Cancer fighting agents

During his virtual talks with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on March 5, Arreaza congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 13th National Party Congress, while praising the Southeast Asian country’s efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in maintaining economic growth momentum.

Minh briefed on Vietnam’s situation and the outstanding outcome of the 13th National Party Congress as well as the country’s COVID-19 response measures and solutions to promote socio-economic development and ensure social security.

He affirmed that Vietnam supports efforts by the constitutional government of Venezuela to promote political dialogue on the basis of respecting Venezuela’s Constitution and aspirations of Venezuelan people, thus gradually solving difficulties and boosting socio-economic development in the current context.

The two officials focused their discussion on measures to further enhance the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to maintain mechanisms to promote cooperation between the two nations, especially the Vietnam-Venezuela Intergovernmental Committee for Cooperation and the Political Consultation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

They also consented to increase exchanges between ministries, sectors and businesses, and foster trade and investment ties in areas of mutual interest such as agriculture, oil and gas, health, commerce, culture, and sports and tourism.

The two sides pledged to promote people-to-people exchange and operation of friendship associations.

Vietnam and Venezuela also agreed to enhance the exchange of views on international and regional issues of shared concern, and work closely at multilateral forums of which both nations are members.

Source: VNA

He made the remarks during a meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Hanoi on March 5, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

Long emphasized the need to strictly observe the “Vaccine + 5K” message: khau trang (facemasks), khu khuan (disinfecting), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations).

He added that access to vaccines faces various obstacles due to huge demand amid limited supply.

While Pfizer’s vaccine is more than 90 percent effective and the two jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine are 76 percent and 81 percent effective, this also shows that people can still catch the virus after being vaccinated, hence the need to continue following the 5K message, Long explained.

Vietnam is among 92 countries to receive vaccines through the COVAX Facility in the first phase. COVAX mainly uses the AstraZeneca vaccine, providing 5 million doses to the country this year and with 25 million set to arrive in 2022.

The minister also refuted remarks from some companies saying they can provide AstraZeneca vaccine, confirming that all types of vaccine must receive approval from the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Vaccinations using the recently-imported AstraZeneca are expected to begin on March 8, under Government Resolution No 21.

More than 117,600 doses of the vaccine manufactured in the Republic of Korea arrived in Vietnam on February 24.

The MoH has devised a procedure to keep a close watch on immunized people through electronic health records, he said.

Nguyen Dac Vinh, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee, said the idea that vaccines can fully tackle the pandemic should be repudiated, and preventive measures must still be observed to reduce the risk of community infection.

Members of the Steering Committee directed the vaccination campaign to ensure equitable access, with vaccination to be rolled out in a prompt and cautious manner. They also underlined the need to stay prepared to deal with any problems encountered during the campaign.

For his part, Dam, who is also head of the Committee, underlined that Vietnam has been successful in curbing the spread of the pandemic even before any vaccine was approved.

Therefore, in the time to come, relevant agencies need to take the initiative in battling COVID-19 by following the 5K message along with vaccinations, which are a new weapon in the fight.

Source: VNA

The enforced rest due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have been a boon for the country’s two best-supported teams Hanoi FC and Hoang Anh Gia Lai ahead of the mid-March restart.

“Nang ve nuoi cai cung con

De anh di tray Nuoc non Cao Bang”

(Go back home and take care of our children and our mother

Let me go and have a venture in the majestic nature of Cao Bang)

This popular Vietnamese folk song explains that Cao Bang is a magnificent land filled with attractions. One such mystical place is Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark, one of the most impressive attractions of the province, which has been recognized as a UNESCO global geopark, the second of its kind in Vietnam.

Located in the north of Vietnam, 300km from Hanoi, Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark covers 3,000sq.km. It covers six districts of Ha Quang, Tra Linh, Quang Yen, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang, Phuc Hoa, and part of Hoa An, Nguyen Binh and Thach An districts. The geopark is home to nine ethnic groups including the Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao and San Chay.

The geopark is an exceptional territory which offers insights into the history of our planet across more than 500 million years through protected sites. Fossils, marine sediment, volcanic and plutonic rocks and minerals are witness to the remarkable evolution and changes of our planet, and they constitute an exceptional geological heritage.

It is also a land of tangible and intangible cultural heritage sites and special historical monuments. The area is also well-known for its high biological diversity with abundant endemic plant and animal species and ecosystems.

There are three main routes to explore the geopark, including going to the east to experience traditional cultures, north to see history and freedom, and west to experience Phia Oac, the mountain of transformations.

Wonderland to the east

The path to the route east is winding with one side green limestone mountains, and the other an abyss covered by white mist. Little wild flowers in many colors in the wind, fresh cool air, yellow sunlight, imposing scenes, and ethnic Tay girls in black costumes working happily in the rice fields created a painting of a peaceful rural life, harmoniously blended with nature. Ma Phuc Pass was the first site on the route.

Located in Cao Xuyen village, Quoc Toan commune, Tra Linh district, more than 3.5km long at an altitude of 700m above sea level, the pass is one of the most beautiful in Cao Bang.

Tran Van Tan, Director of the Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, said the pass winds between two high limestone mountain ranges and constitutes, at its bottom, an exceptional geosite. Here, in contact with limestone (white rock) can be seen a blackish green rock with rounded shape – the so-called pillow basalt.

“Besides the exceptional geological interest, Ma Phuc is also a place of intangible heritage,” said Chu Thi Vinh, Vice Chairwoman of the Tra Linh District People’s Committee.

“According to legend, in the 11th century, a leader of the Nung people named Nung Tri Cao led local people to fight against the Chinese Song army from the north. Once returning from a patrol along the border, at Quoc Toan commune of present day Tra Linh district, he faced this high, winding and steep pass, and his horse was crippled and could not continue. The mountain was since named An Lai, literally meaning to stop, and the pass was named Ma Phuc, literally meaning a kneeling horse,” Vinh said.

Leaving Ma Phuc Pass, visitors can travel to Angel Eye Mountain in Quoc Toan commune, Tra Linh district.

Angel Eye Mountain or Phia Piot in the Tay language means a mountain with a through-going hole, which is 50m in diameter and 50m above the lake.

After a walk of about 15 minutes, we saw the Tay people in Ban Danh hamlet with stilt houses, yin and yang tiled roofs, stone fences, paddy fields of rice and maize, water buffaloes and cows, and the surrounding green and mature karst landscape. This helped us relax and recover from our daily stresses.

At the end of the route going to the east, we reached Ban Gioc Waterfall, a must-see place in Cao Bang.

Located on the Quay Son River at Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district, Ban Gioc Waterfall is the fourth largest waterfall in the world at an international border, after Iguazu Falls between Brazil and Argentina, Victoria Falls between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and Niagara Falls between the US and Canada.

Tran Thi Xuan Quynh, member of the management board of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark, said Ban Gioc Waterfall is approximately 300 wide and 35m high, with three cascades. It runs between Vietnam and China.

Historical experience to the north

From Cao Bang city, heading to the north, passing vast fragrant paddy rice fields which were in harvest time, tourists can visit historical sites that tell of the revolutionary life of President Ho Chi Minh after he came back to Vietnam on January 28, 1941.

The jade tranquil Lenin Stream which softly and peacefully meanders at the foot of the rampart – like Karl Marx Mountain, is worth a visit.

Crossing a small bridge, walking 15 minutes and then climbing up for about 50 steps, both natural and artificial, we reached Coc Bo Cave, President Ho Chi Minh’s shelter during his time in Pac Bo.

The small, almost dry and quiet reserve, though still having a second entrance, was badly damaged during the border war with China and has been partly restored. The stone bed where President Ho Chi Minh used to sleep is still there.

Mountain of transformations to the west

After recovering with some local food and a good sleep, tourists should head west on the next day to experience Phia Oac, the mountain of transformations.

The route was a highlight, with many attractive sights including Phai Khat Post, beewax brocade by Dao Tien people, Phia Den salmon farm, Ban O and Lung Muoi tungsten mines, Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park and Tran Hung Dao Forest Special National Monument.

The three experience routes give visitors a chance to explore the geopark, as well as local people here. Each of these routes can be visited, with a guide, and will leave a unique and unforgettable experience.

Source: VNA