Naval ship HQ 012-Ly Thai To of Brigade 162 of the Naval Region 4 anchored at Cam Ranh port in the central province of Khanh Hoa on September 6, concluding its visit, exchange and joint drill with the Indonesian Navy, according to the Quan doi Nhan dan (People's Army) newspaper.

Colonel Nguyen Van Ngan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Naval Region 4, who headed the Vietnamese delegation aboard the ship, called the trip a success.

It has helped increase mutual understanding, trust, friendship, and cooperation between the sides, he affirmed.


The ship arrived at Batu Ampar on August 29. While in Indonesia, Vietnamese naval officers paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Batam city and the Commander of the Indonesian Coast Guard in the West of Indonesia, among many other activities.

Full-time legislators discuss draft bills, resolution to be approved at NA fourth session

Full-time National Assembly (NA) deputies gathered on September 7 to discuss six bills and one draft resolution that are expected to be approved at the upcoming fourth session of the 15th NA.

Addressing the event, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that so far, the 15th NA has issued eight laws, conducted first discussion on six draft laws and released 62 resolutions with high consensus.

He said that many important law-building tasks have been set for the upcoming fourth session. All bills and draft resolutions that will be submitted to the session have been discussed many times by the NA Standing Committee, Government, relevant agencies and organisations through many conferences and consultation meetings, he added.

The NA leader said that the six bills include draft Law on the Implementation of Democracy at Grassroots Level; draft law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Radio Frequencies; draft Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (revised); draft Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control (revised); draft Law on Inspection (revised), and draft Law on Anti-Money Laundering (revised).

In previous discussions, the majority of legislators agreed on the necessity of the issuance of the laws and their major contents. A number of issues with different opinions will be discussed at this session.

At the same time, a draft resolution on the regulations for a NA session (revised) will also be debated.

After the opening, participants discussed the draft Law on Inspection (revised) and the draft Law on the Implementation of Democracy at Grassroots Level.

Rainy spell forecasted to hit northern region

Another rainy snap has been forecasted to affect the northern region of Vietnam from September 9-12, said the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, the northern region would see rainfall of between 100-300 mm on September 9-12.

On August 8-9, Hanoi would see rain with strong winds with rainfall of more than 100 mm in some areas.

Low and mountainous areas in the northern region have been warned of whirlwinds, thunderstorms, and violent winds during rain.

Meanwhile, localities from the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to the southern central province of Binh Thuan and the Central Highlands and southern regions are facing rain which has been predicted to ease from tomorrow, September 8.

Vietnam shares importance of promoting culture of peace at UN forum

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), stressed the importance of the culture of peace and non-violence in the world while attending the UN General Assembly’s high-level forum on culture of peace on September 6.

As a country that went through wars to protect its independence and sovereignty, Vietnam specially cherishes the value of peace and stability, Giang stated, adding in that context, generations of Vietnamese people have made efforts to build the foundation for peace, through promoting friendship, harmony and mutual understanding among nations.

Vietnam always promotes the settlement of conflicts and disputes by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force, and by complying and implementing international law.

The diplomat emphasised the need for the international community to support efforts to build and maintain peace, while respecting the responsibility, independence and mastery of countries in accordance with the UN Chapter and international law.

Hanoi faces high risk of dengue fever outbreak

Hanoi is facing a high risk of an outbreak of dengue fever with the number of cases in the city is on the rise, tripled compared to the same period last year.

Data from the Hà Nội’s Centre for Disease Control showed that the city recorded 308 new cases over the past week, bringing the total number of people infected this year to 1,342.

The total caseload is three times higher than the same period last year, the centre said.

Cases have been mainly found in districts of Đống Đa, Thường Tín, Thanh Trì, Thanh Oai, Phú Xuyên, Hoàng Mai and Ba Đình.

HCM City – Long Thanh segment of expressway to double in width

Widening the An Phu - Long Thanh segment of the HCM City – Long Thành – Dầu Giây Expressway from four to eight lanes is urgently required to smooth traffic flow, according to the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises.

The 24.6km segment from the An Phú intersection in HCM City to the Long Thành intersection in Đồng Nai Province has more vehicles than it is designed for.

The Việt Nam Expressway Corporation had sought approval to add lanes to the key expressway from the committee, which manages State-owned businesses, and it received approval and has been told to draw up plans for the expansion.

Other four-lane segments of the expressway (such as between the Long Thành intersection and Dầu Giây) could be used without problems until 2030, it said.

The work will cost around VNĐ14.4 trillion (US$670.7 million).

But the corporation called on the Ministry of Transport and HCM City to cover the cost of widening a four-kilometre segment at the start of the expressway that is managed by the city.

The entire work is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026.

According to the corporation, traffic on the expressway has been increasing by 10.45 per cent annually. 

Striker Huynh Nhu eligible to play in Portugal

The Portuguese Football Federation on September 6 granted an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) to Vietnamese striker Huynh Nhu, thereby now making her eligible to play for Länk FC.

The country’s leading female football star flew to Portugal on August 22 after her club Ho Chi Minh City 1 FC became champions of the Vietnam Women's Football Championship 2022.

Originally born in Tra Vinh, the Vietnamese girl surpassed her medical check-ups and has since participated in numerous training sessions alongside her new teammates at Länk FC.

The Portuguese top women's league Liga BPI for the 2022-2023 season will begin on September 10, with Länk FC set to play their first match away to Valadares Gaia FC on September 11.

Nhu is one of the most prominent players in Vietnamese women's football. She is most notable for winning the Golden Ball award on four occasions and has also made several important contributions to the Vietnamese women's team, winning gold medals at the SEA Games in 2017, 2019, and 2022, along with the AFF Cup 2019 championship.

PM: Vietnam attaches importance to cultural development

Vietnam always attaches importance to cultural development, considering culture both a driving force and a goal for national development, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

During a reception in Hanoi on September 6 for UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay, Chinh thanked UNESCO for cooperating with Vietnam in the areas of education, science, culture and information-communications.

He affirmed that Vietnam will continue to be an active and responsible member of the UNESCO, contributing to UNESCO’s efforts for peace, cooperation and development.

In particular, Vietnam will actively uphold its role as a member of the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2021-2025 tenure, the Inter-Governmental Committee of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the 2021-2025 tenure, and the Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage for 2022-2026. The country is also running for a seat in the World Heritage Committee for 2023-2037, he said.

Chinh also emphasised that Vietnam always treasures education and its infrastructure for workforce training, and asked UNESCO to help Vietnam train qualified personnel to work at multilateral organisations, including UNESCO.

Japan to enhance inspection of trade unions employing Vietnamese labourers

Japan will strengthen the inspection of labour unions to ensure rights of Vietnamese guest workers, Japanese Minister of Justice Hanashi Yasuhiro told Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung at their talks in Tokyo on September 6. 

During the meeting, Minister Dung thanked the Japanese ministry for coordinating with the Vietnamese side to implement many effective programmes, including those in human resources development. 

He suggested the Japanese side consider expanding occupations accepting foreign interns, and exempting and reducing some taxes for Vietnamese interns. 

For his part, Minister Hanashi said Japan has resumed receiving foreign interns after a hiatus period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Regarding the Vietnamese side’s proposal to expand occupations receiving interns, Hanashi said the Japanese government has a  policy to gradually expand such professions, with caring service for the elderly being the latest, which is a top priority.

The Japanese Ministry of Justice will discuss with relevant ministries and sectors Vietnam’s proposal of exempting residence and income taxes for Vietnamese interns, he went on. 

The same day, Minister Dung received representatives of a number of Japanese organisations and trade unions which are receiving Vietnamese interns, during which he asked for more attention from the Japanese organisations to supporting and caring for both material and spiritual life of  Vietnamese interns. 

The Vietnamese official also attended a seminar held the National Association for Global & Open Minded Communities (NAGOMi) on receiving more Vietnamese interns to work in Japan, towards building a global society of human resources for mutual development.

PM receives Governor of Phnom Penh

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on September 6 for Governor of Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Khuong Sreng.

Chinh hailed Khuong Sreng's ongoing visit to Vietnam as an important event during Vietnam-Cambodia, Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Year 2022 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, two-way trade surged by 79.1% to 9.54 billion USD in 2021. Vietnam has run188 valid projects worth 2.8 billion USD in Cambodia, ranking first in ASEAN and among five biggest investors in Cambodia.

Vietnam always treasures and gives high priority to fostering fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability with Cambodia, he said, adding that the Vietnamese Government always offers all possible support to cooperation between the two countries’ localities.

The PM suggested boosting bilateral ties in the building and protection of borderline for peace, friendship, cooperation and development; border economy, education-training, cultural exchange and tourism.

He said Vietnam is ready to help Cambodia successfully organise the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit and related meetings in November as well as the 32nd SEA Games in 2023.

He suggested authorities of Phnom Penh work closely with the Vietnamese side to deal with issues related to the two countries’ citizens in border areas, thus protecting their legitimate rights and interests. He also wished Phnom Penh would continue creating favourable conditions for Cho Ray – Phnom Penh Hospital project.

Localities strive to raise COVID-19 vaccine coverage in schools

As the new academic year begins, the northern province of Quảng Ninh is focusing on providing children aged 5-11 with their second COVID-19 vaccination and those aged 12-18 with their third dose.

District and communal administrations are working with health authorities to review records of students eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines and guarantee safe and effective inoculation.

With new COVID-19 cases on the rise again, communication campaigns are also being accelerated to raise public awareness on virus control measures and the benefits of vaccination.

As of September 4, more than 4.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the province. They included nearly 3.5 million doses injected on people aged over 18, more than 355,000 on children aged 12 – 18, and close to 290,000 on those aged 5 – 12.

About 99.8 per cent of the people aged above 18 had been given at least one vaccine dose. More than 99 per cent of the children aged 12–18 had received at least one shot while the rate of those getting the third dose had exceeded 96 per cent.

Around 99 per cent of children aged 5–12 have been vaccinated with one dose and 96.78 per cent have had two.

More than 7,000 children aged between 5 and 17 in HCM City were vaccinated against COVID-19 during the National Day holidays, according to the municipal Department of Health.

Webinar on sustainable agriculture transformation in Mekong Delta

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Dutch Embassy in Vietnam held a webinar on sustainable agriculture transformation in the Mekong Delta on September 6.

The Mekong Delta contributes 32% of the agriculture sector’s gross domestic product (GDP). It accounts for half of the country’s rice output, 65% of aquatic products, 70% of fruit, 95% of rice for export and 60% of fish for export. It also provides input materials for industrialisation and modernisation.

A number of policies have been issued to develop agriculture and rural areas, but the region still faces difficulties related to climate change, water security, massive migration, fierce competition for farm produce exports, and poor transport infrastructure.

Dutch expert Peter Smeets suggested the region should study drought-resistant plant varieties, prevent riverbank and coastal erosion, establish biodiversity corridors, and improve climate change adaptation capacity for cooperatives.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said the ministry has agreed to step up agricultural restructuring in combination with ecological tourism and processing industries to effectively and sustainably utilise natural resources, while improving regional connectivity.

Further attention will be paid to promoting synchronous mechanisation from infrastructure to training and enhancing the value of agricultural products.

He also called for developing more logistics, processing and consumption centres in the region.

Prime Minister asks for sufficient supply of medicine, equipment

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Monday signed a dispatch requiring the supply of drugs and medical equipment must be ensured to keep up with demand.

The Prime Minister has requested ministries, Government agencies, and people's committees of provinces and cities to direct local medical facilities, ensuring that sufficient medicine and medical equipment is available.

The relevant agencies must strictly manage the procurement of drugs in hospitals.

According to the dispatch, the Ministry of Health is responsible for resolving obstacles in bidding for drugs and medical equipment. In particular, the ministry will focus on completing a resolution for drugs and medical equipment, medical examination and treatment expenses covered by health insurance, to be submitted to the Government.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of Health in finalising new documents on bidding for drugs and medical equipment before September 15, 2022.

The Ministry of Finance is responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of Health to amend and promulgate new documents on the management and use of public assets and the State budget to purchase drugs and medical equipment before September 30, 2022.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control directed relevant agencies and localities to urgently purchase medicines and medical equipment for treatment works.

However, many public health facilities are still facing shortages, which has greatly affected medical examinations and treatment. 

Photo exhibition depicts strong relations between Viet Nam and Laos

The close friendship between Việt Nam and Laos is depicted through a photo exhibition in the northern mountainous province of Sơn La.

Entitled Sắt Son Tình Nghĩa Việt-Lào (The Việt-Lao Eternal Gratitude), the event, which takes place at the special national relic of Sơn La Prison, is an activity to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Laos, and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries.

More than 100 photos in the exhibition highlight two major topics – ‘Việt Nam Deeply Instills Solidarity’, and ‘The Việt Nam-Laos Revolutionary Historical Site – The Base of the North Lao Volunteer Committee’.

The Việt-Laos Eternal Gratitude exhibition opens to public until the end of September.

Cần Giờ celebrates Nghinh Ông Festival

HCM City’s coastal district of Cần Giờ will host its annual Nghinh Ông Festival from September 9-11.

The festival’s highlight will be a procession on land and at sea which will be held on September 11 (or the 16th day of the eighth lunar month.)

The procession will start from Ông Thủy Tướng Temple (Temple Worshiping the Whale) and then move to the sea. It will be followed by local residents and fishermen in traditional costumes and dozens of fishing vessels.

The ritual aims to show fishermen’s respect to whales that help them at sea, as well as worship of whales for a bumper fish catch.

The organisers will held music shows featuring songs and dances in praise of the city and the country at Cần Thạnh Park every night during the festival.

The shows will include performances from the Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương (reformed opera) Theatre and the HCM City Hát Bội (classical drama) Theatre, whose performers will offer several extracts from famous plays.

The festival will include a release of lanterns to the sea organised by young people who will pray for a good fishing season, and a visit to Rừng Sác War Martyrs Cemetery to remember soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country.

The organisers will host exhibitions showcasing photos and objects which feature fishing activities, and the Cần Giờ mangrove forest, a world biosphere reserve recognised by UNESCO in 2000.

A trade fair introducing OCOP (one commune one product) products from Cần Giờ and HCM City will also be held.

Folk games, water puppet performances and a Mid-Autumn festival for local children will be included as well.

The organisers will also host a series of sports such as cycling, marathon and water sports during the festival.

The Nghinh Ông Festival in Cần Giờ was recognised as a national Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. It is the only traditional festival for fishermen held to celebrate their fishing vocation and lifestyle.

Hanoi singer holds unlicensed live shows

Authorities of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem District have considered fining singer Tuan Hung for holding unlicensed live music shows.

According to local authorities, recently, Tuan Hung, 44, has organised these events on the balcony of his house in Hang Khay Street.
 
A representative from the district people’s committee and local authorities hailed the singer’s free-of-charge shows, but authorities have claimed that organising such unlicensed events poses risks related to fires and security.

At a meeting with local authorities on September 3, Tuan Hung was requested to seek permission from management agencies for such shows. The singer said he would conform to the regulation. However, on September 4, he continued organising the same live show from the balcony, attracting large numbers of people.

Danang restaurant fined for noise pollution

A restaurant in the central city of Danang has been fined VND140 million (USD6,034) for playing loud music, affecting the surrounding area.

TST Garden Restaurant in Hai Chau District managed by Sao Thang Tam Trading and Service Ltd. Co. violated noise in public places regulations, particularly as the restaurant is opposite Thanh Duc Church.
 
The restaurant has been banned from turning on music for four and a half months.

TST Garden has been requested to apply soundproof measures to avoid affecting the surrounding area. If it fails to conform, the local authorities will take further action.

According to the local environment police, the restaurant’s music sound exceeded the permitted sound level of 24.5 dBA which is regulated for areas near churches.

Fire breaks out on gasoline tanker on Dong Nai River

The oil tanker Cuu Long 7 carrying 235 cubic meters of gasoline caught fire on the Dong Nai River on September 6, according to the local media.

Local authorities said the blaze had spread to the engine room and kitchen, causing severe damage, but no casualties were reported.

The fire erupted when the vessel was receiving gasoline at a port along the Dong Nai River at around 10 a.m. on September 6.

Captain Le Phong Vu and sailors used firefighting equipment to put out the fire, but in vain.

Local firefighters, waterway traffic police, and five boats were dispatched to the scene to put out the fire.

The fire was put under control within around 30 minutes. The firefighters protected 235 cubic meters of gasoline on the tanker and prevented the fire from spreading to an adjacent oil tanker.

The fire was caused by a gasoline pump that suddenly ignited on the tanker, according to local authorities.

Ceremony held in 103rd cerebration of Da Co Hoai Lang

A ceremony celebrating 103 years of the famous cai luong song titled Da Co Hoai Lang (Night Drumbeats Cause Longing for Absent Husband) was held at the Cao Van Lau Theater in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on September 6.

The event also marked the 13th Vietnam Stage Day (on the 12th day of the eighth lunar month) and the traditional day commemorating musician Cao Van Lau who is known as the ancestor of cai luong (southern traditional opera) and stage (on the 11th day of the eighth lunar month).

"Da co hoai lang" is an immortal Cai Luong piece written by musician Cao Van Lau in 1919 which tells the story of a wife who waits for her husband to return from the battlefield. The song never fails to leave a deep impression on millions of devotees. Bac Lieu is the birthplace of the song.

A memorial site of musician Cao Van Lau located in the place where he was buried in 1976 in Bac Lieu Province was recognized as a national historical-cultural site in 2014.

HCMC, VNPT cooperates to enhance digital transformation

The People’s Committee of HCMC and Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) on September 6 signed an agreement on digital transformation and smart city construction in the 2022-2025 period.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai recognized the outstanding contribution of VNPT over the past time, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He emphasized that one of the important driving forces serving for HCMC’s rapid and sustainable development is the completing process of digital transformation and smart city construction. Digital transformation is expected to create a breakthrough and tremendous development that will become the major driving force for the city’s economic growth in the coming time.

VNPT and the HCMC People’s Committee will cooperate to strengthen digital transformation, build digital infrastructure and shared platforms, ensure information safety and security, and develop IT human resources.

In the sector of digital government development, VNPT will participate in building specialized data systems in various fields to help the city develop the shared data warehouse and promote the effectiveness of the open data platform that has been built.

VNPT will also coordinate with the HCMC Information Security Center and the Department of Information and Communications of the city to build and carry out solutions ensuring information safety and security for the municipal authorities’ digital system.

RoK defence minister receives Vietnamese officer

The Republic of Korea’s Minister of National Defence Lee Jong-sup on September 6 received Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien who is on a working trip to the northeast Asian nation.

Minister Lee highly valued Deputy Minister Chien’s co-chairing of the 10th Vietnam – RoK Defence Policy Dialogue, and attend the ASEAN – RoK Deputy Defense Ministers’ Meeting and the 11th Seoul Defence Dialogue.

Lee spotlighted the fruitful development of the Vietnam – RoK relations, saying that the bilateral defence cooperation has increasingly deepened in a substantive and effective manner, contributing to promoting the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The host expressed his belief that contents agreed by the two sides at the 10th Vietnam – RoK Defence Policy Dialogue will contribute to further promoting defence cooperation between the two countries, especially in defence industry, maritime security, and military heath care. 

For his part, Deputy Minister Chien showed his hope that Minister Lee will pay attention to directing and creating conditions for the two sides’ authoritised agencies to bolster cooperation areas agreed at the dialogue.

Previously, RoK Deputy Minister of National Defence Shin Beom-chul chaired the ASEAN-RoK Deputy Defense Ministers’ Meeting, which was an exchange channel to promote defence relations between ASEAN and the RoK.

Deputy Minister Chien affirmed as the coordinator of ASEAN-RoK relations in the 2021-2024 period, Vietnam wishes to further step up the ASEAN-RoK defence relations, focusing on enhancing meetings and maintaining existing cooperation mechanisms in order to exchange views on  issues of common concern and build trust; and supporting the RoK’s priorities in fostering relations with ASEAN in response to non-traditional security challenges such as counterterrorism, cyber security, and marine security.

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