementation of the Chair’s priorities under the theme of Enhancing Connectivity and Enhancing Resilience.

In addition, both sides also agreed to continue advancing cooperation in various areas, including trade and investment; digital innovation; cyber security; clean energy; sustainable development; TVET; education; disaster management; environment and climate change; smart city; connectivity; culture and people-to-people exchanges and capacity building. 

Both sides commended the contribution of the ASEAN-Korea Centre in Seoul and the ASEAN Culture House in Busan in promoting mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and the RoK in trade, investment, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges and encouraged programmes and activities to be conducted in light of the 35th Anniversary.

Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang and his ASEAN colleagues welcomed new proposals and initiatives of the RoK to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially upcoming lighthouse projects. The ambassadors commented that the RoK’s focus on hot issues such as environmental pollution, marine waste, or new issues like big data and AI are very meaningful in supporting ASEAN to develop and realise its Vision 2045.

At the meeting, representatives of the ASEAN - Korea Centre in Seoul and the ASEAN - Korea Cultural House in Busan introduced their typical activities in 2023 and planned activities for this year./.

Vietnamese NA ready to share education reform experience with Philippines: Official

The Vietnamese National Assembly is ready to share experience in educational reform with the Philippines, NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai told a delegation from the Philippine Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) led by Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Co-chair of EDCOM 2 and Senate Chair of the Committee on Basic Education.

Hai affirmed Vietnam treasures its strategic partnership with the Philippines and wants to continue fostering cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, national defence-security, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges, and in new areas through the parliamentary channel.

As the two countries will celebrate the 10th founding anniversary of strategic partnership in 2025 and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026, Hai said he was delighted to witness the increasingly effective and substantial development of bilateral relations in all fields over nearly half a century.

Welcoming the results of an earlier working session between the Vietnamese NA's Committee for Culture and Education and the Philippine delegation, the Vice Chairman affirmed support for expanding educational ties and further improving education quality in both countries, ultimately contributing to their socio-economic and cultural development.

Hai proposed further cooperation between the two legislatures, including exchange programmes for lawmakers and collaboration between their subordinate agencies. He highlighted the importance of sharing experience in parliamentary activities, with a particular focus on education and training.

Gatchalian, for his part, said the working sessions between the delegation and the Vietnamese NA Committee for Culture and Education and the Ministry of Education and Training enable the two sides to further nurture cooperation in the time ahead.

He wished that both sides would continue prioritising cooperation in culture, education and tourism to further raise mutual understanding and solidarity between their people, aiming for a more comprehensive and substantial bilateral relationship./.

Xương Giang Festival recognised as National Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Xương Giang Festival has been officially recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the 597th Anniversary of the Xương Giang Victory (1427-2024) Festival, held at the National Relic Area of Xương Giang Victory Site in Bắc Giang City.

During the ceremony, Dương Văn Thái, the secretary of the Bắc Giang Provincial Party Committee, presented the certificate of Xương Giang Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage to city officials and the local community. The certificate was awarded on behalf of the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

The historical land of Xương Giang witnessed the decisive battle of the Lam Sơn army 597 years ago, resulting in a resounding victory over the 100,000-strong Minh army. This triumph forced the enemy general to surrender and withdraw his forces to China, effectively ending the 20-year domination of the Minh Dynasty over Việt Nam.

The victory at Xương Giang in 1427 marked the beginning of a new era in the nation's history. In celebration of this victory, King Lê Lợi, who ascended to the throne in 1428, held a gathering to welcome the army and read the "Đại cáo Bình Ngô" (Proclamation of Victory). In the spirit of joy, the people of Xương Giang organised a grand festival to offer prayers to heaven and earth for blessings upon the community. Since then, the Xương Giang region has held festivals at the beginning of spring, from the 5th to the 7th of January. These festivities were accompanied by traditional village festivals organised by the surrounding villages, featuring a procession of offerings to Xương Giang and celebrations of the victory.

Over time, the Xương Giang victory festival has grown into a significant event, attracting a large number of participants. The festival not only takes place in the vicinity of Xương Giang Citadel but also extends to other wards in Bắc Giang City.

Since 1998, the annual Xương Giang Festival has been held at a city-wide scale, precisely at the location where the ancient Xương Giang battle occurred. The festival serves as a commemoration of this historical event, reaffirming its importance, meaning, and value in the nation's history. It also plays a vital role in promoting patriotic traditions and fostering national pride among present and future generations.

According to Đặng Đình Hoan, the chairman of Bắc Giang City People's Committee, both the Xương Giang Victory Site and the Xương Giang Festival embody the distinctive cultural identity of the Kinh Bắc - Bắc Giang region and represent the traditional culture of the local community.

Military parade rehearsal held ahead of Dien Bien Phu Victory anniversary

Armed forces taking part in a parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory over French colonialists held a rehearsal in Hanoi on March 22.

The rehearsal was organised under the command of Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, member of the Party Central Committee, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and also Deputy Minister of National Defence.

The parade will officially take place on the morning of May 7 at the Stadium of Dien Bien province in the northwestern region, featuring 18 cannons, including 15 official and three stand-by units, and 12 helicopters, including nine official, two stand-by, and one for search and rescue.

The parade will be the highlight among a series of activities to mark the anniversary, contributing to affirming the significance, stature, and historical value of the Dien Bien Phu Victory and the continuous development and growth of the Vietnam People's Army, the Militia and Self-Defence Force and the People's Police Force over the past 70 years under the Party's leadership.

On March 13, 1954, the Vietnamese revolutionary army launched the first attack against the French colonialists’ heavily fortified base of Dien Bien Phu, starting a 56-day historic campaign whose victory directly led to the signing of the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina.

During the 56 days of undaunted, brave, and creative fighting, the Vietnamese army and people created the Dien Bien Phu Victory that “resounded across the five continents and shook the globe”.

President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that the Dien Bien Phu Victory was a golden milestone in history that created the foundation and conditions for the Vietnamese people to secure victory in the resistance war against the US, liberate the South, and reunify the country in 1975./.

VNSO to perform with Austrian guest violinist

Austrian violinist Rainer Honeck will perform with Việt Nam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) to celebrate the 150th birthday of composer Arnold Schoenberg on March 23.

The violinist has been concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra since 1992. He is a renowned soloist, with concert appearances in Austria as well as in Europe, Japan and America.

Personal highlights with the Vienna Philharmonic include Dvorak’s Violin Concerto, Mozart’s concertos and Herbert Blomstedt and Berg’s Violin Concerto.

He also played the Berg concerto with the Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre under Valery Gergiev and the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas. Further he performed the Stravinsky Violin Concerto and with the London Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Harding.

Honeck plays the “ex-Hämmerle” Stradivarius violin (1709). The instrument is a loan from the Austrian National Bank.

In the concert Music from Vienna at Việt Nam National Academy of Music (VNAM)'s great hall, Honeck will premiere Alban Berg's Violin Concerto (To the Memory of an Angel).

This piece, Berg’s only solo concerto, evolved according to the twelve-tone principles that the composer had learned from composer Schoenberg.

Schoenberg (1874-1951) was an influential Austrian-American composer and music teacher. He led aspects of the expressionist art movement and the Second Viennese School approach to classical music. He was heavily influenced by German techniques – particularly atonality, or music unrestrained by key.

As much as he was a composer, Schoenberg was also an inventor when he was one of the first developers of the twelve-tone method (also known as serialism), a technique in which notes are grouped in sets of twelve and have no tonality, or relationship to each other. This revolutionary technique would garner Schoenberg his greatest acclaim.

His career began at the turn of the twentieth century and spanned several decades.

Verklärte Nacht was composed for string sextet in 1899. Despite an earlier, well-received string quartet, it is considered Schoenberg's first important work, a masterpiece that remains his best known and most accessible music.

The piece will be performed by VNSO under the baton of conductor Tetsuji Honna. The VNSO will also play Johann Strauss II's The Blue Danube Waltz to close the concert. 

Fahasa promotes reading habit

The HCM City Book Distribution Company (Fahasa) will open new book shops in Hà Nội, Huế and Kiên Giang Province next month as part of its activities to promote the reading habit among the community. 

The company will also work with its partners to launch book exhibitions, book-signing events and readings for children and youngsters this summer. 

Book readings will feature young writers who will talk about their writing. Fahasa has 120 book shops in 47 cities and provinces, attracting 40 million people last year. 

The company’s revenue was VNĐ3.9 trillion (US$158.3 million) in 2023. E-commerce made a big contribution to its revenue of around VNĐ30 billion ($1.3 million) per month. 

Many children's books and comics distributed by Fahasa are displayed at the book fair called Lan Toả Tri Thức - Chia Sẻ Ước Mơ (Spreading the Knowledge - Sharing the Dream) in HCM City’s Book Street in District 1. 

Rare books and bestsellers by Vietnamese and foreign writers are also featured. 

The fair displays 16,000 book titles on different topics by leading publishers such as Nhã Nam, Trẻ (Youth), and Thái Hà Book, with many books discounted.

"I often visit Fahasa book shops on the weekends. I love reading at stalls instead of staying home because it brings me closer to nature and people," said Trần Gia Bảo, a seventh-grade student from Tân Bình District.

Dong Nai focuses on cultural development in 2024

The project aims to build a healthy cultural environment, preserve and promote cultural heritage, art and literature, accelerate digital transformation, and boost cultural exchange with other localities and countries.

Under the project, the province will prepare dossiers to seek recognition for worshipping ceremonies for peace at Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Temple and Tổ Sư Temple in Biên Hoà City as national intangible cultural heritage.

Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Temple in Bửu Hoà Ward was built in the 18th century to honour Marquis Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh (1650-1700), who established territorial sovereignty over the southern region for Việt Nam.

In 1698, Cảnh was dispatched by the Nguyễn rulers to extend the country's southern borders and establish Gia Định, now part of HCM City. He later encouraged people from the central region to move southwards and to settle down in the new land, and ordered the construction of roads, canals and markets.

The worshipping ceremony is annually held on 15th-16th days of the fifth lunar month to show gratitude for Cảnh’s great services to the nation, as well as to remind young generations to preserve and promote national traditions.

In 1991, the temple was recognised as a national historical heritage site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Meanwhile, the ceremony at Tổ Sư Temple, known as the Lady Thiên Hậu Temple, in Bửu Long Ward in Biên Hoà City takes place on 10th-13th of the sixth lunar month every three years.

The event is celebrated by the ethnic Hoa people (Chinese-born Vietnamese) to pray for peace, attracting thousands of pilgrims and visitors.

The work seeking recognition for the two temples is expected to finish before the 330th anniversary of the founding of the province in 2028.

According to Nguyễn Hồng Ân, deputy director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Đồng Nai has advantages with heritage tourism, and the application of digital technology to bring better experiences to visitors.

The province is building a 3D virtual tour of the Trấn Biên Temple of Literature, Cự Thạch Ancient Stone Tomb, Tân Triều grapefruit orchards, Cát Tiên National Park, the Đồng Nai Cultural and Natural Conservation Zone, and the Amazing Bay water park.

Last month, the province hosted the Ông Temple Festival, its first cultural tradition to be recognised as a National Intangible Heritage in 2023.

The festival was held on February 19-22, to show gratitude to ancestors who established and developed the land of Biên Hoà Đồng Nai.

It offered various rituals and activities such as a procession in downtown Biên Hoà City and along the Đồng Nai River, a release of floating lanterns, a martial arts performance, and folk games and music.

The festival attracted visitors from neighbouring provinces, and countries such as China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The Ông Temple in Hiệp Hoà Ward was named a national architectural heritage in 2001. 

My Son Sanctuary welcomes estimated 110,000 foreign visitors in first quarter

My Son Sanctuary - a UNESCO-recognised World Cultural Heritage Site in the central province of Quang Nam - welcomed an estimated 123,000 visitors, including 110,000 foreigners, in the first quarter of this year, over 50% higher than that of the same period last year.

According to the site management board, to attract foreign visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic, it has carried out many measures such as improving the quality of artistic performance at ancient towers, screening promotion clips, distributing leaflets and pictures, creating new tourism products, holding tourism promotion events, and upgrading virtual tours with multilingual voice over.

The board is coordinating with Indian experts to build an additional display house for precious artifacts found during excavations at the site, which is expected to meet the needs for not only sightseeing but also study and research of domestic and foreign tourists.

The board also cooperates with domestic and international organisations to excavate the east side of the K tower area to preserve and promote the cultural and architectural value of this isolated tower area while maintaining other towers.

All valuable artifacts found during the excavations will be digitalised.

Once the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom, My Son relic site is located in a hilly landscape in Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen district, about 70 km southwest of Da Nang city and 40 km from Hoi An city.

It comprises eight groups of 71 monument built throughout the 7th -13th centuries./.

Art official shows support to Party chief’s speech on personnel affairs

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s speech at the first meeting of the sub-committee on personnel affairs for the 14th National Party Congress holds in-depth, comprehensive and objective ideas, and shows the significance of the work as well as the Party's consistent, proper, and scientific views on personnel affairs, commented Tran Thi Thu Dong, Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations.

Dong, who is also President of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, held that good personnel preparation is a crucial factor ensuring the success of the 14th National Party Congress.

She showed strong support to the Party chief’s directions on the methods to conduct personnel affairs of the congress with highlights on requirements in building the 14th Party Central Committee which decides important issues of the country.

Building a Party Central Committee with solidarity, integrity, strength, and unity in will and actions is a scientific requirement of discipline, ensuring the success of the national revolution in the new period, said Dong.

Highlighting Party General Secretary Trong’s proper opinions in criteria for official selection, she said that the higher position an official hold, the more important for him/her to set good example in serving the Fatherland and the people and putting the interest of the revolution, the nation and the people above all.
 
Dong said that she is impressed by the Party chief’s directions in ensuring an appropriate rate of young and female officials, those from ethnic minority groups, as well as artists and entrepreneurs in the 14th Party Central Committee.

According to her, in order to increase the number of artists joining the Party Central Committee, it is necessary to make plans to train and develop outstanding artists, enabling them to meet criteria in political qualification and morality for the position.

She said she believes that the personnel preparations for the 14th National Party Congress will be conducted in a responsible manner, thus selecting strategic officials with enough mettle, qualifications, knowledge, and reputation to decide issues related to the national construction, development, and defence./.

Hospitals urged to enhance infection control

Effective infection prevention and control play a vital role in the safety of patients and healthcare workers, but there is inadequate knowledge and awareness of it among healthcare workers, an international conference on infection control heard.

Infection prevention and control procedures help reduce the risk for hospital-acquired infections, resulting in a reduction in hospital stays and healthcare costs, said Dr. Nguyễn Tri Thức, director of Chợ Rẫy Hospital, which hosted the conference on Tuesday.

The Department of Infection Control at the hospital has made significant progress and implemented various infection prevention and control measures to prevent harm caused by infection to patients and healthcare workers, he said.

Effective infection prevention and control requires adequate knowledge and awareness of hospital leaders and healthcare workers, patients and their relatives, he added.

Hà Thị Kim Phượng, head of the Nursing - Nutrition - Infection Control Office under the Ministry of Health, said only 96 hospitals nationwide conduct surveillance and submit their reports to the national hospital infection surveillance network.

Hospitals still do not pay appropriate attention to infection surveillance and management, Phượng said.

Health workers are not properly trained on infection prevention and control, she said.

Many leaders of healthcare facilities are not fully aware of the importance of infection prevention and control, resulting in inappropriate investment and poor management of infection control.

Infection prevention and control and timely responses to pandemics are not only the responsibility of the government but also individuals and healthcare facilities, she added.

The rate of hospital-acquired infections accounts for 3.5-10 per cent of hospitalised patients, according to the Ministry of Health. 

Vietnam Register seeks solutions to solve automobile registrar shortage

A number of automobile registration centres nationwide are likely to face a shortage of registrars as many of them have to serve prison sentences.

Amid increasing registration demand from April to July and last months of the year, congestion is forecasted at the centres in 31 provinces and cities as many centres have been closed for investigation.

According to the Vietnam Register (VR), Việt Nam now has 1,760 registrars working at 277 out of 293 automobile registration centres with 519 out of 545 registration lines qualified for operation.

VR leaders said the distribution of registration centres is uneven, leading to some places having a shortage and some having an excess.

More than 900 registrars have been prosecuted nationwide. Many more are expected to be prosecuted in the future, leading to the human resource shortage.

The VR estimated that there will be 70 registration centres in 24 provinces and cities forced to temporarily suspend operations, causing congestion of vehicles coming for inspection in these localities if there is no proactive solution.

Provinces like Bắc Kạn, Hòa Bình và Thái Bình even have no registration centres in operation.

Other provinces and cities may also be affected due to congestion of vehicles flocking from other localities.

The VR asked for permission from the transport ministry to allow the agency to utilise qualified and skilled registrars who have been dismissed from the Party and sacked from work until the court brings them to trial.

The VR will allow registrars subjected to suspension sentences and not banned from working to continue their jobs until December 31, 2025. 

HCM City, Đồng Nai to join hands to build Cát Lái bridge

HCM City and neighbouring Đồng Nai Province have reached a final agreement to build a new bridge to replace the Cát Lái ferry in the 2025-30 period.

Trần Quang Lâm, director of the HCM City Department of Transportation, said Đồng Nai Province’s People’s Committee has sent a document to the city’s People’s Committee agreeing to invest in the Lái Bridge project.

The Cát Lái ferry carries an average of 50,000 passengers a day and 100,000 on peak days, and is often overloaded during the holidays.

The new bridge will be 4.5km long and have eight lanes, with total investment of VNĐ4.9 trillion ($211.6 million) in the form of a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.

Work is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year.

Once completed, it will facilitate transport from HCM City not only to Nhơn Trạch District but also to the rest of Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province.

In the near future, when the under-construction Long Thành International Airport becomes operational (in Đồng Nai Province), Cát Lái Bridge will connect HCM City with the airport, helping ease congestion on the existing HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây Expressway.

After 2030, the two localities plan to build two more bridges across the Đồng Nai River.

The Ministry of Transport is currently investing in building four-lane Nhơn Trạch Bridge connecting Nhơn Trạch District in Đồng Nai.

The completion time of Nhơn Trạch Bridge in early 2026 should meet some of the traffic connection demand between Nhơn Trạch and the City.

In addition, the route of Nguyễn Thị Định in and out of Cát Lái Port on the HCM City side is overloaded, with frequent traffic jams. Currently, the city is studying investment to build the Cát Lái – Phú Hữu inter-port road, connecting from Nguyễn Thị Định Street to the intersection of Ring Road No 3 of the City, which is expected to be completed and put into use in the 2026-30 period. 

Irrigation pioneering the charge in natural disaster mitigation

During yesterday’s ceremony introducing the implementation plan for the Disaster Prevention and Irrigation Plan for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Hoàng Hiệp underscored irrigation's pivotal role as a fundamental national infrastructure.

He emphasised its essential contribution not only to agriculture but also to broader socio-economic growth, marking it as a cornerstone for Việt Nam's sustainable development.

The Prime Minister promulgated the Disaster Prevention and Irrigation Plan for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, through Decision 847/QD-TTg dated July 14, 2023. Its overarching objective is to secure water supply and drainage systems that support people's livelihoods, boost agricultural productivity, fuel various economic sectors and safeguard the environment.

Furthermore, this plan is committed to bolstering disaster prevention capabilities, mitigating the impact of natural disasters. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to the sustainable development of the socio-economic landscape, guarantee water security, foster adaptability to climate change, and promote development in the upper reaches of transboundary rivers.

To realise these goals, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has crafted and recommended a comprehensive implementation plan. This plan delineates specific tasks and solutions and outlines a roster of priority projects slated for execution.

Hiệp stated in order to transform these plans from paper to reality, ministry departments and local governments need to reevaluate existing policies and suggest innovative strategies concerning resources and manpower to the Government and National Assembly. This effort aims to address conflicts and facilitate the execution of plans. He also stressed the importance of coordinating and prioritising solutions to ensure effective implementation of plans.

Provinces and cities are encouraged to draw up strategies for resource mobilisation, advocating their Provincial People's Councils to allocate local budget resources within medium-term and annual public investment plans to kick-start and back projects aimed at bolstering local infrastructure. The goal is to foster cohesive and thorough investment efforts that significantly boost efficiency.

During the announcement event, participants emphasised the importance of proactive water resource management across different scenarios as essential for achieving swift and enduring socio-economic growth.

Trần Đình Hòa, Director of the Việt Nam Institute of Water Resources Science, highlighted the critical importance of managing, exploiting and utilising water resources for water security and its relevance across various fields and industries. He underscored the necessity for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to collaborate closely with other ministries, sectors and localities. Such cooperation aims to ensure a comprehensive and multipurpose approach to water resource management, exploitation and use. This collaborative effort is crucial for maximising the efficiency of the irrigation initiatives outlined in the planning. 

Regional specialties introduced at tourist attractions in HCM City

As part of efforts to increase the attractiveness of destinations in Ho Chi Minh City, many travel businesses have brought regional specialties to local tourist destinations to serve visitors.

The Saigontourist Group Culinary Culture, Delicacies Festival 2024 will be held from March 28-31 at Van Thanh Tourist Area in Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City). This is the third consecutive time Saigontourist Travel Service Company has coordinated with several units to organise the event.

The festival will introduce over 400 delicious dishes from three regions of Vietnam, craft villages, folk games, and feature cultural exchange and traditional art performance programmes, and tourism promotion activities.  

The festival is a convergence of culinary elites performed and served by representatives of famous culinary brands from 4-5 star hotels, resorts, and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City and many localities across the country.

It is expected to see the participation of partners of Saigontourist Group including Vietnam Airlines and Saigon Trading Group.

Chairman of Saigontourist Pham Huy Binh said, besides the goal of stimulating domestic tourism, diversifying tourism products and promoting Vietnamese culinary culture, the festival is also oriented to become an international event.

The third edition of the culinary festival will add interactive activities for visitors such as voting for the most popular delicacies at the festival, learning how to make traditional cakes with artisans, interactive traditional arts and other attractive activities./.

Minister asks for good preparations for 13th ASEAN School Games

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son on March 22 asked Da Nang to ensure good preparations of infrastructure and other conditions serving the 13th ASEAN School Games (ASG-13) that the central city will host from May 31 to June 9.

At a working session, Son requested the organising committee to finalise a detail scenario for each task, and design the opening and closing ceremonies with contents suitable to students.

Alongside, Da Nang should make good preparations in logistics, accommodations, tourism, and health care services as well as security and safety for the participants, he asked.

Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Le Trung Chinh said that most of the sports facilities in the city have just been newly built, repaired and upgraded, meeting professional requirements for the event.

Nguyen Thanh De, Director of the Department of Physical Education under the Ministry of Education and Training, pointed to six major tasks in preparations for the ASG-13, including the management of sports competitions in a professional and fair manner.

As scheduled, the ASG-13 will draw about 1,500 athletes and coaches from 10 ASEAN countries. The athletes will compete in six sports of swimming, basketball, badminton, athletics, pencak silat, and Vovinam. There are 107 sets of medals.

The opening of the games will take place on June 1, and the closing ceremony on June 9.

This is the second time Vietnam hosts the event after the first in 2013.

The mascot of the ASG-13 is the red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), an endemic animal species in Son Tra Peninsular of Da Nang, which is listed as endangered in the Red Book of Vietnam./.

Water filtration system given to people affected by saltwater intrusion

Keppel Corporation and Tien Phong newspaper on March 22 held a ceremony to hand over a water filtration system to people in Tan Thuy commune, Ba Tri district, the southern province of Ben Tre.

The system worth about 350 million VND (14,000 USD) can produce 6,000 litres of clean water a day for domestic use, helping nearly 10,000 people in the commune and neighbouring ones to access free fresh water when they are affected by severe saltwater intrusion. Previously, they usually suffered from water shortages or had to buy water for daily use at high costs.

In 2022, the group and the newspaper launched the initiative “Living Well” to provide such systems to areas affected severely by harsh drought and saltwater intrusion.

So far, five communes in the three provinces of Ben Tre, Tien Giang, and Ca Mau have been given such systems./.

Danang International Marathon 2024 draws 9,000 runners

The Danang International Marathon 2024 opened in the central city of Da Nang on March 22, drawing more than 9,000 runners, including 1,800 foreigners from 60 countries and territories.

The runners will compete in different distances of 42km, 21km, 10km, 5km, and 1.5km.

They will run along the coast, passing through major tourist attractions of Da Nang such as Rong (Dragon) Bridge, Han River Bridge, Son Tra Peninsula, and Ngu Hanh Son Mountain. This is considered one of the most beautiful running routes in Southeast Asia, which meets standards of the International Marathon Association (AIMS) and the World Athletics Federation.

Kenyan Edwin Kiptoo Yebe and former SEA Games champion Pham Thi Binh are strong candidates for the title of the men's and women's full marathon categories, respectively.

The runners will begin competing on the afternoon of March 23 with the 1.5 km Ronny Dash fun run. They will take part in the marathon distances of 42km, 21km, 10km, and 5km on March 24.

According to Vice Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Hoi An, this year has seen a record number of international athletes, becoming an outstanding sports and tourism event of Da Nang.

She said that along with promoting physical exercise movement in the community, the event also provides a chance for Da Nang to introduce the image of a friendly and hospitable tourist destination to domestic foreign friends.

First held in 2013, the Danang International Marathon has become one of Vietnam's oldest running events.

Previously, it was held annually in August, but from this year, the organising board has decided to organise the event in March when the weather is cooler and more pleasant.

The event expects 20,000 runners in 2027, becoming a motivation for Da Nang to stimulate tourism in the low season.

Pulse Active, the event organiser, is cooperating with many international sports tourism partners from the US, Europe, China, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is expected that these partners alone will bring more than 2,000 international athletes to Da Nang from 2025./.

HCM City mobilises over 300 billion VND for poor, disadvantaged areas in 2023

The Ho Chi Minh City Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front (VFF) mobilised over 300 billion VND (12.1 million USD) last year to support the poor, residents, officers, soldiers, and workers in border, sea and island areas across the country.

At the meeting on March 22 to review fundraising and management, deputy chairman of the committee Pham Minh Tuan said with the funds, the city provided support to more people with groups of beneficiaries expanded, plus the support was more practical to meet the beneficiaries’ needs in housing, education, and health care.

Meanwhile, activities for the border, sea and islands are also carried out through specific and practical projects.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet), a total of 425,000 Tet gift pakages worth more than 216 billion VND were given to poor households and people in disadvantaged areas.

However, Tran Kim Yen, Chairwoman of the committee, acknowledged that besides positive results, the fundraising still has limitations, pointing to the decreases of 20% and 30%, respectively, in the "For the Poor" fund and the “For National Seas and islands – For the Fatherland Frontline” fund.

The coordination among organisations in providing housing support is still insufficient, she said./.

Quang Tri promotes forest protection, afforestation to reduce emissions

The central province of Quang Tri is mobilising resources and focusing on implementing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through natural forest protection and afforestation.

Quang Tri is one of six provinces in the north central region piloting the trading of carbon credits, and the financial management of payment agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with Decree No. 107/2022/ND-CP 2022 of the Government.

The province currently has five natural forests managed by local communities that are certified for sustainable forest development and management by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), as well as for ecosystem services in terms of carbon absorption and storage with a total area of 2,145 hectares, providing carbon absorption of 7,000 tonnes a year and storage of about 350,000 tonnes.

In the 2023 – 2025 period, the province is paid 51 billion VND (2 million USD) from forest carbon absorption and storage services, thanks to its engagement in reducing emissions through forest protection. The money is used to pay for forest management and protection, and afforestation. The province has allocated about 20,000 hectares out of over 126,000 hectares of natural forests to more than 100 communities and nearly 1,000 households to manage and protect.

On March 19, the provincial People's Committee approved a project on conserving, restoring and improving ecosystem services of carbon absorption and storage of community-managed natural forests, sponsored by Etifor S.r.l.Benefit Company of Italy’s Padua University with a total capital of 6.5 billion VND. The project will be implemented in the mountainous area in the north of Huong Hoa district until February 2028./.

Chinese locality Shaanxi promotes tourism in Ho Chi Minh City

The northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi introduced its culture and tourism potential at a conference held on March 21 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese and Chinese businesses sign a co-operation agreement to further develop tourism services at a conference held in HCM City on March 21.
Upon addressing the event, Xu Zhou, deputy consul general of China in Ho Chi Minh City, shared that Shaanxi province boasts many historical relic sites and sightseeing spots to attract tourists such as Mount Huashan, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi, Huaqing Palace, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayanta).

He also expressed optimism moving forward that through the function tourism services and products of both sides, particularly those of Ho Chi Minh City and Shaanxi, will be increasingly developed.

Zhang Wei, a representative of China’s Xincheng Airport, shared that Ho Chi Minh City is the most vibrant tourism market in the nation.

He outlined his hope that through the conference there would be direct flights running at attractive prices launched in the near future in order to connect Ho Chi Minh City and Shaanxi, thereby meeting the demands of people from the two sides.

At the occasion, businesses operating in the aviation industry of the two localities also signed a co-operation agreement in a bid to further develop tourism services in the future.

Da Nang vows support for French investors, tourists

Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang city Le Trung Chinh hosted a reception on March 22 for Jérémy Bacchi, Politburo member of the French Communist Party, Senator for the Bouche de Rhone department and Secretary of its Party Committee, expressing commitment to supporting French firms and ensuring tourist safety.

Briefing his guest on the central city’s development, Chinh highlighted the city's role as a nucleus of growth in the central key economic region, with strengths in seafood, apparel, footwear, mechanical engineering, construction materials and handicrafts. Particularly, Da Nang is prioritising information technology as a leading sector and aiming for a service-oriented economy with strong industry and agriculture.

According to him, Da Nang has formed cooperative relationships with 48 localities from 22 countries and territories. The city has been honoured with the Vietnam Smart City Award and numerous other accolades. He also noted successful projects funded by the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Regional Council, totaling over 10 billion VND (416,000 USD) over the past 14 years of collaboration.

Chinh wished that during his visit, Bacchi would act as a bridge for the French businesses and people to visit and explore investment opportunities in Da Nang while facilitating scholarship and overseas study opportunities for local students.

For his part, Jérémy Bacchi hoped that the relationship between the two countries and their localities will further prosper across various sectors, particularly in culture, economy and education. He also praised Da Nang for preserving, protecting and promoting the values of its museums, considering it essential to preserve cultural and historical values./.

Vietnamese, Chinese Party officials discuss measures to step up cooperative ties

Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Chairman of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung on March 22 met with high-ranking officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) during his working trip to China.

The Chinese officials included Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the CPC Central Committee’s Secretariat and Chief of the CPC Central Committee’s Office; and Wang Yi, Politburo member, Director of the Office of the CPC Central Committee’s Commission for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Trung briefed the Chinese officials on his working visit to China and his annual meeting with the Chairman of the CPC Central Committee's International Liaison Department, which, he said, aimed to realise common perceptions reached by high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and countries, exchange views on advising their respective Party Central Committees to foster exchanges and cooperation through the Party channel and promote the bilateral ties in different fields.
 
Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, Chairman of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung (L) meets with Standing Vice President of the CPC’s Central Party School Xie Chun Tao. (Photo: VNA)
While in Beijing, Trung also engaged in discussions with Xie Chun Tao, member of the CPC’s Central Committee and Standing Vice President of the CPC’s Central Party School; and held talks with experts of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Foreign Affairs University; and visited Xiong'an new area in Hebei province./.

Vietnam emerges as fast-growing data centre market

Vietnam is assessed as one of the fastest-growing data centre markets globally, driven by the digitalisation efforts of domestic small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), tech-savvy young population, the advent of 5G, demand for self-sufficient digital infrastructure, and data localisation.

The Vietnamese market surged to over 1 billion USD last year, nearly double the figure logged in 2022. Currently, most of those participating in the local data center segment are domestic telecommunications companies.

According to the real estate consultancy firm Savills Vietnam, there are 28 data centre projects nationwide with a combined capacity of 45 MW. The market sees involvement of 44 service providers. Notably, in August 2022, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the launch of data centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Similarly, a study by Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam reveals that compared to mature markets like Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Beijing and Shanghai (China), Vietnam remains relatively "young." While major international cloud service providers have yet to establish a significant presence, some international telcos have entered through partnerships with domestic peers. Projects of small and medium scales undertaken by domestic firms are underway in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

According to Trang Bui, CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam, the nation experiences rapid population growth – particularly the middle class, urbanisation, high internet penetration, and active digital adoption in banking and business operations.

However, despite its advantages, Vietnam currently lacks data center infrastructure on a global scale concerning population ratio. This may pressure domestic investors in terms of construction challenges, scarcity of experienced labour, and supply chain logistics, among others.

Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam's expert suggest investors continue to eye this sector, particularly focusing on larger-scale projects rather than building numerous small facilities.

The CEO analysed that southern provinces could become favoured destinations thanks to abundant land reserves, readily available electricity within industrial zones, and major national submarine cable landing stations in Quy Nhon, Da Nang, and Vung Tau. Additionally, renewable energy accounts for a quarter of the national energy mix.

Data centers are expected to play a crucial role in supporting Vietnam's digital transformation. Therefore, despite being in the nascent stage, many foreign investors anticipate effective investment-attracting policies in the near future to meet demands./.

Vietnamese, Chinese border guards hold joint patrol

Border guards stationed in Vietnam’s northern province of Ha Giang coordinated with their counterparts in China’s Yunnan province to hold a joint patrol along the two provinces' shared border on March 22.

The patrol aims to detect violations of border regulations, resolve incidents occurring on the shared border, and protect security and safety along the borderline.

At the same time, the two sides popularised laws to border residents.

The two sides together checked the safety status of the border marker system on the 2.5km-long borderline from Marker No.227 to Marker No.228.

The joint patrol found that the national border markers remain intact and the border safety is secured, while residents on both sides of the border do not violate the law.

After the patrol, both sides signed a minute on patrolling, border management and protection. They also proposed policies and solutions to better manage the shared border, and agreed on the time and content for the next joint patrol.

Vietnam and China share a border of almost 1,450 km, including 1,065.6 km on land and 383.9 km over water. It traverses seven Vietnamese provinces - Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son, and Quang Ninh - and China’s Yunnan province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region./.

Workshop looks into external challenges’ impacts on Vietnamese development

An international workshop was held by the Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences on March 22 in Hanoi to look into the impacts of external challenges relating the nation’s integration into the world. 

In his opening remarks at the event, Dr. Phi Vinh Tuong, acting director of the IWEP, said that when facing the COVID-19 pandemic the country had exerted great efforts to respond to the health crisis, possibly the biggest non-traditional security issue faced in decades, to reverse its negative impacts. Moving out of the pandemic period, numerous armed conflicts erupted in different regions around the globe, forcing the world to deal with other non-traditional security challenges such as energy, food, and navigation security.

Pointing out the substantial impacts of these issues on economic, political, and social aspects of countries, regions, and the whole world, he considered the identification of those impacts, especially the direct ones on the nation, as essential for policymakers to devise countermeasures as part of the country’s efforts to pursue its development targets.

Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, deputy director of the IWEP, touched upon certain global economic uncertainties, including the economic downturn, geo-political tensions, monetary policy tightening, high inflation, and financial volatility.

In 2023, the Vietnamese economy faced a host of difficulties and challenges. Despite the financial - monetary system properly coping with shocks, there were still many risks, particularly in terms of the real estate market and financial institutions. The economy therefore tended to become more dependent on external factors.

The economic growth rate stood at 5.05% last year, lower than the target of 6.5%, whilst businesses faced a shortage of orders and both exports and imports dropped by 4.4% and 8.9%, respectively, compared to 2022, he noted.

Dr. Tuan predicted a more positive outlook for the economy ahead in the latter half of the year as businesses are witnessing a rebound in export orders.

At the workshop, domestic and international experts and scholars analysed some critical issues like traditional and non-traditional security issues facing both the region and the world that directly affect Vietnam, along with the impacts of powerful countries’ strategies and policies on the nation.

They also suggested some measures for the nation as it seeks to achieve its development targets to 2030 and 2045.

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