Kien Le, general director of Panhou Resort & Whale Island Resort, said businesses should offer more unique medical tourism products based on available resources and local culture.

Other participants pointed out the fact that Vietnam boasts diverse natural resources and traditional medicine. However, such potential has yet been fully tapped to serve medical tourism.

They suggested tourist sites coordinate with authorities and educational institutions in this regard, saying tourism students should learn more about traditional medicine, and vice versa.

Rafi Kot, founder and CEO of Family Medical Practice Vietnam, also suggested Vietnam study culture and work style to better serve foreign patients, stressing workers proficient in English, good services and connectivity with foreign insurance companies are crucial factors for a medical system.

Poverty alleviation undertaken in southern ethnic minority areas

Efforts to enable poverty reduction in the southern region are to be pushed ahead in the coming time to help better the lives of ethnic minority groups in the area.

Eliminating poverty in a sustainable fashion for ethnic minority areas is a major policy of the Party and State and also garners the attention and support from the general public.

According to the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, the poverty reduction rate in ethnic minority areas of the south is estimated at almost 1.9% on average during 2021-2023. Some localities have surpassed their targets such as Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Vinh Long, Hau Giang, and Ca Mau. However, some are lagging behind, including Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Tra Vinh, An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, and Soc Trang.

Though the south has fared better than other regions nationwide, including the northern mountainous, central and Central Highlands regions, in disbursing capital under the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction, the poverty alleviation rate in ethnic minority areas here is still low.

Hau A Lenh, Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, pointed out the fact that most ethnic minority people living under the poverty line in the south, especially the southwest, are irregular migrants or those from particularly disadvantaged areas lacking residential land, farmland, means of production, or clean water.

Policies supporting the settlement of these issues are included in the national target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, but bottlenecks linked with regulations and mechanisms remain. Therefore, many localities face difficulties in bringing the ethnic minority poverty rate down, he explained.

The official said to help with poverty reduction in the communities, he has demanded southern provinces and cities step up assistance for poor and near-poor families as well as those recently escaping from poverty to develop livelihoods through approved projects. Funding for these projects come from the State budget, loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) or the credit institutions assigned by the State, and the capital for relevant policies, programmes, and projects.

A VBSP leader noted that to ensure sufficient concessional loans for ethnic minority households, the Party, National Assembly, Government, ministries and central agencies, along with administrations of localities, have paid attention to mobilising financial resources to meet the target group’s borrowing demand.

Huynh Thi Diem Ngoc, Vice Chairwoman of the Soc Trang provincial People’s Committee, said more than 7,100 households of the Khmer ethnic group and 345 others of the Hoa minority group are living under the poverty line in the province. Soc Trang aims to cut the household poverty rate among ethnic minorities by 3-4% annually.

For 2021-2023, it has been allocated with over 126 billion VND (5.2 million USD) to carry out the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction. Soc Trang has arranged more than 12 billion VND in reciprocal capital and raised other resources from the public for programme implementation, she went on.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring province of Tra Vinh looks to reduce the poverty rate, as measured according to multidimensional poverty criteria, among ethnic minority households by 1% and lift two hamlets out of the particularly disadvantaged status this year.

To that end, it is disbursing over 80 billion VND for its localities, maximising resources from the public, and combining poverty reduction with many other programmes, projects, and policies to help the poor improve their livelihoods and living conditions.

Actions taken so far include disbursing concessional loans for low-income earners and disadvantaged students, funding the construction of water supply and hygienic facilities, providing capital for job creation for the poor, and using the Social Security Fund to finance house building for poor and near-poor families, local authorities said.

At a teleconference held by the Central Steering Committee for the national target programmes in the southern province of Bac Lieu in early August, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang asked localities in the Mekong Delta (southwestern) region to speed up capital disbursement for the programmes, increase information sharing and experience with one another, and send inspection teams to examine and remove obstacles in a timely manner.

He also told relevant agencies and units to allocate more capital under the national target programmes to help locals develop livelihoods. He also required due attention to the transfer of scientific and technical advances to assist farmers in improving production efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs was asked to introduce and expand the application of fruitful production models to help with poverty alleviation in ethnic minority areas.

Young parliamentarians help realise sustainable development goals

The National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam will host the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians from September 14-18 in Hanoi under the theme “The Role of Young People in Promoting the Realisation of Sustainable Development Goals via Digital Transformation and Innovations”

Through the event, the NA will continue to work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to promote the goal of empowering youth and expanding youth participation in solving current global problems.

At the 122nd IPU Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand in 2010, IPU member parliaments passed a resolution on youth participation in the democratic process, affirming that to achieve democracy, it is necessary to have full and active participation of youth and youth organisations in democratic processes at local, national, regional and international levels.

In 2013, the IPU established the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, an official and standing mechanism within the IPU to contribute to improving the youth participation in parliaments and within the IPU in both quality and quantity.

In 2014, the IPU established an annual global conference to strengthen the role of young parliamentarians and youth participation in parliamentary activities and to make recommendations from a youth perspective on the IPU’s activities and agenda. The conference also helps develop networks, promote solidarity, improve capacity, and expand young people's approaches to issues of common concern.

According to the IPU, the presence of young people in parliaments is still low. Half of the world's population is under 30 years old, while only 2.6% of parliamentarians globally at this age group. About 37% of parliaments have no parliamentarians under 30. Therefore, the IPU has been promoting the goal of empowering youth and expanding youth participation in solving current global issues.

For the first time, the Vietnamese National Assembly will host the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians. It is also the largest multilateral diplomatic event hosted by Vietnam in 2023. It demonstrates the attention that the Party, State, and National Assembly of Vietnam pay to their youth, contributing to strengthening the cooperation between Vietnam and its partners; and promoting the image of the country and its people, especially dynamic and creative youngsters.

Hosting the conference affirms the active, responsible, and proactive participation of the Vietnamese National Assembly in the IPU.

The Vietnamese National Assembly has actively participated in IPU activities, including the Global Conferences of Young Parliamentarians.

As of August 28, 64 delegations had registered for the event, with a total of 244 attendees, including 172 legislators and 72 assistants.

Vietnamese language – national pride of overseas Vietnamese: Minister

For the community of nearly 6 million Vietnamese people living, studying, and working abroad, the Vietnamese language is a source of pride, a bridge connecting them with their homeland, and a factor preserving traditional culture and confirming their position and confidence in international integration, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

Speaking at a gala held on September 8 night by the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOVA) and Vietnam Television (VTV) to mark the Day for honouring the Vietnamese language in the overseas Vietnamese community, Son said that preserving and promoting the Vietnamese language in particular and the Vietnamese traditional cultural identity in general in the Vietnamese community abroad have received the special attention of the Party, State, and Government.

In August 2022, the Prime Minister approved a project on a Vietnamese language day, in which September 8 was chosen to be the day to honour the Vietnamese language in the overseas Vietnamese community.

2023 is the first year the project has been implemented with many positive results generated thanks to the attention and positive response from ministries, departments, agencies, localities, and socio-political organisations, press agencies, especially Vietnamese associations and individuals abroad, Son said.

Earlier on September 8, the SCOVA held a meeting to review activities marking the “Day for honouring the Vietnamese language” in 2023.

The gala, "Tieng Me than thuong” ( Beloved mother tongue), included performances on five themes – Origins, Vietnamese - My language, Spreading Vietnamese, Home Returning Journey, and  Ambassadors of Vietnamese Language. The performances were based on the true story of a girl of Vietnamese origin who was raised and grew up abroad and can’t speak Vietnamese. Determining to speak the mother tongue, she made efforts to learn Vietnamese and then can speak it. With her Vietnamese, she got opportunities to start her career in her homeland.

The gala was a spiritual and meaningful gift for Vietnamese people abroad and also showed gratitude to individuals and organisations at home and abroad who have actively contributed to promoting the learning and use of Vietnamese in the expat community.

On this occasion, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, Chairwoman of the SCOVA, awarded the certificates of merit to excellent candidates who won the title of “Ambassadors of Vietnamese Language” in a contest launched in April.

Vietnam aims to ensure national water resource security

Climate change has and is deeply affecting Vietnam's water resources, changing the water cycle in nature and causing extreme phenomena such as flooding, drought, and saline intrusion, thus prompting the urgent need for strengthening management of water resources.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has recently reviewed the 10-year implementation of Resolution 24-NQ/TW on natural resources management, climate change adaptation, and environmental protection issued by the 11th Party Central Committee.

According to the ministry, during the last decade, more than 24,000 water supply and wastewater discharge facilities have been managed by agencies at all levels through the licensing mechanism.

However, violations in the field of water resources remain widespread, showing the weak enforcement of laws related to water resources management.

Statistics from the ministry show that central agencies conducted 31 inspections relevant to water resources management for 206 water supply and wastewater discharge facilities in 40 provinces and cities nationwide in the period. Meanwhile, nearly 3,000 inspections of this kind were conducted at the local level, targeting 19,000 facilities.

Nguyen Minh Khuyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Water Resources Management under the MoNRE, attributed the violations to unclear policies related to ensuring water resource security.

Additionally, other reasons include inconsistent legal regulations, the lack of clarity regarding water resource management, slow progress in planning, the inadequacy of the information systems for water resource management, limited public awareness, and the weak enforcement of water resource laws, he went on.

The official said the department and the MoNRE will speed up the compilation of a revised law on water resources to meet requirements in the new situation and enhance national water security.

He also called for more investment in facilities to improve efficiency in water use as well as in waste water collection and treatment, and stronger international cooperation in the field.

According to a water resources planning scheme for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, Vietnam targets increasing the rate of daily clean water use to 95% - 100% for the urban population and 65% for rural residents. As many as 90% of water exploitation activities will be put under control, while the rate of water loss in supply activities will be reduced to 10%.

By 2050, Vietnam is expected to raise its national water security index to be among the countries that effectively ensure water security in the world. It will work towards being proactive in water resources in all situations, forecasting and regulating water, preventing floods, droughts, saltwater intrusion, pollution, and responding to climate change.

Vietnam, Mozambique see great potential for cooperation: Ambassador

Vietnam and Mozambique can continue to explore and expand their relations in both traditional and new areas of Vietnam's strengths and Mozambique's interest, Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Pham Hoang Kim told the media ahead of a coming visit to the country by Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan.

Highlighting the significance of the visit, set to take place next week, the ambassador said that it takes place in the context of Mozambique prioritizing development towards modernising the industry, attracting foreign investment capital and improving social life to create momentum for the country’s general election in 2024.

Moreover, the country is taking on the role of non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2023 - 2024 term, affirming it as a responsible member to regional and international issues.

“This is a decisive moment for Vietnam and Mozambique, on the basis of good political relations, to continue to explore and expand relations from traditional areas of cooperation such as agriculture, education, healthcare to new areas like digital transformation, minerals, civil industry, agricultural processing, construction, energy, and infrastructure,” he said.

During the visit, Xuan will meet leaders of Mozambique and local business representatives, which offer opportunities for the two sides to review the implementation of cooperative activities and propose measures to strengthen their multifaceted collaboration, Kim said, noting the Vice President’s visit will continue to affirm the good traditional friendship between Vietnam and Mozambique.

With the important role and increasing position of Mozambique in southern Africa and Vietnam in Southeast Asia, the potential for cooperation between the two countries in the coming time is huge, especially in economy and trade, according to Kim.

Mozambique has strengths in natural resources, fisheries and competitive labour while Vietnam boasts advantages in agriculture, handicrafts, fisheries, and a hard-working workforce.

The complementary economies, the regular exchange of high-level delegations, and enhanced cooperation between localities and businesses are favourable factors for Vietnam - Mozambique relations to further develop, the diplomat said.

Vietnam and Mozambique established diplomatic relations on June 25, 1975. Vietnam opened its Embassy in Mozambique in 1976, showing its respect for and desire to develop the traditional friendship with Mozambique in particular and African countries in general.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation is the highlight of the two countries' relationship. Their trade turnover in 2022 reached over 177 million USD, an increase of 16% compared to 2022.

Book about Vietnam-US political relations published

The Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House recently published a book entitled "Political Relations between Vietnam and the US (1995-2020)", providing readers with an in-depth, comprehensive view of the process of normalising relations between the two countries.

The book by Dr. Doan Ngoc Tuan from Nguyen Tat Thanh University and Associate Professor, Ph.D. Tran Nam Tien from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Vietnam National University-HCM City has more than 300 pages, with three chapters featuring factors affecting Vietnam-US political relations in the 1995-2020 period, Vietnam-US political relations in 1995-2020, and some comments on and issues in the relations in 1995-2020.

The authors analyse international contexts and factors affecting the two countries’ political relations, and developments in their ties; and evaluate successes and limitations, advantages and challenges, thereby providing comments and assessments on the development process of the bilateral relationship.

The book also contributes to affirming the right leadership of the Party and State, helping readers better understand Vietnam's achievements in foreign affairs in the new development period.

Events mark Vietnam’s diplomatic ties with Israel, Australia

Different events were held in Netanya city of Israel and Sydney city of Australia on September 8 to celebrate the 78th National Day of Vietnam (September 2) and the respective 30th and 50th anniversaries of Vietnam’s diplomatic ties with the two countries.

The event in Netanya, held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel, saw the presence of local officials and people along with those who share the love for the Southeast Asian country.

It introduced typical dishes of Vietnam like “nem ran” (fried spring rolls), “nem cuon” (fresh spring rolls), and “banh mi” (sandwiches) cooked in line with the Kosher standards of the Jews.

The event also featured an exhibition of photos taken by Vietnamese photographers on landscapes of Vietnam and Netanya, a show of fashion designs using fabrics from Vietnam made by local designers, and the introduction of two new electric vehicle models produced by Vinfast, a member of Vietnamese private conglomerate Vingroup.

In his speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung highlighted the cultural, culinary and tourism beauty of Vietnam while stressing the achievements obtained during the 30 years of bilateral relations.

Netanya Mayor Miriam Fierberg-Ikar highly valued the event, organised in an attractive space of Vietnamese culture, noting that it was even more meaningful when taking place at a point of time when Israeli people are preparing to enter a new year in the Jewish calendar.

Meanwhile, the ceremony in Sydney, held by the Vietnamese Consulate General there, was attended by 250 guests who were officials of New South Wales state and representatives of diplomatic agencies in Canberra and consulates in Sydney, experts, scholars, businesses, student associations, and the Vietnamese community in Australia.

Consul General Nguyen Dang Thang attributed Vietnam’s successes today partly to the warm sentiment and strong assistance from international friends, including Australia, noting that the two countries now share an important partnership based on mutual respect and common interests.

He expressed his belief that the attainments they have harvested over the last half of a century will form a solid stepping stone for them to work towards a brighter future in the next 50 years and beyond. Their partnership will become even stronger and weather all challenges to contribute more to regional peace, stability, and development.

On behalf of New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, Minister for Local Government of New South Wales Ron Hoenig offered congratulations on Vietnam’s National Day and the 50th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations (February 26), voicing his delight at the increasingly strong and diverse relations between both sides.

He noted that the Vietnamese community has helped create the diversity and multilculturalism of New South Wales.

The New South Wales administration and Australian people always wish the relations with Vietnam will become deeper in the future, the official added.

Vietnam attends traditional medicine cooperation conference in China

A Vietnamese delegation attended the China (Bozhou)- RCEP Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry Cooperation Conference that took place on September 8 in Bozhou city, China’s Anhui province.

The delegation was led by Vice President of WELEAD - a network of trailblazing women leaders who are driving change towards a more equal, professional, and sustainable future, and co-founder and CEO of Sao Thai Duong JSC Nguyen Thi Huong Lien.

The event aimed to promote trade and investment cooperation between traditional pharmaceutical enterprises of China and countries participating in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Trade Counselor to China Nong Duc Lai highlighted the long history of cooperation in traditional medicine between ASEAN and China in general and between Vietnam and China in particular.

Lai expressed his hope that through the conference, Vietnamese and Chinese schools, research institutes, hospitals and businesses will cooperate more deeply in this field.

Within the framework of the event, the Vietnamese delegation visited the International Exhibition of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Bozhou Chinese Medicine Exchange Center.

RoK highly values Vietnam’s role in ASEAN

Vietnam plays an increasingly important role in ASEAN, said Ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) to ASEAN Lee Jang-keun.

In a recent interview granted to Vietnam New Agency correspondents in Jakarta, Indonesia, he stated that since Vietnam joined ASEAN in 1995, the country has boasted rapid growth, and continues to increase its contributions to regional cooperation and narrowing of the development gap in the region.

In 2020, Vietnam’s leadership as Chair of ASEAN was instrumental in advancing regional cooperation to overcome and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, affirming that propelled by capacity as such, Vietnam played a pivotal role during the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings on September 5-7.

According to the diplomat, the RoK and Vietnam established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022. President Yoon Suk Yeol made a successful state visit to Vietnam last June, which further boosted the already strong relationship between the two countries.

Vietnam is the RoK’s biggest trading partner in ASEAN while the RoK is the No. 1 investor in Vietnam, he said, adding that the Southeast Asian nation is also his country’s largest official development assistance (ODA) recipient.

“Vietnam is indeed one of the core partners in the RoK’s cooperation with ASEAN,” he affirmed.

 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yoon Suk Yeol in Indonesia. (Photo: VNA)
Since 2021, Vietnam has been a coordinator for ASEAN-RoK relations, he said, adding it has been vital, adroit and helpful in facilitating dialogue and cooperation between the two sides.

Under Vietnam’s coordinatorship, the RoK and ASEAN successfully adopted a joint declaration on the cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) at the 24th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit on September 6.

He said he personally worked closely with the Ambassador of Vietnam to ASEAN in Jakarta and made joint efforts to expand and develop RoK-ASEAN relations to its fullest potential.

Under Vietnam’s initiative, the two sides will observe and celebrate RoK-ASEAN Day in Hanoi on November 1 this year, he revealed.

“I look forward to continuing working closely with Vietnam as we aim to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and Korea next year,” he noted.

Regarding the East Sea, the RoK diplomat said as the East Sea carries one-third of global shipping, peace and stability in the region, therefore, is vital for ASEAN to become the epicentrum of growth.

"The RoK is committed to upholding the rules-based order in these waters, including the freedom of navigation and overflight, based on international law including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he stressed.

The RoK is closely observing the progress in the on-going Code of Conduct negotiations, and looks forward to an effective and substantive Code of Conduct that is consistent with international law and respects the rights of third parties, he added.

Laos-Vietnam relationship now at best time in history: Lao minister

The Laos-Vietnam ties have been expanding across the board and are now at the best time in history, said Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy.

The minister, who is head of the Lao-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, made the assessment in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on economic cooperation between the two countries in the recent past.  

According to him, the two countries have the time-honoured tradition of cooperation and mutual support throughout their respective revolutions to regain independence and national unification as well as the current causes of national defence, construction and development.   

Minister Khamjane noted that under the close leadership of the two Parties and States, ministries, agencies and localities of both countries have actively coordinated with each other to effectively implement the agreement on the 10-year cooperation strategy (2021-2030) and the five-year cooperation agreement (2021-2025) as well as cooperation plans for each period. This has contributed greatly to maintaining political stability, ensuring national defence-security and socio-economic development of each country, and further promoting the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, he said.    

He underlined that the Vietnamese Government has provided a large volume of aid to Laos, one third of which was used for human resources development, and the remainder was allocated to projects in other fields, including poverty reduction.

The minister highlighted the bilateral economic partnership, with two-way trade value rising throughout the years.  Meanwhile, Vietnamese companies are running over 400 investment projects in Laos, which have contributed significantly to local socio-economic development, especially in infrastructure, transports, social welfare, education and culture in remote and hard-to-reach areas, thus helping gradually improve the living conditions of local people, he said.  

Khamjane also informed that the two countries have worked to enhance the connectivity between the two economies, particularly in trade, investment, finance, transport infrastructure, energy, telecommunications and tourism, with a view to expanding the scope for cooperation and development not only between them but also with other countries in the region.

The minister said following the direction of their leaders, the two countries have been encouraging Vietnamese firms to invest in Laos, with attention paid to attracting investment of corporations with good financial capacity and expertise to such fields as clean agriculture, processing industry, clean energy, cultural tourism and nature conservation.

He stressed that the Lao Government has attaches importance to improving the investment and business environment through streamlining licensing process, adding that the work is expected to facilitate Vietnamese investors’ investment and expansion of production in Laos.

Education a highlight in Vietnam-US relations

Education has been one of the most prominent areas of cooperation between Vietnam and the US, with both sides designing many policies to strengthen bilateral partnership in this field based on the shared view that education is the foundation of national development.

According to the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), in recent years, the US has actively implemented a number of programmes to support Vietnam in English teaching and education quality enhancing.

In July 2020, the Governments of Vietnam and the US signed an implementing agreement on English teaching under the Peace Corps programme. The programme was officially started in October 2021, aiming to help Vietnamese students develop their English skills to access studying and employment opportunities.

Volunteers of the Peace Corps programme have been sent to rural schools to train local English teachers and improve students' performance in English language.

According to the MoET, this project is strategically suitable to Vietnam's priorities. So far, nine volunteers from the programme have been assigned to nine senior high schools in rural districts of Hanoi. More volunteers are scheduled to arrived in the city in October for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

On September 21, 2022, the MoET and the US's Educational Testing Service (ETS) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in improving English training quality and testing capacity for the educational system in Vietnam.

In a meeting with ETS Vice President Rohit Sharma last month, MoET Minister Nguyen Kim Son suggested some priorities for cooperation in the immediate future, including sending ETS experts to Vietnam to give consultancy and share experience in testing activities, providing documents and information in organising examinations, and creating conditions for Vietnamese experts to receive training courses of ETS. He also underlined Vietnam's interest in digital transformation in this field.

Besides, universities of Vietnam and the US have enjoyed strong partnership, especially in training and researching.

Currently, about 50 out of more than 400 underway higher education linkage programmes in Vietnam are with US partners, mostly at graduate (655 students) and post-graduate (about 70 students) levels. Those linkage programmes are mainly in science-technology, computer science and economics. 

In recent years, the US Government has provided Vietnam with hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships through the VEF Foundation, and supported improving English skills through the Fellowship and Fulbright programmes. The US has also provided Vietnam with practical support to strengthen tertiary education capacity through BUILT-IT and FURTHER projects funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

There are currently about 26,000 Vietnamese students studying in the US both as self-funded and scholarship recipients. Meanwhile, in the last five years, an average 10 - 20 students from the US have come to Vietnam to study Vietnamese and Vietnamese studies.
 
USAID has also provided significant support for Vietnam's education and training sector, with some 68 million USD in total granted to projects in Vietnam.

In September 2022, the MoET and the USAID signed a memorandum of understanding on providing development aid to enhance the higher education quality in Vietnam, with a total aid of 15.4 million USD starting from 2023.

A number of US-invested educational institutions have been established in Vietnam, with six general education institutions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Binh Duong and a university in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Fullbright University Vietnam (FUV) was established in May 2016 as a 100% foreign-invested higher education institution operating not for profit.

Vietnam has focused on promoting international integration and attracting foreign investment in education in a bid to enhance education quality towards creating a breakthrough in human resources development. Therefore, there is great potential for educational cooperation between Vietnam and the US, contributing to promoting bilateral relations, strengthening the connections between the two peoples and boosting the sustainable development of Vietnam.

First international open water swimming race kicks off in Vietnam

The Arena OCEANMAN Cam Ranh Vietnam 2023 opened on September 8 in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, marking the first time that the international open water swimming competition has been held in Vietnam.

The race got underway in the sea area off The Arena resort in Cam Ranh City, drawing the participation of more than 800 athletes from over 30 countries and territories worldwide.

Vietnam is the 27th country to host this popular race which aims to spread a message of positive lifestyle, improving health, and popularising swimming skills to all people.

The competition features many racing distances and forms which are suitable for different groups of participants, such as Oceanteams 10km, Oceankids 800m, half Oceanman 5km, and Sprint 2km.

A standup paddleboarding tournament involving the participation of more than 100 domestic and foreign racers will also be held as part of the swimming contest.

The tournament is scheduled to last through to September 10.

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan makes Africa tour

Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan is scheduled to pay official visits to Mozambique and South Africa from September 10-17 at the invitations of Mozambique Prime Minister Adrino Maleinane and South Africa Vice President Paul Marshatile.

Vietnam and Africa in general, as well as Vietnam and Mozambique and South Africa in particular have maintained fine relations over the years. Both African nations are traditional friends and leading partners of Vietnam in Africa, while Vietnam is viewed as a potential partner of African nations.

Mozambique established diplomatic ties with Vietnam on June 25, 1975. The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) have treasured fine political relations, serving as the firm foundation for strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

The two countries have regularly maintained the exchange of delegations and provided mutual support at multinational forums.

Two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Mozambique has grown steadily, reaching approximately US$100 million a year. The two countries have also effectively implemented several cooperation projects in the fields of agriculture, health care, and education.

Meanwhile, South Africa is the first and only cooperation and development partner of Vietnam in Africa. The Communist Party of Vietnam has developed the traditional friendship and cooperative relations with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

South Africa is Vietnam’s largest trading partner and largest export market, with two-way trade hitting US$1.3 billion last year. The two countries have maintained sessions of the intergovernment cooperation committee and the joint trade commission.

Currently, Vietnam has three projects operational in South Africa, while South Africa has 19 operating projects in Vietnam.

The two countries have also maintained national defense dialogues since 2015.

Vietnam hosts first mock parliamentary session of children

The first children’s parliament session was held in Hanoi on September 10 to promote children’s right to get involved in relevant issues and raise their awareness of the legislature.

Among distinguished guests present at the gathering were National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and First Secretary of the Vietnam Youth Union Bui Quang Huy, along with other leaders of ministries in charge of labour, public security, education, health care and justice.

The mock session was attended by 263 child delegates representing children of all 63 cities and provinces across the country. The delegates were given the chance to debate a range of relevant issues, including preventing accidents, injuries, violence, and child abuse; improving children’s safe interaction skills in cyberspace; improving physical conditions for children to apply information technology; and promoting the role of all social strata in child care and protection.

The meeting is of great significance in promoting children’s right to participate in children-related issues, and encouraging authorities to raise the sense of responsibility in the care, protection and education of children – the future masters of the nation.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue is scheduled to deliver a speech at the gathering.

Humanitarian aid - highlight of Vietnam-US cooperation

A project to improve the lives of people with disabilities in provinces heavily affected by Agent Orange/dioxin has been effectively implemented in Binh Phuoc province, a locality that has suffered the consequences of landmines, unexploded ordnances, and Agent Orange since the war.

The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Vietnam.

Pham Thi Minh Tam, who has suffered from ocular atrophy and cerebral palsy since birth, has lived an isolated life for many years. She depends on her mother and other relatives to help her do everything.

Like Minh Tam, 80-year-old Bui Thi Thom is completely dependent on her relatives. She hasn’t been able to walk on her own for many years.

Both of them have received support from the project to improve the lives of people with disabilities in provinces heavily affected by Agent Orange/dioxin. Both have been examined and treated by doctors and technicians of the Rehabilitation Department of the Binh Phuoc provincial General Hospital to improve their speech and motor skills.

“The rehabilitation has helped Tam make progress. She has learned to comb her hair, tie up her hair, brush her teeth, and wash her face. I’m very happy to see her to do that,” said Tam’s mother.

80-year old Ms Thom said with the help of the doctor for 2 months, she has improved the ability, and now she can use a wheelchair to get around.

In addition to physical therapy at the hospital, doctors and therapists also come to the patients' homes to provide treatment.

Medical technician Tran Thi Quy of Binh Phuoc provincial General Hospital said she found the project very useful and practical, adding, “It helps people with disabilities a lot.”

To expand medical support and rehabilitation services, the project has raised community awareness of people with disabilities and AO/dioxin victims and promoted clubs for disabled people.

The USAID has provided equipment to the Binh Phuoc Traditional Medicine Hospital. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a nurse at the Binh Phuoc Traditional Medicine Hospital, said, “The traditional medicine hospital has been equipped with many modern machines for rehabilitation.”

Thanks to the project, 280 people have received medical treatment. 97% of them have improved their physical functions.

Nguyen Duy Thach, the hospital’s Deputy Director, said the first phase of the USAID-funded project has trained medical workers to perform medical exams and treat people with disabilities.

“Binh Phuoc has deployed medical clinics and multi-function therapy clinics, offering mobility, speech, and physical therapy. A unified examination system has been set up in the locality. A majority of the patients have made progress that will help  them integrate into the community,” Thach noted.

The USAID project has now been expanded to 7 other provinces and cities including Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, and Dong Nai. It is one of the USAID's longest-term programs and is the broadest support for disabled people that the USAID has provided Vietnam.

Since 1989, 1 million people with disabilities have benefited from the program, which has a total funding of more than US$140 million.

The program has become an important part of Vietnam-US cooperation, and a foundation for building trust, overcoming the past, and developing a stronger relationship in the future.

During her visit to Vietnam in March, USAID Director General Samantha Power insisted that over the past decade, the relationship between the United States and Vietnam has blossomed into a deep partnership.

“And as we continue our essential work together -  to grapple with a changing climate, to safeguard global health, to provide relevant opportunities to young people, and to strive economic growth, I know that the next 10 years are going to usher in and even stronger partnership, driving progress and prosperity for the people of Vietnam,” said Samantha.

Vietnamese Festival held in Japan's Kanagawa prefecture

A Vietnamese Festival was held in Yokohama, the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan on September 9, drawing a large number of visitors.

Addressing the event, Kanagawa Governor Kuroiwa Yuji highlighted the meaning of the event, marking the complete recovery of exchange and cooperation activities between the people of Vietnam and Japan in general and Kanagawa in particular after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu underlined that the festival is one of many activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

Themed "Connecting for future," the event aims to encourage people of the two countries to foster their connectivity under the motto of "Vietnam and Japan head to the future together and rise to the world".

The diplomat said he hopes the Kanagawa Festival in Vietnam slated for November will be a success

First held in 2015, the Vietnamese Festival in Kanagawa has become an annual event, contributing to strengthening solidarity and mutual understanding between people of the locality and Japan with Vietnam.

This year, the festival was held in the framework of the Vietnam Day in Kanagawa, which also includes various investment and tourism promotion activities.

More than 80 booths at the festival introduced the cuisine and traditional arts of Vietnam to Japanese. Intensive programmes on Vietnam tourism and culture exploration were also organised, along with a Japanese speech contest for international students in Kanagawa.

Located south of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture has an area of 2,415 sq.m2 and a population of more than 9.2 million people, the second most populous in Japan. In recent years, the number of Vietnamese people living and working in Kanagawa has continuously increased, making Vietnamese the second largest foreign community out of 30,000 people from more than 170 countries/territories living here.

Vietnamese women federation in Europe launched

Nearly 400 women representing Vietnamese women's associations in nearly 20 European countries attended a founding congress of the Vietnamese Women Federation (VWF) in Europe, which was held in Prague, the Czech Republic on September 9.

Along with sketching out the federation's operation orientations for the next five years, participants focused on seeking measures to support the formation of organisations for Vietnamese women in countries where such organisations have not been set up, and assist member organisations to build their own operational plans.

They also gave ideas on giving support to poor women and orphans at home and in European countries.

At the congress, a 43-member standing board of the federation was elected. Nguyen Viet Trieu, President of the Vietnamese Women Association in Poland was elected as the President of the VWF in Europe.

The federation will become a member of the Union of Vietnamese People Associations in Europe.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency, Trinh Thi Thu Van, a delegate of the Vietnamese Women Association in Poland said that the idea of establishing the VWF was raised at the second congress of the Union of Vietnamese People Associations in Europe in 2022.

The VWF provides a large-scale forum for Vietnamese women in Europe, and creates a momentum and provides orientation for activities of Vietnamese women in Europe, enabling them to contribute more to community work and development of overseas Vietnamese communities abroad.

On the occasion, the VWF in Europe announced the formation of a fund for poor women and orphans, and launched fundraising activities for the fund.

Slovak Constitution Day observed in HCM City

A get-together to celebrate the 31st anniversary of Slovak Constitution Day (September 1, 1992 - 2023) was held by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) on September 9, demonstrating solidarity and friendship between the people of HCM City and Slovakia.

In his greetings, President of the Vietnam - Slovakia Friendship Association (VSFA) in HCM City Bui Quang Hai said that the diplomatic relationship that Vietnam set up with Czechoslovakia on February 2, 1950 and , and continues to develop with Slovakia over the past 30 years, is the foundation for the development of friendship between the two peoples.

In recent years, Slovakia has been an important partner of Vietnam in Central and Eastern Europe with two-way trade  increasing steadily every year.

As of mid-2023, Slovakia had 12 investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 140.8 million USD, ranking 45th out of 135 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Slovak Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Marian Veres said relations between Slovakia and Vietnam have developed fruitfully in recent times, stressing that there is great potential for the two sides to further strengthen cooperation, especially in terms of trade, tourism, energy, renewable energy, and vocational training.

According to the diplomat, the Slovak Government has officially recognised the Vietnamese community as the country’s 14th ethnic minority group and approved regulations for the community. The decision aims to acknowledge and honour contributions made by the Vietnamese community to Slovakia’s construction and economic development, contributing to enhancing traditional solidarity and friendship between the two peoples.

Can Tho, Singapore seek stronger partnership in various fields

Secretary of the Party Committee of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho Nguyen Van Hieu recently hosted a reception for Singaporean Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Roy Kho, during which the two sides pledged to jointly conduct promotion activities in trade, culture, education, health care and tourism.

Hieu said that the city hopes that the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) Can Tho project, launched on September 9, will help the locality realise its target to become a food processing and distribution hub of the Mekong Delta, as well as an infrastructure development centre of the region.

The city leader described the project's launch as a highlight of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Singapore as well as the two countries' 10-year strategic partnership.

Hieu expressed his delight at the sound economic partnership between Vietnam and Singapore, noting that Singapore is now the second largest investor of Vietnam with a total investment of about 70.8 billion USD as of December 2022. Two-way trade hit 31.3 billion USD last year, he added.

He said that Can Tho is hosting 82 FDI projects worth over 2.2 billion USD, including 13 from Singapore with a combined capital of about 286 million USD. Singapore ranks first in the project number and second in capital in Can Tho, he said.

However, the official held that with the capacity of Singaporean investors and the city's potential, there is plenty of room for investment cooperation between the two sides to further expand.

For his part, Roy Kho spoke highly of the fast and strong development of Can Tho, and vowed to act as a bridge for Singaporean firms to seek investment collaboration opportunities in the city.

The diplomat expressed his hope that Can Tho will pay more attention to green and digital economy, renewable energy, solar energy, as these will be focal points in Singapore's investment in the time to come.

58 outstanding projects, solutions win 3rd HCM City Creative Awards

A total of 58 outstanding practical projects and solutions in seven fields were honoured at the 2023 HCM City Creative Awards held in the city on Friday (September 8).

The municipal People's Committee opened its third Creative Awards for entries by the end of March this year, and received 191 projects and solutions.

The winning projects and solutions are from 51 collectives and seven individuals in seven award categories.

The prizes include first prizes worth VNĐ200 million (US$8,510) each, second prizes worth VNĐ150 million ($6,380) each and third prizes worth VNĐ100 million ($4,255) each.

There were five prizes for economic development, five prizes for defense and security, 15 prizes for State management, four prizes for communications, nine prizes for arts and literature, 10 prizes for science-technology and 10 prizes for innovative start-ups.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, municipal People's Committee vice chairman Võ Văn Hoan said these are prestigious awards to honour Vietnamese agencies, organisations, businesses and individuals at home and abroad who have created research, solutions and innovative products and services contributing to the city’s development.

The awards affirm the creative potential and constant spirit of innovation among people in the city.

The process of building and developing the city has proven that the city is the place where many innovative ideas originate, and also where traditions, dynamism, creativity, and quick access to new things are crystallised, he said.

“Each city resident has the ability to be creative and brings very specific material and spiritual values,” he said.

Organising the awards has helped the city discover and gather many experts, many businesses, and many excellent organisations and individuals with very creative ideas, solutions and products.

The city will continue to create favourable conditions for making innovation an inevitable development trend of society.

“Creative thinking and constant innovation, together with outstanding specific mechanisms and policies, will help the city become a modern technology service city by 2030, and a regional and international economic and financial hub,” he added.

At the event, the municipal People's Committee announced the fourth Creative Awards for 2024.

The 2022 Creative Awards attracted 306 entries, including 94 winning projects and solutions. 

Runner Sản wins Marathon Amazing Halong

SEA Games duathlon champion Phạm Tiến Sản won the second 2023 VnExpress Marathon Amazing Halong on September 10 in Hạ Long, Quảng Ninh Province.

Sản beat favourite Charles Kipkorir Kipsang of Kenya to finish the men's full marathon event first in a time of 2hr 38.26min under the heavy rain.

Kipsang took the lead for the first 15km but was exhausted when he ran across the 1km-long Bãi Cháy Bridge, which was considered the toughest challenge of the tournament with its 50m high and sloppy terrain.

Sản caught up with him. They ran together for some kilometers before the Vietnamese went ahead to finish the race first.

Kipsang was second at 2:45.00, followed by famed amateur runner Đặng Anh Quyết who made it in 2:46.46.

On the women's side, Lèo Thị Tình (3:06.57), Nông Thị Chang (3:25.30) and Nguyễn Thị Đường (3:26.00) secured the top three positions, respectively.

They were all regular faces of the marathon and usually dominated the major running events' podium nationwide in recent years.

In the half marathon events, Kenyan David Kiploech Birir proved the power of African runners as he finished first in a time of 1:10.24, leaving his nearest rival, Lý Nhân Tín of Việt Nam far behind with a gap of nearly eight minutes.

Hà Văn Dược placed third on 1:18.44.

SEA Games multi-time walking champion Nguyễn Thị Thanh Phúc won the 21km distance clocking a time of 1:29.43.

"It is my new personal record, the most successful race that I have run so far," said Phúc who has been running marathons for about a year.

"I have to work hard to conquer a zigzag slope and a challenging Bãi Cháy Bridge. Many difficulties were overcome to have my minute of glory on the podium.

"Running for the top place is a little harder than walking (as I often did) but the feeling is so great," Phúc said.

Khuất Phương Anh, a former national athletics team member, was second at 1:30.30, and Nguyễn Thị Lụa finished third at 1:36:54.

The winners of the men's and women's 10km were Hoàng Viết Vĩ (33.45min) and Nguyễn Thị Thành (40.20), respectively

Bùi Văn Trường (17.23) and Đèo Thị My (20.29) won the men's and women's 5km classes.

The second Halong Marathon saw about 11,000 runners checking the two-time World Heritage Site with stunning ocean views and beautiful landmarks through the track that led them past Cá Heo Palace, Hạ Long Bay, Bài Thơ Mountain and Tuần Châu Island.

Earlier, a children's run was held on September 9 with 1,500 competitors on a 1km route of cool challenges and obstacles.

In the second race, organisers made a big change in prize policy as only the top five overall for men and women took awards.

A total of about VNĐ1 billion (US$41,500) were delivered to the high-ranking athletes. The 42km winners bagged the highest award of VNĐ44 million which included cash and gifts. The organisers also provided bonuses to winners of different age groups.

Vietnam takes part in solidarity festival in Belgium

Representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium participated in the annual Manifiesta (Solidarity) Festival of the Workers’ Party of Belgium held in Ostende city from September 9-10.

Deputy Ambassador Vu Thu Thuy said that the embassy brought a set of photos, books and publications to popularise to international friends about Vietnam and its people as well as life and career of President Ho Chi Minh.

The event is an opportunity to present to friends around the world about the cause of national liberation, construction and international integration of Vietnam, she added.

The Vietnamese stall attracted a great attention of international friends, from those who have been to Vietnam, supported the country in the national liberation movements, to those who only know it through books, newspapers, and documentary films.

Manifiesta is held annually to tighten solidarity among left-wing parties and workers’ movements from all over the world. The two-day event featured hundreds of pavilions, music performances, games, and debates related to global issues, including gender equality, vulnerable groups, racial discrimination, information and technology.

Launched for the first time in 2010, Manifiesta is shaped to address pressing topics such as workplace rights of health personnel and the climate crisis, while also emphasising the significance of feminism, peace advocacy, and solidarity.

VN to seek best World Cup campaign line-up from friendly

Việt Nam's best XI for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers will be determined through a international friendlies including the match between Việt Nam and Palestine during the FIFA Days on September 11.

Coach Philippe Troussier revealed his plans to reporters at the pre-match conference on September 10 in Nam Định Province.

He said under his reign, players of the national senior team and the U23 squad shared the same vision, playing style and organisation. They would have to work hard to gain national pride.

The Frenchman confirmed that depending on different tournaments, each team would have their own goal. Currently, the national team would try to find the best line-up for the first two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualification in November.

He said Việt Nam would do the best so that they stand out at the Southeast Asian regional level.

Troussier said after months working with about 80 players in all teams he found that young Vietnamese players still had many shortcomings in professional quality such as passing, receiving and controlling the ball. His coaching boards would take charge of improving their ability but he also needed strong support from clubs' trainers.

He said in the upcoming match, his players will show improvements in all areas. However, this match and the later ones were tests so he could pick the best players for the first qualifying game in November.

Coach Makram Dabboub of Palestine said he appreciated Việt Nam's strong development in the past four years.

The Palestinian coaches watched Việt Nam wins versus Syria and Hong Kong and found that although the head coach seat was changed, Việt Nam still played well. It was an united and strong team.

He said his team prepared well for the match where he would give opportunities for the young players as they could sharpen their skills, experience international football environment, all were for the World Cup.

Việt Nam, world No 95, were a good squad so he would not be surprised if Palestine, one place lower in the world ranking, suffered a defeat.

While Troussier would have his best-physical players, Daboub would play without key forwards Abu Warda and Oday Dabbagh.

Warda scored in the match Palestine and Oman but suffered an injury and were not recovered in time for the match. Dabbagh was recovering from his pain so his chance to play was not clear, Daboub said.

In their three latest matches, Palestine lost 2-0 to China and 2-1 Oman and tied 0-0 with Indonesia.

The friendly match will be held at the Nam Định's Thiên Trường Stadium at 7.30pm and will be broadcast live on VTV5 and FPT platforms.

Hoàng turns out to win LION Championship match

Lê Huy Hoàng came from behind to take a submission win over Nguyễn Thành Đô in the main bout of the LION Championship 09 on September 9 night in HCM City.

Both two young fighters spent time in the early first round to feel out their rival. Đô, who was second seed in the 56kg class, delivered heavy punches on Hoàng. One of them sent Hoàng to the floor.

However, after being counted, Hoàng was allowed to continue fighting. A minute later he was taken down against and pressed heavily.

With Đô close to another win at the LC event, Hoàng suddenly escaped from the lock. He set up an arm-triangle choke before carrying out an armbar forcing Đô to ask for an unexpected submission loss at the 2.38 minute of the first round.

Brazilian Felipe Negochadle also secured a submission win against Nguyễn Nguyên Chương of Việt Nam in the 65kg class.

Negochadle pushed Chương to the corner of the cage and took him down using a jujitsu technique. Chương had no chance to escape and was locked by an armbar, suffering the loss after only 40 seconds.

Later, Mirko Maurice Horn intended to bag a fast win when he faced Vietnamese Lê Văn Thế Anh in the 70kg pool. The German attacked constantly. He kept sending Anh to the ground before delivering a rear-naked-choke to record a submission win near the end of the second round.

In the 77kg category, Đặng Hoàng Minh technically knocked out Lê Hoàng Nhật Long in the first round after Long asked to withdraw because of an arm injury.

In the 60kg discipline, Đinh Quốc Dũng knocked out Nguyễn Vinh Hiển midway through the first round. 

In the 56kg bout, Rơ Mah Chưng beat Vương Cát Vũ by a unanimous decision with 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 score after three rounds.

In the only women’s match, Hồ Thị Ngọc Bích beat Nguyễn Thị Hiền Lương by a unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) in the 52kg class.

Lương was considered to be at a lower level compared to Bích. However, her low kicks and body shoots made Bích really tired during three rounds. However, her performance was still good enough to force judges gave her better score to take the win.

It was her third win in a row in three months and she earned a berth in the belt match against defending champion Nguyễn Thị Thanh Trúc in November.

It will be a chance for Bích to get her revenge after losing to Trúc in the 2022 season.

Prior to the A class matches, bouts for B-class athletes were organised in the afternoon with five out of seven were ended with knock-out and submission results.

Phạm Công Minh set up a record with a technical knock-out win after 15 second in the 84kg category.

After avoiding a series of punches from Hoàng Trần Minh Hiếu, Minh fought back and his hook kick injured Hiếu's arm and he had to ask for a quit.

His win was three seconds faster than the previous record by Hà Viết Hiếu who knocked out Joseph Hanlon of the UK in the LC07 in July.

Hiếu also competed in the LC09 but this time he suffered a knockout loss when Lê Trương Quảng Lâm floored him with a ground-and-pound in the second round of the 77kg.

Earlier, Trình Hữu Minh technically knocked out (TKO) Nguyễn Phú Thịnh in the first round of the 56kg class. Phạm Văn Lượng won a TKO against Nguyễn Thân in the third round of the 65kg. Ngô Hồng Giang earned a submission win over Trần Quốc Toản in the secound round of the 84kg.

The next LC event will be held on October 7 in Phú Quốc Island, Kiên Giang Province. 

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