Flooding in Thủ Đức City will cause millions of dollars in damage if the city government does not take preventive measures, an expert said.

Nguyễn Huy Dũng, a senior disaster risk management specialist for the World Bank in Việt Nam, said that 31 per cent of Thủ Đức's land area floods during rains, and this is expected to rise to 37 per cent by 2050. Annually, the floods cause losses of US$54 million, or 13 per cent of the city's revenues, and that figure could rise to $84 million by 2050.

For many years, flooding has been a big worry causing traffic chaos and misery for local people every time it rains heavily or the river tides rise. However, many anti-flooding reservoirs that the city has planned have remained on paper for years for lack of land and technical standards as well as pricing issues.

Nguyễn Đỗ Dũng, director of enCity Urban Solutions, an international consultancy for solving urban problems with offices in Việt Nam and Singapore, said Thủ Đức should build tidal control corridors with sluices placed at the canal mouths to prevent both flooding and salinisation.

Reservoirs are the optimal solution to store runoff when the drainage system can not function due to rising river water levels, he added.

HCM City chairman Võ Văn Hoan said local authorities need to ensure that any urban planning for Thủ Đức dovetails with the overall plans for HCM City. It is expected that the general planning project for Thủ Đức City will be submitted to the HCM City administration in November and the central government in December.

Spreading 211 square kilometres and with a population of more than one million, Việt Nam's first "city within a city" is expected to account for 30 per cent of HCM City’s economic output and 7 per cent of the country's per year.

It is also set to become an "innovative urban area" encompassing hi-tech parks in the erstwhile District 9, the university neighborhood of Thủ Đức District and a new urban area and financial center on the Thủ Thiêm Peninsula in District 2. 

Local firm proposes to open new bus routes to Tan Son Nhat airport

Hải Vân International Transportation Joint Venture Company has proposed to open 17 new bus routes connecting Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City with urban areas and bus stations.

There are only three bus routes running to the airport, including route No.109 connecting to Sài Gòn Bus Station in District 1, route No.152 going to Bình Chánh District, and route No.72-1 leading to the southern province of Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu.

Four out of the company’s 17 proposed routes will connect the airport and the new Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station in Thủ Đức City.

Two routes will go to Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station in Bình Tân District. Two others will connect to Phú Mỹ Hưng urban area in District 7 and Trung Sơn Residential Area in Bình Chánh District.

The remaining nine routes, in turn, will connect the airport to Thảo Điền and An Phú wards, and Kim Cương (Diamond) Island in Thủ Đức City; Hàm Nghi Transshipment Station in District 1; Dương Hồng - Mizuki Residential Area and Vinhomes Central Park Urban Area in Bình Chánh District; Hóc Môn Market in Hóc Môn District; Phú Định Resettlement Area in District 8; and Phú Long Bridge in District 12.

Aiming to improve service quality and free up space for luggage, vehicles operating on the routes will have 10-30 seats, down from 16-45 seats.

Pickup and drop off stops along the routes will be existing bus stops. The end points will be at urban areas, residential areas, hotels and tourist attractions to help people to easily access the cars.

Vietnam greatly values ties with Belgium

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on November 6 for the newly-appointed Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam Karl Van Den Bossche, during which the host affirmed that Vietnam always values its ties with the European nation.

The PM thanked the Government and people of Belgium for providing 100,000 doses of Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine for Vietnam, considering it as a kind gesture in the bilateral ties. 

PM Chinh showed their elation at the growing two-way trade, noting that the figure hit US$3.3 billion during the first eight months of this year, and many Belgium businesses have successfully operated in Vietnam, especially in maritime transport, logistics and renewable energy.

He urged Belgium soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and urge the European Commission to remove the “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood. The two countries should continue to cooperate with and offer mutual support at multilateral forums and organisations, especially the United Nations, Asia- Europe Meeting, International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), and ASEAN-EU Summit, and coordinate in organising the ASEAN-EU Summit in mid-December in Belgium, he said.

In response, Bossche underlined that Belgium places great importance on its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, and hailed Vietnam’s achievements in post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and development as well as the country’s role and position in the region and the world.

The ambassador pledged his best efforts to further propel the partnership between the two countries forward in areas where Belgium has strength and Vietnam has demand such as sustainable agriculture, digital economy, green growth and energy transition.

He emphasized that he will focus on bolstering bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation and bringing more Belgian investors to Vietnam, adding that the Belgian side will work closely with Vietnam to hold the meeting of the Vietnam-Belgium Joint Committee and political consultation in mid-November. 

Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLO).

COP27: Vietnam highlights importance of energy transition in climate change response

On the sidelines of the ongoing 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha had a working session on November 6 with President for COP26 Alok Sharma, who represents the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7), on the support for Vietnam in energy transition.

Speaking at the meeting, Ha said that energy transition is a key factor for Vietnam to realise the goal of bringing the net gas emissions to zero by 2050 that it committed at COP26 last year. However, in this work, Vietnam are still facing many difficulties as it is home to a lot of coal-fired power plants built a long time ago.

The development of renewable energies must go in line with ensuring energy security, the minister stressed, proposing the UK, the EU and G7 countries to support the transfer of advanced technologies related to wind and solar power to Vietnam to help the country successfully implement the energy transition, ensuring affordable prices for everyone.

The Vietnamese delegation to the event, to last until November 18, is scheduled to attend the opening session and the plenary one, and have bilateral and multilateral working sessions to promote the implementation of the commitments on climate change.

Prime Minister’s upcoming visit makes headlines in Cambodia

Cambodia's media have described the upcoming visit to Cambodia by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, from November 8-9, as a highlight of the friendship between the two countries.

Swiftnews and the website of the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) on November 4 and 5 published an in-depth article by Uch Leang, deputy head of the Department of Asian, African and Middle Eastern Studies under the RAC’s Institute of International Relations, featuring the Vietnamese leader’s visit.

The scholar said the visit takes place given regional and global uncertainties, especially impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts due to geopolitical competitions between big countries, and the situation in Myanmar.

He affirmed that Vietnam and Cambodia have continued consolidating their relations as good neighbours, their traditional friendship and mutual support in order to maintain political-social stability and spur socio-economic development in each country.

Uch Leang also reviewed high-level meetings and all-level visits within the framework of activities celebrating the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (1967-2022) and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022, and highlighted cooperation achievements between the two countries in politics, investment, culture, social affairs, national defence and security, and collaboration within ASEAN.

Other local media outlets such as the national news agency Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP), Rasmei Kampuchea, Khmer Times and DAPnews, and websites, also gave space to the visit.

According to the articles, PM Chinh will meet and hold talks with the Cambodian King and leaders, and the two countries expect to sign a number of bilateral cooperation agreements.

On October 31, the National Television of Cambodia (TVK) also announced the trip by the PM.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on November 3 that PM Chinh will pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 8-9 and attend the 40th and 41st Summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and related summits from November 10-13.

The PM’s visit and attendance of the events will be made at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister and Chair of ASEAN 2022 Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the minister said.

Art exhibition glorifies the ancient citadel

An art exhibition to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the establishment of Sơn Tây old fortress citadel will take place in Hà Nội’s Sơn Tây Town from November 9-23.

About 50 pieces by 40 artists from many provinces will be on display. They are diverse in content, style and materials like oil paint, lacquer, dó (poonah) paper or wood carving, but similar in expressing the artists’ affection for Vietnamese culture and heritage.

Many of the artworks have been created during the artists’ outdoor painting at the site of Sơn Tây Citadel, and take inspiration from the relic.

Sơn Tây old fortress citadel is chosen as the venue for the art event due to its original historical, cultural, architectural and also environmental values.

According to historical documents, Sơn Tây Citadel was built in 1822 during the reign of Minh Mạnh Emperor (1791-1841). The citadel is built entirely of laterite, a material that meets the durable requirements of a defensive building and is available in the locality.

Many great events related to the Nguyễn Dynasty’s fights against French colonialism in Vietnamese history took place in the citadel, showing its critical significance in sheltering the plains and midlands of Tonkin and backing the Northwest border. It was recognised as a national historical relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in 1994. 

Concert to mark VN’s strong recovery after COVID-19 pandemic

A lineup of of the country's favourite singers will perform at a concert in Hà Nội next month.

Entitled Những Trái Tim Việt Nam (The Vỉetnamese Hearts), the concert will feature performances of A-list singers Hồ Ngọc Hà, Tóc Tiên, and Lệ Quyên.

V-pop singers Bích Phương, Ekik, Trịnh Thăng Bình, Trọng Hiếu, Quang Hà, Nguyên Vũ, Liz Kim Cương, and Võ Hạ Trâm, will also feature. 

The concert is being held to mark the country’s strong recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

For foreign concert-goers, the event will be an opportunity to present Vietnamese music and culture.

It’s expected that 25,000 people will attend the three-hour concert which has three parts – Trái Tim Lạc Hồng (The Vietnamese Heart), Những Trái Tim Yêu Tự Do (The Hearts that Long for Freedom), Chung Một Nhịp Đập (Sharing the Same Beat).

The first part will feature songs praising the human values of Vietnamese culture and the patriotism of Vietnamese people. The second part is to celebrate patriotism through two resistance wars with the leadership of President Hồ Chí Minh, and the third one is to present the image of a dynamic country in the developing period when young generation build up their homeland.

Da Nang seeks financial partners to co-organise int’l fireworks festival

After three years of interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Đà Nẵng International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) returns to the central city.

The city People’s Committee is inviting enterprises and organisations to cooperate with them on the event, which is scheduled to take place next summer.

Selected organisations will finance the cost of the DIFF 2023, which is estimated at about VNĐ150 billion (about US$6 million).

Applications for the DIFF 2023 co-organisers should be sent directly to the Đà Nẵng’s Department of Culture and Sports before November 12, 2022.

The festival is scheduled to take place from June 3, 2023 to July 8, 2023. The Hàn River port area will be the main location of the fireworks displays. A 17,000-seat grandstand will be set up at the venue for spectators.

National cải lương festival opens in Long An

Around 1,000 cải lương (reformed opera) performers across the country have participated in the National Cải Lương Festival, which opened in Long An Province’s Tân An City on Saturday night (November 5).

The festival has attracted 22 state-owned and private art troupes such as the Hà Nội Cải Lương Theatre, the Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre, the Sen Việt Stage of HCM City, the Cao Văn Lầu Theatre of Bạc Liêu Province, and the Long An Cải Lương Art Troupe.

The theatres have presented 27 cải lương plays depicting different topics such as love, patriotism, social issues, and the country’s history, culture and development achievements.

The organisers will award golden, silver and bronze medals for the best plays and performers. They will also grant prizes for best director, playwright, choreographer, music composer and designer. The awards ceremony will be held on November 20.

Van Quyet injury rules him out of rest of season

Hà Nội FC striker and captain, Nguyễn Văn Quyết will not be able to continue playing in the V.League 1 for the rest of the season. The Hanoian player suffered a knee ligament injury in the match between the capital team with Thanh Hóa.

According to team doctors, Quyết needs at least 14 days of treatment, and after then 20 days of recovery before he can return to training. This means that Quyết will not be able to participate in the remaining three matches of Hà Nội as they chase the top spot in the division.

Along with Quyết’s absence, in the upcoming match against Viettel on November 9, Hà Nội defender Đoàn Văn Hậu will also be absent after his red card in the last match.

Vietnam targets ample vaccine supply for domestic use till 2030

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam recently signed a decision approving a programme to ensure vaccine supplies for vaccination till 2030.

The programme aims to meet demand for vaccines against communicable diseases in three areas. These include the expanded immunisation programme, vaccines used for service immunisation and for epidemic disease prevention and control.

By 2025, Vietnam will master technology to produce 10 types of vaccines, produce at least three vaccines, including 5-in-1 vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus Influenzae (Hib) and either polio or hepatitis B.

By the 2030, the country is expected to master production technology for 15 vaccine types and able to produce five types that are comparable to international-standard ones.

227-kilogram bomb discovered during landslide repair on National Highway 5D

The mobile mine clearance team of Quang Tri Province under the Peace Trees Vietnam organization, on November 7, said that it had safely moved the MK-82 bomb discovered on National Highway 15D to the gathering place to proceed with the detonation, ensuring the safety of people.

Previously, while leveling and repairing the road at the landslide point at Km7+800 on National Highway 15D to La Lay International Border Gate in Dakrong District, Quang Tri Province, workers discovered a giant bomb and quickly reported to the Border Guard Station. The border guards protected the area and informed the Quang Tri Mine Action Center (QTMAC).

Receiving information from the QTMAC, the mobile mine clearance team of the Peace Trees Vietnam organization urgently moved to the scene, quickly zoned, and notified the construction unit working nearby to leave the danger area.

After inspection, the bomb was identified as an MK-82 bomb, with a diameter of 274mm, a length of 1.54m, and a weight of 227kg. It meets safe conditions to be moved.

With the joint efforts of the whole team, the bomb was transferred to the gathering place for safe detonation.

Gov’t ensures supply of medicines for insured patients

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has just signed Resolution No. 144 on enough supply of medicines, medical equipment, and payment of medical examination and treatment expenses for insured patients.

The Government asked the ministries of Health, Planning and Investment, and Finance to urgently review, amend and supplement according to their competence or submit to competent authorities for amendment and supplementation of legal documents related to the purchase of goods, procurement, bidding, production and import of drugs and medical equipment under their management in order to soon solve the hiccups along the way of purchase and bidding of medicines and medical equipment.

Moreover, ministries’ amendments of legal documents can facilitate the procurement and bidding of drugs and medical equipment for organizations and infirmaries.

The Government assigns the Ministry of Planning and Investment in coordination with the Ministry of Health in amending, supplementing, or issuing new documents on bidding for drugs and medical equipment which encourages the procurement and bidding of drugs and medical equipment.

Tons of Covid-19 healthcare waste treated

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh My, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment, has just said that, as of June 30, 2022, 18,684,360 tons of Covid-19 healthcare waste in the city have been collected and treated. 

According to the Deputy Director, the highest average volume of extra medical waste from the response to the Covid-19 pandemic is 150 tons a day while the lowest is 35 tons a day. This volume of medical waste was collected and treated with incineration technology by four sanitation companies.

In related news, single-use plastics account for 72 percent of plastic waste, said Ms. Pham Thu Hang, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Contestants of Miss Tourism Mekong 2022 to wear Vietnamese silk pajamas

Contestants of the Miss Tourism Mekong 2022 (Miss Tourism Mekong) will wear Vietnamese silk pajamas, a traditional Vietnamese costume instead bikinis.

The Miss Tourism Mekong 2022 will have typical values of tourism in the new normal period including river tourism, heritage tourism, and green tourism. This contest has been held for the first time.

The Miss Tourism Mekong Delta 2022 is a contest honoring the beauty of Vietnamese women associated with the image of rivers in the Southwest region. The audience will enjoy the natural beauty, precious products, relics and landscapes in the Mekong Delta region through the contest.

The final night is expected to be held on December 6 in the Mekong Delta Province of Kien Giang’s Rach Gia City. The winner will receive a prize of VND2 billion while the first runner-up will be awarded a prize of VND1 billion and the second runner-up will get a prize of VND500 million.

242 tourists arrive in Phu Quoc on direct flight from Poland

Phu Quoc island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on November 6 welcomed a total of 242 Polish tourists aboard a charter flight operated by LOT Polish Airlines.

The tourists are scheduled to stay in Phu Quoc for between seven and 10 days.

Most notably, by March, 2023, there will be up to 31 direct flights from Poland to Phu Quoc.

Furthermore, the number of foreign arrivals to Phu Quoc is forecast to reach more than three million by the end of the year, with a rise of between 20% and 25% anticipated over the coming years.

Recently the southern island welcomed many flights carrying foreign tourists from Thailand, India, and the United States.

On November 1 Phu Quoc received its first flight from Uzbekistan after the COVID-19 pandemic, with 180 tourists making the journey.

Vietnam, Japan restart tourism activities in post-COVID period

Tourism activities between Vietnam and Japan have started to flourish after more than two years of “freezing” due to the adverse impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vietnamese Golf Association in Japan (VGAJ) and the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan recently co-ordinated to organise the 2022 Momiji Open golf tournament at Katsuura Golf Club in Chiba Prefecture in the east of Tokyo.

The golf tournament attracted the participation of approximately 100 Vietnamese golfers and Japanese guests.

Phan Trung Hieu, president of the VGAJ, revealed that following the COVID-19 pandemic, a wide range of activities initiated by the Vietnamese community in Japan have resumed, including the 2022 Momiji Open.

Vietnam attends 39th World Social Security Forum

The Vietnam Social Security (VSS) delegation led by Dao Viet Anh, deputy director general, recently participated in the 39th World Social Security Forum in Morocco.

The event is organised by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) every three years and involves the gathering of over 1,000 participants from 140 countries and territories from all over the world.

During the 39th World Social Security Forum in Morocco taking place from October 24 to November 3, the VSS delegation held a working session alongside Morocco’s National Social Security Fund (CNSS), with the goal of expanding future relations.

The ISSA is an international organisation which brings together various national social security administrations and agencies.

Originally founded in 1927 under the auspices of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the ISSA has more than 330 member organisations across 158 countries, with its headquarter located in Geneva, Switzerland. 

In 2015 the VSS joined the ISSA and is currently the only official Vietnamese representative at this important multilateral forum.

Exhibition featuring Hanoi’s cultural heritages chosen for filming locations

An exhibition showcasing the capital’s various historical relic sites and cultural heritages featured in films will get underway at the Hanoi Daewoo Hotel from November 8 to November 12.

On display at the event will be 200 photos of numerous relic sites and cultural heritages, all of which are settings of cinematographic works used by both local and foreign filmmakers.

Furthermore, approximately 150 images selected from 29 feature films and documentaries will also be exhibited at the function.

The exhibition will include more than 40 pictures showing the true beauty of Hanoi in the past, as well as its recent development taken by filmmakers Pham Thanh Ha, photographers Nguyen Huu Bao, and Hoang Huu Khanh.

Visitors will therefore have the chance to see scenes from Hanoi in famous films, including “Hanoi Mua Chim Lam To” (Hanoi in the season for birds to build nests), “Nam thang va nhung tang cao” (Months, years and the heights) in English, and “Ky niem 30 nam giai phong thu do” (30th anniversary of the capital liberation).

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