Introducing a new dog

Specifically, beating or torturing domesticated animals, including four-legged mammals like dogs and cats and two-legged avian species like chickens and ducks, could result in fines between VND1 million and VND3 million, while abattoirs could be fined between VND3 million and VND5 million should they either beat animals prior to slaughtering them or not inducing unconsciousness prior to death.

The fines would be doubled for organizations committing similar violations, at up to VND6 million.

The new decree also increased fines for introducing foreign substances into animals prior to slaughtering to up to VND50 million from the current VND30 million at maximum.

A representative for the department of livestock production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the concept of humane treatment towards animals is still new to the population, so fines would not be too severe, only aiming to raise awareness towards the issue.

Animal torture in the decree is defined as using force to beat, bind and confine them, or leaving them to starve and not caring for them.

By Hoang Oanh

When Hoang Anh was cruising around flower gardens in Hanoi’s Tay Ho District at around midnight one day, he saw two boys in warm clothes and a middle-aged man sitting around a fire and decided to approach them.

At first glance the man looked like their father. But noticing that the boys seem tired, Anh and a friend decided to walk over and say hello.

“Can we sit here and talk to you guys?” he asked, and they looked up at him with suspicion.

Sitting down next to the fire, Anh looked at the two boys and said: “It is such a chilly night. Do you guys need any help?”

Two homeless boys sitting by a fire in a park in Tay Ho District, Hanoi, on January 21, 2021. Photo courtesy of Hoang Anh.

The boys, one skinny and the other chubby, remained silent while the man abruptly stood up, said he was taking his dog for a walk, and left.

Anh tried to make friends with the children and introduced himself.

“We belong to the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, which helps homeless children. I can help you guys find accommodation and a place to play football and get health checks. It is unsafe for you to be out this late at night since there are many bad people on the streets.”

He told them about some of the situations he had seen and warned them of the dangers lurking on the streets, and showed some pictures of the street children he had helped.

After seeing there were some kids they knew in the pictures and his friendly way of speaking, the boys gradually lowered their guard and opened up.

The skinny one said his identification papers had been stolen when he was sleeping in the garden a few days ago. Now he could not find a job, but still did not want to go back to his hometown. The other, who was 14 years old, said he was from the northern Bac Kan Province and his father was in prison.

Anh said: “I can help you guys find a safe place to sleep tonight. If you don’t like it, I can bring you back here.”

But they had been living on the street for long, and their survival instincts possibly kicked in, and they refused his offer immediately.

He then gave them some money to find a place to sleep and his contact information and told them to meet him at the same place the next morning.

The chubby boy turned up the next morning, and Anh took him to the foundation. He can decide to stay there with other similar children if he likes it or go and live with a foster family.

Four members of the street outreach team scouting around the capital’s My Dinh Bus Station on January 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Phan Duong.

Anh, 27, is the captain of the street outreach team at the Hanoi-based charity that has been assisting children in crises since 2003.

The team goes out into the streets every night to look for destitute children under bridges and in parks, bus stations and other places.

It has seven members and a large support staff. In addition to its main task of finding homeless children, the team also helps children living at the charity’s boarding houses and organizes physical activities and health checks for them.

The team members also take street children back to their homes.

The main aim is to ensure destitute children are not dragged into committing crimes and are safe from bad influences.

Earlier that night Anh and his colleague had gone to four Internet cafes in nearby My Dinh in Nam Tu Liem District to look for children and told the owners to let them know if they come across children who need assistance.

Here they gave a jacket to a boy who had run away from home in another province.

“Many homeless children from other provinces show up around the My Dinh area, especially during summer and around Lunar New Year,” Anh says.

“They are easy prey for pedophiles and job brokers. Since they have just arrived in the capital and have a little money and tend go to Internet cafes to play games.

“We always try to reach the children before they encounter bad people.”

After three years as a member of the street outreach team, Doan Cong thinks he is doing a “meaningful” job.

One day late at night in August he and his colleague Minh Hai spotted two children sitting at a bus stop near the My Dinh bus station and a middle-aged man hovering over them.

Since the children looked tired and wore stained, tattered clothes, Cong decided they were not familiar with the city. He parked his vehicle and approached them.

He found out that the boys, aged 15 and 17, had left their hometown in Ha Giang Province and worked for half a month in Hanoi before their employer closed down due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Both had used up their wages of VND400,000 ($17.30) while searching for new jobs, but had not been lucky.

After roaming the streets for three days, they ended up at the bus station.

They looked at the man and whispered to Cong: “He told us he would give us each VND100,000 if we touch his genitals. We refused, but he was insistent and is waiting for us to change our minds.”

Cong and Hai took the boys to an Internet shop, got them food and told them to spend the night there. The next morning Cong returned, reassured that their families had promised to pick them up after he had informed them.

He gave the pair some money and his contact information in case they needed help.

The young social workers have had to confront dubious people to protect homeless children. Two months ago Anh had to fight off two pedophiles who were asking three boys to go home and sleep with them.

Minh Hai, who has been on the team for two years, shares a story from last winter. One night, on a curb behind the My Dinh bus station, he saw a boy with a backpack and a cap who looked he had little strength left. He got off his motorbike and slowly walked up to the boy.

He asked him: “You look tired. Have you had dinner?”

The boy looked scared, and his eyes kept darting around.

After he walked behind him for around two kilometers, the boy became less scared of him. Hai gave him a box of sticky rice and the boy gulped it down.

After eating he revealed that he had been lured into a debt collection gang about a month ago. He was instructed to work out to look strong and go collect debts.

He managed to escape from that gang, but was now afraid its members would catch with him and mete out punishment. He also did not know where to go or who to ask for help.

Doan Cong helps out a homeless kid under a bridge near the My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi. Photo courtesy of Blue Dragon.

On average, the street outreach team helps around 100 children each year. Many of the children have returned to their families or have been put in school. Many of them now work at restaurants or hotels, in tourism and others.

About 10 percent of Blue Dragon’s workers were themselves children rescued by the charity. Having been there before, now they help children who are in a similar situation.

Anh says: “I think my job is like that of a filter: kids we rescue have the ability to rebuild their lives, but if we do not, they are easily caught up in bad situations.”

Recently the two boys from Ha Giang called Cong to say they had returned home and work in the fields with their parents, and are waiting until they are old enough to get proper works.

The team members say there are always children being pushed out into the streets for various reasons, and there are many traps awaiting them. That is why the team has been out on the streets for the last 17 years.

Blue Dragon has helped 607 street children reunite with their families, rescued 1,000 trafficked kids and helped 5,259 children go to school or get jobs.

Logistics, considered a backbone of Vietnam’s economy, is among eight sectors prioritised by the national programme for digital transformation until 2025.

According to the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA), the sector has grown 14-16 percent annually over recent years. It now gathers together some 3,000 domestic firms and 30 others offering transnational services.  Of those, 89 percent are domestic businesses and 10 percent are joint ventures while the number of foreign-funded companies represents just 1 percent of the total.

The VLA said the cost of logistics in Vietnam as a proportion of GDP is 18 percent, compared to 9-14 percent in developed countries. The high cost is attributable to limited sea port infrastructure and weak cost reduction efforts. Together with fierce competition, the digital economic boom, and pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic, these have made digitisation in the sector a must.

Vietnamese logistics companies offer between 2 and 17 services, mostly in transport, warehousing, and fast delivery. About half apply technology in their operations.

Nguyen Tuong, VLA Deputy General Secretary, said investment shortages from the very beginning, difficulties in choosing suitable technological applications, a sense of distrust in technology, and a fear of change are hindering the sector from pressing ahead with digital transformation.

Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Agency of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said transformation in this core sector would trigger a similar process in other parts of the supply chain.

Experts have said that smart logistics involve master plans and strategies with the involvement of cloud computing technology, adding that it will be conducive to improving customer services, information flows, and automation.

To reduce logistics costs, Nguyen Hoang Long, Deputy General Director of the Viettel Post Joint Stock Corporation, said the engagement of both the Government and enterprises is needed. While the Government should offer planning and assistance for the building of national logistics centres, as well as preferential land and port taxes, enterprises need to invest in better management and boosting connectivity within the sector, he said.

Administration reform and capital support are also necessary for logistics firms undertaking digital transformation, insiders have said./.

US removes anti-dumping duty on Minh Phu frozen shrimp

The Minh Phu Seafood Joint Stock Company announced on February 17 that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has cancelled a decision issued on October 13, 2020 on the imposition of anti-dumping tariffs on the company’s frozen shrimp products exported to the US.

Its CEO Le Van Quang said the latest CBP decision allows Minh Phu to continue exporting frozen shrimp to the US without being subject to an anti-dumping duty imposed on shrimp from India or any other anti-dumping duties.

Minh Phu has also been refunded anti-dumping duties it temporarily paid under the October 13 decision, Quang added.

The CBP had applied the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) to conclude that frozen shrimp products exported by Minh Phu to the US should be subject to duties in accordance with the anti-dumping order imposed on shrimp from India. It said the company did not provide sufficient evidence as requested by the CBP to prove that it was not using shrimp originating from India for export to the US.

Minh Phu decided to send an administrative complaint to the CBP’s senior agency, because the decision ignored key evidence that it had an effective traceability system and was not using raw shrimp from India for exports to the US.

In fact, Minh Phu clearly demonstrated its separation and traceability method approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the US Department of Commerce, based on its requirements for the Seafood Import Monitoring Programme.

Minh Phu successfully applied and effectively operated a high-tech shrimp farming model at its two farming areas of Minh Phu Kien Giang on 600 ha and Minh Phu Loc An on 300 ha. It has also been establishing a network of shrimp suppliers across the Mekong Delta and Vietnam’s south that use diverse models of sustainable shrimp farming./.

HCM City sees sharp fall in number of tourists

Ho Chi Minh City recorded 1,800 visitors booking hotel rooms during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday from February 9 to 17, the municipal Department of Tourism reported after summarising figures from 22 of the 124 local 3 to 5-star hotels.

Tourists numbers were down sharply compared to Tet last year, primarily due to the COVID-19 outbreak right before the holiday.

Recognising that many people had decided not to return to their homeland because of the pandemic, many travel companies offered various short tours to nearby safe destinations.

Department Director Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said it coordinated with accommodation providers to manage those coming from pandemic-hit regions while strictly implementing safety standards for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Providers were also asked to ensure guest safety by applying the Ministry of Health’s message featuring 5K (in Vietnamese) Khau trang (facemask)- (Khu khuan) disinfection- (Khoang cach) distance- (Khong tu tap) no gathering – (Khai bao y te) health declaration.

Analysts have forecast that fluctuations will be seen in the number of visitors to local accommodation providers this year, which are posting occupancy of less than 10 percent./.

Hapaco eyes investment in 4-trillion-VND wind power project

The Hapaco Group JSC is planning to invest 4 trillion VND (174.1 million USD) in a wind power project in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

The project is among those to be submitted for approval at the group’s annual shareholders’ meeting, which is slated for March 14.

The meeting will also discuss an investment in building a 23-ha care centre for the elderly in the northern city of Hai Phong’s Thuy Nguyen district as well as Hapaco’s new development orientations in social housing and guest worker services.

Hapaco (stock code HAP) was one of the first listed on Vietnam’s stock market. As of December 31 last year, its total asset exceeded more than 808 billion VND.

Last year, the group reeled in 335 billion VND in revenue, an annual decrease of 11 percent. Its after-tax profit, meanwhile, hit 34.3 billion VND, up 69 percent on-year./.

HCM City: Consumer prices see slight rise after Tet holiday

Consumer prices in Ho Chi Minh City showed slight fluctuations on February 16, or the fifth day of the new lunar year and the last day of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, with most traders in wet markets resuming business.

It is noteworthy that prices of fresh vegetables and fruit increased remarkably compared to before Tet, as consumers tend to buy more of those goods after feasting during the holiday.

Reports of the Thu Duc wholesale market said supplies of vegetable, fruits and flower are abundant at stable prices.

Besides wet markets, most supermarkets, convenience stores and shopping centres in the city are scheduled to re-open on February 17, ensuring supplies of goods when residents return to the city after the holiday.

In the context of unpredictable developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city and the country, businesses in HCM City have stocked 57.5 million facemasks and 3.39 million bottles of hand sanitizer to meet epidemic prevention demands./.

Brand building – key to add value to business

Vietnam enterprises need greater efforts to build their brand names so as to better competitive edge amidst rapid integration, according to experts.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Trade Promotion Agency, although the number of businesses honoured with the Vietnam National Brand increased throughout years (from 30 in 2008 to 124 in 2020), it lagged behind expectations.

Deputy head of the agency Hoang Minh Chien said the Vietnam National Brand (Vietnam Value) Programme has raised awareness of many local firms and corporations of the important roles of brand name in improving value of their products and the businesses themselves.

It is difficult to develop Vietnam brand for specific products, he said, adding despite being the world’s leading agro-forestry-fisheries exporter, Vietnam lacks in branded products in its shipments.

Up to 80 percent of Vietnamese agricultural exports are yet to have brand name. Many exports in the nation’s “one-billion USD” club such as timber, rubber, pepper and cashew nuts have not their own brand names yet, according to agricultural specialist Hoang Trong Thuy.

Chairwoman of the Ngan Ha Science and Technoloy Company Limited Pham Thi Kim Loan said a good brand is developed from good-quality products as well as fine customer service and marketing strategies.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Advice Council to the Institute for Brand and Competitiveness Strategy Nguyen Quoc Thinh stressed that besides financial resources, businesses need dogged determination and in-depth knowledge of brand building.

Chien said the Ministry of Industry and Trade will accompany enterprises to develop and popularise their brand names, adding focus will be sharpened on raising public awareness of brand development, helping businesses to satisfy criteria of the Vietnam National Brand Programme, and introducing the brands to domestic consumers and international partners.

According to the Brand Finance, value of the Vietnam Nation Brand skyrocketed 175 percent from 141 billion USD in 2016 to 319 billion USD in 2020. The country also jumped 17 places from 2016 to 33rd in the list of the world’s 100 most valuable brands compiled by the UK consultancy./.

Ninh Binh strives to host 7 million visitors in 2021

Ninh Binh  has launched promotion activities on social networks, among other activities.It is also working with the provincial tourism association to mobilise travel agencies’ engagement in demand stimulus activities and increase service quality.

Ensuring related security and order, environmental sanitation, and COVID-19 prevention and control are also key tasks, noted the official.

According to statistics from the department, during the recent three-day New Year holiday, the province received more than 32,000 visitors. Most of them went to local renowned destinations like Trang An Landscape Complex – a world cultural and natural heritage site, Cuc Phuong national park, and Van Long submerged natural reserve.

In 2020 the province hosted 2.8 million tourists, equaling to just 37 percent of the 2019 figure. The reduction was largely due to the impact of the pandemic./.

Kien Giang promotes border trade infrastructure connectivity with Cambodia

The southern border province of Kien Giang has facilitated the implementation of a memorandum of understanding on border trade infrastructure development and connectivity between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Ha Tien city and Giang Thanh district have been asked to build a list of border trade infrastructure items, with priority given to connectivity with Cambodian localities, according to the Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chin.

Kien Giang has also supported trade promotion and the attraction of investments in border trade infrastructure construction.

Local competent agencies have taken measures to simplify administrative procedures in order to make it easier for traders and border residents in customs clearance.

The province has effectively implemented cooperation agreements with Cambodian localities and joined hands with the Cambodian side in national defence as well as external affairs in border areas./.

Kien Giang moves to promote marine economic growth

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has planned to further promote sustainable marine aquaculture in line with the “Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Marine Economy by 2030 with a Vision to 2045”.

Local leaders said the province will fully tap its potential and advantages to promote marine aquaculture in a modern manner in connection with tourism development, while ensuring the environment and national defence and security at seas and islands.

The plan aims to contribute to accelerating the restructuring of agriculture, promoting marine economic growth, and improving competitiveness and local incomes.

It aims to have 7,500 farming cages by 2025, including 4,700 traditional fish cages, 1,900 hi-tech fish cages, and 900 cages for breeding other seafood.

The water surface areas for cage farming and mollusc farming are expected to reach 7,000 ha and 24,000 ha, respectively.

The farming yield is to reach 113,530 tonnes and be worth 7.54 trillion VND (327.6 million USD), including 29,870 tonnes from cage farming and 83,660 tonnes from mollusc cultivation. The sector is forecast to employ 18,510 workers.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, farming areas in Phu Quoc city, Kien Hai island district, the island commune of Tien Hai in Ha Tien city, and Son Hai and Hon Nghe in Kien Luong district will focus on farming groupers, cobias, yellow-fin pompanos, and seabass, as well as blue lobster, mantis shrimp, crab, and oysters for pearl farming.

Meanwhile, coastal areas in Ha Tien city and the districts of Kien Luong, Hon Dat, An Minh, and An Bien will develop zones for farming molluscs such as blood cockles, saltwater mussels, green mussels, and oysters.

Local authorities must also fully tap the potential and effectively use the sea for farming, towards promoting agricultural economic restructuring, increasing productivity and output, and ensuring food hygiene and safety.

The locality has worked hard to create more jobs and improve incomes in coastal communities and those on islands, cut inshore fishing activities, preserve the environment, and minimise activities that deplete natural aquatic resources.

It aims to develop marine farming at an industrial-scale using modern technologies that can produce a large volume of products for both export and domestic demand.

The province also attaches special importance to promoting links and cooperation in producing raw materials, processing and consuming aquatic products, ensuring food hygiene and safety, and protecting the environment, contributing to protecting and regenerating aquatic resources and preserving biodiversity.

It has synchronously implemented solutions on land and water surface areas for marine farming, and mechanisms and policies to boost production and attract investors to high-tech aquaculture.

The locality has also paid heed to applying credit and incentive policies to support aquaculture development and high-tech agriculture, as well as to improving the quality of human resources in the sector./.

Lao Cai aims to welcome 5 mln visitors this year

The northern province of Lao Cai, home to the popular holiday town of Sa Pa, has set a target of welcoming 5 million visitors this year and earning more than 696 million USD in tourism revenue.

The province will exert efforts to attract more domestic holidaymakers.

Sa Pa has long been among the country’s leading destinations. Of note, young people accounted for more than 70 percent of tourist arrivals to the town in 2020.

Lao Cai also aims to devise 130 new tourism products to meet demand from tourists and encourage them to return in the future.

Lao Cai’s tourism sector bore the brunt of the ill-effects of the pandemic and welcomed just 2.2 million visitors last year, down by more than half against 2019./.

Opportunities forecast for Vietnam’s economy in 2021: experts

Apart from challenges, many opportunities will be offered to the Vietnamese economy in 2021, experts have said.

Such agreements as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to which Vietnam is a signatory will open up wide doors for the country to further integrate into the world.

Economist Nguyen Minh Phong forecast that Vietnam’s agriculture, industry, export-import, and the domestic financial, stock and real estate markets will grow further in the year.

Notably, with the current growth rate of the local processing sector, Vietnam would join the group of newly-emerging industrialised countries in the coming years.

Pham Dinh Thuy from the General Statistics Office said that the GDP growth target of 6.5 percent set by the Government is feasible in the normal situation. However, this would be a challenge for the country as 2021 is the first year of implementing the 2021-2025 socio-economic development plan.

The official pinned hope on the development of such sectors as food, garment-textile, wood processing, metal production, construction and electricity production.

To achieve the set economic targets, it is a must to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, suggesting stepping up economic restructuring, churning out typical products, streamlining administrative procedures, improving the domestic investment environment, and improving the country’s competitiveness.

Thuy also highlighted the significance of trade promotion and foreign investment attraction, which, he said, needs specific plans.

Pham Viet Hoai, Chairman of Kym Viet JSC, said the application of digital technology would bring about positive results to any firm.

According to Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong, after the PM adopted the national digital transformation programme, many sectors have reaped significant outcomes, benefiting people and the entire economy.

Digital transformation is vital as it helps enterprises improve their business governance and adapt to the latest changes in technology, market and consumer taste, he said./.

Exports from six ASEAN countries drop only 2.2 pct despite pandemic: JETRO

Exports from six Southeast Asian countries fell 2.2 percent in 2020 from a year earlier to a combined 1.35 trillion USD, a relatively marginal decline despite COVID-19, according to data from the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

Of the six, only Vietnam posted an increase in exports for the year, up 7 percent to 282.66 billion USD, with a 5.2 percent drop to Japan more than offset by a 25.7 percent rise to the US and an 18 percent expansion to China.

Meanwhile, the Philippines logged a 10.1 percent fall in exports last year, followed by a contraction of 6 percent in Thailand, 4.1 percent in Singapore and 2.6 percent each in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The combined trade surplus of the six ASEAN members more than triple to 133.66 billion USD, as easing energy prices and shrinking domestic demand led to steeper declines in imports than exports.

Thailand’s trade surplus surged 144.5 percent, compared with an increase of 83.5 percent for Vietnam, 43.9 percent for Singapore and 25.6 percent for Malaysia.

The Philippines narrowed its trade deficit by 46.3 percent to 21.84 billion USD. Indonesia chalked up a trade surplus of 21.74 billion USD, a turnaround from a deficit of 3.6 billion USD in 2019.

Singapore accounted for 27.4 percent of the six countries’ total trade by value in 2020, followed by Vietnam at 21.3 percent, Thailand at 17.1 percent, Malaysia at 16.5 percent, Indonesia at 11.9 percent and the Philippines at 5.8 percent./.

Central Da Nang city to build duty-free zone

Da Nang’s authorities are building a detailed plan for the city’s first international duty-free zone and smart urban area for investors, with construction set to commence soon as the Import-Export Pan Pacific Group (IPPG) has asked the city to allocate land for the project.

Director of the city’s Investment Promotion Agency Huynh Thi Lien Phuong told Vietnam News that the project had been finalising the city’s first international standard downtown duty-free zone and factory outlet centre.

Lien said the city would offer the best conditions for the investor to start the project.

She said the city also planned a downtown free-duty shop at the coastal crown plaza in Ngu Hanh Son District to seek investment.

In 2019, IPPG proposed the project with an investment of 434 million USD, but an appropriate land area was yet to be offered.

In 2018, chairman of the group, Jonathan Hanh Nguyen, urged the city to build a third terminal to ease congestion and design an international standard duty-free zone and recreational area to funnel tourism towards Hoi An, Hue and Da Nang.

He said Da Nang would be a new location for a luxury shopping centre for future development and investment attraction.

Da Nang has been designing the 1,100ha Hi-Tech Park as Vietnam’s ‘Silicon Valley’ to earn revenue of 1.5 billion USD each year with 25,000 jobs and a satellite city of 100,000 people after 2023.

The US-based aviation firm Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC) put the Sunshine Aerospace Components Factory into operation in the first phase in 2020.

The Republic of Korea’s LG Electronics also debuted its research and development (R&D) centre – the second in Vietnam – at the Da Nang Information Technology Park Tower

CMC Corporation, the second-largest information and communications technology (ICT) group in Vietnam, plans to build the Da Nang-based CMC creative space – a digital hub in the Asia-Pacific region – with an estimated investment of 522 million USD.

To date, Da Nang has 876 foreign direct investment projects worth a total of 3.52 billion USD./.

More trade remedy probes predicted for Vietnamese enterprises this year

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is set to bolster action while Vietnamese enterprises have been recommended to gear up preparations as more trade remedy investigations are expected in 2021.

Vietnam’s participation in 14 free trade agreements (FTAs) has helped fuel its trading activities.

MoIT data shows that export turnover boomed from 15 billion USD in 2001 to nearly 100 billion USD in 2011 and then 281.5 billion USD in 2020. The figure is expected to rise 4-5 percent this year.

Sharing the same upward trend in exports, however, is the number of trade remedy cases instigated against Vietnamese goods.

Vietnamese exports, including major foreign currency earners like shrimp, tra fish, steel, and wooden products, have been subject to nearly 200 trade remedy cases so far.

The country has successfully dealt with about 43 percent of cases, thus ensuring the continued export of basa fish and shrimp to major markets like the US and the EU at zero percent or very low tariffs.

It has also launched 19 trade remedy probes itself into imported goods, including steel, chemicals, plastics, fertiliser, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sugar.

Chu Thang Trung, Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV), said trade remedies are appropriate policy tools that the WTO recognises and permits its members to use in international trade.

WTO figures show that more than 4,500 trade remedies have been applied by members since the organisation was established in 1995. Such measures are clearly not an abnormal phenomenon, Trung said.

Vietnam’s membership of many FTAs has sped up the removal of tariff barriers on its exports, giving its goods a greater degree of competitiveness in import markets. It has also put more pressure on producers in importing countries, forcing them to use legal trade policy tools to protect their interests, including trade remedies, the official added.

TRAV Director Le Trieu Dung said trade remedies are increasingly common and are legal measures permitted by the WTO to ensure fair competition between domestically-made goods and imported equivalents.

He pointed out that due to some countries’ trade protection policies and lingering difficulties in the global economy in 2021, the number of trade remedy investigations targeting both Vietnamese exports and imports into the country is predicted to remain high for the foreseeable future.

This will expose domestic manufacturers to new challenges, especially as key FTAs like the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will present fierce competition.

Therefore, he added, TRAV has recommended businesses equip themselves with knowledge on trade remedy regulations, particularly those of Vietnam and its export markets, while gearing up resources to cope with any trade remedies.

Pointing out certain shortcomings, experts have said the capacity of local businesses in regard to trade remedies remains modest, while there are ongoing problems in legal regulations and coordination among related agencies.

MoIT has developed a plan on improving the capacity of Vietnamese enterprises to handle trade defence measures now the country is party to many new-generation FTAs.

Experts also held, however, that enterprises themselves need to change their thinking and turn competitive pressure into momentum for reform, development, and product improvement.

Nguyen Thao Hien, Deputy Director of the MoIT’s European – American Market Department, said that to help reduce trade remedy cases, businesses should promote the manufacturing of goods for which domestic material supplies are at hand, as well as those with high added value and rich growth potential amid the pandemic, such as agricultural products, food, and medical equipment.

They must ensure strict quality control and update processing technology so as to raise the value of their products, she added.

Trade remedy investigations can be initiated by one or just a few foreign companies but they pose risks for entire sectors, analysts said, suggesting that Vietnamese firms stay updated with information and actively work with their business associations and State agencies on an effective response.

TRAV Director Dung said that this year, apart from plans on enhancing trade remedy-related capacity and coordination, the authority will also implement plans on building and operating an early warning system for trade remedies and overhaul rules of origin./.

Tens of wind power projects to be operational in Quang Tri

As many as 22 wind power projects with a combined capacity of 907 MW are set to be put into operation in the central province of Quang Tri by year end.

To meet the deadline, the locality has urged project investors to speed up the construction, while pushing ahead with the maintenance of National Highway 9 and other routes to facilitate project equipment transportation.

The local Department of Industry and Trade has also suggested the provincial People’s Committee instruct relevant agencies and units to swiftly remove bottlenecks to site clearance.

As of January, the Ministry of Industry and Trade had approved 31 wind power projects in Quang Tri to date, with an accumulative capacity of 1,177 MW, of which seven are under construction.

Earlier, Huong Linh 1 and 2 wind power projects in the province came into service, significantly contributing to local budget collection.

Apart from projects that had received the green light of the ministry, Quang Tri has tens of others that are under study with a total capacity exceeding 3,600 MW.

The locality has adopted various solutions to support businesses operating in energy in general and wind power in particular such as providing them with consultations in tax, insurance, contract, land and environment, and building the e-government.

Estimations by the ministry showed Vietnam would face a shortage of 6.6 billion kWh in 2021, 11.8 billion kWh in 2022 and 13 billion kWh in 2023. It would require a total investment of 130 billion USD in new power projects by 2030 to make up for the shortages, equivalent to 12 billion USD annually.

The country’s power demand was forecast to increase by 8.5 percent per year over the next five years and seven percent between 2026 and 2030.

Research showed Vietnam had the potential to develop around 8,000MW hydroelectricity from small plants, 20,000MW of wind power and 3,000MW of biomass power and 35,000MW of solar power by 2030./.

UKVFTA hoped to promote Vietnam’s exports

The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), which became effective on January 1, is expected to create a strong motivation pushing Vietnam forwards on the path of economic development and international integration.

According to Kenneth Atkinson, head of the British Business Group in Vietnam (Britcham), the deal will help strengthen trade and support employment, while promoting growth in both countries.

The erasing of 65 percent of the total tariff immediately after the deal takes effects and 99 percent of the tariff in 6-7 years will bring about practical benefits to British exporters of machineries, chemicals, and brandy, he held.

Along with the reduction of legal barriers as well as burden in administrative procedures in the two markets, the official said, highlighting that the UKVFTA will help observe the regulations and commitments that the two Governments and business communities have agreed on.

The deal will also ensure the increase in the trade by more than 3,000 UK businesses engaged in export activities to Vietnam, while meeting the demand for Vietnamese goods of UK customers, he said.

Atkinson asserted that the area of solar and wind power will receive priorities from the business communities and governments of both sides.

Experts held that Vietnamese products account for only 1 percent of the 700 billion USD import revenue of the UK, so Vietnam has high potential to provide more products to the promising market, including telephones, accessories, garment and textile products, footwear, seafood, wood and furniture, computers, cashew, and peppercorn.

The UK is currently the third largest trade partner of Vietnam in Europe.

Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said that the UKVFTA not only facilitates the trade of goods and services but also helps promote partnership in many other areas, including green growth and sustainable development.

As the UK has officially left the EU, which means the preferential policies that Vietnam enjoys thanks to the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will not be applied in the UK anymore, the UKVFTA has eased concern of the business community about the interruption of trade with the European country, he added./.

Vietnam targets modernity-oriented agriculture: Minister

Vietnam will continue with the building of a modernity-oriented agriculture sector with complete value chains in 2021, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

Cuong told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s reporter that such production chains will be developed on the basis of three groups of major products – the club with export revenue of at least 1 billion USD, agricultural products that are of localities’ strength like longan in northern Hung Yen province and lychee in northern Bac Giang province, and “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) goods.

Vietnam has paid attention to product quality during its international economic integration, Cuong said, stressing the significance of organic agriculture.

The sector will also take various solutions to call for the involvement of businesses, while promoting the linkages between them and farmers and cooperatives.

To attract more enterprises, the sector will further provide consultations for the Prime Minister in order to complete mechanisms and policies, as well as administrative reforms, he said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will also closely coordinate with localities to facilitate investment, the minister said, adding that greater efforts will be made to step up the formation of new-style cooperatives.

Cuong said the application of digital technology should be intensified in spheres, and the MARD will join hands with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information and Communications in this regard.

In another interview with the Dien dan Doanh nghiep (Business Forum) newspaper, Cuong said that 2020 was a year full of challenges and difficulties for Vietnam’s economy, including the agriculture sector, due to the COVID-19 crisis. The sector also had to face natural disasters, including unprecedented drought.

The growth and trade targets for the sector last year were also the highest ever, with exports set at over 41 billion USD.

However, Cuong noted, thanks to the efforts of the entire political system, ministries, sectors, localities, and economic elements, the agricultural sector managed to secure growth of about 2.65 percent and post export earnings of 41.25 billion USD, with nine groups of commodities enjoying shipments of over 10 billion USD.

The agriculture sector’s export target of 44 billion USD this year, set by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, is a high but feasible goal. Vietnam earned about 3.49 billion USD from exports of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products in January, up 27.1 percent year-on-year, data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shows.

Under a plan recently approved by the PM, Vietnam expects the annual figure to reach some 60-62 billion USD by 2030./.

Thanh Hoa looks to develop tourism into spearhead economic sector

The north-central province of Thanh Hoa has set a target of turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector by 2030.

Amid the difficulties posed by COVID-19, the province welcomed 7.3 million visitors in 2020, earning 10.394 trillion VND (over 453.6 million USD), representing 65.5 percent and 50.7 percent of targets, respectively.

Thanh Hoa’s tourism sector has posted impressive growth in recent years.

But Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thi said that its development is still not commensurate with potential.

Thanh Hoa lacks high-quality products to attract and meet the demand of international tourists, while its promotional activities remain ineffective and tourism human resources fail to meet requirements in the context of integration, he said.

According to Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Thanh Hoa needs to introduce changes to take its tourism industry forward.

It should propose that the Government allow it offer incentives for tourism investment, she said.

Attention should be paid to accelerating the implementation of priority strategies for tourism development and administrative reform, and supporting businesses towards attracting strategic investors in developing infrastructure facilities serving tourism development, especially transport infrastructure.

Thanh Hoa should also focus on enhancing its cooperation with other localities to create new tours, develop high-quality and competitive products, and promote digital transformation and the application of information technologies in tourism activities./.

Kien Giang eyes 60-100 million USD in FDI over next five years

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has set its sights on pulling in 60-100 million USD worth of FDI over the next five years, according to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chin.

It will focus its efforts on fulfilling plans on medium-term public investment and socio-economic development in 2021-2025, striving to attract 40 to 50 FDI projects with registered investment of 60-100 million USD in total, Chin said.

It aims for local social investment to reach 48 trillion VND (2.07 billion USD) this year.

The province has been accelerating communications campaigns on its strengths, potential, and investment incentives to attract both domestic and foreign investors.

Priority is being given to numerous areas, including road infrastructure; river ports; sea ports; electricity; water supply; solid waste treatment; renewable energy; infrastructure development in industrial parks and clusters; fishing, aquaculture and fish processing; intensive farming and industrial agriculture; supporting industries; tourism; services; education; and high-quality healthcare.

It also wants to attract large-scale projects with advanced technologies in high-tech agriculture and food processing.

Cooperation with ministries and government agencies will be stepped up to take part in investment promotion events in major partners such as the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, and the US, as well as those who are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

The province will also increase dialogue with local businesses and investors to help them tackle any difficulties and create an open and fair business climate.

Kien Giang is calling for investment in 144 projects in priority fields. It has to date granted in-principle approval and investment licenses to 49 projects with total investment of 22.66 trillion VND.

The Mekong Delta province welcomed 206 projects during the 2016-20 period, including 22 foreign projects with nearly 133 trillion VND in total capital./.

Outlook positive for Vietnam’s retail market

Despite a raft of difficulties facing Vietnam’s retail market, economists and insiders are still optimistic about the outlook for the sector in the time ahead, according to the Vietnam Report JSC.

In a recent survey, Vietnam Report found that nearly 42 percent of Vietnamese retail companies have been seriously impacted by COVID-19, while half said the impact has not been too serious and 8 percent experienced only minor effects.

Many people have had to cut their spending after becoming jobless or having their wages reduced due to the pandemic. Retail companies, meanwhile, have had to face a shortage of capital and disrupted supply chains.

However, Vu Dang Vinh, General Director of Vietnam Report, said economists and insiders remain optimistic about the sector’s outlook.

In following COVID-19 prevention and control regulations, many consumers have opted for online shopping, convenience stores, shopping centres, and supermarkets, rather than traditional markets.

Vinh pointed to the increased popularity of multi-channel marketing, both online and in-person, while adding that thanks to quick changes, many retail businesses, including giants like Lotte Mart, have posted online sales growth of 100 to 200 percent, especially in Hanoi and HCM City.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are also expected to boom in Vietnam’s retail market in the time ahead, he said, explaining that more than 60 percent of local retailers are of small and medium-size and have significant demand for capital, so are ready to enter into partnerships.

Analysts also said the mini-supermarket model has proven superior amid the pandemic, as it can limit large gatherings.

Retailers have therefore poured more investment into this model while introducing more changes to better meet customer demand./.

Tra Vinh-based business promotes coconut product export

An enterprise based in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has been stepping up the export of coconut shell activated carbon and other coconut products as a way to benefit the company itself and local farmers.

Between January 1 and February 10, the Tra Bac Joint Stock Corporation (TRABACO) shipped more than 900 tonnes of coconut shell activated carbon to various markets, including the US, the UK, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Peru, Ecuador, Israel, and China.

General Director of the firm Huynh Khac Nhu said his company has inked a number of contracts with both new and existing partners since the year’s beginning, with 2,000 tonnes of coconut shell activated carbon to be delivered between now and June 2021.

TRABACO’s activated carbon, used for air purification, gold refining, electroplating, and odor control in different industries, meets environmental and health safety standards, thus winning over trust from many domestic and foreign businesses and consumers, he noted.

The product has been exported to more than 30 countries and territories in around the world.

Apart from coconut shell activated carbon, the company also produces and exports others made from coconut like coir carpets, dried coconut shreds, and frozen coconut milk.

To improve product quality and ensure stable material supply, it has contracted farmers to develop a 300ha organic coconut farming zone in Tieu Can district and partnered with a local agricultural cooperative in coconut purchase.

Nhu added these are initial steps in the firm’s plan to form a zone of clean material supply, which will help promote TRABACO’s product quality as well as income for farmers in Tra Vinh province./.

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/SGGP/VOV/NDO/Dtinews/SGT/VIR

Creating a painting on the theme of 12 zodiac sign is said to be a challenge for many generations of Vietnamese artists every spring. Such paintings are often created at the end of the old year, during which the artist will paint the zodiac sign of the upcoming year to convey their wishes and hopes for new year.

Two months ahead the lunar New Year festival 2021 – the Year of the Buffalo, many artists have posted their works featuring the buffalo on social network and their personal Facebook pages, including Le Tri Dung, Nguyen Thi Mai, Tao Linh and Lam Thanh.

Others gather in groups to show off their works to their friends and art colleagues. Members of Ca Phe Bui (Street Coffee) group, which is comprised of seven veteran artists, partnered with two other clubs, Son Tay Fine Arts Club and the Mach Ngam group, to host a joint event in mid-December 2020 at Son Tay Ancient Citadel in the outskirts of Hanoi to create artworks on the theme of the buffalo.

The event has been held since 2016, the Year of the Rooster. In 2017, the Year of the Dog, the artists’ paintings were introduced to visitors at an exhibition at the Hanoi Old Quarter Cultural Exchange Centre, 50 Dao Duy Tu Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

“It is interesting that we have never ever run out of ideas nor creativity while working with the signs of zodiac,” said Kieu Hai, a member of the Street Coffee group.

The theme of zodiac signs provides an opportunity for artists to review their art activities throughout the year and challenge themselves with a theme that never gets old.

There will be a total of 500 seats in the 15th National Assembly at both central and local levels, according to a new resolution adopted by the National Assembly Standing Committee.

Minister promises greatest efforts to ensure safety in COVID-19 vaccinations

The Ministry of Health will mobilise all resources to carry out COVID-19 vaccinations, the largest-ever vaccination programme, so as to ensure absolute safety for people, Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has said.

Long chaired a teleconference which was organised on March 6 and connected with 700 places across Vietnam to launch the vaccination plan and provide related training for medical workers nationwide in the use and storage of the vaccine, as well as the treatment of post-injection complications.

He informed the teleconference that the vaccination programme will start on March 8, although the first batch of vaccine arrived in Vietnam on February 24.

“As the vaccine is new, we need to carry out thoroughly,” Long said, adding that Vietnam has to obtain an accreditation certificate from the producer and reassess the safety index of the batch of vaccine.

Because of the limited number of vaccine, the ministry cannot allocate for all 63 provinces and cities, but for 13 pandemic-hit localities, with priority given to Hai Duong province – Vietnam’s largest outbreak at present, he added.

The minister asked localities which have yet to receive the vaccine to prepare and make training programmes as the ministry will allocate vaccines to them when more are transported to Vietnam in March.

COVAC and AstraZeneca have agreed to provide 30 million doses each for Vietnam this year, the minister said, adding the ministry asked the producers to hand over the vaccines to Vietnam before September and is negotiating with Pfizer to buy an additional 30 million doses from this producer.

The ministry has assigned three deputy ministers to be responsible for directing the vaccinations as this kind of vaccine is injected for the first time and injected for adults.

Vietnam will conduct screening check-ups before infections to ensure safety, although the process takes more time. The first injections, he went on, will be given to people working on the front line of the fight against COVID-19, including health, army, police, customs and immigration personnel.

People getting the shots will be monitored via digital health records and receive e-certificates for their completion of inoculation./.

FPT Telecom to screen Russian animated films in Vietnam

Russian animation studio Soyuzmultfilm on March 5 said it has sealed a deal with a Vietnamese partner – FPT Telecom – on licensing the screening of its five new animated series in Vietnam.

The deal is the first of its kind between the two sides.

Accordingly, the series, namely The Secrets of Honey Hills, The Adventures of Peter and Wolf, Prostokvashino, Mr Theo, Cat & Dog, Captain Kraken and his Crew, and Pirates’ School, will be broadcasted in the Vietnamese language via FPT’s television services.

FPT Telecom is a subsidiary of FPT Corporation, one of the biggest telecommunications service providers in Vietnam./.

HCM City has 900 medical workers to get first COVID-19 vaccine shots

Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health announced on March 6 that 900 staff members of the municipal Hospital for Tropical Diseases will be the first in the southern region to be injected with AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on March 8.

The selected medical personnel are those directly contacting with, treating, or caring for people classified as risky sources of COVID-19 transmission.

The hospital is chosen as it performs inoculations for people against communicable diseases on a daily basis, thus having experienced human resources for the work. Meanwhile, since the beginning of pandemic, the hospital has been a core establishment for treating severe cases and sent staff to support other COVID-19 treatment facilities in the city and the central region.

On March 5, the municipal Department of Health submitted to the Ministry of Health’s General Department of Preventive Medicine a list of the southern economic hub’s nine prioritised groups for the first COVID-19 vaccinations.

Vaccinations using the recently imported AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to begin in Vietnam on March 8, according to the Ministry of Health./.

Campaign “For Women’s Smiles” launched

The Vietnam Women’s Union, the Institute for Development & Community Health (LIGHT), and the UN Women in Vietnam jointly organised an virtual programme to celebrate the International Women’s Day (March 8) and launch the campaign “For Women’s Smiles” in Hanoi, central Thua Thien-Hue province, and Ho Chi Minh City on March 6.

The campaign “For Women’s Smiles” aims to honour unyielding efforts of Vietnamese women to overcome difficulties and challenges, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, to contribute to the nation’s development and prosperity.

With the companionship of scientists, artists and social activists, it hopes to encourage the aspirations to rise up, the will to overcome difficulties, the desire to learn and the creativity of women.

The campaign also creates a space for women to expand the use of information technology, exchange information towards women’s happiness and promote gender equality./.

Facebook launches #SheForVietnam programme to empower Vietnamese women

Facebook will launch #SheForVietnam – a programme for Vietnamese women who are creating miracles every day on social networks on March 6 in efforts to affirm its commitment to supporting Vietnamese women in the digital era.

#SheForVietnam is designed to connect and inspire women’s communities, encourage and empower them to dream big and live life to the fullest.

The programme’s first pillar – #SheInspires is an online roundtable to honour and inspire women that stand up to help others and spread positive energy. There will be some popular faces in the event, those represent millions of other Vietnamese women creating magic every day thanks to the power of social networks: singer Thủy Tiên, Miss Universe Vietnam H’Hen Niê, actress Sam, social activist Chung Vũ Thanh Uyên – Mina Chung, CEO of Ru9 Company Limited Đặng Thùy Trang, Founder – CEO of the Women’s Initiative for Startups and Entrepreneurship (WISE) Từ Thu Hiền and Nam Nguyễn, Entertainment Partnership Lead, Vietnam, Facebook.

“In Việt Nam, women contributed 62 per cent of the total amount fundraised on Facebook in 2020. We have seen the positive impact that women have been able to create in their communities by sharing their voices across our platform, which becomes our motivation to continue our commitment to support women in Việt Nam. We hope #SheForVietnam can empower Vietnamese women to pursue their dreams and improve their life’s value, making more impact for the community,” said Nam Nguyen, Entertainment Partnership Lead, Vietnam, Facebook.

Hosted by Actress Sam, the event will unveil stories about how those successful women leverage the power of a social network to inspire people, especially the women’s community. The live roundtable #SheInspires will take place at 20:00 on March 6, 2021 on Facebook app Vietnam and Yeah1’s page system as well as a series of other popular pages from Đất Việt, Điền Quân, MCV, YAN, Multimedia, Orion Media, BHD, Unimedia, BH Media and POPs.

“I am very honoured to be a part of Facebook’s #SheInspires programme. Through this talk show, I had a chance to listen to the stories of women who could be both successful entrepreneurs and loving housewives, and an opportunity to bring my own stories to inspire women all over Việt Nam. I believe that if all of us join hands together with the support of social networks, our efforts will help spread women’s voices to the community,” said H’Hen Niê.

Women’s development and gender equality have always been Facebook’s top priorities for the past few years. In Việt Nam, Facebook has implemented many initiatives to support women in economic development, especially #SheMeansBusiness programme. This year celebrates the 5th anniversary of this programme, with more than 20,700 businesswomen in more than 50 cities trained through the programme’s online and offline workshops. #SheMeansBusiness has helped equip aspiring and established women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, connections and technology required to build and grow businesses in the digital age.

Master plans built to promote efficient use of marine space, resources

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hosted an online conference on March 4 discussing the building of a national marine space plan and a master plan on the exploitation and sustainable use of coastal resources in 2021-2030 and vision to 2045.

According to General Director of the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI) Ta Dinh Thi, the multidisciplinary plans are being developed under an integrated and ecosystem-based approach, serving the orientation and establishment of plans for using marine space and resolving inadequacies in marine use, thereby balancing economic development, national defence and security, and marine ecosystem protection.

The master plans are prepared on the basis of integrating national master plans relating to the sea, with adjustments made to address conflicting and overlapping issues in the maritime space. They cover coastal areas, islands, archipelagos, territorial waters, and airspace under Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.

The national marine space plan aims to ensure the efficient exploitation and sustainable use of marine resources and islands on the basis of a harmonious combination of socio-economic development and environmental protection, defence and security, and foreign affairs and international cooperation in coastal areas, islands, archipelagos, territorial waters, and airspace under Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the master plan on the exploitation and sustainable use of coastal resources in 2021-2030 with a vision to 2045 covers coastal waters to an outer boundary of about 6 nautical miles from the coast and the coastal areas of communes, wards, and towns in 28 coastal provinces and centrally-run cities. However, to ensure the integrity of important ecosystems and habitats, and to pay due attention to strong interaction between the mainland and seas, the reach of the coastal space in some areas may be extended further towards both the mainland and the sea.

This plan aims at the overall goal of managing, exploiting, and efficiently using natural resources, serving sustainable socio-economic development, climate change adaptation, and the safeguarding of national defence and security along the coast.

Addressing the conference, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Minh Ngan spoke highly of VASI’s efforts in preparing these master plans.

The plans cover a number of new issues to be mentioned for the first time, he stressed, and so require the coordination of relevant ministries, sectors, and localities.

He also emphasised the importance of selecting consultation units and consulting ministries, sectors, localities, and experts and scientists on these plans./.

French artist to host exhibition at Vin Gallery

French artist Frederic Dialynas Sanchez will show his work at an art exhibition titled “La Mémoire Dans la Peau” (The Memory in the Skin) at Vin Gallery on March 12.

The exhibition will showcase his new works reflecting his personal journey to explore Vietnamese heritage, and the people’s memories and life decades after war.

Sanchez, 38, graduated from the Lyon National School Fine Arts. He has worked in Asia and Europe.

He hosted his first solo exhibition in Hà Nội in 2006. He has participated in numerous exhibitions in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the US, China and Japan.

The exhibition will close on April 29. The gallery is at 11 Street 55 in District 2.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau looking to have all communes recognised as new-style rural areas

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has set a goal of having all of its communes recognised as new-style rural areas this year.

Under the National Target Programme on New Rural Development 2021, the province will pool together over 4.48 trillion VND (194 million USD), more than 1.47 trillion VND of which will come from the State budget, over 1.75 trillion VND from credit sources, more than 450.4 billion VND from businesses, and the remainder from the public.

Six more communes are expected to meet the criteria for new rural development, bringing the total to 45, or 100 percent.

The province will also strive to see that Phu My township, Chau Duc district and also Xuyen Moc district meet the criteria.

All 45 of its communes have recorded a rate of poor households below 0.09 percent and an employment rate of above 90 percent. They have also met the criteria in terms of clean water supply, culture, and education.

Localities have focused on high-tech agricultural production in tandem with food safety, and a number of linkage models between farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises have proven effective.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau has also targeted becoming a new-style rural province by 2025, with Long Dien and Dat Do districts together with 35 of its 45 communes achieving the enhanced criteria for such a status and 14 communes being recognised as model new-style rural areas./.

Tien Giang stepping up administrative reform to foster socio-economic development

The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is making efforts to speed up administrative reform, which has so far proven effective in boosting its socio-economic development.

The comment was made at an online conference reviewing the intensification of administrative reform and the application of information technology (IT) in Tien Giang’s State offices during 2020, which was chaired by Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Vinh on March 4.

According to assessments from the committee, administrative reform has been carried out effectively by all local departments and sectors, and administrative discipline gradually put in order.

The province has focused on building e-government and posted positive results.

2020 was the fourth year Tien Giang implemented the “Application of information technology in State offices” emulation movement. All local offices have used software to receive and handle documents, and applied the province’s “single window” software to receive, handle, and return documents.

Vinh asked leaders of units and localities to continue stepping up administrative reform and IT application at State offices, as such reform is a key task set out in the resolution from the provincial Party Committee’s 11th Congress.

To make activities effective, heads of offices and units should raise their sense of responsibility and improve workplace culture to create a civilised environment, he stressed./.

Saigon Outcast to host Mediterranean food fest

The outdoor bar Saigon Outcast will host the first Mediterranean Food Festival in HCM City on March 27.

The festival will offer a wide range of Mediterranean and Middle East food such as falafel (chickpea fritter), lamb, baba ganoush (roasted eggplant dip), kebabs and more.

The event will include a live band, belly dancers, games, local vendors, kid’s zone, climbing, and skate bowl.

The festival will take place from 12pm – 11pm at 188/1 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng Street in District 2. Admission fee is VNĐ30,000.

Mekong Delta intensifies measures to prevent forest fires

Authorities in the Mekong Delta have stepped up measures to prevent forest fires as the region enters the peak dry season.

Earlier, at the beginning of the ongoing dry season, provinces took various measures to protect forests like dredging canals to store more water and mobilising human resources and facilities to monitor fires.

They undertook advocacy activities to raise public awareness of forest protection and prevention of fires.

In Cà Mau Provinice, the provincial People’s Committee is ordering relevant departments and agencies to have in place sufficient personnel and facilities to promptly discover fires and extinguish them.

The province has 110,000ha of forests, including 66,539ha of saltwater mangrove forests, 43,195ha of brackish – water mangrove forests (U Minh Hạ forests) and 716ha on islands.

The U Minh Hạ forests and those on islands usually face a high fire risk in the dry season, according to the province’s Forest Protection Sub-department.

Rangers are thus tightening checks to prevent the illegal entry of people to harvest honey and poach since their activities can cause forest fires.

Some 8,500ha of forests in the U Minh Hạ National Park face fire risk level 1.

Huỳnh Minh Nguyên, director of the park, said a part of the forests would face risk level 2 in the next two weeks.

After Tết (the Lunar New Year), which fell on February 12 this year, canals in the park have been dredged to store water for firefighting, he said.

“The national park has sufficient human resources to monitor forests to promptly cope with fires.”

In the 8,535ha U Minh Thượng National Park in Kiên Giang Province’s U Minh Thượng District, 1,115ha face a severe threat of fire.

Trần Văn Thắng, its deputy director, said the park has built a digital map showing water resources, transport and access to areas that face fire risk.

Some 1.4 million cubic metres of water have been pumped into key areas and high ground for firefighting.

The park has cleared obstacles from 72km of canals and 25 roads in high-risk forests to improve access.

It has set up four groups with 6 – 10 people each to monitor high-risk areas around the clock.

It has strengthened advocacy activities to raise awareness among people living close to forests about protection and fire prevention.

In Hậu Giang Province’s Phụng Hiệp District, Lung Ngọc Hoàng Nature Reserve has upgraded sluices and dams, dredged canals and mobilised personnel to fight possible fires in 2,805ha of forests.

Lư Xuân Hội, director of the reserve, said cameras have been installed in three watch towers for monitoring fires.

The reserve is working closely with other relevant agencies at the provincial and district levels to monitor forests. It has had no fires in the last 18 years.

In An Giang Province, mountainous districts like Tri Tôn and Thoại Sơn have taken measures to mitigate the risk of fires.

Tri Tôn has more than 8,400ha of forests of which, 4,406ha, including 2,550ha in mountainous areas, face a severe threat of fire, according to relevant authorities.

The district has stepped up propaganda about forest protection regulations and the monitoring of forests and the task of preventing fires.

People managing forest have created fire breaks in forests, set up watch towers and stored water for firefighting.

The delta has 347,000ha of forests, mostly mangrove and cajuput.

Ao Dai – Vietnamese cultural heritage

Every country in the world has traditional outfits that contain its unique cultural essence. In Vietnam, though there are no official documents indicating that the ao dai (traditional long dress) is the national outfit, in the minds of many, especially international friends, it is considered a symbol of Vietnamese culture.

It is also because of her love for the ao dai that designer Minh Hanh devoted all of her fashion career to honouring the traditional dress. Promoting, introducing, and acting as general director of ao dai festivals, Hanh also considers it is her responsibility, together with researchers and other designers, to make the ao dai an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Miss Vietnam 2010 Ngoc Han also identified her role in preserving and promoting national culture when choosing to research and design an ao dai for her career development. As a young designer, Ngoc Han puts her soul into her ao dai, using traditional natural materials and contributing to a woman’s beauty.

Vietnamese women do not need to spend much time putting on an ao dai to show off their charm and elegance. The ao dai has found a place in the daily lives of Vietnamese women, becoming part of the country’s spirit and identity./.

Art exhibition inspired from poems by late poet Đặng Đình Hưng

Painter Lê Thiết Cương will open his newest exhibition on March 12 at L’Espace, 24 Tràng Tiền Street.

Entitled Một Bến Lạ (An Unknown River) after the poetry collection by late poet Đặng Đình Hưng, the exhibition will present Cương’s work made from 2007 to the present inspired by the poems.

More than 30 artworks created on different materials such as pastel on poonah paper, oil on canvas and pottery will be on display.

Earlier, in January, the launch of the poetry collection An Unknown River was hosted by the French Cultural Centre (L’Espace) to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of the poet (1924-1990) who was central to the country’s poetry development. The book comprises six poems, as well as 20 small paintings and writings, about the poet and his poems by poets and researchers Hoàng Cầm, Hoàng Hưng and Đỗ Lai Thúy.

The exhibition will open to the public from 6pm, March 12 until April 4.

Localities ordered to work harder on child education, protection

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) has issued a document on implementing child care, education and protection in 2021, requesting localities to raise responsibilities and take more comprehensive and drastic measures to protect children.

The document states that 2021 is the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and many socio-economic development plans in various fields, including the national action programme for children for 2021 – 2030.

The MoLISA asked the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to build, promulgate, and organise the implementation of resolutions, programmes, schemes and plans of all sectors and localities, aiming to well perform the child care, education and protection in line with the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; the Law on Children; resolutions, directives and decisions of the National Assembly (NA) and the Government; and programmes and projects on children in the 2021 – 2025 period, with a vision to 2030.

Accordingly, Party committees and local authorities at all levels were ordered to raise awareness and responsibility, especially of heads, in directing, managing and implementing the Party’s guidelines, and the State’s policies and laws on children’s rights; solving issues related to children, child right violations; and preventing and minimising children’s vulnerability to risks of harm and injury.

Localities need to ensure State management on children, human resources for the work, and allocate local budgets for implementing targets and solutions of the national action programme for children for 2021 – 2030, and local programmes and plans for children.

The People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities were asked to focus on improving and developing child protection service systems, maintaining and expanding models of child protection and care, regularly supervising the implementation of laws, policies, programmes, schemes and plans on children, developing database on children, collecting information and statistics on children, and connecting child database with relevant data systems.

Attention will be paid to promoting interdisciplinary coordination in implementing the child work, and solutions to ensure safe living environment, prevent child sexual abuse, exploitation and violence, and injury accidents, especially drowning.

New playground set up in Đong Anh Town

A playground for children will open in Đông Anh Town today with support of the European Union and the British Council (BC).

The project, Sân Chơi Nỏ Thần, or Magic CrossBow Playground, is implemented by the BC and the Việt Nam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

The playground is built 5km from the ancient Cổ Loa Citadel with the magic crossbow legend that has been woven into the history of Vietnamese people.

“Ruins, history, legends of kings and his men, prince and princess, trust and betrayal, the rich history of Đông Anh is the source of  limitless inspiration,” said artist Trần Nguyễn Ưu Đàm who came up with the project’s artistic concept.

“We play to live a richer and more fulfilled life. The combination of those two ideas is the realisation of this Magic CrossBow playground.

“Life is a big playground where we are constantly moving in and out of history, living with, playing in, hiding and seeking in those ruins and myths,” said the artist.

The image of a giant Magic CrossBow in four parts scattered around like a ruin reflects the reality of Cổ Loa Citadel, parts hidden and parts visible at different places in the area.

When climbing in and out of the Magic Crossbow, the creators hope the history of the Âu Lạc Kingdom and its lessons will be kept alive.

This playground was created with the collaboration of Think Playgrounds Social Enterprise, artist Ưu Đàm,  the Đông Anh Women’s Union and the community of Neighbourhood 3 in Đông Anh Town.

During the design and construction process, local residents contributed their ideas.

They have also contributed financial resources and will manage the playground going forward.

Think Playgrounds builds playgrounds, community gardens and improving public spaces that are friendly and safe with communities throughout Việt Nam.

Since 2014, Think Playgrounds has built nearly 200 public playgrounds and community gardens and organised more than 30 campaign events to raise awareness of the community about the role of play for the comprehensive development of children.

HCMC preparing for construction of Metro Line 2: Ben Thanh – Tham Luong

Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong) is one of the longest, with the length of 48km. The first phase, which is 11.2km long is to answer the traveling needs of residents in HCMC from the downtown to the Northwest area and vice versa. It is also the foundation for other similar modern urban railways built in the future.

Head of Division No.2 in the Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) Le Van khoa reported that premise clearance for Metro Line 2 construction project has reached over 75 percent, with nearly 100 percent of legal procedure completed.

The districts of Tan Phu, 10, and 12 basically finish their premise clearance task, while the People’s Committee of districts 1, 3, and Tan Binh keep mobilizing related residents to clear the site for this important project.

In 2021, MAUR is going to prepare necessary building facilities for the project and reestablish residential infrastructure (water supply, sewage system, electric grid, green space, street lighting, traffic signs) for the public needs.

At the moment, MAUR is promoting the bidding process for construction and monitoring packages in the period of 2021-2022, followed by the building of the main parts in the project from 2022. In particular, the two packages of CP3a and CP3b (tunnels and underground stations) are to be started then.

From 2023-2024, the design, digging and construction of station walls will be kicked off, with the priority for Station 7 at Bay Hien Intersection and Station 10 on Pham Van Bach Street. Premises will be cleared to have sufficient space to site 4 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). These machines will be used from 2024 to dig from Station 7 to Station 1 (Ben Thanh) and Station 5 (Le Thi Rieng).

From 2025-2026, work will be done to complete all underground stations. Simultaneously, the digging and foundation treatment at Tham Luong Depot will be carried out, along with the construction of the transition structure from the underground to elevated section, the viaduct, elevated Station 11 (Tan Binh), the infrastructure at Tham Luong Depot.

The detailed design of the electromechanical items in the system like cars, signal information, 110kV power stations, depot devices, and the control center will be introduced in 2026 as well, followed by a technical test at the end of that year.

For the project to smoothly launch, MAUR is working with sponsors to use the technical support capital by Asian Development Bank (ADB) to hire professional consultants for the bidding of CS2B package since the Credit Institute for Reconstruction (or Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau – KFW) is not able to prepare this amount.

At present, MAUR is discussing with IC Consultation certain conditions before formally negotiating the main content of the Appendix for Contract No.13.

At the same time, after receiving instruction from the Ministry of Construction about applying transition regulations in updating the package’s estimated cost, MAUR requested the appraisal board to adjust corresponding guidelines to become the foundation for next steps.

MAUR also suggested the HCMC Department of Planning and Investment should help HCMC People’s Committee to prepare the response to the Ministry of Planning and Investment about the status of using capital from KFW, ADB, and European Investment Bank (EIB); and to ask for an extension of loans from KFW.

The HCMC Department of Finance stated that there is no ground for HCMC People’s Committee to allocate the state regular disposable budget to MAUR in order to hire legal consultation for urban railway projects.

Therefore, MAUR asked that HCMC People’s Committee at least allow MAUR to hire legal consultation service for contract negotiation and management regarding construction packages of Metro Line 2, with fee taken from the reciprocal capital of the project.

The design appraisal and approval procedure will be delivered soon by the HCMC Department of Construction.

HCMC continues running pilot project in solving administrative cases online

Ho Chi Minh City will continue running the pilot project of online dialogues in solving administrative cases.

Additionally, the municipal People’s Committee directed related agencies and departments, the chairman of Thu Duc City and local administrations in coordination with people’s courts at two levels to implement the project effectively.

Before, the Supreme People’s Court in HCMC in September approved the pilot project of people’s courts at two levels from January 1, 2021 till January 1, 2022.

The municipal People’s Committee also assigned the Department of Information and Communications in cooperation with the Department of Justice, police force and related competent agencies to research on the regulations of administrative judiciary and the Law on Cybersecurity proposing punishments on those participating in litigation relating to recording and filming to post on social network and media.

Hanoi to cleanse polluted rivers

Hanoi authorities will flush the polluted To Lich and Nhue rivers with the water from the Red River in an attempt to improve the water quality.

On March 4, Hoang Cao Thang, deputy head of the Department of Construction confirmed at a meeting that they were planning to flush the To Lich and Nhue rivers.

“The water will be taken from the Red River. We’ll set up eight pump stations for this,” he said.

According to Thang, the project is in accordance with the city’s urban planning and there is no need to build a separate plan for this. This will be added to the sewage plan for the area on the left bank of Nhue River.

Also at the meeting, Colonel Pham Duc Thang, deputy head of the environmental police force in Hanoi said Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Vuong Dinh Hue had directed them to open an investigation into rubbish collecting and treatment violations after public concerns were raised. They have tightened monitoring over the rubbish collecting, transporting and treatment at Nam Son and Xuan Son dumping sites.

“The investigation is still on-going. We’ll make a public announcement if there is any result,” he said.

Ethnic-minority students benefit from STEM education

Lùng Thị Hoài, a Nùng ethnic minority student of Nàn Sán Secondary School, uses equipment to show off electric fireworks she and her peers made to celebrate the 2021 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) festival in Si Ma Cai District, the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai.

STEM is an approach to learning and development that integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Students are expected to develop their skills through STEM education including problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, decision making and acceptance of failure.

Hundreds of students in the district have benefited from STEM education.

This was the first year the STEM festival had been held in the district – one of the poorest districts of the country after the provincial Department of Education and Training Department issued a document to instruct the implementation of STEM education in secondary schools in September 2020.

Nguyễn Thị Kiều Oanh, head of the district’s Education and Training Office, said officials of the department had visited many localities to plan the festival.

The festival was not only a chance for the students to show off the electric firework device but also run toy cars on race tracks using kinetic energy, Khoa học và Phát Triển (Science and Development) online newspaper reported.

Also at the festival, the office invited two students in Lý Tự Trọng Secondary School in the province’s Lào Cai City to operate a robot, programmed by them, Oanh said.

The two students won the first prize in the robotics competition in the north, held by the Central Youth Union in November 2020, she added.

Oanh said the office wanted students in Nàn Sán Secondary School to do more in the next festivals, such as programming robots like the students in Lý Tự Trọng Secondary School in Lào Cai City did.

To do that, the office plans to hold a training course for programming robots for both teachers and students in a total of eight schools in the district this month, she said.

The training course will be organised with the support of teachers in Lào Cai City and the STEM Alliance, she said.

Established in 2015, the STEM Alliance – an organisation dedicated to connecting volunteers participating in STEM promotion activities – has trained some 10,000 general teachers about STEM education and helped establish more than 500 STEM clubs across the country, especially in rural areas.

The alliance also plays an important role in organising six National STEM Festivals and five Open Math Festivals.

The district administration issued Project No 04- DA/HU on July 31, 2020, on improving the quality of education and training for 2020-25. The project aims to promote STEM education at all schools in the district.

The move came under the goal of STEM universal education of the provincial education sector.

Over the past five years, the provincial education sector has conducted many STEM education training programmes for thousands of teachers.

The education sector has also set up STEM advisory groups for all levels of the education sector to build a formal system of STEM education.

To do that, the provincial education sector has received support from experienced STEM educators such as Đặng Văn Sơn of Hà Nội National University, Hoàng Vân Đông of Electricity University, Dương Tuấn Hưng of Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology, Lê Chí Ngọc and Hàn Huy Dũng of Hà Nội University of Technology.

Children group helps keep Danang clean

A group of children in Danang City are collecting scrap metal as a way to protect the environment.

The children in the environment club often gather together on Sundays. Their leader is Pham Cong Luong, born in 1956, party secretary of Binh Phuoc 1 Residential Area.

According to Luong, he has always been concerned about environmental problems where he was living and tried to set an example by collecting rubbish on the street when he did morning exercises or when he was going out. Then in 2018, a rubbish collecting movement was initiated by Luong to raise funds for the children and poor families in Binh Phuoc. It received a positive response from the locals.

The children rubbish collecting club was set up in early 2019. The club includes several children age between 6 to 12 who want to raise awareness about environmental protection and raise funds for disadvantaged families. As of now, the club has a total of 34 members and many contributors.

“We have to teach the children because they will be the pioneers who lead others,” Luong said.

Ever since the club was set up, the local families have been actively classified their rubbish and placed them in front of their house for the children to collect. The rubbish was brought to the gathering location and classified again by volunteers.

9-year-old Cao Hoang Phuc Thinh said, “I think our club is meaningful and help make our area cleaner so I felt good to come there every weekend.”

12-year-old Le Anh Thu said, “It’s not just the weekends, now, whenever I saw litter on the street, I’ll always pick it up and put it in the bin.”

The club has earned nearly VND100m (USD4,300) up until now. The money was used as rewards for children with good academic results and to organise sports events for the children. After Covid-19 broke out, the club sent 290kg of rice to 29 disadvantaged cases. They also used the money to buy gifts for disabled and orphan children on Tet Holiday and other special occasions.

Royal sisters movie gets release date after pandemic delay

The fifth edition in a series of chick-flick movies will be released in cinemas nationwide next week, after being delayed due to the COVID-19 resurgence earlier this year.

Gái Già Lắm Chiêu V – Những Cuộc Đời Vương Giả (Camellia Sisters – Living Like Royalty) will premiere on March 12, a month after the original date of February 12, the first lunar day of the Year of the Ox.

With the pandemic controlled in much of Viet Nam, the producer MAR6 Pictures feels ready to release the movie in cinemas safely.

“Changing the film release date was a difficult decision because it disturbed the original plan, but we want to keep the audience safe and decide to delay until the viewers can safely go to the theatre to enjoy the movie,” said director Bảo Nhân.

Gái Già Lắm Chiêu V – Những Cuộc Đời Vương Giả is the fifth edition of the chick-flick series called Gái Già Lắm Chiêu (The Tricky Ladies) that was launched in 2016 by young directors Bảo Nhân and Nam Cito.

The third edition on the relationship between a woman and her mother-in-law, played by Lê Khanh and Lan Ngọc, recorded revenue of VND165 billion (US$7 million) and is one of the top 10 highest-grossing Vietnamese films of all time.

The fifth edition features late actor Hoàng Dũng in the role of wealthy Vĩnh Nghị. The film was the last he took part in before dying on February 14 from blood cancer.

Director Bảo Nhân said during the filming period, Dũng endured pain to complete the scenes. His first segment in the film was on Thiên An Hill, requiring Hoàng Dũng to ride a bicycle for many hours at night. After the filming was done, he gasped due to exhaustion.

The main filming location was a white tea garden within an ancient villa and cost more than VND2 billion ($87,000) to set up the European-style garden.

The movie was also filmed in many famous destinations in Huế in an effort to promote the beauty of local culture, tourism as well as the history of the city.

Lan Ngọc, the main actress of the previous editions, will make a come back in the fifth edition. Photo Facebook Gái Già Lắm Chiêu

Camellia Sisters – Living Like Royalty focuses on the three Lý sisters belonging to the Huế aristocracy. Three famous actresses, Lê Khanh, Hồng Vân and Kaity Nguyễn, play the three sisters.

People’s Artist Lê Khanh plays Lý Lệ Hà – the scheming eldest sister in the family with a long history of collecting antiques. To look different from her role as the mother-in-law Thái Tuyết Mai in the third edition, she cut her long hair that she had grown for more than 20 years.

People’s Artist Hồng Vân, as the second eldest sister Lý Lệ Hồng is talkative, seemingly carefree but knows a lot of family secrets. She also starred in the third edition.

Kaity Nguyễn, after the big success of Tiệc Trăng Máu (Blood Moon Party) is the youngest sister, Lý Linh.

With such a lineup of big names on the silver screen, the movie is anticipated to be a bit hit and possibly surpass the success of the third edition.

Argentinean press updated on Vietnam’s political situation, socio-economic affairs

The Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina on March 5 held a meeting with local press agencies to inform them about Vietnam’s political situation and socio-economic development as well as culture and tourism potential.

Among media outlets attended the event were major and mainstream press agencies like TV Publica, national news agency Telam, and newspapers Clarin, Ambito Internacional, Resumen Latinoamericano, Acercando Naciones and IP Noticias.

Participating reporters were given an insight into Vietnam’s recent affairs, particularly the country’s successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic and the outstanding outcomes of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam which outlined the country’s development goals and orientations for the coming time.

Reporters said they were impressed by the country’s encouraging progress in recent years and hope to further contribute to the enhancement of the Vietnam-Argentina comprehensive cooperation in the future.

The event also featured a presentation on Vietnam’s tourism potential and a screening of video clips on its economic outlook this year./.

Book on 70-year Vietnam-Russia relations debuts

A book featuring 70-year Vietnam-Russia relations compiled by Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh was publicly introduced at a ceremony held by the embassy in Moscow on March 5.

Attending the ceremony were representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federation Council, State Duma, administrations of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and other localities, as well as local scholars, people and Vietnamese expatriates.

Speaking at the event, Manh said the book is a gift of gratitude for leaders, people, and readers of the two countries, which, he said, shared a traditional friendship of closeness, trust, mutual understanding and support during the war time and in the current national construction cause.

Consisting of five parts, the book gives an overview of the Vietnam-Russia ties and introduces late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh’s activities in Russia, who set the foundation for the bilateral relations.

It features more than 700 images and documents classified into diplomatic events and cooperation activities in politics, economy, defence-security, culture, education, science, and people-to-people diplomacy.

In the book’s introduction, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affair Pham Binh Minh wrote today’s Vietnam-Russia relations have inherited from the Vietnam-Soviet Union relationship with the precious assets of sincere affection, and mutual support and assistance, forging a strong and loyal friendship between the two nations. Russia was the first country that Vietnam established a strategic partnership in 2001 and a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012.

Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council V. Matviyenko stated the friendship, formed when Vietnam was fighting to safeguard its independence years ago, have been fortified over the past years and become a common asset of both nations./.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes