A book by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on the resolve to successfully implement the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress (NPC) was released at a ceremony held in Hanoi on October 20.

The book, titled ”The whole country unites, makes use of every opportunity, overcomes all difficulties and challenges, and resolves to successfully implement the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress", was jointly published by the Central Theoretical Council and the Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House. 

In his remarks at the event, Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, Chairman of the Central Theory Council and President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, said the book has a great significance as it could be considered a guidebook with strategic directions, practical guidance and important suggestions for party committees, officials, party members, and the masses to raise awareness and determination to successfully implement the resolution of the 13th NPC, creating new momentum and strength for the country to develop quickly and sustainably. 

Head of the Party Central Committee (PCC) ’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia said that with profound and comprehensive theoretical and practical value, the book contributes greatly to the system of theories on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam today; to the building of the Party and the political system and to promoting the strength of the entire nation in building and protecting the fatherland.

Pham Thi Thinh, Deputy Director and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Su That National Political Publishing House, said with over 500 pages, the book contains 40 pieces of outstanding writings and speeches of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in the first half term of the 13th NPC. They reflect important ideas, perspectives, and directions in the strategic and comprehensive leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Party Secretariat, headed by the General Party Secretary, in the implementation of political tasks of the country in general as well as those of regions and localities in particular.

The book is also available online free of charge on the publishing house' app STBook.

Prime Minister concludes Saudi Arabia trip

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-level Vietnamese delegation arrived in Hanoi on October 21 morning, concluding their trip to Saudi Arabia for the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit and a visit to the country at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

During more than two days in Saudi Arabia, the Government leader engaged in more than 20 bilateral and multilateral activities, including attending and delivering an important speech at the ASEAN-GCC Summit, holding bilateral meetings with heads of delegations from many countries and participating in events to strengthen all-round cooperation with the host country. 

Addressing the ASEAN-GCC summit, PM Chinh called on ASEAN and GCC to join hands in promoting resilience, harnessing resources for growth, and taking substantive actions with the highest political determination and vigorous efforts, towards creating tangible breakthroughs and becoming a highlight for regional and global collaboration.

He proposed that ASEAN and the GCC promote connections in three areas of human, culture, labour; trade, investment, tourism; and infrastructure system, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity of the two regions and the whole world.

Amid the tension in some hot spots in the world, the PM highlighted Vietnam's viewpoints on the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures on the foundation of international law, which received support from many countries.

In bilateral meetings with leaders from ASEAN and GCC members, PM Chinh and leaders of the countries reviewed bilateral cooperation achievements, and sketched out orientations to further promote their partnership.

The PM had a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and received government officials, and leaders of major economic groups and investment funds of Saudi Arabia. He attended and addressed the Vietnam-Saudi Arabia business forum, and visited the Vietnamese Embassy and community in the Middle East country.

In the meetings, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation in all fields, especially oil and gas, tourism, Halal industry, human resource training, and labour. PM Chinh asked Saudi Arabia's investment funds to consider large-scale investments in areas that Vietnam prioritises for development such as infrastructure, green economy, innovation, high technology, industry, and renewable energy.

During the PM's trip, many cooperation agreements were signed in the fields of justice, diplomacy, crime prevention, tourism and trade promotion, creating a legal framework and favourable conditions for bilateral partnership in the coming time.

PM Chinh's trip to Saudi Arabia was a success, contributing to fostering political trust and cooperation efficiency between Vietnam and GCC member countries and Saudi Arabia in various fields.

PM Chinh meets with Lao counterpart in Saudi Arabia

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone in Saudi Arabia on October 20 on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit.

The two PMs shared pleasure about the progress in bilateral cooperation over the years, which has benefited people in both countries.

They pledged to work closely together to maintain and reinforce the sound relationship between Vietnam and Laos, and transfer it to future generations.

The special relationship between Vietnam and Laos is a valuable asset, a rule for existence and development of both countries, a vital factor and important resource for national protection and growth in each country, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, they said.

They reviewed the implementation of agreements between the Politburos of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, thus pointing out achievements and shortcomings, and seeking  mechanisms towards stronger and more substantial cooperation.

The two PMs concurred to push forward the implementation of the Vietnam-Laos Strategic Cooperation Agreement for the 2021-2030 period, the Vietnam-Laos bilateral cooperation agreement for the 2021-2023 period, and the signed agreements and plans in various areas.

They agreed on the need to continue increasing exchanges of delegations at all levels through all channels to reinforce the special and close political relations between the two countries, coordinating closely in ensuring social order and safety, and strengthening cooperation in security-defence and in prevention and combat of trans-border criminals, especially drug-related criminals.

The two sides vowed to exert greater efforts to further promote bilateral economic cooperation and connectivity, while supporting each other in building an independent, self-reliant economy in association with practical, extensive and effective international integration.

They agreed to focus on removing obstacles for key cooperation projects such as Vung Ang ports No. 1, 2, and 3, as well as projects connecting road and rail traffic in the East - West direction.

PM Chinh and PM Sonexay Siphandone shared the belief that the operation of Nong Khang airport funded by Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai Agriculture JSC from May this year will contribute to increasing economic, tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries, becoming a symbol of the sustainable friendship and partnership between the two countries.

PM Chinh congratulated Laos on taking the role of ASEAN and AIPA Chair in 2024, affirming that Vietnam is willing to support Laos in successfully performing the role.

PM Sonexay Siphandone said that his country will continue to coordinate closely with and support Vietnam in regional and international issues.

Responding to PM Chinh's invitation, the Lao PM said he will visit Vietnam soon and co-chair the 46th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee in Vietnam.

Top legislator attends opening of first Son La Coffee Festival

The first Son La Coffee Festival opened in Son La city of the northern mountainous province with the same name on October 20, with the presence of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Nguyen Huu Dong, Secretary of the provincial Party’s Committee, said the festival is an important event designed for Son La and other northwestern provinces to introduce their Arabica coffee and honour coffee growers, processors and  traders, contributing to promoting the value and the position of Son La Arabica coffee in domestic and foreign markets. 

The cultivation of Arabica coffee in Son La began in the late 1980s, and the area under the plant expanded from 278ha in 1990 to over 20,000 ha in 2023, accounting for 41.2% of the country’s Arabia coffee cultivation area. Of which, 18,000 ha have obtained sustainable farming certification. Son La coffee has been exported to 20 countries in the European Union, North America, the Middle East and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Addressing the event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan emphasised the importance of cooperation and linkage in developing a sustainable value chain for the coffee industry in Son La.

The festival with the theme of "Arabica, Son La Coffee - Taste of Tay Bac" will last until October 23.

It features a coffee gala, a farmers’ competition, a trade fair, the inauguration of investment projects in the coffee sector and Cascara tea production lines in Mai Son district, and a conference on coffee trade connections.

NA leader inaugurates coffee processing factory in Son La

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on October 21 cut the ribbon to inaugurate a 260 billion VND (10.59 million USD) coffee processing factory in Mai Son district, Son La province, which is expected to help boost the growth of the coffee industry in the northern mountainous province.

The event was part of activities held within the first Son La Coffee Festival themed Arabica, Son La coffee - Taste of Tay Bac.

Run by Son La Coffee Processing JSC, the factory has a capacity of 50,000 tonnes of fresh coffee berries, equivalent to 12,500 tonnes of coffee bean per year, with a system of wastewater and solid waste treatment system.

The facility is expected to help solve existing problems in coffee development in Son La, contributing to boosting the locality's industrial production and export revenue, creating more jobs and increasing incomes for local labourers, and promoting the local socio-economic development, said Lo Minh Hung, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Son La Party Committee.

At the same time, it is hoped to facilitate the linkage and cooperation between coffee farmers, businesses and cooperatives in Son La, creating a sustainable coffee production and sale chain in Son La and the northwestern mountainous region as a whole, bringing more benefits to local farmers, he said.

The same day, the NA leader and his entourage visited Arabica coffee farms in Hoang Van Thu village in Hua La commune, Son La city, where he talked to local farmers on the cultivation and harvesting process of coffee and attended a coffee harvesting competition in the village.

On the occasion, the top legislator also presented gifts to policy beneficiaries and revolution contributors in Hoang Van Thu village.

Vietnam keen on expanding labour cooperation with Singapore

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh has proposed that Singapore consider the official acceptance of Vietnamese workers through its Visa Work Permit scheme.

Meeting Singaporean Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad in Hanoi on October 20, Thanh suggested that Singapore expand the number of industries that accept Vietnamese workers, and strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in transport ship crew supply.

The Vietnamese official highlighted the growing partnership between Vietnam and Singapore, noting that Singapore is Vietnam's leading investor among ASEAN countries and the second biggest in the world, with 3,095 projects worth 70.8 billion USD, accounting for 22.9% of total FDI in Vietnam.

He said the effective operation of Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) in many localities of Vietnam has helped promoted human resources cooperation between the two countries.

Mentioning the two MoUs signed between the two countries during Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's visit to Vietnam in August, Thanh said that the deals are important steps forward in bilateral cooperation, especially in skill development and innovation.

The Deputy Minister proposed that the two sides soon establish a joint working group to discuss and implement activities realising the MoUs.

He said that Vietnam is building three national centres for high-quality vocational training and practice, and expressed his hope for Singapore's sharing of knowledge and experience, especially in the governance, management and training programmes of the centres.

Vietnam also wants to learn from Singapore's experience in building a system of labour market data, as well as in analysing and forecasting of career and employment trends, and improving the quality of employment services in the digital technology environment.

For his part, Zaqy Mohamad said that during this visit, he is bringing many Singaporean businesses to Vietnam to seek development opportunities and support Vietnam in areas of the country's interest.

He said he believes that the signing of the MoUs will open up more chances for labourers of the two sides to work in each other's country.

The Singaporean official affirmed that Singapore is willing to support and share experience with Vietnam, especially in high-quality human resources training and occupational safety and hygiene.

Coast Guard helps fishermen to combat illegal IUU fishing

The Việt Nam Coast Guard and relevant forces have apprised some 1,000 fishermen in the southwest coastal province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu about how to prevent and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Officers of Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2 under the Việt Nam Coast Guard (VCG) Command on October 19 cooperated with staff from the Border Guards and Fisheries Sub-Department in the province to distribute more than 1,000 leaflets about IUU fishing, 150 books about the Law on VCG and 100 national flags to fishermen at Cát Lở Port in Vũng Tàu City.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Phan Nhân Hậu, head of Đồng Nai Province-based Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2, said the action seeks to help coastal localities fight IUU fishing in order to lift the “yellow card” warning of the European Commission (EC).

It also provided fisherman information about the 2017 Fisheries Law, the country’s sovereignty over its sea and islands, sea laws, and the functions, duties and powers of VCG.

“It helps to ensure that fishing activities must comply with fishing regulations of Vietnamese law and international laws, contributing to conservation of marine resources and sustainable fisheries development,” he said.

A set of regulations coordinating the protection of aquatic resources and ensuring security and order at sea was signed between Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2 and the province’s Sub-Department of Fisheries on September 20.

Accordingly, the two sides will regularly exchange information to help each other resolve related cases, organise the spread of information about Việt Nam's seas and islands, and popularise education on sea laws among the population.

They will also coordinate organising patrols, inspections and law enforcement at sea; manage aquatic resource protection activities; and enhance professional skills.

Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2 is tasked with monitoring the sea from Cù Lao Xanh in the central coastal province of Bình Định to Hà Tiên City in the Cửu Long (Mekong) province of Kiên Giang, including the Trường Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

The division is also assigned to directly detect and combat violations of law, such as national security crimes, smuggling, and trade fraud at sea.  

Last month, it seized more than 260,000 litres of smuggled diesel oil from two offshore wooden fishing boats in the southwest coastal region of Việt Nam. 

BritCham Vietnam fun run to raise money for charity

The BritCham Vietnam Charity Fun Run 2023 is due to be held on November 5 at the British University of Vietnam’s campus in Ecopark in Van Giang district of Hung Yen province, as announced on October 19 by the event’s organising board.

The run is an annual fundraising event organized by the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam (BritCham Vietnam) in support of various charity projects throughout the country. These projects encompass fields such as education, health, natural disaster prevention, and all work aimed at improving the lives of Vietnamese people.

The first BritCham Charity Fun Run was held back in 2000 and has continued until now. For the last 22 years it has been one of the biggest charity events in the country.

Since its inception the event has gone on to attract more than 130,000 runners and raised more than VND13 billion, equal to US$533,868, for charitable activities in Vietnam in the process.

Participants will compete in the five km run or walk, with tickets for adults being VND350,00, equal to US$14.3, and VND200,000, equal to US$8.21, for children.

VN focuses on science technology applications for sustainable agriculture

Việt Nam has targeted to become a nation that produces and supplies transparent, responsible and sustainable food in the near future, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến said on Wednesday.

To achieve this, Việt Nam is planning to produce green food and an agricultural system with minimal emissions and sustainable practices. This transformation will be facilitated by promoting the development and application of science and technology, innovation in agricultural production, the expansion of public-private partnerships, and a strong focus on applying digital technology within agricultural value chains, he added.

Speaking at the workshop on application of science and technology and innovation for sustainable agricultural development on Wednesday, Tiến said that from being a country facing food shortage, Việt Nam is now among the world's leading food exporting nations.

In the first nine months of 2023, agricultural, forestry, and aquatic product exports reached US$38.48 billion, of which crops accounted for $19.54 billion, making up about 50.8 per cent of the total agricultural export value. The agricultural sector and rural development play a vital role in the country's economic structure and ensure national food security.

These achievements could be largely attributed to the significant contributions of science and technology. From 2020 to 2023, Vietnamese scientists developed 148 recognised crop varieties and 36 technical advances acknowledged by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). These innovations have led to increased productivity and improved product quality, ensuring both domestic consumption and exports.

Tiến emphasised that science and technology continued to be essential, contributing over 35 per cent to the success of agriculture in Việt Nam in recent years.

Science, technology and innovation played a crucial role in the sustainable development of the global food system. Improvements in crop varieties, raw materials and new technologies such as biotechnology and advanced precision agriculture tools, including Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and digitisation, were key to helping farmers adapt more effectively to changing weather conditions. This, in turn, led to higher agricultural productivity with improved product quality and nutritional content, he added.

Tiến said to ensure that farmers had timely and equitable access to these technologies, as well as the responsible use of these tools, a comprehensive and systematic approach was needed. This included strengthening policies that encouraged agricultural innovation based on transparent, scientifically grounded legal frameworks that aligned with international norms.

Ralph Bean, Agricultural Counselor at the US Embassy in Việt Nam, pointed out that the potential of biotechnology in agriculture was substantial. Precise breeding, gene source techniques, increasing nutritional content through biotechnology, and enhancing disease resistance were just a few areas where biotechnology could significantly contribute to agricultural development.

Considering the existing challenges in the agricultural sector such as resource dependency, unstable and unsustainable development, low technology adoption, and the need for increased agricultural productivity, Nguyễn Giang Thu, deputy head of the MARD's Department of Science, Technology and Environment, emphasised that the future growth of the agricultural sector should rely on technology and innovation.

In the near future, science and technology were expected to contribute over 50 per cent of the total growth of the agricultural sector.

Thu said it was crucial to mobilise all available resources to prioritise and develop specific, effective goals and products, as well as increase financial resources for agricultural research. This included investing in various technology sectors, with a special focus on high technology.

Additionally, upgrading and enhancing agricultural infrastructure and adopting digital and circular agriculture practices were essential.

Furthermore, she said, it was necessary to establish mechanisms to promote research and technology transfer in agriculture, enhance the effectiveness of public-private partnerships, and improve the quality of scientific and technological human resources.

During the forum, both domestic and international experts discussed the challenges in research, technology transfer and innovation towards sustainable agricultural development, and identified priorities and directions for research and application in Việt Nam.

As a result, they proposed solutions to promote the research, transfer and public-private cooperation processes to share the benefits of scientific and technological research, application and innovation.

On the occasion, the Department of Science, Technology and Environment and CropLife Asia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation to promote research, development and application of advanced solutions and technologies for the period of 2023-2030.

According to the MoU, both parties would boost communication activities, share information, provide policy advice, conduct training sessions, and organise in-depth scientific seminars to update and encourage the application of advanced scientific, technological and innovative solutions in agriculture. They would also support farmers in accessing and applying new scientific advances in agriculture, with the goal of achieving sustainable agricultural development in Việt Nam. 

Forum discusses healthcare innovations

Domestic and international health experts discussed new ways to bring Việt Nam's healthcare and pharmaceutical industry to new heights based on innovation and creativity at a forum on Wednesday in Hà Nội.

The Second Healthcare Innovation Forum, organised by Pharma Group, attracted over 400 participants from embassies, health departments, hospitals, research institutes, universities, technology corporations and startups.

The forum provided valuable insights into research, innovations, and knowledge-sharing and contributed significantly to the development goals of Việt Nam's healthcare industry, which seeks to be on par with other advanced countries in the region and globally.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Emin Turan, Chairman of Pharma Group, highlighted Việt Nam as a country with enormous potential for fostering an environment that encourages innovation with a skilled and diligent workforce.

“2023 and 2024 are fundamental for Việt Nam to enact efficient regulations toward the realisation of these goals as key laws are being updated, including the Pharmaceutical Law, the Health Insurance Law, and the Tender Decree. Việt Nam should use this as a great opportunity to create the right ecosystem towards its goals. Việt Nam can strive to improve the healthcare sector and develop into a hub for science and innovation in the field based on existing potentials and lessons acquired from international and current experiences,” said Turan.

Turan also suggested that Việt Nam should enhance research and development capabilities, encourage quick digital implementation and transformation, and create a supportive and sustainable policy climate to support innovation to fulfill this purpose.

The event featured inspiring presentations and engaging discussions from leading scientists, doctors, policymakers, and businesses, offering diverse perspectives and many new approaches to drive breakthroughs in healthcare sector development.

Participants focused discussion on strengthening research capacity, clinical trials, and the development of new medicines. The forum also focuses on applying advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, real-world data management in research and enhancing healthcare system management capabilities. Furthermore, it emphasised attracting investment by creating a favourable legal environment and providing incentives for scientific research activities, technology transfer, and high-tech applications.

Given the rising healthcare needs of Việt Nam, innovation and creativity are pivotal in elevating the quality of healthcare, bolstering diagnostic and treatment capabilities, and advancing medical research, heard from the conference.

Moreover, the integration of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, data analysis, virtual reality, blockchain, and robotics has gained significant traction in the healthcare sector. These technologies not only optimise cost and time efficiency but also enhance overall well-being and health outcomes. Furthermore, fostering innovation and development within the healthcare sector is crucial for restructuring and enhancing Việt Nam's healthcare system. This approach will empower the system to effectively tackle future challenges with agility and efficacy.

During the forum, healthcare experts also discussed the pivotal role of innovative solutions within the healthcare sector. They also shared international experiences regarding digital transformation and healthcare data management. Furthermore, panel discussions focusing on Việt Nam's unique context of innovation and creativity, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with digital transformation in the healthcare industry, garnered considerable attention.

The forum also served as a platform for dialogues surrounding proposed roadmaps and policies aimed at realising Việt Nam's healthcare goals and vision, particularly within the pharmaceutical sector. These discussions encompass topics such as the new National Pharmaceutical Development Strategy for Việt Nam until 2030 and the vision for 2045; insights into the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland; the role of digital transformation in formulating industry development strategies, along with the application of lessons learned from other economies to globalise Việt Nam's biopharmaceutical industry. 

A chance for athletes to shine ahead of Olympics

The National Athletics Championship will be the perfect opportunity for athletes to shine ahead of the Olympic Games and Southeast Asian Games.

The tournament, the most important domestic event of the year, will be held from October 20 to 28 at the National Military Training Centre in Miếu Môn, about 40km from Hà Nội centre.

Athletes from 58 teams will take part in 50 events for men and women as well as some mixed team events.

Strong competitors like SEA Games champions Nguyễn Thị Oanh from Bắc Giang; Nguyễn Thị Huyền from Nam Định; Nguyễn Thị Hằng from Hà Nội, Nguyễn Trung Cường from Hà Tĩnh, and other title favourites have registered to compete.

According to the Việt Nam Athletics Federation, the championship is an opportunity to evaluate the training quality of cities and provinces.

Coaches can pick young talents who will receive intensive training at national sports training centres. They will be prepared to compete in international tournaments in the near future.

Meanwhile, excellent athletes will be called to the national team to train for the 2024 Paris Olympics' qualification and Thailand's 33th SEA Games in 2025.

National team athletes are title favourites in all categories. However, experts still believe there may be some surprised in store.

"In athletics, athletes' results are accurately measured in centimetres and counted in seconds," said Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, general secretary of the Việt Nam Athletics Federation.

"Normally, the winners would be those who have spent years training and competing.

"However, we still wait for a surprise. We hope to find new faces to come out from this championship."

Việt Nam completed a successful tournament at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia with 12 gold medals, placing No. 2 in the athletics' ranking table.

However, they failed in the 19th Asian Games in China as none of athletes in the 12 events could secure a single medal.

At present, no Vietnamese athlete has earned a place in the Paris Games. 

Sponsors continue support national football leagues

Ngọc Linh Kon Tum Ginseng JSC will continue to be the main sponsor of the national premier league for the third year in a row.

The company's Night Wolf energy drink will be the named brand for the 2023-24 season.

Trần Hoàn, chairman of the Board of Directors of Ngọc Linh Kon Tum Ginseng, said: “Sponsoring the Việt Nam's highest level of football league, Ngọc Linh Kon Tum Ginseng with its Night Wolf brand hopes to contribute to the development of the national tournament, strengthening the foundation for the national teams to reach high results in the regional and international competitions and secure World Cup place in the near future."

The season, featuring 14 teams, will begin on October 20.

The winners will receive VNĐ5 billion (US$205,300). Second and third place runners-up will earn VNĐ3 billion and VNĐ1.5 billion, respectively.

Also on October 17, Gold Star Group Beer Alcohol and Beverage JSC was named the main sponsor of the V.League 2 and Casper Việt Nam the main sponsor of the National Cup.

The Gold Star V.League 2 will have 11 teams, vying for the top bonus of VNĐ2 billion from October 21.

The second- and third-placed teams will pocket VNĐ1 billion and VNĐ500 million.

The Casper National Cup features all 25 teams from V.League 1 and V.League 2. 

The event will begin on November 24 with teams competing in a knockout format. 

The champions will get VNĐ2 billion. The silver and bronze medallists will take VNĐ1 billion and VNĐ400 million. 

Nguyễn Trung Dũng, deputy general director of Casper Việt Nam, said: “Casper Việt Nam is honoured to be a key sponsor for the National Cup 2023-24. It is one of our action plans to support the young generation in education, national sport activities and assist children with difficulties. 

"We give priority to assist and develop national football. We hope that the cooperation between Casper Việt Nam, FPT Play and VPF will make up a competitive National Cup season."

VPF Chairman Trần Anh Tú added: "Sponsors play important roles in the success of all tournaments. We really respect and thank the support of Ngọc Linh Kon Tum Ginseng, Gold Star Group and Casper Việt Nam. We believe that our accompaniment will push the development of national football."

The 2023-24 is the second year that VPF has partnered with FPT Play to produce and broadcast matches.

All games of three competitions will be live aired on FPT's multi platforms of terrestrial, cable, satellite, IPTV, Internet, mobile, public projection and social networks. 

VN, Germany successfully cooperated in land environmental management over 2 decades

Germany has successfully supported Việt Nam in building a legal system on land environmental management, implementing projects on restoring degraded land, strengthening the capacity of officials in managing and protecting the land environment, as well as facilitating equipment for analysis of heavy metal pollution in contaminated land areas over the past 20 years.

Germany also shared with Việt Nam knowledge about scientific foundations and land environmental management over the past 20 years, said Hoàng Văn Thức, head of Pollution Control Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, at a workshop held on Hà Nội on Tuesday.

The workshop was organised to celebrate 20 years of cooperation between Việt Nam and Germany in protecting the land environment.

Thức also said that the two decades of cooperation between Việt Nam and Germany in protecting the land environment began in 2004 when Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and Việt Nam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, co-implemented the project "Scientific basis for identifying contaminated-land areas in Việt Nam" in 2005-09.

During the 20-year cooperation, the two ministries signed two strategic cooperation agreements in the field of environment as a basis for effectively implementing many cooperative activities on land environmental protection between the two sides, including Memorandum of Understanding dated September 16, 2015 on cooperation in environmental protection and climate change, he said.

A series of projects over the years had been carried out to support Việt Nam in protecting the land environment, such as "Basic concepts to identify land reclamation tools” implemented from 2011-12; "Climate change through energy crops" implemented from 2015-25; and "Building digital soil pollution maps" implemented from 2017-24, he said.

Through close and effective coordination between the two ministries, the cooperative relationship between the two countries in the field of land environmental protection had been increasingly enhanced, he added.

The Federal Republic of Germany was considered a long-standing traditional partner and one of the partners that coordinated with Việt Nam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to conduct the most projects in the fields of climate change and environmental protection, ocean plastic waste management, and water resources management, he said.

“Of which, protecting the land environment is one of the priority areas,” he said.

Michael Zschiesche, director of Germany’s Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU), said both countries had the same size and it was a good starting point when Việt Nam had made much progress over the past years in tackling contaminated-land issues that came from industry and also other sources.

“Vietnamese Government and authorities are working hard to tackle the problems with land management, also contaminated land,” he said.

They learned from the experiences of Germany, he said.

“I am very optimistic that our way to tackle our problems in Germany also is a good model in Việt Nam,” he said.

According to Thức, along with rapid development, Việt Nam was also facing many environmental challenges, of which land resource degradation was an issue that needsto be addressed.

Ngô Thanh Sơn, head of Resource Management Department under the Việt Nam National University of Agriculture, also said that the process of Việt Nam’s socio-economic development was taking place rapidly, leading to a lot of land use changes, mainly changing from forest land to annual crop land, which would reduce forest cover and cause very high risk of erosion.

When planting annual crops, such as cassava or sweet potato, growers often used a lot of fertiliser, which was one of the risks of soil pollution, he said.

In addition, Việt Nam was one of the countries greatly affected by climate change, especially extreme weather phenomena, drought and salinity intrusion, which has worsened land resource degradation in the Mekong Delta, he added.

It was estimated that Việt Nam has a total of 33 million ha of land, including over 10.2 million ha of agricultural land, he said.

Of the total of 33 million ha of land, 70 per cent of the total land is poor in Phosphorus and 60 per cent is poor in Potassium, he said.

Talking about future cooperation, Thức said Việt Nam asked Germany to continue their support for Việt Nam in the future.

The support included helping Việt Nam to improve the system of policies and laws on management and control of land environmental pollution; building facilities and training human resources to collect and manage databases on soil pollution; and strengthen the capacity to analyse and evaluate soil pollution for laboratories of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, he said.

Besides, Việt Nam also suggested Germany cooperate in managing, renovating and restoring polluted land areas according to market mechanism orientation; managing and rehabilitating polluted land according to the principles of reducing carbon emissions and adapting to climate change; and building multi-objective models to improve and restore polluted land, he said.

In the meantime, Sơn said the two sides were advised to conduct research to show the importance of protecting land resources in order to reduce land resource degradation in the future.

They also needed to issue good cultivation models for farmers to apply, and then multiply them, he said.

For example, crop residues could be distributed on the fields to protect the soil. When the crop residues were fed to livestock, the animal manure could be used as fertiliser, he said.

This would increase organic-matter content for the soil and improve the soil structure, he said. 

Bình Thuận promotes Chăm culture

The coastal province of Bình Thuận is launching a series of cultural activities to promote the culture of the Chăm ethnicity.

The programme includes an exhibition showcasing a collection of ancient jewelry of the Chăm people and ethnic minority groups in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) region.

The collection consists of 264 diversified jewelry items such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and hair brooches which were made of materials including bone, horn, crystal, gems, gold, silver, and bronze.

All the jewelry dates from the Sa Huỳnh Culture (2,500 to 3,000 years ago) to the end of the 19th century.

They are part of a collection of 3,000 jewelry items of collector Nguyễn Quốc Dũng from Lâm Đồng Province’s Đà Lạt City.

According to Dũng, the exhibition gives information on the jewelry of the Chăm people and other ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands region. It also reflects their lifestyle, religion and aesthetics.

The exhibition will open at the Chăm Culture Exhibition Centre in Bắc Bình District until October 25.

In addition, visitors can learn how to do brocade weaving, make pottery items, and cook traditional food with local Chăm artisans at the exhibition.

All the activities are part of the celebration of the Katê Festival, the largest traditional festival of the Chăm people in Bình Thuận.

The festival is celebrated annually in the first three days of the seventh month of the Chăm calendar (October in the solar calendar) to show their gratitude to kings, mandarins and ancestors, and pray for good harvests, health and prosperity.

The festival is held annually at Pô Sah Inư Chăm Towers in Phan Thiết City’s Phú Hài District with traditional rituals like offering costumes to Po Sah Inư Goddess, bathing Linga - Yoni statues, and a performance of a ‘thanksgiving’ ceremony.

People and artists in traditional clothes will join and perform in cultural shows, folk dances, music performances with traditional instruments and folk games.

The festival was recognised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as an intangible cultural heritage in 2022. 

Media campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer launched

A media campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer called "Working together for the woman I love" was launched on Thursday afternoon in Hà Nội.

The campaign was launched in response to World Breast Cancer Prevention Month and the 93rd anniversary of the Việt Nam Women's Union (October 20).

It was kicked off by the Bright Future Fund, a fund to support cancer patients, with the companionship of the Roche Pharma Vietnam Co Ltd and other partners.

The campaign was organised with hope that women will take care of their health and love themselves, especially proactively implementing breast cancer screening.

Under the campaign, lots of activities for breast cancer patients across the country will be conducted.

The series of programmes "Breast Cancer Patients Forum" will be held in Hà Nội and HCM City to update official information on diagnosis and treatment, and answer questions from patients during and after treatment.

This will be also an opportunity for patients and medical staff to meet, share experiences, and give each other strength and optimism during the treatment journey.

The event "Hair for people with cancer" with the message "So many strands of hair, so much love" will be organised at hospitals and cancer centres nationwide.

During the treatment process, in addition to facing fatigue and pain, the female patients were also extremely self-conscious because their shiny, smooth hair was reduced to only a few stray strands, and even their eyebrows and eyelashes were gone because of chemical side effects. Understanding and sympathising with the sick, the Bright Future Fund brings encouragement and joy to the ‘warriors’ by donating wigs woven from real hair, which expresses the affection and care of the community for the resilient women.

The campaign has been implemented for the past 10 years.

It has provided free screening to more than 72,000 women nationwide.

Thousands of women have been instructed how to care for their breasts, how to detect the disease early, how to effectively prevent the disease and received information related to breast cancer.

In addition, events such as parading double-decker buses to raise awareness of early detection of breast cancer have also attracted a large number of people's attention and positive responses.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan said, "The campaign has made a big splash in recent years. I call on the community to work together to repel breast cancer. Cancer screening in general and breast cancer screening in particular should be included in periodic health check-up programmes when women turn 40.

“The work is towards a strong and healthy Việt Nam,” she said.

Associate professor Nguyễn Thị Xuyên, former Deputy Minister of Health and Chairwoman of the Bright Future Fund, said: “Screening and early detection of breast cancer for women is extremely important. Through this campaign, we hope that Vietnamese women will be equipped with knowledge and raise awareness about this leading fatal disease.”

Lennor Carrillo, general director of Roche Pharma Việt Nam, said: "For the past decade, Roche Pharma Việt Nam has been at the forefront of optimising breast cancer care through early screenings and access to innovative treatments. Today, we celebrate the 10th year anniversary of our partnership in advocating for a healthier future for women in Việt Nam. We are honoured to be a part of this meaningful journey and remain dedicated to creating a positive impact in the fight against breast cancer."

The Bright Future Fund under the Ministry of Health was founded on August 18, 2011.

Breast cancer is a common cancer among women in Việt Nam and most countries around the world.

Statistics of the health ministry showed that each year Việt Nam sees 182,563 new cases of cancer, of which breast cancer is 21,555 cases, accounting for 11.8 per cent.

The disease can be completely cured if detected early, treated promptly and with the right method. The earlier it is detected, the simpler and more effective the treatment, with a high cure rate and low treatment costs.

The prerequisite is treatment when the cancer is in its early stages.

Therefore, screening and early detection of breast cancer as soon as women reach the age at high risk of the disease (from 40 and older) is very important.

Although in recent years, education to raise community awareness about breast cancer prevention has been deployed in provinces and cities, many women have not been proactive in screening for breast cancer, according to the health ministry.

VN focuses on science technology applications for sustainable agriculture

Việt Nam has targeted to become a nation that produces and supplies transparent, responsible and sustainable food in the near future, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến said.

To achieve this, Việt Nam is planning to produce green food and an agricultural system with minimal emissions and sustainable practices. This transformation will be facilitated by promoting the development and application of science and technology, innovation in agricultural production, the expansion of public-private partnerships, and a strong focus on applying digital technology within agricultural value chains, he added.

Speaking at the workshop on application of science and technology and innovation for sustainable agricultural development on Wednesday, Tiến said that from being a country facing food shortage, Việt Nam is now among the world's leading food exporting nations.

In the first nine months of 2023, agricultural, forestry, and aquatic product exports reached US$38.48 billion, of which crops accounted for $19.54 billion, making up about 50.8 per cent of the total agricultural export value. The agricultural sector and rural development play a vital role in the country's economic structure and ensure national food security.

These achievements could be largely attributed to the significant contributions of science and technology. From 2020 to 2023, Vietnamese scientists developed 148 recognised crop varieties and 36 technical advances acknowledged by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). These innovations have led to increased productivity and improved product quality, ensuring both domestic consumption and exports.

Tiến emphasised that science and technology continued to be essential, contributing over 35 per cent to the success of agriculture in Việt Nam in recent years.

Science, technology and innovation played a crucial role in the sustainable development of the global food system. Improvements in crop varieties, raw materials and new technologies such as biotechnology and advanced precision agriculture tools, including Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and digitisation, were key to helping farmers adapt more effectively to changing weather conditions. This, in turn, led to higher agricultural productivity with improved product quality and nutritional content, he added.

Tiến said to ensure that farmers had timely and equitable access to these technologies, as well as the responsible use of these tools, a comprehensive and systematic approach was needed. This included strengthening policies that encouraged agricultural innovation based on transparent, scientifically grounded legal frameworks that aligned with international norms.

Ralph Bean, Agricultural Counselor at the US Embassy in Việt Nam, pointed out that the potential of biotechnology in agriculture was substantial. Precise breeding, gene source techniques, increasing nutritional content through biotechnology, and enhancing disease resistance were just a few areas where biotechnology could significantly contribute to agricultural development.

Considering the existing challenges in the agricultural sector such as resource dependency, unstable and unsustainable development, low technology adoption, and the need for increased agricultural productivity, Nguyễn Giang Thu, deputy head of the MARD's Department of Science, Technology and Environment, emphasised that the future growth of the agricultural sector should rely on technology and innovation.

In the near future, science and technology were expected to contribute over 50 per cent of the total growth of the agricultural sector.

Thu said it was crucial to mobilise all available resources to prioritise and develop specific, effective goals and products, as well as increase financial resources for agricultural research. This included investing in various technology sectors, with a special focus on high technology.

Additionally, upgrading and enhancing agricultural infrastructure and adopting digital and circular agriculture practices were essential.

Furthermore, she said, it was necessary to establish mechanisms to promote research and technology transfer in agriculture, enhance the effectiveness of public-private partnerships, and improve the quality of scientific and technological human resources.

During the forum, both domestic and international experts discussed the challenges in research, technology transfer and innovation towards sustainable agricultural development, and identified priorities and directions for research and application in Việt Nam.

As a result, they proposed solutions to promote the research, transfer and public-private cooperation processes to share the benefits of scientific and technological research, application and innovation.

On the occasion, the Department of Science, Technology and Environment and CropLife Asia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation to promote research, development and application of advanced solutions and technologies for the period of 2023-2030.

According to the MoU, both parties would boost communication activities, share information, provide policy advice, conduct training sessions, and organise in-depth scientific seminars to update and encourage the application of advanced scientific, technological and innovative solutions in agriculture. They would also support farmers in accessing and applying new scientific advances in agriculture, with the goal of achieving sustainable agricultural development in Việt Nam.

Top teams set high targets ahead of new football season

Defending champions Hà Nội Police FC have set their sights on a double while title favourites Hà Nội FC are determined to win back their top spot when the new season starts on Sunday.

After joining the national premier league last season, the Police spent well in the transfer market, bringing in many quality players such as defender Đoàn Văn Hậu, forward Phan Văn Đức and goalkeeper Filip Nguyễn.

These stars played a key role in helping their team win the trophy, ending their title drought which lasted nearly four decades.

In the second year with the V.League 1, the Police are targetting both the V.League 1 and National Cup.

"Our team won supporters' hearts and love due to our hard-working attitude and professionalism," Colonel Phạm Thanh Hùng, deputy director of the Hà Nội Police Department.

"Players must try their best to go beyond their limits to maintain on top podium in the 2023-24. We will create the most comfortable conditions so that the team can strongly develop and contribute to the growth of the national football."

In their opening match, the Police will host Bình Định at the Hàng Đẫy Stadium. At the same time, former champions Hà Nội will do everything in their power to return to their regular place at the top of the table.

The 2023-24 is a milestone season for Hà Nội as they are competing in the AFC Champions League for the first time. The team, which finished second in the ranking, not only wants to make their mark in the continental competition but also prove their strength in the domestic leagues.

The team has strongly upgraded their line-up, adding high-quality players to their squad.

Currently, they are home to national team members such as forward Nguyễn Văn Quyết, Đỗ Hùng Dũng, Đỗ Duy Mạnh and Phạm Tuấn Hải and foreigners like central defender Damien Le Tallec, Serbian winger Milan Jevtovic and Brazilian defender Almeida Silva Marcos Antonio.

"This year, national football will make a historic move to join with international competition system as the timetable will be the same as other leagues in the world," said President Đỗ Vinh Quang.

"It is also a milestone for Hà Nội as we debut in the AFC Champions League where we play with strong rivals. This valuable experience will help us to improve our quality and level.

"We believe that it will be a new path for Vietnamese football and Hà Nội. But our target has not changed. We desire to reach high continental levels while working hard to ensure a leading position in the domestic arena. We always aspire to the highest goal, because finishing second is a failure."

After their recent unexpected results from their first match at the AFC Champions League, Hà Nội fired Bozidar Bandovic who won Best Coach of the 2023.

Currently, assistant Lê Đức Tuấn is in charge of the team.

It is said that Hà Nội leaders are in contact with a number of coaches including the former head coach of the national U23 Gong Oh-kyun of South Korea.

Hà Nội will not play this week as they will visit Wuhan Three Town FC on October 24 in Wuhan, Hubei, China.

Their first match will be against Hải Phòng on October 29 at Hàng Đẫy Stadium.

Nghe An farmers hit as African swine fever epidemic spreads

Authorities in the central province of Nghe An are trying to curb the African swine fever epidemic that has quickly spread in the area. 

Head of the Nghe An Provincial Department of Animal Health, Dang Van Minh, said on October 18 that the African swine fever epidemic had spread to the districts of Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, and Quy Hop, causing big losses for local farmers.

"More than 500 pigs weighing over 21 tonnes in Yen Thanh District have had to be culled to contain the spread of African swine fever," Minh said. "Quy Chau District has also had to cull nearly 120 pigs weighing nearly nine tonnes from 78 households as the epidemic started spreading. Neighbouring Quy Hop District also found the first infections in late September.

The local Department of Animal Health warns that the epidemic may spread more during the coming winter as the animals' health deteriorates in the cold weather.

Local farmers are advised to closely monitor their pigs and inform local authorities of any cases as soon as possible.

Vietnam detected the first outbreak of African swine fever in February 2019 and the disease spread to all 63 provinces and cities across the country within just seven months, resulting in the culling of six million pigs, equivalent to 20 percent of the total pig herd.

Vietnam has recently become the first country to successfully develop and produce two vaccines against African swine fever, a disease that first appeared in Africa in 1921 with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, more than 650,000 doses of the vaccines had recently been tested on pig herds in 40 provinces throughout the country, with a 95 percent success rate.

Vaccine producers are working with local authorities to implement vaccination campaigns for pig herds nationwide.

Completion deadline extended for second metro line in HCMC

The HCMC People’s Committee has approved an extension of the completion date for Metro Line No. 2, which connects Ben Thanh Market in downtown and Tham Luong depot in District 12, from 2026 to 2030.

The Management Authority for Urban Railways of HCMC (MAUR), the project’s investor, has been tasked with creating detailed construction plans and ensuring the project adheres to the new schedule.

MAUR is also responsible for proposing solutions to overcome any obstacles and allocating resources to complete any unfinished components if the project falls behind schedule.

Regarding land clearance, MAUR must actively collaborate with relevant departments and units to expedite construction, relocate infrastructure, and ensure timely handover to construction contractors according to the approved plan.

The Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro line, known as Metro Line 2, was approved in 2010 with a total investment of nearly VND47.9 trillion. It spans over 11 kilometers, featuring nine underground stations and one elevated station, connecting multiple districts including Districts 1, 3, 10, 12, Tan Binh, and Tan Phu.

The project was originally slated for completion by 2026.

High change of registration congestion nationwide at year end

The Vietnam Register yesterday issued a warning of possible registration re-congestion in various regions from the end of this year to the first half of next year.

There are now 271/288 automobile registration centers nationwide, operating 435/536 inspection lines to serve at least 626,400 vehicles per month. The Vietnam Register announced that in general, the automobile registration system can still satisfy the current demand even at the peak month of July (with over 503,000 waiting to be checked).

However, due to the uneven distribution of registration centers, in the upcoming time when the new cycle of automatic registration renewal of about 2 million vehicles, congestion might happen in the 11 cities and provinces of Hanoi, HCM, Binh Thuan, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Ha Giang, KonTum, Lam Dong, Thai Binh, Thua Thien Hue, and Tra Vinh.

About 700 registration officers have been prosecuted, nearly half of whom are released on bail and are helping registration tasks. In the near future when the case is brought to trial and a verdict is announced, the Vietnam Register has to withdraw the certificate of these people. This means 21 registration offices in 9 provinces and cities will stop working.

Meanwhile, under the applicable law, in 12 consecutive months, any registration centers with 2 or more officers having their certificate withdrawn must close temporarily for 3 months. This results in 69 more centers in 24 provinces and cities temporarily halting their operation.

Facing a possible risk of insufficient registration officers, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Register Nguyen To An informed that his organization has held training sessions for new human resources. However, in 2023, there are only 300 new registration officers, with 350 more in the next two years, and thus cannot compensate for the staff lack.

To address the situation, the Vietnam Register proposed that the Transport Ministry direct the People’s Committees of concerned provinces and cities actively adopt practical solutions like asking for help from locations with a staff surplus, providing training sessions to have new capable human resources for the registration task.

Another proposal of the Vietnam Register is for the Government and competent authorities to allow registration centers with 2 or more officers having their certificate withdrawn to continue serving the community as long as they have satisfactory assessment results. Also, competent authorities are asked to allow the Vietnam Register not to withdraw the certificate or to ban officers having been tried by the court but given a suspended sentence yet.

In the Northern region, lately, the proportion of vehicles coming to registration centers for the registration task has increased by 10-20 percent. This is within the serving capacity of those centers as they have launched an app for online registration and appointment setting to avoid congestion.

In HCMC, Deputy Director Bui Hoa An of the municipal Transport Department shared that his organization has sent a formal dispatch to the maintenance centers of 3S, 4S (under Truong Hai Group JSC. and Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation – One-Member Co. Ltd.) to invite employees working over 24 months to join in training sessions to become a registration officer. However, with no responses received, HCMC might face a high risk of lacking registration officers at the end of this year.

HCMC requires vaccine supply for EPI

To ensure vaccine supply for the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee requested the Ministry of Health to allocate vaccines to the city according to the planned quantity as soon as possible.

In its document on vaccine supply in the Expanded Immunization Program (EPI) to the Ministry of Health, the municipal People's Committee said that the supply of some vaccines including measles, diphtheria - pertussis - tetanus vaccines and 5-in-1 vaccines for EPI in the city was interrupted in 2022 for a certain period of time.

To ensure the vaccine needs of city dwellers, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee requested the Ministry of Health to support and direct the National Immunization Program to allocate vaccines to the city according to the planned quantity as soon as possible.

Previously, Ho Chi Minh City received 12,400 doses of the 5-in-1 vaccine allocated by the Ministry of Health on August 15. The vaccines were sponsored by international organizations.

However, healthcare workers have administered vaccines according to regulations so far; there were only about 3,000 doses of this vaccine left by October 10. The vaccine will be run out within the next 2 weeks.

Other vaccines in the EPI are only available in very limited quantities. For instance, 2,300 doses of the measles-rubella vaccine are left while there were 660 doses of the measles vaccine, 600 doses of the tetanus vaccine, and 89 doses of the hepatitis B vaccine in hospitals’ stockpiles.

According to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, it is expected that it will take until the end of December 2023 at the earliest to have a supply of vaccines including the 5-in-1 vaccine under the EPI.

Currently, the Department of Health directs the City Center for Disease Control to continue to properly coordinate the remaining vaccine sources among districts citywide. Health authorities also instruct grassroots health stations in wards and districts to review and strictly manage the list of children who must be vaccinated for new vaccinations and booster vaccinations so that healthcare workers can administer vaccines as soon as possible when vaccine supply is available again.

HCMC prioritizes new construction of mental hospital

The HCMC Department of Health and Thu Duc City has agreed to give priority to the development of a new mental hospital within the medical complex of Thu Duc City, covering an area of 120 hectares.

According to Associate Professor - Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, at a meeting with the People's Committee of Thu Duc City, both parties reached an agreement to give priority to the development of a new mental hospital within the medical complex of Thu Duc City, covering an area of 120 hectares.

At present, the HCMC Mental Hospital has only 300 beds distributed across three locations, and its infrastructure is in a state of severe disrepair, significantly affecting the provision of treatment and healthcare services to patients.

Of these locations, the primary facility in District 5 offers only 50 inpatient beds within a confined 1,700-square-meter area. The second facility in Le Minh Xuan Commune in Binh Chanh District provides 250 beds exclusively for inpatient treatment. The third facility is the Pediatric Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic, situated in Phu Nhuan District, specializing in outpatient psychiatric care and assessments for children.

Following the direction for the development of the mental healthcare system, the national average standard is 12 beds per 100,000 people. Given HCMC's population of over 10 million, it necessitates a minimum of 1,200 beds.

“Gold Star” Award to be highest prize at HIFF 2024

The Gold Star Award is the highest prize that will be offered to the “Best Film” at the first HCMC International Film Festival 2024, according to the award categories announced by the organization board.

Under a project No.5166/KH-UBND on organizing the first HCMC International Film Festival 2024 signed by Vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc on October 18, the winner of the “Best Film” award will receive a cash prize of VND120 million (US$5,000), Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy said.

The organization board will also award titles, including “Best Director”, “Best Actor/ Actress”, “Bes Short Featured Film”, and others.

The entries will be judged based on criteria including Forms of Storytelling in Film, acting skills, uniqueness, cinematic techniques, and film technologies by a jury with 9-11 members, including 4-5 international judges.

Entries in the short film and Project Market categories will be selected by a jury with 5-7 members, including 2-3 international judges.

The HCMC International Film Festival 2024 will be organized for the first time on April 6- 13 in the next year featuring a wide range of attractive and diversified activities with the participation of international artists and visitors, including a gala film screening; training courses conducted by directors, actors, producers and experts who have a lot of experience in the movie industry; music and fashion performances; a food fair; a film industry exhibition introducing the history and development of the movie industry of HCMC, Vietnam and the world, famous producers, directors, and movie stars in Nguyen Hue Walking Street; seminars on the importance of funding for film development, film center, film commission and other issues of the movie industry of the world, Vietnam, and HCMC.

The opening ceremony will be held at an area in the city center connecting iconic buildings of the municipal Opera House, Lam Son Park, President Ho Chi Minh Statue Park and Nguyen Hue Walking Street on April 6, 2024. The closing ceremony is scheduled to take place on April 13.

The HCMC International Film Festival (HIFF) 2024 was previously presented at the Vietnam Night in the Busan International Film Festival 2023 in Busan, Korea on October 9.

HIFF 2024 is one of the activities of HCMC’s strategic programs developing the film industry, improving the quality and reputation of the city’s movie area, and promoting images, culture, and tourism of the southern metropolis to international friends as an attractive destination for investment, developing HCMC into a film city to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

The film fest will be a bridge to connect filmmakers, actors, and audiences at home and abroad to exchange and seek cooperation opportunities. The event is expected to be a chance to introduce Vietnamese high-quality and creative pictures, affirming the position and prestige of Vietnamese cinema in general and HCMC on the map of world cinema.

HIFF is accompanied by the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, HCMC Cinema Association, HCMC Television, HCMC Music Center, Vietnam Festival Joint Stock Company (Vietfest), and local and foreign experts.

HCMC tax authority removes obstacles to speed up VAT refunds for businesses

Ho Chi Minh City tax authority is determined to remove obstacles to speed up value-added tax (VAT) refunds for businesses.

Following SGGP Newspaper’s articles named ‘Sluggish value-added tax refunds’ and ‘Fairness with businesses’ about the recent slowdown in VAT refunds published on October 4, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department said in its document to the newspaper that VAT refund is always identified by the tax industry as one of the key, regular and carefully implemented tasks.

Moreover, the Department said that as of September 2023, it has convened a meeting with 56 businesses that have VAT refund-related complaints.

Thereby, the tax authority has made efforts to verify and complete the refund proposal documents in accordance with regulations. The Tax Department also established a review team on VAT refund work to remove obstacles and speed up tax refund progress.

In September, the city Tax Department refunded tax to 111 companies with a refund amount of VND579 billion (US$23,650,864), an increase of 17 documents over the same period. So far, from January 1 to September 30, 2023, the Tax Department has refunded money to 740 establishments with a sum of VND4,651 billion, reaching 68.75 percent of the 2023 tax refund estimate or VND6,765 billion with the General Department of Taxation.

In particular, the Department has concentrated on resolving barriers for businesses with tax refund record problems such as Viet Steel Machinery, Leglor Manufacturing Company, Saigon Import-Export Investment Trading and Services Company, Lucky Steel Joint Stock Company Buildings, Gia Phu Anh Company, and Hoa Thuan Trading Company. It has refunded VND5.4 billion, VND10.5 billion, VND43.6 billion, VND9.6 billion, VND8.4 billion, VND4.6 billion and VND9.283 billion to Viet Steel Machinery Company, Leglor Manufacturing Company, Viet Phu Thinh Rubber Joint Stock Company, Saigon Import-Export Investment Trading and Services Company, Lucky Steel Joint Stock Company Buildings, Gia Phu Anh Company, and Hoa Thuan Trading Company respectively.

The Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department said that it has accelerated the classification of tax refund dossiers of rubber exporters and wood exporters carefully to avoid tax refund fraud. With eligible documents, the Tax Department will immediately refund taxes to businesses.

Regarding the tax refund dossier of Samsung HCMC CE Complex Electronics LLC, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department said that this is a tax refund case with many policy problems related to tax and customs. Therefore, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department, the General Department of Taxation and the General Department of Customs reported to the Ministry of Finance for further guidelines.

The Ministry of Finance issued an official dispatch providing guidance and direction on September 25 which the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department will base on for VAT repayment this year.

Belgian organisation praised for supporting Vietnam’s education

The Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) - a non-profit organisation in Belgium operating in education, received a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its operation in Vietnam.

in Vietnam, the organisation over the past 30 years, with cooperation and support from units of the Ministry of Education and Training, has successfully implemented many educational initiatives in Vietnam, helping to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Two of its initiatives - an online course on learning through playing for primary school students and a document on process-based observation of children in preschool educational establishments have been appraised by the ministry and implemented nationwide.

Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), said that among nearly 400 foreign non-governmental organisations operating in Vietnam, the VVOB is a long-time friend, making very meaningful contributions to Vietnam’s socioeconomic development. It has brought to Vietnam new education models and approaches that can be replicated nationwide.

Karolina Rutskowska, head of the VVOB Project Office in Vietnam, thanked Vietnamese agencies for supporting and accompanying the VVOB over the past 30 years.

She affirmed that the organisation will work more to join the Vietnamese Government's effort in achieving a fair, comprehensive, and quality education.

Young Korean volunteers build compassionate houses for the poor in Ben Tre

A group of 40 young volunteers from the Republic of Korea have recently engaged in a number of charities in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, including building four houses for the poor in the locality.

They also offered a Korean language class to local children, took part in cultural exchanges and sports games, and organized folk games, bearing the traditional cultural imprint of both countries.

Kang Seohyun of Dream School Korea, said that the exchanges and volunteer activities in Ben Tre gave the Korean volunteers the chance to learn about the distinctive culture of people living in the western region of Vietnam.

“Members of the delegation were much impressed with local dishes as well as affection of Ben Tre people,” said Kang. “We will bring these memories back to Korea and tell others about them.”

Kang said she hopes to return to Vietnam again sometime in the future to do volunteer work.

On October 20, Dream School donated 20 bicycles to poor students who have overcome difficulties and excelled in their study Tan Thanh Binh Primary School 1.

The delegation of young Korean volunteers also handed over four charity houses to residents of Mo Cay District, Ben Tre province.

Australia cooperates with Vietnam to promote gender equality

On the occasion of the 93rd Vietnam Women’s Day (October 20, 1930-2023) and the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - Australia diplomatic relations (1973-2023), Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski reviewed the fruitful partnership on gender equality with Vietnam over the past time in an article.

According to the ambassador, since 2010, the two countries have begun to explore areas of common interest to promote gender equality through development cooperation. 

He recalled that at that time, Vietnam was ranked 72nd out of 134 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2010 Gender Gap Report and 33rd in terms of women's economic opportunities and participation. This is an impressive achievement for a country that just escaped poverty and war, the diplomat said. 

In 2015, Vietnam succeeded in reducing its birth mortality rate by two-thirds and was considered a global success story for gender equality in terms of access to basic education.

Cooperation between the two countries in the early stage focused on women's access to essential service. Australia supported MSI Reproductive Choices in expanding access to health services in rural districts and connecting women in rural areas to information and products related to sexual and reproductive health. It also assisted CARE International in carrying out microfinance and income generation projects to improve livelihoods of women in rural areas.

During this decade, Australia Awards Scholarship programme encouraged Vietnamese women to pursue their higher education in Australia. In 2014, the number of women receiving scholarships surpassed that of men, which has continued until now. Australia's educational partnership with the Vietnam Center for Gender Studies and Women's Leadership (GeLEAD) at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics designed extracurricular programmes to support women's participation in leadership programmes.

Ambassador Goledzinowski noted that the launch of Australia's Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Strategy in 2016 enhanced the two sides’ cooperation on gender equality. The two sides' gender equality projects have become larger in scale and reach and bilateral partnerships developed strongly.

He shared that Australia has supported Vietnam in amending the 2007 Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control. He went on to say that Vietnam is recognised for the economic mobility of women, so women's economic empowerment is a strong area of cooperation between the two countries. Australia supports enhancing the role of women in production and market development, especially in agriculture and tourism in Lao Cai and Son La provinces while removing their barriers to information, networks, and technology. 

The ambassador noted that Australia, along with Vietnam, is currently paying attention to gender aspects in high priority agendas such as climate change and energy transition, digitalisation and innovation, trade agreements, among others. By highlighting gender implications of policy choices in these areas, decisions can expand access to better opportunities and protect against negative impacts on Vietnamese girls and women. Supporting gender equality enhances the country's prosperity and stability, he said.

He concluded that Australia pledges to cooperate with Vietnam to continue to promote gender equality and move towards equality for the two countries.

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