The southern province of Dong Nai has rescheduled its plan to relax mobility restrictions and reopen its economy after September 20, five days later than originally planned, as the latest Covid outbreak remains complicated.

The provincial anti-Covid authority convened a meeting this morning, September 14, to collect more feedback from localities in the province over the plan.

According to Nguyen Hong Linh, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, the province’s goal is to live safely with the pandemic. It will ease travel limits in Covid-safe zones, or green zones, and impose stringent control on and scale down red, yellow and orange zones with proper measures.

Under the plan, in green zones, essential services will be resumed, while non-essential ones can only reopen after their employees receive the first Covid vaccine dose for over 14 days.

Fully vaccinated people and those having recovered from Covid in 180 days in green zones can join essential activities.

Companies and household businesses in green zones are also allowed to operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday. Only take-away services will be allowed and local wet markets can open as normal.

Regarding businesses adopting the stay-at-work mode, they are required to rotate groups of employees in green zones to maintain operations, provided their facilities have no Covid cases and they have to arrange shuttle buses to transport their employees.

As for the remaining businesses, their employees need to be from green zones, have taken the first dose and have a negative Covid test result.

In addition, the province specified that construction works in green zones, agro, transportation, and goods transport activities can resume under some requirements after September 20.

Meanwhile, cultural, sports and tourism services will continue to remain shut until further notice.

In red, orange and yellow zones, social distancing measures will remain in place until further notice.

The province has set out five key measures to slow the spread of the Delta variant, including tracing and testing; imposing quarantine, lockdown orders and adopting three-tiered Covid treatment; implementing social welfare and social security policies; running anti-Covid propaganda campaigns and conducting vaccine rollouts.

The province is currently focusing on speeding up vaccinations to achieve 100% first-dose coverage for some 2.2 million people aged over 18 by September 20. As of now, it has inoculated over 1.6 million people, meeting around 73% of the target.

The province is also facilitating massive Covid testing to isolate Covid infections from the community.

To date, 75 of the 170 communes in Dong Nai are recognized as Covid-safe zones, or green zones, while 40 other communes are red zones and 28 are orange zones. Further, 11 of the 40 red zones and 18 of the 28 orange zones have reported no new cases for many days.

Phan Huy Anh Vu, director of the province’s Department of Health, said the province reported more than 36,400 cases in total by this morning, with nearly 15,800 recoveries and 320 fatalities. He added that it was impossible to completely prevent the spread of the virus. Instead, vaccination is the key to reducing the fatality rate and achieving herd immunity.

HCMC allows inter-district movement of shippers after Sept 15

The HCMC government has allowed shippers of technology-based delivery firms to travel citywide after September 15 and would support them with the Covid-19 testing costs until September 30, said HCMC Vice Chairman Le Hoa Binh.

In the “Residents ask-the city answers” program on September 13, Binh said the decision was aimed at supporting local residents as the city would continue applying strict social distancing measures in line with the prime minister’s Directive 16 after September 15 and gradually allow some activities in districts 7, Cu Chi and Can Gio to resume, the local media reported.

The city in May limited shippers’ travel to within a district to reduce the coronavirus transmission risk.

They must wear uniforms with logos, have the necessary documents and licenses, and test negative for Covid-19.

Late last month, shippers in Thu Duc City and seven districts were allowed to get back to work, provided they underwent a daily rapid Covid test. Up to 25,000 shippers have resumed their work, partly meeting the demands of local residents and easing pressure on the assisted shopping model.

According to the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, a shipper can deliver 20-25 orders per day. Thus, 25,000 shippers can serve the demands of 500,000-600,000 households.

NA Standing Committee discusses State Audit Office’s performance, work plan

The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee gave opinions on the 2021 performance report and the 2022 audit plan of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) on September 14 morning.

As of August 31, audit agencies nationwide had deployed 144 of the 211 planned audit teams, with 108 teams finishing their tasks and 83 audit reports issued. The audits were basically carried out on schedule and achieved the set targets, according to Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Financial and Budgetary Affairs Nguyen Phu Cuong.

The SAV discovered and proposed settlement of many violations related to the management and use of public finance, transferred five cases showing crime signs to police for investigation, and proposed the amendment of 205 documents that don’t match legal regulations or the reality.

It has also achieved encouraging outcomes in enhancing cooperation with foreign partners and performing many other tasks.

However, the Financial and Budgetary Affairs Committee also pointed out that the issuance of the 2021 plan on corruption prevention and control was slower than expected while the implementation of some focal duties for this year has yet to be fully analysed or reported.

It requested the SAV to boost IT application, build a database with sufficient and precise information for the audit sector, improve the quality of auditing activities, and reform working methods as required in the strategy for SAV development by 2030.

Regarding the orientations and tasks for 2022, the committee asked the SAV to build and issue solutions, farm out tasks, and specify a road map for duty performance right from the year’s beginning.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue spoke highly of the SAV’s report and the committee’s verification report, asking for more attention to the mobilisation, allocation, and use of resources for the COVID-19 fight, along with the preparation, distribution, and disbursement of capital sources for basic construction at the central and local levels./.

Citizens in HCMC to use one sole app for travel, medical declaration

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh yesterday provided useful information regarding recovery plans of the city after September 15 in the ‘Citizens – City Leaders: Question and Response’ livestream session.

Vice Chairman Le Hoa Binh informed that the economic recovery plan, already submitted to the Standing Committee of HCMC Party Committee, will follow three distinct stages, the first of which lasts from September 16-30.

During that time, the city prepares important content for the piloting plan to allow certain economic activities in the three green districts of 7, Cu Chi, and Can Gio. This plan is expected to help the city reach the dual target of economic growth and medical safety.

With regard to the matter of controlling the Covid-19 outbreak in HCMC, the Vice Chairman stressed that it is impossible, as being consulted by medical experts, to achieve zero F0 cases in the community now.

Therefore, the city intends to review the current status and introduces adjustments in manufacturing methods as well as daily life activities of citizens after September 15, with a high priority on online procedures and stable connections between supply and demand.

Meanwhile, the vaccination task must be sped up for a wider coverage and the medical safety level must be improved for ease of socio-economic recovery activities.

As to citizens’ travelling regulations, Vice Chairman Binh informed that from September 16, shippers in the city are allowed to do inter-district goods delivery as long as they follow Covid-19 prevention and control rules strictly. The city will continue to perform quick tests on these people free of charge until September 30.

Simultaneously, the city is developing a practical application for smart devices so that residents can solely use it to self-declare their traveling routes, update medical information, including Covid-19 vaccination one. This means people will not need many apps or registration for a travel permit to go out.

Khanh Van among Top 20 of Miss Grand Slam 2020

Vietnamese beauty Nguyen Tran Khanh Van has been named among the Top 20 of Miss Grand Slam 2020, as announced by Global Beauties.

Global Beauties selects a number of outstanding contestants from the world’s five leading beauty pageants of Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Grand International, and Miss Supranational for its annual prize, with the winner being given the Miss Grand Slam title.

This year judges chose beauties from both the Miss Universe and Miss Grand International pageants. The organising board on September 13 unveilled the leading 10 contestants, with Khanh Van, Miss Universe Vietnam 2019, shortlisted in the Top 20.

The other beauties named in the Top 20 included Andrea Meza, Miss Universe 2020, Janick Maceta, Miss Universe Peru 2020, and Lala Guedes, Miss Grand Brazil 2020.

Back in Miss Grand Slam 2018, Vietnamese beauty H’Hen Nie made the Top 10 finalists to mark the best ever achievement for Vietnamese beauty in the rankings.

In the 69th Miss Universe 2020 held in the United States, Khanh Van was named in the Top 21 with the highest number of votes in the pageant’s history.

Despite the heavy impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, she volunteered to take part in many charity activities, including presenting gifts to lottery sellers and poor labourers, and assisting with food supply to residents in lockdown areas.

Italy willing to support Vietnam in the treatment of COVID-19

Italy is ready to share its experience in treating COVID-19 and wants to promote cooperation with Vietnam on researching and training to prepare for pandemic emergencies, Mario Balzanelli, head of Italy’s Emergency System 118 has said.

Speaking at a meeting between medical team 118 and Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue on September 13, he said the system has actively exchanged and shared a lot of experiences in pandemic prevention, contributing to relief emergency for the hospital system.

Balzanelli expressed his wish to speed up the early signing of a memorandum of understanding on scientific cooperation between the two countries in the medical field. The focus will be on emergency healthcare, training, skills and techniques development and preparation of guidelines for pandemic emergencies.

The Vietnamese ambassador thanked Italian friends for their support, saying Italy's experience was very useful to Vietnam because Italy was also the country that has been heavily affected by the pandemic.

The Government and people of Vietnam have been making great efforts to curb the pandemic, however, it still lacks vaccines, medicines, and equipment in the treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, she said, Vietnam needs the help and sharing of experience in pandemic response from international friends in general and Italy in particular.

A batch of 812,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that the Italian Government supports for Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism are scheduled to arrive in Vietnam on September 13, reflecting the special interest of Italian friends in the country, Hue said.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue meets a team of doctors from Italy’s 118 Emergency System on September 13. (Photo: VNA)
The Vietnamese Ambassador also hoped that the doctors would continue to share experience in pandemic response, and at the same time mobilise regional governments and relevant agencies to support medical equipment and supplies, medicines, and ventilators for Vietnam given the complicated developments of the pandemic.

Sharing experience in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic at 118, Doctor Karen Kieu Nguyen said that the current 5-tier COVID-19 treatment model is very suitable, but it must be carried out synchronously between localities.

She emphasised the need to combine training to improve treatment capacity in hospitals, especially in provinces, industrial zones,  hospitals of medical universities,with the controlling the number of patients at hospitals, avoid overcrowding and cross-infection.

She also underlined the application of blood plasma and blood stem cells to support the treatment of COVID-19.

Doctor Karen Kieu Nguyen and a team of doctors from Emergency System 118 are expected to visit Ho Chi Minh City to consult, support and transfer the process of screening, treating and caring for COVID-19 patients as well as blood plasma and stem cell technology transfer in the treatment of COVID-19./. 

Businesses join hands to provide computers, Internet connection to needy students

In response to the “Telecommunications services and computers for children” programme launched by the Prime Minister, many businesses have donated cash to support disadvantaged children, especially those living in areas under social distancing, in online studying amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) contributed 30 billion VND (1.32 million USD) to the programme, hoping to help children in pandemic-hit localities continue their study and promote digital society development.

Along with its efforts to reduce retail prices of petrol in localities affected by the pandemic, the firm has donated more than 268 billion VND for COVID-19 prevention and control activities since the beginning of this year. Last year, Petrolimex also contributed 14.1 billion VND to the activities.

Meanwhile, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has also offered 30 billion VND to the programme.
Businesses join hands to provide computers, Internet connection to needy students hinh anh 2The Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has committed 37,000 tablets to the “Telecommunications services and computers for children.

An ACV representative said that the firm aims to join hands with the community to take care of the future generations of the country, especially children in disadvantaged areas.

The firm earlier donated 200 billion VND to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund.

At the same time, the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has committed 37,000 tablets to the “Telecommunications services and computers for children” programme and pledged to accompany the education and training sector in narrowing the digital gap between urban and rural areas, ensuring that no student is left behind.

Nguyen Nam Long, Deputy General Director of VNPT, said that the tablets will be provided for poor students in localities applying social distancing under the Prime Minister’s Directive 16.

Alongside, the firm will continue to implement solutions to narrow digital gap among regions, including the providing of free access to VNPT E-Learning programme to all high schools and universities and free 4Gb mobile data each day for 1 million poor students in thee months.

It has also worked to improve the quality of telecommunications services in rural and mountains areas, while investing in the completion of its smart education ecosystem vnEdu 4.0.

The telecommunications service supplier MobiFone has called on its staff to contribute to its target of providing 4,000 tablets to poor students for online learning within September.

MobiFone will supply free mobile Internet connection to all online learning platforms approved by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

It will increase its 4G service coverage, especially in rural and mountainous areas.

MobiFone-developed online learning MobiEdu was launched free of charge in May this year in 400 schools.

Along with its efforts to support State agencies, businesses and people in technology solutions to overcome COVID-19, MobiFone also donated 200 billion VND to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund, raising the total value of its contributions to the pandemic fight to nearly 3 trillion VND./.

Vietnam loses 1-9 to Brazil at 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup

Vietnam met Brazil in the opening match of the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup’s final, conceding nine goals and scoring one.

Recognising the level difference between the two teams, coach Pham Minh Giang requested Vietnamese players to play slowly and try to take advantage of counter-attacking opportunities.

In the first half of the match, Brazilian players scored five goals, while Khong Dinh Hung narrowed the score for Vietnam with a goal in the 13 minute.

In the second half, another four goals were scored for Brazil – the candidate for the podium.

Vietnam will meet Panama on September 16./.

Pre-historic drawings found in Nghe An province's ancient cave

Scientists have discovered pre-historic drawings dated 3,000 years ago in an ancient cave in the north central province of Nghe An.

During an archaeological verification trip in February in Quy Chau district, a delegation of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology found the pre-historic murals in Tham Chang cave in Thuan Chuan commune.

The cave was discovered by the institute in 2015, said Assoc. Prof., Dr Trinh Nang Chung, head of the archaeological team, adding that based on stone tools found inside, the cave is believed to form during the Old Stone Age.

This is not the first time that ancient art has been discovered in caves in Nghe An province.

In the 1940s, French archaeologists found drawings in a cave in Chau Phong commune, about 15km south of Quy Chau town. In addition, human-figured rock carvings were recently detected in a cave in Anh Son district’s Hoa Son commune.

The discoveries in Nghe An caves, along with art products found in the provinces of Hoa Binh, Ha Giang and Quang Binh, indicate cave arts were practiced by people in Vietnam in the prehistoric time.

Further research on this kind of ancient art is needed.

Also during the trip, archaeologists discovered a new relic site of Hoa Binh Culture dated nearly 10,000 years ago in the Stone Age, which is Tham Moi cave in Quy Chau district. Stone working tools found in the cave show fundamental traits of the art of Hoa Binh Culture.

Local authorities have devised plans to conserve the relics./.

Saigon FC denies rumours they are signing Việt Nam national team striker

The future of striker Hà Đức Chinh is up in the air after rumours surfaced he is looking for a move away from SHB Đà Nẵng.

Reports claimed Sài Gòn FC was willing to pay a signing on bonus of VNĐ 1.4 billion a year, along with a salary of VNĐ 40 million a month.

But over the weekend, the club denied the rumours.

“From the board to the members of the coaching staff, no one has received any information about the club recruiting Hà Đức Chinh,” said one coach.

“If we have quality players like Chinh in our squad for the new season, that's a very good thing. But in fact, there hasn’t been any negotiation between us and this player.”

At least four other teams have been linked with a move for Chinh, who is currently training with the Việt Nam national team to prepare for the 2022 World Cup third-round qualification.

In recent years, the 23 years old striker was always among one of coach Park’s favourite choices in many tournaments.

But at club level, he has to play as a winger to support the Brazilian striker Rafaelson Fernandes. That's one of the reasons why Chinh only scored two goals this season, leading to the leaving rumours emerging.

In May 2021, SHB Đà Nẵng held talks with Chinh about his future, but the two sides have not reached any agreement.

“He wants to consult his family before making a decision,” a Đà Nẵng FC board member told Zing.

“However, it is possible that Chinh will not renew his contract with Đà Nẵng and find a new team. We are still waiting for him to make a decision."

However, last week, Rafaelson Fernandes officially announced his departure from Đà Nẵng through his personal Facebook page, leaving the first team’s striker slot empty.

Fernandes’s leaving means the opportunity is now open for Chinh once again.

The striker still has a lot of time to make a decision on his future with the 2021 season officially cancelled, and the 2022 season still six months away.

Chinese man prosecuted for using fake personal papers

The Hanoi People’s Procuracy has completed an indictment to prosecute Li Ye Sheng, 50, a Chinese native for “forging documents of agencies, organisations” in line with Point c, Clause 2, Article 341 of the Penal Code 2015.

According to the indictment, when the Hanoi police conducted administrative inspections at House No.23, Alley 223, Dai Mo street in Dai Mo ward at 10:30pm on December 11, 2020, they found that Li failed to follow immigration procedures in line with regulations.

He presented an identity card and a driver’s license named Le Nghiep Sinh, 50, residing in An Sinh commune, Dong Trieu district, Quang Ninh province. He spoke Vietnamese fluently and said he is a Vietnamese.

Suspecting that his personal papers are fake, the police took him to their station where he admitted that he is a Chinese named Li Ye Sheng and entered Vietnam illegally in February 2020.

While working for Huong Linh company in May 2020, he bought the above fake personal papers at a cost of 11.5 million VND (500 USD) from an unknown man on the social media, with an aim to stay and work for a long term in Vietnam. He himself knew that his action is a violation of the Vietnamese law.

During his stay in the rented house, he did not report to local authorities. Nobody knew he is a Chinese, including his landlord and colleagues./.

Vietnamese Students’ Association in Europe established

With support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese representative agencies in Europe, a virtual congress took place recently to set up the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Europe, gathering young Vietnamese from 11 nations including Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Poland.

Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the committee Pham Quang Hieu sent a congratulatory letter to the event, stating that the establishment is important. He said he believes the association will sustainably link young Vietnamese and those of Vietnamese origin in Europe and hoped it to launch practical activities.

The congress elected a 24-member provisional executive committee, headed by Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh, who is head of the Vietnamese Students’ Association in the Czech Republic.

Nguyen Dieu Linh, deputy director of the State Committee’s department of economic relations and science and technology, lauded the contributions of Vietnamese students’ associations across European nations in the past time.

She wished the new association will create a common environment for Vietnamese youth in Europe to develop and mobilise their intellectual resources in contribution to Vietnam’s growth and improved relations with European countries./.

Health ministry to deploy oxygen supply project nationwide

The Ministry of Health held an online training conference on Monday on a project to enhance the supply and use of medical oxygen for facilities treating COVID-19 patients.

The conference saw participation from more than 1,000 locations in 63 provinces and cities. 

The conference aims to prepare, respond proactively, promptly and effectively in terms of medical oxygen for emergencies and for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Trần Văn Thuấn emphasised that investing in the medical oxygen supply system would be an investment for the long term. 

"The investment, expansion of production scale, supply network and technical infrastructure of medical oxygen at medical examination and treatment facilities is not only for the COVID-19 pandemic but also for the future," he said.

In some southern provinces and cities, the number of new cases of COVID-19 along with the current number of cases and the need for medical treatment for other diseases has resulted in an increasing demand for medical oxygen. The percentage of COVID-19 patients who have the need for oxygen ranging from mild levels such as oxygen masks, oxygen therapy glasses and high flow oxygen to severe levels such as non-invasive and invasive ventilation, ECMO, accounting for about 9.5 per cent of the total cases.

According to Nguyễn Minh Tuấn, Director of the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction, Ministry of Health, in Việt Nam, the supply capacity of oxygen across the country is about 1,200 tonnes of liquid oxygen per day and can be increased by 50 per cent to 100 per cent as needed. 

Regarding the status of medical oxygen technical infrastructure in medical facilities, it basically meets routine medical care, but there are still some limitations when the number of COVID-19 patients increases. 

In fact, many medical facilities at the district level do not have a central oxygen system; lack oxygen containers (such as bottles, flasks, tanks); and do not back up the number of containers when they have to be rotated, or used for support for home treatment and emergency transportation. Establishments in remote areas often have difficulty accessing oxygen supplies, while the ability to coordinate and mobilise oxygen has not been prompt in intensive situations like natural disasters (storms, floods, power outages, etc.) or the pandemic. 

To increase the production, supply and ensure medical oxygen for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, on September 7, 2021, the Minister of Health issued Decision No. 4308/QD-BYT on strengthening the capacity to supply medical oxygen for facilities treating COVID-19 patients. The main objective of the project is to guide localities to proactively develop plans and organise a close connection between supply and demand in order to exploit resources for producing medical oxygen in the country; prepare medical oxygen infrastructure to treat COVID-19 patients according to different pandemic scenarios.

Deputy Minister Trần Văn Thuấn pointed out four groups of solutions that provinces and cities need to conduct urgently.

First, reviewing and evaluating the current status of medical oxygen technical infrastructure at medical facilities at all levels and developing a plan, based on the guidance of the Ministry of Health on medical oxygen demand at all levels, to improve the technical infrastructure of medical oxygen systems at facilities treating COVID-19 patients.

Secondly, localities should assess the ability to produce oxygen, the network of oxygen suppliers, to plan and expand the scale of oxygen production and supply to ensure that demand can be met.

Thirdly, provinces and cities should implement effective connection and coordination among stakeholders: producers, suppliers, transporters and users of oxygen to ensure that emergency needs are met without interruption in various situations. 

The deputy minister requested that localities assign a vice chairman of the people's committees to be the head of the department, the leader of the Department of Health acting as deputy permanent member of the unit in charge of medical oxygen coordination. Localities should also strengthen IT application in the management and coordination of medical oxygen, and at the same time properly control the price of medical oxygen in the locality to ensure that the price is not a barrier when the demand for oxygen increases.

Localities are asked to continue to implement the motto "four on the spot", proactively prepare, be ready and promptly respond to medical oxygen needs in emergencies and COVID-19 treatment: planning the procurement of medical oxygen containers and other necessary supplies and equipment; simultaneously, continuously expanding training for doctors, nurses, medical staff at all levels on medical oxygen therapies in treatment suitable to all levels.

Hau Giang makes efforts to roll out WB-funded project

Vi Thanh city in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang will make efforts to ensure the progress of the Vietnam - Scaling-Up Urban Upgrading Project: Resettlement plan for Vi Thanh city, heard a meeting on September 13.

Representatives from the World Bank (WB) held a working session with the People’s Committee of Vi Thanh city to review the implementation of the project on the day.

Hoang Thi Hoa, senior urban development specialist who is also head of the project, pointed out roadblocks to the project, especially in the context of COVID-19 spread.

Over the past three years, the project’s steering and managing boards have shown their professionalism in management and made thorough preparations for the mid-term review which has reflected the progress of each item, she said.

Nguyen Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the project has met aspirations of local residents and matched the city’s socio-economic development plan.

The first phase of the six-year project, starting from 2018, has been completed, and the second phase is underway.

The project has total investment capital of 36 million USD (830 million VND), of which 570 billion VND comes from the WB.

The development objective of the Scaling-Up Urban Upgrading Project for Vietnam is to improve access to infrastructure in priority city areas and improve urban planning in the participating cities./.

Implementation of ethnic work, policy needs society’s engagement

The implementation of the ethnic work and ethnic policy is a long-term, continuous and persistent task, requiring the engagement of all levels, sectors and the whole political system. Therefore, attention must be paid to dissemination to raise public awareness and responsibility, Standing National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man stated at the NA Standing Committee’s third session on September 13.

Under the chair of Man, the NA Standing Committee discussed the Government’s report on results of the implementation of the National Target Programme on socio-economic development in the mountainous and ethnic-inhabited areas for the 2021 - 2030 period.

Minister-Chairman of the Government Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hau A Lenh said that over the past time, the Government has directed the Ministries of Planning and Investment, and Finance to give the highest priority to the programme; and have a plan to balance more than 50 trillion VND (2.2 billion USD) worth of investment capital and more than 54 trillion VND worth of regular spending for the programme’s projects and sub-projects in accordance with the plan approved by the legislature.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that, after more than one year, the implementation of the programme has not met the requirements on progress. Therefore, the Government needs to clearly review its responsibilities, clearly state objective and subjective causes and have solutions to address them.

He proposed quickly perfecting the Steering Committee for the implementation of the programme from the central to local levels, and allocating investments for localities in line with their budget autonomy proportions, and in accordance with other programmes.

Man suggested the Government focus on directing and soon promulgating investment decisions, and documents on management, administration and implementation of the programme; making plans, roadmaps, tasks and investment solutions for the implementation of the programme every year and the 2021– 2025 period; and identifying priority tasks and investment.

He emphasised that this programme should be recognised in all national target programmes; and the goal is that people really enjoy the benefits from the programme, and bring into play the potentials and advantages of the region and the self-reliant spirit of ethnic minorities to gain rapid and sustainable development./.

Public Security Ministry aids Hanoi in launching COVID-19 prevention software

The Ministry of Public Security has assisted Hanoi in implementing four applications on the national population database platform to serve the capital’s COVID-19 prevention and control.

The software helps ensure the principles of reforming and simplifying administrative procedures, thus facilitating activities of people and businesses.

To effectively implement these applications, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh has tasked the Hanoi Department of Information and Communications with joining the local police in drafting reports on their implementation and building related scenarios and a roadmap for their immediate launch.

The police have been assigned to work with relevant agencies in building specific plans on issuing travel permits via applications in line with the directions of the municipal Party Committee’s standing board and People’s Committee. They will also make recommendations on the building of risk-level criteria for different areas in the city.

Other public agencies and sectors have been set to support the municipal Department of Information and Communications and police agency in their works, serving the local current and long-term pandemic prevention and control./.

Quang Ninh province accelerates key transport projects

Thanks to the good containment of COVID-19, the northern province of Quang Ninh is speeding up three key transport projects expected to substantially contribute to local economic growth and regional connectivity.

Cua Luc 1 Bridge, the coastal road linking Ha Long and Cam Pha cities, and Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway are currently under construction and scheduled to be put into use by the end of this year.

Once operational, they are hoped to help complete the expressway system in the northern region, serve as a gateway connecting northern localities of Vietnam with ASEAN countries and China, and create an impulse for regional connectivity.

Invested with over 2.1 trillion VND, Cua Luc 1 Bridge in Ha Long city has its construction started in April 2021, after Hoanh Bo district was merged into Ha Long. The six-lane bridge, which is 4,265 metres long, is hoped to help fuel development in the west of the city and facilitate transport.

Its investor said about 80 percent of the workload has been completed, expecting this project to be finished in this November, one month ahead of schedule.

Nguyen Duc Phuong, Deputy Director of the project management board, said to keep the construction unaffected by COVID-19, workers have been constantly asked to comply with the 5K principle (khau trang - wearing facemasks, khu khuan - disinfection, khoang cach - keeping distance, khong tu tap - no gathering, and khai bao y te - making health declaration) and the pandemic safety regulations issued by provincial authorities. All of them have also received RT-PCR tests frequently.

Nearly 400 supervisors and workers are divided into four teams to work in three shifts so that Cua Luc 1 Bridge can be completed by the end of this year as planned, he noted.

Meanwhile, about 80 percent of the workload of the Ha Long - Cam Pha coastal road has also finished.

There are always more than 200 builders on the construction site. Personnel from other projects have also been mobilised while construction is carried out continuously in three shifts to ensure the project progress. Supervisors and workers are also requested to stay at the site and not go outside, Managing Director of the project’s tunnel section Nguyen Duy Song said, adding that building the tunnel is the most difficult task since they have to bore into mountain and deal with complex terrain.

Covering the total length of nearly 80 kilometres, the four-lane Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway runs through Van Don, Tien Yen, Dam Ha, and Hai Ha districts and Mong Cai city.

Do Duc Binh, head commander of the Bridge 75 Company, noted to ensure both construction progress and pandemic prevention, the firm has divided workers into teams and designed an appropriate building schedule while reminding its personnel to keep hygiene.

Despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rainy season, complex terrain, and the shortage of workers and materials, investors and contractors pledged to address difficulties to accelerate progress and complete of these projects soon.

Chairman of the Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tuong Van said since the year’s beginning, the administration has asked for faster implementation of the three strategic infrastructure projects, which will help develop a uniform and modern transport infrastructure system and also serve as outstanding works with high architectural value of Quang Ninh.

On September 2, the province launched a 100-day emulation campaign to speed up the three projects.

It asked investors and contractors to maximise personnel and equipment resources to guarantee both construction progress and quality. It also told authorities of Ha Long, Cam Pha, Van Don, Tien Yen, Dam Ha, Hai Ha, and Mong Cai to step up site clearance, coordinate in removing obstacles to project implementation, and provide the best possible conditions for these projects.

During the campaign, the provincial administration will also offer timely rewards and encouragement to the collectives and individuals with prominent performance and useful initiatives for the projects./.

Da Nang turns wards, communes into “fortresses” in COVID-19 combat

Da Nang city’s steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control has sought measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic that has spread to four out of its seven districts.

The local health sector aims to administer 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the time ahead, said Deputy Director of the municipal Health Department Tran Thanh Thuy, adding that priority will be given to those working on the forefront of the fight in districts, wards and communes, residents living high-risk areas and people with underlying diseases.

Secretary of the city Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang asked all-level authorities to tighten pandemic prevention and control measures, from testing to the grant of travel permits.

Local police have also been requested to step up inspections and strictly handle violations.

Wards and communes must prepare infrastructure for the vaccination, he said, urging managing boards of residential areas to further carry forward their role in pandemic prevention and control.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Trung Chinh suggested the city’s police allow the reopening of Thuan Phuoc and Han River bridges, and increase forces at checkpoints there.

The city centre for disease control needs to soon announce results of COVID-19 testing among local households, he said.

Chinh urged localities to accelerate the support delivery to disadvantaged groups, tighten management at concentrated quarantine facilities, control home quarantine of F1 cases, and step up travel control at residential areas.

The central city aims to give at least one COVID-19 shot to all local residents over 18 years old within September, the official said.

With its experience in COVID-19 prevention and control in the past nearly two years, the city has proactively adjusted its pandemic responding policies so as to timely address arising difficulties and obstacles in taking care of the daily life for local residents amid the rapid development of the pandemic.

The timely measures and orientations, in combination with the determination and high sense of mutual support of the local community, have helped stabilise the social situation in the city.

However, great challenges remain in ensuring safety and social security for the local community due to the prolonged and complicated developments of the pandemic.

The wide dissemination of information on the pandemic situation in the country and in the world through the mass media has proved effectiveness in warning local residents against the pandemic and encouraging them to stay vigilant, but on the other side, it also a cause of worry among the people.

At the same time, some times and in some places, there is a shortage in the supplies of food and foodstuff, while social distancing measures have also caused concern among parts of local residents. But overall, with efforts to overcome all difficulties and challenges, together with other localities across the country, Da Nang has managed to reap good results in implementing the dual targets of controlling the pandemic and boosting socio-economic development at the same time. The city’s ideological work has proved to be effective.

The city has gradually ensured the supply of necessities for daily life of locals, especially food, foodstuff and medicine, during the lockdown period.

Recently Da Nang's Department of Foreign Affairs has announced a hotline to provide support for foreigners as the city extended the lockdown period. The hotline has received many calls requesting support from foreigners. Most of them are about buying food, transportation to get vaccinated, making medical examination appointments and buying necessities. The majority of foreigners are experts working in industrial zones, most of who live in the two districts of Son Tra and Ngu Hanh Son. After receiving requests, the department immediately provided necessary support such as transportation and registration for vaccination. Food and other necessities are bought and delivered to their homes./.

Hanoi works to accelerate renovation of old apartment buildings

The Hanoi People's Committee has just submitted a report to the municipal People’s Council for approving in principal a project to upgrade and rebuild old apartment buildings in the capital city.

According to the municipal People's Committee, only 19 projects to upgrade and re-build old apartment buildings in Hanoi (or 1.2 percent of the total), have been completed and put into use. Meanwhile, 14 others are being implemented.

It attributed the slow progress to different difficulties.

In order to remove difficulties, in December 2019, the municipal People's Committee established a team of experts, and assigned the city’s Department of Construction to be responsible for researching and proposing mechanisms and policies, and developing a project to renovate and rebuild old apartment buildings.

On April 20, 2021, the municipal Party Committee issued Decision No. 947-QD/TU on establishing a steering committee for renovating old apartment buildings in the city.

The municipal People’s Committee and the steering committee have met to consider and give opinions on a draft project on renovating and rebuilding old apartment buildings in Hanoi.

The project is expected to be considered and approved in principle at the 2nd meeting of the municipal People’s Council on September 14-15. This will be basis for the Hanoi People's Committee to conduct next relevant steps./.

NA Standing Committee mulls over legal enforcement

The National Assembly Standing Committee on September 13 gave opinions on the Government’s report on the enforcement of Constitution, laws and resolutions of the legislature.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the NA Committee on Legal Affairs Hoang Thanh Tung said the Government exerted efforts to achieve positive results in the enforcement of Constitution, laws, ordinances and resolutions this year.

Permanent members of the NA Committee on Legal Affairs said the number of issued detailed guiding documents was 15 higher than that recorded last year while the number of delayed documents reduced by 20 from 2020.

They requested thoroughly reviewing data to ensure full and correct statistics of issued and delayed documents.

NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh asked the legislature to pay further attention to checking documents so that they could be issued more quickly with better quality.

He said the NA Standing Committee suggests the Committee on Legal Affairs, together with the Ministry of Justice, the NA Committee on Judicial Affairs and the NA Secretary General, discuss with the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuracy, to review the implementation of the Resolution No.67 and offer suggestions for implementation next year./.

Vietnamese, Singaporean diplomats hold online talks

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu held an online talk with Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Singapore Chee Wee Kiong on September 13 to discuss experience in response to COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.

At the event, Vu thanked Singapore for offering timely support to Vietnam, especially essential medical supplies, considering it vivid evidence of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

He spoke highly of Singapore’s success in curbing the pandemic, particularly vaccinating over 80 percent of its population to facilitate economic opening and development.

The Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister wished that Singapore would assist in or transfer vaccines to Vietnam as soon as possible.

Chee Wee Kiong underscored the importance of close ties between the two foreign ministries to bolster the Singapore - Vietnam strategic partnership in various areas, including pandemic response, travelling facilitation, opening of the economy and prevention of supply chain disruption.

The two sides discussed Singapore’s experience in policy planning to control the pandemic soon, towards economic recovery and bringing the country to “new normal”.

Chee spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts and believed that the country will put the pandemic under control, thus facilitating the opening of the two economies and travelling for the two peoples./.

PM requests Kien Giang, Tien Giang to stick to COVID-19 prevention directions

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an online meeting with Tien Giang and Kien Giang provinces on COVID-10 prevention and control on Sept. 13.
 
At the online working session with leaders of the Mekong Delta provinces of Kien Giang and Tien Giang on measures to push back the pandemic, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, stressed the need to strengthen supervision and monitoring over pandemic prevention and control activities, while preventing corruption, negative signs and vested interests in the purchase of medical equipment, medicine and medical supplies serving the pandemic fight.

The PM, who is also head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, pointed to a number of gaps in pandemic prevention and control activities.

He requested the localities to stick to directions from central agencies, especially the policy of considering communes and wards as “fortresses” and people as “warriors” in the fight against COVID-19, and taking the people as the centre and subject of pandemic prevention and control activities.

The Government leader asked the provinces to set specific goals when applying social distancing measures, and make the utmost efforts to put the pandemic under control by September 30 at the latest.

He reminded sectors and localities to strengthen communication activities to provide the people with information and knowledge in pandemic prevention and control.

Regarding vaccine issues, the PM held that together with efforts to buy and import vaccines, it is crucial to speed up the research of home-grown vaccines as well as the transfer of technology for vaccine production  inside the country.

He urged the Ministry of Health to continue allocate vaccines based on the real situation in localities, while ensuring safe and effective vaccination. The ministry should also prepare vaccines for following years as well as vaccines for children, he asked./.

Volunteer group joins hands to fight Covid-19

 

Many people, including white-collar workers and businesspeople, have come together amid social distancing to form volunteer groups to help others in lockdown overcome the difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Early every morning, Hoang Ngoc Tung and his friends in their volunteer club go to the vegetable gardens of farmers in the suburbs of Hanoi to pick up vegetables for people in locked-down areas.

Everyone hopes they can offer a helping hand during this difficult time. While members of the club can contribute money, time and effort, farmers can offer their vegetables.

Bac Ninh, Thach That, Ha Dong, or Van Giang - no matter where, if there are vegetables, members of the club go out to pick them up and deliver them to those facing difficulties. Club members include officers and while-collar workers and all were born in 1981. They hope to join hands with the wider community to fight the pandemic. They also encourage family members and friends to help in collecting and packing the vegetables so there are enough for everyone.

Having worked as a street vendor for many years, Nieu is currently living in a 10 square metre hostel in Me Tri ward in Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem district. She became jobless due to Covid-19 and can’t afford to cover any of her regular expenses. The pandemic has made her life more difficult than ever. Free bags of vegetables from the club therefore help her get through these tough days.

For more than half a month, the Red Cross Society of Tay Ho district has regularly received fruit and vegetables from the club, which are then distributed to the needy in the locality.

The good deeds of volunteer team members have spread to others. Every day, tonnes of vegetables are delivered to the poor, workers stuck at construction sites, freelance workers in hamlets, and needy people citywide./.

Programme to reduce mortality rate among under-five children approved

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed a decision approving a programme on intervention to reduce mortality rate among children under five years old by 2030.

The programme will be implemented across the country, especially in disadvantaged mountainous and ethnic minority areas, in line with issued roadmaps, strategies and policies, towards improving the health of and minimizing the mortality rate among under-five children.

Under the programme, intervention packages and practices that have proven effective at home and abroad will be applied, focusing on taking care of women during pregnancy and at and after childbirth; caring for newborns under professional procedures recommended by the Ministry of Health; effectively managing infectious diseases and preventing accidents and injuries for caring for under-one and under-five children; controlling emerging diseases and the return of vaccination-related diseases.

Communication campaigns will be enhanced and diversified to promote awareness and behaviour changes of policy makers, managers and elected deputies at all levels in order to create favourable conditions for building policies and mobilizing resources for the programme.

Attention will be paid to ensuring the number of health workers who are giving medical advices and consultation to people, investment in infrastructure and equipment for provincial and district-level hospitals, with priority given to those in mountainous and ethnic minority regions. Priority will also be given to investment in improving the capacity for , and raising public awareness of the importance to implement beneficial behaviours and gradually eliminate harmful behaviours in child health care.

Priority will also be given to interference in the form of financial mechanisms such as health service packages in communal clinics, incentives to encourage pregnant women and caregivers to take their children to medical facilities for checkups and medical treatment./.

Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha donates 10 ambulances to COVID-19 fight

The Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha held a ceremony in the morning of September 13 to present 10 ambulances, worth more than 10 billion VND, to hospitals in the city and the Mekong province of Ben Tre, to help with the transportation and treatment of patients.

The ambulances were donated by the Tuong Nguyen Pagoda Charity Association and philanthropists.

At the ceremony, Venerable Thich Thien Quy, Deputy Head and Chief Secretary of the Executive Council of the HCM City Buddhist Sangha, announced the instruction of Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Deputy Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Chairman of the Executive Council of the HCM City Buddhist Sanga in encouraging Buddhist sanghas at all levels, monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 through donating to the vaccine fund; making millions of meals for workers on the frontline and helping those in need.

On behalf of the city's leaders, To Thi Bich Chau, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, offered thanks to the city's Buddhist Sangha for its timely and meaningful support for the COVID-19 prevention and control work.

Earlier on August 25, the Tuong Nguyen Pagoda Charity Association also presented eight ambulances to hospitals in the city. The association has provided 1.5 million meals over 40,000 gifts of rice and essential goods, along with many medical equipment and supplies with total costs of over 132 billion VND (nearly 5.8 million USD)./.

Temple of Literature looks to become creative cultural space

 

Hanoi has become a member of UNESCO’s Network of Creative Cities. Over recent years, thanks to its rich cultural tradition, Vietnam’s capital has become an incubator of initiatives and creative spaces. Among them is the Temple of Literature, which has organised new activities so that its cultural values are better conveyed to visitors.

This exhibition took place at the Temple of Literature in November 2020 with a diversity of forms of expression along with a modern display in an open space at the site.

The exhibition was like a picture scroll taking visitors back to a time more than six centuries before.

Via a creative arrangement, the exhibition helped visitors gain a deeper insight into the life and education of Chu Van An, an ancestor of Vietnamese Confucians.

In early 2021, for the first time, 60 works by students from arts and architecture universities in Hanoi submitted to the “Sketching the Temple of Literature” competition were displayed at the site.

This helped turn the temple into a creative space with meaningful, attractive, and appealing cultural activities, contributing to the conservation and promotion of the relic’s values and encouraging the city’s students to learn more about the temple and the capital’s other cultural heritages.

In order to preserve and promote cultural heritage and improve the quality of tourism products at the Temple of Literature, its Centre for Scientific and Cultural Activities has launched a contest on designing souvenirs about the site.

Souvenir and gift designs that symbolise the Temple of Literature should possess creative and artistic values and be made from environmentally-friendly and suitable materials.

The Temple of Literature is currently undergoing a project to restore the Phuong Dinh building and Kim Châu Islet in Văn Lake.

Preserving and promoting the value of Văn Lake will contribute greatly to the protection of the Temple of Literature as a whole.

The project not only contributes to regaining lost values but also to creating more cultural and artistic spaces to promote the value of the site.

According to a representative from the UNESCO office in Vietnam, the Temple of Literature can be promoted as a creative educational space, a playground for young people to show their talent to build the site into a cultural rendezvous point./.

Hanoi orders entire political system to pay full attention to COVID-19 fight

Hanoi is battling the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections since late April which has caused adverse effects on the city's business and production and people’s life.

The capital city, however, has kept the situation under good control so far, with local authorities maintaining a close watch on developments of the pandemic to provide guidance on COVID-19 response, keeping in mind the Prime Minister’s motto “fighting the pandemic is like fighting the enemy.”

The city has also mobilised the participation of the entire political system and people in the COVID-19 fight. Thanks to such efforts, Hanoi has successfully ensured the safety for the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021 – 2026 term in May, as well as the national high school graduation exam in July.

In mid-July, Hanoi started to introduce tighter preventive measures against COVID-19, particularly after the city saw thousands of returnees from Ho Chi Minh City, which was experiencing strong surges in COVID-19 cases.

The municipal Party Committee’s Standing Board has directed local administrations to enforce strict COVID-19 prevention and control rules at industrial parks and export processing zones to prevent the spread of the virus. The municipal Department of Trade and Industry has been tasked to provide adequate supply of essential goods at stable prices for at least three months while actions have been actively taken to maintain smooth circulation of goods, ensure social welfare and support poor households with exclusive policies.

Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, the city has created thousands of new jobs for people. Its Industrial Production Index (IIP) picked up 6.3 percent year on year during the first eight months of this year while State budget revenue edged up 10.3 percent compared to the same period last year.

In 2021, Hanoi sets a total of 23 goals for socio-economic development, including a 7.5 percent GRDP growth rate which is now viewed as very challenging amid the worst-ever COVID-19 resurgence. From now until the end of the year, Hanoi’s authorities at all levels will focus on removing barriers to speed up public investment disbursement while offering tax reductions for affected enterprises and helping them tackle difficulties.

The municipal Party Committee’s Standing Board has demanded local administrations and Party organisations to fulfill a number of major tasks as followed.

First, the city’s entire political system must pay full attention to fighting COVID-19 with the spirit of "fight the pandemic is like fighting the enemy".

Second, they must strengthen leadership and direction in implementing solutions for boosting socio-economic development and supplying sufficient resources for the COVID-19 fight.

Third, they need to mobilise all possible resources for and encourage donations to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund and, fourth, continue tightening control on migration.

Fifth, the effectiveness in managing local COVID-19 response must be taken into account when measuring a leader’s capacity, credibility and accountability.

Sixth, leaders of local administrations and Party organisations are requested to set an example in combating the pandemic and hold accountability for the virus prevention and control.

Since April 29, the capital city detected a total of 3,802 COVID-19 infections, including 1,595 cases found in the community. It has seen a downward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases over the last few days.

Nearly 573,830 COVID-19 vaccine shots were given to people in Hanoi on September 12, raising the total doses administered across the city to more than 4.48 million, or 89 percent of its allocated vaccines. The city is also stepping up mass testing and vaccination for local residents, particularly at high-risk residential areas and sectors./.

Vietnamese expats in Czech Republic join Colourful Planet Festival

The Council of Ústecký region in co-ordination with the Ethnic Minority Council and the Centre for Integration organised the “Colourful Planet Festival 2021” on September 11 to enhance mutual understanding and solidarity among communities living in the Czech Republic.

The Colourful Planet Festival 2021 was held in the city of Ústí nad Labem city in the Ústecký region in the north of the Czech Republic. 

Present at the festival were leaders of the Ústecký region and representatives of the Embassies of Vietnam, Hungry, India, Indonesia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Russia. Those from foreign communities living in the Czech Republic and people from all over the country also took part in the event.

The festival is an annual activity, aimed at creating a chance for foreigners in the Czech Republic to introduce the traditional culture and cuisines as well as unique customs of their homeland to international friends.

Le Nam Thang, president of an art club of the Vietnamese community in Usti nad Labem city, said that although members of the club were busy with their businesses, they still spent time preparing special performances for the festival with the desire to promote the unique and distinctive features of Vietnamese culture.

The enthusiastic cheering and support of the audience is a source of encouragement for members to continue to nurture their wish, he said. 

Le Quyet Tien, Vice Chairman of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Teplice city, said Vietnam's performances received special attention of the audience.

He said Vietnamese cuisines such as spring rolls, moon cakes, coffee, and tea were also introduced by the Vietnamese community at the festival, Tien said, adding that all proceeds donated to local Giac Vien pagoda for charitable activities.

The event offers opportunities for other communities in the Czech Republic to understand more about Vietnamese people and culture, he said.

Petr Nedvědický, Mayor of Usti nad Labem city, said there are 8,000 Vietnamese in the Ústecký region, adding that the local administration and people respect and love the Vietnamese people who live and work in Usti nad Labem, and are eager to discover the unique culture of Vietnamese people. 

The mayor also expressed his sincere thanks to the Vietnamese community for joining hands with the Czech government and people to fight the COVID-19 pandemic by sewing and donating masks, donate medical equipment and necessities for medical staff and relevant forces during the outbreak of the pandemic.

For his part, Thai Xuan Dung, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic, thanked the local administration for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community.

According to the Ambassador, the Czech Republic has 14 ethnic groups while Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups. Therefore, the integration of the Vietnamese community will contribute to enriching the unique features of the Czech people, he said./.

Vietnam’s image introduced at French newspaper’s festival

The Nhan Dan (People’s) Newspaper introduced Vietnam’s culture and cuisine at the 86th Fête de L’Humanité, an annual festival of French newspaper L’Humanité, held from September 10-12 in La Courneuve park in the suburbs of Paris.

The Fête de l'Humanité is considered a festival of the communist and left-wing movements across France and around the world, attracting the participation of tens of communist and left-wing parties from many countries. This year, the festival attracted around 40,000 visitors a day, down 70 percent compared to the previous edition due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is not only an important political event of France but also a festival of French people, especially the youth, as it provides a platform for participants to introduce their countries’ culture, tourism and cuisine.

In the Vietnam booth, along with photos on President Ho Chi Minh and photos featuring the beauty of the Vietnamese country and people, there were also Vietnamese press publications such as Nhan Dan newspaper, Vietnam Pictorial, and Le Courrier du Vietnam and books of the World Publishing House and the Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House.

There was always a long queue of visitors at the booth who patiently waited for their turn to taste Vietnamese food such as spring rolls, beef vermicelli and fried rice.

On this occasion, Collectif Vietnam Dioxine also colllected signatures by visitors to support the fight for justice for Agent Orange victims in Vietnam.

Visiting the Vietnam booth, Director of L'Humanite, Patrick Le Hyaric, hailed the participation of Nhan Dan Newspaper in the festival.

He affirmed that the newspaper’s presence would help promote the image of Vietnam to international friends./.

Vietnam joins Workers' Party of Belgium solidarity festival

The Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium participated in the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB)’s 11th Manifesta (solidarity) festival in the Belgian western province of Ostend from September 11-12 with one booth introducing the country’s cuisine, culture and tourism.

Publications introducing Vietnamese tourism such as Vietnam Pictorial and Le Courrier du Vietnam were also available at the Vietnamese stall.

Herman Dereymaeker, a member of the PTB, expressed his impression about Vietnamese tourism, land and people.

At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao held meetings with PTB leaders to brief them on socio-economic achievements that Vietnam has gained over the years as well as the fruitful outcomes of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's freshly-ended Europe trip, which has contributed to accelerating relations between Vietnam and the EU and Belgium in particular.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency's correspondent in Belgium, Deputy Ambassador to Belgium Le Vinh Thang said that the festival is a chance for the embassy to promote the image of the Vietnamese nation and people to foreign friends, while introducing Vietnam’s achievements in international integration and exchanging experience in workers’ movements, social welfare policies and the protection of workers’ interests.

Various activities were held within the festival’s framework, including music concerts, seminars, discussions and book fairs.

Well-known speakers of Belgium and other countries highlighted issues related to the history of Belgium’s communist movement, world peace, the health crisis caused by COVID-19, and the solidarity of the working class all over the world.

Manifesta is one of the first outdoor mass gatherings in Belgium as part of the country’s roadmap to remove restrictions to prevent COVID-19 spreading that started on September 1./.

Over 10,000 volunteers register to help COVID-19 fight in southern region

More than 10,000 volunteers nationwide have registered through website http://chongdich.doanthanhnien.vn to participate in the COVID-19 prevention and control work in the southern region, according to the central committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

The number has doubled the original estimate of 5,000 volunteers.

Of the more than 10,000 registered volunteers, nearly 8,000 are from the healthcare sector. More than 60 percent of volunteers have participated in COVID-19 prevention and control activities held by local administrations, agencies or in other provinces and cities.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union will coordinate with the Health Ministry to ensure that the volunteers will receive at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine and training in necessary health care knowledge and skills before they are sent to the pandemic hotspots.

On September 10, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union coordinated with Hanoi Medical University to organise the first online training for volunteers on safety for medical workers in the COVID-19 fight.

The activities are part of the union's Central Committee's plan to send volunteers to help southern localities in COVID-19 prevention and control efforts./.

Requirements for foreign tourists to visit Phu Quoc under pilot scheme

After two years of “freezing”, the Phu Quoc island city in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is expected to be first destination in the country to receive foreign tourists after the Government approved the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’ proposal on a pilot plan to welcome tourists back under the vaccine passport programme.

Under the plan, visitors from countries with high safety in COVID-19 prevention and control in regions such as Northeast Asia, Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Australia will need to book package tours of travel agencies if they want to go to Phu Quoc.

To enter the country, visitors must meet certain requirements including a certificate of full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 not more than 12 months from the date of their release from hospital to the date of entry. They also have to present a negative COVID-19 testing certificate issued by authorised agencies within 72 hours before departure.

Children under 12 years old have to travel with  their parents or guardians that satisfy the above-mentioned papers.

Visitors are also required to install the Vietnam Safe Travel or the Healthy Vietnam apps and make a medical declaration through those apps. In case visitors do not meet all the necessary requirements, they may be denied entry and bear the cost of returning to their home country or transit.

After arriving in the country, visitors must comply with the Health Ministry’s 5K message – khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations).

Any tourists who have suspicion symptoms forCOVID-19 at the entry point should follow quarantine measures, and always turn on bluetooth and GPS after installing medical declaration applications.

Visitors have to travel on their designated cars in line with the approved schedule. Service staff, drivers, guides and tourists are required to wear masks throughout the journey.

Under the tourism sector's plan, Phu Quoc will receive tourists for six months in two phases on a trial basis, starting from October. In the first phase, lasting three months, the island is expected to welcome 3,000-5,000 international visitors per month via charter flights, with visitors' activities limited to certain sites.

Depending on the outcome of the first phase, the pilot programme would be scaled up to welcome 5,000-10,000 passengers per month on commercial flights, and the sites opened to foreign visitors might be extended./.

Thua Thien-Hue, Korean firm cooperate in smart city development

The People’s Committee of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in smart city development with the Korea Land & Housing Corp.

Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Phuong and Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Nguyen Dai Vui represented the Vietnamese locality at the online signing ceremony on September 10. Meanwhile, General Director of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation Kim Hyun-jun was representative of the firm.

Under the MoU, the two sides will establish cooperation in developing strategy and policy, master planning, and smart city development, focusing on implementing researches on urban development and Chan May – Lang Co economic zone, and other urban works, which are managed by the provincial People's Committee, towards turning the locality into a typical smart city of Vietnam.

After the signing ceremony, webinars and meetings to discuss and share necessary information in order to prepare plans and strategies for applying models and projects related to smart city development being implemented in Thua Thien-Hue will be organised.

The two sides will also cooperate in promoting projects on a communication smart urban area in An Van Duong new urban area, two industrial parks in the Chan May - Lang Co economic zone and a pilot smart urban area in the Vietnamese locality, and work together on research and development projects./.

Project launched to promote Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam’s historic, cultural values

A project called Cultural Space of Quoc Tu Giam, or Imperial Academy, has been launched by the Van Mieu–Quoc Tu Giam Culture and Science Centre, aiming to popularize the national special relic’s historic and cultural values.

The project will hold cultural activities and exchanges in Quoc Tu Giam’s cultural space and provide information on Vietnamese history to the public.

It will also organize multiple arts and cultural events for young people at home and from overseas, alongside talk shows about the values of ancient education in today’s life.

Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature Complex), is one of the most popular relics and tourist destinations in Hanoi and the country at large. Built in the 11th century during the Ly Dynasty (1010 – 1225), it is also among the most important Confucian symbols in the country.

The complex consists of Van Mieu, a temple dedicated to Confucius as Confucianism used to be a popular religion in Vietnam in feudal times, and Quoc Tu Giam, the first national university of the country.

It taught disciples on the Confucian way of life and revered Chu Van An, one of Vietnam’s most respected scholars. Between 1076 and 1779, Quoc Tu Giam educated thousands of talented men to serve their country to the best of their abilities./.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes