Group A, the highest level, comprises infectious diseases are particularly dangerous diseases, capable of spreading very quickly, spreading widely and having a high mortality rate or of unknown causative agent. It includes the likes of influenza A-H5N1, plague, smallpox, cholera, SARS.

The Ministry of Health has submitted to the Government a proposal to declare the end of the Covid-19 pandemic as a group A disease and abolish a number of pandemic prevention measures.

According to the ministry, for more than three years of Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control, the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, the National Assembly, the Government and the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health and other ministries, branches and localities have issued several regulations guiding pandemic prevention and control activities.

Many specific and unprecedented measures were promulgated, so changing the disease group will require synchronous adjustments to currently applied epidemic prevention and control measures.

The ministry said that it has carried out procedures to adjust acute respiratory infections caused by a new strain of coronavirus from a Group A infectious disease to a Group B infectious disease.

Group A, the highest level, comprises infectious diseases are particularly dangerous diseases, capable of spreading very quickly and widely, and having a high mortality rate or of unknown causative agent. It includes the likes of influenza A-H5N1, plague, smallpox, cholera, SARS, etc.

Group B, meanwhile, comprises infectious diseases are dangerous and may spread fast and cause a risk of fatality. The list includes diseases like adenovirus, influenza, HIV/AIDS, mumps, malaria, chickenpox, herpes, leprosy, etc.

Accordingly, the ministry proposed abolishing Decision 447/QĐ-TTg by the Prime Minister so that Covid-19 is no longer in Group A.

The ministry has also developed a plan for control, supervision and treatment instructions related to the Covid-19 pandemic for localities to implement when declaring the end of the Covid-19group A pandemic.

The ministry also proposed abolishing a number of measures on Covid-19pandemic prevention and control issued by the National Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control and the Prime Minister.

Covid-19 patients who are being treated before the effective date of this decision will be paid treatment costs as per previous regulations.

To ensure uniformity in the implementation of policies and measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic as it moves from group A to group B, documents issued by the Government and the Ministry of Health on the disease group transfer and the announcement of the end of Covid-19 will take effect at the same time.

By the end of August this year, the country recorded 97,628 cases of Covid-19 and the average monthly number of cases was 1.5 times lower compared to 2021 (about 144,000 cases per month) and eight times lower compared to 2022 (about 816,000 cases per month).

The death rate due to Covid-19 was 0.02 percent, 0.1 percent and 1.86 percent so far in 2023, in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Death rates from a number of common group B infectious diseases recorded in Vietnam in the last five years include dengue fever at 0.022 percent, malaria at 0.017 percent, diphtheria at 0.102 percent, and whooping cough at 0.417 percent.

HCMC plans Opera House restoration

The iconic Opera House in downtown HCMC is slated for a comprehensive restoration project worth VND330 billion as many categories of the city’s landmark have shown signs of deterioration.

Lam Ngo Hoang Anh, chief of the Office of the HCMC Department of Culture and Sports, shared this information during a press conference on the city’s socio-economic development, held on September 28.

The objective of this restoration is to preserve a national artistic monument. The Opera House is envisioned as a venue for welcoming international guests and a location for hosting important festivals, art performances, and city events.

The restoration plan includes refurbishing the main sections of the Opera House, incorporating additional technical equipment, and relocating and preserving existing items during the renovation process.

The repair and restoration work is anticipated to span more than three years, commencing with the preparation of a feasibility study in the fourth quarter of this year. The project will be carried out incrementally to ensure the continuous operation of functional rooms.

To meet the required specifications, many materials needed for the restoration will be imported, according to a department representative.

The Opera House, initially known as L’Opera de Saigon, was officially inaugurated in 1900. Designed in the Flamboyant Gothic architectural style by French architect Félix Olivier, who drew inspiration from Paris’ Opera Garnier, it has undergone significant restoration work in 1998 to commemorate Saigon’s 300th anniversary.

ETC proposed for trial at airports

The Department for Roads of Vietnam has written to the Government proposing the pilot implementation of electronic toll collection (ETC) at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports for a period of six months.

ETC systems have been in place on many roads in the country, with nearly five million vehicles utilizing ETC tags or opening toll payment accounts, representing over 90% of the total number of vehicles nationwide.

The proposal to introduce ETC systems at airports aligns with the development trends in smart transportation, offering enhanced convenience for road users while optimizing the efficiency of investments in multiple projects.

At present, the airports across the nation, particularly Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports, still require drivers to stop at toll booths to pay fees in cash. This manual process often results in congestion, causing frustration for drivers and passengers.

Experts discuss measures to enhance dengue prevention strategies in VN

Health experts discussed measures to enhance dengue prevention strategies in Việt Nam at a conference in HCM City on September 28.

At the event, participants heard that the peak season of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in Việt Nam often lasts from June to October. At present, the country is facing the ongoing complexity of outbreaks each year post-pandemic, with rising pressure on Việt Nam's healthcare system. As of now, Việt Nam has recorded 81,808 cases of dengue fever this year, with 23 fatalities.

At the conference, international and local health experts discussed Việt Nam's dengue fever preventive initiatives and methods to improve their effectiveness. They also explored new interventions that could enhance the management of dengue transmission within the country.

According to Associate Professor Nguyễn Thanh Hùng, Director of Children’s Hospital 1, DHF still poses a major threat in Việt Nam and globally due to its potential to cause a large outbreak and severe health outcomes.

“The disease is characterised by high fever that lasts several days and can result in serious complications such as hypovolemic shock from plasma loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, cerebral haemorrhage, and multi-organ failure. These complications can rapidly progress and may be fatal if not promptly and intensively treated. Beyond the health risks, dengue also imposes an economic strain on individuals and communities. Moreover, the disease can have long-term psychological effects on patients and communities and significantly impact social security. From a healthcare perspective, the increasing number of dengue patients over the years has put immense pressure on hospitals, leading to a shortage of resources for adequate patient care,” said Hùng.

Assoc., Prof. Hùng added: “To maintain treatment capacity, medical facilities in HCM City and across the country have effectively implemented the Ministry of Health’s guidelines for diagnosing and treating dengue fever. This includes proper organisation of treatment at all healthcare levels, early detection, correct treatment of dengue patients, strengthening facilities and equipment, and ensuring adequate supplies of infusion fluids. These measures have saved many lives and significantly reduced the mortality rate from dengue fever in our country.”

“However, it is crucial to have close collaboration between treatment and prevention systems. Public awareness campaigns about dengue are essential to effective prevention measures such as mosquito control and vaccination when an effective vaccine becomes available," Hùng added.

“Dengue fever is very different from other infectious diseases as it puts the entire population at risk, regardless of age. Alongside the current measures, it’s crucial to incorporate dengue control models that employ advanced scientific methods in countries with similar climatic and epidemic conditions as Việt Nam, such as Indonesia and Thailand. A stronger, more comprehensive, and sustainable epidemic control model can only be built when the medical community and society work together,” said Dr. Lương Chấn Quang, Acting Head of the Department for Disease Control and Prevention at the Pasteur Institute in HCM City.

Experts alluded to the need for sustainable and long-term solutions to prevent and control dengue fever in the country. This requires not just clinical and preventative methods but also efforts and collaborations from both public and private sectors in combatting dengue, a global public health threat.

The conference was jointly organised by the Pasteur Institute in HCM City in collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The event is organised in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Japan. 

Hanoi to build another bridge over Red River

Hà Nội is planning to build more bridges crossing the Hồng (Red) River in the coming years to enhance transportation capacity and connectivity with other provinces and cities.

The project of Vân Phúc Bridge spanning the Red River is expected to start in the second quarter of 2024 and be put in use by the end of 2027.

The VNĐ3.4 trillion (US$144.68 million) bridge will be 7.76 kilometres long, linking Phụng Thượng, Long Xuyên, Xuân Đình and Vân Phúc communes in Hà Nội's outlying district of Phúc Thọ and Vĩnh Phúc Province.

The section running through Hà Nội will have four lanes, while the one located in Vĩnh Phúc Province will have eight lanes.

The total land area used for the project is more than 34.9ha. Of which, 17.1ha have already been compensated and cleared by the Nam Cường Group Limited Company.

Hà Nội Management Board for Traffic Infrastructure Investment and Construction Projects said the construction of Vân Phúc Bridge aims to complete the transportation system according to the city's planning.

This will serve the needs of goods transportation and travel for the people, laying the groundwork for promoting economic and social development in Hà Nội, Vĩnh Phúc, and neighbouring provinces and cities in the capital region and the northern key economic region.

Currently, Hà Nội has eight bridges spanning the Red River, including Thăng Long, Chương Dương, Vĩnh Tuy, Thanh Trì, Nhật Tân, Vĩnh Thịnh, Long Biên, and Việt Trì-Ba Vì.

According to the transportation development plan up to 2030 and the vision for 2050, Hà Nội will invest in the construction of the remaining bridges, including Hồng Hà, Mễ Sở (on Ring Road No. 4), New Thăng Long (Ring Road No. 3), Tứ Liên, Thượng Cát, Phú Xuyên, Ngọc Hồi (Ring Road No. 3.5), Vân Phúc Bridge and Trần Hưng Đạo Tunnel.

Project releases new media messages to combat use of illegal wildlife products in VN

The Saving Threatened Wildlife project released a new creative set of key messages and visuals on September 27 aimed at altering consumer behaviour surrounding the use of illegal wildlife products in Việt Nam.

In a step toward reducing demand for illegal wildlife products, the materials were designed to target specific users and draw upon local consumption evidence and insights collected by TRAFFIC during social research in 2022.

“The launch of these visuals and the participation of many different representatives highlight the support for, and need, to reduce the demand for illegal wildlife products. The involvement of different sectors, such as the tourism and traditional medicine associations, also sends a strong message that they want to see a social change in the association of their sectors with illegal wildlife products,” said Michelle Owen, Saving Threatened Wildlife project representative.

Five culturally tailored messages and visuals were tested to resonate with local audiences, addressing the motivations behind the consumption of illegal wildlife products, and encouraging social mobilisation with youth and government agencies. The materials target five groups, including traditional medicine practitioners; general users; international tourists; youth mobilisation; and Governmental agencies.

“Research has shown that the demand for illegal wildlife products still exists despite the fact that the knowledge of the Vietnamese people has been increasing over time. To address this issue, our project continues to use behavioural science to influence buyer behaviour, purchasing preferences, and consumer disuse of illegal wildlife products,” said Bùi Thúy Nga, TRAFFIC Senior Programme Manager.

The messages and visuals will be spread via social networks, distributed to targeted groups in high-traffic tourist locations, interactive events, and integrated into collaborative initiatives with partners including tourism and traditional medicine associations.

Since 2021, the Saving Threatened Wildlife project has aimed to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products by influencing and changing consumer behaviour in an effort to support Việt Nam’s efforts to control and stop the current and increasing situation of wildlife trafficking that may lead to the extinction of species in the wild.

The project is funded by USAID to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) through the Management Board for Forestry Projects (MBFP), and implemented by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), TRAFFIC, and Education For Nature. 

Vietnam determines science - technology to be foundation for its growth

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat emphasized that Vietnam has been deeply integrating into the world economy, science - technology and innovation are determined to be the foundation for Vietnam's sustainable development.
 
The Minister made the statement at the launch of the event ‘Techconnect and Innovation Vietnam 2023’ in the Northern Province of Quang Ninh’s Ha Long City.

With the theme ‘Innovation - Sustainable Development’, the event includes forums, information exchanges on the topic of connecting technology and innovation, product demonstrations and technology points, and connections for investment and research cooperation.

Nearly 200 booths from businesses, research institutes, and universities participated in the event. Before the opening of the event, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and leaders of ministries, agencies and localities visited booths to display products as well as listened to demonstration of technology advances at the event.

Speaking at the opening of Techconnect and Innovation Vietnam 2023, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat emphasized that because of Vietnam’s deep integration into the world economy, science-technology and innovation will play the foundation for Vietnam’s sustainable development.

Moreover, he added that the strategy on science-technology and innovation has been recently completed with many progressive and innovative regulations to promote the development of industries, fields and localities.

Vietnamese students bag one platinum, one gold, and one silver award at FRSIS

Vietnamese students bagged one platinum, one gold and one silver award at the Fully Residential Schools International Symposium (FRSIS) 2022, which was organized by the Malaysian Ministry of Education from September 22 to 30.

The Vietnamese student group won high rankings at FRSIS - the annual forum on social issues of the Malaysian Ministry of Education for high-quality specialized and boarding schools and international student groups.

The Vietnamese delegation includes nine students of a specialized school, one student from Hanoi-based Amsterdam High School for the gifted, one student from a foreign language school for the gifted and one pedagogy high school student.

The group was divided into 3 teams. The first team won the Silver award with the topic Application Prospects of AI in Vietnam while the second team won the Gold medal with the theme Empowering Vietnamese Youth to build world peace and the third team won the Platinum award on the topic Development direction of the free economy in Vietnam.

FRSIS is a forum for students aged 15 to 18. The main activity of FRSIS is the sharing of experts and students through learning behaviorism, studies and presentations on social topics. The theme of this year's contest is For Global Peace and Prosperity. Participant teams in the competition had to deliver live speeches.

Some 70 Malaysian schools and 25 international teams were attending the forum.

Death sentences given to three men trafficking drug from Cambodia to Vietnam

The People’s Court of Binh Phuoc Province yesterday sentenced three defendants to death for smuggling nearly 31 kilograms of drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam.

The death sentence was given to Nguyen Ngoc Hai, 29 years old and Dang Ngoc Quy, 24 years old from Binh Long Commune, Binh Phuoc Province and Sbov Proeurn, 36 years old from TboungKhmum Province in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

As for defendant Nguyen Ngoc Hai, he was also prosecuted for the acts of “Illegal possession of drugs” and “Illegal storage of military weapons”.

The indictment shows that on March 26, 2022, a Cambodian man nicknamed “boss” made a phone call to hire Sbov Proeurn at the price of US$200 a kilogram to transport drugs from Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City for consumption.

After that, Sbov Proeurn paid Nguyen Ngoc Hai US$150 a kilogram to transport drugs from the border to Ho Chi Minh City. Hai then hired Dang Ngoc Quy at the price of VND15 million (US$619) a kilogram to transport drugs in two trips.

From June 24 to July 5, 2022, Sbov Proeurn and Hai transported drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam three times. Of these, Hai hired Quy to transport drugs two times.

At about 9 a.m. on June 24, 2022, Sbov Proeurn rode a motorbike to the area near Memot District market in TboungKhmum Province, Cambodia to receive two 20-liter plastic cans and a red plastic bag containing drugs from an unknown person.

Then, Sbov Proeurn transported them to Loc Ninh, Binh Phuoc Province to hide drugs.

Hai and Quy later went to the rendezvous point to pick up the drugs. Via the phone number on the plastic cans, Hai delivered those drugs to three people in Ho Chi Minh City.

On July 2, 2022, Sbov Proeurn again went to the area near Memot market to pick up drugs.

With similar steps for trafficking, on July 5, 2022, Sbov Proeurn received three plastic cans containing drugs from the “boss" to transport to the border.

After that, Sbov Proeurn met Hai at a restaurant in Binh Long Town, Binh Phuoc Province. Quy went to the border area to pick up those drugs to bring them to the house of Hai's sister before he went to a store to receive VND5 million (US$206) from Hai to transport the drugs to Ho Chi Minh City for delivery.

Quy was detected and arrested by the police with nearly 31 kilograms of drugs when he arrived at National Highway 13's section through Hung Chien Ward, Binh Long Town.

After checking, the police seized a roller gun, six bullets and nearly one kilogram of drugs from Hai.

Traffic police crack down on alcohol concentration violations

Implementing the direction of the Ministry of Public Security, the traffic police nationwide have been checking and strictly handling the violations of traffic order, especially violations on alcohol concentration.
 
Representatives of the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security informed that from August 30 to September 21, the working teams of the Traffic Police Department had implemented their missions in many localities comprising Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Yen Bai, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Thuan, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Can Tho, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Binh, Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Ben Tre, Dak Lak and so on.

Via the patrols, the working teams had directly checked over 80,500 vehicles, detected and thousands of violation cases and transfered them to the police of localities for handling. Of these, there were over 2,700 violations on alcohol concentration.

Representative of the Traffic Police Department said that alcohol concentration is considered one of the main reasons causing traffic accidents so the police will crack down on violations without any restricted area or exception.

Besides, traffic police forces will also send notices to organizations, offices, agencies where violation individuals work to handle in accordance with regulations of the Party and the agencies.

Hanoi artisans preserve intangible culture

 Folk artists are those who have transmitted the quintessential values of Hanoi's ancient culture, contributing to the promotion of the capital's intangible cultural values, said Associate Professor Tran Thi An, President of the Hanoi Folk Arts Association, at a workshop organized in the city this week.

"Folk artists are an important element of cultural heritage. They have a social responsibility to help protect and promote heritage values," she said at the workshop entitled "The Role and Responsibility of Artisans in Protecting and Promoting the Value of Hanoi's Intangible Cultural Heritage".

Echoing An, researcher Le Hong Ly believes that folk artists, with their important role, need to be more active in educating the community, especially the younger generation, about the value of intangible cultural heritage.

According to statistics by local authorities, there are currently 1,793 intangible cultural heritage sites of all kinds in Hanoi. The city has the largest number of intangible cultural heritages in the country, ranging from folk knowledge and social customs to folk art genres.

The city has awarded 18 folk artists with the title of People's Artist and 113 with the title of Meritorious Artist.

Local authorities have also offered good policies to remunerate folk artists in recent times. Specifically, the city provides monthly support to People's Artists and Artists of Merit, motivating them to continue to preserve and promote the value of intangible cultural heritage.

In addition to existing intangible heritage clubs, namely Khanh Ha Commune's Drum Club in Thuong Tin District and Yen Nghia Ca Tru Club in Ha Dong District, Hanoi will soon have 10 more, including Lo Khe Village's Ca Tru, Trieu Khuc Village's Folk Dance, and Xuan Non Commune's Tuong Folk Singing, among others.

Hanoi photographer honored at International Photography Awards 2023

Hanoi-based photographer Tran Viet Van of Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper was among the honorable mentions at the 20th International Photography Awards (IPA) 2023 in the US.

Van's entry, which consists of nine color photos with the theme Nhip dap thoi gian (The Rhythm of Time), was recognized in the Press Photo category.

His photos depict the daily life and activities of Cuban people in Old Havana, Trinidad, during his visit to the Latin American country in November 2022.

Some of the images in this series have previously won an Honorable Mention in the Press Photo category at the World Master of Photography Awards in Austria and a Third Prize at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year in the UK - the world's leading award recognizing the art and diversity of food photography.

IPA 2023 attracted over 15,000 entries from 120 countries around the world.

Excellent works in the categories of people, wildlife, nature, advertising, and press, were selected by esteemed photography experts from the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, for exhibitions and publication in books.

The winning photographers in these categories come from the US, the UK, China, and Poland.

The winners of the most prestigious awards, Photographer of the Year (Professional) and Discovery of the Year (Amateur/Student), will be announced in late October.

Van started taking pictures in 1998, and so far, he has won more than 80 international awards in photography. He has held 11 solo exhibitions, including two exhibitions abroad. He has also been a judge at many film festivals and photo contests in Vietnam.

The photographer believes the most important thing is to feel like moving forward.

"If I stop, I'm dead. I am very obsessed with the saying of a famous artist: You should never feel outdated, so you must always be creative. The hardest thing for an artist is creativity - the hardest thing for creativity is inspiration. Contests are opportunities for me to express myself, to look back at where I am in the evolution of contemporary photography, and to move forward," he said.

Contractors selected to renovate old apartment buildings in Hanoi

Eight districts in Hanoi have selected contractors to assess the status of old apartment buildings, according to the Hanoi Department of Construction.

These districts include Long Bien, Hoang Mai, Tay Ho, Dong Anh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Dong, Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh, according to the construction department.

Since the government launched a campaign to renovate old residential buildings in 2021, the Hanoi People's Committee has carried out a project to implement it.

Over the past two years, the Hanoi Construction Department has approved more than 1,000 quality control plans for such buildings.

The old residential buildings are located in 12 districts of Ba Dinh, Thanh Xuan, Dong Da, Long Bien, Hoan Kiem, Tay Ho, Cau Giay, Hoang Mai, Dong Anh, Ha Dong, Hai Ba Trung and Bac Tu Liem.

The housing rehabilitation project will be carried out in six phases. The first phase focuses on 10 residential buildings in critical condition. These include four D-class (the most critical) blocks in the Ba Dinh district and six blocks in Dong Da, Thanh Xuan and Cau Giay districts.

According to the Hanoi Construction Department, the city government has funded several districts to inspect and evaluate the buildings and work out their renovation plans to speed up progress.

Some districts have made progress in renovating old buildings. In Dong Da District, households living in block no. 51 on Huynh Thuc Khang Street has been moved out and relocated to other places.

The district authorities also plan to inspect the conditions of the Trung Tu residential blocks and surrounding areas. The budget for the inspection is set at VND800 million (nearly US$33,000) for an area of 11 hectares.

Dong Da District now has 20 residential blocks with more than 500 old apartment buildings, housing about 20,000 families.

In 2023, Dong Da District will check the quality of all old buildings, most of which are located in Khuong Thuong, Trung Tu and Kim Lien wards.

Of the total number, the district has completed the inspection of 37 buildings.

In particular, Dong Da District is considering immediate reconstruction of several old residential buildings in Khuong Thuong, Tho Quan, Lang Ha, Quang Trung and O Cho Dua wards.

In 2023, Hanoi plans to build a total of 6.9 million square meters of housing.

The city will complete the inspection of all old residential buildings by Q4/2023, and rebuild 2-3 blocks by 2025.

Hanoi has nearly 1,600 old apartment buildings that are more than 50 years old.

According to Dinh Tien Dung, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, the reconstruction of old tenement buildings is one of the most important tasks to develop a modern, civilized city and improve the living conditions of its residents.

NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh visits Kyrgyzstan

National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh paid a visit to Kyrgyzstan from September 29-30.

During his stay, Dinh held talks with Vice President of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan Dzhamilia Isaeva, and met with representatives of leaders of the Supreme Council's Committees, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the Kyrgyzstan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary B. Elvira, and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Kyrgyzstan.

At the talks and meetings, the NA Vice Chairman affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to its relations with traditional friends, including Kyrgyzstan, and thanked for the valuable support from the State and people of Kyrgyzstan  to Vietnam in the past struggle for national independence and reunification and the present national construction and defence.

He highly valued the mutual support and close coordination that the two countries have shown at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations. He said in the context of changes in world, traditional friends like Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan need to strengthen mutual support, contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world. It is necessary to to promote bilateral cooperation, especially economic and trade collaboration to bring practical benefits to peoples of the two countries, he added.

Kyrgyz leaders, for their part, hailed the Vietnam NA Vice Chairmn’s visit, saying that it is a milestone in the relations of the two countries as well as the two legislatures. They affirmed that Kyrgyzstan considers Vietnam a leading important partner in Southeast Asia and wishes to enhance partnership with Vietnam in the coming time.

They acknowledged that as mmebers the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the two sides need to optimise benefits brought by the pact while taking advantage of each country's potential to expand bilateral cooperation.

The Kyrgyz leaders underlined that with Kyrgyzstan's important location in the region, promoting bilateral cooperation will help connect trade between Vietnam and the Central Asia - Europe region as well as between Kyrgyzstan and ASEAN. They affirmed that Kyrgyzstan wishes to strengthen cooperation, import and export of products and goods of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam and with the EAEU.

Chairman of the Council of Ministers Akylbek Japarov expressed his impression of Vietnam's rapid and dynamic development. He affirmed the determination of Kyrgyzstan's leaders to cooperate with the Southeast Asian country in building and implementing specific cooperation plans and projects between the two countries, especially in fields such as agriculture, tourism, health, and education, among others.

The two sides agreed to increase the exchange of delegations, especialy high-ranking ones, promote cooperation in fields that both sides need and have strength, accelerate coordination to implement effectively the Vietnam-EAEU free trade agreement, speed up the establishment of joint ventures between the two countries.

They also agreed to continue supporting each other in participating in important United Nations cooperation mechanisms, such as the UN Security Council, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), among others.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation, both sides agreed to promote ties between the two legislatures within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks. They agreed to increase delegation exchanges and continue to support each other at multilateral parliamentary forums.

Vietnam, Mexico strengthen relations

A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly led by Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong paid a working visit to Mexico from September 28 – 30.

During his visit, NA Vice Chairman Phuong held talks with First Vice President of the Senate of Mexico Sergio Pérez Flores, met with President of the Foreign Affairs Commission at the Senate Cora Cecilia Pinedo Alonso, and President of the Commission on Border and Migration at the Senate Bertha Alicia Caraveo Camarena.

Phuong also held talks with Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico Joanna Alejandra Felipe Torres, and met with head of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies' Foreign Affairs Committee Alfredo Femat Bañuelos who is also head of Mexico - Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Group, head of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies’ Social Affairs Committee Anna Karina Rojo Pimentel, and leaders and members of the Mexico-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Group.

At the meetings, Phuong briefed the hosts of Vietnam's socio-economic development, and said that his Mexico visit aims to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries' legislative bodies, thereby contributing to strengthening and deepening the traditional friendship between the two countries in fields.

Congratulating Mexico on its important and positive achievements in many aspects under the leadership of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Phuong affirmed that Mexico is one of Vietnam's top important partners in the American region, and hoped that the relationship between the two countries will become deeper and more comprehensive.

He said the Vietnamese NA hopes that the two sides will soon discuss and agree on a draft joint statement on elevating the Vietnam-Mexico comprehensive partnership.

For their parts, Mexcian leaders expressed their appreciation for the visit of NA Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong and the Vietnamese delegation, saying that they believed the visit will make an important contribution to further promoting friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Mexico and Vietnam in general and between the two countries' legislative bodies in particular.

Senior Mexican leaders affirmed that Vietnam is a leading important partner of Mexico in Southeast Asia, while expressed their pleasure at strides in bilateral relations. They affirmed that Mexico always wishes to strengthen ties with Vietnam on all channels, especially promoting bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation.

Agreeing that the two countries have huge potential to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation, the Mexican leaders highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation and exploit the advantages brought by the CPTPP Agreement to promote bilateral cooperation and bring practical benefits to the two coutnries' people.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation, NA Vice Chairman Phuong and leaders of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries' legislatures within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, increase the exchange of high-level delegations, continue to coordinate and support each other at multilateral parliamentary forums.

On this occasion, the NA Vice Chairman conveyed the greetings and invitation from National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to the Presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico to visit Vietnam.

Within the framework of the visit, NA Vice Chairman Phuong and the Vietnamese delegation met with representatives of Mexican agencies, visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Mexico, and met with representatives of Vietnamese agencies and community in Mexico.

The delegation also laid flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument in the Freedom of Ethnic Park in the centre of Mexico City.

Action month for Vietnamese elderly launched in Ha Tinh

The Central Committee of the Vietnam Association of the Elderly (VAE) held a ceremony to launch the Action Month for the Elderly 2023 in the central province of Ha Tinh on September 30.

At the event, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien affirmed the Party, State, and society pay special care for the elderly materially and spiritually.

He asked all levels of Party committees, authorities, the VFF, and social organisations to strengthen the leadership and direction for elderly-related work.

The theme of the Action Month "Elderly people are fully promoted and cared for" shows a profound meaning, especially when Vietnam is a country with a rapidly aging population, he said.

On this occasion, Chien presented Ha Tinh province 2 billion VND (82,000 USD) to build community cultural houses which will be used as storm shelters, too, and gifts to old people aged 100 and above and disadvanatged old people in the province.

Seminar talks Vietnam-Japan labour cooperation potential

Promoting cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in education and sending trainees/nurses was the main focus of discussion at a recent seminar in Japan’s Osaka city.

Speaking at the event on September 29, Vietnamese Consul General in Osaka Ngo Trinh Ha stressed ample room remains for the two countries to boost their cooperation in labour, including nurses.

About 380,000 Vietnamese labourers are working in Japan, with 200,000 trainees and more than 10,000 working in the nursing sector, of them about 2,000 sent to Japan under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), heard the seminar.

Enhancing the sending and reception of interns and nurses not only meets Japan's needs but also addresses Vietnam's demand for nurses as the Southeast Asian nation’s population aging is predicted to accelerate in the future.

Hayashi Takaharu, Chairman of Japan’s Avance Group that has admitted more than 50,000 foreign workers, highlighted requirements for nurses and caregivers to work in Japan, including Japanese language skills.

Luu Thi Ngoc Tuy, a representative from the VILACO company that sends Vietnamese nurses to Japan, said the company targets 2,000 trainees/nurses this year, three times higher than the pervious year.

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