Vessel SAR 412 of the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre on November 23 successfully saved 39 fishermen onboard a damaged fishing boat after towing it to the central province of Binh Dinh.

Earlier, at 6pm on November 20, the boat, captained by Nguyen Duy Thanh, a resident in Binh Chanh commune in Binh Son district of Quang Ngai province, experienced engine failure while fishing in the sea between Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly). It lost control in adverse weather conditions and was hit by large waves that pierced its bow. As water flooded in rapidly and led to the rapid sinking of the ship, Thanh contacted the search and rescue coordination centre requesting urgent assistance.

At 11:21pm on the same day, maritime rescue forces approached the boat, deploying rescue personnel and towing it out of the dangerous area.

Deputy Chairman of the Binh Son People's Committee Ung Dinh Hien said local authorities will assist the fishermen and assess the extent of the ship damage to determine appropriate support policies in accordance with state regulations.

Vietnam determined to strictly punish drug traffickers: Spokeswoman

Vietnam is determined to strictly deal with the acts of producing, trafficking and transporting drugs without distinguishing whether offenders are Vietnamese citizens or foreigners, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang has affirmed.

At the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on November 23, Hang reiterated that Vietnam has always actively boosted cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally in crime prevention and control, including drug-related crimes.

According to the information the ministry has received, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on November 11 held a first-instance trial of a case involving the illegal drug transportation. Among defendants sentenced to death, there are two Koreans and one Chinese citizen.

In case there is an appeal or protest against the ruling, competent authorities will continue to handle the case in line with legal regulations on criminal procedures, she added.

President’s visit to further deepen ties with Japan: Spokeswoman

The upcoming official visit to Japan by President Vo Van Thuong, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam from November 27-30 will contribute to further deepening political, diplomatic, economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang has said.

At the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on November 23, Hang said the visit will take place at an important time in the bilateral relationship as the two countries are holding various activities throughout the year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The trip will be an extremely important event in a series of celebration activities this year.

The visit will also further enhance cooperation in new fields such as green transition, innovation and digital transformation, she said, adding that it will strengthen the relationship between the two countries to serve the interests of their people for the sake of peace, cooperation, development and prosperity in the region and the world as well. 

The spokeswoman further said that as part of the visit, President Thuong is scheduled to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio; and meet with the Emperor and Empress, and high-ranking Japanese leaders. He will also deliver a speech at the National Diet of Japan, and attend a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and other important activities.

Vietnamese President to address Japanese lawmakers during coming visit

Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Japanese Diet (parliament) during his coming visit, starting on November 27, according to spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.

During the November 27-30, President Thuong will also hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, pay a courtesy visit to the Emperor and Empress, and meet other senior Japanese leaders, Hang said at a press briefing in Hanoi on November 23.
  
This is Thuong’s first visit to Japan in his capacity as Vietnamese President, and the fourth time the President of Vietnam has visited Japan since the two countries established diplomatic relations in September 1973. The visit takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic relations and nine years of their extensive strategic partnership.

The visit will contribute to further deepening political, diplomatic, economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries; and promoting bilateral cooperation in new fields such as green transformation, innovation, and digital transformation; in the interest of the two peoples, for peace, cooperation, development and prosperity in the region and the wider world, said the spokesperson.

Vietnam and Japan established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1973 and raised their ties to a strategic partnership in 2009. Five years later, the two countries established an extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia.

Japan is the first country of the group of seven industrialised countries (G7) to recognize Vietnam’s market economy status. It has twice invited Vietnamese leaders to attend the expanded G7 Summit. Vietnam - Japan relations have high political trust, and the two countries share common views on many regional and international issues.

Japan is Vietnam’s leading economic partner, ranking first in ODA aid provision, second in labour cooperation, third in investment and tourism, and fourth in trade. Two-way trade turnover between the two countries last year reached nearly US$50 billion, including US$24.2 billion worth of Vietnamese exports.

Party leader’s book gives important directions for resolution implementation

The Party leader’s recently published book on the resolve to successfully carry out the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress shows the Party Central Committee and the Politburo’s important directions for the implementation of political tasks of the entire country, as well as each sector and locality.

The articles and speeches were written and delivered by the General Secretary during the first half of the Party’s 13th tenure at meetings of the Party Central Committee and the national conferences on the implementation of the Politburo’s resolutions on orientations for socio-economic development and defence - security safeguarding in socio-economic regions by 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Each piece of writing provides recommendations of ways for all-level authorities, sectors, localities, agencies, and units to promote their activeness, mobilise resources, and enhance the determination to carry out the resolution to boost rapid and sustainable national development.

The book also points out certain difficulties and challenges that all levels, sectors, and localities must strive to address, along with opportunities they need to grasp quickly to achieve the targets set in the 13th National Party Congress’s resolution.

Expressing his interest in the writings on defence - security affairs, Tran Hai Quan, a resident in My Dinh 1 ward of Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem district, said they show that the stability and sustainable development of all socio-economic aspects form the solid foundation for defence - security, and that the building of the defence - security strength must serve the goal of creating a favourable environment for socio-economic development.

The articles and speeches pointed out that key economic regions are also located in key defence zones where there are many important targets that must be protected. These regions are also often taken advantage of by hostile forces to conduct “peaceful evolution” in the country. Therefore, the Party leader underlines the necessity to concurrently develop the economy and enhance defence - security in the regions, Quan noted.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Dinh San, Secretary of a Party cell in Ngoc Ha ward of Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district, noted he is impressed with the writing on the continued promotion of Doi moi (Renewal) and the capitalisation of every opportunity and advantage to weather all difficulties and challenges to successfully implement the resolution.

He cited General Secretary Trong as saying in the article that to effectively carry out the resolution, administrations at all levels need to press on with administrative reform, especially administrative procedures; the e-Government and e-administration building; the improvement of judicial activities’ quality, efficiency and effectiveness; the combat against corruption and negative phenomena; and the promotion of activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-economic organisations to help boost the public’s consensus and the great national solidarity.

Russia’s Kaluga region suggested to cooperate with Vietnam localities in manufacturing projects

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on November 23 had a meeting with a delegation of Russia’s Kaluga oblast led by its Governor Vladislav Valerievich Shapsha and suggested the Russian oblast to cooperate with Vietnamese localities in manufacturing projects as well as traditional fields of cooperation.

Welcoming the guests, Ha said that the special relationship between Vietnam and Russia is a premise for more effective cooperation between the two countries, including that between Kaluga oblast and localities, partners in Vietnam.

Besides the fields of trade, agriculture, nuclear medicine, education, training, and cultural exchange, the Deputy PM suggested that Kaluga oblast coordinate with Vietnamese localities and businesses to study and implement manufacturing projects to keep pace with current science and technology development trends.

For his part, the Russian said said that as a door to attract foreign investment in Russia, Kaluga has strengths and potential for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing industry, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and nuclear medicine.

In the past three years, trade turnover between Kaluga and Vietnam has increased tenfold, from more than 30 million USD to more than 300 million USD.

As a large Vietnamese enterprise has invested in livestock farming and milk processing in Kaluga, the Governor believes that more Vietnamese businesses will come to look for investment opportunities in Kaluga.

He also said that during their stay in Vietnam, the Kaluga delegation worked with ministries, branches, localities and businesses to seek investment opportunities in Vietnam. The oblast also hopes to promote diverse cooperative relationships in education - training and cultural exchanges with Vietnamese partners and localities.

President attends ceremony marking battle victory

President Vo Van Thuong on November 23 attended a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the Hiep Hoa victory in the Mekong Delta province of Long An.

At the event, he presented the Ho Chi Minh Order to Long An province’s Party, administration and people for their excellent contributions to revolutionary cause of the Party and State.

Following the success of Vietnam’s Dong Khoi (General Uprising) Movement (1959-1960) in the South, the US imperialists carried out the “Special War” strategy which was built with three measures, including the establishment of “strategic hamlets”.

In September 1963, the provincial Party Committee decided to ramp up efforts to destroy the “strategic hamlets”, and Hiep Hoa – the largest commando camp in the south - was the target.

The victory of the Hiep Hoa battle opened a chapter in the glorious history of Long An Party and people’s resistance against the enemy. Besides, it was important for the southern battlefield, helping expand the corridor that connected the southeastern region with the southwestern one and Cambodia’s southeastern area.

In his speech, head of the Party Central Committee’ Commission for Popularisation and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia highlighted the significance of the Hiep Hoa battle victory to the revolutionary movement in the south, describing it as a vivid illustration for the sound policy and resolve of the Party Central Committee and the provincial Party Committee.

He suggested the province sharpen focus on its key programmes and tasks, and pay due attention to branching out local culture, society, education and health care in tandem with economic development, working to ensure social security and accelerating the reform of administrative procedures.

Earlier, President Thuong offered incense in tribute to Vo Van Tan, a former member of the Party Central Committee’s Standing Board, former Secretary of the Party Committee of the southern region, and a loyal revolutionary soldier of the Party and State, at Duc Hoa crossroads historical relic site in Duc Hoa town.

He also visited and presented gifts to war invalid Pham Thi Liem who engaged in revolutionary activities and was imprisoned by the enemy.

Conference assesses implementation of youth-related policies, laws

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam, on November 23 held a conference evaluating the implementation of youth-related policies and laws and contributing ideas to the draft National Report on Vietnamese Youth in the 2019-2022 period.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Trieu Van Cuong said that after the 14th National Assembly passed the Youth Law in 2020, the Government issued decrees guiding the implementation of the law, and the Prime Minister also issued the Vietnamese Youth Development Strategy for 2021 - 2030.

Appreciating contributions of the UNFPA in Vietnam, Cuong said that during the more than 10 years of cooperation, the fund has supported the implementation of capacity building projects for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Government agencies in developing, promulgating, and carrying out policies and laws on youth.

He expressed his hope that the UNFPA in Vietnam will continue to prioritise resources for the Government in general and the Ministry of Home Affairs in particular to successfully implement youth development goals, towards achieving the Government’s goals on sustainable development.

Opinions collected at the two-day conference will be summarised and reported to the Government, the Prime Minister, and submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and improvement of institutions and the 2020 Youth Law.

They are expected to help improve the efficiency of State management on youth affairs, and act as an important basis for establishing an information system about Vietnamese youth, directly serving policy and law making on youth from the central to local levels.

Vietnam steps up tobacco control

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Fund under the Ministry of Health co-organised a conference in Hanoi on November 23 to promote the communications work in the fight against tobacco.

The conference provided updates for the press on tobacco control, especially new-generation products, said Ho Hong Ha, deputy head of the MIC’s Department of Legal Affairs.

Statistics show that more than 1 billion people smoke every day worldwide, including 847 million men and 153 million women.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing over 8 million people a year around the world. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.3 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. In Vietnam, 40,000 people die each year from tobacco-related diseases.

Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, from the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Fund, cited a 2022 survey on tobacco use among students aged 13-15 showing an increase in electronic cigarette use to 3.5% as compared with 2.6% in 2019.

Given this, she suggested not allowing the pilot circulation of heated cigarettes, and not letting e-cigarettes enter the Vietnamese market under the label of heated cigarettes.

Participants looked into misconceptions, facts and international experience in controlling new tobacco products and challenges to the work, as well as WHO recommendations in this regard.

Election to World Heritage Committee affirms Vietnam’s sound foreign policy: Diplomat

Vietnam’s election to the World Heritage Committee affirms the Party and State’s sound foreign policy of multilateralisation, diversification, and comprehensive and intensive international integration, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc has said.

Ngoc, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, said that this is an outcome of the effective implementation of the cultural diplomacy strategy until 2030 as well as enthusiastic support from international partners.

The election will contribute greatly to popularising the image of Vietnam as a dynamic country in innovation and international integration process yet imbued with traditional identity, he stressed.

According to Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, the event is a vivid illustration of international community’s confidence in Vietnam’s roles and contributions at UNESCO’s multilateral forums.

She described this as a great opportunity for Vietnam to make further contributions to the world’s strategic issues and cultural policies, and share its experience in developing culture into an intrinsic strength that creates a locomotive for resilient sustainable development.

Vietnam should capitalise on the support from foreign countries to turn heritage into asset and potential into resources to serve its socio-economic development, she said.

Meanwhile, Director of the World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo expressed his delight at Vietnam’s election to the heritage committee, elaborating Vietnam is an outstanding example in the implementation of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Vietnam's experience in heritage preservation should be shared with other countries, he stated.

Vietnam was elected member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023 - 2027 tenure on November 22 with the highest number of votes among Asian-Pacific states.

Securing 121 of the 171 valid votes, Vietnam ranked second among the nine elected states from five regions. The election took place within the framework of the 24th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention) in Paris.

This is the second time Vietnam has been elected to the most important executive body for culture of UNESCO.

The high number of votes also reflected Vietnam’s prestige in the international arena, the international community’s trust in and support for its contribution and chairmanship capacity at global multilateral institutions, as well as the recognition of the country’s practical contributions to UNESCO and the preservation and promotion of heritage values in Vietnam and the world.

Vietnam will join 20 other member states of the committee to supervise the implementation of the convention, protect, preserve, and bring into play the values of 1,199 world heritage elements around the globe, and consider the recognition of new ones to uphold, promote, and pass down historical and cultural values to future generations and help with sustainable development in the world.

The World Heritage Convention is the one with the biggest membership in UNESCO, 194. Therefore, candidates have to face strong competition to be elected one of the 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee.

With this election, for the first time, Vietnam is taking on the roles at five key mechanisms of the UNESCO at the same time: member of the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2021-2025 tenure, Vice President of the 42nd session of the UNESCO’s General Conference, Vice Chair of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the 2021-2025 tenure, and member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-2026 tenure, and member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 tenure.

They offer opportunities for the country to engage in the formation of policies and import decision of UNESCO.

Central Vietnam forecast to brace for heavy rain again

Moderate to heavy rain is forecast to hit provinces from Quang Tri to Khanh Hoa again between November 25 and 27, with rainfall in some areas reaching over 600 mm, said the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

The spell of rain which will be caused by the intensified cold air wave and the easterly wind is unlikely to trigger severe flooding as seen in the central region from November 13-17.
  
However, NCHMF experts warned about the possibility of flash floods and landslides to occur in mountainous localities, flooding in lowlying areas, and tidal surges in coastal localities.

Meanwhile, a low pressure area formed on November 23 morning in the south of the East Sea. The new weather pattern is moving slowly to the west, and experts did not rule out the possibility that the low pressure area would gain further strength in the coming hours.

Police raze large-scale drug manufacturing ring in HCMC

The Drug-related Crimes Investigation Police Department (C04) under the Ministry of Public Security has just razed a massive drug manufacturing ring in Ho Chi Minh City. The ring was led by Nguyen Thi Hoai, 31 years old, residing in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the C04, offenders traded drugs via social media, rented logistic companies to package and transport drugs and various kinds of additives, and gathered them at a warehouse in Ho Chi Minh City.

On June 5 morning, offenders were detected while they were transporting drugs for consumption.

At the site, the functional forces seized 67 kilograms of synthetic drugs, including nearly 9,000 finished drug products and 20 kilograms of synthetic drugs in the powder.

Up to now, the police have arrested 17 offenders and seized 217 kilograms of synthetic drugs of all kinds.

The C04 has prosecuted 10 defendants.

Initially, the police investigation agency is clarifying the ways that defendants prepared, packaged and traded some 750 kilograms of drugs to the market during the half of the year.

HCMC runs out of vaccines for expanded immunization program

The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City yesterday reported that the city has run out of vaccines for the expanded immunization program.

Accordingly, the vaccines give protection against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (pertussis), polio, hepatitis B and the 5-in-1 vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, meningitis and pneumonia.

There are a few vaccines preventing measles, bivalent oral polio (bOPV), tuberculosis (BCG), measles and rubella (MR), tetanus and Japanese encephalitis in the city which could be run out in the next one or few days.

On November 22 afternoon, a representative of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Vietnam said that the domestically produced vaccines for the expanded program on immunization are expected to be supplied again at the end of November 2023 while other imported vaccines need to wait until the end of December 2023.

Vietnam and France boost defense cooperation

Vietnam always attaches importance to developing relations with France, with defense cooperation acting as one of the important pillars in bilateral strategic partnership, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang told French Ambassador to Vietnam Oliver Brochet in Hanoi on November 23.

Giang said defense cooperation between the two countries has been promoted in accordance with the agreement on Vietnam - France defense cooperation and the Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam - France defense relations for 2018 - 2028, yielding positive results in such areas as visit exchanges, organisation of the strategic dialogue, military training, UN peacekeeping, and military medicine, as well as coordination and mutual support within the framework of multilateral forums.
  
He proposed that the two sides continue to strengthen effective cooperation, focusing on increasing visit exchanges; completing legislation for cooperation; training; effectively deploying signed cooperation agreements on military medicine, hydrography and UN peacekeeping. He also underlined the need to strengthen cooperation in overcoming war aftermath, as well as in new fields where both sides have potential and needs, while actively supporting each other at multilateral forums.

The minister expressed hope that the Ambassador would make important contributions to further promoting Vietnam - France cooperation in all fields, including defense.

Ambassador Brochet for his part highly appreciated Vietnam’s increasing role globally, especially in ASEAN. He recalled the recent phone talks between Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and French President Emmanuel Macron who expressed their desire to boost mutually beneficial cooperation for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the wider world in the new period.

The ambassador said France, an important EU member, would work closely alongside other EU members to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN members, including Vietnam.

France is ready to provide French language training for Vietnamese officers engaging in United Nations peacekeeping operations in French-speaking countries, he assured his host.

IFRC’s 11th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference wraps up

The 11th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) concluded in Hanoi on November 23 after three days of sitting.

In her closing speech, President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society Bui Thi Hoa said delegates had pointed out challenges and opportunities, demonstrating concerns for protecting vulnerable groups. They also shared practical experience in finding more suitable approaches and innovative solutions. The discussions opened up new thinking, shared profound insights and provided constructive recommendations.

She expressed her hope that following the event, the delegates will carry with them a spirit of cooperation, a commitment to humanitarian action, and a determination to make effective changes for the national red cross societies and the humanitarian movement at both regional and global levels.

Maha Barjas Hamoud Al Barjas, Vice President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the conference has demonstrated the solidarity of nations and served as a platform to rationalise efforts, define priorities, and jointly address common challenges.

The event discussed issues related to each national red cross society as well as major humanitarian challenges of the era to find sustainable and reliable solutions, stay ready to respond to disasters, and commit to do more and reach further.

Vietnam attends 31st Meeting of Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Philippines

A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly, led by its Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai, attended the opening of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-31) in Manila, the Philippines, on November 23, with the participation of 275 parliamentarians from 19 regional countries.

The Vietnamese delegation also attended the APPF-31 executive committee's meeting held the same day, and will offer opinions during the APPF-31’s discussions in the coming days, thereby affirming the Vietnamese NA’s strong commitment to responsibly engaging in multilateral parliamentary diplomatic activities, contributing to further upholding Vietnam's role and position in regional parliamentary cooperation mechanisms.

Hai is scheduled to deliver a speech at the first plenary session on political and security matters on November 24. He will also pay courtesy calls to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of the Philippines; hold working sessions with Philippine relevant agencies on experience in building an electronic parliament, land management, and enforcement of global minimum tax; and hold bilateral meetings with delegations from countries attending the forum.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Vietnamese delegation and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his statue in ASEAN Garden in Manila.

On November 22, Hai and the Vietnamese delegation held a working session with the Vietnamese Embassy, representative diplomatic agencies, the Vietnamese community and the Vietnamese Students' Association in the Philippines.

Party General Secretary’s book serves as invaluable reference: diplomats

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s recently-published book is an invaluable reference source for generations of officials engaged in foreign affairs and diplomacy, thus helping to build a comprehensive and modern diplomacy of Vietnam, experts and diplomats have said.

The book on the building and development of Vietnam’s diplomacy deeply imbued with the characteristics of “Vietnamese bamboo” is divided into three parts, with the first focusing on the important role of and major contributions by diplomacy to national construction and defence. It consists of an overview article and seven speeches the Party leader delivered at meetings of the Party Central Committee and national diplomatic and foreign affairs conferences.

The second part – Vietnam’s foreign affairs for independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development – gathers 78 speeches, writings, interviews, letters, and messages of the General Secretary at bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activities and forums, showing the close and harmonious coordination among the diplomatic pillars of Party-to-Party, State-to-State, and people-to-people diplomacy.

The third part is about the hallmarks of the country’s foreign affairs and diplomacy. It features 52 opinions of international experts, politicians, diplomats, researchers, and friends about General Secretary Trong’s role and contributions to the formation and development of Vietnam’s comprehensive and modern foreign policy. It also includes the memories, impressions, and stories shared by Vietnamese diplomats, journalists, and expatriates who used to accompany or meet the leader during his visits and working trips in the country and abroad, reflecting their sentiment towards, respect for, and trust in the Party and the General Secretary’s leadership.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung said in the past, there were many documents and books written about Vietnam's diplomacy and foreign affairs, but this is the first book to explicitly delve into the nature of Vietnam's diplomatic sector, and highlight very clear and specific directions for the work.

He also shared the same view with experts who said that the book has elevated the theoretical framework and practical thinking regarding Vietnam's foreign policy.

Many scholars and experts in Laos have made positive comments on the content of the book, he said, hoping that it will be translated into various languages, including Lao, to soon become a research material.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai said the book, on one hand, demonstrates the Party leader’s consistent and thorough thinking about the country's foreign policy, and on the other hand, vividly and fully portrays the diplomatic style imbued with the distinctive characteristics of the “Vietnamese Bamboo”. It portrays a diverse and multifaceted perspective of those engaged in foreign affairs and studying international relations, highlights the role and contributions of the Party chief in shaping and developing a comprehensive and modern diplomacy.

The book, which excellently compiles speeches, writings, statements, interviews, letters and messages by the Party General Secretary, has manifested his consistent and thorough thinking about Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era, he added.

Vietnam, China boost customs cooperation in fighting smuggling

The 15th conference on Vietnam - China customs cooperation in anti-smuggling took place in Hanoi on November 23, focusing on measures to strengthen collaboration in preventing illegal drug and wildlife trafficking.

The two sides agreed that the increasingly complicated smuggling situation along border routes shared between Vietnam and China requires the two countries' customs agencies to work closer on law enforcement and fight against smuggling in order to ensure a healthy environment for their legitimate businesses.  

The two sides reviewed the results of their coordination in the fight against smuggling in recent times, and agreed to continue bolstering joint efforts in preventing illegal trafficking of drug and animals being in danger of extinction, and implementing the “Mekong Dragon” campaign which has been included in the Vietnam-China joint statement on continuing to promote and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.  

The anti-smuggling conference is an important cooperation mechanism of the two countries’ customs forces. The cooperation in fighting smuggling between the two agencies has been strengthened and deepened on both bilateral and multilateral levels.

The two sides regularly deploy cooperation activities to support each other in fighting violations of customs law. The exchange of professional information and mutual assistance in investigation and verification of cases have brought good results. 

They have actively collaborated in building initiatives and coordinated the implementation of the "Mekong Dragon" campaign in combating drug and wildlife smuggling in the Asia-Pacific region.

At the conference, the two sides discussed and agreed to strengthen coordination and improve the efficiency of information and expertise exchange in order to enhance the effectiveness of anti-smuggling cooperation on all routes, effectively promote relevant investigation support activities of each country, and better the effectiveness of general control programmes.

The two sides pledged to deploy effectively the "Mekong Dragon" campaign to fight against illegal trafficking of drug and wildlife in the Asia-Pacific region and jointly report results of the campaign’s stages to the World Customs Organisation.

The “Mekong Dragon” campaign is a joint action programme between customs authorities and other law enforcement agencies of the Asia-Pacific region to combat illegal trafficking of drug, wildlife and products from wild animals and plants under the CITES list on all routes.

Bac Giang to build waste-to-energy plant

Bắc Giang Province is working on a scheme to build a waste-to-energy plant in Đa Mai Ward that can combust 750 tonnes of waste per day.

According to Bắc Giang's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the province generates about 965 tonnes of solid waste daily. 

While 87 per cent of the waste can be collected and disposed of properly, 13 per cent goes to open dumps untreated. Over recent years, the latter has amounted to nearly 5,800 tonnes.

It was that environmental threat that resulted in a scheme to build a new waste-to-energy plant to fill the capacity gap. The 12MW facility is expected to incinerate 750 tonnes of waste daily.

The investor of the plant, Bắc Giang Environmental Energy Company LTD, has partnered with Power Engineering Consulting Joint Stock Company 4 to prepare an environmental impact assessment report on the plant.

In the report, the Martin combustion technology will be employed on the grounds of its efficiency, which has been tried and tested in many countries for decades. The technology allows the plant to incinerate waste without prior sorting and enables operators to run and maintain the facility with ease.

Being constructed on land of 66,000 sqm earmarked for waste treatment, the construction of the plant will not cause a displacement of people in the ward.

It will be located at a site 500m away from the residential area of Lò Village and 1,000m from Thanh Mai Ward. Its treated wastewater will be discharged into Hoàng Thanh Stream, a narrow river lying next to the plant and feeding into the Thương River. 

"The facility will operate with the Martin combustion technology, which allows trucks to transport waste directly to it without prior sorting," said the report.   

Construction work is scheduled to take place between July 2024 and August 2025. The facility is expected to come into operation in October 2025. 

Sepak takraw team bag gold, silver in China event

Việt Nam won one gold and one silver at the ASEAN International Sepak Takraw Invitational 2023 in Kunming, China.

The gold was in the women's team of four after they beat China 2-0 in the final match.

Earlier, they defeated teams of Indonesia and Laos in the round-robin qualification stage.

Their silver was in the women's team of three. The team lost 1-2 to the hosts in the final.

“Players tried hard at this tournament and advanced to their second final. We only hoped they delivered good results here but earning a silver was better than expectation," said coach Lê Thanh Sơn.

Việt Nam sent their U23 athletes to the event whereas other teams sent their senior squads.

Sơn and his team will move to Yunnan to take part in the China Open event where they will face stronger rivals from Asia. The Open will wrap up on November 27.

Việt Nam has one of the world's strong sepak takraw teams. In 2023, the team won gold medals at the Asian Championship, World Championship, Asian Games and SEA Games.

Thua Thien-Hue prepares responses to severe floods
 
The central province of Thua Thien-Hue has prepared for heavy rains which have been forecasted to cause severe floods in the locality.

According to the Thua Thien-Hue Hydrometeorological Station, the province would have torrential rains on November 24-27 with a rainfall of 150-300mm. Some areas in Phu Loc and Nam Dong districts would see rainfall of up to 500mm. 

Following the forecast, local authorities have asked for a reduction in the water levels of hydropower and irrigation reservoirs to ensure safety in case of floods.

Concerned agencies must inform boats and ships of the flood information and ask them to return to shore before November 25.

Meanwhile, local districts and towns have been urged to quickly evacuate people in vulnerable areas to avoid the risks of flash floods and landslides.

On November 14-16, Thua Thien-Hue faced torrential rain and floods, submerging 17,453 houses, mostly in Phong Dien, Quang Dien and Huong Thuy districts, Huong Tra Town and Hue City. The floods also killed three people and injured two others.

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