Japanese ship Nippon Maru with 168 delegates of the 48th Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP) on board left Ho Chi Minh City on November 17 afternoon for other stops in their journey this year.

This year’s programme attracted the participations of youths from Japan, and nine Southeast Asian nations, namely Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.

During their four-day stay, the delegates had chances to join discussions on various urgent issues related to the environment, sustainable development, and health and social welfare.

The programme also offered opportunities for them to learn about the culture, and enjoy cuisine of Vietnam.

One of the highlights of this year’s programme was to experience living with local residents in all 13 districts and Thu Duc city of Ho Chi Minh City.

Many delegates shared that they were impressed with the sentiments and hospitability of local people.

Vietnam officially joined SSEAYP in 1996, after becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July 1995. Since then, the Vietnamese contingent has left a profound and special mark on the programme.

In 2024, Vietnam celebrates its 25th year of participation in the programme. The National Committee on Youth of Vietnam has hosted the SSEAYP ship in HCM City 18 times./.

First-class Labour Order presented to Vietnamese Association in Czech Republic

Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, has presented the first-class Labour Order to the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic and the third-class Labour Orders to three individuals in recognition of their achiviements and contributions to national development and the relations between the two countries.

The conferment was made at a ceremony held in Prague on November 15 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the association. The event saw the participation of Vietnamese and Czech officials and over 400 overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.

Speaking at the event, Vice President Xuan said that the Vietnamese community abroad, including those in the Czech Republic, has made important contributions to national construction and development, and always looks towards the homeland.

Over the past 25 years, the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic has developed strongly, operated effectively, connected overseas Vietnamese with the homeland. It has contributed to promoting the image of the land and people of Vietnam to Czech people, nurturing the love for the homeland in the community, especially among the young generation, and affirming the position and prestige of the Vietnamese people, Xuan said.

She said she hopes the community will continue to promote its role and responsibility, make more contributions to the host country's socio-economic development, stay united and preserve national cultural identity, and serve as a bridge for friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Milos Vystrcil acknowledged contributions of the Vietnamese community to the Czech Republic and Vietnam. He described that fact that hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese have studied in the European country as an important foundation for both sides to build and further develop their relationship, towards upgrading bilateral relations to a new level.

Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic Karel Havlicek underscored the increasing role of Vietnamese people in the country, as well as the development of the Vietnamese community in recent times, especially many individuals who have made contributions to the fields of economics, science, health, education, and public administration.

On this occasion, the association presented 600 million VND (over 23,600 USD) that the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic donated to help those affected by recent Typhoon Yagi in the homeland. So far, they have donated and sent more than 5.7 billion VND to the storm-affected people in Vietnam./.

Fine arts exhibition promotes Vietnam-RoK cultural exchange, friendship

A total of 56 works by Vietnamese and Korean artists are being displayed at a Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) fine arts exhibition in Hanoi.

The exhibition, which runs until November 19, introduces 25 works by Korean artists who captured the unique culture and beautiful life in the RoK with the use of materials such as lacquer on wood, lacquer on paper, watercolors, oil paintings, ceramic sculptures, terracotta, and metal.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese artists bring to the exhibition 20 works including lacquer paintings, ink paintings, wood carvings, ceramic sculptures, and bronze sculptures.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on November 15, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association Mai Thi Ngoc Oanh emphasised that the exhibition is an opportunity for Korean and Vietnamese artists to exchange, enhance their understanding of fine arts between the two cultures, as well as promote the solidarity and friendship between the two countries and their artists.

Director of the Korean Cultural Centre in Vietnam Choi Seung-jin highlighted the thriving bilateral relations since the two countries established the comprehensive strategic partnership on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2022.

He held that culture makes Vietnam and the RoK closer and closer. The two countries are currently continuing to exchange and cooperate in a variety of fields in culture and arts, including arts, performances, traditions, cuisine, languages, cinema and popular culture.

This art exchange exhibition is an opportunity to bring people of the two countries closer together, and deepen mutual understanding, he said./.

Hanoi hosts 4th "For a Green Hanoi" cycling programme

More than 300 ambassadors, diplomats and officials from international organisations and hundreds of Hanoi residents joined the fourth annual "For a Green Hanoi" cycling event on November 17 morning in Hanoi.

Hosted by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HAUFO) and local authorities, the event was held at the area around Thien Quang lake in Hai Ba Trung district.

Nguyen Ngoc Ky, HAUFO Chairman, said that the authorities and people of the capital always strive to develop urban areas, protect the environment, pay attention to educating young generations, and solve issues relating to urbanisation and ecological environment.

The cycling programme is expected to raise awareness among people living and working in Hanoi about preserving a green living environment, constantly taking actions to protect the environment, and reducing air pollution, Ky said.

Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama, who is also head of the diplomatic corps in Vietnam, said that he is very impressed with the activities held by the HAUFO, including the cycling programme.

According to him, cycling through peaceful streets in Hanoi also contributes to promoting the image of the thousand-year-old capital, and its elegant and hospitable people to international friends.

On this occasion, the organisers presented bicycles to ten needy students with good studying performance in Hai Ba Trung district./.

Vietnamese players win gold, silvers at ITF – J30 Ninh Binh 1

Vietnamese athletes were honoured at the closing ceremony of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) – J30 Ninh Binh 1 2024 on November 17 in Ninh Binh province.

The host players secured one gold and two silvers from the international event which was one of activities of the third Ninh Binh Festival.

On the last day of competition, Nguyen Dai Khanh took the silver in the boys' singles after losing 2-6, 4-6 to Lee Gyudan of the Republic of Korea in the final match at the provincial Sports Training and Competition Centre.

Earlier, Pham La Hoang Anh and Duong Hoang Cuong of Vietnam came from behind to win the boys' doubles title of the host duo who were defeated easily 1-6 to Korean pair Yang Daniel and Oh Seung Min in the first set.

Under strong local support they fought back and won 6-0 in the second set and went on to take 10-2 in the super tie break.

“Hoang Anh is really 'an architect' on the court, assisting perfect balls for his partner to score points," said Nguyen Hong Son, General Secretary of the Vietnam Tennis Federation.

"Our two players not only cooperate well with each other but also have great tactic in this match. Their determination and strong fighting spirit along with the enthusiastic cheering from supporters and family help them win this title.

"VTF will continue to accompany them on their journey to become professional athletes, aiming to compete and achieve high results at upcoming national and international tournaments," Son said.

Vietnamese athletes also advanced in the final of the girls' doubles event but they failed to top the podium.

Ngo Hong Hanh and Nguyen Ngoc Thuy Khanh lost 4-6 to Riho Goto of Japan and Yebin Kang of the RoK in the first set.

They came back to take 7-5 win in the second but could not maintain their form in the super tie break, losing 7-10 and taking silver.

The girls' singles title went to Goto who beat Indian Aleena Farid 6-0, 6-2 in the gold-medal match.

More than 100 young players from 20 countries and regions took part in the event. As a tournament for juniors, medal winners did not receive cash bonus but points to improve their world ranking.

They will continue playing the ITF – J30 Ninh Binh 2 event from November 18-24 at the same venue./.

Hanoi Creative Design Festival draws 300,000 visitors

The Hanoi 2024 Creative Design Festival has marked a milestone in the city's cultural landscape, drawing an unprecedented 300,000 visitors during its nine-day run from November 9-17.

The festival, themed "Creative Crossroads", saw a five-fold increase in attendance compared to last year event. It brought together more than 500 creative professionals, including designers, architects, artisans, and notably many young artists, across various design disciplines.

Hanoi's iconic historical landmarks served as venues for over 100 creative activities spanning 12 cultural industry sectors, including architecture, design, fine arts, performance, cinema, advertising, crafts, and publishing.

Several architectural landmarks opened their doors to the public for the first time, including the University of Science under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (former University of Hanoi) and the Government Guesthouse (former Tonkin Palace). Visitors queued to experience the heritage sites, which were transformed into vibrant creative spaces.

According to Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong, the festival's success extends beyond the record attendance numbers. Local residents became active creators, engaging in and contributing to the creative offerings./.

Over 13,500 runners take part in Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon

More than 13,500 runners, including over 1,300 international athletes from 55 countries, took part in the Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon on November 17.

This marks the 10th season since the Ha Long Heritage Marathon first graced Vietnam in 2014.

Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Quang Ninh province Nguyen Thanh Tung emphasised the significance of the marathon. “The Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon is a key event that showcases our commitment to promoting socio-economic development in the province. We aim to inspire a nationwide movement towards fitness, following the legacy of Uncle Ho. Through this marathon, we not only boost our local economy but also foster a deep appreciation for the beauty and spirit of Quang Ninh,” he said.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tri, General Director of DHA Vietnam, the race organiser, echoed this sentiment, stating: “The unwavering support from the leaders of Quang Ninh province and Ha Long city has been instrumental in the marathon's sustainable growth. This year's increase in participants compared to 2023 reflects the race's allure and its vital role in enhancing the economic, cultural, and tourism landscape of the region.”

Notably, the Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon has been recognised by Runner's World UK Magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful courses in the world, adhering to AIMS standards. This year, it proudly served as the closing event of the 24th AIMS World Congress - the first of its kind held in Vietnam. This occasion presented a unique opportunity to spotlight local tourism and elevate Ha Long-Quang Ninh’s standing on the global marathon stage, reinforcing Vietnam's image as an enticing international destination for sports and tourism./.

PM meets Vietnamese community in Brazil

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse had a meeting with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Brazil on November 16 afternoon right after arriving in Rio de Janeiro to attend the G20 Summit and have bilateral activities.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi reported to the PM that the Vietnamese community in Brazil, though not large with about 300 people, has always upheld the tradition of solidarity, while complying with local law, preserving national identity, looking towards the homeland.

Representatives of the Vietnamese community in Brazil expressed their gratitude for the Party and State's attention to their life, and affirmed that they will continue to make more contributions towards the homeland, and foster the Vietnam-Brazil relations.

They said they believe in the strong development and bright future of the country, and join the country's efforts in entering the era of the nation’s rise.

Chinh briefed them of the situation in the home country, affirming that after nearly 40 years of renewal, Vietnam has been making great achievements. Its GDP increased from about 4 billion USD to about 470 billion USD this year, and the average per-capita income reached about 4,600 USD. Only about 1% of the population is now living under poverty line according to multidimensional standards. Vietnam is among the 34 largest economies in the world and the top 20 economies in terms of trade, with 17 free trade agreements signed. Vietnam has set up relations with 193 countries in the world.

In the context of the world economy facing many difficulties and instability, Vietnam's economic growth and investment have recovered positively, with GDP growth in recent years nearly doubling the world average and higher than inflation.

Highlighting Vietnam's goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high midle income by 2030 and a developed country with high income by 2045, PM Chinh said the nation should achieve double-digit growth each year, with a vision and breakthrough development in the coming decades.

He emphasised that Vietnam is focusing on major project such as the North-South high-speed railway, nuclear power development and development new spaces like outer space, sea space and underground space while underlining innovations to make breakthroughs and futher international integration.

Vietnam and Brazil have regularly conducted the exchange of delegations, especially high-level delegations, and supported each other at multilateral forums.

Brazil is currently Vietnam's leading trade partner in Latin America, only behind the US. In the first ten months of 2024, two-way trade reached 6.58 billion USD. The two countries strive to raise bilateral turnover to 10 billion USD by 2025 and 15 billion USD by 2030.

In addition, their cooperation in defence, education and training, and labour has witnessed good progress.

Chinh said he hopes that the Vietnamese community in Brazil will promote the spirit of solidarity, preserve national cultural identity, abide by the law and integrate into local lifem while always looking towards the homeland. They are ambassadors that bridge and nuture the Vietnam - Brazil relationship, he added./.

"Homeland Spring” programme promotes solidarity among Vietnamese in Western Australia

The Consulate General of Vietnam in Perth, Australia, recently collaborated with University of Western Australia (UWA) to organise a “Homeland Spring” programme for the Vietnamese community there, which spotlighted a message of solidarity and looking towards the homeland.

It featured a variety of art performances and a fashion show by many singers and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Western Australia.

Addressing at the event, Nguyen Thanh Ha , Vietnamese Consul General in Western Australia and Northern Territory, showed her hope that the event will contribute to promoting the Vietnamese culture in there, strengthening mutual understanding between the two peoples, and preserving Vietnam's traditional values.

The programme serves as a bridge to boost connections and open new opportunities for cooperation in education, tourism, trade, and investment between the two countries, she stressed.

Representing UWA, Hannah Vu said the event is not merely a festival but also a cultural event that honours diversity, fosters mutual understanding, and promotes respect between Vietnamese and Australian people.

The programme provides an opportunity for young Vietnamese generations and international friends in Western Australia to gain a deeper understanding of the Vietnamese culture, particularly the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, she said, adding that it also helps promote knowledge connection, and business and tourism cooperation between the two nations' enterprises, and introduce Vietnam's destinations to international friends./.

Vietnam joins preparing trainers for peacekeeping courses

A total of 18 candidates from five Asian countries have completed a Hanoi training programme which aimed to prepare trainers for delivering specialized training meeting UN standards on peacekeeping.

The programme, held at the People’s Security Academy from October 28 to November 15, brought together participants from Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

It featured lessons on three topics related to UN peacekeeping namely public order management; police capacity building; and supervision, guidance and consultancy.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Major General Nguyen Sy Quang, Chief of the Permanent Office for the UN Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), said that preparing trainer for peacekeeper training courses is very important and this course also affirmed the close cooperation between Vietnam, the UN and partners in this regard.

He added that the ministry always identifies sending forces to UN peacekeeping operations as one of the important tasks, contributing to the implementation of the Party and State's commitments to the international community in maintaining an environment of peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam Pauline Tamesis appreciated Vietnam’s increasing contributions to the UN, particularly in peacekeeping activities.

She said that the four female police officers participated in the training course in Hanoi, exceeding the UN’s goal of women’s participation in peacekeeping.

Notably, Vietnamese female police officers joining UN peacekeeping missions have demonstrated their good qualities, abilities, professional qualifications, and quick adaptation to complex conditions and challenging working environments of UN missions. In addition, they have also spread the beautiful image of the country and people of Vietnam to the UN and international friends, she added.

Since 2022, the Ministry of Public Security has sent four working groups consisting of 11 officers to perform peacekeeping missions at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and one officer to the Police Division, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations at the UN headquarters in New York. In January 2024, the ministry established the Vietnam Police Peacekeeping Unit No.1. in July 2024, this unit was upgraded by the UN from level 1 to level 2 in the ready-to-deploy system./.

Workshop discusses solutions to issues affecting women, children in ASEAN

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs on November 15 held a consultation workshop of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC).

The hybrid event attracted the participation of a large number of domestic and foreign experts in women and children-related issues who exchanged and discussed key highlights of Vietnam in 2024, priority areas for the rights of women and children post-2025, and cooperation activities at both national and regional levels.

Ha Thi Minh Duc, Deputy Director General of the ministry's Department of International Cooperation, briefed participants on remarkable achievements in improving the life quality for women and children in ASEAN.

In Vietnam, according to statistics from the Ministry of Public Security, there were 1,317 cases involving 1,697 individuals related to the abuse of over 1,300 children, a decrease of 31 cases compared to the same period in 2023. Of the total, cases of sexual abuse decreased by 0.2% compared to the previous year.

To promote and protect the rights of women and children in Vietnam, Duc said that Vietnam will strengthen coordination with nations in building a roadmap on the implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Bullying of Children in ASEAN, and carry out the regional project on enhancing the capacity of frontline officials in preventing and combating human trafficking through the use of victim-centered and gender-sensitive approaches at the national level.

The country is also conducting a final review of the ASEAN regional action plan on ending violence against children and women for the 2015-2025 period, and developing a new action plan for the 2026-2035 period, while proposing to continue consultations between ACWC Vietnam and network members, especially for projects chaired by Vietnam.

Le Thi Hong Loan, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF Vietnam, shared the organisation's priorities both regionally and in Vietnam. They include protecting children during the 2022-2026 period by supporting evidence collection, researching international standards and best practices, and sharing results to publicise the improvement of policies and laws on social work, children's rights, and child protection. UNICEF also focuses on strengthening child protection systems and services, developing a skilled social services workforce, providing judicial assistance for juveniles, and developing comprehensive databases and management systems for child protection.

Regarding the prevention and response to gender-based violence for the 2022-2026 period, Loan stated that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will focus on promoting the improvement of laws and policies on gender, gender-based violence, and family violence. It will also strengthen efforts to prevent gender-based violence and domestic violence, promote inter-sectoral coordination to ensure the provision of high-quality essential support services for women and girls affected by violence, and enhance coordination in responding to gender-based violence in emergency and disaster contexts.

At the workshop, participants discussed the possibility for continued coordination and actions to ensure the rights of children at the national level in the coming period, and proposed cooperation activities at both national and regional levels./.

Bac Ninh, East Kazakhstan boost cooperation

A delegation from the northern province of Bac Ninh led by member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Anh Tuan met with leaders of East Kazakhstan region, Kazakhstan, on November 15 to promote cooperation between the two localities.

The meeting was part of the working trip to to Kazakhstan from November 13-16 by a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam led by Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, Chairman of the Central Theory Council and President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA).

At the meeting, a memorandum of understanding on establishing a twinning relationship between the two localities was signed by Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Loi and Governor of East Kazakhstan region Yermek Kosherbayev.

At the meeting, Tuan highlighted a new step of development in the Vietnam-Kazakhstan relations following the official visit to Vietnam by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in August last year, during which the President visited Bac Ninh province and highly valued potential for bilateral cooperation. After that, the two sides discussed, and reached agreement on relevant contents, and completed the content of the MoU for signing at this time.

Tuan said that he believes the signing of the MoU will open up cooperation in various fields, and contribute to the development of both countries.

With advantages on industrial zones, industrial production, agriculture, foreign investment attraction and Vietnam – Kazakhstan direct flights, the two localities will further promote cultural and tourism exchanges, carry out local promotional activities, thereby luring more tourists from the East Kazakhstan region in particular and Kazakhstan in general to Bac Ninh and Vietnam, and vice versa, Tuan said.

For his part, Governor Kosherbayev agreed with the necessity to realise the policy of expanding and strengthening bilateral cooperation agreed during the Kazakh President's Vietnam visit, matching the sound political relations between the two countries.

Education, culture, trade, investment and tourism are first areas that the two countries eyes to promote cooperation, he said.

The governor showed his interest in cooperation in high technology, saying that it is possible to consider the establishment of industrial zones for processing products and exporting them to third countries, as well as launching a joint venture for wool processing.

Earlier, while staying in Astana capital, the Bac Ninh delegation attended working sessions with presentatives of Kazakhstan’s ruling party Amanat, a workshop on bilateral relations on the occasion of 65 years of President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Kazakhstan (July 1959) held at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan (KISI). The delegation presented the institute with a bronze bust of President Ho Chi Minh./.

Tuyen Quang Province preserves, promotes “Then” cultural songs

The local community in Tan Trao Commune, the northern province of Tuyen Quang established a “Then” singing club in early 2022, with the goal of preserving the unique traditional cultural performance of the Tay ethnic group.

Trieu Thi Lam Hanh, the head of the club, emphasised that for its members, “Then” singing represents their cultural heritage, an invaluable asset, and the very soul of the Tay people.

As young individuals raised in stilt houses and immersed in “Then” songs, they feel a deep responsibility to learn and preserve their deeply instilled cultural roots.Initially, the club had 17 members, with ages ranging from 9 to 44.

Be Hoai Thuong, an 11-year-old from Tan Lap village, has been part of the club since its inception.

She shared that she grew up with “Then” lyrics and the sounds of the Tinh musical instrument played by her grandmother and mother, which instilled a love for these ethnic sounds from a young age. Encouraged by her family to join the club, the 9-year-old Tay girl was initially shy to practice in front of others.

Now, Thuong is a core member, confidently performing and teaching tourists how to play the Tinh instrument.At the souvenir shop of Truong Thi Ngat, another club member, a Tinh instrument is always on hand. When there are no customers, she plays the instrument and sings “Then” melodies.

Ngat also records herself singing and shares these videos on her personal Facebook page to promote cultural values to her friends.Currently, the club in Tan Trao commune has 22 members.

According to Hanh, they used to meet every Friday and Saturday evening at the Tan Lap village cultural house to practise singing, playing instruments, and dancing. Now, as their skills have improved, they gather twice a month.For over a year, in addition to local cultural activities, the club has participated in various cultural events across Tuyen Quang province and performed for tourists visiting the Tan Trao Special National Relic Site.Hoang Duc Soai, Chairman of the Tan Trao communal People's Committee, noted that the commune is home to 12 ethnic groups, including the Tay, Nung, Dao, Cao Lan, and San Chay.

To preserve and promote the cultural identity of these ethnic minorities, the commune has partnered with the Department of Culture and Information of Son Duong District to arrange language classes and encourage the use of traditional languages and costumes during holidays and events.

They also support folk art clubs to motivate community participation in preserving cultural heritage.In Son Duong district, there are four clubs dedicated to “Then” singing and Tinh musical instrument playing, with nearly 90 members.

Ha Thi Hong Lien, Head of the District’s Department of Culture and Information, stated that the district plans to continue collaborating with specialised departments to preserve and promote the cultural identities of ethnic groups, including the Tay, Nung, and Thai.

The district regularly organises training classes, cultural exchanges, and artistic activities among communes, villages, hamlets, and folk art clubs, with a focus on discovering and nurturing cultural talents to enrich and sustain their heritage./.

Party leader joins Great National Unity Festival in Ca Mau

Party General Secretary To Lam joined officials and residents in Mui village, Dat Mui commune, Ngoc Hien district, the southernmost province of Ca Mau, in the Great National Unity Festival on November 17.

The leader lauded achievements recorded by local authorities and people, and asked Ca Mau province in general and its Dat Mui commune in particular to continue staying united and carry forward traditions and attainments to fulfill set targets and tasks.

He asked locals to promote the sense of responsibility for maintaining security and order, and support each other in daily life and production, and officials and Party members there to set examples.

The Party chief called for greater efforts in implementing patriotic emulation movements as well as social welfare policies and programmes, saying more attention should be paid to vulnerable groups and residents in island and disadvantaged areas.

All-level Party Committees, authorities, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees in Ca Mau need to renew their mindset and harness the unity bloc to complete the remaining tasks of 2024, materialise the resolutions of all-level Party Congresses for 2020 – 2025, and contribute to implementing the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, Lam said.

On this occasion, the leader presented a gift and 20 million VND (787 USD) to the Party Cell and the Front Work Board of Mui village, along with 109 gifts in both cash and kind to policy beneficiary, poor and near-poor households in Dat Mui.

Earlier the same day, Lam and his entourage paid tribute to Lac Long Quan, the legendary father of the nation, at a temple in Dat Mui, and visited some sites in the locality./.

Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway sub-project to be speeded up

The State company managing sub-project 3 of the Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway, a key infrastructure project meant to boost connectivity in the Southeast region, is speeding up work.

The Cái Mép-Thị Vải management board for traffic projects said land acquisition has virtually been completed for the sub-project, a 19.5km section of the highway, and construction is at the half-way mark.

Nguyễn Công Danh, deputy director of the board, said his officials are working closely with the contractors and monitoring the progress of construction and raw material acquisition.

The aim is to open it to traffic before the Reunification Day (April 30) - Labour Day (May 1) holidays next year by instructing the contractors to speed up work as soon as the rainy season is over, dealing with challenges that might arise quickly and seeking the province’s approval to increase the mining of stone for the construction.

Costing over VNĐ4.96 trillion ($199.7 million), the section will be up to 27m wide in places and feature four lanes, two emergency lanes, 11 overpasses, and one underpass.

Construction began in June last year, and is slated to be finished by September 2025.

The core components have been completed, and contractors are working on supplementary components related to traffic safety and road quality.

The publicly funded Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway is divided into three sub-projects. The first will span 53.7 kilometres, with four to six lanes and costing over VNĐ17.82 trillion ($717.5 million).

The goal, once it is complete, is to integrate it with the eastern part of the under-construction North- South Expressway and Long Thành International Airport, while also connecting major economic centres and ports.

Construction of the other two components, both in Đồng Nai, are delayed due to tardy land acquisition by the province. 

Đà Nẵng Hospital operates smart medical kiosk system

A Smart Medical Kiosk System was inaugurated at Đà Nẵng Hospital on Monday, aiming not just simplify patient access, but to help move the nation forward in terms of data capture.

The system aims to help the project on developing applications of population data, identification and electronic authentication to serve national digital transformation in the period of 2022-25, with a vision to 2030 approved by the Prime Minister.

Đà Nẵng Hospital is implementing the system in coordination with HDBank.

The Smart Kiosk is a way for patients to register for medical examinations and treatments through chip-embedded citizen identification card authentication, VNeID accounts, integrating electronic health books, creating bank accounts, providing credit products to customers according to regulations and paying for examinations and treatment costs, without using cash.

The system helps people enter the hospital using facial recognition technology quickly and conveniently. 

The solution also helps to shorten waiting times, thereby improving the quality of medical examination and treatment and increasing people's satisfaction. 

Director of the hospital Lê Đức Nhân said that, currently, the hospital examined an average of 2,000-2,500 outpatients and about 2,500 inpatients each day, so overload was inevitable.

Therefore, the system will help the hospital shorten the time for patients need to register.

“The solution is very effective for patients. Patients can register for medical examination and treatment very quickly and proactively. Medical staff also have more time to take care of patients. We manage patient data better and fully integrate sufficient data,” said Lê Đức Nhân.

Deputy Director of the Centre for Population Data and Citizen Identification Research and Application under the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS), Major Đào Đình Nam, said that the Smart Medical Kiosk System is one of the breakthrough programmes, realising specific tasks in the fields of healthcare and banking.

Nam said that the MoPS set a goal of having at least 1,001 smart medical kiosks at medical facilities nationwide by the end of 2025.

“Smart medical kiosks look very simple, but their meaning and value are extremely great, especially creating data for the medical sector. Currently, with medical kiosks at medical examination and treatment reception locations, clean data sets are created for the medical sector to implement other ecosystems. The value of this data set is also related to many digital transformation activities of the medical sector,” he said.

Publishing house's former chairman accused of taking bribes

Việt Nam Education Publishing House's former chairman Nguyễn Đức Thái is accused of receiving millions of dollars in bribes to favour specific paper suppliers.

The Supreme People's Procuracy has recently charged him with taking bribes.

According to the Procuracy, before 2017 the publishing house procured papers by seeking price offers from various suppliers and selecting the most competitive bid.

When Thái took the reins as chairman in 2017, Nguyễn Trí Minh, the then Director of Minh Cường Phát Paper CO LTD and Tô Mỹ Ngọc, the then Chairwoman of Phùng Vĩnh Hưng Paper JSC, reportedly approached him and asked for a favour to win a contract, promising a 'little something extra' in return.

He allegedly instructed his subordinates to rig the bidding process to place the two companies on a supplier shortlist, helping Phùng Vĩnh Hưng Paper JSC secure three lucrative contracts worth VNĐ282 billion (about US$11 million) in the same year.

In return, Ngọc allegedly offered Thái a thank-you gift of VNĐ3 billion ($118,000) in cash.

This pattern continued in the following years, with Thái reportedly taking VNĐ4 billion ($158,000) annually from Ngọc, in addition to her yearly Lunar New Year gifts of VNĐ200 million ($7,900).

Thái reportedly facilitated her company's acquisition of 13 contracts between 2017 and 2022, worth more than VNĐ2.1 trillion collectively (approximately $83 million).

Prosecutors allege that Minh also paid Thái a total of VNĐ4.9 billion ($193,000) in bribes between 2017 and 2020 to be awarded three contracts.

Thái now 62, who was living in Phú Thượng Ward, Tây Hồ District, Hà Nội City, when he was arrested in 2023, has admitted to his crime and expressed remorse.

He has returned the VNĐ25 billion ($986,000) he had taken and claimed he would voluntarily surrender his properties to help address the case’s impact.

In connection to the case, Thái's subordinates - the publishing house's former vice chairman Lê Hoàng Hải, former chief accountant Phạm Gia Thạch, marketing department's former director Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thủy and marketing department's former deputy director Đinh Quốc Khánh - have been charged with bid rigging.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Trí Minh and Tô Mỹ Ngọc have faced charges of bribery. 

20 kindergarten students in stable condition in rat poison incident

Twenty children, aged between 23-34 months, from Giang Ma Preschool in the northern mountainous province of Lai Châu are currently in stable condition following fears that they may have ingested rat poison.

Authorities reported that the children were quickly hospitalised after a teacher found several students in the class holding what appeared to be rat poison tablets on Tuesday.

Fearing they may have mistaken the tablets for sweets, the teacher promptly alerted the local health station and the children were immediately transported to Lai Châu's Provincial General Hospital for medical examination and treatment.

Emergency procedures were carried out by the hospital's doctors, while the Poison Control Centre at Hà Nội-based Bạch Mai Hospital, the leading public hospital in the northern region, provided remote medical assistance.

The doctors observed that two children displayed symptoms of abdominal pain and nausea, which could indicate exposure to the poison. The other children showed no unusual symptoms but were kept under observation as a precautionary measure.

By late afternoon, they confirmed that all 20 children were stable, though they would remain at the hospital under observation for the next 24 to 72 hours.

Authorities reveal a teacher bought the rat poison to address a rodent problem in the school’s storage room, which is adjacent to the children's classroom.

The poison was placed in the room on Monday, but the teacher reportedly forgot to inform colleagues about it.

The authorities are taking further precautions, sending samples from the children to central health labs for testing to confirm the cause of their symptoms.

VNA/VNN/VNS/VOV