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Việt Nam News introduces a story by Bulgarian Ambassador to Việt Nam Marinela Petkova to mark the National Day of the Republic of Bulgaria (March 3)

Bulgaria and Việt Nam are natural and close partners. Our decades-long relationship exhibits shared principles and goals for building a community of peace and prosperity for our peoples. Our lasting bilateral ties have been carefully cultivated and nowadays rest on common objectives, executed with equal strength on bilateral, as well as on multilateral level.

On March 3 Bulgaria celebrates its National Day, its liberation in 1878 from foreign domination, the end of a centuries-long struggle, which in its final stages attracted widespread international support. Therefore, it is not only an occasion to celebrate Bulgaria’s sovereignty and freedom, but also a day to reflect on the transformative power of solidarity, cooperation and common values.

Being one of the first countries to recognise Việt Nam’s right to independence, in 2020 Bulgaria and Việt Nam celebrated 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Thanks to Việt Nam’s successful effort in containing the spread of COVID-19 we were able to carry out a series of events to commemorate the anniversary as an important milestone and a testament to the endurance and resilience of a friendship that upholds its unique people-centred character.

Rallying the support of partners from state and local level institutions and agencies across Việt Nam and Bulgaria, with the help of the numerous active Việt Nam-Bulgaria friendship associations , the 70th anniversary was widely recognized through diplomatic visits and events in HCM City, Hải Phòng and Vĩnh Phúc, with B2B webinars, various cultural happenings, book publications, all culminating in the month of November with the inauguration by the Vietnam News Agency of the exhibition Việt Nam-Bulgaria: 70 Years of Friendship and Development and a friendship concert at the Hà Nội Opera House.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria Marinela Petkova (centre) with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Tô Anh Dũng (right) and the General Director of Vietnam News Agency Nguyễn Đức Lợi at the ’70 years of Việt Nam-Bulgaria Friendship and Development’ exhibition on November 16, 2020 in Hà Nội. Photo courtesy of the embassy

It was the turbulent historical events of the mid-20th century that brought Bulgaria and Việt Nam together, but it was through dedicated will and thoughtful commitment that our partnership managed to transcend tests of time to nowadays encompass pragmatic and hands-on solutions for applied diplomacy. Boasting an earnest bilateral political dialogue, consistently growing economic co-operation (yet to meet its full potential), and dynamic multi-sectoral collaboration, the current agenda of Bulgaria-Việt Nam relations has widened to include exchange on international developments and security concerns, economic engagement and socio-cultural matters, taking shape and projecting results on a larger world canvas.

While competing visions and agendas on the global order are at play now, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe and demonstrated how interconnected and interdependent the world has become. It has overturned lives and livelihoods revealing some opportunities hidden in the conspicuous challenges, such as hastening the transformation of industries, digital connectivity, setting up regulatory standards and norms and pointing to the necessity of streamlining government policies for an enhanced rule-based multilateral framework.

Drawing on Việt Nam’s membership in ASEAN and Bulgaria’s membership into the European Union we ensure and witness consistency and complementarity between our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy and co-operation. In December 2020 under Việt Nam’s Chairmanship of ASEAN both organisations elevated their relationship to the level of strategic partnership, stipulating even deeper joint work on matters of politics, economy, security, connectivity, sustainable development, climate change and green growth. The institutionalisation of the EU-Việt Nam relations continued through the groundbreaking EU-Việt Nam FTA, the launch of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the signature of the Framework Partnership Agreement, to name just a few.

Furthermore, the timely and effective measures for COVID-19 control taken by the Government of Việt Nam made the country a world role model, while in parallel as ASEAN Chair Việt Nam led the regional efforts in containing the pandemic and guiding the post-pandemic recovery. In Europe, Bulgaria participated in developing a common EU approach to ensure safe and free vaccination for all, and in co-ordinating on a 1.8 trillion euro recovery plan; the EU has committed more than 850 million euro to COVAX, working also to advance solidarity with international partners, including ASEAN and its member states, via ‘Team Europe’. The objective, defined as a joint EU global vision, with the substantial financial resources allocated, is “to seek a post-pandemic recovery that is sustainable, human rights-based, inclusive, green, digital, and which strengthens gender equality and boosts human development, especially for those furthest behind.”

Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria, Marinela Petkova, with distinguished guests at the ceremony to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Bulgaria – Việt Nam Diplomatic relations on November 17, 2020, at Hà Nội Opera House. Photo courtesy of the embassy

Now, the emerging new norms of co-operation are integral to seeking pragmatic co-operative solutions and a drive towards inclusive multilateralism, deepening our ties on key priorities and demanding truly strategic relationships. Tackling social and gender inequalities is also essential. In that regard promoting the role and participation of women, including along the Women, Peace and Security Agenda has a vital place in both Bulgaria’s and Việt Nam’s foreign policies, with the alignment of objectives and initiatives between the programme document ‘Hanoi Commitment to Action’ , adopted in December 2020, and Bulgaria’s ‘Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan 2020-2025’ .

Pushing further the multi-stakeholder partnerships between government, society, private sector, academia, scientific community the guidelines of the 13th National Congress of the CPV aim at increasing prosperity towards a high-income Việt Nam by 2045. Transcribed into Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2021-2030 they outline areas of bilateral collaboration of common significance such as economic modernisation, innovation and promoting environmentally-friendly standards, private sector development, effective institution-building, resilience to climate change and social justice.

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Bulgaria and Việt Nam’s relationship persevered because it has been continuously adapting and developing, nowadays doing so to match and navigate the ever complex body of entwined international challenges and changing geopolitical realities. Upheld by mutual understanding and true peoples’ friendship the story of the Bulgaria-Việt Nam partnership teaches a lot about solidarity, compassion, generosity of spirit and giving back. It is the story of how diplomacy and dialogue have been instrumental in influencing and strengthening peaceful state-to-state relations.

Decades of mutual support and respect give Bulgaria and Việt Nam the confidence and the ambition to continue to work together to promote growth and ensure sustainable and inclusive national development. While we prepare for another leap forward post-pandemic both countries should continue to act as effective partners in today’s multipolar world, to propel the strategic communication through well-connected networks for dialogue – academic, cultural, social and business, and encourage their significance in state-to-state affairs. VNS

Children from Việt-Bun Kindergarten performing Bulgarian songs at the International Food Festival 2020, on December 6, 2020, in Vạn Phúc Diplomatic Compound, Hà Nội. Photo courtesy of the embassy

NESCAFÉ Plan of Nestlé Vietnam, one of the Swiss invested corporates in Việt Nam  has made significant contributions to local coffee industry in the past 10 years — Photo courtesy of Nestlé

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is a highly attractive destination for investment because of its unique position to capitalise on the global chain shift, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Lê Linh Lan.

Lan told the webinar “Market Focus Việt Nam” on Tuesday: “In the pandemic, Việt Nam’s economy has proved resilient with a positive growth of 2.91 per cent in 2020 while the rest of the world plunged into a deep recession.”

The webinar was organised by Swiss Việt Namese Business Gateway (SVBG) and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG) was also the first official launch of SVBG with Swiss partners and Việt Namese representatives.

Lan mentioned the Government’s successful control of the pandemic and effective measures for economic recovery and international economic integration last year contributed to the attraction.

Last year, Việt Nam completed the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), concluded bilateral FTA negotiations with the UK (UKVFTA), and agreed to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Lan said: “With new-generation FTAs such as CPTPP, EVFTA, RCEP, Việt Nam has become one of the region’s fastest-growing and internationally engaged economies, at the centre of a network of 17 FTAs and economic and trade cooperation frameworks with the world’s leading economic hubs.”

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s recent report, Việt Nam has emerged as an attractive foreign direct investment destination in Asia ahead of China and India. The report suggests factors that make Việt Nam more attractive destinations are the incentives for international firms for setting up units to manufacture hi-tech products, the pool of low-cost workers, and the proliferation of free trade agreements, said Lan.

She added: “The US-China trade war and the pandemic have accelerated the shift of the global value chain when European and American companies are relocating investment locations or repatriate manufacturing factories to overcome the over-dependence on a single country in the global supply chain system.

“As Việt Nam has been able to effectively contain the pandemic and is among the first countries to reopen the economy, Việt Nam is better positioned to attract this capital flow trend. The Government acted quickly to embrace this shift in the global supply chain, decided to establish a high-level special working group, charged with the mission of investment promotion inViệt Nam.”

Lan recognised innovation and digitalisation as the last highlights of Việt Nam’s economy, saying the development of the digital economy for the country’s robust and sustainable development was another attraction to investors.

As Việt Nam targeted its digital economy to contribute 30 per cent of the GDP, related businesses have great markets serving both the Government and people in the new era.

Lan said: “Switzerland is an important trade, investment and economic cooperation partner ofViệt Nam with strong grown bilateral economic and a trade volume reaching US$3.6 billion in 2019.”

Lan added there are more than 100 Swiss companies including big names such as Nestle, ABB, Novartis, Roche, Holcim and Schindler.

These firms have been doing successful business in Việt Nam and with the total investment of around 2 billion Swiss francs, Switzerland was now the sixth biggest European investor inViệt Nam.

She considered Swiss firms with comparative advantages and strengths in technology, innovation, capital and expertise especially in finance, pharmaceutical, food manufacturing would look more to Việt Nam as a safe and attractive destination for doing business in the post-COVID-19 world of tremendous change and globe supply shift.

Lan said: “They will have large room to grow.”

The ambassador hoped the FTA negotiations betweenViệt Nam and Switzerland will be completed this year when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.

With the same point of view, Trade Counselor Nguyễn Đức Thương said that the favourable environment has created very good conditions for foreign investors in Việt Nam. Thương added that Việt Nam is also strong in demographics when it is going through a period of “golden population structure”.

Việt Namese senior leaders are also very interested in creating favourable conditions for foreign investors in terms of the law. The National Assembly of Việt Nam passed a new Law on Investment on June 17, 2020, effective from January 1, 2021, with many new investment incentives.

Thương said even during the pandemic, investment in Việt Nam last year was still very strong, however, he said the top FDI ​​partners were Asian countries of Korea, Japan, and Singapore, Switzerland was currently ranked 19th.

Mentioning Việt Nam as a preferred place to regulate the world’s production chain as the economy of nearly 100 million people has enjoyed political stability in countries and free trade treatment from all major economies of the world, Thương said energy and technology were among top investment fields in Việt Nam.

Attending the webinar, Will Mackereth, Supply Chain director of Nestlé Vietnam said understanding the nutritional deficiencies namely in zinc, iron, iodine, and Vitamin A in the country, Nestlé Vietnam has been providing main products like MILO, Maggi, Nescafé fortified with Vitamins and minerals to millions the local consumers and children.

Mentioning Việt Nam as a hub for added-value production, export and distribution, Nestle’s representative said: “ We have a lot of o optimism to continue to invest inViệt Nam.”

SVBG the first of its kind founded by Việt Namese expatriates in Switzerland, will focus on offering trade information via workshops, forums, and internal bulletins; providing legal consultations and guidance; developing links for technological transfers and improvement; and introducing quality human resources. It will also make recommendations for more favourable business climate to competent agencies of both nations, while organising socio-cultural activities serving its goals.

According to SVBG, Việt Nam was the four biggest trade partner of Switzerland in ASEAN. Since 2012, Việt Nam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – the intergovernmental organisation of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – began negotiations for a FTA, which was expected to be signed this year.— VNS

The first shipment containing Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines arrived on a Korean Air flight in Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport on February 24. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s COVID-19 vaccination will begin right after the health ministry receives an accreditation certificate from the Republic of Korea (RoK) for the COVID-19 vaccine batch that arrived on February 24, which is due later this week or early next week.

Deputy Minister of Health Trương Quốc Cường made the announcement at the Government’s regular press conference in Hà Nội on Tuesday, in response to questions over vaccination progress after the first 117,600 doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca, manufactured in RoK, bought commercially via Việt Nam Vaccine Company (VNVC), had arrived in Việt Nam.

The Ministry of Health has assigned the National Institute for Control of Vaccine and Biologicals to verify the batch, which has been basically completed. It is now waiting for an accreditation certificate from the RoK before health authorities can begin inoculations.

According to the official, the vaccination effort is in line with the Government’s Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP on the purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines, which details nine priority groups for free inoculations – including frontline workers (medical staff, public security and military officers, workers directly involved in the pandemic efforts; customers officers, diplomats sent overseas on official missions; teachers and front-facing public administrative offices; essential service workers; elders above 65 years old, people in outbreak regions; the poor; among others).

Besides these groups, pandemic-hit localities will also be prioritised and the northern province of Hải Dương, the epicentre of the current community outbreaks that have logged nearly 700 COVID-19 cases to date, will be one of the first provinces and cities to get access to the vaccine.

According to the Resolution, individuals and organisations are also encouraged to voluntarily pay for vaccine shots.

When more vaccines are readily available, the Government is ready to expand inoculation for all having demand to achieve community immunisation.

As scheduled, another batch of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine along with vaccines from COVAX Facility will be delivered in late April. The ministry has prepared infrastructure and resources for storage and vaccination, Cường said. — VNS

Until now, no forex trading platforms had been licensed for operation in Việt Nam. — File Photo

HÀ NỘI — Forex trading via investment platforms had not been licensed in Việt Nam, posing significant risks to investors, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Việt Nam Đào Minh Tú warned.

Tú said at the Government’s meeting on Tuesday in Hà Nội that the operation of forex trading platforms was currently illegal, adding that the trading of foreign currencies and derivatives must be provided by credit institutions and commercial banks licensed by the State Bank of Việt Nam.

Until now, no forex trading platforms had been licensed for trading, he stressed, warning about risks when investing via these platforms.

Recently, some organisations like Lion Group called for investments in forex through Fx Trading Markets with attractive interest rates of up to 300 per cent per year and commissions. Lion Group attracted around 40,000 investors nationwide.

Tú urged people to be cautious with these appealing calls, adding that there were signs of in-transparencies and frauds.

“The skyrocketing profits in the current situation are impossible and investors must be cautious before deciding to pour money in forex trading platforms,” Tú said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also said that the business model of Lion Group or other forex trading platform was not compliant with the established regulations about multi-level marketing businesses.

Relevant management agencies must introduce regulations for the operation of these models.

Regarding payments, Tú said that there were more and more oganisations providing payment services along with the development of technologies, adding that the central bank always focused on ensuring safety and convenience in payment.

He urged attention to be paid to protecting personal data to ensure security in conducting payment transactions.

Tú stressed that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were not legal means of payment in Việt Nam. The trading and use of cryptocurrencies were illegal.

Cryptocurrencies were not electronic currencies, Tú said, adding that the State Bank of Việt Nam, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice were studying the legal framework to manage cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets. — VNS

The launching of the mens’ club in HCM City. — Photo phunuonline.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — A national forum titled ‘Engaging Men and Boys in the Promotion of Gender Equality and the Elimination of Gender-based Violence’ was held in Hà Nội on Tuesday with 200 delegates participating both online and in-person.

The forum was held by UN Women in Việt Nam, the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS), and the Network for the Prevention of and Response to Gender Violence (GBVNet), with financial support from the Australian government.

It offered an opportunity for organisations, groups and men’s clubs in Việt Nam to introduce and share lessons, experiences and challenges in mobilising the participation of men in promoting gender equality as well as preventing and responding to violence against women and children.

Delegates at the forum agreed to establish a network of men and boys participating in the promotion of gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence in Việt Nam.

In his address, UN Resident Coordinator in Việt Nam Kamal Malhotra expressed his appreciation for the initiative.

“With the active participation of men and women, I believe the process of achieving the gender equality goals in the Sustainable Development Agenda to 2030 will be accelerated in Viet Nam. Because everyone has to promote gender equality, for everyone’s benefit,” he said.

ISDS Deputy Director Trần Kiên said many Vietnamese men have realised that to avoid being left behind in the new era they must participate more in promoting gender equality and sharing opportunities with women.

This lies behind the establishment of a network of men and boys participating in the promotion of gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence, Kiên added.

Elisa Fernandez Saenz, Country Representative of UN Women in Việt Nam, spoke highly of the success of men’s clubs in Đà Nẵng and HCM City and welcomed the initiative to set up the network.

She expressed a belief that the network will spread positive attitudes about masculinity, change rigid gender norms and help men ease the pressure caused by these norms and engage them in activities to promote gender equality and combat gender-based violence in Việt Nam. — VNS