A plane carrying Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his entourage touched down at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta on September 4 morning, starting a working trip to Indonesia.
      
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Jakarta, Indonesia, from September 4-7 at the invitation of Indonesia President Joko Widodo.

The plane carrying the PM and his entourage lands at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in capital Jakarta at 10.30am on September 4.
      
The Vietnamese PM is welcomed at the airport by Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno.
      
Other high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, including the director of the Protocol Department, are also present at the airport.
      
Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong, and Ambassador and head of the Vietnamese delegation to ASEAN Nguyen Hai Bang are also on hand.
      
PM Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN + 1, ASEAN + 3 and East Asia Summits, along with bilateral meetings with participating leaders of ASEAN member states and international organisations.

The attendance is made at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Chair of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings. The events will take place in Jakarta from September 4-7, marking the culmination of Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023. In line with the Chair’s theme of “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”, the summit provides an opportunity for ASEAN leaders to discuss and chart the directions for strengthening the ASEAN Community and making the bloc the focal point of growth amidst the complexities and changes in the current global and regional landscape.

The PM is being accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung; Deputy Minister of National Defence Le Huy Vinh; Deputy Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang; Vice Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Thanh; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet; Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc and Permanent Representatives of Vietnam to ASEAN Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang.

Vietnam officially joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 28, 1995. Promoting its role as a nucleus for unity and cohesion, the country actively promoted the accession of Laos, Myanmar (in 1997), and Cambodia (in 1999) to the bloc shortly after becoming a member. These efforts contributed to realising the idea of an ASEAN encompassing all 10 Southeast Asian countries, creating a significant transformation within the organisation and the regional situation at that time.

Vietnam has made substantial contributions to defining ASEAN’s goals, development directions, and major policies, while playing a part in building and passing several crucial documents such as the ASEAN Vision 2020, ASEAN Charter, and ASEAN Community Vision 2025. Given complex global and regional dynamics, Vietnam has participated in shaping the region's principles and "rules of the game", joining ASEAN’s efforts to ensure peace, security, stability, dialogue, and cooperation. With other member states, Vietnam has proactively and vigorously promoted community-building across all pillars, from politics and economics to culture and society, with a strong emphasis on enhancing ASEAN connectivity and expanding relations with global partners.

PM Chinh’s attendance at the 43rd ASEAN Summit aims to continue implementing Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation in line with the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the Directive No. 25 of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat; and convey the major message of the Party, State and Government to ASEAN and international friends about a Vietnam of friendliness, cooperation, integration and more active, proactive and effective participation in the regional processes.

Countries ready for 43rd ASEAN Summit, related meetings

Ambassador Vu Ho, head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, attended the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 3 to review preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

The meetings are scheduled to take place from September 5-7, featuring around 20 activities.

Leaders from ASEAN countries and their partners will join events such as the 43rd ASEAN Summit, ASEAN+1 Summits with partners including China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the US, India, Russia, Canada and the United Nations, the ASEAN 3 Summit, and the East Asia Summit.

Heads of SOM of ASEAN countries reviewed and basically completed the draft documents for the high-level meetings which are expected to adopt and acknowledge nearly 100 documents covering various areas of cooperation within the ASEAN bloc, as well as with external partners, and measures to enhance the effectiveness of ASEAN activities.

Reflecting on the 2023 activities, they spoke highly of the practical priorities set for building the ASEAN Community, contributing to promoting trade, investment, economic recovery while accelerating digitisation, green growth and sustainable development in the region. They are intended to provide momentum for ASEAN cooperation in the coming years, with the aim of realising "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth".

Vietnam’s National Day commemorated overseas

Activities and meetings have taken place to mark the 78th National Day of Vietnam (September 2) in Cuba, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Switzerland, and Australia.

In Cuba, the Vietnamese Embassy organised a commemoration ceremony for late President Ho Chi Minh at a park named after him in Havana.

At the event, Ambassador Le Thanh Tung highlighted the significant historical importance of September 2, 1945, for the Vietnamese people when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, marking the end of the eight decades of colonial rule and opening a new era in Vietnam's history.

Rolando Julio Rensoli, Vice President of the Cuban Union of Writers and Artists, emphasised that the president’s life and revolutionary thoughts and actions as well as the Vietnamese people’s determination and courage are a source of inspiration for Cuban people.

In the RoK, the Vietnamese national flag was displayed for the first time on Namsan Tower and Seoul City Hall from 7:30pm to 11:00pm on September 2.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Vu Tung said this event helps deepen the countries’ relationship in the context of their enhanced economic, political, cultural, and diplomatic cooperation.

In Switzerland, Ambassador Latsamy Keomany, Permanent Representative of Laos to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, Switzerland on September 1 visited and delivered National Day congratulations to the equivalent Vietnamese permanent mission.

Keomany and Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international organisations in Geneva, affirmed their commitment to further strengthening the two missions’ teamwork and exerting efforts to consolidate the Vietnam-Laos special friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.

Also on the occasion, a delegation of the Lao Embassy in Australia, led by Ambassador Sinchai Manivanh, visited and congratulated the Vietnamese Embassy.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh expressed the desire for both agencies to strengthen their coordination and mutual support, deepening the ties between the two countries’ foreign ministries, contributing to the effective promotion of such collaboration within bilateral, regional and multilateral frameworks.

Traffic accidents expected to reduce at least 5% in each locality: Minister

The numbers of traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries in the first seven months of 2023 declined from the same period last year, reported the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Chief of the committee’s office Tran Huu Minh said that 5,928 traffic accidents were recorded during the period (from December 15, 2022 to July 14, 2023), killing 3,428 and injuring 4,117 others.

The respective figures fell 659 (10%), 411 (10.71%), and 143 (3.36%) year on year.

Among the accidents, 5,858 happened on roads with 3,379 deaths and 4,104 injured people, down 9.88%, 9.87% and 3.25% from a year earlier, respectively.

There were 52 railway accidents with 38 deaths and 13 injured people (down 14.75%, 15.56%, and 13.33%), 13 inland waterway accidents with nine deaths and no injured people (down 38.1%, 72.73%, and 100%), and five maritime accidents with two deaths and none sustaining injuries (the numbers of accidents and injured people were unchanged while deaths decreased 83.33%).

Meanwhile, one aviation accident and 53 incidents threatening flight safety occurred during the seven months, dropping 13% year on year in total.

However, traffic accidents increased during the period from June 15 - July 14, when there were 958 accidents with 563 deaths and 646 injured people, respectively rising 12.05%, 14.9%, and 12.35%, statistics showed.

Speaking at an online conference on July 11 reviewing traffic safety in the first half of this year, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang lauded efforts by localities in ensuring traffic safety given increasing travel and transportation demand.

He asked agencies and localities to seek more feasible solutions in this regard, with a focus on transport infrastructure, vehicles and commuters, striving to achieve the yearly target of reducing traffic accidents in all the three criteria of cases, fatalities and injuries by at least 5% in each locally as compared with 2022.

Vietnam needs 400 billion USD for climate change response

Vietnam will need about 400 billion USD between now and 2040 to respond to climate change, according to the Climate Change Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The department said the financial need to realise climate change response goals in Vietnam is huge. However, the estimated funding for this work from the State budget can meet only 130 billion USD.

At present, climate change has become an irreversible trend. Therefore, adapting to climate change and achieving the net zero emissions target are crucial for sustainable development.

Vietnam needs to increase investment in infrastructure adaptive to climate change and natural disasters, improve forecasting and responding capacity, especially in vulnerable regions like the Mekong Delta.

The engagement of businesses is significant in these efforts, especially in green transformation, low-carbon technology development, and efficient use of energy and resources.

Da Nang looks at growing night-time economy

Da Nang city has recently focused on developing night-time economic models to broaden the experience for tourists and contribute to growth. Pilot models have been introduced in certain coastal areas and have initially seen positive results.
 
This An Thuong pedestrian mall and night market was recently opened in Ngu Hanh Son district for visitors seeking different options at night. The night market is quite vibrant, and holds entertainment activities to attract visitors.

With a pedestrian mall and night market, this coastal area of Da Nang attracts thousands of visitors and shoppers every night. The city plans to link its night entertainment complexes to further boost the night-time economy.

My An Beach attracts about 1,000 visitors each night. This is considered an appropriate night-time economic model associated with tourism activities in the city.

Da Nang is gradually developing its night-time economy and pilot models have seen positive results. In order for the night-time economy to shine, Da Nang will also create favourable conditions for service providers to make a positive contribution to economic growth.

Khanh Hoa strives to fully tap maritime tourism potential

The central coastal province of Khanh Hoa has taken a wide range of solutions to promote the development of cruise ship tourism – seen as potential and an advantage of the locality.

Khanh Hoa has become an attractive destination in the itinerary of international cruise ships.

Since March this year, the province has welcomed five cruise ships which carried nearly 4,000 passengers.

The strong rebound in number of high-spending cruise ship tourists from many countries around the world to the locality shows a positive sign, affirming the attraction of Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa.

Nha Trang is expecting to serve over 30 cruise ships in 2023, including many carrying 2,000 - 4,000 passengers each.

This year, the tourism sector of the province is expected to welcome about 4 million tourists, including 1.5 million international ones, and get a revenue of  over 885 million USD.

ASEAN media cooperation promoted to enhance ASEAN awareness

Through Indonesia's initiative, several representatives of the state news agencies of ASEAN member countries have agreed to continue developing cooperation to enhance the understanding of the region's population regarding ASEAN policies and initiatives.

The consensus was reached at the forum between news agencies which was held online on September 1 by Indonesia’s state news agency ANTARA in collaboration with Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Communication and Informatics.

The forum featured Luis A. Morente, Director of the News and Information Bureau of the Philippines News Agency; Mohd Iswandi, head of Bureau of Bernama of Malaysia; Paul Ravi, Senior Editor of International News at Bernama; Manuel Pinto, President of the Executive Board of the Timor Leste News Agency, and representatives from other news agencies.

Irfan Junaidi, Director of News at the Antara news agency affirmed that collaboration among ASEAN media is crucial to be continuously improved to further open channels of communication among countries in the region through conventional, mainstream, and new media.

He said that throughout Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia has been encouraging collaboration among ASEAN news agencies through various channels and opportunities.

For his part,  Hartyo Harkomoyo, Director for Information and Media at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that information and communication technology has advanced significantly since the official media collaboration in ASEAN in 1989 during the First Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information. All sides must harness these developments to enhance ASEAN awareness holistically.

One of the concrete implementations of this collaboration in the near future is the inauguration of the ASEAN Newsroom Corner at the Media Center of the 43rd ASEAN Summit.

In addition, capacity building and training will also be conducted, including workshops, conferences, and competitive activities.

Delegates at the event  discussed the use of new media platforms to inspire the people in the region, thereby making them an increasingly integral part of the ASEAN Community.

Vietnam Airlines reschedules flights to Taiwan due to storm Haikui

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has made adjustments to its flight schedule to and from Taiwan (China) on September 3 and 4 due to the impact of storm Haikui.

Specifically, on September 3, the airline cancelled flights VN586 from Hanoi and VN580 from Ho Chi Minh City to Kaohsiung. The departure times for flights VN578 between Hanoi and Taipei and VN570 between Ho Chi Minh City and Taipei on September 3 were rescheduled to land in Taipei after 10 hours on September 4 (local time).

On September 4, the airline cancelled flights VN587 from Kaohsiung to Hanoi and VN581 from Kaohsiung to Ho Chi Minh City. Flights VN579 from Taipei to Hanoi and VN571 from Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City on the day were rescheduled to depart 4 hours later than originally planned.

A representative of Vietnam Airlines said several domestic flights in Vietnam may also be affected due to the delayed aircraft arrivals. Passengers affected by these changes will be supported by the carrier in accordance with current regulations.

Việt Nam secure Group C’s top place after third win

Việt Nam topped Group C after winning 3-1 over Chinese Taipei in the Asian Senior Women's Volleyball Championship on September 1 in Thailand.

It was the second meet of the two teams within two months. In the first one at the AVC Challenge Cup, Việt Nam won 3-0 and went on to secure the winning title for the first time.

In the Nakhon Ratchasima fight, the Vietnamese focused and determined for a win which ensured their top place and a berth in the second qualification round.

Chinese Taipei meanwhile needed a win to take the second position in Group C and enter the tournament's top eight.

Việt Nam under captain Trần Thị Thanh Thúy faced with strong defence from Chinese Taipei which went ahead in the first minutes of the first set.

But Thúy's storm volleys were irresistible, helping Việt Nam level the score at 11-11 before taking the set at 25-18.

Despite their great effort, Chinese Taipei suffered the same defeat in the second set which ended 25-22.

The Vietnamese however suddenly played under expected in the third set, giving Chinese Taipei the chance to perform their best to secure a 25-18 win. But it was all they could do before suffering a 25-17 loss in the fourth set at The Mall Korat Department Store.

With all three wins Việt Nam perfectly completed the first qualification as the group leader with nine points.

At the same time, South Korea had no trouble in demolishing Uzbekistan 25-12, 25-15, 25-12 to collect six points in total at Chartchai Hall. They secured the second position.

Việt Nam and South Korea will be in the second qualification's Group E along with the hosts Thailand and Australia which were Group A's first and second teams, respectively.

Group F gathers Japan and India which were top two teams of Group B and China and Kazakhstan which ranked first and second in Group D.

As per regulation, a 3-2 win result of the match between Việt Nam and South Korea in the first qualifier will be upheld in the second one. Therefore, Việt Nam need to overcome Australia on September 3 to secure a berth in the semi-finals, ignoring the match against Thailand one day later.

Despite an ASEAN country, Thailand are one of the strongest teams in the world of volleyball. They are world No 15 and Asian No 3, which places them in a much higher level compared to many teams on the continent.

Việt Nam have played Thailand multiple times and won zero. In their latest meet at the 32nd SEA Games, Việt Nam lost to them in the final match.

Australia, world No 52, however are thought not a difficult team to Việt Nam, world No 44.

At the International VTV Cup last week, Việt Nam beat them 3-0 in the group round.

National players, coaches, clubs honoured after successful football season

The national football season has successfully come to an end with remarkable achievements and milestones.

The Việt Nam Professional Football Company (VPF) on August 31 organised a ceremony to honour the best teams, players, and coaches of the season.

Hà Nội Police won the national premier league title, ending their 39 years of waiting. The team were second in history to earn the championship trophy in their first season playing in V.League 1.

Hà Nội FC and Viettel came second and third, respectively.

The V.League 2 saw the top three of Quảng Nam FC, PVF-People's Police and Long An FC.

Thanh Hóa won their first-ever National Cup trophy. They were followed by Viettel, PVF-People's Police and Topenland Bình Định.

Midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức of Viettel was voted the best player of the V.League 1 2023.

Đức overcame other candidates thanks to his shining performance. He played in all 20 matches (1,736 minutes) for the club, scoring five goals and assisting in five.

"I scored and assisted, but I think I still have many shortcomings that must be improved so that I can play better in the next seasons," said Đức, 25.

The midfielder is now under the radar of many foreign scouts, and he confirmed he was ready if there was a suitable offer.

But until it becomes true, he would focus on playing for Viettel and the national team.

"My biggest dream is to have a chance to play at the World Cup. It would be in 2026 or later, but no matter what, I keep faith in Việt Nam's World Cup participation," he said.

Forward Rafaelson Bezerra Fernandes of Bình Định was the top scorer with 16 goals.

Twenty-year-old midfielder Nguyễn Thái Sơn of Thanh Hóa was named the best young player.

Bandovic Bozidar of Hà Nội was named the best coach of the season.

Midfielder Trần Phi Sơn's bicycle-kick goal in a 1-1 draw between Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh and Bình Định was named the best goal of 2023.

The organisers also picked the seasonal dream team, that including goalkeeper Trần Nguyên Mạnh (Nam Định); defenders Vũ Văn Thanh (Hà Nội Police), Nguyễn Thanh Bình (Viettel), Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh (Hà Nội FC), Đoàn Văn Hậu (Hà Nội Police); midfielders Bùi Văn Đức (Hà Tĩnh), Nguyễn Hoàng Đức (Viettel), Nguyễn Hải Huy (Hải Phòng), Lâm Ti Phông (Thanh Hóa); and forwards Rafaelson (Hà Nội Police) and Nguyễn Tuấn Hải (Hà Nội FC).

The title awards were also given to players in V.League 2.

Midfielder Nguyễn Đình Bắc of Quảng Nam was the best player, while forwards Lê Văn Nam (Quảng Nam) and Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn (PVF-People's Police) were top scorers with 10 goals each.

VPF also delivered awards and certificates to the best match organisers, fair-play club, clubs with the most beautiful grass, best referee and referee assistant.

The 2023 football season was organised under a special competition system. Teams competed in two periods and were classified into two groups based on their first period results. In the second period, the top eight vied for the trophy and the bottom six fought to avoid relegation.

The season was shortened so that organisers could switch the competition to a new time frame that will begin this autumn and end next summer, consistent with the continental and world system.

It was the first time that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was applied in the domestic league's five matches and received positive feedback. And also, for the first time, national leagues were promoted to supporters through a range of digital platforms. 

HCM City’s response rate to wildlife-related violations remains low

While many localities achieved high efficiency in handling wildlife-related violations reported by the people, HCM City is one of the localities that handled such cases with less efficiency, according to the latest report of Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV).

ENV, a non-governmental organisation working on wildlife conservation in Việt Nam, recently organised a seminar called "Effectiveness in handling wildlife violations reported by the people in 2022" in HCM City to release its report.

The seminar attracted the participation of more than 20 reporters from press agencies based in the city.

ENV Deputy Director Bùi Thị Hà said HCM City is one of two cities that have recorded the highest number of wildlife-related cases but rank last in terms of efficiently handling the information in 2022.

Last year, city authorities received information on 444 wildlife-related violations provided by the people, but they handled only about 17 per cent of that number. The successful handling rate of cases related to live wildlife only reached about 18 per cent.

The sale of trafficked turtle species right on the sidewalk has been happening for a long time in the city.

Among these turtle are many rare, precious, and endangered species, such as Heosemys annandalii, Indotestudo elongata and Heosemys grandis.

According to sellers, the turtles are of Cambodian origin. Each turtle costs from one to several million Việt Nam đồng. Sellers can deliver on-site in large quantities.

Although this is an illegal act, the authorities have not taken strong measures to stop the act, so the turtle sellers are not afraid, Hà said.

“I once heard a foreign tourist complain about turtles being sold on the sidewalk, and they expressed their surprise when seeing that this matter was not handled," she said.

In 2022, the response and successful handling rates of wildlife-related cases in general and the successful handling rate of cases related to live wildlife in many localities reached a high level.

ENV expects local authorities to make more efforts to bring the successful handling rate of wildlife-related cases reported by people on average over the country in 2023 to 60 per cent, progressing toward eliminating illegal wildlife trafficking in Việt Nam, she said.

Last year, the response rate related to wildlife across the country still remained stable at about 97.7 per cent.

The success rate of handling cases related to wildlife in general reached 33 per cent, and the success rate of handling cases related to living wildlife reached nearly 35 per cent.

The indexes increased slightly compared to 2021. However, they were still lower than the results recorded in 2019 and 2020.

ccording to ENV’s report, the central province of Quảng Nam achieved the highest and most comprehensive efficiency in all criteria for handling wildlife-related cases reported by the people in 2022.

The provincial authorities actively handled 100 per cent of the cases and responded quickly after receiving the information.

They detected and seized many products from wildlife; removed illegal wildlife advertising menus; and confiscated, received and transferred 1,172 live wildlife animals to the authorities for handling.

The success rate of handling cases in the province reached nearly 85 per cent, and the success rate related to live wildlife reached 94 per cent.

The provinces of Đồng Nai, Thanh Hóa, Gia Lai, Quảng Nam, Bình Thuận and Bình Dương, and Cần Thơ City also had high efficiency in handling wildlife-related information reported by the people.

Meanwhile, Hà Nội received 113 cases and handled more than 28 per cent, of which nearly 33 per cent of cases related to live wildlife were successfully handled.

Many other localities such as Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu and Đắk Lắk have also made great efforts in law enforcement for wildlife protection and handling wildlife-related case information reported by the people.

Established in 2000, ENV is at the forefront of efforts to end illegal wildlife trafficking in Việt Nam by a number of actions aiming to reduce the demand for wildlife and prevent wildlife violations.

Since 2007, ENV has focused on three main strategies. First, it enhances coordination with policymakers to strengthen institutions, overcome legal loopholes, and encourage effective implementation of policies and laws on wildlife protection.

Second, it promotes the effectiveness of law enforcement by directly supporting the authorities in preventing and repelling wildlife violations.

Third, it strives to reduce consumption demand for wildlife products through long-term and sustainable campaigns to change community awareness and behavior.

It also encourages the community to actively participate in wildlife protection by reporting signs of violations to local authorities or to the toll-free hotline number 18001522.

Since 2019, ENV has begun to analyse the effectiveness of handling wildlife-related cases reported by the people in all localities nationwide with the goal of providing evaluation indexes to local government leaders. 

Singing contest applies new technology

We are really living in a technology-driven world. A singing competition in Hà Nội has been applying one of the modern technologies.

The biennial contest Tiếng Hát Hà Nội 2023 (Hà Nội Singing) hosted by the Hà Nội Radio and Television Broadcasting calls on any Vietnamese residents living across the country and aged between 18-32 to join the event. To register, the applicant needs to download the mobile apps Hanoi On and follow the app instructions.

Registration will close on September 20, followed by two selections, from September 20-25, and from September 26-30.

The semifinal will be held between October 15 and 18. The finale, with the participation of a line-up of famous singers, especially winners of previous seasons, will take place on October 28 at the Friendship Palace in Hà Nội. The event will also be broadcast live on HTV channel and other social media platforms of the Hà Nội Radio and Television Broadcasting.

General Director and Editor-in Chief of the Hà Nội Radio and Television Broadcasting Nguyễn Kim Khiêm, who is also Head of the contest’s Organising Board said that the board will offer the best for any contestants to show off their voice to the public through social media channels and other appropriate mass media.  

“Therefore, each contestant will have his/her own personal Youtube channel to be able to present their vying process. View, Like, and Comment on the channel will be a basis for organisers to select the best one to give the ‘The Most Favourite Singer’ title,” he said.

The Editor-in Chief said that this is a new feature of the contest compared to the previous season, when the audience can join partly in the evaluation.

“This will help competitors not only to concentrate on their singing and performing skills, but also to have a sense of ‘being a public figure’ thus they can figure out a suitable public image for themselves,” Khiêm added.

Along with a first prize of VNĐ200 million (over US$8,000), the organisers will also grant three second and six third prizes to the best contestants.

Founded in 1994 and one of the first singing competitions of Việt Nam, Tiếng Hát Hà Nội aims to seek young singing talents and thus develop modern Vietnamese music.

A high professional quality event, the contest has drawn a large number of candidates to register. The event is a launcher for many current A-list singers after they win the contest. They are Meritorious Artists Mai Hoa and Phương Anh, singers Anh Thơ, Hồ Quỳnh Hương, Khánh Linh, Hoàng Quyên, Kasim Hoàng Vũ, Vũ Thắng Lợi.

For further information on the contest, visit the website https://hanoionline.vn/tienghathanoi/. 

PM orders support for family of deceased army official with brave action

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested providing timely material and spiritual support for the family of Lieut. Col Truong Hong Ky, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Military Command of Song Cau town, the south central coastal province of Phu Yen, who sacrificed his life while rescuing two drowning persons.

In his dispatch sent to the ministers of National Defence, Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs, chairpersons of the people’s committees of centrally-run cities and provinces on September 2, PM Chinh extended his profound condolences to Ky’s family, and asked them to direct agencies concerned to strictly follow regulations on prevention and control of child drowning.

They were urged to strengthen safety measures for both residents and tourists at beaches and tourist areas to prevent similar incidents.

Regular inspections and timely actions to detect violations related to drowning are crucial, and strict legal regulations should be applied when necessary.

At about 4:30pm on September 1 when conducting inspections and ensuring security during the National Day holiday at Dong Be beach in Vinh Hoa village, Xuan Thinh commune, Song Cau town, Phu Yen province, Ky discovered two people being swept away by the waves. He bravely swam out to rescue the victims and sacrificed his own life in the process.

Vietnamese culture presented at “Taste of Sambal” fair in Malaysia

Various typical Vietnamese dishes have been presented by the Malaysia - Vietnam Friendship Association at the "Taste of Sambal" fair which was held in Ipoh, Perak state, Malaysia from August 30 - September 2.

The Vietnamese booth with typical dishes such as banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes), bun cha (grilled pork meatballs with vermicelli noodles), nem cuon (fresh spring rolls), coffee and tropical fruit juice attracted fair-goers.

Also at the fair, musical performances and a "ao dai" (Vietnamese traditional dress) show were performed by overseas Vietnamese, with the participation of Miss Intercontinental Vietnam 2022 Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc and Miss Intercontinental Malaysia Lindsey Yap.

Addressing the event, Nguyen Ba Tan, First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia, said that the Party and State have always paid great attention to the Vietnamese community abroad, considering them an inseparable part of the great nantional unity bloc, an important factor contributing to strengthening cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and Malaysia.

Tan highly appreciated the association’s initiatives to organise activities to connect overseas Vietnamese in Malaysia, thereby building a united community, contributing to promoting cultural exchanges and people-to-people diplomacy between the nations.
The event is part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-Vietnam diplomatic relations and the one-year anniversary of the establishment of the Malaysia-Vietnam Friendship Association.

The “Taste of Sambal” fair is an annual Malaysian food festival, showcasing the cultural diversity of this Southeast Asian country. The festival attracts the attention of many good chefs and culinary experts from many countries around the world.

Strengthening Vietnam - Japan extensive strategic partnership

President of the House of Councillors of Japan Otsuji Hidehisa will pay an official visit to Vietnam from September 4-7 at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

The visit takes place in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (September 21, 1973-2023) with many significant activities being held.

Over the past five decades, the framework of bilateral relations has upgraded from "reliable, stable and long-term partnership” in 2002 to "towards a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" in 2006, and "strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" in 2009, and "extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia" in 2014.

Regular visits and meetings of the two countries’ leaders on the sidelines of global and regional conferences have contributed to strengthening their trustworthy relationship, setting major orientations to the effective development of bilateral relations across the board.

As one of Vietnam's top important economic partners, Japan was the first G7 country to recognise Vietnam's market economy status in October 2011.

Two-way trade has been steadily increasing over the years, reaching 40 billion USD in 2020, 42.7 billion USD in 2021, 47.6 billion in 2022 and 24.9 billion USD in the first seven months of this year. Vietnam mostly exports vehicles and spare parts, machinery and equipment, wood and wooden products, aquatic products; computers, electronics and components to Japan while importing machinery, spare parts and equipment. The two countries have granted the most favoured nation (MFN) status to each other since 1999.

In terms of investment, Japan is the third largest foreign direct investor in Vietnam, following the Republic of Korea and Singapore, with 5,143 active FDI projects worth over 71.2 billion USD as of July 2023.

Japan is also the biggest supplier of official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, accounting for around 30% of the total funding from foreign donors to the country. Japan's ODA to Vietnam has amounted to 29.3 billion USD, 1.8 billion USD of which was non-refundable aid.

Apart from economic and trade cooperation, the two countries have also worked effectively together in various areas, including culture, education and training, health care, tourism, locality-to-locality cooperation and labour.

Japan is one of the biggest non-refundable aid suppliers to Vietnam's education and training sector. Both countries inked a number of agreements in this field.

Among the top 10 foreign arrivals in Vietnam in the first five months of this year, Japan was one of the four high-growth Northeast Asian markets, alongside the RoK with over 1.3 million visitors, China 399,000, and Taiwan (China) 252,000 visitors.

Currently, there are roughly 500,000 Vietnamese people living, working and studying across all 47 cities and prefectures of Japan, predominantly in Aichi, Tokyo, Osaka, Saitama, Chiba, and Fukuoka prefectures.

The upcoming Vietnam visit by the Japanese official is also expected to contribute to further consolidating and deepening bilateral extensive strategic partnership.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum welcomes nearly 33,000 visitors on National Day

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi welcomed 32,768 visitors, including 635 foreigners, on the National Day (September 2), according to its management board.

To meet visitors' demand, the management board decided to increase the opening time of the mausoleum on September 2 morning.

The Hanoi Department of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Management Board presented free gifts, with each including one loaf of bread and a bottle of water or mil, to visitors to the mausoleum on the day.

President Ho Chi Minh was born on May 19, 1890 in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province. He devoted his whole life to the cause of national liberation, while tirelessly striving for peace and progress around the world.

He led the struggle for national independence and established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in 1945.

The President passed away in 1969. His body was embalmed and placed in a glass coffin inside the granite mausoleum.

The mausoleum has become an important landmark of the capital city and is integral to the political and social history of Vietnam.

During the three-day holiday from April 29 to May 1, around 52,250 visitors, including 2,900 foreigners, came to pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, the great leader of Vietnam, at his mausoleum.

Sa Pa aims to become world-class tourist area

After 120 years of development since the French marked the first step on Mt Fansipan in 1903, today the resort town of Sa Pa in Lao Cai province has become a national tourist area, continually in the top 10 most popular destinations in the country and top 28 most attractive destinations in the world.

2023 is a very important year in the development of Sa Pa, marking the 120th anniversary of the founding of the attractive tourist site.

Local authorities have developed a plan focusing on urban embellishment, renovating footpaths and handling bottlenecks, especially in traffic and environmental sanitation.

To affirm the Sa Pa - Lao Cai tourism brand and develop the resort town in a sustainable manner, Lao Cai province has decided to celebrate 120 years of Sa Pa tourism with over 20 exciting events and activities scheduled from the second quarter to the end of 2023.

Located in the northwest of the country, Sa Pa is a mountainous town in Lao Cai province, 315 km from Hanoi. The town is endowed with wonderful resources in terms of scenery and climate.

With advantages in majestic natural landscapes and tourism resources, Sa Pa is important in tourism development as a national tourist area rich in identity and gradually reaching international levels.

It welcomed 200,000 visitors in 2003, 800,000 in 2013, and by 2023 the number of visitors is expected to reach 3.5 million, accounting for nearly 60% of visitors to Lao Cai province.

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