President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse chaired a ceremony in celebration of Vietnam’s 77th National Day (September 2, 1945 - 2022) in Hanoi on August 31.

The event was attended by central and Hanoi officials, along with foreign diplomats and heads of international organisations.

In his remarks, President Phuc recalled the date of September 2, 1945, when then President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence that marked the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Since then, Vietnam has surmounted countless difficulties and challenges to firmly maintain independence, reunify the country, and obtain many proud development achievements, he said.

Recently, the country was elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for 2021 - 2025 and re-elected to the International Law Commission.

The State leader took this occasion to appreciate the precious support and effective cooperation from countries, international organisations and partners, businesses, investors, friends, and people around the world for Vietnam, especially in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted Vietnam needs support from and win-win cooperation with the international community to help achieve fast and sustainable development.

President’s decision on amnesty in 2022 announced

The President’s decision on amnesty in 2022 was announced at a press conference jointly held by the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People’s Court and the Foreign Ministry on August 31.

In announcing Decision 978/QD-CTN, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Office Pham Thanh Ha stressed that the amnesty in 2022 once more reflects the lenient policy of the Vietnamese Party and State, and the humane Vietnamese tradition on encouraging people committing wrongdoings to repent and strive to become useful people.

According to the official, the process of considering and deciding on amnesty for prisoners is conducted in a strict, fair, transparent and democratic manner in accordance with the law.

He noted that what made the 2022 amnesty different from the previous ones are the stricter conditions for amnesty and cases not eligible for amnesty. As a result, fewer prisoners have received amnesty this year.

Ha again affirmed that there is no discrimination against any prisoner during the consideration of amnesty, be they Vietnamese or foreigners.

In reply to reporters’ question, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said 16 foreign nationals have received amnesty this year, comprising one Australian, one Canadian, three Americans, four Chinese, one French, two Cambodians, one Nigerian, two Malaysians and one Laotian.

The President has also commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment for 10 prisoners, including two foreigners (one South African and one Laotian).

The commutation is within the jurisdiction of the State President as stipulated in the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Code, the Vice Chairman of the Presidential Office said, noting that those cases are not related to the amnesty under the Law on Amnesty.

Quang Binh culls over 1,600 pigs infected with ASF

The central province of Quang Binh in the year to date has culled 1,642 pigs infected with African swine fever (ASF), with a total weight of over 106,000 kilograms.

ASF outbreaks were detected in 179 households in 23 communes of four districts during the first eight months of the year, reported Lao Dong Online.

Some 17 communes have faced outbreaks for over 21 days and six other communes for almost 21 days, including the communes of Cao Quang, Thach Hoa, Trong Hoa and Van Ninh in Tuyen Hoa, Minh Hoa and Van Ninh districts.

The provincial Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine Division said it has closely cooperated with localities in the province to detect and tackle ASF outbreaks early, minimize losses and monitor the anti-ASF efforts at pig farm households and facilities.

As no ASF vaccine is available, it is hard to put the disease under control, said a representative of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine Division.

Hanoi extends Hoan Kiem pedestrian spaces during holiday

The pedestrian spaces in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district will be open from September 1 through September 4 to serve local residents and visitors during the National Day (September 2) holiday.

The municipal People’s Committee agreed on the extension, proposed by the Hoan Kiem authoritíes, on August 31.

In particular, the space around Hoan Kiem Lake and in neighbouring areas will be open from 7pm on September 1 through midnight on September 4, instead of only weekends as usual.

Meanwhile, the pedestrian streets in the Old Quarter will be available from 7pm to midnight during the holiday, but open for vehicles in the daytime.

Vice Chairman of the Hoan Kiem People’s Committee Nguyen Quoc Hoan said local pedestrian spaces have attracted millions of visitors since they were reopened earlier this year after a COVID-prompted shutdown.

The extension during the National Day holiday will not only serve visitors’ recreational demands but also help recover local services, trade and tourism, he added.

Hanoi’s friendship association to push for further Vietnam-Germany cooperation

The Vietnam – Germany Friendship Association’s Hanoi chapter plans to further push for cooperation and exchange between the two countries in various areas in the 2022 – 2027 period, heard at its 11th Congress for the next five-year tenure held on August 31.

It will maintain close contact with the Embassy of Germany in Vietnam, Goethe-Institut, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Germa Industry and Commerce, German businesses and community in Hanoi.

It will popularise Vietnamese culture, people and natural landscapes among Germans and promote Hanoi as a safe city for foreigners as well as its cultural heritages. The Hanoi chapter will continue organising cultural exchange activities on the two countries’ special occasions, such as National Day, anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and major joint political events.

Simon Kreye, Chargé d'affaires at the German Embassy in Vietnam, showed his support for the Hanoi chapter of the Vietnam – Germany Friendship Association, saying he is happy to see the remarkable progress in the two countries’ economic and trade relations over the past several years.

He expected the ties will thrive further in the future, contributing to the development and stability of Asia Pacific and the world.

Nguyen Quang Hieu, Secretary of Hoang Mai District’s Party Committee, was elected as President of the Hanoi chapter.

Vietnam attends Defence and Security 2022 exhibition in Thailand

A delegation of the Ministry of National Defence led by Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, attended the Defence and Security 2022 exhibition in Thailand from August 29 to 31.

During the delegation’s courtesy call to Chief of Thailand’s Defence Forces Gen. Chalermpol Srisawat, the two sides shared the view that the two militaries’ cooperation has been promoted actively in the recent past, with a focus on training and cooperation between their naval and air forces, and mutual support at multilateral forums.

They agreed to step up all-level mutual visits and exchanges of young officers, maintain consultation and dialogue mechanisms, and further strengthen ties between the countries’ naval and air forces.

Tan noted the Defence Ministry of Vietnam will hold an international defence exhibition for the first time this December. He invited leaders of the Defence Ministry and military of Thailand to attend the event and also welcomed Thai businesses to the show.

Srisawat accepted the invitation and promised to take part in the exhibition.

At a working session with the Vietnamese delegation, the Defence and Security 2022 organisers shared their experience in organising the event, which gathered 186 enterprises operating in the defence industry from around the world, and 46 official delegations, including defence and military officers from 33 countries.

Tan appreciated the experience sharing, which he said will be useful for the Vietnamese Defence Ministry to prepare for the December exhibition.

Japan’s medical centre to open in Hanoi

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on August 31 hosted a reception for Medical Representative of Japan’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Matsuoka Yoshinori, who is in Vietnam to prepare for the opening of T-Matsuoka Medical Centre in Hanoi.

Minh thanked Japan for providing Vietnam with vaccines and medical supplies to fight COVID-19, enabling the country to recover and reopen borders post-pandemic.

Welcoming EMS Corporation to invest in Vietnam and develop the country’s first T-Matsuoka Medical Centre in Hanoi quipped with modern facilities, the Deputy PM said it contributes to strengthening medical cooperation between the two countries and improving healthcare service quality in Vietnam.

Founded in 2013, EMS Corporation provides 24/7 emergency services with six clinics across Japan.

Construction of T-Matsuoka Medical Centre in Hanoi costs around 8 million USD, half of which is invested by EMS. The centre will offer a wide range of healthcare services, such as health consultation with Japanese doctors, second opinion, periodic health check-ups, personal and business specialised examination.

Vietnam takes significant steps toward a comprehensive child justice law

A workshop was organised in Hanoi on August 31 by the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam and UNICEF with the support of the European Union Justice and Legal Empowerment Programme (EU JULE) to learn from the experience of countries that have adopted child justice laws.

By sharing international and regional experiences and best practices, the workshop served as a forum to discuss strategic measures to improve justice for minors and to develop an outline for a comprehensive child justice law. 

The ideas and recommendations of experts and participants are important contributions for the Supreme People's Court to consider and propose the National Assembly Standing Committee to include the juvenile justice law project in the 2023 Law and Ordinance Development Programme, said Chief Justice Nguyen Hoa Binh.

International keynote speakers, experts from relevant committees of the National Assembly, line ministries, professional and mass organisations, supreme and provincial courts, and development agencies participated in this workshop.

Issues discussed included the need of an effective inter-agency collaboration and coordination; child- and gender-sensitive handling of minors; a coherent continuum of sanctions and measures; the role of social workers in all stages of the child justice procedures; and the development of social welfare services for community-based rehabilitation of minors.

National fund receives healthcare, education donations for needy children

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) signed an agreement worth 2.5 billion VND (over 106,500 USD) on August 31 with a local firm to sponsor underprivileged children.

The NFVC under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs will use the money, donated by the An Cuong Woodworking JSC over five years (from 2022 to 2026), to support healthcare and education for disadvantaged children.

NFVC Director Hoang Van Tien said the An Cuong Woodworking JSC has supporting the fund for many years.

He noted the agreement affirmed the two sides’ willingness to carry out a long-term programme to benefit more children nationwide, and also shows the NFVC’s regard for businesses and organisations that have supported the fund and needy children.

Le Duc Nghia, Chairman of An Cuong, said his firm always views social responsibility as a mission accompanying its business activities, and that it hopes to not only create jobs and contribute to social development, but also help with community activities to assist disadvantaged people.

Events designed to attract visitors to Thua Thien – Hue on National Day holiday

The tourism industry in the central province of Thua Thien - Hue is holding events and tourism promotions to attract holiday-makers during the National Day holiday from September 1-4.

Visitors will have a chance to experience a doubledecker bus and sightseeing tours that connect attractions and historical sites around Hue.

An integrated GPS multi-language automatic tour guide information system is available on all buses, helping tourists gain insights into the beauty, history and cultural stories, and impressive architecture of each destination.  

A series of cultural activities within the framework of the Festival Hue 2022 will take place on the occasion, including “Thanh tra Thuy bieu” from September 1-4, a lion dance on the nights of September 3-4, and a traditional mid-autumn lantern exhibition from September 3-8.

An afternoon tea tour along the Huong River will provide a more peaceful view of ancient Hue at sunset.

Waterfalls and community tourism destinations in the suburbs will also offer a chance to be in harmony with nature.

Vietnamese citizens visiting the UNESCO-recognised Complex of Hue Monuments on September 2 will be offered free admission.

An exhibition themed "Fine Arts and Heritage" is taking place at Thieu Phuong Garden in the Hue Imperial Citadel (Dai Noi), while activities in response to the Vietnam Book and Culture Reading Day are being organised by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre in the complex.  

Quang Ninh offers free tuition to preschool children, high school students

Preschool children, high school students and students in general education programmes at public educational establishments in the northern province of Quang Ninh will be exempted from tuition fees for the 2022-2023 academic year.

A resolution to this effect was adopted by the 14th provincial People’s Council for the 2021-2026 tenure at its 10th meeting on August 31.

However, this will not be applicable for those who have benefited from tuition support policy.

Mid-Autumn Festival organised for Vietnamese children in France

The Vietnamese Embassy in France on August 30 held the Mid-Autumn festival 2022 for Vietnamese children to learn about the traditional culture.

This is an annual activity that has been held by the Vietnamese Embassy in France over the past years to create a playing ground for Vietnamese families and their children to meet and explore the traditional culture.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang praised children for recording significant achievements in their study over the past year. The diplomat encouraged them to continue studying hard, maintaining Vietnamese tradition, and actively participating in community activities to help preserve the traditional culture.

During the festival, the children participated in traditional games and watched lion dances and a lantern procession, as well as enjoying delicious moon cakes.

Hanoi gears up for Vietnam-RoK lantern festival

A Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) lantern festival is set to get underway from September 9 to September 11 at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square adjacent to Hoan Kiem, also known as Sword Lake, in Hanoi.

From 7 p.m. on September 9 Cheongsa Chorong lanterns from the RoK and Vietnamese Hoi An lanterns will be lit up to send a message of peace and happiness to everyone.

Visitors will be given the chance to try on the traditional Korean costume Hanbok, sample Korean foods, learn more about tourism products in the RoK, and play folk games from the two countries.

Furthermore, a lantern lighting ceremony will be held on September 10 – 11 alongside a performance by a choir made up of 30 Vietnamese and 30 Korean children. Established in April 2021, the choir will perform famous songs such as Heal The World which was presented by Michael Jackson years ago and Dynamite by Korean boyband BTS.

Moreover, K-pop star Hyolyn will join Vietnamese singers Hoang Thuy Linh, Duc Phuc, and Sunni Ha Linh to bring exciting performances to the event.

The festival will be jointly organised by the RoK’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the RoK Embassy in Vietnam to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the RoK.

HCM City eyes Whole-of-City digital data governance

HCM City is coordinating with the World Bank to develop a digital data governance strategy for Whole-of-City, a workshop discussed.

The workshop entitled ‘HCM City: Leading and Envisioning Whole-of-City Digital Data Governance’ was held on Tuesday by the municipal Department of Information and Communication in coordination with the World Bank Group.

The workshop would provide local authorities a chance to exchange ideas and learn experiences from foreign experts to develop the city’s data governance strategy and facilitate the city’s digital transformation, said Võ Thị Trung Trinh, deputy director of the municipal Department of Information and Communication.

The department had coordinated with the World Bank to develop the data governance strategy for the Whole-of-City, Trinh said.

The strategy would identify the vision, objectives, road maps and action plans to develop the city's digital data governance management, she said.

The department had completed an assessment on the current status of data governance at the State agencies and their demand on data management, she added.

Tan Kim Leng, an expert from the World Bank, said having a consistent data architecture that scales with the city and consolidating data across multiple sources for increased efficiency and control would be benefits of managing data at Whole-of-City.

Data management at Whole-of-City would help access high-quality data for accurate analysis and ensure that the data is secure and complies with regulations, he said.

The city has targeted becoming a digital economy, digital society, digital government and smart city by 2030.

Quang Ninh cracks down on illegal aquaculture activities in Bái Tử Long Bay

Aquaculture production in Bái Tử Long Bay, Cẩm Phả City in the northern coastal province of Quảng Ninh is the livelihood of hundreds of households - but many are encroaching illegally on the waters here.

Authorities say almost 100 households are moving in on the bay for illegal aquaculture, causing environmental pollution.

Despite being fined multiple times for violations, many households continue their activities, claiming that it is the only way they can make a living.

Since August 5, Cẩm Phả City has implemented the relocation of cages and foam buoys encroaching on the waterways for illegal aquaculture. The city’s authority has deterred 74 cases of violations and seized nearly 400 foam buoys and 125 bamboo arrays in an area of ​​​​about five hectares for illegal aquaculture.

Currently, there are 24 violating households left. Of that, 13 have asked to have more time to relocate and 11 were forced to move.

According to the city’s Economic Office, there are two biggest consequences of illegal farming on the sea route.

Most households have raised aquaculture on the sea route, even the national waterway, affecting the traffic flow and water safety.

In addition, illegal production has caused severe environmental pollution, affecting the beauty and ecology of Bái Tử Long Bay.

Phan Văn Kính, Vice Chairman of Cẩm Phả City People's Committee said the city's security order and an environmental inspection team were assigned to be in charge of the issue.

However, it was the responsibility of both the team and the unit in charge of the sea area when illegal aquaculture activities haven’t been deterred since 2018.

The city has requested the violating households to pay fines and relocate as soon as possible.

On August 29, the city’s People's Committee temporarily suspended the work of four officials involved in illegal aquaculture in Bái Tử Long Bay.

National Archives receive rare historical documents

Many valuable historical documents have been presented to the Việt Nam National Archives Centre III by the family of former Vietnamese diplomat Hà Văn Lâu.

There are 107 paper documents, 336 photos and 815 publications that showcased not only Lâu’s life and career as a Vietnamese military commander and diplomat but also many significant historical milestones for the country.

Among them are particularly valuable documents summarising negotiations between the Governments of Việt Nam and the US in Paris from 1968 to 1973, Lâu’s articles about typical historical events and figures of the country such as the Bình Trị Thiên Battlefield, General Võ Nguyên Giáp and Prime Minister Phạm Văn Đồng.

The highlighted photos capture the historical moments of the negotiation and signing of the Geneva Agreements in 1954 and the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, the working sessions between the former Vietnamese military commander with other historical figures of both Việt Nam and the world like General Võ Nguyên Giáp, Mexican President Luis Echeverria and Cuban President Fidel Castro.

A portrait of President Hồ Chí Minh gifted to Lâu personally on the occasion of Uncle Hồ’s 60th birthday at Việt Bắc War Zone on May 19, 1950 is also included in the donated photos.

The event aims to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Việt Nam (1973-2023).

According to Trần Việt Hoa, the director of the Việt Nam National Archives Centre III, the documents are valuable sources of information about his life, career and research on the diplomatic history of Việt Nam. Among these, are top secret documents related to the Paris Peace Accords that have never been published before.

In the future, the centre will declassify documents to effectively promote their values for future research, Hoa added.

HCM City host cultural and sports events to celebrate National Day

HCM City will host a series of cultural and sports events to celebrate the 77th National Day (September 2).

The city will present a showcase of hot air balloons above Thủ Thiêm Tunnel in District 2 in the morning of September 2.

These balloons will lift a gigantic flag 1,800 square metres wide of Việt Nam into the sky.

Võ Trọng Nam, deputy director of the Department of Culture and Sports, said: “This year, the city will not host fireworks performances. After a tough year caused by COVID-19, city leaders will save money on activities to care for the people’s lives.”

After the showcase of hot air balloons will be water sports activities such as parasailing at Bạch Đằng Wharf in District 1.

The city will host a special music gala at Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in District 1 from 8pm to 10:30pm on September 2.

The show will present songs praising the country, its islands and seas, President Hồ Chí Minh, and the city, featuring popular singers such as Meritorious Artist Tạ Minh Tâm, Nguyễn Phi Hùng and Võ Hạ Trâm.

An electric dance music show with visual effects will be included as well.

In addition, the city will launch many music and art performances to serve people and workers at industrial parks and export processing zones in districts 12, Bình Tân, Tân Phú, Bình Chánh, Hóc Môn, Củ Chi, Nhà Bè and Cần Giờ, and Thủ Đức City on September 1-2.

A photo exhibition highlighting the outstanding social and economic achievements of HCM Ctiy will be open to the public at Nguyễn Huệ and Đồng Khởi streets in District 1.

The exhibition will display hundreds of colour photos and documents on the economy, society, national defence and security, and international integration, as well as honour organisations and individuals that follow President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle.

Photos of the city’s activities of caring for war invalids and families of martyrs and those who sacrificed their lives for national independence are featured as well.

The exhibition will end on September 4.

From September 1-4, Củ Chi District will host a cultural, cuisine and tourism festival, including a photo exhibition about the district’s history and achievements in social and economic development, and introduce its craft villages, specialties, cuisine and historic relics. 

U20 Viet Nam to play friendly with U20 Palestine

U20 Việt Nam will have a friendly match with U20 Palestine at Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province on September 3, the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) has announced.

The event will be a warm-up for the Vietnamese team to prepare for the Qualifiers of the AFC U20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023.

The upcoming match has three kinds of tickets VNĐ100,000, VNĐ150,000 and VNĐ200,000.

Việt Trì Stadium is the place that successfully hosted the men's football category of the 31st SEA Games, so the VFF believes that the friendly match between Việt Nam and Palestine will continue to receive the attention of fans.

The friendly match will occur at 7pm and is live on On Football channel, VTVcab On app and Sports TV.

For the Qualifiers of the AFC U20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023, Việt Nam will play against their rivals from Hong Kong (China) in their first match on September 14. They will face Timor Leste on September 16 and host Indonesia two days later.

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