Vietnamese leaders on May 20 offered condolences to the Iranian government over the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in the May 19 helicopter crash.

The condolences were sent by Acting President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Acting President of Iran Mohammad Mokhber.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man extended condolences to Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son also sent condolences to Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani.

Rescue teams found the wreckage of the helicopter in a fog-shrouded western mountain region on May 20. The crash killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and some senior officials on board the helicopter.

People’s Public Security Academy delegation welcomed in US

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, has had a working session with a delegation from the People’s Public Security Academy led by Colonel Prof. Dr. Nguyen Truong Tho, Vice Director of the academy, on a working visit to New York.

Colonel Tho briefed Ambassador Giang on the training activities of the academy, and issues of the academy’s interest in international integration, scientific research, and others.

For his part, Ambassador Giang praised contributions that the academy has made to the protection of national security and the training of high quality officials for the Party and State and the public security force.

He highlighted a number of contributions by the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN to the country’s multilateral external relations and international integration, and pointed to a number of emerging security challenges related to the interest and national security of Vietnam.

The ambassador affirmed that the mission is willing to give maximum support to training facilities of the public security sector, including the People’s Public Security Academy in expanding international cooperation and integration./

Prime Minister receives co-founder of Indian IT company Infosys

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 20 received Nagavara Ramaroa Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys – one of the biggest IT companies in India.

Welcoming Narayana Murthy, who is also former Chainman of Infosys, to Vietnam to work with Vietnamese partners, PM Chinh showed his impression at the scale, role and position of Infosys, as well as Narayana Murthy's role in the IT and software market of India in particular and the world in general.

He stated that India is a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, and that he is happy to see the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and India being strengthened and developed in multiple fields.

During their recent bilateral meetings, Chinh and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to continue promoting economic-trade-investment and science-technology cooperation to make them commensurate with the potential and stature of the two countries' relationship.

Chinh noted that Vietnam identifies the digital economy, knowledge economy, and circular economy as the main directions in the country’s socio-economic development strategy. Vietnam promotes the development of strategies for research, application and development of artificial intelligence human resources to meet the needs of businesses and the labour market.

The Vietnamese leader said he hopes that Infosys will invest in and cooperate with Vietnam through specific projects and products on the principle of harmonised benefits and shared risks.

He wished India in general and Infosys in particular, as well as Narayana Murthy and Indian experts to support Vietnam in mobilising resources, especially in public-private partnership, to develop the information technology sector, software industry, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors.

Vietnam wants to learn experience from India to perfect its legal framework in information technology, boost software industry, AI, and semiconductors. He also asked for support to Vietnamese businesses to join global production and supply chains in these fields.

For his part, Narayana Murthy said that India has developed the information technology industry very early and Vietnam also has world-class technology enterprises such as FPT.

This is a favourable foundation and environment to promote technology cooperation between the two countries, he noted, believing that Vietnam will reap greater success in the software field./.

Hanoi court sentences transnational money laundering ring members

The Hanoi People's Court sentenced a total of 21 defendants involved in a transnational money laundering ring led by Chinese nationals.

Among them, 14 were charged with "fraudulent appropriation of property". They received sentences ranging from 12-18 years.

The seven convicted of "money laundering" were sentenced to imprisonments of between six and 11 years.

Between September 27 and November 9, 2022, police arrested Mac Binh Hung and many others of the 777pay criminal group belonging to Jinbian Company headquartered in Cambodia.

The group provided bank accounts for fraudsters to instruct Nguyen Thi L, 39, residing in Cau Giay district, Hanoi, to transfer money for them, with transactions worth nearly 20 billion VND (785,778 USD) in total carried out from August 25-30, 2022. The woman reported the case to the Hanoi police after recognising that she had been deceived./.

Forum promotes Vietnam - Australia cooperation in construction

A forum has been held in Sydney to promote connecting and building partnerships between Vietnamese businesses and Australia's property developers and construction companies.

The event attracted more than 120 participants, including representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia, Vietnam’s Trade Office in Australia, New South Wales’s business association, the Australia-Vietnam Business Council, Ho Chi Minh City's Saigon Construction & Building Material Associations and the Binh Duong Construction Association, and Vietnamese and Australian enterprises in building material production and property development.

The forum, held by Pistis Group with the support from the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia, is one of the first trade promotion activities between the two countries after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced the upgrade of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinh's official visit to Australia on March 7.

At the event, representatives of Vietnamese construction materials manufacturers introduced their advanced products and technology, affirming their quality and competitiveness in the international market.

Meanwhile, Grame Barty, International Trade consultant of Business NSW - an Australian not-for-profit membership organisation that advocates on behalf of Australian businesses, said that Australia's housing demand is 1.2 million houses, including 320,000 houses for New South Wales alone. That offers a "golden opportunity" for Vietnamese construction materials exporters.

On this occasion, the Viettel Construction Joint Stock Corporation and HBC Build Australia signed an agreement on the procurement of construction materials for Ramada Sky Hotel and a housing project for people over 50 years old in Warwick town in the state of Queensland./.

PM asks that exams this year are made safe and taken seriously

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked ministries, provinces and cities to closely direct, prepare for and coordinate exams this year.

In the Directive No 15/CT-TTg, which has been sent to all those involved, the PM stressed the importance of getting details right in terms of the high school graduation exam and university and vocational entrance exams.

The directive clearly states that in recent years the tests have become increasingly serious, with honesty and safety now even more important, to meet the goal of evaluating the general education quality and student capacity.

However, it is clear that overseeing exams can have some shortcomings and limitations and some local areas have not been as proactive as they could be. Coordination is not good enough. Communication is not complete and timely. Cheating in exams is increasingly sophisticated and complex.

PM Chính asked all those involved to handle in the most effective way any problems that may arise to create the most favourable conditions for candidates.

The Ministry of Education and Training must issue documents to guide the exam organisation, ensure quality questions and promote information technology applications to service the exams.

It should coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and localities to prevent and combat different forms of cheating during the exams, in addition to carrying out inspections and supervision.

The provincial and municipal people's committee is responsible for developing plans and preparing the staff, material resources and other necessary conditions for the exams, in particular if there is an unusual situation during the exam period, such as harsh weather.

They provide valuable training to all those involved and monitor the exam preparation according to regulations.

Localities’ duties also include deploying disease prevention and control, ensuring food safety and taking care of candidates' health.

They should create favourable conditions for travel, meals and rest for candidates and their relatives at exam sites, especially for poorer candidates, the ones from mountainous and remote areas or those from ethnic groups areas.

Provinces and cities must coordinate with press agencies to provide full and transparent information about the exams so that the people and the society can understand and agree at the organisation stages.

The work of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is to instruct vocational education institutions in terms of recruitment and offer career counselling to students.

PM Chính has assigned the Ministry of Public Security to combine with the education sector and relevant agencies to ensure absolute security and safety for the exams.

The Ministry of Health bears the responsibility of ensuring disease prevention and control, environmental sanitation and food safety. It also needs to have staff and medical equipment on hand for candidates who get sick and those taking an exam who already have health problems.

The Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union is ready to support students and their families and ensure order and safety during the exams. 

Overseas activities mark President Ho Chi Minh’s 134th birthday

Many activities have been held by overseas Vietnamese in different countries to celebrate the 134th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 - 2024).

As part of the Vietnamese Week in St. Petersburg, nearly 500 people participated in a wreath laying ceremony in front of the monument to the late leader in Vyborg district on May 19.

They included Chairman of the External Relations Committee of the Russian city’s administration Evgeny Grigoriev, head of Vyborg district Viktor Polunin, former Soviet Union experts who used to come to assist Vietnam, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations Phan Anh Son, and Chairman of the Vietnamese People’s Association in Russia Do Xuan Hoang, and representatives of the Vietnamese community.

After that, Ambassador Khoi and staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy visited and presented gifts to teachers and students of a nearby school which houses a Ho Chi Minh museum.

On early May 20, the Palace Bridge, the main one in the city, was opened to visitors and lit up red and yellow – the colours of Vietnam’s national flag.

This year’s Vietnamese Week was the third of its kind held in St. Petersburg.

Also on May 19, the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and officials from other representative bodies of Vietnam in South Africa offered incense in commemoration of the late leader.

Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Sy Cuong said the activity was an occasion for cadres and Party members performing duties overseas to reflect on the traditions of the homeland and the victories of the Vietnamese revolution and, especially, express gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh – a genius leader of Vietnam and the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country.

The same day, representatives of the India - Vietnam Solidarity Committee in West Bengal state laid wreaths at the monument to the President to mark his 134th birthday.

Chairman of the committee Kusum Jain and Vice Chairman Prem Kapoor recalled President Ho Chi Minh’s commitments to the people. They stressed that in the current global situation, the world needs devoted leaders like Ho Chi Minh, who used to have special links with Kolkata city and local people.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangladesh coordinated with the liaison board of the Vietnamese community in this country organised a ceremony at the embassy’s headquarters on May 17 to celebrate President Ho Chi Minh’s 134th birthday.

Ambassador Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted some landmarks of the leader’s life and revolutionary career, as well as his great contributions to the struggle for national liberation, reunification, and people’s happiness.

He affirmed that President Ho Chi Minh’s thought and sentiments towards overseas Vietnamese have always been treasured and upheld by generations of Party and State leaders. He also called on the Vietnamese people in Bangladesh to push ahead with studying and following the late leader’s ideology, moral example, and style, maintaining traditions and solidarity, assisting one another, and contributing to the homeland’s development.

On May 19, an international workshop was held at Sejong University in Seoul, connecting Vietnamese intellectuals, students, and people living in the Republic of Korea (RoK). It aimed to emphasise the importance of creating a peaceful society.

Taking place on the occasion of the 134th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh – an undaunted revolutionary in the struggle for national liberation and also a symbol of peace and friendship, it was significant to not only the Vietnamese community in the RoK but also international friends of Vietnam.

The workshop was organised by the board of the Vietnam Fatherland Day project in the RoK, Sejong University, and the Vietnamese people’s associations in the Northeast Asian country.

On May 18, the association of fellow-countrymen from Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, the largest organisation of Vietnamese in the Czech Republic, held an annual gathering at the Sapa trade centre in Prague.

With the participation of nearly 400 people, the event became even more meaningful when it coincided with the 134th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, a native of Nghe An./.

Da Nang, Sichuan's Tianfu New Area foster collaboration

Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Da Nang city Ho Ky Minh hosted a local reception on May 20 for Zhou Xianyi, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Tianfu New Area in Sichuan of China.

Minh presented Da Nang as a growth nucleus of the central key economic region of Vietnam, known for major industrial products such as seafood, apparel, leather and footwear, mechanical engineering, construction materials and handicrafts. The city is also developing hi-tech industries and information technology into major economic sectors, with its economic structure oriented towards services, industry and agriculture.

In 2023, the city won the Best Vietnam Smart City Award in the categories “Smart Operations and Management City for Infrastructure and Public Service”, Smart, Green Environmental Management City” and “Attractive City for Startups and Innovation”.

In the first quarter of this year, the total number of tourist arrivals to the city was estimated at 235,000, with foreigners increasing by 70.7%.

Da Nang and the Tianfu New Area share similarities in urban economic management and development, Minh said, adding that Da Nang could share its experience and cooperate with the Tianfu New Area in the fields of digital transformation, transportation, tourism, sci-tech, innovation and commerce.

Zhou, for his part, introduced the Tianfu New Area as a rapidly growing urban area in the southern part of Chengdu, Sichuan province. Covering 1,578 sq.km and home to 3.56 million people, it boasted an economic size of US$64 billion in 2023, ranking first among new urban areas. It aims to become a significant growth pole and a new driving force in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.

He expressed a desire for closer ties between the two localities, particularly in tourism, industry, energy, and digital transformation, and sought Da Nang's support for the Tianfu New Area's firms operating in the city.

Currently, 93 Chinese projects are underway in Da Nang, with a total capital of US$118 million, mainly in restaurants, consulting for electronic equipment import, silicon and honey production.

In 2023, Da Nang's exports to China fetched 47 million USD, including transformers, fishing rods, apparel, seafood, small engines, mobile phone headsets, wood chips, and handicrafts. Imports from China were worth US$205 million, comprising engines, components, machinery, production equipment, and various types of steel.

Da Nang has over 30 businesses maintaining regular trade relations with China. Last year, the city welcomed roughly 179,000 Chinese tourists, making China its second largest international tourist market.

Indonesia wants to boost rice cooperation with Can Tho: Indonesian Minister

Indonesia hopes for further cooperation with the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho in rice exports and technology in the agricultural sector to increase rice supply in the Southeast Asian region, Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman told Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu in Can Tho on May 20.

Can Tho has advantages on agricultural development, including rice export, he said, adding that the city has joined the prorject on developing 1 million ha of low-emission, high-quality rice.

Vietnam and Indonesia boast many areas for cooperation in the future, particularly in agricultural research and food supply.

Hieu briefed the guest about the city's strengths such as quality rice, fruit and fisheries production, along with research establishments like the Mekong Delta Rice Institute and Can Tho University specialising in rice and plant variety research and supply.

Can Tho is encouraging local businesses to expand export their agricultural products to Halal markets, including Indonesia. In addition rice products, the city expects to export other agricultural products such as fruits and seafood to Indonesia, he said.

According to the city’s Department of Foreign Affairs, in the first quarter of 2024, Can Tho earned US$16.19 million from exports to Indonesia. The city's main exports were rice, farm produce and processed agricultural products. Currently, Indonesia is running a project with registered investment of over US$10 million in Can Tho.

Vietnam, Indonesia step up security cooperation

General To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, on May 20 hosted a reception for Deputy Chief of the Indonesian National Police (INP) Commissioner General Agus Andrianto.

The Indonesian official is in Vietnam to attend the third security dialogue at the deputy ministerial level between Vietnam and Indonesia.

Lam highlighted that over the past 70 years, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries have continuously developed, especially since they upgraded their relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2013.

He went on to say that security cooperation has been effectively implemented through agreements such as the agreement on extradition and the memorandum of understanding on strengthening anti-terrorism cooperation. As a result, the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) of Vietnam and INP have enhanced the sharing of information on crime prevention and combat, and coordinated in ensuring security and safety for citizens of the two countries.

They have continued to maintain cooperation within the frameworks of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) and the ASEAN Chiefs of Police Conference (ASEANAPOL).

The Vietnamese minister suggested that the two sides continue to increase the exchange of high-ranking delegations and maintain the security dialogue at the deputy ministerial level between the MoPS and the INP on an annual rotation basis.

It is necessary for the two sides to coordinate to effectively implement the cooperation documents signed between the two countries to enhance the effectiveness of crime prevention and citizen protection, and promote negotiations for the signing of the MoU on cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking, he said.

The two sides should strengthen cooperation, regularly exchange information, share experience and coordinate closely in transmitting high-level messages and promote specialised cooperation; while cooperating to prevent any individual or organisation from using the territory of one country to conduct activities that are harmful to the security and order of the other country, Lam noted.

For his part, Andrianto said INP in particular and Indonesian authorities in general want to further promote and strengthen closer cooperation with the MoPS so as to deepen the Strategic Partnership between the two nations. He hoped that the relaltionship between Vietnam and Indonesia in general and between the MoPS and the INP will be further consolidated and developed, for peace, stability, prosperity of the two countries' people.

Earlier on the same day, Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Deputy Minister of Public Security, and Andrianto co-chaired the third security dialogue.

The two sides reviewed the results reaped in implementing cooperation contents since the 2nd dialogue; engaged in candid discussions about their cooperation on drug crime prevention and combat, human trafficking, terrorism, cyber security, and cooperation in training Vietnamese officers to join the UN peacekeeping forces and other issues of mutual concern, thereby putting forth orientations for cooperation in the coming time.

Mexican newspaper spotlights relationship with Vietnam

The Regeneración newspaper, the official organ of the ruling party National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) in Mexico, ran an article on May 19, highlighting the friendship with Vietnam on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 134th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 - 2024).

The article praised the victory of the 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising under the leadership of the Vietnam Workers' Party, now the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The great victory marked the complete defeat of the war of aggression and the new colonial rule of the US imperialists in the South, the complete liberation of South Vietnam and the national unification, and opened a new chapter of the Vietnamese revolution history, it said.

The newspaper emphasised that Mexico was one of the first countries in the world to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam after the victory, and this milestone in the relationship between the two countries is even more special and memorable as it coincides with the birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, a great leader, a national liberation hero, and an eminent cultural figure of Vietnam.

People of Mexico, and those in Latin America in general, have always expressed their reverence and admiration for President Ho Chi Minh, the newspaper said, adding that to honour the Vietnamese late leader, Mexico has built three statues of Uncle Ho in Mexico City, Acapulco, and Guadalajara state.

The article also spotlighted achievements in the relations between the two countries which have fruitfully developed across fields - diplomacy, economy, trade, culture, education, security – defense, and tourism.

With the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), signed and coming into effect in early 2019, trade between the two countries continues to be a bright spot in bilateral relations, it noted.

Statistics show that Vietnam's exports to Mexico reached 11.59 billion USD in 2023, while the Southeast Asian nation spent 422.3 million USD on importing products from the second-largest economy in Latin America./.

Vietnamese track-and-field athletes seek Olympic berths in Thailand

Fourteen Vietnamese track-and-field athletes are competing at the ongoing Asian Relay Championship 2024, with high hopes that they will be able to qualify for the coming Paris Olympics.

According to schedule, they are competing in the 4x400m Mixed Relay, the women’s 4x100m relay, the women’s 4x400m relay, and the men’s 4x400m relay.

Nguyen Manh Hung, general secretary of the Vietnam Athletics Federation, said in the latest rankings the local team was placed in 28th position with a best time of 3'31''61 at the 19th Asian Games last September in China. 

To compete at the Olympics, they need to be among the top 16, stressed the official, revealing the current 16th place is held by Dominica with a time of 3'27''84.

The teams which stand above Vietnam are India, the Czech Republic, Botswana, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Spain, Kenya, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Colombia.

Quach Thi Lan and Le Thi Tuyet Mai are considered to be the most promising runners who have the chance of winning the best results at the tournament.

The team will compete in the final round of the 4x400m Mixed Relay at 18:35 p.m. on May 20.

On May 21 evening, they will subsequently take part in the women’s 4x100m relay, women’s 4x400m relay, and the men’s 4x400m relay.

The Vietnam Athletics Federation also pledged a bonus of VND100 million, equal to US$3,900, for an Olympic spot.

Vietnamese representative to UN hosts People’s Public Security Academy delegation

Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations, has had a working session with a delegation from the People’s Public Security Academy led by Colonel Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Trường Thọ, Vice Director of the academy, on a working visit to New York.

Colonel Thọ briefed Ambassador Giang on the training activities of the academy, and issues of the academy’s interest in international integration, scientific research, and others.

For his part, Ambassador Giang praised contributions that the academy has made to the protection of national security and the training of high quality officials for the Party and State and the public security force.

He highlighted a number of contributions by the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN to the country’s multilateral external relations and international integration, and pointed to a number of emerging security challenges related to the interest and national security of Việt Nam.

The ambassador affirmed that the mission is willing to give maximum support to training facilities of the public security sector, including the People’s Public Security Academy in expanding international cooperation and integration. 

Vietnam Cultural Show held in London

The Vietnam Cultural Show London 2024 was held in London, the UK on May 19 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954-2024) and the 134th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890-2024).

More than 100 Vietnamese and foreign artists and models, both professional and amateur, performed at the event, introducing the country, its culture and people to international friends while strengthening solidarity of Vietnamese community in the host country.

Hoang Ha, head of the organising board, said the annual event was a joint effort of the Vietnamese international women federation in the UK, Park Pharmacy, and the Love Collection Ao dai brand to honour and spread the Vietnamese culture and the image of the Vietnamese community in the country.

Ha said the success of the programme has showed the affection and interest of local authorities and people in the Vietnamese culture as well as the increasing prestige of the Vietnamese community in the UK.

All proceeds from the programme were presented to the Vietnamese Women and Children Association in the UK to develop projects that preserve and promote traditional cultural and artistic values among the Vietnamese community in the country./.

HCMC honors winners of smart city microchip design competition

The Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) recently awarded the winners of the first Circuit Design for Smart City Competition, promoting innovation and workforce development in the city’s semiconductor chip industry.

A representative from the University of Natural Sciences won a top prize for an innovative project, which involved creating a specialized computer chip that enhances the clarity and quality of signals received from various sensors.

This technology is important for making sensors more reliable and accurate in applications like healthcare, environmental monitoring, and industrial automation.

Launched in November 2023, the competition sought innovative microchip designs addressing urban challenges faced by smart city development efforts. The organizing committee received 39 projects over six months.

In addition to the winner, four other projects that qualified for the finale will receive a total VND100 million in prizes and mentorship opportunities from SHTP experts.

SHTP has also launched the second competition themed “Green City,” focusing on sustainable semiconductor solutions for smart cities.

Nguyen Anh Thi, head of the SHTP Management Board, stressed the industry’s importance for the city’s growth. He expressed optimism about HCMC’s potential to become a leading regional and global technology innovation hub.

USAID funds $11 million to help Ho Chi Minh City achieve net-zero emissions goal

With more than $11 million in funding through the US Agency for International Development, Ho Chi Minh City has stepped up its efforts to facilitate energy efficiency gains and develop and deploy new sources of renewable energy.

On May 17, the United States Mission to Vietnam, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade (DoIT) celebrated their joint success in a five-year partnership advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency in the city.

“Our partnership with Ho Chi Minh City through USAID’s Vietnam Urban Energy Security project has helped to advance the city’s clean energy transition,” said USAID/Vietnam Mission director Aler Grubbs. “We applaud Ho Chi Minh City for its visionary clean energy plans, which serve as a model for how cities across Vietnam can improve energy security, increase environmental resilience, and advance net-zero emissions goals.”

The development of the city’s Net Zero Emission Strategy and its implementation roadmap, is accompanied by a strategy to expand clean and new energy sources. These strategies will be vital to guide the city’s renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts in the years to come.

The city has also organised the first energy efficiency awards to recognise enterprises for their energy efficiency performance and achievements.

The project has helped mobilise $4.2 million for clean energy developers and startups working on projects involving green hydrogen, battery energy storage systems, electric motorbikes, and electric transportation systems.

In addition, more than 500 staff from key financial institutions have received training on advanced financial instruments like green bonds and clean energy investments to facilitate lending for clean energy projects. The project has also trained nearly 200 government officials, energy managers, and technical managers to promote the adoption of energy efficiency policies and measures.

Another achievement is the establishment of the Innovation Challenge Fund, which has provided grants to seven innovative solutions to address urban energy and environmental issues in the city, enabling innovators to bring their cutting-edge ideas to life.

20,000 young physicians volunteer for better community health

Up to 20,000 members of the Vietnam Young Physicians’ Association (VYPA) will participate in an annual volunteer campaign for the public wellbeing between now and October.

The participants will be divided into four teams serving general medical check-ups, digital transformation work, screening for non-communicable diseases, and blood and organ donation activities.

According to Nguyen Huu Tu, VYPA Vice Chairman and General Secretary, the campaign aims to provide direct medical consultations and examinations for over 100,000 people, its AI-based health screening expected to reach about 1 million individuals. The initiative will educate approximately 1 million youths on preventing non-communicable diseases and offer financial or medical assistance to at least 1,000 underprivileged people. The campaign also seeks to encourage 10,000 people to register for organ donation.

As part of its launch ceremony on May 18, more than 2,000 residents in Hanoi, including veterans, policy beneficiaries, the poor, and workers without contracts, received basic blood tests, chest X-rays, ultrasound diagnosis, electrocardiograms, and general screenings for lung and heart diseases, among others.

This year, the programme, run by the Ho Chi Minh Youth Communist Union and VYPA for the 14th year, has the longest duration compared to previous editions./.

Time Out lists Hoi An among best places to travel in July

British magazine Time Out has placed Hoi An ancient city in the central province of Quang Nam in seventh position among its list of the 13 best places to travel in July.

As the monsoon rains fall in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, savvy travelers to Vietnam tend to head to the central coast, where the weather is dry and warm. Some of the country’s most beautiful beaches are located in the area, along with UNESCO-listed cities and jaw-dropping national parks, the article wrote.

Time Out suggested a visit to witness the mesmerizing Lantern Festival on July 19, in the historic port city of Hoi An, where lantern-strewn streets reveal Chinese temples and ancient teahouses.

The British media outlet also recommended travelers head out of town to laze on the stretches of white sand that can be found around Da Nang, brave the Hai Van Pass on a motorbike tour, and visit Hue’s Imperial citadel before heading inland to see the gargantuan Phong Nha Caves.

Topping the list is Amsterdam in the Netherlands as July in the European city is all about good food, good weather, and good vibes. 

Others places to make the list include Greenland, Cape Town in South Africa, Udaipur in India, South Island in New Zealand, Northwest England, Montreal in Canada, Madagascar, Singapore, West Coast in North America, Japan, and Provence in France.

July is the month for holidays, which means summer, freedom, rising temperatures, and more festivals than tourists can imagine. In order to enjoy plenty of great cities and countries, the seventh month of the year is the best possible time travelers can visit, Time Out shared.

Ca Mau tightens control of fishing fleet to fight IUU fishing

Enhancing the application of digital solutions in controlling and managing the fishing fleet is an outstanding effort of the southernmost province of Ca Mau, home to a fishing ground of 80,000 square kilometres, to clamp down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Along with various pieces of software having been used in fishery production, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has worked to digitalise the local fishing vessels’ data, hoping to join the nation’s efforts to have the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning removed soon.

Director of the department Phan Hoang Vu said that with the digitalised data, local authorities are able to keep tabs on the fishing vessels’ situation, thus providing fishermen with timely direction and preventing them from illegal fishing.

It also allows localities to update the number of boats with expired fishing and registration licences or disconnected or uninstalled vessel monitoring system (VMS) devices, he said, adding authorities at all levels could join the management, control, and digitalisation of vessels’ data through web browser or mobile application.

So far this year, the provincial agricultural sector has documented more than 4,000 vessels with valid fishing licences, or 98.5% of the total, over 2,500 with valid registration licences, and all of the vessels with the VMS device; and had their database updated on the local software.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Su, fighting IUU fishing requires the regular involvement of sectors, branches and competent authorities. It is important to raise locals’ awareness against IUU fishing for sustainable development of the fisheries as well as for long-term livelihoods of the fishermen./.

Four children drown in Lam Dong reservoir

Four children have been found dead in a reservoir in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong's Duc Trong District.

Head of the R'Chai 3 Village, Kra Jan Song, said that the accident occurred at 1 pm on May 19 when four boys aged between 6-10 went to play near a reservoir in the area. One suddenly fell into the reservoir, and three others jumped in to try to save him, but they all drowned.

It was not until late in the afternoon that the boys' families found them dead in the reservoir while searching for them. Two of them were brothers.

"The reservoir was over 500-square-metres and nearly two metres deep," the official said. "Local people built it to store water for watering vegetables. It lies some 100 metres from residential areas and is not fenced."

Kra Jan Song added that the reservoir had almost dried up due to prolonged drought, but the water level had recently risen to over 1.50 metres due to heavy rains over the past two days.

A three-year-old child also drowned after falling into a reservoir in the province's Da Huoai District on May 18.

Statistics from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs showed that some 2,000 children died from drowning in Vietnam every year. The number of rural child drownings was double that of urban areas, and 55 percent of drowned children were from families facing poverty.

Rice to be granted to school children in extremely disadvantaged communes

The Ministry of Finance has issued a decision on granting rice from the national reserves to schoolchildren in extremely poor communes.

Under Decision 1078/QD-BTC, 58,325kg of rice will be handed over to some provinces to be given to children in the target localities for use in the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year.

The distribution of rice is made following stipulations in the Government’s Decree 116/2016/ND-CP on support policy for students and schools in extremely poor areas.

Accordingly, the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang will receive 4,005 kg of rice for the purpose, the northern province of Bac Giang 11,865kg, the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang 32,430kg, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong 980kg and the central province of Quang Tri 9,045kg.

Hà Nội demands incident-free operation of landfills

The Hà Nội People's Committee has called for stringent measures to prevent incidents during the operation of the city’s centralised landfills, particularly at the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex, following recent environmental issues.

From April 30 to May 3, continuous heavy rainfall (about 100mm in total) led to a landslide of the banks of the mud storage tank at Cell 1, Stage I of the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex on May 3.

Following the incident, the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee coordinated with the Technical Centre for Resources and Environment (under the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment) to direct the operating unit, the Joint Venture of 68 Service and Trading Joint Stock Company and Sơn Tây Urban Environment Joint Stock Company, to mobilise machinery and manpower to promptly address the incident. Efforts were made to minimise the leak of waste and sludge to prevent environmental contamination.

Deputy Chairman Nguyễn Trọng Đông emphasised the need for relevant sectors and districts, including Sóc Sơn and Ba Vì districts, and Sơn Tây Town, to coordinate closely and adhere strictly to their responsibilities.

The City People's Committee has assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to lead efforts, in collaboration with the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee, to thoroughly address arising incidents. They are tasked with identifying both objective and subjective causes, clarifying the responsibilities of units and individuals involved in the incident that occurred on May 3, 2024, at the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex, and reporting the findings within May 2024.

Hà Nội's Department of Natural Resources and Environment will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the city's centralised waste treatment facilities. They are to proactively detect and handle issues, develop and implement effective prevention plans to ensure security and safety, and prevent incidents during operation, especially during the rainy and stormy season. Results are to be reported in May 2024.

According to Deputy Chairman of the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee Phạm Quang Ngọc, the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex currently receives and processes an average of 6,600 tonnes of waste per day and night from the entire city of Hà Nội. The infrastructure of this treatment facility has significantly deteriorated, with landfill cells no longer able to accept waste and large amounts of leachate accumulating in ponds. However, daily waste disposal by landfill methods continues, posing a high risk to safety and security in the area.

In light of this situation, the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee has requested the City People's Committee to direct the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to enhance inspection and supervision of the waste treatment processes of the operating units in the treatment complex. They urged for timely solutions to issues arising from the operation, particularly the odour of waste and the outbreak of flies affecting local residents' daily lives, and for reporting and proposing solutions for issues beyond their authority to minimise environmental pollution and public discontent.

The Sóc Sơn District People's Committee also requested the City People's Committee to direct relevant departments and sectors to thoroughly handle incidents arising during the operation of the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex and to propose long-term solutions for operational issues.

Additionally, they called for the renovation and reconstruction of deteriorated infrastructure posing safety risks at waste and leachate storage cells, the study and construction of additional waste treatment plants (waste incineration) at the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex to meet the daily waste treatment needs of the city and the waste buried over the years, and the decisive handling of remaining leachate in the storage cells. 

Youth Fine Arts Festival 2024 encourages new talent, creativity

The Seventh Youth Fine Arts Festival - one of the important cultural and artistic activities to be held this year in Hà Nội, will encourage new talent and creativity of young artists nationwide, according to organisers.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has launched the festival assigning the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition (DFAPE) in coordination with relevant units and organisations to host the event which is expected to take place in December.

DFAPE Director Mã Thế Anh said the festival is a practical 'playground', creating conditions for artists to exchange experiences, learn, announce and promote their works.

The event also provides an opportunity for authors, particularly the young, to reflect their artistic labour process and express their own perspectives on contemporary life and creativity, he said.

Speaking at a launching ceremony held last week, Deputy Minister Tạ Quang Đông, head of the festival's steering board, said the event which is held every two years, demonstrated the Party and State's interest and support for Vietnamese fine arts and young painters, sculptors and artists.

The 7th Youth Fine Arts Festival, one of the important cultural and artistic activities in 2024, aims to review and highlight creative work process of the young authors ages between 18 and 35, and honour their outstanding typical works created from 2022-24.

Đông said: "This is also a cultural event that can meet the people's increasing demands for spiritual life and fine arts enjoyment, contributing to boost socio-economic development and creating chance for cultural experience exchange.

"It can reflect the difficulties, advantages, perspectives, and view of young Vietnamese painters, sculptors and artists in their artistic creation process."

The orientation to encourage artists to participate in the festival is their young character in artistic creativity, according to Đông.

The deputy culture minister added: "Contemporary art forms such as installation, performance and video art are currently developing strongly, attracting the attention and creativity of young artists. The steering board and organisers hope many works of those types of art will join this year's event."

He requested units, artists, press agencies and art lovers throughout the country to actively to participate in, support and respond to the event so that it can achieve best results. He urged the DFAPE to widely promote the festival among the artists community. 

The festival offers a chance for all Vietnamese painters, sculptors and artists living in the country and abroad, aged 18 to 35 to showcase their works on free creative topics.

Artistic works that are humane, good-minded, positively reflecting contemporary social life or about the country's historical figures are encouraged to joint the event. They should not violate the Article 8 of the Government's Decree 113/2013 NĐ-CP on fine arts activities and others relevant laws including those on copyright and intellectual property. 

The organising committee plans to award three first, six second, nine third and 10 Consolation prizes for excellent works. In addition, they also award two prizes for graduation projects from art university around Việt Nam.

Each author is allowed to submit three newly created works/a set of works within the 2022 - 2024 period that have not been submitted to any fine art events organised nationwide by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Entries should be sent to Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition on 3rd floor, 38 Cao Bá Quát Street, Hà Nội by August via email: festivalmythuattre2024@gmail.com. 

The arts council and judges of the festival will include prominent Vietnamese artists, sculptors, experts, theoretical critics and art and culture managers. 

HCM City People’s Council session discusses accelerating implementation of key projects

The HCM City People’s Council convened a session on Sunday to approve policies to carry out key projects more quickly and decide on the city administration’s personnel.

Speaking at the opening session of the 15th HCM City People’s Council, Nguyễn Thị Lệ, chairwoman of the People’s Council, urged the city administration to accelerate public spending to speed up the progress of key projects including rail and metro routes and those under the transit-oriented development planning model.

She also ordered that the city improve public services, streamline administrative reform, control inflation and stabilise the macro-economy

The city needs to create an attractive working environment to match its diverse culture, heritage conservation and scenic river, she added.

The chairwoman called on the city to overcome challenges to achieve its growth targets for the year, put at 7.5-8 per cent.

In response, Phan Văn Mãi, chairman of the People’s Committee, said the city would enforce strict measures against contractors who are underperforming or non-compliant to speed up the projects.

It has instructed relevant agencies to reduce the time they take for appraising and approving investment projects by at least a third.

It has also established a Steering Committee with specialised groups and project teams to monitor the quality and progress of key projects.

It is vital to complete land acquisition for major projects no later than June 30 to ensure their progress, he said, urging contractors of major projects to report any problems quickly.

While the city spent nearly VNĐ6 trillion in the first four months, almost three times over the same period last year, it was only 7.5 per cent of the annual spending plan, according to Mãi.

“At the current rate, the city must spend at least VNĐ10 trillion every month until the end of the year,” he said.

The country’s largest city has set a goal to spend 95 per cent of the allocation of VNĐ79.2 trillion, or VNĐ11.2 trillion more than last year.

The meeting discussed adjustments to the city’s master plan by 2040, particularly reviewing land use plans, land prices, housing development plans and the development and management of social housing, up until 2040.

Under the plan, the city aims to make more efficient use of the natural conditions and ecosystems to protect the environment and adapt to climate change.

Lệ has called on the city to develop a framework to allocate capital and approve the total cost estimate, urging collaboration with the Construction Ministry and others to adjust the master plan.

The project will mean developing a comprehensive infrastructure connecting the city with neighbouring provinces, transforming Thủ Đức City into an innovative city model.

The session will also discuss the implementation of a National Assembly-approved resolution to pilot special mechanisms and policies for rapid and sustainable development in the city.

It will also determine personnel for the city's People’s Committee as required by law.

The session will also address developing high-quality human resources and promoting digital transformation for digital governance, a digital economy and a smart city.