Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered remarks at the launch of the Global Methane Pledge under the co-chair of US President Joe Biden and President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen in Glasgow, the UK, on November 2.

He thanked the organising board, the US President, and the EC President for inviting Vietnam to take part in the Global Methane Pledge initiative.

The Vietnamese PM pointed out that methane is a result of unscientific and unsustainable production, use, and waste treatment, leading to global warming. Given this, all people should stay united and unanimous and join hands to reduce methane emissions.

This is a global issue which requires a global approach, he noted, adding that as it affects every people, an all-people approach is needed.

The PM called on developed countries, with the richest being the US and the European Union (EU), to share and support developing and poor nations in training and innovation as well as technology, finance, institutional building, and administrative sciences, among other fields, thereby helping them participate in the process of reducing methane emissions.

The pledge to reduce global methane emissions was signed by nearly 90 countries, aiming to reduce the potent greenhouse gas methane by 30 percent by 2030 compared to the 2020 level.

According to the UN, steep cuts in methane emissions this decade could help the world avoid 0.3 degrees Celsius of warming by 2040.

Earlier, Chinh attended the Leaders Action on Forests and Land Use session chaired by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson./.

Teleconference talks implementation of 15th NA’s lawmaking activities

A national teleconference was held on Wednesday to implement the Politburo’s conclusion issued on October 4 this year and a project on defining orientations for the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s lawmaking programme.

The event took place under the chair of NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Võ Văn Thưởng.

On October 14, the Politburo issued a conclusion stating that the target of the 15th parliament’s lawmaking programme is to perfect development institutions and create the legal framework for successfully carrying out the socio-economic development tasks for 2021 - 2025, the 12 national development orientations, six focal tasks, and three strategic breakthroughs set at the 13th National Party Congress.

The focus identified by this conclusion is to guarantee the rights and legitimate interests of people and businesses instead of serving the State’s management activities; promote innovation; devise measures for successfully implementing economic, social, security, and defence tasks; and secure sustainable development for the country, according to Chairman of the parliament’s Committee for Legal Affairs Hoàng Thanh Tùng.

Meanwhile, the project defining orientations for the lawmaking programme of the 15th parliament features eight major orientations, 70 concrete directions, and 137 tasks of lawmaking in the 2021 - 2026 tenure, he said, adding that the NA Standing Committee will issue a plan on implementing the project soon.

This project is an important political and legal basis for making the strategic breakthrough of synchronously perfecting development institutions, set at the 13th National Party Congress. It is also a practical move to realise the NA Chairman’s promise to continue promoting the parliament and parliamentarians’ proactiveness in legislative activities and to unceasingly reform and improve the lawmaking quality, the official noted. 

U23 Vietnam among third seeds for 2022 U23 Asian Cup

Vietnam’s U23 national football team have been selected in the third-seed group for the 2022 U23 Asian Cup, alongside regional powerhouses Japan, Qatar, and Iraq.

The seeds are to be divided into four groups of four based on each country’s performance in the 2020 U23 AFC Championship.

The first-seed group comprise hosts Uzbekistan, defending champions the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.

Thailand are in the second-seed group alongside Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Iran.

The remaining teams, Kuwait, Malaysia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, are in the fourth-seed group.

Vietnam exited the 2020 tournament in the group stage, meaning they have been placed in the third group alongside Iraq, Qatar, and Japan, all of whom were also eliminated previously.

The Vietnamese team successfully qualified for the finals of the 2022 tournament after beating Myanmar by 1-0 on November 2, topping Group I.

This marks the fourth consecutive time that the U23 side have qualified for the tournament. The best result achieved by Vietnam was back in the 2018 AFC Championships in China, where they finished as runners-up.

U23 Asian Cup 2022 is scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan from June 1 to June 19. So far, the AFC has yet to announce the time and location for the group stage’s draw ceremony.

PM works with leaders of AstraZeneca

 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working session with leaders of the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company AstraZeneca in the UK on November 2 (local time).
 
The Vietnamese leader thanked AstraZeneca for its timely supply of vaccines to Vietnam over the past time, thereby making an important contribution to the country’s COVID-19 control.

The Prime Minister suggested AstraZeneca soon hand over the remaining vaccines committed to Vietnam on schedule.

AstraZeneca and Vietnamese partners have reached landmark agreements to help develop the biopharmaceutical industry in the country and support its pandemic prevention and control efforts.

The company will invest 90 million USD to support Vietnam to improve its pharmaceutical production capacity. In the 2022-2030 period, it plans to make three important pharmaceutical products in Vietnam.

In addition, AstraZeneca and the Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company also signed an agreement on supply of an additional quantity of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine./.

12 Vietnamese universities listed in Asian QS ranking 2021

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a well-known UK-based education organisation, has announced that 12 Vietnamese schools have made it into the global rankings of the top 675 universities in the QS Asia University Rankings (AUR) 2022.

Thirty-eight universities are participating in the rankings for the first time. The rankings rate 1,011 universities from 80 countries and territories.

Ton Duc Thang University has been placed at 142th while Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU Hanoi) 147th, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU Ho Chi Minh City) 179th, Duy Tan University 210th, Hanoi University of Science and Technology in the 281-290 group, Can Tho University and University of Da Nang in the 501-550 group, Hanoi National University of Education and University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City in the 551-600 group, and Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh city in the 601-650 group.

Universities are ranked based on eleven indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, international research networks, staff with a PhD, citations per paper and papers per faculty, international faculty ratio, international student ratio, inbound exchange students ratio and outbound exchange students ratio. This year, QS analysed 14.7 million scientific publications and 96 million citations to produce the data used for the rankings.

Singapore continues to maintain its leading position with two universities ranking the first and third in the list. Malaysia boasts five educational institutions in the top 50. Thailand has 23 institutions named on the list while the Philippines has 15 and Indonesia 34./.

France attaches importance to promoting relations with Vietnam

French President Emmanuel Macron attaches importance to maintaining and promoting the France-Vietnam relations, said Stephanie Do, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Group the French Parliament.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the official visit to France by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Stephanie Do said the all-round relationship between France and Vietnam, especially between their two legislative bodies, has developed strongly and has been unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two countries have benefited from the long-lasting partnership, and health bond has been a strong point in bilateral cooperation, she said, noting that Vietnam has shown its generosity when presenting antibacterial masks and other medical equipment to France amid the pandemic.

According to Stephanie Do, France was one of the first Western countries backing Vietnam's reform policy, development and opening-up. Major inter-parliamentary groups are true elements of France’s foreign policy, while culture and education are the areas that contribute to deepening the friendly relationship between the two countries.

She expressed support for France's foreign policy towards strengthening ties with ASEAN, emphasising that France and ASEAN share views on the Indo-Pacific region based on respect for international law, multilateralism and international cooperation.

In the face of important geopolitical and economic challenges in the region, it is necessary to pay attention to further strengthening the relationship between France, the European Union (EU) and ASEAN, she went on.  

She highlighted the significance of PM Chinh’s trip to France in further fostering the bilateral relations, especially in the COVID-19 crisis, saying that the two countries should seek to create more momentum for their trade relations in the coming time./

Vietnam wins big at Online World Martial Arts

Vietnam won big at the Online World Martial Arts which wrapped up on November 2.

The country earned five gold, seven silver and four bronze medals in the five-day virtual competition that saw over 3,300 athletes from all over the world competing in ten categories.

Vietnam took part in three categories – Kurash, Judo and traditional martial arts. The Vietnamese Kurash team brought home four gold and one silver medals, Judo grabbed one gold and three medals while the traditional martial arts team won three silver and four bronze medals./.

Teleconference talks implementation of 15th NA’s lawmaking activities

A national teleconference was held on November 3 to implement the Politburo’s conclusion issued on October 4 this year and a project on defining orientations for the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s lawmaking programme.

The event took place under the chair of NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong.

On October 14, the Politburo issued a conclusion stating that the target of the 15th parliament’s lawmaking programme is to perfect development institutions and create the legal framework for successfully carrying out the socio-economic development tasks for 2021 - 2025, the 12 national development orientations, six focal tasks, and three strategic breakthroughs set up at the 13th National Party Congress.

The focus identified by this conclusion is to guarantee the rights and legitimate interests of people and businesses instead of serving the State’s management activities; promote innovation; devise measures for successfully implementing economic, social, security, and defence tasks; and secure sustainable development for the country, according to Chairman of the parliament’s Committee for Legal Affairs Hoang Thanh Tung.

Meanwhile, the project defining orientations for the lawmaking programme of the 15th parliament features eight major orientations, 70 concrete directions, and 137 tasks of lawmaking in the 2021 - 2026 tenure, he said, adding that the NA Standing Committee will issue a plan on implementing the project soon.

This project is an important political and legal basis for making the strategic breakthrough of synchronously perfecting development institutions, set up at the 13th National Party Congress. It is also a practical move to realise the NA Chairman’s promise to continue promoting the parliament and parliamentarians’ proactiveness in legislative activities and to unceasingly reform and improve the lawmaking quality, the official noted./.

Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line to begin commercial operation before November 10

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong on November 2 told the Vietnam News Agency that the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line project will be inaugurated and put into commercial operation before November 10.

According to the deputy minister, the ministry and the Hanoi authorities met on November 1 to discuss issues related to the handover and reception of the project, including documents for the two sides to sign at the handover ceremony of the project.

The quality assessment results of the metro line were approved by the State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects on October 29. It was the final step for the project to begin commercial operation.

In a related move, the Government Office has just announced the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh at the meeting on the approval of the project's evaluation for putting it into operation. The Deputy PM requested that the Hanoi authorities, in coordination with related agencies, thoroughly examine the operation plan, and design plans on transit connections to facilitate people's movement using public transport options. He also required the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures; ensuring of traffic safety; and the provision of full and clear information related to the project to the public.

The line, which runs from Cat Linh in Ba Dinh district to Ha Dong district, will be the first urban railway put into operation in the country.

With total investment of approximately 886 million USD, funded by Chinese ODA, the elevated line is more than 13 km long and has 12 stations and 13 trains. Each train, whose designed speed is 80 km per hour, has four carriages capable of carrying over 900 passengers.

The trial run was completed in December 2020, with more than 70,000 km of tests on thousands of trips, enabling the system to operate commercially.

Started in 2011, the project has suffered numerous setbacks and delays.

The Hanoi People’s Committee has announced the price of the tickets for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro, with the lowest one being 8,000 VND (0.35 USD) for a trip and 30,000 VND for a day pass.

A monthly pass for a common passenger is priced at 200,000 VND.

Hanoi will offer free travel for all passengers during the first 15 days after the line is put into operation, according to Director of the city’s Department of Transport Vu Van Vien./.

French President affirms Vietnam’s special position in France’s policies

French President Emmanuel Macron on November 2 affirmed the special position of Vietnam in his country’s policies.

Welcoming Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang who came to present his letter of credentials, Macron spoke highly of achievements in bilateral cooperation in all fields from politics, diplomacy, trade, and investment to education, training, culture, and science and technology, especially after the two countries set up their strategic partnership.

He expressed his delight at the official visit to France from November 3-5 by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, during which he will have a meeting with Chinh.

Ambassador Thang, for his part, affirmed Vietnam always attaches importance to and hopes to intensify its Strategic Partnership with France – one of its leading partners in numerous fields.

He pledged to do his utmost to nurture the time-honoured relations between the two nations, contributing to boosting the bilateral friendship towards the celebration of the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties, and the 10th anniversary of establishment of bilateral strategic partnership in 2023.

The ambassador showed his belief that PM Chinh’s visit and bilateral meetings of the two sides’ senior leaders will continue creating a framework and long-term vision for the Vietnam-France relationship, and serving as a foundation to make it grow further./.

Vietnam strengthens ties with British Council in cultural, creative sectors

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong called for the British Council’s continued support for Vietnam in cultural and creative sectors while meeting with council leaders in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 2.

Cuong was accompanying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a trip to the UK to attend the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) from October 31 to November 3.

He said Vietnam and the UK have promoted and obtained certain progress in cultural collaboration, especially through cooperation activities with the British Council. He appreciated the council’s coordination with and support for Vietnam to implement the development strategy for cultural industries.

The Deputy Minister asked the British Council to keep working with his ministry to help effectively implement the joint statement on the Vietnam - UK strategic partnership.

He called for more assistance for Vietnam to develop cultural industries and apply IT to the creation of arts, suggesting the council share experience and knowledge to help the country carry out a project on developing creative cities for joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and capitalise on cultural heritage in tourism development.

Representatives of the British Council, including Regional Director for Education and Society in East Asia Alison Barrett, Director of the council’s Global Network Charlie Walker, and Director for Strategy and Marketing Christopher Wade, said Vietnam holds a specially important position in its activities.

The British Council will step up youth-oriented activities through arts programmes and projects so as to encourage the young to express their ideas and propose solutions to social issues like climate change and migration. It will also develop handbooks for start-ups in cultural, artistic, and creative sectors, they noted.

The two sides agreed to coordinate with each other to organise events marking the 50th founding anniversary of the Vietnam - UK diplomatic relations in 2023. They will also keep enhancing ties in cultural and creative sectors, thereby helping to foster the two countries’ strategic partnership in the time ahead./.

Work on North-South express railway project expected to begin in 2028-2029

The Ministry of Transport will complete the site clearance, feasibility report and design for the North-South express railway project before 2026. This is being done to ensure that work on some packages of the Hanoi-Vinh and HCMC-Nha Trang sections of the project can start in 2028-2029, said Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The.

At a conference on November 1 to announce the master plan for the railway system in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, Minister The said the Government would seek approval from the Politburo and the National Assembly for the North-South express railway project in the 2021-2026 period, the local media reported.

The minister stressed that the North-South express railway was an important route to transport passengers and cargo in the future. In localities the railway will pass through, new urban areas can be developed around stations. Therefore, these localities should coordinate with the Ministry of Transport to adjust their general planning to develop urban areas, exploit the high-speed railway, and support the ministry with site clearance and resettlement.

When the express railway is in place, it will be responsible for transporting passengers, while the current North-South railway will transport cargo. The Ministry of Transport has also planned many railways connecting to seaports.

According to Le Do Muoi, head of the Transport Development and Strategy Institute, the consultant for the railway system development plan, the North-South express railway will have a length of some 1,500 kilometers and allow a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

Before 2030, the Hanoi-Vinh and HCMC-Nha Trang sections will be developed with an estimated investment of VND112 trillion.

In addition to the seven existing rail routes, which are 2,440 kilometers long in total, nine more routes with a total length of nearly 2,400 kilometers will be developed by 2030. These nine projects will need an investment of VND240 trillion, which will be sourced from the public investment and official development assistance loans and through the public-private partnership investment model.

By 2050, the North-South express railway and new railways from Hanoi and HCMC, railways connecting seaports, industrial parks and the Central Highlands, coastal railways and those connecting with international routes will be completed. The national railway system by 2050 will have 25 routes with a total length of nearly 6,400 kilometers.

Hanoi told to stay highly alert to COVID-19

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on November 2 urged Hanoi to stay highly alert as the COVID-19 pandemic has already “penetrated very deeply into the community”.

At a meeting with local official about the pandemic combat, Deputy PM Dam, who is also deputy head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said the city must flexibly but also safely adapt to the pandemic, so it still has to stay ready for worse cases.

Particularly, the principles set out at the start of the COVID-19 fight, which is “prevention, detection, quarantine, sealing off, curbing transmission, and early treatment”, remains unchanged, he noted.

He asked Hanoi to prepare standard procedures for home quarantine and treatment in case the coronavirus spreads on a large scale.

Regarding school reopening, the Deputy PM requested that local authorities consider gradually resuming in-person teaching and learning activities based on people’s demand.

Once accepting to living with COVID-19, the entire health monitoring system, including schools and health establishments, must raise their pandemic alert to a higher level compared to the past, according to the official.

Reporting on the local COVID-19 situation, Director of the municipal Health Department Tran Thi Nhi Ha said the pandemic in Hanoi is currently under control, but the virus transmission from localities with complex pandemic developments remains a risk.

Hanoi has administered 9,664,917 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to local residents. About 92.3 percent of the people aged 18 and above have been given at least one shot, accounting for 69.4 percent of its total population. Meanwhile, 55.4 percent of the people in the age group, or 41.6 percent, have been fully vaccinated.

At the meeting, Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong said Hanoi will build a COVID-19 response plan at a higher level than the current one and devise appropriate measures to manage infection cases and those having close contact with them in accordance with the city's situation./.

Front leader offers congratulations on Vietnam Buddhist Sangha's 40th anniversary

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien has sent congratulations to Buddhists nationwide on the 40th founding anniversary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) (November 7, 1981 - 2021).

In his congratulatory letter, Chien said the VBS, an active component in the great national solidarity bloc and a member of the VFF, has made substantial contributions to national reform and development, the defence of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, social welfare, the building of new-style countryside and civilised cities, and especially, the current combat against COVID-19.

He noted the VFF Central Committee recognises and congratulates the VBS and Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers on the outcomes of their religious and patriotic activities, which have helped strengthen the great national solidarity over the past four decades.

The official asked the VBS to uphold patriotism and the spirit of “leading good religious and secular lives” to join the entire people in implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, making good preparations for the 9th National Buddhist Congress in 2022, and realising the aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation./.

Hanoi leader highly values WB’s support for local development

Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung appreciated the World Bank (WB)’s aid for the capital while receiving WB Country Director for Vietnam Carolyn Turk on November 2.

The host described the WB’s assistance as a major contribution to local development, noting that Hanoi always views the bank as an important partner which has not only served as a provider of capital for projects but also helped improve investors’ capacity and assisted the city in accessing sources of advanced knowledge in the world.

The 11 programmes and projects funded by the WB, with total value of about 269 million USD, have been completed and proved effective, Dung noted.

Hanoi is ready for a stage of breakthrough development so as to become a green, civilised, modern, and smart city with fast and sustainable growth. To that end, it will need foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA) capital, and concessional loans, and the WB will be one of the large sponsors, according to the official.

He added that as Hanoi will face numerous challenges during the development process, including those related to planning, wastewater treatment, air pollution, traffic infrastructure, digital administration building, and relic preservation, every financial support and technical project is very important.

WB Country Director Turk held that the issues mentioned by Dung are results of Hanoi’s fast development over the past years, noting it’s now the right time for the city to deal with barriers before these problems become more difficult and complex.

She suggested working groups between the two sides be set up and regular meetings be held to review outcomes of each group’s performance, affirming that the WB is willing to help the city to take future steps.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed many affairs of common concern, including air pollution, wastewater and solid waste treatment, the construction of some urban rail routes, the mechanism for allocating capital among the localities in the Capital Region, and smart city building.

Dung expressed his hope that the Hanoi - WB cooperation will become stronger through the implementation of projects, thus contributing to the city’s sustainable development./.

Vice President wraps up visit to Greece

Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan held talks with Greek Deputy Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos, met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitrios Koutsoumpas and chaired a Vietnam – Greece business seminar before concluding her official visit to the European country from October 31 – November 2.

At the talks, both sides expressed their delight at the nations’ friendship and sound cooperation across many fields over the past 45 years since the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations. They agreed that the two countries need to enhance all-level interactions and exchanges.

They noted the need to continue the effective implementation of the Vietnam-Greece tourism cooperation agreement and advance the bilateral collaboration in education – training, archaeology, cultural exchange and other exchange activities.

Xuan asked the Greek Deputy Prime Minister to convey an invitation to pay an official visit to Vietnam from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the Greek Prime Minister, and thanked Greece for the decision to donate 250,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam.

The Vice President lauded Greece's early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). She said that the sides’ economic - trade cooperation is yet to be on par with their political relations and their potentials.

Xuan also expressed her wish to receive technical support from Greece and the EU to implement solutions to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Deputy PM Panagiotis Pikrammenos affirmed that the Greek Government will make efforts to promote its cooperation with Vietnam in all aspects, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Exchanging views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, the two sides stressed the importance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation, and of dispute settlement by peaceful means that respect international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Meeting with Dimitrios Koutsoumpas, the Vietnamese Vice President stated Vietnam commits to being a trustworthy and responsible friend, partner and member of the international community with active participation in international and regional cooperation processes.

Praising positive growth of the Vietnam-Greece ties, she affirmed that Vietnam values and wants to strengthen its friendship and multifaceted collaboration with Greece.

Both officials agreed to maintain bilateral consultation and cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties and States in a bid to push the nations’ relations to new heights.

Chairing the Vietnam-Greece business seminar, Vice President Xuan said it is a golden time now for the two countries to work closely together to bring their good traditional relationship to new heights. The sides need to promote exchange and trade of commodities of their strengths.

On November 2, Xuan concluded her visit, departing for Vietnam./.

Vietnam, Laos talk enhancement of labour, social welfare cooperation

Vietnam and Laos held the seventh labour and social welfare ministers’ meeting via videoconference on November 2.

Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung spoke highly of considerable cooperation efforts by his ministry and the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, especially amid complex developments in the region and the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noting the pandemic’s impacts on people’s life and socio-economic development in her country, Lao Minister Baykham Khattiya appreciated the Vietnamese Party and Government’s technical support and medical supplies for Laos, affirming that cooperation between the two ministries has continued to be enhanced in multiple aspects.

Concluding the meeting, the two officials approved a report on the cooperation outcomes during 2019 - 2021 and the cooperation orientations for 2021 - 2025 in terms of labour and social affairs.

They signed an agreement on labour and social welfare cooperation under which the ministries will step up ties in a practical and effective manner and diversify cooperation forms and mechanisms from ministerial to grassroots levels.

Both sides also agreed to organise the eighth labour and social welfare ministers’ meeting in Laos in 2023./.

PM’s official visit to deepen Vietnam-France strategic partnership

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will pay an official visit to France from November 3 to 5, following his attendance at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and working visit in the UK.

The visit takes place in the context that the Vietnam-France strategic partnership is on a positive growth momentum. The two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations and 10 years of their strategic partnership in 2023.

Vietnam and France set up diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level on April 12, 1973. In September 2013, the two countries established a strategic partnership on the occasion of then Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit to France.

Regarding the exchange of high-level delegations, the leaders of the two nations have regularly visited each other. The most recent were the visit to Vietnam by then French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in November 2018 and the France visit by then Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in April 2019. The two sides have regularly maintained cooperation mechanisms, including a defence-security strategic dialogue and an annual high-level economic dialogue.

France is Vietnam's fifth largest European trading partner after Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Italy. Bilateral trade in 2020 reached 4.81 billion USD. As of July 2021, France ranked 3rd among European countries (after the Netherlands and the UK) and 16th out of 140 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 605 projects worth 3.6 billion USD in total.

In development cooperation, France is Vietnam’s leading bilateral European ODA donor while Vietnam ranks 2nd among countries receiving France’s ODA in Asia. To date, France has provided Vietnam with a total of 3 billion EUR in concessional loans.

In security – defence collaboration, France was the first Western country to have a defence attaché in Vietnam in 1991. During the recent visits by the defence ministers of the two countries, the two sides agreed that Vietnam and France share a strategic partnership in the field of defence.

Education and training cooperation between the two countries has been formed and developed since the early 1980s, with France always considering the sector a priority goal of its collaboration activities in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, their bilateral cultural – tourism engagements and cultural exchanges are increasingly developing. Every year, the French Government spends about 5 million EUR on cultural cooperation with Vietnam.

Concerning the medical arena, there are currently 30 joint projects on medicine and paramedicine training cooperation such as those on resident doctor training at French hospitals. They are funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ hospital partnership funds, the Network for Therapeutic Solidarity in Hospitals (ESTHER) and French hospitals’ private funds.

A prominent highlight in the Vietnam-France ties is the cooperation between their localities. Projects under such collaboration focus on health, education, water and sanitation, heritage conservation, Francophone community, rural development, and sustainable development.

Prime Minister Chinh's upcoming official visit to France will help reinforce the nations’ political trust, deepen their multifaceted cooperation, and boost bilateral relations toward effectiveness and practical outcomes, contributing to lifting their strategic partnership across all aspects of politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, culture, education, and health care./.

COVID-19: New cases on November 2 top 5,637

Vietnam recorded 5,637 cases of COVID-19 in 52 localities on November 2, including 24 imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

Dong Nai recorded the highest number of infections with 858, followed by neighbouring province of Binh Duong with 780 and Ho Chi Minh City with 682.

The national tally now stands at 932,357.

According to the Ministry of Health’s report, 2,950 patients nationwide are in serious conditions, with 303 requiring invasive ventilation and 13 on life support (ECMO).

On the day, the country saw 74 deaths from the disease. The death toll now hits 22,205 .

A further 2,741 patients were given the all-clear, taking the total number of recoveries to 824,806.

By November 1, the country had injected over 83.13 million doses of vaccines to date, with more than 25.11 million people now fully inoculated./.

Vietnam attends 6th ASEANSAI summit

The sixth ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI) Summit opened on November 2 under the chair of Auditor General of the Union of Myanmar Kan Zaw, who is also vice chairman of ASEANSAI in the 2019-2021 term.

Vietnamese State Auditor General Tran Sy Thanh attended the event as Chair of ASEANSAI's Committee for Strategic Plan and member of ASEANSAI's Knowledge Sharing Committee.

Speaking at the opening of the virtual summit, Roslan Abu Bakar, Deputy Auditor General of Malaysia, said that ASEANSAI was established 10 years ago to promote integrity in public administration and finance and enhance the capacity of ASEAN auditors.

While pointing out the challenges ASEANSAI has faced in the past time, especially financial crises, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that these challenges made member state audit institutions (SAIs) clearly understand the importance of cooperation in the region, as well as the importance of strengthening relationships with ASEANSAI partners in solving common problems.

To successfully realise the goals of ASEANSAI for the 2022-2025 period as well as the ASEAN Charter, he suggested that SAIs should continue to strengthen solidarity, cooperation and dialogue within ASEANSAI and outside the region to achieve common goals – law obedience and cooperation for mutual development.

As Chair of ASEANSAI's Committee for Strategic Plan, the State Audit Office of Vietnam presided over the development of the ASEANSAI Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 with the vision of becoming a reliable, dynamic and professional organisation of the supreme audit institutions to promote good governance in the ASEAN region with five core values, namely respect, professionalism, cooperation, innovation and rapid responsiveness.

SAIs have agreed to appoint the State Auditor General of Myanmar as the Chairman of ASEANSAI for the new term. They also approved the proposed budget for the organisation's activities in the 2022-2023 period.

In his inauguration speech, Myanmar State Auditor General Kan Zaw expressed his honour to assume the role of ASEANSAI Chairman for the 2021-2023 term. He said he looked forward to continuing to receive the support of member SAIs for the success of ASEANSAI in the term./.

Smart city building sped up

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years has sped up the building and development of smart cities, heard Vietnam- ASOCIO Smart City Summit 2021 that opened on November 2.

Jointly held by the Vietnam Software Association (VINASA) and the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO), the five-day event brought together representatives from 59 cities and provinces, and was linked to 70 locations.

In his remarks, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Huy Dung said his ministry had issued a number of guidance documents to create a legal framework for the development of smart cities in terms of information-technology.

The summit offers an opportunity for management agencies, experts, scholars and IT businesspeople of Vietnam and foreign countries to exchange experience in this regard, he added.

Developing smart cities has become an inevitable trend, he said, noting that the Vietnamese government has issued Decision No. 950/QD-TTg approving the project on the sustainable development of smart cities for 2018-2025, with a vision to 2030.

The Politburo has also issued Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW on a number of guidelines and policies on proactively joining the fourth Industrial Revolution, which sets the target of having at least three smart cities in northern, central and southern key economic regions by 2025.

Echoing Deputy Minister Dung’s views, VINASA Chairman Nguyen Van Khoa said along with digital transformation, smart cities are becoming the new development mode of urban areas in the era of intelligentisation.

About 40 Vietnamese cities and provinces have set forth projects on smart cities, he said, adding that smart industrial parks and factories have also been taken into consideration.

With 14 seminars, the summit will focus on such topics as digital authority, smart property, smart industrial property, digital transformation for smart producers and factories, and digital solutions and startups with smart cities./.

Da Nang launches "Clean cities, blue ocean" programme

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment of central Da Nang city organised a workshop to introduce the “Clean cities, blue ocean” (CCBO) programme on November 2.

The seminar was held in the virtual form connecting with 14 locations across the country.

“Clean Cities, Blue Oceans” is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s flagship programme to combat ocean plastic pollution which is carried out in 2019-2024. It works globally to target ocean plastics directly at their sources, focusing on rapidly urbanising areas that contribute significantly to the estimated eight million metric tonnes of plastic that flow into the ocean each year.

Da Nang is the first of four localities across the country to carry out the programme.  Activities of the CCBO programme in Da Nang include supporting authorities in implementing the plan on ocean plastic waste management and initiatives to promote the fight against plastic waste pollution in terms of equipment, consulting as proposed as well as facilitating the project on "Strengthening public-private cooperation in recycling, waste recovery and circular economy in Da Nang".

The above-mentioned project will be implemented from December 2021 to July 2023 with total capital of 161,000 USD. It is forecast that by 2030, the total volume of plastic waste in Da Nang will be 228 tonnes per day while the total volume of domestic solid waste is about 1,800-2,000 tonnes per day.

Addressing the workshop, Pham Phu Song Toan from Da Nang University said that it was necessary to effectively and synchronously collect methods and classify waste in each district, ward and commune. He also stressed the need to collect garbage at sewage and at estuaries to significantly reduce the amount of rubbish flowing into the sea.

According to Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang Women Entrepreneurs Association, in recent years, the association has coordinated with the local administration to deploy many activities to raise awareness and contribute to environmental protection in enterprises in particular and society in general. She took An Dien General Trading Co.Ltd which has donated more than 10,000 glass water bottles to replace plastic ones as an example.

In the coming time, businesses will continue to maintain environmental protection movements such as planting more trees and strengthening dissemination to reduce plastic waste, she said.

Vo Nguyen Chuong, Deputy Director of the city's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, suggested that authorities at all levels, departments and localities should prioritise technical support and guidance on classifying plastic waste in the community and pay attention to communication to improve awareness for students./.

Party chief’s article sets out epochal strategic direction on socialism: Lao official

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's article titled “Several theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam” constitutes an epochal strategic direction on socialism and Vietnam’s path towards socialism, a Lao official has said.

Khamvisanh Keosouvanh, Assistant to the Chairman of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Training, made the remarks in an article sent to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s correspondents.

Khamvisanh said the Vietnamese Party leader’s article matches the real development of Vietnam and the world.

He explained that the article was published following the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and before the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure.

Therefore, according to the official, it has helped Vietnamese leaders prepare personnel to implement the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress with new opportunities and challenges.

Trong’s affirmation that socialism is the goal and ideal of the CPV and Vietnamese people, and that advancing towards socialism is an objective demand of and the inevitable path of the Vietnamese revolution demonstrates the CPV's absolute confidence and loyalty to Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in the cause of national construction and development towards socialism.

The view on the development of the socialist-oriented market economy is a very basic and creative theoretical breakthrough of the CPV, Khamvisanh said.

The article set out an epochal strategic direction on socialism and Vietnam’s path towards socialism, he continued, adding that the Vietnamese Party chief has creatively applied Marxism-Leninism in Vietnam’s real situation. The article is also a new theoretical review of the CPV, helping to diversify and enrich theoretical treasures of socialism in the world.

According to Khamvisanh, the LPRP would learn from the CPV’s leadership experience in the cause of national construction and development towards socialism to realise the resolution adopted at the 11th National Congress of the LPRP./.

Eateries in Hanoi asked to close before 9pm

 

The authorities of Hanoi capital have just issued a number of measures to continue the Covid-19 prevention and control, accordingly, eateries and food service businesses have to close their doors before 9pm.

The municipal government said the pandemic in the city is still seeing complex developments, and it has been assessed as being at level 2, or medium risk of pandemic.

According to the newly-announced measures, eateries in Hanoi are allowed to operate only 50 percent of their seats, and they have to ensure suitable distancing among customers in line with current regulations.

For both indoor and outdoor activities, the city permits the gathering of maximum of 30 people.

As of November 2, a total of 33 areas across the city are under blockade, relating to 6 complicated clusters of infections./.

Great unity day week to be held on November 18-23

The "Great Unity of Ethnic Groups- Vietnamese Cultural Heritage” week 2021 will take place at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Hanoi from November 18 to 23, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The event is also to mark the 91st anniversary of the traditional day of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (November 18, 1930 - November 18, 2021) and the 76th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23, 1945 - November 23, 2021).

Activities during the week contribute to promoting the cultural identity of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam in the implementation of the "All people unite to build cultural life" movement, protecting cultural heritage values and building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity. Besides, the organising board wishes to arouse the spirit of solidarity of the whole nation and promote the good traditions of the nations, spreading the spirit of mutual affection and love for the homeland and the people of Vietnam.

This is also an activity to introduce the Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village after it was temporarily closed for COVID-19 prevention and control.

The highlight of the event will be the opening programme and exhibitions to promote investment in the village. In addition to the regular activities of the 13 ethnic groups at the village, there will be performances of traditional musical instruments of the Mong ethnic group and the Spring Festival (Nao pe chau), a festival of the Mong ethnic group.

After bringing their harvest home in December, the Mong put all work aside to celebrate the Nao pe chau festival with a line-up of cultural activities such as blowing khen, typical bamboo flutes of the Mong ethnic minority people, blowing Vietnamese bamboo flute and other folk games. During the festival, families and villages gather together to show their gratitude to their ancestors and Gods for supporting them to have robust crops and peaceful life./.

President visits outstanding cooperatives in Ninh Binh

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on November 2 visited two cooperatives that are operating effectively and creating a large number of jobs for local labourers in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

Visiting the Bo Bat pottery cooperative, located in the 3,000-year old Bo Bat pottery craft village in Yen Thanh commune, Yen Mo district, the President lauded efforts of Pham Van Vang, one of the founders of the cooperative, in reviving the craft three years ago.

He hailed the cooperative's active application of technology in production to improve the quality of its products.

Established in 2018, the cooperative is employing 27 labourers who earn 8 million VND per month. In 2020, it posted 11.5 billion VND in revenue and 2 billion VND in profit. Its products have received the four-star OCOP certificate.

The President asked Yen Mo district and the Cooperative Alliance of Ninh Binh to create favourable conditions for the facility to expand its production by offering support in capital, ground, human resources training and trade promotion.

He suggested that the cooperative diversify its products to meet domestic demands and for export, while focusing on improving the skills of its members to turn them into skilled artisans.

At the Sinh Duoc cooperative in Gia Vien district, which operates in the model of a joint stock company, specialising on herbal cosmetics production, President Phuc expressed his impression on the new cooperative model.

Underlining that Vietnam is rich in herbs, the President highly valued the cooperative’s efforts in making full use of local materials to manufacture products with traditional features.

He also praised the cooperative’s strong performance in ensuring social welfare for labourers and applying modern technologies in production, as well as maintaining the role of Party organisation in ita operations.

On the occasion, the State leader requested leaders of Ninh Binh province, Gia Vien and Yen Mo districts to back the cooperatives’ development, contributing to boosting the growth of the locality./.

Paddling down Saigon River for fun and entertainment

 

Many people in Ho Chi Minh City are looking for fun and entertainment to relieve the stress from months of staying at home due to social distancing. Among others, outdoor sports, including Standup Paddle Boarding, or SUP, have attracted a great many sports lovers.

This is the first time these youngsters have tried standup paddle boarding. Before paddling out by themselves, they take a training class on the basic techniques. All can’t wait to get into the water.

Unlike other water sports, like kayaking or sailing, SUP is a personalised sport. Paddlers stands on a large board and use a single paddle to move along the water.

New paddlers receive training and the right gear to ensure their safety, such as a life jacket, a leash attaching them to the board, and a quick release belt, among others.

While gliding along the river, paddlers can take in the clean atmosphere and explore hidden parts of the city in a new unique and safe way.

The sport has gained in popularity in the city, attracting more youngsters every day. It’s a captivating choice for many people to ease stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle after months of staying at home./. 

Heart surgeries and vaccinations for kids and teenagers in central city

Since the Hoàn Mỹ Hospital in Đà Nẵng resumed a free programme for children in central Việt Nam in late September, 23 children suffering from congenital heart disease in the central provinces have received surgery. 

They had already recovered from their successful surgeries and are now safe at home, said Dr Nguyễn Thanh Hiền.

All children treated come from poor and underprivileged families in the provinces of Bình Định, Nghệ An, Quảng Bình and Quảng Ngãi. They waited for months for the free operation programme to restart during the COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing time, the doctor said.

The hospital’s team of surgeons have done everything they can to resume heart-treatment for the children, including for a four-year-old child from Bình Định Province who needed a second surgery at the hospital in October, Hiền said.

According to doctors from the Hoàn Mỹ Đà Nẵng Hospital, more than 20,000 children in central Việt Nam were provided with free congenital heart disease examinations, thanks to 12 charity health care programmes in 2020.

At least 200 children were identified to have congenital heart disease and benefited from free surgery at the hospital under the program in 2020.

The hospital’s free surgeries programme has performed operations on 5,000 children in the central region over the last 14 years, while 4,000 others have received free heart screening examinations under the hospital’s under-18 heart care programme. 

Also on Tuesday, Đà Nẵng began a COVID-19 vaccination programme for 102,000 children aged between 12 and 17, including foreign children living in the city. 

The city’s health department said the Pfizer vaccine will be used for 45,000 teenagers between 15-17 years old in November, while those in the 12-15 age group will be inoculated between November and December.

It said all schools will be opened for students from November 15 after delaying the schedule from November 1.

According to a report from the city’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC), more than one million people in Đà Nẵng had been vaccinated by the end of October, of which 858,000 (78 per cent of the total population) were given the first shot and 236,000 (21 per cent) had gotten two shots of vaccine.

The city has removed its field hospitals and all COVID-19 patients are being treated at the Đà Nẵng General hospital. At the moment, 34 COVID-19 patients are at the hospital. 

ASEAN youth leaders push sustainable development in region

Thirty-three ASEAN youth leaders, including four from Việt Nam, have shared their views with the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN on what young people can do to help the region move forward sustainably.

The youths, all participants of the 2021 ASEAN Youth Fellowship (AYF), gathered in Singapore from October 27 to 31 for the third edition of the programme, organised by the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and the National Youth Council Singapore (NYC).

“Youths today are passionate and purpose-driven. Many of them want to make a difference through their work and they form an important voice for positive social change in the region. The AYF programme is designed to connect such young leaders and expose them to opportunities for collaboration to build a stronger ASEAN,” said Jean Tan, SIF Executive Director.

Their suggestions on the role of youths came in response to the Chairman’s Statement from the 38th/39th ASEAN Summits. The Statement emphasised the importance of unity in promoting ASEAN’s sub-regional development, especially in narrowing the development gap, enhancing ASEAN’s regional competitiveness and connectivity, and ensuring sustainable and inclusive development. 

Reflecting a collective voice as ASEAN youth, the participants proposed greater youth representation and consultation in policymaking. They also suggested ways to support the growth of sustainable businesses, which complements the region’s circular economy framework, and starting an ASEAN youth chapter to facilitate opportunities for cross-border knowledge sharing and collaborations, especially in the areas of youth empowerment, mentorship, human security, digital technology, and low-carbon energy.

Aligned to the 2021 AYF’s theme of “Building a Sustainable Future, Together”, the recommendations were focused on future-proofing ASEAN, building collective resilience, and leveraging digital solutions for sustainable global progress.

“The global community today has to address challenges that are not constrained by borders. By working together, we can share our knowledge and expertise to solve multifaceted issues. I encourage our Youth Fellows to build partnerships across the region and create a greener and more resilient future for ASEAN,” said David Chua, Chief Executive Officer, NYC Singapore.

Over five days, the 33 fellows took part in a series of dialogues that explored innovations in public health management. They had the opportunity to interact with distinguished thought leaders and public office holders, including the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, Trần Đức Bình, who shared his views on the importance of fostering an ASEAN identity, youth empowerment in ASEAN’s development agenda, and furthering people-to-people ties among ASEAN youths.

“I enjoyed hearing from senior policymakers and experts who shared valuable insights into the pressing issues the region faces today and opportunities that youth can contribute to driving changes, especially in the areas of sustainability, innovation, and regional partnerships,” Tracy Nguyễn, 2021 ASEAN Youth Fellow from Việt Nam said. 

Vietnamese tourism introduced at Miss Grand International

Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, who finished among the Top 5 of Miss Vietnam 2018, has sent a video clip showcasing the nations splendor to the organising board of Miss Grand International in an effort to promote the Vietnamese tourism industry. 
 
Under the topic of “Travel in a new way to live with COVID-19”, the Vietnamese beauty aims to highlight positive images of the nation after two years of battling against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-minute video clip, which has been uploaded on the official fanpage of the beauty pageant, started with the image of Tien donning a splendid evening gown. The video then shows a number of beautiful landscapes from throughout the country from north to south.

It also features several charitable activities joined by Tien to support pandemic-hit people and highlights the nation’s efforts in the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following this, Tien appears in an ao dai, Vietnamese traditional dress, to introduce the country’s tourism as it is gears up to once again welcome foreign tourists.

Tien is scheduled to leave for Miss Grand International on November 16, with the final night set to take place in Thailand on December 4.

Vietnam contestant to claim top spot at Miss World 2021: Sash Factor

Do Thi Ha, the Vietnamese representative at Miss World 2021, is anticipated to be named the winner of the 70th global pageant this year, according to predictions made by beauty website Sash Factor of the Philippines. 

In the website’s third leaderboard, Ha was followed by contestants from Colombia and Venezuela, respectively.

The other contestants to make the Top 10 list include those from South Africa, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Poland.

The recent rankings therefore indicate the progress the Vietnamese girl has made in the global beauty stage. During the second leaderboard, the Thanh Hoa - born girl finished 13th, while the leading positions went to the beauties from Colombia and Venezuela.

Simultaneously, the world’s leading beauty website Missosology also placed the Vietnamese girl in seventh position in its hot picks, giving her plenty of confidence ahead of Miss World 2021.

The 70th Miss World pageant is scheduled to get underway in Puerto Rico between November 21 and December 16.

At present, a total of 101 contestants worldwide have registered to compete for the crown, with contestants set to participate in the Top Model, Head to head challenge, and sports events.

Hanoi leader highly values WB’s support for local development

Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung appreciated the World Bank (WB)’s aid for the capital while receiving WB Country Director for Vietnam Carolyn Turk on November 2.

The host described the WB’s assistance as a major contribution to local development, noting that Hanoi always views the bank as an important partner which has not only served as a provider of capital for projects but also helped improve investors’ capacity and assisted the city in accessing sources of advanced knowledge in the world.

The 11 programmes and projects funded by the WB, with total value of about US$269 million, have been completed and proved effective, Dung noted.

Hanoi is ready for a stage of breakthrough development so as to become a green, civilised, modern, and smart city with fast and sustainable growth. To that end, it will need foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA) capital, and concessional loans, and the WB will be one of the large sponsors, according to the official.

He added that as Hanoi will face numerous challenges during the development process, including those related to planning, wastewater treatment, air pollution, traffic infrastructure, digital administration building, and relic preservation, every financial support and technical project is very important.

WB Country Director Turk held that the issues mentioned by Dung are results of Hanoi’s fast development over the past years, noting it’s now the right time for the city to deal with barriers before these problems become more difficult and complex.

She suggested working groups between the two sides be set up and regular meetings be held to review outcomes of each group’s performance, affirming that the WB is willing to help the city to take future steps.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed many affairs of common concern, including air pollution, wastewater and solid waste treatment, the construction of some urban rail routes, the mechanism for allocating capital among the localities in the Capital Region, and smart city building.

Dung expressed his hope that the Hanoi - WB cooperation will become stronger through the implementation of projects, thus contributing to the city’s sustainable development.

European Day of Languages 2021 to be held virtually

The tenth European Language Day will be held virtually via the Gather platform on November 6 due to the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC).

The event will feature the participation of eight countries and territories including Poland, Italy, Spain, Romania, France, Germany, Britain, and Belgium (Wallonie-Bruxelles).

On the 10th European Day of Languages, people who love European languages will have the chance to explore the differences between the languages and cultures in Europe through short language classes in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian and Spanish.

The Wallonie-Bruxelles delegation in Vietnam, who are among the founders of the EUNIC Vietnam, will provide mock classes in French as well as information about studying abroad in the Francophone region of Belgium.

The annual European Day of Languages will be an opportunity for people who are interested in the languages, culture, international exchanges, and studying abroad in the continent.

The participants can transform into characters and experience in a creative virtual world via Gather. A wide variety of interesting activities will be held within the programme, with many surprising gifts from the organisers.

New Covid cases spike in many Mekong Delta provinces

Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Can Tho, An Giang and Kien Giang in the Mekong Delta have tightened restrictive measures as they have seen a big spike in new Covid-19 cases.

Bac Lieu Province is now at extremely high risk of Covid transmission, or at level 4 (red zone). Over the past three days, Bac Lieu Province has reported 1,200 new cases, a record high in the province as of now. Of them, there are 459 cases whose source of transmission remains unknown.

The province yesterday detected over 380 new cases, including 167 with unknown sources of infection. The transmission risk color of Gia Rai Town and Bac Lieu City turns red.

Gia Rai Town remains the biggest coronavirus hotspot with 57 cases linked to three fisheries firms, followed by Bac Lieu City with 51 cases, reported the local media.

Provincial chairman Nguyen Van Thieu raised the Covid transmission risk level in Bac Lieu from 2 (yellow) to 4 (red), or from moderate to extremely high risk, starting today, November 2.

The Bac Lieu leader asked all of the frontline workers to closely coordinate with a special task force dispatched by the HCMC-based Cho Ray Hospital to slow the spread of the high contagious Delta coronavirus variant. Areas at extremely high risk were also urged to set up Covid checkpoints.

Bac Lieu has reported more than 3,600 cases in the fourth wave of infections, with nearly 1,200 of them having recovered and 29 dead. The province has vaccinated over 424,000 people, with some 105,000 of them fully vaccinated.

The neighboring province of Soc Trang yesterday reported nearly 200 new infections, sending its total so far to over 5,500, with almost 3,600 of them having recovered and 49 dead. Given a big rise in locally-infected cases in recent days, Soc Trang’s chairman Tran Van Lau declared the province’s transmission risk at Level 2 starting today, from the previous Level 1 (low risk), which represents green color.

As for its Covid immunization rates, more than 84% of people 18 and older in Soc Trang have got their first shots, and over 16% have been fully inoculated.

In Can Tho City, it reported a major spike in new cases yesterday, at 434, according to the city’s health authority. It also recorded a triple-digit number in fresh cases two days ago.

Since July 8, its tally has surpassed 8,000 cases, with some 6,100 of them discharged from hospitals and 101 dead.

Over the past few days, Can Tho detected many major infection clusters at the Can Tho Central General Hospital, some locations in Ninh Kieu and Cai Rang districts and two seafood processing plants in the Thot Not and Tra Noc industrial parks.

Similar to Soc Trang, Can Tho also adjusted its transmission risk from Level 1 to Level 2 from yesterday.

Up to now, 93% of people 18 and older in Can Tho have been given the first shots and 27% have got the second shots.

In An Giang Province, it reported over 1,900 new cases last week. Yesterday, it witnessed the highest single-day rise in new cases with more than 340. Its Long Xuyen City decided to tighten anti-virus measures, asking eateries to stop dine-in services. Local people in the province were also asked to refrain from going out for non-essential purposes from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

An Giang took the third place in cases in the delta, with over 11,000 cases in total, just after Long An and Tien Giang.

As for Kien Giang Province, it saw nearly 1,400 new cases last week, soaring over 200% week-on-week. It also recorded the highest daily spike of new cases yesterday, at 469. Among the localities that reported a growing number of fresh cases, Rach Gia City has raised the transmission risk in many areas citywide from Level 3 to Level 4.

Govt gives green light for resumption of int’l commercial flights

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has approved in principle the resumption of international regular commercial flights from/to countries and territories deemed safe from Covid-19 and practicing appropriate anti-pandemic measures.

The deputy prime minister asked the Ministry of Transport to submit a plan on the resumption to the Government before November 5.

The Government Office issued a document announcing Deputy PM Minh’s directions on applying the Covid-19 vaccine passports and other measures to facilitate the entry of foreign experts into Vietnam to serve the country’s socioeconomic development. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also assigned to work with partners to accelerate the mutual recognition of vaccine passports.

In addition, the Ministry of Health was asked to issue Vietnam’s vaccine passport form before November 5.

Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said Vietnam had provisionally recognized Covid-19 vaccination record cards, also known as vaccine passports, issued by 72 countries and territories and is discussing the issue with nearly 80 others.

HCMC: Covid-19 epidemic situation is improving

Many districts in HCMC have seen a positive change in the Covid-19 alert level compared to the last week, said Deputy Head of the HCMC Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai at a periodic conference on the city’s pandemic situation on November 1.

The city is at the Covid-19 alert level 2 with the “green zone” rate accounted for 45 percent. Thu Duc City and 13 districts come into the level 1, equivalent to the low-risk “green zone” while nine others are at the level 2, equivalent to the medium-risk “orange zone”.

According to Deputy Director of the HCMC Center for Diseases Control Nguyen Hong Tam, more than 7.6 million people had the first vaccine dose and 5.7 million person received the second dose.

Thu Duc City and 19 districts have completed 100 per cent first dose vaccination for people aged 18 and over, followed by Can Gio (99 percent), Go Vap (99 percent), and District 10 (96 percent).

Five districts of 5, 7, 11, Cu Chi and Phu Nhuan reached 100 percent of people fully vaccinated.

Regarding to Covid-19 vaccination plan children aged 12-17, the city has inoculated more than 445,000 students.

The municipal Department of Health has also proposed the Ministry of Health to approve to give the third dose of Covid-19 vaccines to the frontline workers and people who are at higher risk of severe disease, added Head of the Office of the city’s Department of Health Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai.

The departments of Health, Education, and Training with the support of the municipal People’s Committee have prepared the in-person learning plan. In addition, the HCMC’s health sector has gradually halt the operation of Covid-19 treatment field hospitals after putting the pandemic under control, and return 236 schools, universities, colleges, dormitories and apartment buildings that had been requisitioned as field hospitals and healthcare facilities to their original functions by November.

Vietnam-France ties built on important accumulation in quantity, quality: Diplomat

Vietnam and France have shared a strongly growing relationship on the foundation of long traditional ties and deep connections in history and culture, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang has said.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to France from November 3-5, Ambassador Thang noted that France was one of the first countries to set up diplomatic relations with Vietnam after the signing of the Paris Agreement in 1973.

He highlighted important milestones in the bilateral relations, and stressed that currently, France is one of the leading partners of Vietnam in Europe as well as in the world.

According to the ambassador, France has attached importance to Vietnam’s position in the region as well as its strategies and policies in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific region. He said the formation of the bilateral strategic partnership in 2013 not only reflected the close ties that have been built and developed in many decades, but also manifested both sides’ wish and determination to further lift up their relationship with a long-term vision and stability.

The coordination between the two sides in international issues and at important multilateral forum has been close, said the diplomat, adding that both sides have regularly exchanged viewpoints on matters related to regional security and shared the views on respect for international law, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, maritime and aviation freedom, the ensuring of peace, security and the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures.

Ambassador Thang underscored that Vietnam and France boast favourable conditions to further beef up their partnership. Authorised agencies and partners of both sides should seek ways to build on the outcomes of the bilateral partnership and effectively implement orientations defined by leaders of the two countries to deepen the bilateral cooperation.

Thang said that the overall objective of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to France is affirming Vietnam’s external policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, diversification and multilateralisation of international relations, and fostering and deepening the Vietnam-France strategic partnership.

The visit is another step in Vietnam’s vaccine diplomacy, he stated, adding that during the visit, Vietnam will mobilise support in equipment, medical supplies for COVID-19 prevention and control and seek cooperation in post-pandemic recovery./.

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