President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s freshly-concluded trip to Thailand is a success, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son has affirmed.

The President paid an official visit to Thailand and attended the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting from November 16-19.

Son told the press that the trip has contributed to materialising the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress that is prioritising the comprehensive development of relations with neighbouring countries and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Thailand.

This is the first visit to Thailand by Phuc in his capacity as the President of Vietnam, and also the first by a high-ranking Vietnamese leader to Thailand after the 13th National Party Congress and the COVID-19 outbreak.

The visit is of significance as it marks an important milestone in the Vietnam-Thailand enhanced strategic partnership, creating a new impulse for the bilateral cooperation.

It also carries the message on the resolve by the two countries leaders to make the partnership stronger, more comprehensive and more effective, the minister stressed.

President Phuc was the first foreign leader to make an official visit to Thailand ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Son said, noting that Thai leaders spoke highly of the visit that was intended to create a favourable premise to elevate the bilateral ties, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in the context of the two countries working towards the 10th anniversary of the enhanced strategic partnership in 2023.

Thailand warmly and solemnly welcomed the Vietnamese delegation with a 21-gun salute.

During his visit, President Phuc held talks with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and had meetings with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and President of the National Assembly Chuan Leekpai.

He received the Chairman of the Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association, visited the Vietnamese community in Thailand, and met with leaders of a number of leading Thai businesses and corporations investing in Vietnam, among other activities.

Regarding outcomes of the visit, Son said the two sides reached high consensus on orientations to promote the bilateral cooperation more strongly and effectively, matching the potential, strength and demand of each country.

They will intensify all-level delegation exchange and work to effectively implement bilateral mechanisms, especially joint Cabinet meetings to be co-chaired by the two PMs.

At the end of the visit, the two sides issued a joint statement, opening up a new chapter for a stronger strategic partnership, for common peace, stability and prosperity, and signed a number of cooperation documents.

The leaders consented to enhance economic links and committed to bringing the bilateral trade to 25 billion USD by 2025, making it more balanced through measures to facilitate market access and reduce trade limitations.

The visit once again affirmed that Vietnam and Thailand are strategic, reliable partners in many regional and international issues of shared concern, Son said.

The two sides agreed to closely coordinate at regional and international forums, especially the United Nations, APEC, ASEAN and Mekong subregion cooperation forums.

The leaders concurred to uphold ASEAN’s common stance on the East Sea, and maintain peace, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the waters on the basis of respecting international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

According to the minister, the visit has brought about pragmatic interests to the two countries, actively contributing to building a strong ASEAN Community, for peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

Asked about results of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Son said the event, the first in-person meeting of the APEC leaders after a four-year hiatus, has created momentum for the forum.

The meeting and the joint statement issued by the leaders have carried a strong message of cooperation, dialogue and multilateralism.

The meeting has laid the foundation for the connectivity between APEC and partners and other regional forums, Son said.

The minister underlined that President Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation had actively and proactively contributed to all activities of the event.

Apart from a retreat session, the President attended dialogues with guests and businesspeople and delivered a speech at the APEC CEO Summit. He and representatives of ministries and agencies also had meetings with leaders of economies and leading groups in the world.

Vietnam also actively coordinated with host Thailand and other members in preparation for the meeting, as well as the building of documents, Son added.

The Vietnamese delegation raised new initiatives and ideas on the development and orientations of APEC in the current challenging period, Son said, noting that Vietnam’s proposals were lauded by other members and included in the documents.

Vietnam also shared its experience in green transformation and digital transformation and major relevant policies.

Notably, Vietnam worked together with others to create more communication channels in order to ease the differences among the APEC member economies regarding the complicated situation in the world and the region, seek a common voice and maintain their consensus, Son said.

Southern localities ready to deal with low-pressure zones, downpours

The National Center for Hydrology Meteorology Forecasting informed that the potential of a new low-pressure zone in the East Sea is expected to trigger thundery shower weather, the gale of levels 6-8, big waves of 2-3.5 meters and rough sea in the Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, territorial waters from Quang Tri to Ca Mau, from Ca Mau to Kien Giang and Gulf of Thailand throughout Sunday. 

From November 19 to November 21, the Central, South-Central, Central Highlands and Southern regions will experience moderate and torrential rainfalls between 100mm and 250 mm. 

In order to proactively respond to blustery winds at sea and downpours, the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control required provinces and cities closely monitor warning and weather news related to developments of sustained winds, big waves at sea and the arrivals of the low-pressure zones in the upcoming days.

Hanoi tightens control over food safety at wet markets

Hanoi is directing management units to set up rapid food testing points in some wet markets that will partly help local consumers choose safe products.

This aims to ensure food safety in the wet markets in the city while enhancing market management capacity in terms of inspection and control of compliance with the regulations on food safety.

Acting director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade Tran Thi Phuong Lan said the low awareness of production and trading establishments on food safety led to the related violations.

In the first ten months of 2022, the department inspected and detected violations at eight market restaurants and fined them VND45 million ($1,806). The functional force also took 473 samples for analysis at the markets, finding 31 violating food safety regulations and sending the offending samples for traceability.

Hanoi suspends establishments for poor fire prevention

Hanoi closed 982 facilities that do not meet requirements on fire prevention, according to the municipal police, in a month of inspection starting on October 15.

Specifically, Hanoi Police inspected about 66,000 establishments (reaching 50% of the target) and fined more than 4,430 units worth VND28.83 billion (US$1.2 million) for failing to ensure fire prevention work.

Local police said the relevant units must strictly deal with 100% of fire prevention and firefighting violations. All district and commune units should be aware that fire safety requires the participation of both law enforcement and the public.

Once the inspection plan finishes, business establishments in the city will be categorized into three levels regarding fire threats to prevent fires and better protect people.

Accordingly, local authorities must ensure that commercial establishments comply with fire and explosion safety requirements. Facilities that fail to equip enough firefighting tools should be suspended.

In addition, leaders of agencies must take responsibility for fires and explosions, casualties, and property damage in their jurisdiction.

Earlier, the Hanoi People's Committee issued a plan requiring all business owners in the city to draw up a fire prevention work plan.

Gathering commemorates deceased victims of COVID-19

A gathering in commemoration of deceased victims of COVID-19 took place in Ho Chi Minh City on November 19 with the participation of local officials, religious dignitaries, families of the victims, and people from all walks of life.

Addressing the event, President of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Tran Kim Yen recalled the dark time when the pandemic claimed the lives of more than 23,000 people in the southern metropolis.

She said the authorities will make further efforts to prevent and control the epidemic and minimise the number of related deaths.

Attention will also be paid to fully implementing policies in support of affected families, ensuring social security with no one left behind, the official affirmed.

To remember the victims, participants joined an incence and flower offering ritual.

So far, the total fatalities in Vietnam have amounted to 43,169, accounting for 0.4% of the total infections./.

Joint working group between HCM City, WB hailed

A joint working group between Ho Chi Minh City and the World Bank (WB) is an exemplary cooperation model, said Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phan Van Mai.

During a meeting reviewing the nine-month operation of the group in the city on November 18, Mai hailed the WB for providing not only financial and human resources support for Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, but also technical support to fine-tune institutions and improve implementation capacity, thus laying foundation for comprehensive and sustainable development of Vietnam and the southern hub in particular.

Mai pledged to update 40 cooperation contents as the first working results of the group into the city’s master plan and bilateral cooperation programme for the 2022-2025 period with a vision to 2030.  

The city will prioritise the allocation of sufficient funding for joint projects with the WB and consider a mechanism to pool social resources, he said, suggesting that the WB jointly hold a meeting between the city, WB, relevant ministries and agencies, development partners and investors to seek capital for city development.

Ministry enhances professional, strategic cooperation with Thai partners

A high-ranking delegation of the Ministry of Public Security led by Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung has had a series of meetings with leaders of Thailand’s judicial and security bodies to foster related joint works, while accompanying President Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his November 16-19 trip to the nation.

At the working session with Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsuthin, Hung said that Vietnam always considers Thailand an important partner in ASEAN. The two sides reviewed past collaboration and set out orientations for their future engagements, focusing on drug crime, terrorism, human trafficking, and prison management, among other matters.

Meeting with secretary-general of the National Security Council Gen Supot Malaniyom, the Vietnamese official said via the meeting of the joint working group for political-security cooperation, the sides have so far discussed a series of issues of common concern, including politics, security, intelligence, terrorism prevention and combat, transnational crime, environmental crime, and legal cooperation.

On such basis, they agreed on a number of measures to strengthen ties in information exchange, and capture and handover of fugitives fleeing from one country to another following the principle of reciprocity, each country's laws, and international practices.

They said they will promote negotiations towards the signing of an extradition treaty between the two countries, and commit to continuing their coordination to prevent individuals and organisations from taking advantage of the territory of one country to conduct activities against the other.

The sides agreed to hold their 12th joint working group meeting in Vietnam next year.

At the working session with deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Police Roi Ingkhaphairoj, the sides concurred to strengthen joint works in preventing and combating transnational crimes such as drug crime, illegal migration, human trafficking, terrorism, and money laundering. They agreed that their second high-level dialogue on crime prevention and control will take place in Vietnam.

PM expresses gratitude to over 1.6 million teachers nationwide

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his gratitude to over 1.6 million teachers nationwide at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20) in Hanoi on November 19.

In his speech, PM Chinh said education and training is the cause of the Party, State and the entire people and must be aligned with socio-economic development, national defence and sci-tech advancements.

He asked every teacher to consider education a noble task, sharpen their knowledge and skills and use modern technology to foster the future generations of the country.

Ministries, agencies and localities were also urged to continue grasping and effectively performing the Party and State’s policies and guidelines on education-training, especially Resolution No.29 on basic and comprehensive reform of education and training with specific plans and actions. They must also issue and effectively implement the education development strategy for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2045.

The PM called for reviewing and fine-tuning mechanisms and policies related to teachers to provide them with the best material and spiritual care, especially pre-school teachers and those in remote and disadvantaged areas to make them dedicated to the work.

Training and improving the quality of teachers will be an important and priority task in the near future, he said, adding that effective solutions must be come up with to deal with the shortage of teachers and attract talents to the pedagogy sector.

All possible resources must be pooled to ensure the best infrastructure for teaching and learning activities, as well as address the shortage of schools, especially in industrial zones and major cities, he noted.

Foreign Minister holds bilateral meetings in Bangkok

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met bilaterally with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna and Foreign Minister of Papua New Guinea Justin Tkatchenko in Bangkok on November 18, on the occasion of the ongoing APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2022.

Meeting French Minister Catherine Colonna, Son said since the upgrade of bilateral ties to strategic partnership nearly a decade ago, Vietnam and France have seen their ties growing in various areas.

Hailing the developments of bilateral cultural-education and health cooperation over the past years, he thanked the French Government and people for their valuable support for Vietnam during COVID-19 pandemic.

He suggested the two countries discuss and effectively adopt measures to deepen their effective collaboration post pandemic, facilitate all-level visits, especially during next year when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership.

Describing economic cooperation as an important pillar of bilateral strategic partnership, Son proposed France soon approve the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to fully tap the two countries’ potential.

The FM spoke highly of France’s role and voice in the international arena as well as the two countries' coordination at region and global forums like the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), ASEAN-EU framework, and the Francophone Community.

Colonna, for her part, highly valued Vietnam’s role and position in Indo-Pacific and wished to work more closely with Vietnam in the near future amid global uncertainties.

She affirmed that French firms are interested in investing in Vietnam in fields of their strength such as green and digital technology, and clean energy.

The minister wished to visit Vietnam soon to discuss specific measures to boost bilateral ties in all areas, especially economy-trade, culture, defence, education, tourism, and science-technology.

Talking with Minister Justin Tkatchenko, Son asserted that Vietnam is ready to share socio-economic development experience with Papua New Guinea and reinforce coordination in fields of shared concern.

Tkatchenko said Papua New Guinea considers ties with Vietnam strategic in the coming time and wishes to soon open a representative diplomatic agency in the Southeast Asian nation to enhance relations, particularly in economy-trade-investment, farm produce processing, aquaculture, mining, liquefied natural gas and locality-to-locality cooperation.

He wished to acquire Vietnam’s experience in industrialisation and modernisation, and attract more Vietnam investors to his country.

Both sides agreed to step up all-level visits as well as trade and investment promotion activities, and implement the Memorandum of Understanding on fisheries cooperation, including establishing a Joint Technical Committee on Fisheries Cooperation, issuing more mechanisms and signing several deals to lay legal foundation for collaboration such as investment promotion and protection, double taxation avoidance, oil and gas.

They pledged to continue strengthening cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, APEC and regional and international forums.

Papua New Guinea supports ASEAN's and Vietnam’s stance and efforts in the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Tkatchenko said.

Son affirmed that Vietnam stands ready to serve as a bridge promoting ties between Papua New Guinea and ASEAN. He also wished Papua New Guinea would cultivate ties between Vietnam and Pacific island nations.

US and Vietnamese partners work together to conserve Vietnam's Cultural Heritage

The US Embassy in Vietnam, in cooperation with the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum and the Centre for Research and Promotion of Cultural Heritage will organise an exhibition and a workshop in Hanoi to celebrate Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day.

The photo exhibition “The US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation - Two Decades of Cooperation with Vietnam” will be held from November 23-26 at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum. The exhibition will feature images of the 16 cultural projects funded by AFCP in Vietnam since 2001.

The workshop “US and Vietnam: Working Together to Conserve Vietnam's Cultural Heritage” will take place from 8am- 12 pm on November 23 at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided. The workshop will also be hosted online as a webinar. Registration link: https://forms.gle/EuagTv7s7vYNouHv9

The workshop will feature renowned experts in cultural heritage preservation in Vietnam and abroad. Six speakers will present and share their experiences in implementing AFCP-funded projects.

The workshop’s target audiences are relevant experts and professionals from museums, relics management boards, research and conservation institutes, management agencies and non-governmental organisations in Vietnam and abroad.

Through sharing of information about AFCP and other funding sources, the program raises awareness on the importance of mobilizing additional sources of technical and financial support in preserving and managing cultural heritage sites in Vietnam, especially for those in danger and in need of urgent action.

The US Embassy will announce the AFCP2023 Competition at the workshop.

Mekong Delta’s first book street opens in Cao Lanh City

The first book street in the Mekong Delta region opened on November 19 in Dong Thap Province’s Cao Lanh City marking the 40th anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20) and the event of Cao Lanh City listed in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

The book street includes 19 stalls, including six book shops, eight stationery stores, a coffee shop, and areas of exhibition, stage and management board.

The book street featuring various cultural activities is expected to become a friendly destination for tourists visiting the Mekong Delta region and contribute to the tourism development of the locality, said Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cao Lanh City Vo Thanh Minh.

Financial and human resource constraints impede HCMC’s smart health

Ho Chi Minh City is considered one of the leading localities nationwide to implement digital transformation in the health sector. However, up to now, in addition to the achievements, the application of information technology  and digital transformation towards building smart health of the city has not been as expected because of barriers including financial and human resource constraints.

More than 10 years ago, HCMC -based Children's Hospital 1 started digitizing scans of health insurance documents, re-examination appointments, and patients’ certificates of leave for social insurance benefits.

Up to now, this unit has implemented many automated applications with an orientation toward smart health such as kiosks for taking numbers for automatic registration, kiosks for taking numbers for testing, and kiosks for looking up medical examination and treatment prices.

Thanks to the adoption of IT and technologies, patients cant register for online medical examinations via the website, phone, or mobile app; thus, they no longer have to wait in line.

Moreover, patients also do not use cash but pay via card, app, QR Code, or POS. In 2021, the hospital also deploys a payment solution via QR code that patients only need to scan the QR code in a doctor’s order to pay instead of taking the paper to the cashier.

Financial issues are also a common challenge that hospitals have been facing in implementing digital transformation. Currently, the investment in information security systems costs more than VND10 billion, which is beyond the capacity of most hospitals.

Hospitals have sent their proposal for the purchase of a new IT system, but their proposals are not approved. While waiting for specific policies, in order to recruit and retain IT staff, hospitals need to save themselves by a solution that does not separate the IT team in the hospital from the medical examination and treatment team but integrates functions and tasks into joint activities directly or indirectly.

According to Dr. Nguyen Anh Dung, Deputy Head of the city Department of Health, from now to 2025 with a vision to 2030, the city's health sector has developed the project "Digital transformation and building smart healthcare" with the goal that all people will have electronic health records by 2025 and all hospitals manage patients by electronic medical records.

In addition, hospitals have deployed many IT applications to help detect and prevent epidemics in time, and manage non-communicable diseases in addition to building big data of the health sector including medical personnel, practice certificates, technical lists, and drug supply. The health sector in Ho Chi Minh City also deploys applications using big data to serve state management.

Hospitals overloaded with surge in dengue fever patients

Vietnam has seen a year-on-year increase in the number of dengue patients resulting in overloaded hospitals.

Compared to the same period in 2021, the number of dengue fever cases in the country this year surged 4.9 times and 112 people succumbed to the disease. Worse, patients overload hospitals with many severe cases.

According to the Ministry of Health, from the beginning of 2022 to now, the country has recorded more than 303,630 people with dengue fever including 112 deaths.

As normal, southern provinces are always hot spots of dengue epidemic season whereas this year, in Hanoi, the number of dengue cases is also increasing sharply week by week; the capital city has so far recorded 12,059 dengue cases, an increase of 3.8 times compared to the previous year including 12 deaths.

With the number of dengue cases continuously increasing, many hospitals in Hanoi were overloaded. Many patients were transferred from grassroots medical facilities to big infirmaries when they are in serious conditions including elevated liver enzymes, and kidney failure. For instance, the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases is currently treating over 100 severe dengue patients and 10-20 patients are admitted to the hospital every day.

Can Tho chief inspector disciplined for bidding violations

Tran Phuoc Hoang, chief inspector of Can Tho City, and his subordinate, Bui Xuan Thanh, have received disciplinary warnings for their involvement in bidding irregularities found at the municipal Health Department.

Le Van Thanh, head of the municipal Party Committee’s Inspection Commission, said that the Inspection Commission issued the warnings against Hoang and Thanh yesterday, November 18, the local media reported.

The same disciplinary sanctions were also imposed on three other State employees the same day, comprising Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung, head of finance and investment at the city’s Department of Finance; Le Van Be Tam, head of appraisal at the city’s Department of Planning and Investment; and his subordinate Pham Minh Duc.

These five were found to be allegedly involved in violating bidding regulations that caused serious consequences at the Can Tho Department of Health, with total losses of VND33 billion.

The disciplinary actions were made following the request of the Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

According to the MPS investigators, the Can Tho Inspectorate had discovered shortcomings at the municipal Health Department after inspecting the department’s bidding packages for purchasing medical equipment. However, the Can Tho Inspectorate could not address the shortcomings since it lost documents related to the case and thus failed to appraise the bidding prices.

The investigators added that three individuals from the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, including Deputy Director Le Duong Cam Thuy, who had been disciplined earlier, Le Van Be Tam, Pham Minh Duc, and Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung from the Finance Department, must be held accountable for their alleged involvement in the case.

These four were in charge of appraising investment proposals and cost estimations but trusted appraising units, documents, and proposals from the Health Department and thereby failed to discover violations, the investigators said.

Hanoi honors 98 valedictorians in 2022

Hanoi authorities have held a ceremony to commend 98 best valedictorians graduating from universities and colleges in the city in 2022.

Many of this year's valedictorians are members of the Communist Party of Vietnam and also examples of self-improvement, and winners of national and international scientific awards.

At the ceremony, Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong stressed talents are national resources, especially in Hanoi, one of the largest academic hubs in the country.

The valedictorians honored today are representatives of millions of students in Hanoi. They are the precious assets of the capital and the country, he stressed.

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