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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a decision, establishing a national steering committee on green growth led by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh.
The committee is an interdisciplinary organisation responsible for assisting the Government and the Prime Minister in handling important issues and proposing orientations and measures related to green growth.
It will also assist the Prime Minister in coordinating the implementation of the National Green Growth Strategy for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050.
Members of the committee include leaders from the Government Office, Ministries of Planning and Investment; Natural Resources and Environment; Justice; Industry and Trade; Agriculture and Rural Development; Construction; Transport; Foreign Affairs; Education and Training; Information and Communications; Science and Technology; Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; Health; the State Bank of Vietnam,;among others.
Last October, Deputy PM Thanh signed a decision approving the National Green Growth Strategy for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050.
The strategy is hoped to contribute to speeding up the process of restructuring the economy in association with growth model transformation in order to achieve economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equality.
It also aims to facilitate the transition to a green and carbon neutral economy and contribute to reducing global warming.
Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka launches new website
The Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka (Japan) has debuted a new website, aiming to meet the increasing demand of foreign affairs and the Vietnamese community in the Kyushu-Okinawa region.
The website, https://vnconsulate-fukuoka.org, was launched with the support of FPT Japan Holdings.
The launching ceremony was held after more than a month of trial run with more than 100,000 visits. It is operated in parallel with the current official website: https://vnconsulate-fukuoka.mofa.gov.vn.
The new website is built on WordPress - a user-friendly platform that is convenient for users and satisfies the requirements of cyber security in the current situation.
Speaking at the event, Consul General Vu Binh described the launch of the new website as a good result of cooperation and mutual assistance between Vietnamese enterprises and representative offices abroad.
He expressed his hope that FPT would continue to cooperate with the Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka in the operation and upgrading of the website in the future.
PM urges speeding up key transport projects
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the second meeting of the State steering committee for national key transport projects with 33 provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide, which took place in both face-to-face and online forms on September 17.
In his remarks, PM Chinh said that infrastructure development is one of the three strategic breakthroughs but transport infrastructure is a major bottleneck in the country.
He noted that the country aims to build at least 5,000 kilometres of expressways by 2030, contributing to realising the goal of becoming a developed country with high income by 2045.
He pointed out weaknesses and shortcomings in the allocation of resources for transport development, saying that the transport sector has failed to achieve the set target, especially in highway projects.
Many projects have not yet made significant progress, especially those in big cities, the PM said, emphasising the need to soon address weaknesses during the implementation of the projects.
The Government leader ordered members of the steering committee to promote their sense of responsibility in performing their assigned tasks; comply with the decentralisation; clearly define problems in projects; and propose solutions to accelerate the progress of projects.
Vietnam, French Community of Belgium look to enhance cooperation
Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao appreciated the cooperation between Vietnam and the French Community of Belgium (Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles) as well as effective collaboration within the framework of the Francophonie community at a meeting with Prime Minister of the community Pierre-Yves Jeholet on September 16.
The diplomat thanked the Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles for its efforts to promote sustainable and human resources development in Vietnam through bilateral cooperation projects. He also affirmed that Vietnam will continue to closely coordinate to effectively implement the Cooperation Programme for the 2022 - 2024 period that was signed in Hanoi in November 2021.
According to the ambassador, the strengthening of Vietnam-Belgium relations will effectively contribute to economic recovery efforts, ensure supply chains as well as a connection between the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) and Europe.
He noted with pleasure that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has brought about positive results, with two-way trade between the two sides reaching 3.6 billion EUR (3.6 million USD) in 2021, an increase of 15% compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Vietnam is currently the 15th largest trading partner of Belgium in the world, the 6th in Asia and the 2nd in ASEAN.
On this occasion, the Ambassador suggested the Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles hasten Belgium to soon complete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
Liechtenstein vows to encourage businesses to invest in Vietnam
Liechtenstein wishes to promote cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region, especially Vietnam, which is a destination for many foreign businesses and investors, to promote the potential and strengths of each country, Hereditary Prince Alois of the Principality of Liechtenstein told Vietnamese Ambassador Phung The Long.
In a September 15 meeting with the Vietnamese diplomat, who presented a letter of credentials to him, Prince Alois said the Liechtenstein government will encourage its businesses to actively seek investment cooperation opportunities in Vietnam, he stated.
He spoke highly of Vietnam’s success in preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as in post-pandemic economic recovery.
For his part, Long, Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein respectfully conveyed the regards of the Vietnamese Party and State leaders to Prince Hans-Adam II and Hereditary Prince Alois, and expressed his wish to welcome the Princes in Vietnam at an appropriate time.
He promised to make every effort to further promote the relations between Vietnam and Liechtenstein, both bilaterally and multilaterally, including enhancing the exchange of delegations at all levels and creating favourable conditions for businesses to explore each other's markets and promote trade-investment bond between the two sides.
Mother tongue teaching for overseas Vietnamese proves effective
Vietnamese language lessons for overseas Vietnamese (OVs), especially young people, have been growing in popularity.
For more than 5.3 million overseas Vietnamese living in more than 130 countries and territories worldwide, the Vietnamese language is a means for them to preserve their traditional culture and establish themselves while integrating in the local communities. The language is also a bridge to connect OVs all over the world with their motherland.
As many as 39 such courses have been opened in Thailand, and there are about 200 Vietnamese language teaching centres and establishments operating in the US. Meanwhile, the numbers of centres of this kind in Cambodia and Laos are 33 and 13, respectively.
According to Le Xuan Lam, a Vietnamese expatriate in Poland who is the Editor-in-Chief of Que Viet Newspaper and Chairman of the Council of Lac Long Quan Vietnamese Language School, the movement to learn Vietnamese among the overseas Vietnamese children in Poland has developed strongly in recent years.
Established in 1999, the school now has 150-180 students aged from 6-14. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it has switched to online teaching and learning. Through the curriculum, students not only learn listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, but also understand more about the Vietnamese culture, Lam said.
Owner of Binh Duong karaoke parlor arrested for fire prevention violations
The owner of a karaoke parlor in the southern province of Binh Duong where 33 people died after a fire broke out has been arrested.
Le Anh Xuan, 42, from Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc city, is being investigated by the provincial People’s Procuracy for “violating regulations on fire prevention and fighting” as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 313 of the Penal Code.
An electrical fault is thought to have caused the fire at the An Phu karaoke parlor in An Phu ward, Thuan An city on September 6.
Although 22 people managed to escape the burning building, 32 lost their lives in the fire. Another person died a few days later as a result of injuries sustained from jumping out of a window.
It's the deadliest karaoke fire in Vietnam to date.
The 30-room karaoke parlor, built on an area of 500 square metres, opened six years ago and was inspected for fire safety three times, in 2019, 2021 and 2022. It passed every time.
However, in the most recent inspection in April 2022, the authorities noted a risk of an electrical short circuit due to the high electricity consumption and ordered it be remedied. However, the karaoke parlor ignored the order.
First national beach tennis tournament organised in Thanh Hoa
The National Beach Tennis Championship 2022 will be held from September 19 to 24 at Thien Duong Xu Thanh Resort in Hoang Hoa district, the central province of Thanh Hoa.
The first ever tournament will see the participation of 50 athletes, including national tennis team players, from five cities and provinces.
They will compete in five categories of men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles.
Among the title candidates are La Xuan Hau, Bui Hoang Anh, Nguyen Thi Mai Linh and Nguyen Thi Thanh Loan of Hanoi, Sophia Huynh Tran Ngoc Nhi and Truong Vinh Hien from HCM City and Nguyen Viet Hoang of the host city.
In addition to bonuses in cash for the top players, they will also receive points to improve their ranking by the Vietnam Tennis Federation.
Beach tennis is a game combining elements of tennis and volleyball and played on a beach.
World Cycling Day 2022 marked in Hue city
The central province of Thua Thien Hue hosted the award ceremony of the 'Hue-City of Bicycles' competition on September 17 in response to World Cycling Day.
The event was jointly held by the Vietnam Youth Union of Hue in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Vietsoftpro Joint Stock Company.
Following over a month since the launch of the "Hue - Bicycle City" contest, the event has successfully captured the attention of Hue’s residents who love cycling, with the organisers selecting 11 of the best works out of a total of 25 entries for the award.
The first prize in public voting was given to Chau Thi Ngoc Linh with a video clip introducing various interesting destinations for cyclists in the ancient capital.
The first prize awarded through the judging panel went to authors Nguyen Sinh Vu and Duong Nhat Nam who came up with the idea of "Planning bicycle routes and arranging separate bicycle lanes on traffic routes in Hue city".
The same day saw the Youth Cycling event held in response to World Cycling Day on September 17. More than 40 young people have since utilised the Public Sharing Bike system - Hue Smart Bike which has been deployed since June in order to boost cycling along the green roads of Hue.
The young generation will greatly contribute to spreading the bike-riding culture, promoting tourism development, and also helping to preserve and promote the various heritage values of Hue, according to organisers.
70-year-old guard detained, charged with sexually abusing six-grader in central province
A 70-year-old security guard at a kindergarten in Quế Phong District in the central province of Nghệ An was detained on Saturday on suspicion of sexually abusing a sixth-grade student.
On Thursday, the family of a female student in Tiền Phong Commune filed a denunciation to Quế Phong District’s authorities against a man named P.H, who they claimed was sexually abusing the girl, leading to her pregnancy.
They said they had brought her to the doctors for examination when the girl displayed several ‘abnormal signs.’
It turned out that she was six weeks pregnant. The girl said the guard sexually abused her at the kindergarten she plays at during her time off.
The man has initially admitted to his actions, the police said.
HCM City Museum of Fine Arts showcases 152 ancient, contemporary artworks
The exhibits include 49 ancient pottery items dating back between the 12th and 20th centuries, alongside 73 contemporary paintings and 24 sketches produced by both established senior artists and young talents from 1939 – 2021. They all originate from the museum’s own collection.
Director Tran Thanh Binh of the museum said the exhibition aims to introduce to the public a part of heritages collected and preserved by the museum over the last 35 years. No matter they are old or new, they are connected with each other in a way that depicts the movement of Vietnam’s cultural and arts flow, he said.
Dong Thap works to conserve red-headed cranes
The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap is working on a plan to save red-headed cranes from extinction.
Huynh Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, has signed a document sent to the Prime Minister, seeking his approval for the import of two red-headed cranes from Laos for conservation.
The red-headed crane is a symbolic species of Tram Chim National Park. Bringing the birds to the park will contribute to preserving the endangered species, according to the committee.
The province urged the park to develop a project to preserve and develop the endangered species on the premises of the park in 2022-2023 period. It is also asked to take measures to restore the ecological environment.
Nguyen Van Lam, Director of the Tram Chim National Park, said a delegation from the province will travel to Thailand to discuss the possibility of bringing crane eggs or small red-headed cranes to the Tram Chim National Park for hatching and conservation effort.
Duong Van Ni, an expert on biodiversity in the Mekong Delta, said that it might take up to 10 years to create a herd of cranes in nature.
The Tram Chim National Park, which spans 7,500 hectares, is a designated wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
It is a haven for several rare bird species, including red-headed cranes which are classified as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The birds usually arrive from Cambodia in December and stay until May.
However, almost no red-headed cranes have arrived in the park in the past three years, according to the park’s management board.
Communication project aims to enhance public awareness of human rights
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has signed a decision approving a project to strengthen communications on human rights in Vietnam in the 2023-2028 period, with an aim to enhance public awareness and knowledge of human rights and give people inside and outside the country a better insight of Vietnam’s policies, efforts and achievements in protecting and promoting human rights in the country.
The project also looks to enhance Vietnam’s reputation in the field of human rights in the national, regional and global arena.
The project will cover 63 provinces and cities across the country, countries with large Vietnamese community, priority partners in external relations expansion, and areas where international human rights organisations are based such as New York, Geneva, and Bangkok.
Under the project, by 2028, 100% of State administrative agencies implement the spokesperson mechanism and regularly provide human rights-related information to the press, while 100% of State officials working in human rights, communication and information and external information work as well as 70% officials holding key positions in socio-political organisations at central and provincial levels are kept up to date with human right situation in Vietnam and receive training on human rights communications.
A series of exhibitions on human rights in Vietnam will be held in all 63 localities and a number of foreign localities, 1,000 book titles on human rights will be published and re-published, and the forms of mass communication products will be diversified. The proportion of media products in ethnic and foreign languages as well as those on digital platforms will be raised to 15% to 20% of the total number human rights-related media products.
Another goal is to digitise and popularise on cyber space 100% of statistics and media products produced under the project, while efforts will be made to minimise fake and wrongful information on human rights.
Hanoi's fifth fixed blood donation center opens
The fifth blood donation center was launched this week at the headquarter of the Red Cross Association in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District at 78 Nguyen Truong To Street, according to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT).
The center, open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every Tuesday to Sunday, is part of an attempt to address the blood shortage in the capital city.
Earlier, in June 2019, the first three blood centers in Hanoi were opened at Hoan Kiem Clinic (26 Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, Hoan Kiem District), Dong Da Clinic (107 Ton Duc Thang Street, Dong Da District) and Nhan Chinh Clinic (132 Quan Nhan Street, Thanh Xuan District). The fourth was launched in June 2022 at the Agricultural General Hospital in Thanh Tri District.
Vietnam Airlines Youth Travel Awards to be launched
The Vietnam Airlines Youth Travel Awards will officially kick off on September 15 as part of an initiative to develop the firm’s cooperation with universities and educational organisations nationwide and provide vocational guidance to youngsters.
The winners will receive free tours and domestic flight tickets. The best performers will have a chance to take part in short- and long-term internships at Vietnam Airlines Corporation and become collaborators with attractive incomes in positions suitable to their talent.
After the internships, they can propose their own or group projects which will receive funding.
Outstanding contestants will also hold opportunities to be recruited and become a “student ambassador” for the national flag carrier.
Of the three rounds of competition, the first two will be held online and the last face-to-face at the Vietnam Airlines headquarters in Hanoi.
Individual and group contestants will be able to take part via various forms such as producing articles, videos and photos about aviation and tourism; presenting problem-solving plans and projects; and replying to questions.
Quang Tri clears over 275 mln sq.m of mine fields
The central province of Quang Tri has cleared over 275 million sq.m of land contaminated with bombs, mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from the war since 1995.
The activity has been conducted by non-governmental, commercial and military organisations.
Of the cleared area, more than 152 million sq.m was contaminated with cluster bombs, or about 23% of the total cluster bomb-contaminated land.
By 2025, the province strives to clear 31,000ha of land contaminated with cluster bombs, equivalent to 50%.
So far, 34 non-governmental and 23 international organisations have joined the effort.
The locality has raised over 146 million USD from NGOs and international organisations, including over 91 million USD from the US Government.
Quang Tri is the most polluted locality in Vietnam in terms of UXO, which are scattered nearly 82% of its land area . Landmines and bombs have killed over 3,430 people and injured 5,100 others since the war ended in 1975. It targets becoming the first locality nationwide to be free from wartime bombs, mines and UXO by 2025.
National master plan must find potential, solve challenges: PM
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 14 chaired a meeting of a council to appraise the national master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050.
In his remarks, PM Chinh thanked experts, scientists and members of the council for taking their time, efforts and wisdom to contribute to the draft master plan. He emphasised the need to clarify more clearly how this plan is different from previous strategies to evaluate its intended impact.
The master plan must feature innovative thinking and a strategic vision, and adhere to the guidelines and policies of the Party and State to ensure feasibility and efficiency.
The plan needs to follow relevant laws and tasks approved by the Prime Minister in order to fully tap the country’s potential, opportunities and competitive advantages, while taking advantage of internal and external resources as well as solving challenges and weaknesses in the economy, especially those related to human resources, infrastructure, regional connectivity and the rich-poor gap.
The PM proposed updating methods to mobilise resources, especially human resources, for implementing the master plan. He asked relevant agencies to study and collect opinions, and continue to complete relevant documents and prescribed procedures to consult the Politburo before submiting to the National Assembly for approval.
Environmental film festival to be held from September 23
The Spanish Embassy in Vietnam has received permission from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to hold an environmental film festival from September 23 to October 7 in Hanoi.
The "#It's Time to Act-A Nature Film Festival in Vietnam" festival, with environmental films from Europe, Latin America and Vietnam (National Studio of Documentary and Scientific Films) will be showing feature films, documentaries, and short films with subtitles in Vietnamese.
The festival will be open free for the public in a hybrid format (both online & offline in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City).
Together with the showcase, participating entities will seize the chance to raise general awareness about environmental issues through two possible open debates on “Women Leaders Defending Nature” and “Protecting Biodiversity: sharing solutions to Save the Future” together with other activities mainstreaming the environment during a weeklong series of environmental events across the social media in Vietnam.
Vietnam named among world’s budget-friendly destinations by The Travel
Vietnam has been listed in the world's 10 most incredible destinations which are surprisingly cheap to visit by Canadian travel magazine The Travel, along with Laos and Indonesia.
Eating local dishes will only cost you a few dollars per meal, and a cup of ca phe da, or iced coffee, is less than a dollar.
The drink has become an indispensable part of Vietnamese daily life in recent years – with millions starting their day with a cup in the morning.
The Travel also recommended tourists to explore Vietnam by bus or train with cheap fares.
If visitors don't mind slow and long-distance travel, then buses and trains around Vietnam are among the most affordable in the world, making it easy to explore all of this beautiful country.
Eight teams to compete in national seven-man football championship's finals
The final round of the national seven-man football championship – Beer Saigon Cup 2022 will take place from September 23 to September 25 in Hanoi, with the tournament featuring the participation of eight teams from throughout the country.
After a three-month qualification period held in localities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dak Lak, Nha Trang, and Can Tho, a total of eight sides have progressed through to the finals.
The teams will therefore compete in a round-robin format, with the best four teams going through to the semi-final round.
The winner will receive a total cash prize of VND150 million, whilst the second and third-placed teams will be awarded VND80 million VND40 million, respectively.
Hanoi to celebrate “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory
Hanoi is preparing various activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory.
The activities include the decoration of streets and roads, central areas of districts and communes, office buildings, and crowded areas in the city with banners, graphics, photos, and pictures of the victory.
The city authorities will visit a number of veterans in the army and police, and some Hanoi-based military units. In addition, the city will visit and give presents to families and individuals that had contributed to the victory, especially those directly participating in the campaign.
Hanoi will also repair historical sites and monuments to promote the victory, especially the B52 Victory Museum and the B52 victory monument on Kham Thien Street. In addition, a contest on the campaign will be held for students, officials, and armed forces in the city to partake.
Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes
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