President of the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference Santiago Irazabal Mourao applauded Vietnam’s fifth-time election to the UNESCO Executive Board while talking about the outcomes of the session, which wrapped up on November 24.

Regarding the fifth time Vietnam has served as a member of the UNESCO Executive Board, for the 2021 - 2025 tenure, he told the Vietnam News Agency that Mourao said the board welcomes the country’s return to the UNESCO Executive Board.

He highlighted the diversity in terms of culture, history, and views Vietnam brings about. To UNESCO, cultural diversity, ideas and debates form the basic foundation for development, and that the country’s views will enrich debates at UNESCO forums.

President of the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference Santiago Irazabal Mourao. (Photo: VNA)
Like many other countries, Vietnam is facing a number of common challenges, but it will have its own solutions to common issues, he noted, expressing the willingness to listen to and learn from its experiences.

The President said the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference was successful with the adoption of some historic measures, decisions, and resolutions. They included two important resolutions on the ethics of artificial intelligence and on open science./.

PM Pham Minh Chinh arrives in Hanoi, concludes Japan visit

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-ranking Government delegation arrived in Hanoi on November 25 evening, concluding an official visit to Japan from November 22-25 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Immediately after the landing, the Government Office held a ceremony at the airport to handover vaccines and donations for Vietnam’s COVID-19 fight that the Japanese Government, businesses presented to Vietnam during PM Chinh’s visit.

The Government delegation handed over to the Health Ministry 1.540,000 doses of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine presented by the Japanese Government, bringing the total vaccine doses that Japan has given Vietnam so far to 5.6 million, besides other medical supplies and equipment.

The delegation also handed over to the Finance Ministry 1 million USD donated by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation to help with Vietnam’s fight against COVID-19./

Thuduc House leader arrested for alleged tax fraud

Nguyen Vu Bao Hoang, general director of Thuduc Housing Development Corporation (Thuduc House), and many of his subordinates have been arrested for allegedly falsifying value-added tax (VAT) refund documents to appropriate nearly VND366 billion.

Investigators of the Ministry of Public Security yesterday, November 25, prosecuted and detained Nguyen Vu Bao Hoang; Nguyen Ngoc Truong Chinh, vice general director of Thuduc House; Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, head of the Import-Export Division at Thuduc House and director of Thuduc Wood JSC; Quan Minh Tuan, head accountant at Thuduc House; and Nguyen Van Lanh, director of An Lanh Phat Trading Company and Binh Thanh Company, for allegedly committing fraud to appropriate property as stipulated in Article 174 of the Penal Code.

The movement was part of an investigation into a group of people who were accused of falsifying documents for appropriation of assets through the refund of VAT in HCMC, southern provinces and at some relevant agencies.

The investigators have issued an international arrest warrant for Trinh Tien Dung, aged 48, who was allegedly the mastermind of the appropriation case. Also, they are taking measures to take back many State assets.

According to investigation results, Trinh Tien Dung had arranged for many individuals at home and abroad to use fake identity cards to establish hundreds of businesses in Vietnam. These people then falsified signatures to open bank accounts, prepare contracts to trade, import and export CD-ROMs containing software and electronic parts such as counterfeit and used products with companies in the U.S., Hong Kong, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, aimed at smuggling and trafficking more than US$53.5 million to foreign countries.

The group was also accused of taking advantage of the State policies on encouraging companies to export electronic parts with the tax rate of 0%; producing documents to trade domestically and export electronic components with a huge difference in value; conspiring with people working at the Saigon Southwest Trading JSC to make VAT refund documents to appropriate over VND153 billion from the Tay Ninh Province Tax Department.

Besides, they conspired with those at Thuduc House to appropriate nearly VND366 billion from the HCMC Tax Department through faking VAT refund documents.

The investigators have detained Nghiem Nhat Nam, general director of the Saigon Southwest Trading JSC, and Nguyen Thuy Quyen, head of Sales Department at this company.

Overall, in this case, the investigators have prosecuted 21 for allegedly committing multiple offenses such as smuggling; illegally transporting goods and money across borders; using fake stamps or documents of State agencies; swindling to appropriate assets and abusing of power for appropriation of assets.

As for Thuduc House, it operates in the fields of real estate, finance, fuel among others. In late 2020, the HCMC Tax Department withdrew refunded VAT from the company and fined it for making slow tax payments for 2018 and the first half of 2019, with total amount of nearly VND400 billion.

In response, Thuduc House said it did not agree with the HCMC Tax Department’s decisions and sued the department to the HCMC People’s Court, requesting the court to consider revoking the decisions mentioned above. The company reportedly is also working with competent agencies on the issue.

One month ago, Nguyen Vu Bao Hoang and two deputies general director of Thuduc House had registered to sell off their shares in the firm reportedly for personal reasons.

Prime Minister’s visit leaves deep imprint on Vietnam-Japan ties: FM

The official visit to Japan by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh from November 22-25 is a success with comprehensive and specific outcomes of strategic importance, leaving a deep imprint on the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership, stated Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Speaking to the media on the results of the Government leader's visit, the minister said that the goal of the visit is to reinforce and strengthen the bilateral extensive strategic partnership, bringing practical benefits to people and businesses of both sides, especially when the two countries are working to overcome consequences of COVID-19.

According to Son, the visit bears special significance in three aspects. It helps deepen the extensive strategic partnership with Japan, contributing to promoting bilateral cooperation in major areas, vividly reflecting Vietnam’s external policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, diversification, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and affirming that Vietnam is a trustworthy friend and an active and responsible member of the international community.

The visit is even more meaningful as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is the first foreign guest of the new Japanese administration, said the FM.

Son highlighted that during the visit, the two sides defined major orientations and specific measures to deepen the already close and extensive relationship between the two countries. Those orientations and measures have been clarified in a clear, comprehensive and practical manner in the Joint Statement Toward the Opening of a New Era in Japan-Vietnam Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia.

At the same time, the visit helps reinforce the friendship and enhance mutual understanding between the two nations and peoples, he said. During the visit, the Vietnamese leader reiterated a message that Vietnam always considers Japan a friend and a reliable and leading important partner with many shared strategic interests, the minister stressed.

In addition, the visit contributes to strengthen cooperation among ministries, sectors, localities and businesses of both sides with more than 50 cooperation agreements signed in various fields, including many large-scale deals worth billions of USD, said Son.

Besides, the visit continues to affirm the rising role and position that Vietnam plays in the world arena, Son said. The diverse activities of the PM and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation in Japan once again showed the confidence and dynamism of Vietnam, held the FM./.

Vietnam always considers Japan leading strategic partner: FM

Vietnam always treasures and considers Japan a leading strategic partner in its foreign policy of diversification and multilateralisation of relations, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son told his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi during their talks in Tokyo on November 25.

Son hailed Hayashi’s contributions to Vietnam – Japan ties over the past years, especially with the signing of a Medium and Long-Term Vision for Japan-Vietnam Agricultural Cooperation in August 2015 when he served as Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

He suggested the two foreign ministries work closely together to boost all-level exchanges, assist Vietnam in economic recovery post-pandemic, and offer official development assistance to the Southeast Asian nation in the fields of infrastructure, energy conversion and digital transformation.

The Vietnamese minister proposed enhancing consultations between policy planning departments, lauded Japan’s upgrading of its Consular Office in Da Nang city into Consulate General in January 2022, and suggested Japan allow the expansion of consular area of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka to 16 prefectures.

Hayashi, for his part, spoke highly of Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh’s ongoing visit to Japan, saying that he is the first foreign guest welcomed by the new Japanese administration.

Both sides vowed to work closely together to lift bilateral extensive strategic partnership to a greater height, as well as celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023.

Amid rapid developments in the region and the world, they pledged to increase collaboration at regional and global forums, including the United Nations and ASEAN. They also discussed issues of shared concern such as the East Sea.

On the occasion, Son invited the Japanese minister to Vietnam to co-chair the 12th meeting of the Vietnam – Japan Cooperation Committee. Hayashi accepted the invitation with pleasure./. 

Japanese media spotlights Vietnamese PM’s official visit to Japan

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Japan has received attention of the Japanese media, which have run articles on the visit with the focus on his talks with the host country’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on November 24.

On the day, the national broadcaster NHK reported that during his talks with PM Chinh, PM Kishida expressed hope for further development of bilateral relations with Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Chinh congratulated Kishida on assuming office and said he believes Kishida's inauguration will bring a bright future for friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

One day later, in an article titled “Japan, Vietnam PMs reaffirm ties”, NHK reported that Japan's Prime Minister and his Vietnamese counterpart have agreed to work together to maintain the international order based on freedom and the rule of law.

It said that Chinh is the first foreign leader Kishida has met in Japan since taking office.

Meanwhile, Kyodo News reported that during their talks, the two PMs agreed to step up security cooperation between their countries while sharing "serious concerns" over aggressive moves in regional waters.

Kyodo cited a joint statement following the leaders' meeting in Tokyo which said the two sides agreed on the importance of upholding an international order that is based on law, while affirming they will work together toward economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

It also quoted Kishida as saying that Vietnam is an important partner for Japan which will serve as the linchpin in our efforts to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Nikkei Asia also posted an article on the talks, during which the two leaders discussed ways to boost tourism with a hope to increase the number of tourists between the two countries to 1.5 million arrivals per year like before the COVID-19 broke out./.

Virtual reality tour to Taiwan launched in Vietnam

Vietnamese people now can enjoy a virtual reality tour around Taiwan (China) while riding an exercise bike, using a VR headset, at California Fitness & Yoga Centres.

It is part of the programme “360 VR Experience Taiwan in One Day” initiated by the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan to promote tourism amid the COVI-19 pandemic.

The tourism promotion programme has been run by Taiwan in many countries, given that COVID-19 travel restrictions are still in place.

Chief Representative of the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan in Ho Chi Minh City Derek Chou said Taiwan has been accelerating COVID-19 vaccine rollout and reviving its tourism industry and tourism promotion overseas. The programme aims to introduce Taiwan among Vietnamese people, particularly sport lovers and adventurers./.

Vietnam, Slovenia look to foster bilateral cooperation

Vietnamese Ambassador to Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien had working sessions with representatives of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and agencies on November 22 and 23 to discuss measures to promote cooperation between the two countries.

During a meeting with Ambassador Igor Jukic, director general in charge of multilateral diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kien thanked the ministry for coordinating with the Vietnamese side to arrange a meeting between President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Slovenian President Borut Pahor on the sidelines of the 76th United Nations General Assembly in September this year.

The Vietnamese diplomat expressed his hope that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will support and coordinate with the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology to accelerate the ratification of the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

He suggested the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with its Vietnamese counterpart in organising a political consultation in 2022 and creating conditions for the two sides to discuss orientations for promoting cooperation between the two foreign ministries in the coming time.

Regarding cooperation at multilateral forums, Kien thanked Slovenia for supporting Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao's re-election to the United Nations International Law Commission in the 2023-2027 term and for backing Vietnam to join the Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in the 2021-2025 term.

Jukic affirmed that cooperation between Vietnam and Slovenia over the past time has witnessed remarkable results despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He highly valued Vietnam's contributions to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in the 2014-2016 term and revealed that Slovenia will run for a seat in the UNHCR in 2023-2025.

At his meeting with representatives of the authority of the Port of Koper, Kien said that with its advantages in terms of geographical location and preferential services, the Port of Koper will be a potential destination for Vietnamese goods in the near future.

He proposed the port’s authority to coordinate with the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Slovenia to include the content of logistics cooperation at the port in the agenda of the third session of the Inter-governmental Slovenia–Vietnam Commission for economic-trade and scientific-technological cooperation which was scheduled to take place in 2022.

On this occasion, a seminar on the possibility of logistics cooperation through the Port of Koper was organised, attracting many Slovenian logistics service providers, Vietnamese enterprises and importers of Vietnamese goods in the Slovenia and Austria markets./.

Central steering committee for 2021-2025 target programs established

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has decided to establish a central steering committee for national target programs in the 2021-2025 period.

The committee is headed by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh who will be assisted by five Cabinet ministers: Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hau A Lenh, Minister of Labor-Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, and Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son.

The committee shall assist the Prime Minster in directing and coordinating the implementation of national target programs for the 2021-2025.

It is also responsible for putting forward mechanisms and policies to ensure effective enforcement of the national target programs for the 2021-2025; supervise and evaluate the implementation of these programs./.

Largest irrigation project in Mekong Delta completed

An irrigation system, which is expected to control salinity on 384,000 hectares of land in the Mekong Delta provinces of Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu, has been completed after two years of construction.

The VND3.3 trillion Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation project, the largest in the Mekong Delta, is operational on a trial basis, according to local news reports.

Work on the project started in November 2019. The Cai Be sluice gate is 85 meters wide with two compartments, while the Cai Lon sluice gate is 455 meters wide and has 11 locks.

Le Hong Linh, director of the Irrigation Work Investment and Construction Management Board No. 10, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said a lot of difficulties had emerged during the execution of the project.

The project was executed in two years, including eight months of the southern provinces imposing Covid-19 restrictive measures. In addition, the transport of materials to the construction site was affected during the 2019-2020 dry season.

Proposal to ban rudimentary vehicles in HCMC cancelled

The HCMC Department of Transport has proposed maintaining the operation of three-wheeler and rudimentary vehicles in the city and canceling a plan to restrict these vehicles from entering downtown HCMC and eliminate them from the streets after 2025.

In a document sent to the municipal Police Department and the governments of Thu Duc City and districts, the Department of Transport suggested enhancing inspections and handling the violations of these vehicles’ owners instead of banning such vehicles, the local media reported.

According to the department, the demand for these vehicles is reasonable as they are convenient for transporting cargo in narrow streets and alleys. Therefore, the ban on them will affect the lives of low-income residents.

Earlier, the HCMC Department of Transport had proposed banning three-wheeler and rudimentary vehicles from entering the downtown area and some streets surrounding the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Tan Binh District from 2021 to 2022. From 2025 onward, they were sought to be completely banned.

Health Ministry urges third Covid-19 vaccine shot

The Ministry of Health has asked localities to plan for a third Covid-19 vaccine jab, prioritising people aged over 50.

According to the ministry, since March, Vietnam has received a total of 135 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, including 48.5 million doses of Sinopharm; 46.7 million doses of AstraZeneca; 33.3 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna and the remainder being Abdala and Sputnik V.

 

 

By Tuesday, the country had administered 111 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine with nearly 43.6 million people fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, around 90% of people aged from 18 have received the first Covid-19 vaccine jab.

58 out of 63 cities and provinces have covered the first jab for roughly 70% of local residents aged from 18. Twenty-two areas have achieved a rate of over 95%, including Hanoi, Haiphong, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Quang Ninh, Danang, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, HCM City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and HCM City.

Meanwhile, the five provinces of Thanh Hoa, Son La, Nghe An, Nam Dinh, Quang Binh and Son La have achieved a first Covid-19 vaccine jab coverage of below 70%.

The Ministry of Health has urged localities to speed up vaccinations and list qualified people for the third Covid-19 vaccine jab with priority for people aged over 50.

To date, 26 cities and provinces have provided a first Covid-19 vaccine jab for children aged 12-17, including Hanoi, HCM City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Quang Ninh and Danang.

Former deputy head of Binh Duong Finance Dept. detained over land violations

Investigators have arrested and formally pressed charges against former deputy director of the Binh Duong Provincial Department of Finance and three others for their alleged involvement in the abnormal transfer of 43 hectares of prime land of the Binh Duong Production and Import-Export Corporation, aka Corporation 3-2, to a private firm.

Lieutenant General To An Xo, chief of the Ministry of Public Security’s office, said on November 24 that the ministry’s Investigative Police Agency issued decisions to detain Ha Van Thuan, former deputy director of the provincial Department of Finance and currently general director of Binh Duong Project Management and Investment Company; Ho Dac Hieu, general director of South East Appraisal and Consulting Corporation; Nguyen Kim Lien, former head of the provincial Corporate Finance Division; and Vu Thi Loi, former official of the provincial Corporate Finance Division and currently an official of the provincial Finance Department.

These accused were arrested on charges of “violations in the use and management of public assets causing waste and losses” as regulated in Article 219 of the 2015 Penal Code.

The Supreme People’s Procuracy has given regulatory approval for the decisions mentioned above.

This is the latest development of the land violation case linked to Tran Van Nam, former secretary of the Binh Duong Province Party Committee, and other officials.

Lieutenant General Xo added that the investigators are expanding the investigation into the case to take back the State assets.

Tran Van Nam; Pham Van Canh, former standing deputy secretary of the Binh Duong Province Party Committee and former chairman of the provincial People’s Council; Tran Thanh Liem, former chairman of the provincial People’s Committee; Nguyen Thanh Truc, vice chairman of the provincial government and others were proposed to be indicted on the charges of selling the 43 hectares of prime land mentioned above at low price.

Global forum gathers nearly 200 young Vietnamese intellectuals

The fourth forum of young Vietnamese intellectuals across the globe was held virtually on November 25, attracting the participation of 177 representatives from Vietnam and 16 countries and territories.

The two-day forum is being held at Hanoi-based National Economics University and connected to many venues worldwide.

Delegates are discussing a range of topics, including the digital economy, startup innovation, new technology application and transfer, digital transformation and solutions, among others.

The two-day forum serves to provide a chance for young Vietnamese intellectuals both at home and abroad to examine ways to contribute to the national digital transformation programme by 2025, with a vision for 2030.

Following three such forums, 640 Vietnamese intellectuals have put forward a total of 415 proposals on socio-economic development.

A network of young Vietnamese intellectuals with over 1,000 members has now been established. In addition, a number of research groups on mechanical engineering, automation, agriculture 4.0, circular economy and sustainable development, educational technology, pandemic control, and healthcare technology 4.0 have also been established.

Tourism promotion activities enhanced to attract foreign tourists

In recent days, a series of flights carrying international tourists to Vietnam under the pilot roadmap have warmed up the international tourism market following a long period of “being frozen” due to the pandemic.

In addition to the preparation of conditions to ensure the safe arrival of guests, enhancements in propaganda and promotional activities, especially in key markets, have been identified as a key task to attract tourists, creating momentum for the development of international tourism.

On November 17 and 18, over 100 of the first foreign guests followed commercial charter flights to Quang Nam province for traveling and visiting their relatives.

On November 20, a delegation of more than 200 tourists from the Republic of Korea (RoK) arrived on Phu Quoc island under the “vaccine passport” programme. They all have full certification of safety with the epidemic as required.

They can use tourism services provided in a closed form as well as visit and relax at the destinations in the prearranged schedule. These can be considered important initial steps contributing to the resumption of international tourism activities, towards opening up and recovering the green economy in a new normal.

Representatives from Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air said that there will be more flights carrying international tourists to five selected locations for the pilot programme including Phu Quoc (Kien Giang), Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh.

Thus, the reception of international tourists has been being implemented by Vietnam in accordance with the set roadmap. Following the first (from November 2021) and second (from January 2022) phases, these tourism activities will be opened fully based on the actual situation of the epidemic and the results of welcoming guests in the first two phases.

According to the experts, within the context that countries in the region have all determined to open their borders in order to attract foreign currency sources from tourism, enhance competitiveness and ensure the recovery of international tourism on the right schedule, the important task is to boost tourism promotion in potential international markets. This work needs to be done as soon as possible.

In order to enhance the tourism promotion effectively, the prerequisite is to identify the right target markets. Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh, said in the immediate future, the communications on the plans for reopening of tourism and promotion of Vietnam’s image will focus on the countries and territories with high safety on COVID-19 prevention and control. The key markets for Vietnam are Northeast Asian countries for the foreseeable future. However, China is restricting people to go abroad and foreign tourists to enter the country; therefore, it is not possible to set expectations on the Chinese market at this time. However, Japan and Taiwan (China) are still areas with great potential and Southeast Asia, along with Europe, North America and New Zealand, are also key markets which Vietnam is targeting.

During the time when international tourism was “frozen”, the VNAT coordinated with relevant agencies to conduct many communication activities via digital environment such as a series of products “Stay at home with Vietnam”, the column “Why not Vietnam” and the video clip “Vietnam: Travel To Love!”. These activities aim to keep connected and inspire international friends to travel to Vietnam. Boosting the communication for markets that were selected for the pilot roadmap of welcoming foreign visitors during the first phase and celebrating the National Cultural Conference, the tourism sector has introduced a clip themed “Vietnam: Travel To Love”, which featured eye-catching images of Ha Long Bay’s vibrant entertainment activities, long beaches in Phu Quoc and Nha Trang, and the ancient beauty of the World Cultural Heritage of Hoi An ancient town. During this time, the tourism sector is also actively working with representatives of Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad, especially in the countries whose vaccination certificates or vaccine passports are recognised by Vietnam, to provide visitors with specific information about Vietnam's opening of international tourism, entry and quarantine regulations towards ensuring safety in the travel itinerary.

Notably, the promotion and advertising campaign named "Live fully in Vietnam" has been officially launched by the VNAT, in association with the national tourism brand identity: Vietnam Timeless Charm. The campaign is being implemented strongly on the page Vietnam.travel (which introduces Vietnamese tourism) and via social networks such as Facebook, Tiktok and Pinterest. It sent a significant message of inviting international tourists to Vietnam, a safe and attractive destination, with the most interesting experiences. The information about Vietnamese tourism has been modelled in the form of infographics, which combined concise information with vivid and eye-catching illustrations so that the message has been conveyed in the easiest and most convenient manner. The sector’s authorities have planned to work with major international media agencies such as CNN and CNBC to create strong communication programmes in the near future. On advertising channels, the campaign “Live fully in Vietnam” has received many positive interactions from international visitors, affirming that Vietnam is ready to welcome foreign visitors to explore and gain memorable experiences.

According to the experts, in addition to enhancing the tourism promotion via digital media, it is crucial to pay great attention to another extremely effective direct communication channel: international tourists who are participating in the pilot programme of traveling to Vietnam during this time. If they are satisfied with the well-prepared, methodical and professional services in Vietnam, they themselves will become tourism ambassadors and living proof that will help spread and promote the image of a beautiful, hospitable and safe country.

HCM City universities, colleges ensure safety for students’ return to campus

Universities and colleges in HCM City have developed plans to ensure safety for students returning to in-person classes after studying at home due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Since mid-October, many universities and colleges in the city have allowed students to return to campus, and have prepared enough COVID-19 vaccines for students' needs.

Some schools have only given priority to final-year students who need to complete their scheduled study plans.

Students are required to comply with the government's 5k requirements and scan the QR code at the entrance school gates. They must have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or be fully recovered from the disease.

Many universities and colleges are concerned about the number of unvaccinated students and those who have received only the first dose. Many of the students have returned from provinces and cities with low vaccination rates.

The HCM City-based University of Medicine and Pharmacy has announced that it will reopen for in-person theory courses from November 29. Internships at hospitals and outside facilities will be announced when the school receives information from hospitals and facilities.

The school has coordinated with the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital to make a list of students who have been vaccinated.

Its medical room is fully equipped with equipment and an isolation area, according to regulations of the Ministry of Health. Its dormitory also regularly checks to ensure pandemic prevention and control, and arranges sanitary equipment and trash cans with lids, and reminds students about 5K requirements.

Thái Doãn Thanh, vice rector of HCM City University of Food Industry, told Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper that it would welcome students back this month.

“About 2,500 students have not yet been vaccinated and will be given vaccinations,” he said.

In early November, the school allowed final-year students to return to campus to complete their studies, but they had to have two doses of vaccine and strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message.

Phan Hồng Hải, rector of the HCM City University of Industry, said the school’s students had to study online during the first semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. However, the school has now allowed students preparing for the coming graduation to join internship courses in small groups.

Around 2,000 students have been vaccinated, accounting for more than 70 per cent of students.

The school has prepared vaccine sources when students return. It expects to resume in-person classes in the second semester depending on the situation.

The Dormitory Management Centre of Việt Nam National University-HCM City (VNUHCM) said that it had received online registrations from 26,000 enrolled students for accommodations and will provide about 10,000 accommodations for new students.

The school’s dormitory will reopen to welcome students when it meets all pandemic prevention requirements.

The limitations of online learning compared to traditional face-to-face learning are clear, but the most obvious impact is the lack of interaction with others and ability to concentrate, Nguyễn Minh Hà, rector of HCM City Open University, said.

“Practical subjects, internships and others cannot be taught online, affecting students’ graduation progress.”

Students in engineering and technology majors are late for graduation because they cannot complete the credits for the practical courses.

From October 18-25, a research team conducted an online survey of 37,150 students at VNUHCM on the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of students.

The survey covered online teaching and student assessment, mental health and wellbeing of students, COVID-19 and students’ perspectives on careers, COVID-19 and personal and family financial management, opinions about policies to support learners, and personal information.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyễn Phương Thảo, head of the research team, said the pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health and life of adolescents, especially students.

The survey found that online learning pressure was ranked the highest among mental health problems faced by students, accounting for 65.1 percent of those surveyed.

In addition, the students were facing other problems, such as 58.9 per cent of them having anxiety about paying tuition fees, 27.7 per cent worrying about family conflicts due to different points of view, and 27.1 per cent suffering from overwork.

Nguyễn Thị Thu Hoài, a member of the team, said that online learning pressure was more common among first, second and third-year students.

Nearly 57 per cent of students lacked concentration or had no interest in studying. Many students were not satisfied with the quality of online courses, the survey found. 

Wild sunflowers in full swing in Dien Bien

 

Visitors to the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien will be taken aback by the vibrant yellow wild sunflowers decorating its hillsides, covering local villages and roads.

In Dien Bien province, wild sunflowers have entered their blossoming season, creating a luscious yellow blanket over the landscape.

Wild sunflower is considered a winter flower since it only blooms during this season.

The flower is a favoured subject for photographers, who flock to the locality to capture its beauty.

The blooming wild sunflowers have become symbolic of the region’s dry season. The splendid magnificence will continue to lure visitors to the romantic landscape./.

National swimming and diving tournament for outstanding athletes opens

The 2021 National Swimming and Diving Tournament for Outstanding Athletes opened at the Sports Centre in Ha Long city, the northern province of Quang Ninh on November 24.

The event was held jointly by the Quang Ninh provincial Department of Culture and Sports, the Vietnam Sports Administration, the General Department of Physical Education and Sports and the Vietnam Aquatic Sports Association.

The tournament has attracted the participation of 198 athletes from 16 provinces, cities and sectors across the country.

According to the organising board, the athletes will compete for 77 sets of medals at the tournament, including 43 sets of swimming medals and 34 sets of diving medals. 

Athletes join the final round of the 50m men’s and 50m women’s breaststroke events.

In order to successfully organise sports competitions, Quang Ninh province and the sports sector have made efforts to devise adaptive solutions in the new situation, especially the effective implementation of the bubble model in the organisation of sports tournaments at the national scale.

Right after the opening ceremony, athletes joined the final round of the 50m men’s and 50m women’s breaststroke events.

The tournament is scheduled to run until November 30.

Đồng Nai arrested 23 people for illegal cockfighting

Twenty three people have been arrested for illegal gambling after police raided a cockfighting arena in the southern province of Đồng Nai on Sunday.

The illegal gambling matches were organised by Trần Quang Tú, aka Tú ba gác (aged 39), and Đặng Đình Minh (aged 41).

Fights took place on a vacant land in a melaleuca garden in Long Bình Ward, Biên Hòa City - the capital of Đồng Nai Province - to make it more difficult for the authority to detect their activities. 

Tú and Minh set the rules of gambling and collected 5 per cent of the money that the participants paid to join the gamble. On average, gamblers usually bet between VNĐ50-70 million (US$2,201-3,080).

Midway through the fourth fight, police raided and seized VNĐ122 million ($5,370) in cash as well as two roosters and other evidence.

On Monday Đồng Nai Police confirmed they were reviewing the documents and evidence before pressing charges on illegal gambling and organising gambling.  

Midfielder Tuan Anh gets his first chance to attend AFF Cup

Talented midfielder Nguyễn Tuấn Anh is likely to have his first opportunity with the Vietnamese national team to play in the AFF Cup 2020.

Anh’s knee injuries have deprived him of the opportunity to play at two previous AFF Cup tournaments in 2016 and 2018. If Anh can return to full fitness, he may well shine at the event in Singapore from December 5, 2021 to January 1, 2022.

Among the players of the first generation of Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) Academy, Anh seems to be the most unlucky because a long-lasting injury caused him to miss many opportunities to participate in some important tournaments for the Vietnamese team. Favourite players of HAGL such as Nguyễn Công Phượng, Nguyễn Văn Toàn, Lương Xuân Trường, Vũ Văn Thanh have all played in both the AFF Cup 2016 and then the triumphant side that won the AFF Cup in 2018, while Anh missed out.

Five years ago, coach Nguyễn Hữu Thắng wished Anh could recover from his knee injury in time to attend the 2016 AFF Cup. Thắng even brought Anh to Myanmar, the hosts of the Cup, in the hope he could feature in the last minutes. 

In early 2018, another injury ruled Anh out of the U23 Việt Nam side that won the AFC U23 Championship 2018. Bad luck continued to follow him.

At the beginning of the 2018 V.League 1 season, he suffered a knee injury in the match between HAGL and Hải Phòng so his hopes of appearing at  the Asian Games 2018 and then AFF Cup 2018 were dashed.

Tuấn Anh is the player with the most injuries in Vietnamese football. His legs have even earned the nickname "crystal" because he appears so fragile.

After a long period on the treatment table, in September 2019, he returned to the Vietnamese national team and played very impressively in the second qualifying round of the World Cup 2022.

At the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, fitness is still Anh's biggest problem, but now, ahead of the 2020 AFF Cup, he is in good shape. It will not be surprising if he is selected to attend the AFF Cup for the first time in his career.

VNG annual online charity run for community raises $219,900

Tech giant VNG’s annual online community charity run UpRace has raised more than VNĐ5 billion (US$219,900) for NGOs Newborns Vietnam, Operation Smile Vietnam, Green Viet, and Saigon Children’s Charity.

In UpRace, runners record the distance they run and the time they take on a mobile application on its website.

Each validated kilometre fetches donations of at least VNĐ1,000 from VNG and other sponsors. 

UpRace logged more than 5.1 million kilometres over 22 days from October 31 this year, as the number of participants more than doubled from last year to over 238,000.

The funds came from several sponsors like VNG, Philips Vietnam, Hong Ngoc Hospital, BIM Group, Minh Long I, Ong Bau Coffee, 365Begin, Younet Media, Garmin, and Tiktok.

The funds raised will help almost 120 children with cleft palates get surgeries, reduce the newborn mortality rate by 25 per cent at 17 hospitals, plant 10,000 trees, and financially support around 90 children orphaned by COVID.

Vương Ngọc Vy Vân, funding manager of Saigon Children's Charity, said: “Sponsorship from UpRace during this period is really valuable and well-timed, and will help us provide timely support to children who lost their family due to COVID-19.

“With an expense of over VNĐ11 million per [person] under the ‘You are not alone’ (saigonchildren) project, the VNĐ1 billion from UpRace [will help] around 90 children impoverished/orphaned by COVID-19.”  

Hanoi Women's Football Club determined to return to winning ways

Hà Nội Women's Football Club are aiming to return to winning ways in the ongoing National Women’s Football Championship.

Although the club has a rich history of success in the competition, they have struggled in recent years. The team from the capital have suffered as rivals like HCM City and Việt Nam Coal and Mineral have lifted the trophy.

The training board and team are working hard to improve their performances in time for the National Football Tournament 2021 and the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which will be held in Hà Nội next year.

Hà Nội WFC has many talented players that are part of the national team set up, such as Phạm Hải Yến, Ngân Thị Vạn Sự and Nguyễn Thị Loan. However, converting Hà Nội's potential into success in the National Women’s Football Championship 2021 remains far from certain. 

To try and improve results, the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports has invited South Korean coach Jong Song-chon to lead the team.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many tournaments were not held, affecting the performance of the players. However, my teammates and I will do our best at the National Women’s Football Championship 2021. Hopefully, with the guidance of coach Jong, we will achieve the best results,” said striker Yến.

According to the head of the football department of Hà Nội Sports Competition and Training Centre, Đỗ Văn Nhật, coach Jong will both train Hanoian players and rebuild the training plan according to South Korean standards.

“Coach Jong is a qualified coach, with a lot of experience in women's football. He successfully led the South Korean women's football team to the Asian Games twice, and the World Cup for women four times," Nhật said.

According to coach Jong, Vietnamese women's football in general, and Hà Nội women's football in particular, still have many weaknesses that need to be overcome in order to develop sustainably. Women's football tournaments are still unprofessional, training and competition facilities are deprived and the lives of the players are still difficult.

“I will, step-by-step, propose solutions to these inadequacies. I want to develop women's football in both Hà Nội and Việt Nam," he said.

Jong has also suggested that the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports and Hà Nội Sports Competition and Training Centre sign a contract with a South Korean assistant. More training equipment and improved nutrition are also needed for the players.

Đào Quốc Thắng, director of Hà Nội Sports Competition and Training Centre, said the National Cup and the National Women's Football Championship 2021 are important competitions for the Việt Nam Football Federation. They are excellent opportunities for players to hone their skills and gain valuable experience before the final round of the 2022 Asian Cup and the 31st SEA Games.  

Thắng said his centre will coordinate with the National Sports Administration to enhance nutrition for Hà Nội players who are present in the national women's football team and called for further funding.

US TechGirls programme seeks Vietnamese candidates

The US Mission to Vietnam has announced the 2022 TechGirls programme, designed for high school-aged girls from 36 countries including Vietnam who have an interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Female students with good English ability in grade 10 and 11 at Vietnamese high schools who wish to pursue higher education and careers in science and technology can participate in the programme.

Selected candidates must demonstrate leadership through academic performance, contributions to the community, as well as extracurricular activities.

The application deadline is January 15, 2022. Three full scholarships will be presented to the three best Vietnamese female students participating in this programme.

The 2022 programme will consist of 111 girls from 36 countries, in addition to 25 from the United States, to participate in a 4-week US-based experience with a 7-month mentoring programme (including pre- and post-exchange).

The programme is scheduled to take place at Virginia Tech University in July and August 2022.

All program expenses will be covered by the US Department of State. More information about the programme, including details on how to apply, is available at https://go.usa.gov/xe5Y8.

Da Nang investing in cultural relic conservation

 

Many localities have simply focused on economic development in recent years and paid little regard to culture. Together with the ongoing process of urbanisation, this has resulted in many historical and cultural relics falling into disrepair or being seriously damaged. Da Nang has recently become aware of the issue and is making significant investments in its cultural sector.

From a poor coastal fishing village after the war, Da Nang has undergone a spectacular transformation, becoming one of five cities directly under the central Government and playing a core role in the Central Key Economic Region. It pays major attention to infrastructure investment and urban planning, but investments in culture and heritage have not been given due regard for a long time.

A special national relic site, Dien Hai Citadel - the last remaining defensive stronghold of the early French resistance - has been seriously damaged over a long period by civil and State works.

Da Nang has emerged as a leading locality in urban improvement and urbanisation. But in terms of culture, there are certain limitations. At times, it has been among localities with the lowest investment in culture. Many historical sites have been severely damaged.

Fortunately, in recent years, the Da Nang government has made efforts to restore historical relics, in particular the unique Dien Hai Citadel, which is even larger than the Ho Dynasty Citadel. The city has invested a total of 700 billion VND to relocate households and buildings located within the relic site.

Implementing a project on preserving and promoting the value of the city’s cultural heritage over the past 5 years, Da Nang has invested more than 250 billion VND (2.1 million USD) to restore 35 cultural and historical relics. In the 2021-2025 period, it will outlay more than 800 billion VND to restore 11 monuments and relic clusters./.

Viet Nam has sufficient oxygen production capacity for COVID-19 needs: health official

Deputy health minister Trần Văn Thuấn said Việt Nam’s medical oxygen supply capacity is sufficient to cope with COVID-19 demands amid escalating outbreaks in many areas of the country.

During a conference on a nationwide survey on medical oxygen and respiratory care equipment for the treatment of COVID-19 patients held on Tuesday, Thuấn said if the pandemic worsens in Việt Nam, manufacturers of industrial use oxygen may be converting to producing medical oxygen instead.

He stressed the importance of oxygen therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 aside from the use of drugs that help inhibit the virus propagation or some specific medicines.

Studies around the world have shown that over 60 per cent of severe COVID-19 cases had to rely on oxygen therapy for breathing during hospitalisation, Thuấn noted.

However, in the past two years since the pandemic broke out, many countries have experienced healthcare ‘disasters’ due to a lack of oxygen supply and related equipment such as a shortage of oxygen tanks, or assistive respiratory devices/equipment when outbreaks exacerbate, he said, adding that Việt Nam should be more proactive and prepared to avoid this sad reality and reduce mortality from hypoxia.

"Keeping in mind that the pandemic might go on for a lot longer with potentially complicated and unpredictable developments due to the emergence of new strains of SARS-CoV-2, in order to proactively prepare oxygen and related medical equipment, the Ministry of Health has established two working groups on medical oxygen and ventilator coordination to respond properly to public health emergency needs and treatment of COVID-19 patients," Thuấn told the participants.

The Ministry of Health has also actively worked with suppliers of oxygen and respiratory equipment to put in place necessary preparations to deal with various levels of coronavirus outbreaks in the near future.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has coordinated with PATH in Viet Nam to conduct a survey on the current status of medical oxygen and respiratory care and treatment equipment for COVID-19 patients at hospitals across the country.

The survey of 993 medical facilities nationwide helps provide evidence for the health ministry about the supply of medical equipment and oxygen, to implement the project on strengthening the supply and use of medical oxygen in healthcare facilities for COVID-19 treatment and have appropriate and effective plans for the procurement and allocation of respiratory care and treatment equipment for COVID-19 patients at units and localities.

This survey also shows that there are not enough human resources for emergency services. In addition, there is a gap at the district level, a large gap between the number of emergency beds and accompanying medical equipment.

Currently, the total liquid oxygen production capacity of factories in our country is about 1,200 cu.m a day (or about 1,400 tonnes), equivalent to or higher than the output of developing countries in the region such as India or Indonesia, but lower than the developed world like the US or European countries.

The cylinder distribution network is more concentrated, with 190 suppliers in 55 provinces and cities – mostly in big cities like Hà Nội, HCM City, Bình Dương and Đồng Nai – leaving nine provinces mostly in the northwestern mountainous region and the Mekong Delta without the presence of any supplier.

However, the figures might have improved in recent months after the survey was conducted, PATH suggested.

At the conference, deputy health minister Thuấn suggested that the provinces need to immediately complete their own oxygen and ventilator coordination working group, immediately review the oxygen production and supply system in the jurisdiction, prepare for responses appropriate to the local pandemic situation, with regards to medication, equipment and oxygen.

He wants localities to be proactive in all situations to avoid shortages of equipment, medicine, oxygen, and urgently work with suppliers and with neighbouring provinces to coordinate the supplies in cases of need.

As of Wednesday, Việt Nam has recorded over 1.14 million cases of COVID-19 infections. Among the 231,000 active cases, there are about 5,300 patients in a seriously ill condition, including 3,700 requiring oxygen masks, 1,020 requiring high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy, 163 requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, 456 requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, and nine on ECMO.  

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An Giang’s primary school children to have one-week break from online learning
Update: November, 25/2021 - 12:29 |
 

A schoolgirl learns online at home. — Photo baoangiang.com.vn
AN GIANG — Authorities in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang have announced online classes for primary students will be halted for a week, from November 29 to December 5, 2021.

An official letter signed on November 23 by Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Education and Training, Nguyễn Quốc Khánh, stated that online learning has been a good solution for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to ensure health and reduce stress for teachers and primary school children, after the nine-week period of remote learning, the department has told local schools to temporarily stop online classes and teaching via television for a week.

From December 6, 2021, teachers and primary school children will resume teaching online and via television.

The department said, during the one-week break, teachers and students had to take pandemic preventive measures.

On September 17, Nguyễn Minh Luân, Director of Cà Mau Province’s Department of Education and Training, said the department has ordered a halt to online classes at primary schools.

Parents were overjoyed at Cà Mau’s decision to halt online learning for primary school pupils. In their opinion, online classes are not suitable, take a lot of time and effort from parents and teachers while not producing the expected results.

Stress caused by the pandemic was a problem raised by many education experts, requiring teachers with deep knowledge of psychology who will be able to provide counseling, especially homeroom teachers, and health staff involved in supporting students.

However, not every school has the staff to deal with this issue.

Ceremony to honour outstanding farmers with initiatives to tackle COVID-19 pandemic challenges
Thursday, 2021-11-25 11:50:58
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At the press conference (Photo: NDO/Thanh Tra) Font Size:     |  
NDO – A total of 63 Vietnamese farmers with outstanding initiatives to tackle COVID-19 pandemic challenges and develop new-styled rural areas will be honoured at a ceremony set to be held at the Hanoi Opera House on December 2.
This was announced at a press conference held in Hanoi on November 24 by the Vietnam Farmers’ Association, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Party Commission for Communication and Education.

According to the organising board, the 63 honourees were selected from 146 candidates nominated by local farmers’ associations in 63 cities and provinces nationwide.

The 63 honourees include many young farmers who devised sound solutions to avoid interruptions in production due to COVID-19 and reaped fruitful achievements in their businesses.

The outstanding farmers have also been active in applying advanced technology in production while making contributions to the construction of modern rural areas and local socio-economic development.

The award ceremony is being held as part of the ‘Pride of Vietnamese Farmers’ programme, which has been running since 2013 with the aim of highlighting the examples of excellent farmers in the national construction and development.

Hanoi’s ninth graders return to school in 18 districts
Thursday, 2021-11-25 11:25:28
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Students wear masks in class to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Font Size:     |  
NDO - Ninth graders in 18 districts and towns in the capital city of Hanoi are now back at school after a long period of learning online to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to the municipal education department.
Ba Vi became the first district to allow schools to reopen for ninth graders on November 8, followed by another ten districts on November 22 and further seven on November 24.

Students in other grades still attend online classes while nursery schools remain closed.

The COVID-19 situation in these districts and towns are rated either green or yellow, meaning low or medium risk.

Under the education department’s requirements, schools may only open either in the morning or in the afternoon, school meals are not prepared and students must bring their own water.

Teachers who are not fully vaccinated yet can only teach online classes and are not allowed to teach offline classes.

Schools are also required to create response plans in case there are any infections on campus.

If safety conditions are not guaranteed, the authorities of towns and districts should consider suspending offline classes to ensure the absolute safety of students.

According to the Hanoi’s health authorities, children aged 15-17 in the capital city have begun to be inoculated against COVID-19 using the Pfizer vaccine.

Nhan Dan table tennis tournament attracts 114 players

The 2021 Nhan Dan Newspaper National Table Tennis Championship is scheduled to take place from November 28 to December 4 in the central province of Quang Nam with the participation of 114 players from 14 delegations.

The tournament will help the Vietnam Table Tennis Federation to seek out and select the best players for the upcoming 31st SEA Games next year, said Nhan Dan’s Editor-in-chief Le Quoc Minh at a press briefing on November 23.

Due to COVID-19, some delegations are missing this year. But the championship, now in its 39th edition, still sees the participation of strong delegations from table tennis centres such as Hanoi and Hai Duong.

In addition to veteran players, spectators can watch for up-and-coming young players, promising to offer thrilling games and upset strong players of previous tournaments.

The players will compete for seven sets of medals in men’s and women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles, and team events.

In addition, there will be two awards for promising young male and female players, and another two for the hosting locality and the locality with the most active table tennis movement.

The total prize value of the 2021 tournament is 350 million VND (15,000 USD).

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the time of the tournament, players are only allowed to travel between their hotels and the competition venue by the vehicles designated by the organisers.

Players and other delegation members must also test negative for coronavirus and have vaccination certificates.

The championship will be broadcast live on Nhan Dan Television and Quang Nam Television while match information and updates will also be posted on the Facebook page of the tournament.

HCMC sets up inspection teams as Covid cases soar

The HCMC government has established 19 teams responsible for inspecting Covid infection prevention and control activities, as well as economic recovery in the city.

The teams are led by leaders of the city and heads of departments and will inspect hospitals, healthcare centers, agencies, organizations and businesses from November 25 to 30. 

The forthcoming inspections are designed to help drive down new Covid infections and hospitalizations which have spiraled up in recent weeks, improve the capacity of the healthcare system, protect the health of the citizens, gradually help the economy recover, resume production and trade safely, and ensure social security for the residents. 

The teams will also help raise the awareness of Covid prevention and control among the local authorities, agencies, organizations and businesses.

The first team, led by HCMC Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen, will inspect Thu Duc City.

The second team, led by HCMC Chairman Phan Van Mai, will inspect District 8.

Other leaders of the city and heads of departments will lead the 17 other teams to look into other districts. 

HCMC remains the country’s biggest Covid hotspot. As of November 23, the city had recorded 459,123 cases in the fourth wave of the pandemic, which began in late April. 

The city has recently detected around 1,000 new cases a day. 

Reopened wet markets in HCMC rise to 180

The number of wet markets allowed to restart operations in HCMC has increased steadily, with many of them fully reopened.

As of November 22, 180 of 234 traditional wet markets have reopened in HCMC, up by 112 markets compared to the previous month, according to the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade.

Thu Duc City, Tan Binh District and District 8 have the highest number of wet markets reopened since the HCMC government relaxed Covid-19 restrictions in early October, the local media reported.

Besides essential goods permitted to be sold on a limited scale, other groups of goods are allowed, including clothes, household appliances, cosmetics, fabrics and souvenirs.

Of the 830 market stalls, more than 600 stalls have reopened, almost full of goods. The opening hours is also back to normal, Le Quang Thien, head of management board of Tan Dinh market, said.

From now until November 25, HCMC is expected to open Long Truong market in Thu Duc City, Le Hong Phong market in District 10 and Tan Thanh Dong market in Cu Chi District. Most of the remaining markets are likely to reopen next month.

Russian company offers HCM City drugs for COVID-19 treatment

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on November 25 received 10,000 ampoules of Cytoflavin donated by the Polysan Science & Technology Company in Russia’s Saint-Petersburg to aid the local treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The ampoules, worth over 1.2 billion VND (over 88,000 USD) will be distributed among eight local medical facilities and hospitals.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Timur S. Sadykov, Russian Consul General in the city, stressed that joint activities against the pandemic between Vietnam and Russia – including experience exchanges and donations of medical supplies and vaccine – reflected the two nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership and their peoples’ friendship and solidarity.

The diplomat took the occasion to thanks the municipal authorities for supporting Russian citizens staying in the city during the latest outbreak of the pandemic. He hoped the drug will assist the local medical sector in treating the patients.

Expressing her gratitude for the valuable and timely support, Chairwoman of the municipal VFF Committee To Thi Bich Chau said the aid is proof of the Vietnam – Russia comprehensive strategic partnership as well as of the sound cooperative relationship between HCM City and Saint Petersburg.

Cytoflavin is used as part of Russia’s treatment regimen for cardiovascular and brain complications in COVID-19 patients, bringing positive results so far. In Vietnam, the drug, licensed by the Ministry of Health, is prescirbed for acute stroke patients. The use of Cytoflavin for patients with COVID-19 helps reduce post-COVID-19 neurological complications.

The batch of 10,000 ampoules for HCM City marked the third time the drug has been given to Vietnam by the Russian side./.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hopes for advanced Vietnam-Russia relationship

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to Russia will contribute to creating new momentum and breakthroughs to further deepen the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.

The President will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to pay an official visit to Russia from November 29 to December 2, at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Sharing with the Sputnik news agency about his selection of Russia as one of the first countries to visit in his capacity as the head of the Vietnamese State, Phuc said the visit demonstrates the importance the Vietnamese Party, State and people attach to the bilateral ties as well as President Putin, a close friend of Vietnamese people.

According to President Phuc, he and President Putin will review the Vietnam-Russia relations and seek major strategic orientations to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height across spheres.

Meanwhile, Sputnik described Phuc’s visit as an impulse that helps to create new breakthroughs for the comprehensive strategic partnership, thus bringing benefits to Vietnamese and Russian people.

Before Russia, the Vietnamese President will visit Switzerland from November 25 to 29./.

Swiss-designed conference room inaugurated at diplomatic academy

Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Ivo Sieber and acting Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) Pham Lan Dung cut a ribbon to inaugurate the Geneva conference room at the academy on November 24.

The Swiss-designed conference room reflects the city’s natural surroundings with the lake of Geneva and its mountain scenery. It carries special symbolism and offers a new and inspiring connection between Geneva and Hanoi. As European headquarters of the United Nations, Geneva is the operational heart of the multilateral system. The city earned itself the title of capital of peace, acting as place of dialogue, including for facilitating peace conferences and processes. Geneva’s open mind and spirit, allowing for inclusive and tolerant debates among people of different views and opinions, aims at nurturing constructive discussions.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Ambassador Sieber stated that the conference room’s inauguration is part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, thereby spotlighting the long-term friendship, mutual trust and solid foundation between the two countries.

He said the recent visit to Vietnam by Swiss Vice President Ignazio Cassis, and the upcoming official visit to Switzerland by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc are clear evidence for the two countries’ strong commitments to promoting their bilateral partnership.

Sieber said with its support for DAV in interior design of the conference room, Switzerland wishes to create a long-term link between Vietnam's leading training-research institution on international relations with Geneva – the multilateral system centre. 

For her part, acting director of DAV Dung said the facility's inauguration shows that the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Switzerland has been further expanded, from humanitarian and development assistance, trade and investment, to education – training, and human resources development, which are key for sustainable and long-term development.

Ambassador Sieber revealed his country’s candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2023-2024 tenure./.

Vietnam supports reform of UN Security Council

Vietnam backs the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to ensure its representation, democracy, transparency and effectiveness, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, said at a working session of the General Assembly on November 24.

He called for the expansion of Security Council membership in both permanent and non-permanent categories in order to improve equitable geographical representation for the underrepresented and developing countries.

At the working session, which brought together representatives from more than 170 UN member states, most of the delegates agreed on the need to reform the UNSC and realise commitments made by leaders at the high-level meeting to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN last year.

Speaking at another working session of the UNSC on the situation in Libya, Quy called on relevant parties in Libya to expedite all necessary arrangements for the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections on time and successfully.

Stressing the need to focus on the post-election period, he said it was crucial to maintain a conducive security environment for the preparation and holding of elections and in the post-election period.

Calling on all relevant parties to fully uphold the provisions of the October 2020 ceasefire and implement the Action Plan on the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters, he also underscored that the arms embargo must be upheld.

He went on to call for strengthened efforts to tackle Libya’s humanitarian challenges and promote reconstruction and voiced concern about challenges faced by vulnerable groups, including migrants and refugees.

In the Statement by the President of the UN Security Council on Libya, the council welcomes the Paris International Conference for Libya which was convened on November 12, 2021, the Declaration issued by the participants (S/2021/958) and the commitment of the participants to the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and to supporting the UN facilitated Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process.

It also welcomes the Libya Stabilisation Conference convened on October 21, 2021 in Tripoli.

The council expresses its support for Parliamentary and Presidential elections on December 24, 2021 as set out in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) roadmap agreed in Tunis in November 2020 and resolution 2570 (2021)./.

UNESCO commemoration of poets shows recognition of Vietnam’s cultural values

The UNESCO decision to, together with Vietnam, commemorate the birth and death anniversaries of classical poets Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Ho Xuan Huong demonstrates this organisation and the international community’s recognition of the country’s cultural and ethical values, as well as the traditional fondness for learning and the thought on gender equality and liberation of women.

So said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang, who is also Chairman of the National Commission for UNESCO, while talking to the press about the decision, adopted on November 23 as part of the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris.

He noted the organisation of activities in honour of the two poets will help introduce the people and culture of Vietnam to international friends, enrich the spiritual life of Vietnamese people, and spread of the values of compassion, humanism, and justice in the country’s society.

The dossier building and submission process also illustrated Vietnam’s efforts to intensively integrate into the world, the official said, emphasising Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s request for the continued building, preservation, and development of an advanced culture deeply imbued with national identity, made at the recent National Culture Conference.

The year 2022 will mark the 200th birth anniversary of Nguyen Dinh Chieu (1822 - 1888), a renowned poet and also an example of endeavours to surmount difficulties in life and pursue lifelong learning.

It will also mark the 250th birthday and the 200th death anniversary of Ho Xuan Huong (1772 - 1822), one of the most famous poets in Vietnam’s history. Her new mindset and unique style of poetry delivers ideas about gender equality and liberation of women in the time of feudalism./.

Seminar expands int’l cooperation in hydrology, water resources security

A seminar on the methodology of hydrological analysis was held both online and offline on November 25, within the framework of the Inter-Governmental Hydrological Programme (IHP).

The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change (IMHEN) and the UNESCO Office in Vietnam.

In her opening speech, IMHEN Deputy Director Asso. Prof. Dr. Huynh Thi Lan Huong said thanks to active involvement of member states, the first publication on hydrological analysis was published to share data, knowledge and experience in water management and water science research.

The event is expected to share studies and experience in the second publication on the operation of water reservoirs towards prevention and mitigation of water-related disasters, water scarcity and degradation in water quality. It also aims to expand cooperation within the international scientific community to thoroughly deal with issues regarding hydrology and water resources security, she said.

Dr Daisuke Nohara from the Japan Meteorological Research Institute said water reservoirs in Japan are built mostly for agriculture, industry, daily use and flooding reduction.

He added that in the near future, Japan will upgrade dykes to expand the capacity of water reservoirs, as well as work closely with managers and relevant units to make the best use of reservoirs for sustainable socio-economic development.

Participants at the event also looked into hydrological training activities and suggested ideas to the third publication featuring flood and drought forecasting, and the impacts of climate change on water resources in the coming time, among others./. 

Khanh Hoa welcomes first int’l tourists after pandemic hiatus

 

The central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, home to famous beach towns Nha Trang and Cam Ranh, on November 25 welcomed the first international tourists with vaccine passports after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The visitors who are Americans and Canadians of Vietnamese origin took a flight of Bamboo Airways from Seoul, the Republic of Korea.

After their arrival, the tourists were transported to a lodging facility in Nha Trang and tested for the coronavirus.

Khanh Hoa is one of the five localities, together with Kien Giang, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, and Da Nang, selected to roll out the pilot “vaccine passport” programme.

The programme is divided into three phases, starting from this November./.

Exhibition on Vietnam – Russia friendship opens in Hanoi

The Vietnam Military History Museum kicked off an exhibition in Hanoi on the fine traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia, aiming to educate military personnel and people, particularly youth, on the ties.

Featuring nearly 200 photos, materials, and items, the event showcases Russia’s significant, timely and effective support for Vietnam’s fight for independence and national construction in the past as well as the win-win cooperation between the two nations’ parties, governments, parliaments, and localities.

The bilateral defence collaboration, regarding military engineering, trade, human resources training, and weapon supply, among others, is a highlight of the exhibition.

Notable artifacts on display include the volunteer application form by Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Petrovich of the Soviet army sent to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence wishing to go to Vietnam to fight against the US on December 3, 1966; and a Konvas camcorder produced by the Soviet Union and provided for Vietnam in 1963 for filming documentaries about the nation's resistance war against the US.

Visitors to the event, which will last until December 5, are required to seriously follow COVID-19 prevention and control measures./.

Competition on disaster prevention, control launched

A competition on disaster prevention and control was launched in the central city of Da Nang on November 25, drawing 12 teams from cities and provinces that are outstanding front-liners in the fight against natural disasters at the grassroots level.

The week-long event was co-hosted by the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Vietnam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA) and the Vietnam Television for the central and Central Highlands (VTV8) with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Women.

Speaking at the event, Doan Thi Tuyet Nga from the organising board said the competition is expected to encourage public involvement, contributing to mitigating disaster risks in localities.

A total of 16 gameshows, including 12 qualifiers, three semi-finals and one final will be broadcast for a duration of 30 minutes each show in early 2022, she added.

The same day, deputy head of the committee and VNDMA General Director Tran Quang Hoai presented the Prime Minister’s certificates of merit to two collectives and two individuals in recognition of their dedication to raising public awareness of disaster prevention and control. The Vietnam News Agency bureau in the central and Central Highlands was among those receiving the honour./. 

Decision issued on developing national print, electronic newspapers for foreign service

Three printed and electronic newspapers of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) will be developed into national newspapers for foreign service in the 2022-2030 period, under a new decision of the Prime Minister.

The three newspapers named under Decision 1976/QD-TTg are the English-language daily Viet Nam News, the multi-language magazine Vietnam Pictorial and the multi-language electronic newspaper VietnamPlus, all run by the State-own VNA.

The decision details the targets, tasks and solutions for the development of those newspapers.

Accordingly, the Viet Nam News will increase the number and improve the quality of features, special columns and pages, raise the number of readers of its online version and try to reach key areas and big powers in the world.

Meanwhile, the number of countries where the printed version of Vietnam Pictorial is distributed free of charge will be increased from 140 at present to 160, with priority given to areas along the border between Vietnam and Laos and China, and Latin American countries. After 2025, the number of printed copies will be reduced by about 10 percent each year while the electronic version will be developed in 10 languages.

The VietnamPlus will strive to become an electronic newspaper with the most integrated forms of information. From the current five languages (Vietnamese, English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Russian), the newspaper is to develop the Korean version in 2023, the Japanese version in 2026 and German in 2029. It aims to become one of the top five Vietnamese electronic newspapers with highest views from abroad.

Among solutions and tasks for the development of national newspapers for foreign services in 2022-2030, raising both quantity and quality of articles is deemed very important. Multi-media products will be developed based on digital technology along the trend of modern journalism, and social media will be utilized to popularize information published by the newspapers.

The distribution channels of the print newspapers will be diversified, making use of diplomatic, tourism, investment channels, as well as cooperation and information exchange with international news agencies and press. Plans will be built to popularize the national newspapers for foreign services based on specific targets of each period.

The decision also mentions the promotion of the use of modern journalism technology and multi-media, along with international cooperation in information and personnel training, in the development of the newspapers./.

Vietnam confirms 12,450 COVID-19 cases on November 25

Vietnam recorded 12,450 cases of COVID-19, including 21 imported cases, in 59 localities during 24 hours from 4pm November 24 to 4pm November 25, according to the Ministry of Health.

Ho Chi Minh City continued to record the highest number of infections with 1,582, followed by Can Tho city with 741 and Tay Ninh with 683.

The national tally reached 1,168,228.

According to the Ministry of Health’s report, 5,475 patients nationwide are in serious conditions, with 520 requiring invasive ventilation and 26 on life support (ECMO).

On the day, the country saw 164 deaths from the disease, resulting in a death toll of 24,407 so far.

A further 5,627 patients were given the all-clear, taking the total number of recoveries to 942,888.

By November 24, the country had injected over114.59 million doses of vaccines, with more than 46.1 million people fully vaccinated./.

Wartime martyrs repatriated from Cambodia for reburial in An Giang

A ceremony was held in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on November 25 to rebury 54 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died either in the locality or in Cambodia during previous conflicts.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, chairman of the An Giang provincial administration, emphasised that the search for the remains of fallen soldiers is the responsibility of present-day generations, showing that Vietnamese people respect those who laid down their lives during lofty international missions.

The remains were unearthed by teams K90 and K93 during the 2020 - 2021 dry season in both An Giang and Cambodia.

Only two sets were identified, and the remainder were unaccounted for.

Conference seeks to unleash potential of old photo archives at Vietnamese institute

The Institute of Social Sciences Information (ISSI) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) on November 25 held an international scientific conference to seek ways to unlock potential of the photo archives of the French School of the Far East (EFEO) at ISSI.

ISSI Deputy Director Assoc. Prof., Dr. Le Hai Dang said the big collection of EFEO photos archived at ISSI has become a valuable heritage for researchers in studying national culture and provided evidence for the restoration of cultural and historic relics damaged by wars or natural disasters.

The social science library operated by ISSI has been preserving a large number of original photos and documents handed over by the EFEO since 1957. They include a collection of 60,000 photographs, one of the rarest and most valuable photo archives in Orientalism in Southeast Asia. However, the archives have not been used to the fullest extent. 

Speaking at the event, Isabelle Poujol from the EFEO in Paris shared how technology has been used to preserve and keep records of more than 200,000 old photographs stored for decades at the EFEO headquarters. 

These photos are of great interest to the scientific community; in some cases, they are even the only historic evidence, she said. The EFEO in Paris has been digitalizing them in order to not only archive them better but also offer researchers easier access to such a big collection, according to Poujol.

Dr. Nguyen Huu Tam, a former staff from the VASS’s Institute of History, said to protect and promote the values of the photo archives at ISSI , first and foremost, librarians must be provided with comprehensive knowledge on archiving photos and main content of the archived photos.

During the event, attendees discussed social science and humanities issues through the EFEO photo archives and how to preserve and make use of the photo collection.

The French School was established in Vietnam in 1900 in Sai Gon (HCM City today). It was closed in 1959 and re-opened in Hanoi in 1993. It mainly focuses on history, archaeology and philology, as well as the study of modern Asian societies./.

Vietnam – Russia Youth Forum 2021 closes

The Vietnam – Russia Youth Forum 2021, which took place both online and offline in Russia and Vietnam, wrapped up on November 26 after three days of sitting.

Co-hosted by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs of Russia, the Committee for External Relations of Saint Petersburg city and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, the event drew 56 Russian and Vietnamese young delegates.

Speaking at the event, Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Youth of Vietnam Nguyen Ngoc Luong called on the two countries’ youths to continue serving as friendship bridges, thus making active and responsible contributions to lifting the relationship between the two peoples to a greater height.

Participants held discussions on the topics of enhancing cooperation to promote green tourism, and voluntarily driving back COVID-19 for social welfare.

Within the framework of the event, the Vietnam Youth Academy and the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia signed a cooperation agreement, and various offline activities were organised in the northern province of Hoa Binh./.

Vietnam attends 38th ASEAN Social Security Association Board Meeting

The virtual 38th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting, under the theme “Social protection in the face of digitalisation and economic uncertainties”, was held on November 25, connecting with 25 locations.

Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) Dao Viet Anh attended the event.

Following the opening ceremony, delegates attended the first session themed “COVID-19 and economic uncertainties: impact and policy responses” and the second themed “Digital Solutions for Social Protection”.

As scheduled on November 26, the ASSA Recognition award ceremony will be held. The VSS will be also honoured in the category of information technology with the launch of social security app VssID, which makes it easier for citizens to handle social and health insurance services quickly and conveniently. As of November 22, over 24.5 million Vietnamese installed the app, and 22.8 million of them logged in.

At the closing session, the meeting will adopt its agenda, transfer the ASSA’s symbol and documents to new Chair and Secretary General, and suggest the theme for the next meeting.

The ASSA was found in 1998 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement in Bangkok, Thailand on February 13 that year, involving heads of social security institutions from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Representatives from Laos and Vietnam also attended the signing ceremony as observers. Later that year, the VSS became a member of the ASSA./.

Exhibition on Vietnam – Russia friendship opens in Hanoi

The Vietnam Military History Museum kicked off an exhibition in Hanoi on the fine traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia, aiming to educate military personnel and people, particularly youth, on the ties.
Featuring nearly 200 photos, materials, and items, the event showcases Russia’s significant, timely and effective support for Vietnam’s fight for independence and national construction in the past as well as the win-win cooperation between the two nations’ parties, governments, parliaments, and localities.

The bilateral defence collaboration, regarding military engineering, trade, human resources training, and weapon supply, among others, is a highlight of the exhibition.

Notable artifacts on display include the volunteer application form by Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Petrovich of the Soviet army sent to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence wishing to go to Vietnam to fight against the US on December 3, 1966; and a Konvas camcorder produced by the Soviet Union and provided for Vietnam in 1963 for filming documentaries about the nation's resistance war against the US.

Visitors to the event, which will last until December 5, are required to seriously follow COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

HCMC Eye Hospital deputy director detained over bidding irregularities

Nguyen Tri Dung, deputy director of the State-run HCMC Eye Hospital, has been detained on alleged charges of bidding irregularities.

Ministry of Public Security investigators yesterday, November 24, pressed the same charges against three other officials of the hospital – Phan Thi Bich Hanh, head of the Finance-Accounting Division; Nguyen Do Nguyen, head of the General Department; and Luong Ngoc Tuan, deputy head of the Ophthalmology Department.

The police searched the hospital on the same day.

The Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam on November 22 had given regulatory approval for decisions to prosecute and arrest the four accused.

This is the latest development of an investigation into the price gouging of intraocular lenses at the HCMC Eye Hospital.

In early February this year, investigators prosecuted and detained four other accused, the hospital’s former director Nguyen Minh Khai, two ex-deputy directors Vo Thi Chinh Nga and Phi Duy Tien; and Nguyen Quoc Toan, former head of the Department of Surgery and Anesthesiology at the hospital, for their alleged involvement in the case.

According to the investigation results, in 2018, the Eye Hospital arranged to implement a bidding package to purchase over 53,000 monofocal intraocular lenses, with a total investment of VND184 billion financed by the hospital, the Health Insurance Fund, and other sources to serve its medical checkup and treatment activities.

However, when it carried out the bidding package, a number of officials at the hospital violated regulations on bidding to eliminate intraocular lenses that met technical standards and whose bidding prices were the lowest, and instead, purchased those whose bidding prices were higher.

Nguyen Minh Khai, the then director of the hospital, directed some doctors who were members of an appraisal council for sample products, to falsify the bidding results to eliminate the products offered by a bidder, Codupha Company.

Khai knew that products from bidders such as the Codupha, Tam Hop and Hao Tin companies met the technical requirements for the bidding. However, he asked his subordinates to use criteria not included in the bidding documents to illegally eliminate the products offered by Codupha.

The accused also committed other violations to permit two other companies to win the bid.

According to the investigators, their alleged violations resulted in the Health Insurance Fund and patients having to pay extra money for using services related to intraocular lenses. The violations have also caused total losses of VND14.2 billion, with losses worth VND5.2 billion suffered by the Health Insurance Fund.

HCMC receives 10,000 ampoules of Cytoflavin for Covid-19 treatment

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City - the Ho Chi Minh City Board for the Mobilization, Reception and Distribution of Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention Fund yesterday held a ceremony to receive 10,000 ampoules of Cytoflavin donated by the Russia-based Polysan Science & Technology Company to help the Covid-19 patient treatment.

The ceremony took place in Ho Chi Minh city and was transmitted online in the capital city of Hanoi, Moscow and Saint Peterburg in Russia.

Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City To Thi Bich Chau received the 10,000 ampoules of Cytoflavin worth over VND1.2 billion (over US$88,000).

After the reception ceremony, the ampoules had been handed over to the Municipal Department of Health to distribute to Thu Duc General Hospital in Thu Duc City, Gia Dinh People's Hospital, Military Hospital 175 and hospitals of An Binh, Nguyen Tri Phuong, Le Van Thinh, 7A.

The Ministry of Health of Russia allowed Cytoflavin to be used in the treatment regimen for cardiovascular and brain complications for Covid-19 patients, bringing positive results so far.

HCMC Creative Awards 2021 to get ten additional prizes

Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Phan Van Mai asked the municipal Reward and Emulation Board to present exceptional prizes of the 2nd HCMC Creative Awards 2021 to ten works that have been applied with immediate effect.

These works need not to be applied for two consecutive years as required by regulations because of their creativity, widespread application and immediate effect.

Speaking at a working session with the awards board on November 25, the city’s chairman approved 50 selected outstanding entries.

According to the city’s Reward and Emulation Board, this year’s competition received 195 submissions of seven categories.

The HCMC Creative Awards is one of the most prestigious prizes honoring Vietnamese individuals, organizations and businesses at home and abroad for outstanding research works, innovative solutions, products and services for the development of the city.

The award ceremony of the HCMC Creative Awards 2021 will be held in December.

Gov’t approves new National Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh signed a decision approving the National Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy by 2030, with a vision to 2045. 

The strategy aims to ensure rural residents’ access to clean water with reasonable prices, guarantee sanitation at households and public places, reduce disease related to water resources and sanitation, improve local people’s lives, and narrow the gap between rural and urban areas. 

By 2030, around 65 percent of rural population will use clean water, with at least 60 liters per person per day while 100 percent of rural households, schools and medical facilities will have hygienic latrines.

The Government targets to raise the rate of wastewater treatment in rural residential areas to 15 percent over the next decade and to 30 percent by 2045. 

By 2045, 100 percent of rural residents are expected to use clean water and hygienic latrines. 

According to the Global Partnership for Results-Based Approaches (GPRBA), about 74 percent of the Vietnamese population is living in rural areas, yet just 48 percent of households have access to clean water, compared with 82 percent in urban areas. 

Only 30 percent of small towns have piped water systems, and even then the proportion of connected households can be as low as 20 percent. 

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan