Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 7 met with President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines as part of his official visit to Australia.

The PM conveyed regards and an invitation to visit Vietnam from National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to the Australian Senate leader.  
       
The Vietnamese leader underlined the significance of the official visit to Australia by the Vietnamese high-level delegation, which manifests Vietnam's desire to work with Australia in further consolidating and deepening bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as strengthening the close cooperative relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Australian Parliament, contributing to opening up new prospects for cooperation in the coming time.

Chinh said that Vietnam has reaped many achievements in socioeconomic development and international integration, which are partly attributable to the cooperation and support of international friends, including Australia.   
         
He took the occasion to thank Australia for always supporting Vietnam in the past times with specific projects, assisting the country with COVID-19 vaccines in the most difficult times, helping Vietnam become one of the countries with the highest COVID-19 vaccine coverage in the world. 
           
For her part, Australian Senate President Sue Lines expressed pleasure at the strong development of relations between the two countries over the past 50 years and the establishment of the Vietnam-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership during the visit, looking forward to deepening the relationship in the near future.

Lines said she will visit Vietnam soon, saying the visit is intended to implement the cooperation agreement between the two legislatures which was signed in 2022.
 
Recalling her good impressions of the country and people of Vietnam during the previous visit, the Australian Senate President strongly believes in the development of the Southeast Asian nation as well as the bright future of relations between the two countries.

The two leaders agreed to further tighten people-to-people diplomacy, cooperate in combating climate change, and open direct flights to expand collaboration in education, training, and tourism. The two sides also exchanged experiences on issues of mutual concern such as gender equality, support for disadvantaged groups, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation, PM Chinh proposed that the two legislatures continue to fully implement the cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese NA and the Australian Parliament signed on the occasion of NA Chairman Hue’s official visit to Australia in 2022.

He also expressed his hope that the Australian Parliament will continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to contribute to the development of Australia and relations between the two countries.

PM receives Liberal Party of Australia leader

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received leader of the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA) Peter Dutton in Canberra on March 7, within the framework of his official visit to Australia.

Chinh underlined that the Government and people of Vietnam wish to further consolidate and deepen the relationship between the two countries, working together to implement the newly established comprehensive strategic partnership, which opens up new prospects for cooperation in the coming time.

The two sides agreed to promote the exchange of delegations and contacts at high-level and enable friendship associations of the two countries to organise cultural, sports and charity activities, strengthen practical cooperation between localities, and enhance collaboration in gender equality and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups.

The Vietnamese PM suggested the LPA continue to support policies that create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community who live, work and study in Australia, contributing to the development of the host country and bilateral relations.

For his part, Dutton appreciated the official visit of PM Chinh and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Australia, saying that his country treasures its relations with Vietnam, considering it one of the important partners in the Asia-Pacific region, regardless of which party in Australia is in power.

Recalling that the strategic partnership between the two countries, which was established in 2018 when the LPA was in power, Dutton affirmed his support and appreciation for the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. He committed continued efforts to further develop and enrich the content of the newly established comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia, for the benefit of their people as well as for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Vietnam, Australia vow to deepen judicial ties

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Justice Tran Tien Dung and Australian Deputy Secretary of Justice Tara Inverarity held talks in Canberra on March 7.

Both sides expressed their joy at witnessing the issuance of the Joint Statement on the elevation of Vietnam-Australia relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by the two countries' Prime Ministers, which features deeper cooperation in political, national defence-security, and legal and judicial matters of shared concern.

Inverarity spoke highly of the fruitful coordination in legal and judicial fields since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Australian Department of Justice in 2012, focusing on criminal justice and international legal issues.

She thanked the MoJ for close collaboration during the negotiation process of the draft Letter of Intent on cooperation, which has been signed during this important visit.

Dung put forth suggestions for future endeavors, emphasising the necessity of effective implementation of the Letter of Intent. He suggested that Australia assist the MoJ in training officials and experts, especially lawyers and legal experts capable of handling international legal issues related to Vietnam; and closely cooperate with the Vietnamese side in civil legal assistance and the effective enforcement of the Hague Conference Conventions on Private International Law, of which both sides are members.

As the talks concluded, both sides agreed to prioritise the effective implementation of the agreed-upon contents in the new Letter of Intent, including policies on organised and transnational crimes, especially money laundering and terrorism financing, corruption, drug and human trafficking; legal document and evidence collection abroad in civil and commercial matters; alternative dispute resolution methods, including international arbitration and commercial mediation.

They also committed to collaborating in issues related to digital transformation, green and circular economy, artificial intelligence ; and training a team of legal experts to serve global integration.

NA Chairman commends female legislators' contributions

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with female full-time NA deputies, leaders and managers of the NA Office and the Institute of Legislative Research, on the occasion of the 114th anniversary of International Women's Day (March 8) and the 1,984th anniversary of Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters)'s Uprising.

In his speech, NA Chairman Hue said the positive outcomes of the legislature's recent activities, especially those during the first half of its 15th tenure, partly came from the relentless efforts and significant contributions of female deputies, leaders, civil servants and employees at the NA Office and the institute.

Highlighting a remarkable milestone, he underscored that the 15th NA term witnessed the highest proportion of female deputies in the past ten terms, reaching 30.26%. This achievement has garnered praise from numerous parliamentary bodies worldwide.

He hailed female deputies for actively studying documents, voicing quality and insightful opinions at the NA meetings, and leveraging their strengths to better perform gender equality policies.

According to him, they have held numerous practical activities that served as a platform to share experience in parliamentary skills and learn from their foreign counterparts at multilateral and bilateral forums.

On the occasion, he called for fully grasping the Politburo’s Resolution on women’s work during the country’s industrialisation and modernisation, the Directive of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on continuing to enhance women's work in the new situation while effectively realising the national strategy on gender equality for the 2021-2030 period.

Concluding his speech, he believed that female deputies will build on the past achievements and make even greater contributions to the NA’s activities, toward celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Vietnamese NA in 2026.

PM calls for unity, national pride among OV community in Australia

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the overseas Vietnamese (OV) community in Australia to always uphold the honour of and take pride in being Vietnamese during a meeting in Canberra, Australia on March 7 (local time).

He thanked the Vietnamese communities abroad, including those in Australia, for their noteworthy and positive contributions to the homeland.

The Government leader informed them about the recent upgrade of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties to the highest level - Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during his visit, adding that the move will contribute to improving material and spiritual lives of the Vietnamese people living here.

He revealed that during meetings with Australian leaders, he had proposed Australia consider and recognise the Vietnamese community as an ethnic minority of Australia.

About issues of concern raised by the OVs, he assured them that the relevant ministries and agencies back home are actively working on solutions.

With a desire to build creative overseas Vietnamese communities, he disclosed that the Ministry of Science and Technology has been tasked with planning a sci-tech award for OVs and submitting it to the competent authorities. He also mentioned the possibility of opening more trade representative offices or increasing the number of staff of existing offices to further strengthen trade cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.

In conclusion, he wished that the OVs would continue to join hands to build a united, developed and strong community, uphold national pride, obey the law and contribute to the development of the host country while continuing to be an increasingly solid bridge in the bilateral relationship through practical activities toward the homeland.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam, the Vietnamese community in Australia currently comprises over 350,000 people, with a network of entrepreneurs, intellectuals, experts and students who have made significant contributions to the local community in the political, economic, and cultural spheres, while also nurturing the relationship between Vietnam and Australia.

Vietnam wants cooperation with Australia in high-quality personnel training: Minister

Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has expressed his hope for stronger bilateral cooperation in education-training and high-quality human resources development, especially in electronics and semiconductors, at a meeting with Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy.

The meeting took place within the framework of the working trip to Australia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to attend the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit and pay an official visit to the country.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the two ministers shared the hope to foster cooperation in economy, investment and trade through specific projects that are consistent with the advantages and development orientations of both nations, making the collaboration on par with the freshly-established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Dung briefed the host on the remarkable socio-economic achievements Vietnam has recorded after the past nearly 40 years of reform and development. The country is implementing three strategic breakthroughs in institution, infrastructure and human resources, along with spurring development based on science-technology and innovation.

However, Vietnam remains an evolving economy with limited resources, he said, noting that the country needs support from international partners, especially the Australian government, to fulfill its development targets by 2045, and its net-zero commitment by 2050.

The minister suggested the two sides continue their close coordination to implement specific projects in the key areas set out by Vietnam’s National Innovation Centre (NIC), especially through the Australian government’s non-refundable aid worth 90 million AUD (59.3 million USD) to Vietnam, and development support programmes in climate change response and sustainable development.

Mentioning obstacles to Australia’s ODA and investment projects in Vietnam, Dung affirmed that they will soon be removed, and pledged to facilitate the implementation of Australian-funded projects, as well as the effective, sustainable operations of Australian investors in the Southeast Asian nation.

For his part, Conroy emphasised that the Australian government always views Vietnam as an important partner, and wishes to boost investment cooperation and help the country in the areas that match its development orientations.

The officials consented to maintain the dialogue mechanism between the two countries, and work together to arrange the Vietnam visit by Conroy in the time ahead, during which they expect to compare notes on specific cooperation areas, thus strengthening bilateral economic-investment-trade ties.

On this occasion, Dung met with representatives from the Vietnam Australia Innovation Network (NIC AU), which was asked to expand and diversify its operation, and particularly beef up its coordination with the NIC and other networks worldwide.  

The NIC AU said it will work harder to bring together Vietnamese experts in Australia, and connect them with their international peers.  

On this occasion, Dung had working sessions with some Australian partners who said they hope to roll out specific projects in Vietnam in the time ahead.

Dung suggested the partners consider cooperation projects in green hydrogen, focusing on assisting Vietnam in improving its technological capacity and develop human resources for the sector.

He also called on them to help Vietnamese businesses join the Australian and regional hydrogen markets.

14th National Party Congress’s organisation sub-committee convenes first meeting

The sub-committee in charge of organisation work for the 14th National Party Congress, led by Truong Thi Mai, Politburo member and Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, held its first meeting in Hanoi on March 7.

Members of the sub-committee discussed a draft organisation plan of the congress, and a draft conclusion on tasks assigned to particular members.

Concluding the meeting, Mai, who is also Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee's Organisation Commission, said that the sub-committee has three major missions specified into 100 detailed tasks, which will be assigned to agencies, units and its members.

As the workload is huge with changing requirements in the new situation, it is necessary to stay active in all circumstances, taking into account urgent situations in security and food safety to make scenarios and contingency plans, she said.

Currently, five sub-committees serving the 14th National Party Congress have become operational, she said, stressing the need for consensus among the sub-committees.

The official said that all activities of the congress must be conducted in a harmonious manner, creating a positive atmosphere that spreads among officials, Party members, and society about the 14th National Party Congress.

She requested members of the sub-committee to build specific work plans for particular agencies and a coordination plan to complete the overall tasks of the sub-committee.

10th HCM City Ao Dai festival in full swing

The 10th Ao Dai Festival, a signature event of Ho Chi Minh City, is underway featuring myriad enticing activities.

At its opening ceremony taking place on March 7 evening, the public was treated to a spectacle of over 800 ao dai designs meticulously crafted by 30 renowned local designers, with more than 20 prominent writers, artists, and celebrities serving as ambassadors for the event.

Particularly noteworthy was a performance of female consuls general and consuls general's spouses wearing ao dai, showing the charm of the Vietnamese traditional attire and the friendship and cooperation between nations.

At the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Dung attributed the success of the festival in a decade to concerted efforts and support among the authorities, organisations, businesses, and locals.

On the occasion, the annual event also earned a special record for the biggest number of consecutive annual editions held so far.

During the festival lasting until March 17, several interactive activities are set to be held, including an art programme, competitions, exhibition spaces, and an event where ao dai are presented to disadvantaged women.

Ambassador highlights fisheries cooperation, development of ASEAN, Vietnam

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN in Geneva, on March 7 affirmed the importance the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attaches to fisheries cooperation and Vietnam’s achievements in developing this sector.

He delivered speeches while attending an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food.

On behalf of ASEAN, Dung stated that the bloc always attaches importance to fisheries cooperation and considers this as one of the economic integration priorities that plays an important role in ensuring food security, promoting the economies, and boosting livelihoods across the region.

He also shared many initiatives of the regional grouping aiming to assist small-scale producers, including the Strategic Plan of Action on ASEAN Cooperation on Fisheries (2021 - 2025) that identifies strategic priorities such as enhancing the fisheries and aquaculture sector’s resilience to climate change and natural shocks, and helping small-scale producers improve productivity and competitiveness.

The ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises, adopted last September, emphasises the commitment to facilitating fishermen’s access to finance to improve the long-term resilience and sustainability of fisheries, the diplomat noted, adding it also stresses the necessity to utilise available resources in ASEAN for food production, especially for small-scale farmers, fishermen, and other groups vulnerable to food insecurity.

Delivering the speech of Vietnam, Ambassador Dung highlighted the country’s efforts and achievements in fisheries development and gave a brief presentation of Vietnam’s strategy for fisheries development by 2030, with a vision to 2045.

He affirmed that Vietnam will continue promoting and protecting the rights of workers, especially women, in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. It will assist them to access finance, market information, capital, and suitable technology while ensuring stable-income jobs and safe network for them.
         
Earlier, at the dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Minister Counsellor Cung Duc Han, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, noted the country’s commitment to enhancing cultural rights and inclusive participation in science.

The Constitution of Vietnam protects all people’s right to scientific or technological research and literary or art creation, and their entitlement to benefits from those activities, he went on.

Echoing the UN Special Rapporteur’s recommendations that aim to boost the effective engagement of vulnerable groups, Han said that under the socio-economic development strategy for 2021 - 2030 with a vision to 2045, Vietnam has carried out many initiatives to remove barriers and open up more opportunities for exploration, reform, and sustainable development.

Vietnam puts women’s empowerment at centre of development: UNFPA Vietnam

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson has affirmed that Vietnam has been putting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and human rights at the centre of development.

In his article, titled “Women and girls are empowered to make their own decision” and penned on the occasion of the 114th anniversary of International Women’s Day (March 8), Jackson said over recent years, dedicated investments in the health and rights of women and girls have improved – and saved – millions of lives but progress is slow. Globally, in the last 20 years, maternal mortality rates have declined by 34%, yet a woman still dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth, pointing to a hidden global crisis.

“Vietnam has made great strides surpassing the global trend to reduce maternal mortality by 46.5% over the same period,” he said, suggesting that the focus must now shift to areas where rates are still high such as among ethnic minorities in rural and mountainous regions.

Another success story is the number of women using modern contraception which, globally, has doubled to 77% over 30 years. Yet more than 250 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using family planning.

In Vietnam, the use of modern contraceptives is around 60% - also an increase. However, the unmet need is four times higher for unmarried women than it is for married women.

“This tells us we have much more to do in ensuring services reach adolescents and young people,” the UNFPA representative noted.

Mentioning gender-based violence, he said the 2019 National Study on Violence Against Women in Vietnam found that nearly two-thirds of women experience intimate partner violence and that 90% of these women never seek help.

“Our response is threefold: to support services such as the national GBV hotline and One-Stop-Service Centres; to tackle root causes such as gender inequality to prevent violence; and to change the stigma associated with violence,” he said.

According to Jackson, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the UNFPA in Vietnam is running an online challenge and webinar to raise awareness and share experiences of young people protecting themselves online, given the context of the rising levels of online violence with women and girls particularly at risk of image-based abuse.
 
Emphasising positive impacts of gender equality on families, communities and the wider economy, the official said he is keen to support investment in cervical cancer screening and accelerate the roll-out of HPV vaccinations – simple actions that can save the lives of many women from preventable illness.

“It’s important to remember that we are not just one story – there are many parts that make up our identities and our lives. For this reason, I am committing UNFPA in Vietnam to ensuring that our projects and programmes work for everyone who needs them,” he said.

“To achieve this, we must be people-centred and reflect their wishes and needs. Women’s leadership is critical to Vietnam’s social-economic growth.”

“The arguments for gender equality for individuals, communities and the economy are clear. Together we can create societies where women and girls are empowered to make their own decisions. These actions will help to ensure that we leave no one behind,” he concluded.

PM proposes enhancing parliamentary collaboration between Vietnam, Australia

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives and Chairperson of the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Sharon Claydon in Canberra on March 7, within the framework of his official visit to Australia.

Chinh thanked Australia for supporting Vietnam in post-war recovery and socio-economic development, especially by providing official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, most recently in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He appreciated the cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) and the Australian Parliament, especially after the visit by NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to Australia in 2022, saying he hopes that the relations between the two legislative bodies as well as the two friendship parliamentarians’ groups will continue to be strengthened, particularly through promoting the exchange of young parliamentarians and female ones.

Sharon Claydon spoke highly of Vietnam's contributions to Australia - ASEAN relations, especially the success of the recent Special Summit commemorating 50 years of the relations.

Recalling her meeting with Chairman Hue during his visit, Claydon said that the two countries share a lot of common concerns, for the development of each country and for security, safety, stability and development in the region, especially in disease prevention, socio-economic development, education and training, energy transition, and development of offshore wind power.

PM Chinh said the complex world situation with many unpredictable changes such as conflicts, strategic competition, climate change, and population aging are all global problems which need a global approach.

He said he hopes the two legislative bodies will continue to support each other for the development of each country and the two peoples, and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The Vietnamese Government leader proposed the two sides cooperate to renew old growth drivers in investment, export, and consumption; and add new ones such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy and sharing economy. He suggested Australia continue to create conditions and provide scholarships for Vietnamese students, and have more open policies on labour and visa for Vietnamese people doing business and living in Australia.

He also urged Australia to consider and recognise the Vietnamese community in Australia as its ethnic minority.

HCM City to host 2024 National Press Festival

The 2024 National Press Festival will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from March 15-17, heard a press conference in Hanoi on March 7.

With the theme "Vietnamese Press - Pioneering, Innovation for the Revolutionary Cause of the Party and the People", the festival will highlight the professionalism and modernity of the press.

According to Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) Nguyen Duc Loi, head of the festival’s organising commitee, this is not only a festival to honour the significant achievements of the Vietnamese press and promote appealing journalistic products, but also an opportunity for journalists to interact directly with the public.

As the biggest festival ever in the press circle, the event is expected to bring together representatives from three journalists’ associations of cities and provinces and 100 central and local press agencies nationwide, with 185 booths displaying outstanding publications covering all aspects of economic, political, cultural, social, defence, security, and foreign affairs.

In the framework of the event, a national press forum will be held on March 15 – 16 with the participation of over 60 speakers, including experienced journalists, representatives of leading media agencies in Vietnam, and reputable international communication experts.

The forum will include 10 sessions, debating on topics of interest to the press, such as enhancing the Party's leadership and orientation in journalistic activities, building a media cultural environment, data journalism and superior content strategy, and effective investment and application of technology in editorial offices.

Many sideline events will be arranged on the occasion, including an exhibition introducing OCOP products from 50 provinces and cities across the country.

Algerian journalists dying in accident in Vietnam in 1974 commemorated

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh laid a wreath at the memorial plaque located on the Journalistes Viet Nam 8/3/1974 street, Bir Mourad Raïs district, Algiers on March 7, in memory of the Algerian journalists who died in an accident in Vietnam 50 years ago.

On March 8, 1974, 15 journalists and technicians from Algeria, along with 9 Vietnamese journalists and 3 flight crew members, lost their lives in a plane crash while accompanying then President of Algeria Houari Boumediene on his official visit to Vietnam.

To remember the deceased, both Vietnam and Algeria erected memorial plaques in each country. In Vietnam, a memorial site was built at the location of the accident - in Hanoi’s outlying district of Soc Son, during the State visit to Vietnam by President of Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika in October 2000. The site has undergone renovation by the municipal People's Committee and will be reopened on the 50th year since the accident. 

In 2013, the Algerian Government also erected a memorial plaque for the 15 journalists and named a street "Journalistes Viet Nam" in the capital city.

Earlier on March 6, Ambassador Khanh attended a forum held by Algeria's national newspaper El Moudjahid and dedicated to commemorating the journalists.

Vietnam, Cambodia cooperate in training signal officers

Cambodian Defence Attaché in Vietnam Major General Leang Sovannara on March 6 visited the Telecommunications University (TCU) (Signal Officers Training College) in Nha Trang city, south-central province of Khanh Hoa.

TCU Vice Principal Nguyen Danh Khoa briefed the Defence Attaché on the university’s training of Cambodian students, and pledged to raise the quality of the work in the time ahead.

Sovannara thanked the Vietnamese side for its whole-hearted support to the Royal Cambodian Army in training, information equipment supply, expert dispatch and technology transfer, greatly contributing to the development of the signal force of the Cambodian army.

The two sides compared notes on how to improve the quality of the training of Cambodian students.

The TCU has been tasked with providing training for signal officers of the Vietnam People’s Army, and helping the Cambodian and Lao armies in this regard, with hundreds of Cambodian officers having already graduated from the school so far.

Spectacular activities to wow visitors at Ban Flower Festival

Visitors should get ready for a fantastic display at the Ban (Bauhinia) Flower Festival, a highlight of Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024, which is set to open in the northwestern province of Dien Bien on March 16.

Spanning from March 13 to 18, the festival boasts a diverse lineup of activities, including an incense offering ceremony at the Dien Bien Phu martyrs' memorial temple, the launch of Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024 featuring a music extravaganza and a high-altitude fireworks display, and a photo contest showcasing the resplendent Ban flower landscape. The event also includes a show of traditional costumes of ethnic groups, an ethnic sports competition, an exhibition featuring cultural and tourism products, and activities to connect tours and travel routes.

Festival-goers can immerse in the rich cultural tapestry of the northwestern mountainous region, with offerings such as a market space spotlighting distinctive local agricultural products, a competition featuring traditional folk games like seesawing, con throwing, stilt walking, blindfolded tag, and sack racing, among others.

Additionally, traditional folk songs, dances and music, including the unique art forms of Then and Xoe of ethnic groups like the Thai, Tay, Mong, Ha Nhi, Kho Mu, Xi La, Lao, and Xa Phang, will be performed.

Several activities will also be held in the month such as Muong Dang district ethnic culture and sports festival and Paragliding Tournament 2024, folk art performances of ethnic minority groups in all districts, towns, and cities throughout the province.

According to chairman of provincial People's Committee Le Thanh Do, the province has determined that the festival an opportunity to promote the beauty of the locality’s natural landscapes, people and typical tourism products to both home and foreign visitors. The province is striving to welcome more than 1.3 million visitors in Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024.

Held for the first time in 2014, the annual event holds significance beyond celebrating the Ban flower - the typical flower of the northwestern region in the Spring, serving as a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the 115th anniversary of Dien Bien province, and the 75th anniversary of the provincial Party Organisation.

The festival also stands as a testament to the symbolic importance of Ban flower that represents the identity of land and people of the northwest region and Dien Bien in particular, as well as contributing to popularising Dien Bien's tourism brand in the foreseeable future.

Thanh Hóa fights against thalassemia

A doctor examines a thalassemia patient at Thanh Hóa Provincial General Hospital. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoa Mai

Thanh Hóa Province is among the five localities with the highest number of people with thalassemia, a genetic disease that can cause severe fatigue as well as heart and liver problems if left untreated.

Approximately 450 patients regularly visit the Haematology and Blood Transfusion Centre of Thanh Hóa Provincial General Hospital for treatment of this illness.

Among them are siblings Bùi Hà Thu and Bùi Hà Anh, who were both diagnosed with thalassemia when they were only around seven months old.

Since then, they have been travelling to the centre for blood transfusions every month, with each treatment session lasting from seven to ten days.

Hà Thu said: “I remember the name of every doctor and nurse. They remember ours too, and always give us encouragement, so I really appreciate them.”

With both of their parents away for work to cover medical expenses, accompanying the siblings on these regular hospital visits in the past decade was their grandmother Bùi Thị Nhung.

She said: “During the long treatment sessions, each month we have to visit the hospital for blood transfusion and chelation therapy.

“We can feel the dedication and attentiveness of the doctors and nurses at the haematology and blood transfusion centre. The facilities here also provide thorough services for patients and their caregivers.”

Hà Thị Thảo, 38, has also been fighting thalassemia for the past 10 years.

“This illness causes me fatigue all the time and prevents me from working as an ordinary person.

“No one wants to call a hospital their ‘home,’ but that’s true for me and other thalassemia patients because, simply put, we spend as much time ‘living’ inside hospitals as we do in our houses,” said Thảo.

Thảo is also afraid of becoming a mother, as the child could inherit the disease from her genes.

With doctors’ encouragement, she continues her regular blood transfusion and chelation therapy sessions to maintain her health in the hope that one day medical breakthroughs would allow her to bear a healthy child.

Understanding the wishes of thalassemia patients like Thảo, Dr Nguyễn Huy Thạch, director of Thanh Hóa General Hospital’s Haematology and Blood Transfusion Centre, and his colleagues have been working on a provincial-level scientific study that looks into the characteristics of the faulty genes that cause the disease.

The research also aims to develop a premarital screening model to diagnose people with this type of gene.

Thạch encourages young couples to undergo premarital health check-ups. In cases where both the husband and wife carry the disease-causing genes, the couple should receive advice and diagnosis before having a child.

He said: “Our greatest wish is to raise awareness and provide consultation to people with faulty genes to reduce the number of children born with thalassemia.”

The disease often wears out patients financially, mentally and socially, as treatment sessions require extensive periods of time, which can cause disruptions in the case of child patients and increase the burden on the health care system.

To support the patients, Thanh Hóa General Hospital has been giving out 300 free meal vouchers every month for those in disadvantaged circumstances at the Haematology and Blood Transfusion Centre, a majority of them having thalassemia.

Since November 2022, the province has deployed a project to fight and prevent thalassemia with various activities carried out at the community level, including premarital health screening and examinations for parents who have a child with the disease, as well as for expecting mothers who carry the disease-causing genes. 

Visitors complain about ratcheting Huong Pagoda Festival prices

Many visitors to the Huong Pagoda Festival in Hanoi are complaining about high ticket prices. 

Ngo Manh Hai, 34, said as a fourth-time visitor to the Huong Pagoda spring festival, that he found the fees notably higher this year.

"An adult visitor has to pay at least VND465,000 (approximately USD20) for boats, cable car, shuttle bus, and entry tickets to the Huong Pagoda Festival," Hai stated. "Parking costs an additional VND10,000 (approximately USD0.45) per hour per car. That's a steep price for a spring festival visit."

Vu Hai My from Thanh Hoa Province mentioned that her family of seven spent nearly VND7 million (approximately USD300) during their visit last week.

"Besides the high fees, boat operators typically request tips," My noted. "The most disappointing aspect is the entry fee, while many other pagodas in the country don’t impose such charges. The parking and cable car tickets are exorbitantly priced, costing up to VND220,000 (approximately USD9.40) for a cable car ride of less than five minutes to Huong Tich Cave."

A restaurant owner at the pagoda voiced concerns over the declining number of visitors to the Huong Pagoda Festival this year.

"The rising prices, combined with the economic downturn, seem to have deterred visitors this year," she observed. "Our customer numbers are dwindling."

Addressing the situation, Nguyen Ba Hien, head of the management board of the Huong Son landscape complex, indicated that most fees at this year's Huong Pagoda Festival increased by VND10,000-40,000 (approximately USD0.45-USD1.70).

"The new fees are reasonable compared to those at other special national historical sites," Hien argued, adding that the Hanoi People's Council had approved all the fees, which would fund facility upgrades and service improvements at the pagoda.

Hien also mentioned that many spring festivals this year, not just the Huong Pagoda, reported fewer visitors.

The Huong Pagoda Festival, the longest running festival in the country, located in Hanoi’s outlying district of My Duc, continues until May 1.

HCM City charity group send bikes to disadvantaged Kon Tum children

Tran Huu Lam and other staff members from the Dormitory Management Board of the Vietnam National University-HCM City are preparing bikes for disadvantaged students in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum.
"I spent 30 minutes repairing that brake," he said, wiping sweat from his face. "It's very important for safety, especially on mountainous roads."

Lam and nearly 10 other staff members from the Dormitory Management Board of the Vietnam National University-HCM City are preparing bikes for disadvantaged students in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, with the delivery scheduled for March 8.

"We launched a project calling for people to donate their unused bikes to disadvantaged children in Kon Tum and have received hundreds over the past 10 days," he stated. "Now, we're ready to take them to the children." 

Nguyen Thi Trong, another team member, mentioned that the university students, local people, and some organisations have mostly donated the bikes. The team has also invested time and money in the repairs."We're joined by students and workers from bike repair shops," Trong added. "Bike mechanics handle the difficult repairs while others assist with cleaning or arranging the bikes. Despite the hard work, supporting children from challenging areas brings us joy."

Project achieves significant results in improving breast cancer management

A project has achieved significant results improving breast cancer management in Việt Nam by raising the community’s awareness, increasing early diagnosis to enhance treatment capability and building a diagnosis and treatment database.

A workshop was held to review the project on improving access to innovative therapies for high-risk breast cancer patients at key hospitals after three years of implementation in Việt Nam.

The five-year project was jointly implemented by the Vietnam Medical Association (VMA), the Ministry of Health and Roche Pharma Vietnam from 2020 to 2025.

At the event, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyễn Thị Xuyên, President of the VMA, said: “Every year, Việt Nam reports over 24,500 new breast cancer cases and more than 10,000 deaths, most of whom are women. Addressing this problem, the joint project was the very first strategic initiative targeting breast cancer in Việt Nam.

“The project achieved significant progress in all of four key pillars: Awareness campaigns on breast cancer reached more than 7 million. Breast cancer early-stage diagnosis rates soared from under 30 per cent to 75 per cent. 431 breast cancer patients have been supported via Roche’s Patient Support Programme, total medicine support value VNĐ67 billion.”

General Director of Roche Pharma Vietnam Lennor Carrillo said that the project marked significant progress in enhancing early access to diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer patients and promoting women's health in Việt Nam.

“Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cause of cancer death in women," said Carrillo.

"However, healthcare advancements in diagnosis and treatment have significantly increased the chance of cure. Research showed that an astounding 90 per cent five-year survival rate is observed when breast cancer is detected and treated at an early stage.”

He also expressed his commitment to sustainably improving breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and management in Việt Nam.

Experts said that for many years, only 30 per cent of breast cancer patients were diagnosed at the early stages of the disease due to limited public awareness of breast cancer. To resolve this issue, the project has raised public awareness to increase early breast cancer detection rates among high-risk women.

As of 2023, data from K (Cancer) Hospital shows that the proportion of breast cancer patients diagnosed at early stages has increased to more than 75 per cent.

A significant number of medical staff have been provided training on multidisciplinary treatment and clinical research at five key hospitals, including The K Hospital, Bạch Mai Hospital, Hà Nội Oncology Hospital, Hồ Chí Minh City Oncology Hospital, and Chợ Rẫy Hospital, which has contributed to a measurable improvement in the quality of examination and treatment.

To improve access for breast cancer patients to innovative therapies, the Vietnam Health Economics Association, along with experts from Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi University of Public Health, and the Health Strategy and Policy Institute, have completed 11 health-economic research projects. These include an overview of breast cancer screening and treatment payment policies in different countries, as well as an evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of some breast cancer treatment drugs.

Within the framework of the project component, Roche Pharma Vietnam has implemented a patient support programme for breast cancer patients across 18 hospitals. As of December 2023, 431 patients have benefited from the programme with a total support value of more than VNĐ67 billion ($2.7 million).

Another important objective of the project is to build a database for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Two studies have been completed, including the epidemiological map of cancer diseases and cost assessment of cancer treatment solutions in 2018–20, and the epidemiological characteristics and treatment costs of breast cancer in Việt Nam.

The National Cancer Institute also developed a set of criteria for breast cancer registration. A report on breast cancer registration activities at hospitals has also been conducted across six hospitals.

When the indicators within the criteria set are used to register cancer directly on the information system of the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Social Security, data can be extracted quickly and accurately, reducing the need for manual collection and making an important contribution to cancer management and prediction in Việt Nam.

HCM City, AmCham Vietnam seek to further promote health, wellness

The American Chamber of Commerce in Việt Nam has introduced the 2024 Healthcare Committee White Book, highlighting its top advocacy issues and recommendations for HCM City's leadership.

The white book titled “A Partner in Promoting Health and Wellness in Vietnam” was introduced at a meeting between HCM City leadership and AmCham Vietnam – HCM City held in HCM City on March 1.

Representatives from AmCham Vietnam – HCM City's membership provided details to the white book’s main recommendations, including increasing product access by streamlining registration and reimbursement processes, developing e-commerce by establishing corresponding regulatory frameworks and enabling pharmacy chains by updating regulations and strengthening governance.

AmCham Vietnam Vice Chair Michael Nguyen said, “Our hope is that this dialogue, in addition to our white book, will create momentum for further discussions with HCM City leadership, and contribute to developing and promoting health and wellness in the city. The opportunities we have in front of us in this area are significant, and making them a reality is something our partnership can help achieve.”

Chairman of the city People’s Committee Phan Văn Mãi said that city departments would consider the Healthcare Committee’s recommendations in the context of current priorities, and continue to collaborate with the US mission and AmCham Vietnam – HCM City members to develop HCM City into a regional healthcare hub. 

No 1 pro athlete Nhất to take charge of national golf development strategy

Trần Lê Duy Nhất, known as Việt Nam's first and No 1 professional golfer, has put himself in a totally new role  in which he would join hands to the lift national golf industry to a new level.

Nhất has agreed to be Strategy Director for VG Corp, important partner of the Vietnam Golf Association, and owner of the Vhandicap and a series of national key tournaments. 

"With VG Corp's quality ecosystem along with my experience in the golf industry, I believe our common points of view, thinking and direction will help bring the most comprehensive values ​​to Vietnamese golf," Nhất said.

Nhất will take charge of building and developing comprehensive golf solutions to the Vietnamese golf community.

VG Corp has recently taken charge of the Hidden Castle Golf Club, a technology golf complex present in many Southeast Asian countries, and signed contracts with high-profile partners. 

At the five-star golf hub, athletes will practice with the most advanced simulation technology of KGolf's Beyond Golf Simulator 2.0, which can simulate ball motion and analyse shots and the player's skills, offering the experience at more than 100 simulated golf courses worldwide.

"Indoor golf is a quite popular model not only in South Korea but also in countries with developed golf industries such as the US and Australia," Nhất said.

"Cool indoor conditions along with advanced equipment with full analytical parameters will help golfers practice better, well adjusting their movement and knowing exactly the golf clubs' distance. That will make their practice sessions more effective, wasting no time to go on the court's practice range and guess whether the shot will hit or not or how far it goes. Of course, practicing on the course in combination with a machine and standard golf balls is the most optimal condition."

Born in 1989, Nhất, known as Michael Tran internationally, is one of the leading amateur and pro golfers of Việt Nam. He was a member of the national team at age 16 and has been following golf as his career till now.

Nhất was the first Vietnamese waving the national flag at top continental events such as Asian Tour and European Tour as well as major international events where he played legendary golfers such as Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy. He made his name after a win at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament (ADT) 2015.

For recent years, Nhất mainly competes locally, with remarkable results at the Vietnam Masters and Lexus Challenge, while he manages his own golf centre. 

He will be a host representative at the Vietnam - Singapore Alliance Cup 2024 on March 27-29 at the Legend Danang Golf Resort, in Đà Nẵng. 

Public parking projects in city heart still waiting for completion

Nearly 2 years after the approval of 4 projects to build public parking lots in the city downtown, three of them have been temporarily haltered.

Among the four underground public parking lot projects, the one located at Le Van Tam Park is rather complicated legally. As instructed by the HCMC People’s Committee, in December 2021, the municipal Transport Department held a meeting with relevant state departments to discuss the possibility of terminating the BOT contract with IUS Co. due to its tardiness.

On its side, IUS Co. sent a formal request in August 2022 for a deadline extension for another 24 months so that the investor can find suitable partners or work with international financial – credit organizations to address its issues and continue this meaningful project for public benefits. It accepts the policy of supporting all loan interest on the total loan amount (not exceeding 70 percent of the total project investment) in the 3 months of construction, as well as an annual rate of 3 percent to partially compensate the interest in 10 years after the operation of the parking lot.

In the case that state management agencies opt for the termination of the BOT contract, the investor wishes to transfer all technical documents that IUS Co. has done and to return all or part of the audited costs invested by IUS Co. to Dong A Commercial JSC. in order to minimize the general damages, especially those to this bank and the company.

Seeing that the investor has violated the content of the contract, the HCMC Transport Department announced a permanent termination of the contract and asked for cooperation from the HCMC Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, of Justice, of Planning and Investment to check and withdraw any land-related and investment-related legal procedures of the project.

Another two underground parking lot projects under the charge of the joint venture between Vingroup and SSCI Co. are located in Tao Dan Park and Hoa Lu Stadium. Both have had the deadlines of their feasibility reports extended three times, yet those reports have not been completed, leading to serious tardiness. In 2019, the investor also announced a notice for early termination of the contracts. After checking, the HCMC Transport Department proposed that the municipal People’s Committee stop the contracts for these two projects.

Therefore, only the project near Trong Dong Stage is still being implemented. Nevertheless, the HCMC Planning and Architecture Department and the project’s investor – Dong Duong Co. – have not reached an agreement on the architecture planning yet.

Following the alternative that the first floor is for commercial purposes and the next two for Trong Dong Stage will change the approved nature of this parking, which is not compliant with the regulations of the Law on Urban Planning. the HCMC Planning and Architecture suggests returning the whole ground space of the stage to Tao Dan Park while the underground one is saved for parking and commercial purposes in accordance with the 1/2000 planning as well as the regulations on management of landscape architectural space in the existing central area (930ha).

Statistics from the HCMC Transport Department reveal that there are now more than 850,000 cars and over 7.8 million two-wheel motor vehicles. The pressure on parking space, especially for cars, in the city heart is rather heavy. The current lots can only accommodate 20 percent, and there is a lack of more than 900ha compared to the target of 1,200ha after 2020.

Resolution 98/2023/QH15 has allowed HCMC to apply specific mechanisms and policies to issue a construction permit for a limited time to public works under the State management. Adopting this, the municipal Transport Department has just asked the People’s Committee of Thu Duc City, all districts, and relevant state units to urgently check available space for smart assembled parking structures.

This parking lot type with multiple floors is considered to be both cost and time-effective in construction, with simple management technologies and quick capital recovery time while requiring a small surface area only.

At present, there are four possible locations of part of Le Lai Street (the section from Pham Hong Thai Street to Nguyen Thi Nghia Street), part of Le Van Tam Park (on Hai Ba Trung Street in District 1), Cho Lon Bus Station, and part of Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street in District 5. The total surface area of these lots is about 1,500m2 with a capacity of 350 cars of 9 seats and below and 200 two-wheel motor vehicles.

Dr. Pham Sanh from HCMC University of Technology (Vietnam National University-HCM) commented that HCMC should diversify parking lot types. It is advisable to check all current parking lots in the city as underground parking projects under the BOT model are not feasible. This is because the cost for the space to park one car is VND2-3 billion (US$101,000) while the investor can earn only tens of thousands of VND per parking turn. It is nearly impossible to recover the capital, let alone seeking profit.

At present, to address the problem of parking lot shortage in the city downtown, HCMC should wisely exploit available policies from Resolution 98/2023/QH15 while applying new models of multi-floor parking lots and using automation technologies in operating these lots.

World Wildlife Day: For the planet’s “health”

The United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD) is observed on March 3 every year to celebrate wild animals and plants and highlight their contributions to human lives and health.

This year, the WWD is themed “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation”.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MoNRE), Vietnam is ranked 16th among the Earth's most biodiverse countries and is one of the ten richest centres of biodiversity in the world with many different types of ecosystems and genetic sources.

With a wide range of latitudes, Vietnam's climate varies from humid tropical conditions in the southern lowlands to temperate conditions in the northern highlands. Consequently, the country enjoys a diversity of natural environments and a high level of biodiversity in its forests, waterways, and marine areas, according to a report by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF).

The country has a wealth of fauna varieties: 276 species of mammals, 828 species of birds, 180 species of reptiles, 80 species of amphibians, 472 species of freshwater fish, and many thousands of invertebrate species have been identified. It is home to an estimated 12,000 species of plants. About 33% of the flora of northern Vietnam are endemic and, nationally, the percentage of endemism could be as high as 50%.

These groups show a high degree of local distinctiveness, with many endemic species of great scientific and economic significance.

Of the 34 globally threatened birds identified as occurring in Vietnam, 10 are restricted-range endemic forest species. Sixty fish species and four primate species are also endemic to Vietnam.

However, the diversity in Vietnam is in danger because of unsustainable and poorly managed exploitation, an increase in population and rapid urbanisation.

The reasons that lead to biodiversity decline are rapid population growth, pollution, deforestation, the over-exploitation of marine resources and widely applied new species without careful examination. That has led to 28% of mammals, 10% of birds, 21% of reptiles and amphibians facing risk of extinction.

The results of the largest systematic camera trap survey ever conducted in Vietnam between 2019 and 2023 with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),  showed that populations of several key wildlife species have either disappeared or are in such low numbers as to be unviable as a result of widespread indiscriminate snaring.

During the survey carried out by USAID’s Biodiversity Conservation Activity, 1,176 camera trap stations were set up in 21 protected areas (PAs) across eight provinces, capturing more than 120,000 independent wildlife detections in millions of images during 2019-2023.

Notable was the absence of large carnivores and herbivores, such as tigers, clouded leopards, Asiatic wild dogs, and the elusive saola – one of the few large mammals to be discovered in the world in the last 50 years. Asian elephants were detected in just two sites, and wild cattle species such as gaur only detected in one out of 21 sites surveyed. The most prevalent species recorded were those most resilient to hunting pressure, such as macaques, ferret badgers and wild pigs.

Although the survey revealed that wildlife has severely declined in all 21 PAs, there are still relatively high levels of species richness and endemism, with nine Annamite-endemic and 21 non-endemic but highly threatened species recorded. Rare species, such as the large-antlered muntjac and sun bear were also detected, providing some of the few records of these species in Vietnam in the past 20 years.

Nick Cox, Chief of Party, USAID Biodiversity Conservation, implemented by WWF, stated: “For the first time we have the data to confirm Việt Nam’s wildlife populations are in dire straits. At the same time there are signs that investments by the Vietnamese Government, and by local and international NGOs, have had a positive impact. Now is the time to start a national conservation breeding programme to rewild the country’s protected areas, while protection efforts are sustained and increased, especially to reduce snaring.”

According to MoNRE, Vietnam has proactively participated and implemented many commitments related to wildlife protection.

Recently, the ministry has proposed the Prime Minister on promulgating a programme to conserve endangered, precious and rare wild animals prioritised for protection until 2030, with a vision to  2050. Accordingly, Vietnam aims to ensure that no more species prioritised for conservation become extinct. All of the species prioritised for protection will be managed and monitored in nature reserves, high biodiversity areas and biodiversity conservation facilities.

The ministry proposed to investigate and assess the current status of populations and habitats of species prioritised for protection nationwide. It also asked for periodically updating information and data and publishing the list of species prioritised for safeguarding. In particular, priority should be given to restoring habitats of species that are threatened with extinction and migratory species prioritised for protection including elephants, saola, Truong Son muntjac, Truong Son striped rabbit, central Vietnam turtle, and box turtle.

Meanwhile, USAID has sponsored a project to protect endangered wildlife species in Vietnam with a funding of 10.5 million USD for over 5 years starting from 2021. It supports enhancing leadership in combating illegal wildlife trade by improving and harmonising the legal system related to wildlife protection, strengthening law enforcement and prosecution over wildlife crimes, and reducing illegal demand and consumption of wildlife.

Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line to be operational in July

 The Nhon-Hanoi Station metro line is set for operation in July, according to the Vietnam Railway Authority (VNRA).

With just over three months before the commercial operation of the line's elevated section, the VNRA has just set up a team to appraise the system safety dossier of the section from Nhon to Hanoi Station.

This team is tasked with leading the assessment of the safety documentation for the project in line with the legal responsibilities of the VNRA.

This includes evaluating safety system assessment reports issued by the certifying organizations with respect to the information and signaling systems on the rolling stock and on the tracks, the traction power supply system, integrated system assessment, operational testing, system commissioning, and safety management system assessments. The team will also assess the risk of evacuation plans for passengers in case of emergency, on viaducts, in tunnels, railway stations.

The team will compile and synthesize reports from relevant agencies, which will later be submitted to the VNRA director for approval.

Work on the Nhon to Hanoi Station metro project began in September 2010. This urban railway line spans a length of 12.5 kilometers, of which 8.5 kilometers are elevated and four underground. The total investment for the project was subsequently increased from VND18 trillion (US$728 million) to VND34.5 trillion ($1.4 billion).

More than 23,000 workers go abroad in Jan-Feb

Vietnam sent 23,195 workers abroad in the first two months of this year, reaching 18.56% of the annual plan, according to the Department of Overseas Labor under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Japan continues to be the leading destination, receiving 17,067 Vietnamese workers, followed by Taiwan with 4,294 and South Korea with 419. These three markets account for over 90% of Vietnamese workers sent abroad each year.

Other markets such as China (229), Singapore (154), Hungary (93), Romania (165) and others have also seen an increase in the number of Vietnamese workers.

Currently, more than 500 labor export businesses have sent workers to more than 40 countries and territories.

Since 2010, more than 1.4 million workers have been sent to work abroad. On average, about 120,000-143,000 workers go abroad each year, sending home remittances worth US$3.5-4 billion.

In 2024, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has identified improving the quality of Vietnamese workers going abroad under contract as a key task. The ministry will find more high-income markets suitable for the qualifications and skills of Vietnamese workers in addition to existing markets.

They will strengthen information dissemination, guidance and training for enterprises to actively prepare labor sources and train workers' vocational skills and foreign languages before they go abroad.

In addition, the ministry will actively monitor and collect information on Vietnamese workers going abroad in order to address any emerging problems, safeguard the legal rights and interests of both workers and enterprises and provide more support for workers to smoothly reintegrate into the domestic labor market upon their return.

The country plans to focus on the three key markets to send 125,000  workers abroad under contract in 2024: Japan, with an estimated 63,000 workers; Taiwan (China), 48,000; and South Korea, 8,500. In addition, priority will be given to sending workers to potential markets in safe, high-wage occupations.

In 2023, Vietnam sent nearly 160,000 workers abroad under contract, reaching 133.3% of the yearly plan. This is the highest number of workers sent abroad in over 10 years, according to the ministry.

Mekong Delta struggling to maintain freshwater

About 78,000ha of rice paddies and orchards in the Mekong Delta region are predicted to get severely affected by drought – salinity intrusion this March-April.

The Mekong Delta has around 2 million hectares of rice fields and fruit trees. These farmlands are facing serious irrigation water shortage just like the disaster in 2016. Among them, approximately 400,000 – 500,000ha are in critical state, asking for an urgent measure to maintain sufficient freshwater supply.

The downstream of the Mekong River has three major reservoirs for the sustainable development of related ecosystems, namely Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia, the Plain of Reeds (about 700,000ha), and Long Xuyen Quadrangle (590,000ha). Seeing that rice prices recovered significantly in 2023, the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, and Dong Thap have overused closed dikes to grow three rice crops per year.

The direct effect of this act is a loss of certain space in the two main reservoirs in the Vietnam’s sections, when they should have absorbed floodwater from the upstream of the Mekong River each year. This has led to unwanted flooding situations in other places like Can Tho City and Vinh Long Province.

As floodwater cannot enter farmlands, it flows directly to the sea in the rainy season. When the dry season comes and the water flow of the Mekong River weakens, the delta in Vietnam also experiences freshwater shortage, resulting in more severe saltwater intrusion.

“The integrated planning for the Mekong Delta clearly states the necessity to reduce intensive rice farming to recover the space in both the Plain of Reeds and Long Xuyen Quadrangle for floodwater storage. The planning’s vision until 2030 details a retreat of freshwater areas inward and a transformation of anti-salinity-intrusion areas back to their natural state of seasonal alteration between fresh-saltwater conditions”, informed Nguyen Huu Thien – an expert on ecosystems in the Mekong Delta.

Resolution No.120/NQ-CP by the Government on Sustainable Development in the Mekong Delta Region to Adapt to Climate Change stressed that the water resource is the core and foundation for any strategic development of local planning or policies. It is necessary to have comprehensive management across the whole basin, along with effective and economical use of water as well as other natural resources in the region.

Based on this resolution, many scientists proposed that the Mekong Delta region, especially the Plain of Reeds and Long Xuyen Quadrangle, should reduce its intensive rice farming and accommodate two crops per year in order to decrease the need to construct closed dikes. This move is expected to retain more flood water for the dry season of the following year, and thus can effectively fight against salinity intrusion.

HCMC strictly tightens beauty product ads

Cosmetic marketing and advertising on social media platforms like Zalo, Facebook, and others are currently very difficult to control.

The HCMC Department of Health on March 5 sent a document on strengthening inspection and rectification of marketing for beauty products to the People's Committees of Thu Duc City, districts, and businesses that produce, trade and import cosmetics and personal care products in the city.

The municipal Health Department has requested the People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc City to enhance coordination in inspecting and fining individuals and collectives who violate regulations on production, trading, and advertising activities of cosmetics products without advertising licenses, and have the ads that exaggerate the features of their products.

The functional units will impose penalties, revoke and remove elements of violations, advertisements, and instructions for cosmetics to diagnose, treat, prevent, cure, or mitigate diseases, and regulate physiological functions in the human body leading to a misunderstanding of these products as medicines.

The Department of Health requests that cosmetic manufacturing, trading, importing, and advertising units proactively comply with the regulations of the law in cosmetic advertising activities, Promote beauty products on social media after receiving a certificate confirming the advertising content from competent state agencies and observe approved advertising content.

Residents in central province earn millions daily by picking wild strawberries

Every year, from January to February of the lunar calendar, people in the communes of Quang Chau, Quang Kim, Quang Hop, and Quang Phu of Quang Trach District all wander through the forests from dawn to dusk to pick wild strawberries to sell to traders.

In the past, this was also the time when local inhabitants had more free time after harvesting, people went up the mountains to pick ripe berries to sell at the markets in exchange for rice for meals.

Every year when strawberries are ripe, from dawn, people in the Hoanh Son range go up the mountain to pick strawberries.

37 year old Pham Thi Lieu who has 20 years of experience picking strawberries, said that this year's strawberry season has a good price, each can sell for VND50,000, every day her three siblings go picking until about 4:00 p.m. Traders proposed to pay more than VND3 million which is enough to buy rice and books for her children.

Ms. Chu Thi Hanh revealed that in recent years, thanks to the good price of strawberries, local inhabitants earn from VND15 million (US$608) to VND 25 million each crop. Some people even earned up to VND30 million if they found a high-yield strawberry area.

Thanks to strawberry picking, many families said their livelihood is better than before. For example, Ms. Lieu's family was able to buy a breeding cow in the 2021 strawberry season. Ms. Lieu added by saving from the strawberry season, her family could build a new house.

Today, to preserve strawberries in the Hoanh Son range, people in the area have brought strawberries home to grow them indoors for breeding.

Local man Tran Van Nam in Quang Hop commune said that he planted 20 mulberry roots with 30 square meters of land and during the past 3 years, he earned VND10 million for each crop from selling strawberries each year. He was delighted saying that this year, he planted an additional 100 more strawberry trees.
 
Chairman of Quang Kim Commune People's Committee Chu Viet Dung said that in the past, mulberry and myrtle trees grew a lot. However, in recent years, many forest areas have been cleared to plant acacia and eucalyptus, so there are fewer types of forest trees in Hoanh Son.

Currently, some people have planted the two kinds of trees in their gardens. The commune government also promotes propaganda to help people understand the values of forests, so they can join hands to protect jungles.

Hà Nội win record seventh U19 national championship

Hà Nội have beaten Thể Công-Viettel after a penalty shootout to lift the National U19 Football Championship trophy for a record seventh time.

Thể Công-Viettel were the better side throughout the match, constantly peppering Hà Nội's defence at the Bình Dương Province's Gò Đậu Stadium.

Hà Nội played mostly on the counter and did manage to create a few chances but strikers on both sides failed to find the net, forcing the final to the penalties.

Tuấn Anh and Đăng Dương failed to score for Bình Dương and Long Nhật missed a kick for Hà Nội in the nail-biting shootout.

Hà Nội won 4-2 to lift the trophy.

Previously, they won in  2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, missing only one crown to Thanh Hóa in 2023. 

Hà Nội players also won two individual awards. Dương Đình Nguyên was MVP and Nguyễn Đình Hải was best goalkeeper.

Huế's Nguyễn Đăng Khoa was the top scorer with three goals in the competition.

Sông Lam Nghệ An and Hoàng Anh Gia Lai shared the third place. 

National players will compete for title at national chess champs

The nation’s strongest chess masters will compete at the National Chess Championship 2024 in Hà Nội.

The March 8-16 event will feature 220 athletes from 22 delegations. Among them are title favourites such as Nguyễn Thị Mai Hưng, Võ Thị Kim Phụng, Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyên and Nguyễn Thị Thanh An on the women's side, and Nguyễn Ngọc Trường Sơn, Lê Tuấn Minh and Nguyễn Tuấn Minh on the men's side.

Young talented players including Đầu Khương Duy, Đinh Nho Kiệt, Bạch Ngọc Thùy Dương, Nguyễn Hồng Nhung, Nguyễn Xuân Phương and Bành Gia Huy who dominated international junior competitions in 2023 will also take part in the tournament.

Masters will compete in five categories of standard, rapid, blitz, super blitz and ASEAN chess.

Last year, Trần Tuấn Minh won the men's standard chess title for Hà Nội, while Phụng of Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu brought home the women's standard chess gold.

Midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải makes a strong comeback

Midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải of Hà Nội Police is inline to make a remarkable return to the Vietnamese national team, fuelled by his recent rise to the top of the domestic top scorer list.

Following his superb goal against Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh on Sunday, Hải now leads the list of domestic top scorers in the V.League 1 2023-24 season with five goals and one assist. This is excellent news for coach Philippe Troussier and the national team.

In his last two consecutive matches, where coach Kiatisuk Senamuang handed Hải the captain's armband, he made a significant impact scoring crucial goals. In the match against Thanh Hóa, his goal extended the lead to 2-0 in a 3-1 victory. And against Hà Tĩnh, his stunning goal saved Hà Nội Police from a defeat on their home turf, Hàng Đẫy Stadium. Hải's outstanding performance also impressed coach Troussier, who was present in the stands that day to observe the Vietnamese players.

Hải, who won the Vietnamese Golden Ball award in 2018, said he had regained his motivation to compete, partly thanks to getting married. Besides, he said that the motivation to contribute to the national team is also a reason why he is more determined.

"I'm trying to get back to my best form. I always tell myself to work hard and never give up to have good health and fitness," Hải said.

During the V.League 1 2023 season, Hải, after returning from Pau FC, did not contribute significantly to Hà Nội Police's championship campaign. He played seven matches and scored one goal in the 3-0 win over Thể Công Viettel last August.

However, this season, despite missing the first three matches due to injury, Hải immediately made an impact upon his return by scoring consecutive goals in away matches against Hải Phòng and Nam Định last November. In addition to his goal against Bình Dương and his assist against Khánh Hòa, Hải has contributed to a total of six goals in eight club matches this season.

These statistics are undeniably impressive for a player who had a period of inconsistency after spending time on the bench in France. Observing Hải's recent performances, fans can see that he has regained his confidence and the fine touch he displayed during his peak. Positioned as the left striker in Hà Nội Police's tactical scheme, he showcases his versatility and elegance, often delivering dangerous passes and finishing with finesse.

In his second season with Hà Nội Police, Hải has become well-acquainted with the team's playing style and his fellow teammates. Playing alongside familiar faces from the national team such as Vũ Văn Thanh, Hồ Tấn Tài, Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh, as well as former teammates like Geovane Magno, has undoubtedly contributed to Hải feeling more at ease on the pitch.

In a season dominated by foreign strikers, Hải's five goals and one assist shine brightly as a rare accomplishment.

In March, the Vietnamese national team will face two crucial matches against Indonesia in the World Cup qualifiers. Indonesia have recently strengthened their team through the naturalisation of European footballers. Hải eagerly anticipates regaining his form and shining while wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey.

Hanoi nsemble plays music of Japanese anime

Hà Nội Ensemble & Friends will perform a concert at the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange on March 15. 

The concert entitled Ghibli Music Night features 18 music pieces from Japanese anime by Studio Ghibli, including My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns and Whisper of the Heart.

Hà Nội Ensemble consists of young artists and teachers from Việt Nam National Academy of Music. They have participated and performed regularly in concerts and music festivals as well as many cultural exchange programmes in Việt Nam and abroad. They won several domestic and international music prizes.   

Ghibli Music Night is the 24th Garage Concert, a series of concerts held at the garage and courtyard of the centre aiming at providing musical diversity to Hà Nội through the introduction of Japanese music played by distinguished musicians.

A session of making cute animals conducted by artisan Đặng Văn Khang will be held at 6.30pm until the start of the concert. 

The event admission is free but pre-registration is required at https://bit.ly/GhibliMusicNight.

Old and young artists honoured by the State

Hundreds of artists were honoured with the titles of People's Artist and Meritorious Artist at a ceremony held at Hà Nội Opera House on March 6. 

The outstanding artists work in various fields such as music, dance, cinematography, radio and television, and theatre. Among them, theatre artists make up the largest number with more than 60 People's Artists. The music field has more than 40 artists receiving the title of People's Artist.

President Võ Văn Thưởng and the State leaders presented the honour to the artists at the ceremony with the participation of Party and State leaders. 

The award ceremony aims to honour artists with outstanding achievement and contribution to the cause of building and developing the national art and culture fields. 

The titles are to recognise the artists’ significant dedication and contributions to developing the culture sector and safeguarding Việt Nam’s traditional cultural values.

The outstanding artists work in various fields such as music, dance, cinematography, radio and television, and stage arts.

There are 125 artists bestowed the People's Artist title including celebrated names such as directors Lê Chức and Trần Lực, actresses Trịnh Kim Chi and Mỹ Uyên, classical musician Bùi Công Duy and pop singer Thanh Lam. 

"The title helps me to review my career," said Lê Chức. "This is the highest title for an artist giving more energy to me for continuing my work passing my knowledge on to the younger generation."

Chức has directed some 50 theatre productions including traditional art cải lương (reformed opera), chèo (popular opera) and plays during his career. He is also very popular with his good voice as a performer on theatre show broadcastings. 

The honourees were selected from 139 submissions for People’s Artist nominees and 348 submissions for Meritorious Artist nominees.

The Meritorious Artist title holders are 264, including veteran play actress Lê Mai, quan họ (love duet) singer Nguyễn Thị Phức, actors Việt Anh and Đại Nghĩa, and cameraman Nguyễn K’Linh. 

Cải lương artist Hùng Minh is the oldest to be awarded People's Artist title. He is 94 years old. Two females, chèo artist Hoài Thu and cải lương artist Hồ Ngọc Trinh, are the youngest to be honoured. 

The award ceremony participants enjoyed the performances of the honoured artist singers such as Thanh Lam, Mai Hoa and Thanh Thúy. 

Ha Long Bay pollution discourages foreign tourists

Many foreign tourists have expressed disappointment over the pollution at the UNESCO heritage site Ha Long Bay.

Patricia Mayerhofer, an Australian traveller, posted about her trip to Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh and Lan Ha Bay in the northern city of Haiphong. She noted the areas' beauty was dismayed by the widespread rubbish. 

Patricia Mayerhofer, an Australian traveller, posted about her trip to Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh and Lan Ha Bay in the northern city of Haiphong. 

She also mentioned a slight oily layer in the sea. Many other foreigners echoed her sentiments, sharing similar experiences at Ha Long Bay.

"I saw the same; it's horrible," commented another visitor.

Pham Ha, CEO of Lux Group, which specialises in organising cruise services in Ha Long, recounted a complaint from a group of 10 French tourists who embarked on a two-day and one-night cruise in Ha Long in January. They appreciated the bay's stunning scenery but were disheartened by the pollution.

Environmental pollution has become a significant deterrent in the bay. Tourists report litter stuck in rock crevices and floating on the sea's surface, discouraging swimming. These issues are frequently discussed on tourism forums.

The Institute for Tourism Development Research has reported that approximately four tonnes of predominantly plastic waste, discharged into Ha Long Bay daily.

Unsafe Quang Nam reservoir does not deter tourists

Many people have flocked to a reservoir in the central province of Quang Nam despite safety warnings.

Phu Ninh Reservoir in Phu Ninh District has recently become an emerging destination for visitors due to its wild beauty. There is a small island on the reservoir with a tree on which is around 10 metres from the shore. People often call it The Lonely Tree.  

Food and drink stalls and boat leasing services have been set up to serve tourists. Despite being banned due to drowning risks, some people still swim in the reservoir.

Several accidents have occurred at the reservoir. In 2023, a Grade-11 boy drowned when swimming in the reservoir.

Vietnamese flock to Northeast Asia for flower-viewing tours

Vietnamese tourists are increasingly drawn to flower-viewing tours in Northeast Asia, according to local travel firms.

Among the destinations of choice are Japan and South Korea for cherry blossoms, and Taiwan for plum blossoms, said Truong Thi My Hien with local tour operator IMAGE Travel.

The tours offer visitors with a chance to see flowers in bloom and experience the local culture and cuisine, she added.

Travel companies such as Tugo and BenThanh Tourist have seen a surge in early bookings for Northeast Asian trips compared to the previous year.

World Travel, a HCMC-based tourism firm, said its tours to the region are nearly fully booked for mid-March and April.

In 2023, Vietnamese tourist arrivals in Japan soared to a record high. The Northeast Asian country attracted over 536,800 Vietnamese visitors between January and November last year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

Members of Steering Committee for Administrative Reform

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a decision approving the list of 32 members of the Steering Committee for Administrative Reform.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra are deputy heads of the body.

Members include Minister-Chairman of the Office of the Government Tran Van Son, Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat, Minister of Education Nguyen Kim Son, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam Nguyen Thi Hong, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang, Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, Minister-Chairman of Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs Hau A Lenh, Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate Doan Hong Phong.

The Steering Committee shall be responsible for assisting the Prime Minister in directing ministries, sectors and localities to implement administrative reform programs and plans.

It is tasked to put foward key policies, guidelines, and measures to promote administrative reform while scrutinizing annual and long-term plans in this field submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Committee shall also comment on draft resolutions, decisions, directives before submitting to the Prime Minister.

Since 2021, about 2,500 business regulations have been cut and simplified. Ministries have streamlined 437 administrative procedures related to citizen documents. Twenty-one out of 22 ministries and 61 out of 63 provinces and centrally-run cities have published lists of internal administrative procedures.

Gov’t to conduct general inventory of public assets in 2025

The Government will carry out a general inventory of public assets belonging to State agencies, organizations, and entities from January 1 to March 31, 2025.

The general inventory serves as a basis for repairing policies and laws regarding the management and use of public assets and a foundation in the design of strategies and socio-economic development plans, providing information to help prepare State financial reports and ensuring the better practice of thrift and anti-waste measures.

The results will be compiled and used to prepare a comprehensive report for submission to the Prime Minister by July 1, 2025.

Government-funded and managed infrastructure assets will also be part of the general inventory. Public assets include traffic infrastructure, clean water supply infrastructure, irrigation networks, markets, industrial clusters, industrial parks, economic zones, high-tech parks, concentrated information technology zones, embankments, fishing ports, and underground urban construction spaces. Infrastructure partially-funded and supplied by the government will not be subjected to the inventory.

The inventory comprises government agencies, public non-business units, the Armed Forces, Party agencies, the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, political-social organizations, social organizations, professional-social organizations, and other organizations established under regulations on associations that are currently managing and using State assets.

Gov't approves Project on multi-use values of forest ecosystem

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has signed a decision approving a project on developing multi-use values of the forest ecosystem to 2030, with a vision to 2050.

The project targets to improve the efficiency of management and sustainable use of forest resources; create jobs, increase incomes, stabilize and improve the material and spiritual lives of ethnic minorities, mountainous people.

Specifically, the project targets to raise the output of domestically exploited wood materials to meet at least 80 percent of the raw material demand for this industry by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050.

In addition, 100 percent of wood and wooden products will have legal origins in favor of export markets and domestic consumption.

The project also looks to develop legal sources of wood materials and increase value for the wood processing industry, develop non-timber forest products and medicinal herbs, combined forms of agriculture, forestry and fishery, forest environmental services and eco-tourism, resorts, and entertainment.

It also aims to ensure stable growth of revenue from forest environmental services, at 5 percent a year.

Earlier, the wood product sector posted a turnover of US$13.4 billion in 2023, down 16.5 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. However, 2023 marked the first year VietNam’s wood exports ranked in the top 5 globally. The industry was affected by a global slowdown, low consumer demand, high protection barriers, and strict monetary policies of many countries.

In the first month of 2024 alone, Viet Nam’s wood and wood product exports reached nearly US$1.5 billion.

National conference looks into law enforcement

A national conference was held in Hanoi on March 7 to review the enforcement of laws and resolutions adopted at the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s sixth session and 5th extraordinary meeting. 

Organised by the NA Standing Committee in coordination with the government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and relevant agencies, the conference, the second of its kind, was connected with 63 sites in provinces and centrally-run cities. 

In his opening remarks, Permanent NA Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man said the conference will focus on elaborating new, key points and tasks set out in nine laws and 10 resolutions, and some special mechanisms and policies to materialise national target programmes. 

The conference scrutinised reports by the NA Standing Committee and the government regarding the implementation work, some on supervision preparations, and others.

Delivering the NA Standing Committee’s report, NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh said the government and its agencies should quickly issue implementation plans, and agencies need to build and put in place documents guiding the implementation. 

The report also touched upon administrative reform, decentralisation, the responsibility of office leaders, the communications work, and inspections over the implementation. 

Meanwhile, the government’s report, presented by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, mentioned a number of hurdles to the impelemntation, including the heavy workload, time pressure, and limited financial and human resources.

Given this, the government and the PM will concertedly roll out tasks and solutions to accelerate the work, including devising enforcement plans, stepping up the information work, and paying more attention to personnel training, the report said. 

In a speech delivered at the conference, Chairman of the NA Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh noted that guidance documents should take effect in coincidence with the Land Law, adding some relevant decrees are expected to be adopted this year. 

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Minh Ngan said his ministry has been assigned by the PM to play the main role in devising six decrees and four circulars in service of the implementation. 

Closing the meeting, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said the reports and speeches presented sketched out specific solutions for NA and government agencies in this regard. 

Following the conference, a final conclusion will be made, serving as a basis for relevant agencies during the implementation, he said, stressing the role of guidance documents. 

According to the leader, after the first conference, 27 out of the 63 cities and provinces nationwide have put forth implementation plans and guidance documents. 

To ensure the efficiency of law enforcement, Hue assigned specific tasks to the NA Standing Committee and NA agencies, and emphasised what should be done by the government and the PM, as well as localities. 

He called for greater efforts, stronger determination, higher responsibility, and closer coordination in order to soon put in place the legislature’s decisions and policies. 

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