Hanoi lured over 5.1 million tourists in the first ten months of this year, an increase of 28.5% over the same period last year.

Of the total, over 3.5 million were foreigners, up 37% year-on-year, including 416,600 from the Republic of Korea, 407,000 from China, 221,400 from the US and 215,500 from Japan.

Meanwhile, the number of domestic holidaymakers during the period hit more than 1.5 million, up 13% over the same period last year.

In October alone, the capital city welcomed 586,000 tourists, up 18.1% month-on-month and 16.8% year-on-year. Of them, there were 405,000 foreigners, up 26.5% and 19.1% respectively. Meanwhile, domestic visitors totalled 181,000, up 2.8% and 12.1%.

Dang Huong Giang, Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, said that the city is taking measures to promote its tourism. Travel agencies and hotels are offering many attractive stimulus programmes to attract tourists, especially during the Christmas and New Year celebrations./.

PM Pham Minh Chinh attends 8th Greater Mekong Subregion Summit in China

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh joined leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and China, as well as the Asian Development Bank leadeship to attend the opening ceremony of the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Kunming, China, on November 7 morning.

The summit, themed “Towards a Better Community through Innovation-driven Development,” is expected to discuss past cooperation, challenges and future directions for stronger economic cooperation and regional integration.

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit is an important conference aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and sustainable development in the region. Supported by the Asian Development Bank, the GMS mechanism initiated in 1992 brings together six countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China (specifically the Yunnan and Guangxi provinces).

The objective of GMS is to promote economic growth, reduce poverty, and create development opportunities through cross-country cooperation in critical areas such as infrastructure, energy, trade, climate change response, and water resource management.

Vietnam joined the GMS initiative in 1992 as one of the founding members. It has since played a significant role in shaping the cooperation framework, which aims to enhance economic development, regional connectivity, and environmental sustainability across the Mekong region.

ASEAN backs UN’s efforts in combating fake news, disinformation

The United Nations (UN) Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (Fourth Committee) held its 17th plenary session in New York on November 5, focusing on information issues.

Participants emphasised the pressing challenges of fake news and disinformation, especially concerning armed conflicts, climate change, and rising sea levels. They also reiterated the need to safeguard information integrity, highlighting the pervasive spread of false information, particularly online.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, affirmed ASEAN’s support for the UN’s role in upholding information integrity and addressing the global misinformation crisis. ASEAN urged the UN to prioritise clear, timely, evidence-based, and transparent public communications, integrating it into strategic management.

Giang said that Vietnam underscores the importance of accurate, transparent communication from the UN to counter misinformation worldwide. He advocated for a central role in integrating reliable information into strategic management and highlighted the UN's need to address misinformation, hate speech, and incitement.

Representatives from ASEAN member states also called for enhanced digital strategies to support the Sustainable Development Goals, stressing the urgency of improving resilience against cyber threats and attacks on essential information infrastructure. ASEAN’s ongoing efforts, including the 2023 Da Nang Declaration on Communications, aim to build a secure, people-centered information ecosystem aligned with ASEAN values.

In support of these goals, the UN’s “Global Principles for Information Integrity” were released in July, promoting societal trust, public empowerment, media independence, and transparency as pillars for a healthy information environment.

Vietnam and Czech Republic to foster comprehensive cooperation

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan’s coming visit to the Czech Republic at the invitation of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala is expected to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Duong Hoai Nam.

Nam told Prague-based VOV correspondents that the November 13-16 visit holds special significance as it represents a concrete step towards implementing the foreign policy outlined by the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The visit takes place at a pivotal moment when Vietnam is entering a new era marked by the country’s aspirations for growth and advancement on the global stage, he said.

During the visit, the Vietnamese Vice President is expected to meet with the top leaders of the Czech Republic to discuss ways to advance comprehensive cooperation in various areas, including political and diplomatic relations, cooperation in economics-trade-investment, science and technology, innovation, education and training, culture-sports-tourism, and sustainable development, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Orientations to be outlined will help deepen existing cooperation mechanisms, explore additional potential areas for partnership, and open up new opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, said the diplomat.

In its 2023 economic strategy, the Government of the Czech Republic considers the Asia-Pacific region and Vietnam in particular key priorities for advancing diplomatic relations and promoting trade and investment cooperation. This strategy was put into action through Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s visit to four Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, in April 2023.

Statistics unveiled by the Czech Republic show, two-way trade between the two countries reached US$2.9 billion in 2023, marking a 19% increase compared to the previous year. It is projected that in 2024, bilateral trade will continue to grow significantly, potentially hitting US$3.8 billion, a 28% increase from 2023.

The Czech Republic is regarded as the heart of Europe, with a strategic position in the region and a significant influence within the European Union. Meanwhile, Vietnam, for its part, enjoys a favourable geographic location as a gateway for global trade routes and air transport, as well as being a key player in ASEAN. With 16 free trade agreements already in effect and many others under negotiation, Vietnam is ready to act as a bridge to strengthen the Czech Republic’s ties with the Asia-Pacific region.

To fully capitalize on the benefits brought by the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and further enhance cooperation in areas with great potential, both sides need to prioritize starting negotiations and signing a new education and labour agreement. They should also work to establish a direct flight route between Hanoi and Prague, expand cooperation into areas like green transformation, digital transformation, renewable energy, and mining, suggested the diplomat.

PM’s trip to promote cooperation among Vietnamese, Chinese localities

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working sessions in China are expected to contribute to promoting the friendly neighbourliness and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries as well as the “Vietnam-China Community with a shared future that carries strategic significance” ,making bilateral ties deeper, more comprehensive, and sustainable.

The sessions are made in parallel with his attendance at the 8th Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Summit, the 10th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, and the 11th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) Cooperation Summit in China from November 5-8.

Vietnam and China set up their diplomatic relations on January 18, 1950. Over the past 74 years, the main stream in Vietnam-China relations is friendship and cooperation.

In 2008, the two countries elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, the highest cooperation framework with most extensive and deepest content in Vietnam’s relations with other countries. China was the first country to share such partnership with Vietnam.

Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, the Vietnam-China relations have maintained stable development momentum and achieved positive results. After the historic visits by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (October 2022) and Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping (December 2023), the two Parties and countries have defined new positioning for bilateral relations, continuing to deepen and elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

They have worked to build the Vietnam-China Community of shared future that carries strategic significance, providing strong impetus for both sides to continuously consolidate and strengthen their friendly relations and comprehensive cooperation. The two countries have outlined “six major” directions, namely higher political trust, more practical and deeper defence - security cooperation, more substantive and deeper cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better control and settlement of differences.

Particularly, the China visit by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in August 2024 marked a new milestone in bilateral relations. During the visit, the two countries issued a joint statement on further strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building a Vietnam-China community with a shared future, while ministries, sectors, and localities of the two sides signed many cooperation agreements in various fields.

Economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Vietnam and China has continuously deepened and become more substantial. Bilateral trade turnover reached 171.9 billion USD in 2023, and 148.6 billion USD in the first nine months of 2024. China remains Vietnam's largest trade partner and the second-largest export market, while Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN and the fifth-largest globally.

Regarding investment, as of October 2024, China's total registered FDI in Vietnam hit 29.9 billion USD, with 4,965 projects underway, making China the sixth largest among the 148 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

The two countries have actively coordinated at multilateral forums to promote peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and the world as well as ASEAN's central role, the adherence to the United Nations Charter, and the implementation of international law.

Cooperation among localities, especially border provinces and areas of the two countries, has been continuously strengthened through various forms. During his trip to China from November 5-8, in addition to participating in the 8th GMS Summit, the 10th ACMECS Summit, and the 11th CLMV Summit, PM Chinh is scheduled to visit and carry out important activities in Yunnan province and Chongqing city.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai, this reflects the continuation of the tradition of high-level exchanges between the two Parties and two countries, as well as the strong emphasis placed by the Party, State, and the Government of Vietnam on the Vietnam-China relationship, especially the implementation of the high-level perceptions and agreements signed between the two sides from the perspective of localities. This promotes localities to optimise their potential and advantages as well as supplementary advantages, expanding and improving the effectiveness and quality of cooperative areas, benefiting both sides and heading to the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the "Year of Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchange" in 2025.

Ambassador Mai said that over the years, Vietnam and China’s Yunnan province have shared strong cooperation, especially in economy and trade. In the first eight months of 2024, two-way trade reached 2.09 billion USD, an increase of 30.31% compared to the same period last year.

In the future, Yunnan and Vietnamese localities will continue to expand and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in areas such as delegation exchanges, economic trade and investment, border gate development, transportation connectivity, border management, and tourism. Additionally, with their geographical proximity, long-standing tradition of friendly relations, and cultural similarities, the two sides will carry out more cultural exchange activities. These efforts will help strengthen friendly relations and mutual understanding between the peoples, particularly those in the border areas of both countries.

Meanwhile, Chongqing is an important economic development centre in the western region of China. The locality is where President Ho Chi Minh used to live in and has welcomed many Vietnamese Party and State leaders.

Since 2019, Vietnam has been the largest trade partner of Chongqing among the ASEAN countries. In the first seven months of 2024, the import-export turnover between Vietnam and Chongqing reached 3.03 billion USD, including Vietnam's exports of 1.88 billion USD.

By the end of July 2024, Vietnam had operated five investment projects in Chongqing with a total capital of 8.1 million USD. Meanwhile, Chongqing had invested in 22 projects in Vietnam with 296 million USD. Vietnamese localities and Chongqing still have significant potential to further deepen and make their cooperation more substantial in many areas such as infrastructure connections, trade, high-tech industries, green transition and digital transformation, as well as tourism./.

Vietnam backs UNGA reforms towards efficiency, transparency: Diplomat

Vietnam supports the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)’s reforms aimed at enhancing the efficiency and transparency of this organisation’s operations, Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, deputy head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), said on November 6.

Addressing the UNGA’s debate on this issue in New York, Nguyen stressed that reforming its operations is crucial in improving the UN’s overall effectiveness and strengthening its ability to respond to growing global challenges.

The reform must align with the UN Charter, international law, and efforts to promote multilateralism, solidarity, and international cooperation, while avoiding politicisation and confrontation, he noted.

The Vietnamese representative affirmed backing for strengthening the role of the UNGA in maintaining international peace and security and enhancing its relationship with other key UN bodies, including the UN Security Council.

Vietnam supports the General Assembly’s reform that upholds principles of transparency and inclusiveness, particularly in the selection and appointment of the UN Secretary-General, co-chairs, and coordinators of General Assembly processes, with gender and geographical balance taken into account, said Nguyen.

Vietnam is committed to making active contributions to the activities of the Special Working Group on the UN General Assembly reform during the 79th session, added the diplomat.

At the meeting, representatives from participating countries emphasised the UNGA’s central role in policy-making and advancing major agendas as the UN’s most representative body. They also shared perspectives on ways to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its operations, as the UN is approaching its 80th anniversary./.

Vietnam proactively raises initiatives within CLMV

Since the establishment of the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) cooperation mechanism, Vietnam has consistently acted as an active and responsible member, making significant contributions to the mechanism.

Vietnam actively proposes and implements new ideas, contributing to building important documents, initiating and promoting projects, and providing development support for member countries, including the CLMV Scholarship Fund which provides 20 scholarships each year to students from CLMV countries to foster high-quality human resources training for the sub-region.

The country plays a coordinating role in several specialised cooperation areas, including human resources development, information technology and communications, trade, and investment. It has taken many practical activities to promote comprehensive cooperation among the CLMV countries, such as organising annual trade promotion fairs.

It also demonstrates its leading role in actively promoting cooperation among countries for the common development in the region, and deepening Mekong cooperation in a more substantive and effective direction.

Vietnam successfully hosted the 4th CLMV Summit in Hanoi in November 2008, and the 8th edition in Hanoi in October 2016.

At the 4th CLMV Summit, leaders of the member countries agreed on orientations to promote cooperation in trade and investment, transportation, agriculture, industry and energy, tourism, and human resources development. They also encouraged the engagement of the private sector and businesses from the four countries in the cooperation process.

They agreed to facilitate and promote investment and business collaboration among enterprises of the CLMV member countries in the fields of processing industries, mining, hydropower, infrastructure development, services, and logistics. The countries highly valued Vietnam’s initiative to establish the CLMV scholarship programme. The leaders approved a list of 58 CLMV cooperation projects and assigned senior officials to develop a list of priority projects for funding and a detailed implementation roadmap.

In the 8th CLMV Summit, leaders of the CLMV countries agreed to assign economic ministers to work closely with the ASEAN Secretariat and consulting units to develop the CLMV development framework and report it to senior leaders for approval. This document serves as a strategic orientation for economic cooperation among CLMV countries, which was developed for the first time since the inception of the CLMV cooperation mechanism.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working visit to China from November 5 - 8 to attend the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit, the 10th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, and the 11th CLMV Summit, and have bilateral activities in China holds a great significance, carrying a message that Vietnam always attaches importance and actively contributes to advancing cooperation mechanisms in the Mekong sub-region in general, and CLMV cooperation in particular.

According to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Thanh Binh, this series of events in China brings together representatives of all the countries along the Mekong River, which are also Vietnam's close neighbours with traditional friendship. This is an important opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its goodwill for cooperation in an open spirit, strengthen mutual understanding, and deepen the friendly neighbourliness between Vietnam and other CLMV member countries, as well as promote comprehensive cooperation in economics, trade, and investment./.

Vietnam attends Euronaval 2024 in France

A Vietnamese delegation led by Rear Admiral Pham Nhu Xuan, Deputy Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy, is taking part in the 29th international naval defence exhibition Euronaval, held at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre in the suburbs of Paris on November 4-7.

The Vietnamese delegation visited areas displaying new equipment, technologies, and weapons of some major defence industry businesses of France such as Thales, Naval, and LaCroix.

Xuan also had meetings with Vice Admiral Vincent du Gardin, who is in charge of external affairs at the French Naval Command, and Brigadier General Caroline Salahun, Director for Asia-Pacific at the Directorate General of Armaments of the French Ministry of Armed Forces.

At the events, the two sides spoke highly of the results of the Vietnam - France defence ties, including naval cooperation.

The representatives of the French Naval Command and Ministry of Armed Forces said the outcomes of the Vietnamese delegation’s participation in Euronaval 2024 will help enhance defence cooperation between the two countries, including their navies.

The two sides agreed to step up naval exchanges, focusing on such areas as training, hydrography, the maintenance of French naval vessels’ visits to Vietnam, joint search and rescue exercises, maritime security, and some others of common interest.

Euronaval, created in 1968 for the French naval industry, has gradually opened up to European and then international manufacturers, becoming the global benchmark for naval defence.  

The biennial event presents the answers to the major naval and maritime challenges of the 21st century.

For over 50 years, it has attracted increasing attention from naval leaders. In 2022, the show welcomed 150 French and international delegations./.

Former Party, State leaders opine on draft documents for 14th National Party Congress

Former leaders of the Party and State contributed opinions to draft documents for the upcoming 14th National Party Congress at a conference organised by the Party Central Committee (PCC)’s Politburo and Secretariat in Hanoi on November 6.

Party General Secretary To Lam chaired the conference, which also saw the attendance of State President Luong Cuong, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Permanent member of the PCC's Secretariat and Chairman of the PCC's Inspection Commission Tran Cam Tu.

The congress is scheduled to take place in January 2026. In preparation, the PCC, Politburo, and Secretariat have organised numerous meetings focusing on the two critical tasks of drafting documents to be presented to and preparing personnel work for the congress.

At the conference, the former leaders opined on key draft reports, including the 13th PCC's Political report, a review report on the five-year implementation of the socio-economic development strategy for 2021–2030 and socio-economic development orientations and tasks for 2026–2030, a summary report on the party-building work and implementation of the Party Statutes, and a summary report on theoretical and practical issues of the socialist-oriented national renewal process over the past 40 years. Many delegates held that the draft reports were well prepared and thoroughly with many fresh perspectives. They suggested further editing to enhance conciseness and coherence in the documents. Some participants urged continuing to refine the draft Political report to better reflect profound changes in both the domestic and global context.

Speaking at the conference, Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the central theme of the congress's documents is advancing national development in the new era. He described the documents as the collective intellectual achievements of the Party, the people, and the army.

In response to specific suggestions, the Party chief clarified several points and requested the congress’s preparatory subcommittees to continue gathering opinions from former Party and State leaders, particularly on complicated and emerging issues to ensure the highest quality of the final drafts.

He noted that the work is crucial to unify new thinking and awareness, serving widespread discussions within the Party and creating a unified bloc of will and action to implement the 14th congress’s resolution./.

Legislators discuss draft law on amendments and supplements to seven laws

Lawmakers are debating a draft law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of seven laws and the draft Electricity Law as part of the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s ongoing 8th session in Hanoi on November 7.

In the morning, NA deputies will discuss the draft law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of seven laws, including the Law on Securities, the Law on Accounting, the Law on Independent Audit, the Law on State Budget, the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets, the Law on Tax Administration and the Law on National Reserves.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc will clarify issues raised by NA deputies.

Recent socio-economic changes have caused difficulties and obstacles to the implementation of legal documents on finance. In that context, the Government and the Ministry of Finance have urgently reviewed, summarised and assessed the implementation of laws in the field of finance and budget and found that the seven laws need to be amended and supplemented.

According to Phoc, on October 18, the Government proposed shortened procedures to the NA for the draft law that amends and supplements a number of articles of the finance-related seven laws.

Le Quang Manh, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Finance and Budget, said that his committee, the Economic Committee and other NA agencies agreed on the necessity to amend and supplement the draft laws to remove difficulties and institutional obstacles in the fields of finance and budget, thus improving the investment and business environment, attracting state and non-state resources to promote the country's socio-economic development.

In the afternoon, the NA will discuss the draft Law on Electricity (amended).

The 2004 Law on Electricity has been amended and supplemented four times in 2012; 2018; 2022 and 2023 with the latest version took effect in July this year. However, after nearly 20 years of implementation, there are still some issues that the provisions of the law have not met, and it is necessary to amend and supplement them to fully institutionalise the Party's policies and guidelines in the Politburo's Resolution No. 55-NQ/TW dated February 11, 2020 on the orientation of Vietnam's national energy development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045 as well as other resolutions and legal systems./.

Government leaders hail progress of Vietnam - Cambodia relations

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh engaged in a bilateral meeting with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet in Kunming city, China, on November 6.

The event took place on the sidelines of the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit, the 10th Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, and the 11th Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar - Vietnam (CLMV) Cooperation Summit.

PM Chinh offered congratulations to his counterpart, leaders, and people of Cambodia on the country’s 71st National Day (November 9, 1953 - 2024) along with recent socio-economic development achievements. He voiced his belief that Cambodia will reap even more significant and comprehensive attainments in the time ahead.

He stated that the traditional solidarity, cohesion, and mutual assistance between Vietnam and Cambodia are a precious asset and an important factor in each country’s struggle for national liberation in the past as well as national development at present.

He also conveyed regards from Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to the Party and State leaders of Cambodia.

Meanwhile, PM Hun Manet congratulated Vietnam on its breakthrough achievements, particularly in socio-economic affairs, saying he believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, led by General Secretary To Lam, it will obtain greater attainments in national construction and development.

The two PMs noted with satisfaction the progress in the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability between their countries, applauding the maintenance of frequent mutual visits and meetings at all levels.

They agreed to strengthen defence - security cooperation, closely work together to fight and thwart hostile forces’ plots to sabotage or drive a wedge into the two countries’ relations, encourage and create favourable conditions for investment and business activities of the countries’ enterprises, and strive to raise bilateral trade to 20 billion USD in the near future.

They also pledged to boost transport connectivity, especially in border areas, to facilitate cross-border trade and people-to-people connections between border provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia.

PM Chinh asked the two sides to accelerate border demarcation and marker planting in remaining areas.

In addition, the two sides agreed to increase exchanges and meetings between young leaders and young people of the countries to deepen mutual understanding and trust. They will also pay special attention to and promote cooperation in education and communications to improve younger generations’ awareness of the traditional solidarity and mutual assistance between the two nations.

The PMs underlined the historical significance and value of the Vietnam - Cambodia - Laos relations, noting that cooperation mechanisms among the three countries will be maintained for the sake of the countries’ people as well as peace, stability, and development in the region and the world at large.

PM Chinh accepted with pleasure his Cambodian counterpart’s invitation to pay an official visit to the neighbouring country./.

Prime Ministers of Vietnam, Laos meet in Kunming

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone pledged closer cooperation in multiple areas between the two countries at their meeting in Kunming city, China, on November 6.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit, the 10th Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, and the 11th Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar - Vietnam (CLMV) Cooperation Summit.

Mentioning the important outcomes of his meeting with Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on the fringe of the expanded BRICS Summit in Russia on October 23, PM Chinh said frequent meetings between Vietnamese and Lao leaders reflect the unique close-knit bonds between the two countries.

He also conveyed regards from Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to leaders of Laos.

On behalf of the Lao Party and people, PM Sonexay thanked the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for their wholehearted support and assistance to Laos to fulfil the chairmanship of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2024, describing this success as the one of not only Laos but also both countries.

Laos is working to develop an independent and resilient economy, and it will cooperate closely with Vietnam in this process, he stressed.

At the meeting, the two PMs reviewed bilateral cooperation in the recent past, highlighting the close coordination between the two governments as well as efforts by the two countries’ ministries, sectors, and localities to implement the outcomes of the high-level discussions and agreements, especially the state visit to Laos by then State President To Lam in July and the session between the two Politburos in September this year.

The two sides agreed to carry out high-level agreements in a more active and effective manner while making the best preparations for the coming 47th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee.

They were unanimous in further intensifying the cooperation pillar of defence - security to guarantee solid sources of support for each other, and in continuing to maintain security and build a Vietnam - Laos borderline of peace, friendship, stability, and sustainable development.

The PMs also agreed to make more breakthroughs in economic and trade partnerships.

PM Sonexay affirmed that Laos always prioritises Vietnamese enterprises, especially those operating in such strategic fields as infrastructure, energy, high technology, and transport. He expressed his hope for enhanced connectivity between the two economies and cooperation to improve the legal systems for facilitate trade and investment activities.

Lauding both sides’ efforts to promote some key projects, PM Chinh asked them to sustain this positive trend and stay determined to thoroughly deal with obstacles for other important projects in accordance with the two Politburos’ directions. He also pledged to promote related Vietnamese agencies’ coordination with the Lao side.

Vietnam will continue assisting Laos to improve the quality of human resources, especially strategic-level officials and all-level managers, to help the latter meet development demands in the new period, he stated.

The two PMs concurred in implementing cultural collaboration more effectively and pressing on with communications about the traditional Vietnam - Laos relations among the public, especially young people. They also agreed to increase exchanging opinions and information in a timely manner, coordinate closely, and support each other in international and regional issues of common concern.

The Lao PM invited his Vietnamese counterpart to pay an official visit to Laos and co-chair the 47th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee in early 2025. PM Chinh accepted the invitation with pleasure./.

Prime Minister meets Chairman of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region ​

The Party and Government of Vietnam always value and support Vietnamese localities in strengthening cooperation with their Chinese peers, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Lan Tianli in Kunming, Yunnan, on November 6.

At the meeting held as part of the PM’s attendance at the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit and working trip to China, Chinh noted that Guangxi is where Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh conducted revolutionary activities for the longest period, and highlighted the support and assistance shared by the Chinese locality and Vietnam during the sides’ respective national liberation and development causes. Lan affirmed that Guangxi highly values its friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities, contributing to the overall relationship between the two Parties and nations.

The two sides praised the significant recent progress in Vietnam-Guangxi cooperation, particularly key achievements in all-level delegation exchanges, economic and trade collaboration, land border management cooperation, transport connectivity, opening and upgrading of border gates and people-to-people exchanges. Vietnam has maintained its position as Guangxi's largest trading partner for the past 25 years.

The PM expressed his hope that the two sides will continue to focus on their effective realisation of high-level perceptions in the time to come. He said the spring meeting programme between Party secretaries and the joint working committee meeting between Guangxi and Vietnam’s provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang should be fully leveraged.

He recommended expanding collaboration on key infrastructure projects, including the development of standard-gauge railway lines connecting Guangxi with Vietnam, and advancing a pilot model of smart border checkpoints. He also requested Guangxi further facilitate the import of Vietnamese goods, particularly farm produce. He welcomed Guangxi enterprises to expand investment in Vietnam, particularly in sectors like green agriculture, clean energy, and sustainable development.

The government leader called on the sides to expedite their research and development of a pilot cross-border economic cooperation zone and work together in digital economy, power, and clean energy. He emphasised the need for continued close coordination in border management as well as the upgrade and establishment of new pairs of border gates and crossings along the shared land border, as agreed upon by both sides. It is important to safely and efficiently operate the landscape site of Ban Gioc (Vietnam) - Detian (China) waterfalls, he added. Agreeing with the PM, the Guangxi leader pledged to promote cooperation between the region and Vietnam, deepen friendship exchanges with Vietnamese localities, and advance both road and rail connectivity. He also committed to quickly implementing pilot smart border checkpoints and stepping up measures to facilitate customs clearance.

Lan said he wishes to further expand the scale and quality of the sides’ trade and investment cooperation as well as improve their customs efficiency and collaboration on digital economy and electricity trading. He also stressed the importance of strengthening border management and enhancing cross-border crime prevention cooperation, contributing to deepening the two countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, bringing tangible benefits to their localities and people./.

Prime Minister receives ADB President in Kunming

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masatsugu Asakawa in Kunming on November 6, within the framework of his attendance at the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit and working trip to China.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people, Chinh thanked the bank for providing crucial funding for socio-economic development projects, and for its positive contributions to poverty reduction efforts in Vietnam.

Acknowledging the 30-year tradition of strong cooperation, he emphasised the need to further expand the scale of collaboration, proposing that the ADB continue to provide concessional loans for Vietnam’s emerging sectors such as digital transformation, green transition, cloud computing, and large-scale strategic infrastructure projects.

Expressing his hope that the Vietnamese Government will accelerate the disbursement of ADB funds for development projects, Masatsugu Asakawa spoke highly of Vietnam's important role in the GMS, wishing that Vietnam, as a founding member, will continue to actively participate in his bank’s programmes.

The bank is ready to support the Southeast Asian country in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, he stressed.

Thanking the ADB for consulting on several issues and supporting Vietnam in its period of renewal, Chinh said that the country is continuing to improve its institutions and streamline cumbersome processes and procedures, and considering borrowing bigger amounts to concentrate on large projects related to strategic infrastructure, climate change adaptation infrastructure, renewable energy, and emerging sectors.

He expressed his desire for ADB's attention to and funding for offshore wind power, standard railway, urban metro line, high-speed rail, and anti-erosion projects.

Vietnam hopes to receive experiences from ADB and its President in policy consultations, and in promoting sustainable growth and increasing the economy’s competitiveness, as well as their support for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the global supply chain.

Appreciating the potential for private sector economic development in Vietnam, the ADB President stated that the bank is facilitating loans to countries at lower interest rates, thereby contributing to mitigating the impact of climate change in the Southeast Asian nation./.

PM meets China’s Yunnan province official

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Wang Ning, member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Secretary of the Yunnan provincial Party Committee, in Kunming city on November 6 as part of his ongoing trip to the neighbouring country.

The two sides rejoiced at the positive developments of the relations between the two Parties and countries, and compared notes on measures to step up cooperation between Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities and Yunnan in the time ahead.

PM Chinh thanked Yunnan for its close and effective coordination in flood regulation, helping Vietnam mitigate damage caused by Typhoon Yagi in September.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and Government always support and facilitate cooperation between the two countries’ localities.

Highlighting potential and advantages for cooperation between Vietnam and Yunnan, the leader suggested the Chinese province take the lead in implementing high-level common perceptions and joint statements, and enhance exchanges with Vietnamese localities.

The PM called for efforts to raise Vietnam-Yunnan trade turnover to 5 billion USD and make Yunnan and Lao Cai centres for trade connectivity between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He also suggested piloting a smart border gate model, enhancing coordination in flood discharge regulation and disaster prevention, and streamlining procedures for Vietnamese citizens in Yunnan.

PM Chinh expressed his hope for close cooperation between the two sides in managing and protecting the border in accordance with the three land border agreements and related ones. He also emphasised joint efforts to mark 25 years since the signing of the Vietnam-China border treaty and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the three legal documents this year.

Agreeing with the Vietnamese leader’s proposals, Wang emphasised that Yunnan values its relations of friendship and cooperation with Vietnam and is ready to work closely with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities in Vietnam to implement the shared perceptions between Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and Party General Secretary To Lam, as well as the directions and proposals by PM Chinh.

He highlighted the need for the two sides to strengthen exchanges at all levels and enhance the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms, especially the mechanism of meetings among the Party Secretaries of the five provinces, deepening economic and trade cooperation, making the most of railway projects linking the two countries, and improving infrastructure connectivity both in railways and roads.

Wang said that his province hopes to promote cooperation with Vietnam in areas of the locality’s strengths such as green energy, distinctive plateau agriculture, and tourism.

Besides, Yunnan aims to bolster collaboration with Vietnam in economy, trade, border economy, and the development of advanced manufacturing sectors. The province is also keen on cooperation in personnel training, poverty reduction, environmental protection, and sustainable development, as well as health care, culture, and education, contributing to the consolidation of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he stated./.

Vietnam shows solidarity with Cuba in overcoming consequences of Hurricane Oscar

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, has expressed sympathy to Cuba over the immense losses and damage caused by recent Hurricane Oscar, affirming Vietnam's solidarity and friendship with the Government and people of Cuba in their recovery from the disaster and overcoming economic difficulties.

Addressing a briefing held by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on November 5 on the response to and recovery from Hurricane Oscar as well as the UN's response plan, Giang said that through bilateral channels, Vietnam has provided Cuba with 10,000 tonnes of rice.

Vietnam is ready to do its utmost to support the Cuban Government and people in overcoming the current challenges, the diplomat stated.

Stressing that Cuba has a long-standing tradition of humanitarian support, a country that always responds quickly, timely, and actively in giving assistance to other countries when they are in need, Giang said that this is the turn for the international community to help Cuba overcome its current difficulties.

According to the UN Resident Coordinator in Cuba Francisco Pichón, Hurricane Oscar, which struck on October 20, killed eight people, destroyed over 10,000 houses, and severely damaged infrastructure, schools, and hospitals, impacting the lives of nearly 500,000 people in Cuba's Guantanamo province. The hurricane hit the country at a time when Cuba was already facing significant socio-economic challenges and a nationwide power outage.

The UN has built a response plan that aims to raise 33 million USD to provide assistance to the needy, Pichón said, calling on the international community to give a helping hand to Cuba./.

Vietnam participates in efforts on sustainable management, exploitation of critical minerals: Ambassador

Vietnam stands ready to keep participating in efforts on sustainable management and exploitation of critical minerals, stated Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations.

Speaking at a session presenting a report of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals chaired by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed in New York on November 5, Giang emphasised that when energy transition becomes an inevitable trend, the intruction of international standards and guidelines on critical minerals is necessary to help developing countries benefit more from mineral exploitation and participate more equally in the value chain.

In addition, the countries can better take advantage of opportunities that the critical minerals bring to the energy transition and sustainable development.

The results of the panel’s work create a basis for promoting international cooperation to ensure a sustainable supply chain of critical minerals, he said, noting that it is also necessary to ensure the principle of respecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with the conditions and circumstances of each country.

Vietnam proposed that in order to implement the next steps, the UN needs to conduct consultation and discussion with member countries on the content of the report and continue to update the implementation process, he said.

The ambassador stressed that Vietnam has supported the Secretary-General’s initiative from the beginning, given the importance of the issue to the implementation of Vietnam’s climate action and the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

Vietnam stands ready to continue to actively participate in the next steps of this process./.

Vietnamese finswimmers dominate regional championship

Vietnamese competitors have grabbed nine golds and temporally topped the medal tally of the Southeast Asian Finswimming Championship 2024 in Cambodia.

On the second day of the competition, on November 3, Vu Dang Nhat Nam won in the men's 200m individual bi-fins event in a time of 1min 37.80sec. His teammate Nguyen Le Truyen Dat came second to take silver.

National leading athlete Nguyen Thanh Loc came first in the men's 50m surface, in a time of 15.79sec. The women's title also went to Vietnam after Cao Thi Duyen passed teammate Nguyen Thi Thao in the second to finish first after 18.55sec.

Two other golds went to the men's and women's 4x200m surface events.

After two days, Vietnam secured nine golds, nine silvers and two bronzes to place in the first position in the medal table.

Host Cambodia are second with two golds, two silvers and three bronzes, followed by Indonesia with one gold, one silver and one bronze.

The regional championship offers 25 sets of medal for both men's and women's individual, team and mixed team competitions. It will close on November 5 in Phnom Penh./.

HCM City steps up cooperation with Cambodian localities

Ho Chi Minh City is always one of the leading localities nationwide in implementing cooperative activities with Cambodia, contributing to preserving and strengthening the longstanding and traditional friendship and good neighbourliness between the two nations.

So said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan when extending greetings on the 71st anniversary of Cambodia's Independence Day (November 9, 1953 - 2024) at the Cambodian Consulate General in the city on November 6.

The official expressed his delight at the development of the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-lasting sustainability between Vietnam and Cambodia, especially in areas of diplomacy, politics, and economic cooperation, saying that HCM City hopes to collaborate closely with Cambodian partners and localities to promote mutual understanding and friendship, towards preserving and further strengthening the relationship between the two countries, as well as between HCM City and Cambodian localities.

The southern metropolis is willing to coordinate with Cambodian ministries, agencies, and localities to expand cooperation in education and training, promote trade, and seek investment cooperation opportunities between businesses and partners of the two sides, thus contributing to boosting the economic ties between the two countries, he noted.

Cambodian Consul General in HCM City Chan Sorykan expressed his delight at the fruitful development of the traditional Cambodia – Vietnam relationship, saying that this is reflected by recent high-level visits by the two nations’ leaders, as well as the positive outcomes in trade and investment ties in 2024.

Hailing cooperation proposals from the official, the Cambodian diplomat said he hopes that HCM City will continue implementing educational and training cooperation activities, and providing scholarships for Cambodian students, particularly for those in advantaged areas.

Cambodia wishes to work with HCM City in organising trade forums and investment-trade promotion conferences between localities of the two countries, he added.

He took the occasion to thank agencies of HCM City for their close cooperation with the Consulate General, showing his belief that the Cambodia-Vietnam friendship will continue to develop sustainably in the future./.

Disbursement for new-style rural area development on track

More than 9.66 trillion VND (308.46 million USD) from the central budget has been allocated to localities this year to implement the 2021-2025 national target programme on new-style rural area development.

The Ministry of Finance reported that most of the target localities have completed their disbursement, and that it is working on necessary procedures to seek the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee’s approval of the detailed allocation of the 369.56 billion VND in recurrent expenditure for 2024 to ministries and centrally-run agencies.

Statistics show that the total central budget earmarked during the 2021–2024 period stands at 32.265 trillion VND, meeting 77.4% of the funding target set for 2021–2025.

As of the end of June, over 2.8 quadrillion VND had been mobilised nationwide in support of the programme, with around 297.45 trillion VND soured directly from the state budget.

However, the Government said localities with many disadvantaged communes and districts like Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Son La, Dien Bien, and Kon Tum find it hard to balance or allocate sufficient local budget funds or mobilise other resources to implement the programme.

Additionally, some others have yet to take proactive steps in investment preparation, and their annual planning yet to align with the reality, leading to multiple adjustments during the implementation, thus hindering the disbursement work.

Under the programme, at least 80% of communes nationwide are expected to be recognised as new-style rural areas by 2025, around 40% of them projected to win the advanced new-style rural area title, and 10% exemplary new-style rural areas.

Notably, the average income of rural residents will increase by at least 1.5-fold compared with 2020.

Meanwhile, half of cities and districts will secure the new-rural area title and fulfil the target of new-style rural area building, with 20% to reach the advanced and model levels./.

Vietnam Water Week opens in Hanoi to improve environmental management

The Vietnam Water Week 2024 opened in Hanoi on November 6, under the theme: “Developing Vietnam’s Water Sector: Security, Safety, Efficiency and Integration”.

Chairman of the Vietnam Water Supply and Sewage Association (VWSA) Nguyen Ngoc Diep said that the theme presents a multi-dimensional vision and solutions aimed at promoting the sustainable and effective development of Vietnam's water sector, and aiding it to adapt to climate change.

As part of the Vietnam Water Week, four symposiums will be held, focusing discussions on the draft Law on Water Supply and Drainage; management and operation of sustainable water supply and drainage systems adapting to climate change; smart and efficient governance; and gender equality in the water sector.

Notably, the International Exhibition on Water Supply, Drainage, and Environmental Sanitation will take place within the framework of the programme, featuring nearly 150 booths displaying advanced, smart equipment and technologies from countries with developed water sectors such as Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the US.

This is an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to learn from, and share experiences and innovations, especially solutions that best align with the common goal of developing a safe, efficient, sustainable, and adaptable water sector, and enhancing resilience to the impacts of climate change, added Diep.

Deputy Minister of Construction Pham Minh Ha stated that, in recent years, Vietnam's water supply, drainage, and wastewater treatment services have improved significantly, creating favourable conditions for achieving socioeconomic development goals.

Currently, there are about 1,000 water supply plants with a total capacity of approximately 13.2 million cubic metres per day, and 82 centralised wastewater treatment plants with a total designed capacity of around 1.79 million cubic metres per day.

However, challenges remain in the management and development of water supply and drainage systems, Ha noted, stressing the need for Vietnam to innovate mechanisms, policies, and business organisational models to enhance proactivity, improve capacity, and increase service quality.

According to Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director of the International Water Association (IWA), Vietnam's journey towards water security and safe water supply has made remarkable progress over the past three decades, adapting to new challenges through resilience and innovation. With international support, the Vietnamese Government has shifted from focusing on essential water resource development to concentrating on resilience and adaptation to climate change, urban wastewater management, and sustainable growth.

With over 75 years of experience in promoting innovation and collaboration in the water sector, the IWA looks forward to building a relationship with the VWSA to strengthen ties with water experts in the region and encourage closer cooperation with IWA’s global network of water leaders, he emphasised.

At the Vietnam Water Week, a roundtable of the Southeast Asian Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN) with the Executive Director of the International Water Association will be held to discuss challenges and difficulties, and propose key issues of mutual interest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)./.

Ninh Thuan to complete building of sturdy homes for all poor households in 2025

The south-central province of Ninh Thuan has mobilised resources from organisations, individuals and businesses to build houses for poor and near-poor households that are struggling with having a safe home to live in.

The move is part of the locality’s plan to build 500 new houses for the needy in 2024, eliminating the situation of poor and near-poor people living in temporary, damaged, and deteriorating houses in 2025.

According to the provincial People’s Committee, right after the Prime Minister issued an official dispatch on the repair and construction of houses for the needy across the country, the province has rolled out measures to implement the scheme. It has assigned relevant agencies to establish a fund for the work to build better homes.

In 2024 and 2025, the province aims to support the repair and construction of 1,948 houses, including the building of 1,653 new houses and the repair of 295 existing dilapidated homes, with an estimated fund of over 205 billion VND (8.07 million USD).

Pham Thi Bich Ha, Vice President of the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee, said that with the engagement of the whole political system and community, the eradication of temporary and dilapidated houses for all poor households in the province is reachable.

The committee said that currently, Ninh Thuan has more than 1,600 households with difficulties in housing.

On the occasion of the "Month for the Poor," Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Tran Quoc Nam sent an open letter to businesses, donors and individuals in and outside the province, calling for their helping hand in building houses for poor and near-poor households, to provide them with stable living conditions.

In the 2023-2025 period, Ninh Thuan plans to build 1,243 houses for the needy. Last year, 243 houses were constructed, while 500 are expected to be built this year and the rest within 2025. The minimum support to the construction of each house is 100 million VND./.

Women’s seven-a-side football tournament to make national debut

Vietnam will for the first time have an official seven-a-side football tournament for women.

The Women’s Vietnam Premier League-Season 1, a seven-a-side football tournament to be known as Thien Khoi Cup, will be organised from November 9-17, featuring eight teams and many current and former national team players.

The WVPL-S1, announced in Hanoi on November 5, is an initiative from VietFootball, a pioneer in the development of seven-a-side football movement. It is strongly supported by the local authorities, the Vietnam Football Federation and title sponsor Thien Khoi Group.

“WVPL-S1 will be the beginning of the seven-a-side football tournament system for women, which is expected to develop as strongly as the men's," said Pham Ngoc Tuan, VietFootball General Director and head of the tournament's organising committee.

"We consider it the highest level playing ground for women and believe that it will inspire people to take part in the sport and promote women's football movement in the community.

"Our players will earn money while playing, while more and more supporters will pay attention to this sport and businesses would generously sign sponsorships," he said.

Teams will be divided into two groups, playing in round robin format. Two top teams of each group will advance to the quarter-finals at the VFF's Youth Football Centre.

The final match is scheduled on November 17 with a total prize bag of 2 billion VND (78,700 USD) delivered to the winners, runners-up and outstanding individuals.

“The Thien Khoi Cup contributes to creating a premise for developing the women's seven-a-side football movement. This is, in my opinion, a meaningful playground for not only women but also Vietnam," said former national team player Bui Thi Hien Luong, Head of the Football Department at the Sports Authority of Vietnam.

"I think that amateur sport is the basic foundation of elite sport. We are very happy to have pioneers as VietFootball, organising women's football tournaments to spread our passion. I hope there will be more sponsors and supporters for women's football."

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Xuan Quynh, the Thien Khoi Group's head of Culture and Sports Department, said: “At Thien Khoi, besides businesses, we always promote sports activities especially football.

"We believe that the WVPL-S1, the Thien Khoi Cup, is a good sign for women's football in Vietnam. This is also our honour when accompanying VietFootball in its first tournament's edition."/.

Cambodian province appreciates Tay Ninh police’s firefighting assistance

A delegation from Cambodia’s Tboung KhMum province on November 6 visited the Department of Public Security of the southern border province of Tay Ninh to express their gratitude to the latter’s support in putting out a recent fire in Ponhia Kret district.

Heading the delegation, Major General Sui Bun Hieng, a deputy director in charge of firefighting and explosives at Tboung KhMum's public security department, praised the Tay Ninh public security force’s timely rescue efforts, which prevented the November 3 blaze from spreading further.

Speaking at the meeting, Colonel Tran Van Luan, Deputy Director of the Tay Ninh Department of Public Security, said that the assistance reflected the strong cooperation, friendship, and solidarity between the two provinces, particularly in the field of firefighting and, more broadly, in security matters.

At around 8am on November 3, a fire broke out on the top and seventh floor of a casino in Tbuong Khmum province’s Ponhia Kret district. The Cambodian fire fighting force sent three fire trucks to the scene, but they were unable to extinguish the blaze and so sought assistance from the bordering province of Tay Ninh.

The Vietnamese side sent 15 officers and soldiers, and three fire trucks to the site. At the scene, three bedrooms on the floor were ablaze, with the fire covering around 80 sq.m. Smoke and toxic fumes had spread to the fourth, fifth and sixth floors. The Tay Ninh fire fighting police rescued four injured people, who had been trapped on the fifth and sixth floors.

The fire was put out at 1.30pm on the same day./.

Workshop looks to address environmental management issues in industrial areas

The State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) hosted a workshop in Hanoi on November 5, bringing together top auditors from ASEAN member states to share experience in handling environmental management challenges in industrial clusters and craft villages.

The event drew the participation of 40 delegates from members of the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI), including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines, and leaders from Vietnam's Nam Dinh and Ha Tinh provinces.

SAV Deputy Governor Ha Thi My Dung highlighted that the SAV identified limitations in environmental management and protection in industrial clusters and craft villages through its audits in Hanoi and Bac Ninh from 2019 to 2021 and Bac Giang, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh and Ha Tinh from 2020 to 2022.

The organisation then proposed measures to rectify violations in state environmental management and urged competent authorities to revise policies and regulations to make them align with practical need, she said.

She also underscored the significance of the workshop, stating it marked a significant step towards regional cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) while protecting the environment and maintaining the public sector’s accountability.

Meanwhile, Auditor General of Malaysia Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi, also Chairwoman of the ASEANSAI’s Knowledge Sharing Committee, said environmental protection is an ethical duty for every individual and organisation, adding the committee pledges to promote knowledge sharing to obtain the SDGs.

Participants at the event shared experiences and strategies to strengthen environmental auditing practices, particularly in areas transitioning from traditional craft to modern industrial production./.

New book reveals exiled Vietnamese emperor as artist in Algeria

The book “Ham Nghi – Exiled Emperor, Artist in Algeria” was launched on November 5 in Hue imperial city, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, shedding light on the exiled Vietnamese emperor’s artistic legacy.

The book was published in Vietnamese last month, as a 500-page volume, compiled by Dr. Amandine Dabat, Ham Nghi’s fifth-generation descendant. The book explores the dual identity of the emperor as a patriot and an artist during his exile in France and Algeria. Originally published in French by Sorbonne Press in 2019, the book features 71 pages of artwork, 12 pages of sculptures, and 68 pages of archival photographs and correspondence.

Dabat's research was drawn from two major collections: a private family archive of 2,500 documents, including Ham Nghi's personal correspondence during exile, and administrative records from the Algerian government stored at France's national overseas archives.

At the book launch, Ham Nghi's descendants donated several royal artifacts to the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum under the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, including mother-of-pearl inlaid wooden trays, royal chopsticks made of walrus ivory, and imperial porcelain items used during his reign./.

Binh Phuoc: wild pangolin handed over to forest rangers

A rare Sunda (Manis Javanica) pangolin, weighing 0.5kg, was handed over to forest rangers in Bu Gia Map district and Phuoc Long township in the southern province of Binh Phuoc on November 5.

One day earlier, while patrolling in a border area of Dak O commune, local police were alerted by residents to a pangolin spotted in a cashew garden. The police quickly secured the animal and completed the necessary handover procedures. The pangolin was healthy and uninjured.

On September 21, a pangolin was found in Bu Dang district and then handed over to the Bu Gia Map National Park Rescue Centre.

Pangolins are the most trafficked animal in the world. Vietnam is home to two pangolin species, namely Sunda and Chinese (Manis pentadactyla), both listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List. They are facing the threat of extinction./.

Exhibition to honour Vietnam's cultural and natural heritage

An exhibition on cultural and natural heritage, and traditional handicraft products will be held from November 22-26 in Vinh city, the central province of Nghe An, according to the Vietnam Culture and Art Exhibition Centre.

The event, to be jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the provincial People’s Committee, is part of activities to celebrate the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23) and to mark the 10th anniversary of Vi-Giam folk singing being recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The organisation board said that the exhibition aims to honour the values of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, relic sites and landscapes of Vietnam as well as affirm the potential for cultural tourism development, creating a strong impetus for tourism development, and enhancing the image and prestige of the country and its people.

Additionally, it will introduce traditional handicraft products from industrial and handicraft villages in the regions and encourages the creativity of artisans, thereby promoting the potential of craft village tourism and expanding relationships among craft villages and boosting their international economic integration.

At the event, there will be a space showcasing the attention President Ho Chi Minh and other Party and State leaders have paid to national cultural heritage through photos on their visits to cultural and natural heritage sites, and their directions on cultural heritage preservation and promotion.

The exhibition will display photos on Vietnam’s historical and cultural relic sites and scenic spots, particularly those honoured by UNESCO, and world biosphere reserves.

A variety of activities will take place within the framework of the event, including an exhibition on cultural characteristics of Vietnam’s ethnic groups and an Ao dai (traditional long dress) show.

Visitors to the exhibition can see calligraphy works featuring lotus and President Ho Chi Minh’s poems, and a performance of light sculpture.

Tourism potential and special products of 20 localities across the country will also be promoted, along with a Vietnam handicraft products competition./.

Thanh Hoa man detained for infringing upon State interests

Police in Nhu Xuan district, the central province of Thanh Hoa, have launched a probe into and temporarily detained a man for “abusing the rights to democracy and freedom to infringe on the State’s interests and rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals”.

On September 1 and 7, Bui Van Tuan, 41, residing in Nhu Xuan’s Binh Luong commune, reportedly used a Facebook account under the name “Tuan Dung” to livestream and deliver offensive remarks, spreading false information, distorting facts, slandering, defaming, and insulting certain high-ranking Party and State leaders, along with officials in the district.

Furthermore, he incited large gatherings to obstruct the operations of agencies and organisations during the implementation of projects in Nhu Xuan.

Upon learning about the case, competent forces collected documents and evidence and requested verification of the video clips the man had posted on Facebook.

The charge of “abusing the rights to democracy and freedom to infringe on the State’s interests and rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals” is stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 331 of the Penal Code./.

Training course opens for trade union cadres of Lao army

The General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) opened a training course on trade union affairs for officers of the Lao People’s Army (LPA) in Hanoi on November 5.

In his opening remarks, Colonel Nguyen Dinh Duc, who is in charge of the trade union affairs division at the General Department of Politics, highlighted that with the close and loyal relationship between the two countries, trade union cadres and members of the two armies have long upheld and promoted the traditions of their nations and militaries.

With a sense of dedication and responsibility, they have carried out many practical and effective activities to contribute to the special friendship between the Vietnamese and Lao armies, he said.

Duc affirmed that this training course reflects the special attention from the two countries' ministries of national defence, as well as the solidarity between trade union members of the VPA and the LPA.

During the month-long course, participants will engage in field trips to learn experiences related to organisation models and trade union activities in certain units and enterprises in Vietnam. They will also have a chance to visit some historical and cultural relics along with scenic spots.

The course is expected to help enrich their knowledge, skills, and expertise in the military trade union work, and grasp an insight into the history, culture, and people of Vietnam and the VPA./.

Young skaters vie for titles at national championship

Nearly 100 athletes are competing at the two-day National Junior Skating Championship in Hanoi.

They include athletes from the strong cities and provinces such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City as well as some Vietnamese overseas competitors.

Athletes will take part in two categories of speed skating and figure skating with a total of 28 sets of medals up for grabs.

Five international technical supervisors and judges from the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia will score the competitions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on November 2, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Culture and Sports, Pham Xuan Tai said through the tournament, scouts will recruit excellent athletes for the national team.

They will be trained to represent Vietnam for international tournaments such as Asian Winter Games in China, World Youth Figure Skating Championships, Asian Speed Skating Championships and the Southeast Asian Speed Skating Championships in 2025.

The 33rd SEA Games in Thailand next December is expected to have speed skating for the first time and Vietnamese athletes would have register to compete.

Prior to the competitions, the Skating Federation of Vietnam and the International Skating Union held a one-week training seminar for both coaches and athletes from October 25-31./.

Vietnam aims to produce innovative medicines

The Ministry of Health has proposed a policy to encourage the transfer of new and innovative drugs, aiming to create more opportunities for patients.

According to the ministry’s Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV), innovative drugs in Vietnam account for only about 3% of the total but represent up to 22% of the value and are primarily imported. Only a few medicines have been researched and produced domestically, or have had initial technology transfer for production.

The main reason is that most domestic pharmaceutical production facilities are currently small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have not prioritised investment in research, production, or the transfer of these drugs due to the substantial demand for financial resources, time, and high-quality human resources.

Investment in research and development also remains modest, focusing primarily on conventional drugs, not on research and production of modern pharmaceutical formulations, optimisation of formulas and production.

According to DAV General Director Vu Tuan Cuong, Vietnam encourages the production of generic drugs to ensure essential medicines, and that is why enterprises have not focused on researching and producing hi-tech drugs, new drugs, specifics, or innovative drugs.

He underlined the need to develop incentive mechanisms and policies to attract enterprises and investors, thus promoting investment in researching and developing new technologies for producing priority drugs as proposed in the draft amendment to the Pharmacy Law.

According to DAV, domestically produced drugs currently account for 70% of the quantity used but only about 45-50% in the value. The draft amendment to the Pharmacy Law has proposed regulations to encourage the production of innovative medicines and hi-tech dosage forms, rather than focusing on the production of generic drugs.

The authority reported that Vietnam has 230 pharmaceutical factories that meet GMP-WHO standards, with 20 of them meeting GMP-EU standards. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies Vietnam's pharmaceutical industry at Level 3, indicating its capability to produce generic drugs and partially self-sufficient in certain pharmaceutical products. In 2023-2024, the pharmaceutical market is hoped to reach 6.5 - 7 billion USD, with imports accounting for 3.5 billion USD.

Under the national strategy for developing Vietnam’s pharmaceutical industry to 2030, with a vision to 2045, the country aims to become a key hub for the manufacturing, processing, and technology transfer of brand-name drugs, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Additionally, the strategy seeks to elevate the domestic pharmaceutical industry to WHO Level 4, with its export value expected to reach 1 billion USD by 2030.

The strategy also targets domestic medicine production to meet about 80% of the country’s demand, representing 70% of the market value, and to produce 20% of the raw materials needed for the domestic drug production./.

Kien Giang strives to attract tourists to finish the year on high note

The southern province of Kien Giang is intensifying efforts to meet the anticipated surge in tourist demand during the final two months of the year.

Nguyen Chi Thanh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Tourism, said that the department has directed tourism firms to improve environmental sanitation, enhance the quality of tourism products and services and create tours featuring event-related experiences.

Kien Giang is focusing on maintaining current domestic and international flight routes to Phu Quoc, a key destination in the province and working with related sectors and airlines to establish new routes, bringing more visitors to the island.

The department has organised professional training for organisations and individuals involved in community-based, agricultural, and rural tourism. It has also conducted surveys on rural tourism businesses, other service establishments, and stores specialising in selling items under One Commune One Product (OCOP) Programme in U Minh Thuong, An Minh, and Hon Dat districts, and the cities of Rach Gia and Ha Tien.

In the first ten months of 2024, Kien Giang welcomed 8.8 million visitors, including 813,364 foreign tourists, generating 21.5 trillion VND (about 849 million USD) in revenue.

Phu Quoc, the island city, accounted for over 5.2 million tourists - around 60% of Kien Giang’s total visitors and contributed 17.9 trillion VND to tourism revenue.

The province currently has 967 accommodation facilities with over 34,000 rooms, including 25 establishments rated 4-5 stars with more than 11,900 rooms, effectively meeting tourist demand. Phu Quoc, in particular, offers a convenient, modern, and world-class lodging system.

This year, Kien Giang has hosted a variety of promotional, cultural, art, sports, and media events to boost tourism. Notably, Rach Gia City organized a traditional festival commemorating the 156th death anniversary of national hero Nguyen Trung Truc, drawing approximately 1.6 million visitors.

In the third quarter of 2024, Phu Quoc experienced a notable recovery in international tourism, welcoming many international flights. At the end of October, the island received two tour groups from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with 400 guests each, marking the return of the Eastern European tourism market and laying a foundation for growth in the coming year.

Quang Xuan Lua, Director of the Kien Giang Centre for Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion, noted that the arrival of these Eastern European tour groups after a year of effort opens up numerous opportunities for Czech and Slovak businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors to explore partnerships and investments in various fields on Phu Quoc Island./.

Long An: over 29,100 get measles vaccination

Over 29,100 people in the Mekong Delta province of Long An got measles jabs in the two rounds of immunisation campaign from October 16 - 22 at schools and in the community; and from October 27-31 at health stations, topping 72% of the set plan, according to Director of the provincial Department of Health Huynh Minh Phuc.

Those vaccinated are children aged 1 - 10, including transient living and studying in Long An, and healthcare workers and those at risk of contracting the disease at public/private healthcare facilities, who have not received the full two doses of measles vaccines.

As many as 737 vaccination points were organised in 188 communes, wards, and towns of 15 districts, townships and Tan An city, and hospitals, medical centres and health stations qualified for vaccination.

The vaccine used in the campaign is the combined measles-rubella produced by the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, which is available in vials of 10 doses, in lyophilised form with a diluent provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Long An has been supplied with 47,000 doses for the campaign.

As of mid-September 2024, in Long An, 230 suspected measles cases with fever and rash had been monitored. Among these, 94 cases tested positive, reported in 52 communes, wards, and towns in 14 districts and Tan An city that have not been vaccinated against measles. Four measles outbreaks were detected in the districts of Duc Hoa and Ben Luc.

The results of measles risk assessment in the 63 localities nationwide in accordance with WHO’s recommendations indicate that Long An is one of the seven localities with high risk, so the campaign primarily focuses on children who have not received the full two doses to prevent a widespread outbreak of measles in the locality, Phu said.

Long An is working hard to increase the rate of measles immunity in the community, proactively prevent epidemics, and reduce the incidence and mortality rates caused by measles, he noted./.

Tay Ninh helps Cambodia put out casino fire

The southern border province of Tay Ninh has helped Cambodia’s rescue teams in putting out a fire at a casino in Tbong Khmum province, saving four trapped employees, said the provincial police on November 4.

Around 8am of November 3, a fire broke out on the top and seventh floor of a casino in Tbuong Khmum province’s Ponhia Kret district, Cambodia.

The Cambodian fire fighting forces sent three fire trucks to the scene, but they were unable to extinguish the blaze and so sought assistance from the bordering province of Tay Ninh.

The Tay Ninh police sent 15 officials and three fire trucks over the border into Cambodia.

At the scene, three bedrooms on the floor were ablaze, with the fire covering around 80m2. Smoke and toxic fumes had spread to the fourth, fifth and sixth floors.

The Tay Ninh fire fighting police rescued four injured people, who had been trapped on the fifth and sixth floors.

The fire was put out at 1.30pm.

According to initial investigations, an electrical problem in one of the bedrooms was the cause of the fire.

Further investigations are underway./.

Int’l confab looks to develop skilled workforce for smart city development

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications and the Francophone University Agency (AUF) organised an international conference on November 4 discussing ways to branch out high-quality labour force for the southern economic hub’s smart urban development.

At the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan highlighted the socio-economic achievements that the city has carved out over the recent past as well as its goal to transform itself into a modern and smart metropolis by 2030, saying the city is envisaged to become a dynamic hub of finance, commerce, culture, education, and science-technology with deep international integration.

To that end, the city needs a digitally skilled workforce and innovation, the official said, noting HCM City's interest in collaborating with both domestic and international organiastions, especially the AUF, in breakthrough projects in the areas of health care, education, transport, and urban development, among others, so as to create new values for the community.

Director of the department Lam Dinh Thang said that the city has earmarked 1.22% of its budget for digital transformation initiatives, exceeding the national level of 1%, with various policies put in place such as fee waiver and reduction for online public services, along with incentives to attract experts and talents to the sector.

HCM City is aiming for the digital economy to contribute 25% of the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) by 2025 and 40% by 2030, he added, spotlighting several challenges that the city has encountered like a shortage of experts in advanced technologies and the need to enhance digital literacy among civil servants.

Meanwhile, AUF Director-General Slim Khalbous stressed the importance of collaborative efforts by authorities, universities, businesses, and international partners.

International experts recommended the city identify its human resources demand to have rational training programmes, and suggested short-term training for civil servants, residents, and businesses, and long-term training at higher education institutions./.

Dien Bien Phu Victory enlightens Vietnam-Algeria bonds: Confab

Seventy years have passed, yet the Dien Bien Phu Victory remains a momentous event not only for Vietnamese people but also for all those around the world who cherish freedom as it is an epic written by an indomitable nation in the process of defending the homeland, stated Algerian Minister of War Veterans and Rights Holders Laid Rebiga at a conference held in Algiers on November 4.

It changed many beliefs and theories of military experts and strategists around the world, promoting Eastern and Western specialists to reconsider the foundations that this battle had established, such as the art of fighting and weapon and equipment use, the Algerian official said at the event, which drew a large number of war veterans, revolutionaries, scholars, friends of Vietnam, and local journalists.

He affirmed that Vietnam was one of the strongest supporters of Algeria's revolutionary cause, adding the name of the revolutionary hero Vo Nguyen Giap, a friend of Algeria, will forever be engraved in the memories of the Algerian people.

The great Dien Bien Phu Victory proved that oppressed peoples always have the ability to regain their sovereignty and force their enemies to respect them, inspiring other nations, he stated, stressing that it was a source of spiritual strength for Algeria and a catalyst for the will to fight, which played a crucial role in driving forward the Algerian liberation revolution.

Major General Nguyen Hoang Nhien, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Military History, said the victory brought Vietnam and Algeria closer together like "neighbours" connected by the currents of their time.

From Vietnam’s Dien Bien Phu Victory, Algeria saw the correct path to liberation, gaining new momentum and renewed confidence that victory was within reach, propelling their revolutionary struggle towards success. This is a prime example of the human liberating value of the victory, he stated.

Through the success of the Algerian revolution, the world, especially in places where people were struggling for independence and freedom, came to know Vietnam more deeply. Through Algeria, Vietnam integrated more extensively into the world. As a result, the support of global peace and progressive forces for Vietnam during the years of its resistance war against US imperialists grew stronger, Nhien stated.

Professor Ahmed Mizab, an expert on security and strategy, held that clarifying the details of this historical period and conducting analyses will provide good lessons in protecting international principles of peace, solidarity, and security in today's world. He stressed the significance of the conference in educating the younger generations on national protection history.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh affirmed that the two share the noble values of national liberation and human liberation. The victories of Dien Bien Phu and the Algerian Revolution are two of the brightest milestones, carrying significance not only for the past and present but also for the future, he stated.

Participants at the event hailed the national construction cause of Vietnam, describing the country as a model for Algeria in economic development./.

Lao Cai sets deadlines to rebuild typhoon-hit homes, eradicate substandard housing

The northwestern border province of Lao Cai has announced plans to complete the reconstruction of houses destroyed by recent Typhoon Yagi by the end of this year and to get rid of makeshift and dilapidated housing by June 30, 2025.

According to the provincial People’s Committee, the typhoon impacted approximately 6,689 local households. There have been 758 destroyed or severely damaged houses requiring complete rebuilding and 1,383 others in need of repair. Furthermore, 4,548 households have been forced to urgently evacuate from dangerous areas.

To assist revolutionary contributors, families of martyrs, and impoverished or near-poor groups in securing safe, stable, and disaster-proof homes, Lao Cai has set a goal of providing housing assistance to 8,227 households by September 2025. The project is projected to require an investment of over 337 billion VND (13.29 million USD).

The province plans to complete 70% of the target by the end of this year, with the districts of Si Ma Cai, Van Ban, Bao Thang, and Bao Yen, as well as Sa Pa township and Lao Cai city expected to achieve 100% of their goals toward doing away with makeshift and dilapidated housing.

Additionally, provincial authorities have issued guidelines on support policies for households impacted by Typhoon Yagi, under which each affected ones may receive financial assistance of up to 120 million VND.

Meanwhile, the province has established a 34-member provincial steering committee for eradicating temporary and dilapidated housing and supporting the recovery of homes damaged by the typhoon. The committee, chaired by Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Dang Xuan Phong, is supported by an associated task force. During a recent virtual conference on efforts to do away with substandard housing and address storm damage, Phong emphasised that supporting impoverished and storm-affected residents requires coordination from the whole political system, enhanced leadership from Party organisations and administrations at all levels, and community-wide involvement./.

Party leader's spouse attends ASEAN Traditional Textile Symposium

Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam, attended the 9th ASEAN Traditional Textile Symposium in Laos from November 3-6 at the invitation of Naly Sisoulith, spouse of the Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith.

Themed “Weaving a stronger ASEAN community through cultural heritage and textiles”, the biennial event, hosted by Laos for the first time, brought together businesses and representatives from ASEAN textile associations.

In her speech, Ly affirmed that the successful hosting of the symposium will contribute to the success of Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship Year, fostering exchanges and cooperation among ASEAN nations while preserving the rich tapestry of the traditional textile industry across the region.

Visiting a traditional textile village in Vientiane, she shared insights into Vietnam's traditional crafts and support policies. She highlighted Vietnam’s “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) initiative, which fosters rural development by leveraging local strengths, adding value to products, and preserving the good values of Vietnamese rural life.

At Phat Tich pagoda, she met with young Vietnamese expatriates in need and donated a collection of Vietnamese books and storybooks to a free Vietnamese language class there.

Together with the Tu Phuc charity group, she presented gifts to the Lao Association of Women with Disabilities and the Vietnamese community in Laos./.

VNA/VNN/VNS/VOV