Hanoi will organize the 8th Hanoi Book Fair at the Hoan Kiem Lake Pedestrian Street from October 6 to 8.

With the theme "Lighting the Fire of Knowledge-Creating the Future", the event is one of the activities to celebrate the 69th anniversary of Capital Liberation Day (October 10), the 70th anniversary of the Publication, Printing, and Distribution Day (October 10), and to implement the Government's plan to develop the reading culture in Hanoi.

The book fair aims to raise public awareness of the importance of reading in improving knowledge and skills, developing thinking and cultivating personality, and gradually building reading habits in families, schools, agencies, organizations, and communities.

The Hanoi Book Fair 2003 is expected to attract the participation of local and international publishers who will present various genres of books in 200 to 250 booths, ranging from comic books, novels, literature, and political literature to bookworms.

The highlight of the book fair will be a bookshelf introducing the culture and history of Thang Long-Hanoi. As usual, the side activities of the event include book launch ceremonies, book trading activities, and book copyright exchange.

For many years, the Hanoi Book Fair has become an annual cultural activity that attracts great interest from the community.

Hot weather continues scorching Vietnam

According to the National Centre for Hydro- Metreologogical Forecasting (NCHMF), hot weather is set to scorch northern and northern-central localities on May 18, with the highest temperature ranging from 37 to 40 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologists have warned heat along with low humidity will pose risks of forest fires, exhaustion, and health problems to those having to work in high temperatures for a long time.

The northwestern region is partly cloudy, with the mercury even topping 39 decrees during the day but some places can expect showers and thunderstorms at night. Meanwhile, the northeastern region will see harsher weather with no downpours at night and the mercury hovering around 40 degrees.

Hanoi capital is partially cloudy, with the highest temperature being 38 to 40 degrees or even higher in some places.

It’s partly cloudy from the north-central coast province of Thanh Hoa to the central province of Thua Thien –Hue. Extreme heatwaves are forecast in the northern area with possibilities of thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds at night. The highest temperature is about 38 degrees.

The central region from Da Nang city to Binh Thuan province can expect showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and at night, with the highest temperature being 31-34 degrees.

The Central Highlands and the southern region are cloudy, while rains are forecast in the afternoon and evening and the highest temperature at 32-35 degrees.

The NCHMF has warned that Vietnam will experience more hot days in 2023 due to the El Nino phenomenon which is likely to return in late May or early June and may last to early 2024.

ASEAN-China SOM on implementation of DOC held in Quang Ninh

The 20th ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea (SOM-DOC) was held in the northern province of Quang Ninh on May 17 after nearly two years of hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened a meeting to coordinate their stances.

Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam, led a Vietnamese delegation to the meetings.

The 20th SOM-DOC was co-chaired by Myanmar, coordinator of ASEAN-China ties, and China.

Speaking at the event, Ho stressed that as the East Sea is a crucial maritime route of the world, hence maintaining and promoting peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in this sea is not only the shared interest and responsibility of ASEAN and China but also reflects their responsibility towards the international community.

Given the complex situation and ongoing unilateral actions that violate international law in the East Sea, the ambassador suggested that countries should combine "words with deeds" by translating political commitments into specific and appropriate actions in the field.

In such spirit, he highlighted the need to use international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a “lodestar” for activities in the East Sea.

While striving to achieve a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is practical, effective and conformable with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, and supported by the international community, Ho said countries must seriously and fully abide by all the provisions of the DOC. These efforts will contribute to creating a favourable environment for COC negotiations, he added.

Delegates attending the event spoke highly of positive results in the DOC implementation over the past time. They urged ASEAN and China to seriously, fully and effectively observe all the provisions of the DOC.

They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea while respecting principles such as exercising self-restraint, refraining from the use or threat to use force, and peacefully settling disputes in line with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

The 20th SOM-DOC acknowledged progress in the COC negotiations and discussed orientations to the process carried out by the Joint Working Group on the DOC (JWG DOC).

The countries emphasised the need to achieve an effective and practical COC that is conformable with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, contributing to trust building and more efficient management of incidents in the East Sea.

The participants agreed to hold the 21st SOM-DOC in China in the fourth quarter of 2023.

HCMC sees shortage of many vaccines for Expanded Program on Immunization

Shortages of many vaccines in the recommended childhood immunization schedule under the Expanded Program on Immunization are occurring in Ho Chi Minh City.
 
According to the city Department of Health, the DPT-VGB-HiB vaccine was supplied in October 2022 for the last time and from the beginning of March 2023, the southern largest city has been lacking the vaccine meanwhile the city was given the DPT vaccine in February 2023 and healthcare facilities are short of the vaccine from the beginning of this month.

The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City said that as of May 15, vaccination facilities in the city had completely run out of the 5-in-1 DPT-VGB-HiB vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, Hib pneumonia and Hib meningitis and the DPT vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus in the Expanded Program on Immunization.

Other vaccines in the Expanded Program on Immunization are only available in very limited quantities and are expected to run out in the next few months if no more are provided.

Specifically, by the end of May 2023, the city will run out of hepatitis B and Japanese encephalitis vaccines. The stockpile of TB vaccine (BCG), polio vaccine (bOPV) and measles vaccine will be exhausted by mid-June-2023 and by July 2023 respectively while the stockpile of the tetanus vaccine (VAT) and the measles and rubella (MR) vaccine will be empty by August 2023 and by the end of September 2023.

Up to now, every month, the Department of Health has directed the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to report on vaccine estimates in the Expanded Program on Immunization for the Southern Regional Expanded Program on Immunization under the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City. The Institute supplies vaccines to HCDC every 2 months.

The last time HCDC received vaccines BCG, bOPV, Japanese encephalitis, measles, tetanus and hepatitis B was on April 24, 2023.

According to the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, the temporary interruption in the supply of some vaccines under the Expanded Program on Immunization is inevitable. The Department of Health has directed healthcare facilities in the city to maintain their regular activity on a fixed schedule to vaccinate available vaccines; and at the same time make a list of children who are scheduled to be vaccinated but delayed due to the disruption. These children will get vaccines as soon as the vaccines are re-supplied.

The Expanded Program on Immunization has been implemented in Vietnam since 1981, initiated by the Ministry of Health with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) with the initial goal to provide free vaccinations for children under 1 year of age to protect them from six common and highly fatal infectious diseases.

After a pilot period, the program has gradually been expanded in both areas and subjects of vaccination. From 1985 up to now, all children under 1 year old nationwide have had the opportunity to access the program.

By 2010, there were 11 vaccines against common and dangerous infectious diseases for children included in the program including vaccines against tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, measles, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, typhoid, Hib pneumonia/meningitis.

Vietnam attends review conference on Chemical Weapons Convention

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Pham Viet Anh, permanent representative of Vietnam to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), is attending the fifth review conference on the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in The Hague from May 15 to 19.

Over the recent past, member countries of the convention have destroyed 99% of the declared chemical weapons and pledged to do the same for the remainder in the near future, heard the conference held every five years.

However, humans are now facing a number of new risks as some chemicals are being used for military and terrorist purposes, directly threatening the world security and human safety. Therefore, eliminating and preventing chemical weapons remains an important mission of the OPCW as a technical organisation for controlling and verifying the permanent elimination of chemical weapons and assisting member countries to fulfill their obligations towards the CWC.

Given this, the OPCW has built a technical centre named Centre ChemTech that features modern laboratories and inaugurated it on May 12. This centre, invested with over 34.6 million EUR (37.5 million USD), comes as a result of the OPCW’s enormous efforts and voluntary contributions from 57 member countries, the EU, and some organisations and individuals.

Addressing the inauguration, OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias described the centre as a success of multilateral diplomacy and a success symbol of the international community in keeping global peace and security.

ChemTech will not only serve as a laboratory of the OPCW but also help improve the organisation’s technical capability in the face of scientific and technological development as well as the world situation. It will gather and coordinate efforts by scientists, universities, research institutes, civil society and industrial organisations, and related international organisations while becoming a training centre for countries, especially developing ones, to build the capacity for CWC implementation.

On behalf of Vietnam, Ambassador Anh left a message for future generations at Centre ChemTech, calling for stronger efforts for the sake of a world free of chemical weapons.

HCMC striving to disburse over 95 percent of VND70.5 trillion

HCMC People’s Committee announced that it plans to disburse 95 percent of the allocated public investment by 2023 despite the low rate so far due to various factors.

During the first 4 months this year, HCMC’s units were able to distribute VND2.51 trillion (US$107 million), accounting for only 6 percent of the city’s set target of VND41.5 trillion ($1.77 billion) or 3.6 percent of the total capital given by the Prime Minister. By May 12, this figure reached VND8.24 trillion ($351.3 million), occupying 20 percent and 12 percent of the two above targets respectively.

It is expected that by July 2023, the disbursement percentage will be 27 percent of the total capital delivered by the Prime Minister.

HCMC is allocated VND70.5 trillion ($3 billion) of public budget to use this year, which doubles last year’s capital plan. Therefore, the city has quickly adopted various measures to distribute this amount effectively.

HCMC Party’s Committee has formed 13 task forces under the management of its Standing Committee to monitor the progress of 38 key projects whose capital makes up 70 percent of this year’s total capital plan.

HCMC People’s Council has created a delegation to supervise the implementation of public investment tasks in the 2021-2025 period. Meanwhile, HCMC People’s Committee has introduced an action plan to boost public investment disbursement in 2023, aiming at helping state agencies to reduce the time handling administrative procedures by 30 percent, at closely monitoring the progress of current projects and timely warning any investors allowing tardiness due to subjective reasons.

Regarding the land compensation tasks, the related task force will work with districts and investors each month to accelerate the progress, while the People’s Committees of all districts and Thu Duc City must ensure to hand over project land on time, including those that are not invested by districts and Thu Duc City.

Binh Dinh spends VND45 billion to mitigate flooding in Ghenh Rang urban area

In response to the proposal from the Department of Construction, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province has allocated VND45 billion to mitigate flooding in the Ghenh Rang urban area of Quy Nhon City.

The People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province has announced that on May 15, Mr. Nguyen Tu Cong Hoang, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, approved the construction investment project and selected the contractor to undertake the urgent disaster recovery and flood mitigation project for the Ghenh Rang urban area in Quy Nhon City. The total capital allocated for this project amounts to VND45 billion.

The project aims to invest in the construction and upgrading of the drainage system to mitigate the flooding situation in Zone 3 and Zone 4 of the Ghenh Rang urban area. It specifically involves building two large reinforced concrete box culverts along Che Lan Vien Street and Han Mac Tu Street in Ghenh Rang Ward. These culverts will serve as outlets for rainwater, allowing it to flow directly into the sea and effectively alleviate flooding in this urban area.

Furthermore, the project includes enhancing and renovating the urban canal network, along with investing in 18 wells at the culvert openings to help alleviate the flood burden.

Mr. Vo Huu Thien, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction of Binh Dinh Province, has confirmed that the flood mitigation plan for Ghenh Rang, which was approved by the Provincial People's Committee, is based on the proposal put forth by the department. Consequently, the implementation of the project has been entrusted to the People's Committee of Quy Nhon City following the approved decision.

In response to the journalist from SGGP Newspaper asking whether the project will completely solve the flooding issue in the Ghenh Rang urban area in the near future, Mr. Vo Huu Thien explained that the project's objective is to control floodwater and manage a specific amount of rainfall within certain limits. However, he noted that if there is a sudden and extreme increase in rainfall, the project may not be able to completely eradicate flooding in the Ghenh Rang urban area.

The Ghenh Rang urban area is located in a vulnerable position prone to flooding when unusual rainfall occurs.
Mr. Vo Huu Thien, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction of Binh Dinh Province, further explained that during the 2022 rainy season, Quy Nhon City experienced rainfall ranging from 70 to 80mm. Given this significant amount of rainfall, ensuring effective flood mitigation in the Ghenh Rang urban area becomes a considerable challenge for the existing drainage system.

Can Tho plans to build underwater river tunnel

The Mekong Delta’s Can Tho city plans to build a tunnel under the Can Tho River to connect Ninh Kieu and Cai Rang districts.

This is part of adjustments to the construction plan for the Tay Do cultural center approved by the city’s People’s Committee. It includes construction of the tunnel and the city’s administrative center.

The underwater tunnel will have a width of 22 meters and two lanes. It will be able to withstand earthquakes of up to 6.0 in magnitude.

It is expected to contribute to promoting transport infrastructure development in the city.

The Tay Do cultural center and the city’s administrative center will be built in Cai Rang district on a total of nearly 70 ha.

On nearly 11 ha, the administrative center meet the working needs of 21 agencies and units, with total investment standing at an estimated VND2 trillion ($84 million).

HCMC targets 87% of workers to be trained by 2025

Ho Chi Minh City has set a target of having over 87 per cent of workers complete training by 2025 and 89 per cent by 2030.

This is part of a plan issued recently by the municipal People’s Committee on developing the labor market in a flexible, modern, effective, sustainable, and integrated manner for rapid socio-economic recovery by 2030.

Under the plan, the city will also strive to maintain an urban unemployment rate of less than 4 per cent and 3 per cent by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

Workplace productivity growth is expected to be 7 per cent annually.

By 2025, the city will complete the construction of technical infrastructure, software, and systems to connect and share data as well as implement digital transformation and standardize databases on workers. The city’s labor database will be then connected to national information systems and databases.

High schools revealing weaknesses in digital transformation

Decision No.131/QD-TTg, issued on January 25, 2022 by the Government, aims at boosting digital transformation in the educational sector from 2022-2025, with a vision to 2030. After a year launching it, several schools have seen difficulties.

A survey on training demands among principals of primary, secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City and its 16 neighboring provinces reveals that the highest priority lies in their understanding about educational technologies, followed by cyber security capacity (as schools now are facing a high risk of data loss due to cyberattacks as well as a major concern on safety in the management of tests, exams for students).

Other highly interesting management topics include the ability to seek digital transformation solutions, to select and effectively use different educational ecosystems, to analyze data and develop a digital transformation plan in order to better link among stakeholders of a school.

Deputy Head Nguyen The Quang of the Teaching and Learning Division under Ninh Thuan Province Education and Training Department commented that there is still ambiguous awareness about digital transformation among teachers and educational managers in different provinces. Many still misunderstand the differences between IT application and digital transformation in education. Adding to that is an unbalance between outdated IT infrastructure and the introduction of new software pieces, leading to unsustainable implementation.

More seriously, the majority of teachers as well as educational managers cannot satisfy the IT skill demands since they were trained with old knowledge. Then they do not have any competence framework to compare and update their skills accordingly.

Moving to the matter of digital transformation in examination, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Cam Tho – Head of the Educational Research and Evaluation (under the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences – the Education and Training Ministry) stated that students, parents and teachers all complain about the heavy workload for each examination. This is because both trainers and trainees depend too much on guidelines to limit knowledge before each examination.

In reality, however, the new General Education Program 2018 allows multiple textbook sets nationwide and gives more rights to each school to develop its own curriculum suitable for its specific students. In other words, schools themselves much develop their own exam question bank in various forms to comprehensively evaluate the learning skills and academic knowledge of their students, which means teachers must update their digital skills to administrate the school’s system and ensure information security and safety.

Director Nguyen Hoai Thuy Hang of the Hau Giang Province Department of Education and Training stated that facing a serious lack of IT human resources, if the educational sector does not introduce a more attractive benefit policy, it cannot employ sufficient staff to fulfill the digital transformation goals. She cited that even with the fringe benefit policy of VND50 million (US$2,100) per person for English language, Arts, IT teachers signing a contract to work in the province for 5 years, Hau Giang Province is still unable to hire enough staff.

Therefore, along with raising the awareness of teachers and educational managers on digital transformation, representatives of many education and training departments agree that it is necessary to invest more in consistent infrastructure and educational equipment as well as to adopt suitable policies and management mechanisms to better answer the needs of the new General Education Program 2018.

Da Nang, Quang Binh strengthen measures against IUU fishing

Authorities of the central localities of Da Nang and Quang Binh are accelerating inspections and control of local fisheries activities to join national efforts in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, towards having the European Commission (EC)'s “yellow card” warning against Vietnam's seafood exports lifted. 

The People’s Committee of Da Nang city has issued document under which departments, sectors, relevant localities and local fisheries management units have been ordered to continue to concertedly and seriously implement a plan for preventing and combat IUU fishing in the 2023-2025 period.

It requested relevant agencies to step up communications activities and organise training courses to update fishermen on relevant regulations, thus timely detecting and handling violations relating to IUU fishing.

Inspection and supervision of organisations, individuals, and units directly involved in the task of combating IUU fishing have been strengthened.

As scheduled, an EC delegation will have working sessions with local authorities from May 23-29, focusing on inspecting issues relate to controlling fishing vessels' infringement of foreign waters, managing the entry and exit of fishing vessels and their operation at sea and the installation of vessel monitoring system for fishing boats, and the certification of seafood shipments exported to Europe.

The delegation will work with one or two enterprises exporting seafood to Europe to check the certification of raw materials exploited in Vietnamese waters and imported materials for producing seafood for export to Europe.

In the central province of Quang Binh, the local sub-department for fisheries coordinated with the provincial border guards in the sea to deploy patrols and control activities at sea, thus thoroughly preventing IUU fishing activities in an attempt to lift the EC's “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood.

Le Van Thao, deputy head of the legal inspection office of the sub-department, said that the patrols have contributed to calling on local fishermen to comply with provisions of the Fisheries Law, and preventing IUU fishing.

According Thao, a series of measures have been implemented to combat IUU fishing, focusing on strictly controlling the operation of fishing vessels.

So far, as many as 3,544 fishing vessels with a length of 6m and above have registered, reaching 94.7%; and 1,128 boats with a length of 15m or more installed with vessel monitoring systems, equivalent to 94.8% of the total.

Young leaders in Southeast Asia promote innovation in higher education

The 2023 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Regional Workshop opened in Hanoi on May 16, under the theme of “Innovating International Higher Education”.

The four-day event gathers more than 70 YSEALI members between the age of 22-35 from all 10 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. They are working as teachers, academics, administrators, policy makers and advocates, as well as other young professionals from higher education institutions, government agencies, education-related non-government organisations (NGOs) and Community Service Organisations (CSOs).

At the opening session, Prof., Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of the National Economics University (NEU), said that the event brings together young leaders who come to exchange ideas on strengthening innovation activities in teaching - learning, digitisation – resources sharing, and integrating innovation and entrepreneurship among universities in ASEAN, the US and other countries.

In addition, through various programmes and commitments, the YSEALI contributes to improving youths' leadership capacity, and nurturing a community of leaders working across borders to solve common issues.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper emphasised the US Government's commitment to stand ready with ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste to promote education initiatives in the region.

By supporting the organisation of this workshop, the US mission to Vietnam hopes to foster innovation in higher education by encouraging institutions to support each other in order to enhance regional integration, he added.

Workshop participants are able to take part in seminars and presentations by ASEAN and US young leaders and US Government alumni, interactive skill-building training, a field trip to learn about internationalisation models in higher education in Vietnam, networking events, cultural activities, and a 'Dolphin tank" pitching competition to receive seed funding of up to 5,000 USD for projects taking place in two or more countries across the region to foster global partnership in the regional education sector.

ASEAN currently has more than 7,000 higher education institutions with around 12 million students.

New TV programme honours outstanding Vietnamese persons, achievements

The Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese in collaboration with VTV’s External Television Department on May 16 announced a new TV programme "Dau an Viet Nam" (Vietnam Impressions) featuring outstanding Vietnamese persons and promoting Vietnamese images to friends all over the world.

The programme airs from May 2023 to January 2025 on VTV4 channel. The first issue is about President Ho Chi Minh and will be broadcast on May 19 to celebrate the late leader's 133rd birthday (May 19).

The programme producers said that the 7-minute programme will be about historical figures, outstanding Vietnamese persons who are the pride of Vietnam at home and abroad, scientific achievements, or products associated with Vietnamese brands in different fields, including culture, economy, society, education, technology, and science.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony on May 16, Mai Phan Dung, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasised that the programme will help hounor Vietnamese values in the country’s development process, encouraging national pride, exciting patriotism, and improving Vietnamese language ability, especially for young overseas Vietnamese.

Nguyen Phu Binh, Chairman of the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese, said that with about 5.3 million people, the Vietnamese community abroad plays a very important role in national development. Therefore, the Party, State, and Government always pay great attention to overseas Vietnamese. Measures are needed to help the overseas Vietnamese community preserve and develop the national cultural identity and traditions, wherever they are.

The programme “Dau an Viet Nam” will be one of the important channels to help overseas Vietnamese update information quickly and accurately. As a result, they can better understand the development situation of the country, seize opportunities for cooperation and development, and act as bridges connecting Vietnam with the world.

Quang Ninh to become centrally-run city by 2030

The northeastern province of Quang Ninh will become a centrally-managed city by 2030 with seven subordinate cities, making it a large metropolitan city with regional and international significance.

The Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee has approved the Urban Development Programme of Quang Ninh Province to 2023. The province will develop seven cities within the centrally-run city, districts will not be formed in the city.

This model is unique as there is currently nothing similar explicitly defined in existing legal documents.

Those cities will be linked together by advanced technical infrastructure systems such as urban public transport systems or information and communication technology infrastructure.

The seven subordinate cities include Ha Long, Quang Yen, Uong Bi, Dong Trieu, Cam Pha, Van Don and Mong Cai cities.

Those cities are invested in building socio-economic and technical infrastructure following the criteria of Grade 1 cities by 2030. There are 152 commune-level administrative units, of which there are 77 wards.

The urban population is up to 850,000 people, accounting for 86.7% of the province’s population.

Five other urban areas are Tien Yen, Dam Ha, Binh Lieu, Ba Che and Co To.

According to the programme, Quang Ninh province will qualify to be a centrally-run city by 2023 and will strive to achieve structure and socio-economic development criteria. The other cities also will attempt to meet the criteria of a Grade 1 city.

Currently, Quang Ninh has 13 urban areas of which one city is a Grade 1 provincial-run city.

Along with that, Quang Ninh also has two coastal economic zones and three border gate economic zones. The province's urbanisation rate reaches 67.5%.

By 2030, the province will strive to have 12 administrative units with 12 urban areas, of which, four are Grade 1 cities including Ha Long, Mong Cai, Uong Bi and Cam Pha.

Tien Yen will be a Grade 3 city, Dam Ha, Binh Lieu-Hoanh Mo-Dong Van and Co To will be Grade 4 cities and one city of Grade 5 is Ba Che town.

The urbanisation rate will be over 75%.

Freshwater shortage on Con Co Island to be eased

A desalination system will be installed on Con Co Island in the central province of Quang Tri after the island has experienced a surge in tourism.

Con Co Island has been facing a freshwater shortage for many years. Meanwhile, the groundwater has been affected by salinisation. The island has also witnessed a rise in tourists, particularly in summer, worsening the water deficiency.

Local authorities have agreed on a VND17 billion (USD72,341) investment to install a desalination system capable of processing 200 cubic metres per day.

The work is scheduled to be put into use by the end of the second quarter of this year.

Tran Thi Quyet who has been living on the island since 2002 was very happy to hear about the system. She said that islanders mostly use water and groundwater. They often face water shortages.

The war-torn island of Con Co was officially opened to visitors in 2017. It takes around two hours for visitors to reach the island by boat.

The island boasts vast areas of primaeval forests that make up 70 percent of the island’s total area with floral diversity. It is also home to pristine beaches.

Da Lat to build bypass around city

A bypass will be built to provide an alternative route for vehicles traveling around Da Lat City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong instead of entering the downtown area.

The provincial Department of Planning and Investment is carrying out procedures for the construction project of the 9-kilometer road starting from the foot of Prenn Pass to Xuan Tho Commune in Da Lat City at a cost of VND400 billion.

The bypass route is expected to contribute to reducing the number of vehicles entering the city center and cutting the travel distance by 17.7 kilometers from Xuan Tho, Xuan Truong, and Tram Hanh communes to the southern districts of Lam Dong Province.

Da Lat City has currently implemented traffic projects, such as the expansion of the main downtown streets, and the construction of bypass routes and ring roads contributing to reducing the number of vehicles entering the city to tackle traffic congestion.

Hanoi explores setting up two cities under capital administration

Hanoi will consider establishing two cities within Hanoi, one north of the Red River covering three districts of Dong Anh, Me Linh, and Soc Son, and another west of the capital covering two localities of Hoa Lac and Xuan Mai. 

The guidelines for this move were mentioned in conclusion No. 118-KL/TU after the conclusion of the 12th Conference of the Municipal Party Committee for the 2020-2025 term.

During the 12th conference, held on April 26-27, the municipal leaders discussed three main issues, including the master plan for the adjustment of Hanoi's general construction planning to 2030, with a vision to 2050; the outline of the direction for the capital planning period from 2021 to 2030, with a vision to 2050; and the progress in the development of the amended Capital Law.

On the adjustment of Hanoi Construction General Planning to 2030, the municipal Party Committee stressed the importance of adhering to the principles of "civilization - modernization - progress".

In this regard, the revised plan should build on the Hanoi Capital Construction General Plan approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1259/QD-TTg on July 26, 2011.

"It should also effectively utilize the city's natural resources, preserve its cultural identity, especially the cultural heritage developed over thousands of years, and recognize it as a valuable resource for the new phase of the capital's development," the conclusion said.

It also noted the importance of conducting further studies on the construction of another international airport.

In connection with the outline of the capital's planning direction from 2021 to 2030, with a vision to 2050, the City Party Committee stressed the importance of fostering a sense of elegance, dignity, love, civilization, and embodiment of Vietnamese cultural values, conscience, and human dignity among Hanoi residents.

This is in line with Politburo Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW. The Hanoi Party Committee also stressed the need to clarify the role of the tourism industry in the coming period, emphasizing the city's river, lake, and forest systems, taking into account their unique conditions and potential.

In the process of formulating the master plans, the conclusion recommended that the municipal People's Committee should continue to guide relevant agencies and units.

In particular, it should seek the opinions of experts and scholars through established channels, including soliciting input from local authorities and the public. This approach aims to harness the wisdom and collective insight of the people while promoting unity and consensus throughout the planning and implementation stages of the master plans.

Revision of Capital Law a key priority for Hanoi's long-term development

Amending the Capital Law remains a critical task for Hanoi to ensure its long-term and sustainable development.

The Hanoi People's Committee reiterated this view in its latest report on the progress of drafting the revised Capital Law.

The National Assembly approved the Capital Law on November 21, 2012, which came into effect on July 1, 2013. This important legal document outlines the status, roles, responsibilities and policies for the construction, development and protection of the capital.

After nearly 10 years of implementation, the specific mechanisms outlined in the Capital Law have brought positive results to Hanoi's development process. However, it has also revealed shortcomings and limitations that require amendments and additions to meet the demands of the current situation.

Recognizing the importance of amending the Capital Law, the Hanoi People's Committee has identified it as a key task and breakthrough for the 2020-2025 term, as stated in the resolution of the 17th Party Congress of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee.

So far, the Municipal People's Committee has successfully prepared the revised version of the Capital Law, which includes nine major policy groups. These policies aim to establish an efficient, modern, and professional administration in Hanoi, attract and utilize high-quality human resources, and facilitate urban development, including technical and transportation infrastructure.

At a meeting held in February 2023, the Government expressed its strong approval and agreed on the need to enact the proposed legislation.

The Government recognized the importance of implementing specific and groundbreaking mechanisms and policies to promote the rapid and robust development of Hanoi, in line with the unique requirements and responsibilities of the capital.

In order to ensure the timely submission of the amended Capital Law project to the National Assembly at the upcoming 6th session in October 2023 for consideration and approval at the 7th session in May 2024, the Municipal People's Committee has been working with National Assembly agencies to collect feedback on the draft law.

In addition, the Municipal People's Committee is making efforts to raise public awareness and disseminate information about the revised Capital Law.

Local authorities are encouraged to participate in the law drafting process and contribute their suggestions to refine the amended Capital Law project.

The Municipality is also working with the Ministry of Justice to establish a drafting team for the amended Capital Law. This team is responsible for translating approved policies into institutionalized provisions, with the aim of promptly preparing the necessary documents to support the work of the Drafting Committee and the Law Project Editing Team.

Hanoi has outlined nine key policy directions for the revised Capital Law to speed up the city's sustainable development. These directions cover various areas, such as restructuring the local administration to improve efficiency, modernization and professionalism. Another priority is to attract skilled professionals to support Hanoi's progress, while strengthening the city's financial and budgetary capacity for development purposes.

The proposals also focus on improving urban infrastructure, technological advancement, and transportation systems. In addition, there is an emphasis on promoting modern agriculture, fostering rural development with educated and responsible farmers, and enhancing cultural and educational efforts. Unleashing the potential of science, technology and innovation is another key aspect of the policy directions.

In addition, the proposals advocate the establishment of a modern health care system and the development of a comprehensive and inclusive social welfare system. At the same time, efforts will be made to improve connectivity within the Hanoi Capital Zone, with the ultimate goal of transforming it into a prominent economic hub in Vietnam. The envisioned economic hub aims to have a dynamic, environmentally friendly, and rapidly growing economy.

Village-based health staff remain devoted despite difficulties

In the remote and ethnically diverse regions of the northern mountainous province of Hà Giang, devoted village-based health workers are striving to replace entrenched, antiquated customs with modern healthcare practices, despite the challenges they face.

Phàn Ngọc Lý is one diligent healthcare worker in Bản Ngò Commune, Xín Mần District. Despite a demanding schedule, Lý consistently rises to the occasion, ensuring he completes all the tasks entrusted to him.

Lý's responsibilities are multifaceted, encompassing the dissemination of public health policies and participation in community health training courses. Additionally, he extends first aid and routine medical care to the local population.

Furthermore, he shoulders the responsibility of encouraging the local populace to seek examination and treatment at health stations when unwell, rather than resorting to ritualistic customs in the hope of curing ailments. This role, in particular, underscores the health workers' commitment to the modernisation of healthcare within these regions.

According to Vương Thanh Nguyên, head of Xín Mần District’s Health Centre, the district currently has 18 commune-level administrative units, including one with 139 village-based health workers.

Despite their extensive responsibilities and the relatively modest remuneration they receive, the district's village-based health workers are both enthusiastic and conscientious in carrying out their duties.

As per Circular No. 07/2013/TT-TTCP, the role of a village-based health worker is indeed multifarious. However, Nguyên pointed out, the allowances these workers receive remained somewhat meagre.

Regulations stipulate that health workers in disadvantaged communes receive an allowance equivalent to half of the current basic salary. In contrast, those serving in other areas are entitled to an allowance amounting to 30 per cent of the base salary.

At present, the basic salary stands at VNĐ1.49 million (approximately US$63.4) per month. Consequently, for many, the economic compensation does not adequately reflect the breadth and importance of the work they perform.

Vương Minh Hiệu, who leads the commune’s health station, noted that the insufficient allowances had had tangible consequences. Since the start of the year, several village-based health workers had resigned from their posts, driven away by the economic inadequacy of their remuneration.

Hiệu explained that the allowance failed to meet their daily living expenses. Consequently, these health workers sought employment with companies offering higher salaries.

In a bid to counteract this unfortunate trend, the district's health sector had devised a strategy, explained Nguyên. Village-based health workers were now given the opportunity to take on additional roles, such as working for the commune-level Youth Union, thereby supplementing their income and potentially retaining their valuable healthcare services.

Nguyên noted the positive impact of the health workers' outreach activities on the local population. He highlighted that these efforts had led to a shift in local attitudes.

Child marriage rates had seen a steady decline, and the elimination of outdated customs had made significant strides in recent times, he added.

In order to augment the effectiveness of these village-based health workers, the district’s health sector planned to hold short training courses, spanning three to five days. This educational initiative was intended to equip the health workers with the knowledge and skills they need to increase their operational efficiency in the future, explained Nguyên.

Vương Văn Ba, a local resident, reflected on the transformation within his own family and others in the community. Previously, it was common practice to invite a shaman to perform rituals in the hope of healing the sick. However, the intervention of the village-based health workers, who examined the sick and urged them to seek medical care at health stations and hospitals, had caused a significant cultural shift.

As a result of these interventions, Ba's family no longer resorted to invoking a shaman to cure ailments, he said, signifying a tangible transition towards modern healthcare practices.

Hoàng Văn Sỹ, another inhabitant of the commune, lauded the dedication of the village-based health workers, crediting them for fostering trust and enhancing local understanding of healthcare.

Influenced by the village-based health workers, Sỹ has also taken measures to educate his children and grandchildren about the drawbacks of consanguineous and child marriages.

Bilingual program to promote 'Vietnam's Imprint' abroad

The program "Uncle Ho with the Purity of the Vietnamese Language", aired on May 19 on the occasion of the 133rd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, will kick off the series of programs "Vietnam's Imprint" on VTV4.

The series of Vietnamese-English bilingual programs, according to Nguyen Phu Binh, Chairman of the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese, refers to historical figures or outstanding Vietnamese who have brought honor to Vietnam at home and abroad; scientific achievements or goods related to Vietnamese brands in various fields, including culture, economy, society, education, technology, and science.

He added that this is a practical task in response to the government's project "Honoring the Vietnamese language in the overseas Vietnamese community in 2023-2030".

Binh believed that the program would attract the attention of Vietnamese audiences at home and abroad and foreigners who love the Vietnamese language and culture.

Vietnamese and international audiences will learn about "The Lotus Image in Vietnamese Buddhist Culture", "Vietnam's Impact on International Humanity and Peace Mission", "The Journey of Vietnamese Rice", "UNESCO and Vietnam's Tangible and Immaterial Culture", "Vietnamese Temples in the World", "King Tran Nhan Tong - A Symbol of Vietnamese Culture"...

The program's advisory board includes renowned experts in many fields: Journalist Pham Duc Luong, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper; Professor PhD Hoang Chi Bao, former member of the Central Theoretical Council; Historian Duong Trung Quoc, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Historical Science, Editor-in-Chief of Past and Present Magazine; Venerable Thich Nguyen Chinh, Deputy Chief of the Central Office of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Thua Thien-Hue to develop ecological coastal tourism site

The Thua Thien-Hue Provincial People’s Committee has proposed the Provincial People’s Council approve the planning to build the Vinh My ecological coastal tourism site in Phu Loc district.

The site will cover 93 ha in the central province and be capable of accommodating 5,000 people each day, including tourists and staff.

It will consist of a luxurious hotel complex, a commercial and services center, and entertainment facilities, to meet demand among both domestic and foreign tourists.

The committee said Phu Loc district holds much potential for tourism and services development. The district is implementing a number of tourism investment projects and has continued to attract domestic and foreign investors.

Remains of Vietnamese martyrs repatriated from Laos

Remains of nine Vietnamese volunteer experts and soldiers, who laid down their lives in Savannakhet province, Laos, were repatriated following a handover ceremony at Lao Bao – Densavan International Border Gate in the central province of Quang Tri on May 17.

The remains were found by a search and repatriation team of the Military Command of the Vietnamese central province of Quang Tri during the 2022-2023 dry season.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Hoang Nam said during the years of long and arduous war times, Vietnamese volunteer soldiers fought, sacrificed for independence and freedom of the Lao people.

The feats and sacrifices of the Vietnamese martyrs contributed to enriching the golden history of the two countries, and at the same time tightening and making the special solidarity and ties between Vietnam and Laos “forever green, forever sustainable".

The remains will be laid to rest at the Road 9 Martyr Cemetery on May 18.

Send-off ceremony for Vietnamese team to ASEAN Para Games 12

A ceremony was held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 17 to send off the Vietnamese team competing in the 12th ASEAN Para Games which is scheduled to take place in Cambodia from June 3-9.

The event was co-hosted by the Vietnam Sports Administration under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, HCM City's Department of Culture and Sports and the Vietnam Paralympic Association.

The team consists of 164 members, including 16 officials, 21 coaches and 127 athletes. The athletes will compete in 8 out of 13 sports at the tournament, namely track-and-field, swimming, weightlifting, badminton, table tennis, chess, judo, and boccia.

So far, more than 500 athletes with disabilities have registered to compete at ASEAN Para Games 12.

At the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, last year, Vietnam claimed 183 medals, including 65 golds, 62 silvers and 56 bronzes, ranking third on the medal tally.

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