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Yen Bai has first model new-style rural commune

March 1, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

At the ceremony that announces the accreditation of Tuy Loc commune as model new-style rural area (Photo: VNA)

Yen Bai (VNA) – Tuy Loc commune in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai is now a recognised model new-style rural area, making it the first commune in the northern province to obtain the accreditation.

After meeting the new style rural standard in 2014, Tuy Loc had worked on getting the advanced title. To date, it has effectively implemented 48 economic development projects, with its per capita income reaching 56 million VND in 2020, 1.5 times higher than that set by the new-style rural standard for the year. Currently, there is no poor household in the commune.

Chairman of the Tuy Loc People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Tuan said key tasks for the time to come include restructuring agriculture in association with building new-style rural building , as well as promoting technological application and green technologies.

After a ceremony to announce the recognition on March 1, work began on the construction of a road connecting Tuy Loc’s dyke to its centre. The project costs 14.5 billion VND and is scheduled to be fully operational in October.

The national target programme on building new-styled rural areas was initiated by the Government in 2010 with the aim of developing rural regions. The list of criteria includes the development of infrastructure, the improvement of production capacity, environmental protection, and the promotion of cultural values./.

VNA

More than 18,000 new firms set up in first two months

March 1, 2021 by bizhub.vn

More than 18,000 new businesses were established in the first two months of 2021 — Photo VNA

More than 18,000 new businesses were established in the first two months of 2021, a year-on-year decline of 4 per cent, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The number of employees registered by the newly-established enterprises rose 9.7 per cent to 173,000.

The months saw an addition of VND720.4 trillion (US$32.24 billion) in total registered capital, up 12.4 per cent. The average level in registered capital per enterprise surged 46.4 per cent to reach VND18.5 billion in the period.

About 11,030 enterprises resumed operations in the first two months, down 7.6 per cent while 33,611 others were dissolved, up 18.6 per cent.

In February alone, as many as 8,038 new businesses were set up with a combined registered capital of nearly VND179.74 trillion.

The number of new firms represented a year-on-year drop of 12.3 per cent while the amount of capital surged 85.6 per cent.

The number of workers registered by these businesses reached almost 57,000, down 22.1 per cent. — VNS

Vietnam – UK free trade agreement takes new step for bilateral ties

December 11, 2020 by hanoitimes.vn

The Hanoitimes – A trade deal in place will help ensure continuity in trade relations between the UK and Vietnam after Brexit’s transitional period ends on December 31, 2020.

Vietnam and the UK today [December 11] officially concluded the negotiation process for the UK – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA).

Overview of the signing ceremony. Source: MoIT.

The agreed minutes on the conclusion of the free trade agreement negotiation were signed by Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and the UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss in Hanoi.

“The agreed minutes signed today is a first major step towards the signing of the UKVFTA in the coming time,” stated Mr. Anh.

The Vietnam minister said both sides started the negotiation process for the deal since August 2018.

As the UK is set to leave the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) after the Brexit’s transitional period ends on December 31, 2020, a new FTA between Vietnam and the UK will help ensure the continuity in bilateral trade relations.

On her part, UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said the UKVFTA is a milestone for the country to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which remains a priority for the UK government next year.

The fact that most of the clauses stipulated in the UKVFTA are similar to those in the EVFTA, significantly shortening the negotiation process for the two sides.

Mr. Anh suggested with the UKVFTA, Vietnam will hold advantages compared to regional countries such as China, India, Thailand, or Malaysia, those do not have a similar deal in place with the UK.

Vietnam is set to have more opportunities in attracting investment capital, technology transfer, and tourists from the UK once the Covid-19 is rolled back, while the deal presages positive outlook for the Vietnam – UK relations on the occasion of 10 ^th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnership.

Under the UKFTA commitments, six years since the coming into effect of the deal, the UK will remove import tariffs for 99.2% of goods imported from Vietnam, or 99.7% of Vietnam’s exports to the country.

The EU in its EVFTA with Vietnam provides the tariff rate quotas (TRQs) with 0% tariff rate for certain imported products. The UK, meanwhile, is set to review actual trade figure with Vietnam during the 2014-16 period to make a similar decision.

On the other hand, Vietnam will immediately remove tariff for 48.5% of goods from UK, or 64.5% of import turnover. The figure is set to rise to 91.8% or 97.1% of UK exports to Vietnam in six years.

The UK is Vietnam’s third largest trade partner in Europe, behind Germany and the Netherlands.

In 2019, Vietnam’s exports to the UK reached US$6.1 billion, the country imported nearly US$800 million worth of goods and products in return.

As of August 2020, the UK has 400 valid projects in Vietnam with total investment capital of US$3.6 billion, ranking 16 ^th among countries and territories having investment projects in Vietnam.

Hải Dương starts to ease lockdown measures in places, enters ‘new normal’

March 1, 2021 by vietnamnews.vn

A worker at clothing factory Haivina in Gia Lộc District, Hải Dương Province, is tested for COVID-19 before resuming work. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Minh

HÀ NỘI — With the local COVID-19 outbreaks gradually being brought under control, the northern province of Hải Dương will lift some restrictions in certain areas on March 3, after 15 days of stringent province-wide lockdown measures.

Since January 27, the province has recorded over 600 COVID-19 local infections (nearly 300 have recovered), becoming the largest outbreak in the country since the pandemic began early last year, mostly centred around a number of hotspots.

Phạm Xuân Thăng, Secretary of Hải Dương Party Committee, at Monday’s meeting on COVID-19, said the outbreaks in the province are gradually being brought under control: “It’s time the fight against the pandemic turns to a new chapter, maintaining a balance between socio-economic development and keeping the pandemic in check.”

Hải Dương Party Committee said the anti-pandemic measures must cause the least possible disruptions to socio-economic development, the flow of goods, and business activities in the province.

Hải Dương authorities agreed to divide the localities in the province into two groups under different restrictions depending on the COVID-19 risks.

Four high-risk localities, including Hải Dương City, Kinh Môn township, Cẩm Giàng District and Kim Thành, will be placed under the Government’s Directive 15, the highest level of social distancing first introduced in March last year when the country entered nationwide lockdown. The directive prescribes limiting large gatherings, meetings with over 20 people in-doors or 10 people outdoors, maintaining two metres distance between individuals in public places, non-essential services are shut down, public passenger transport are halted, and travel is heavily restricted.

The remaining eight localities in the province will follow the less restrictive Government’s Directive 19 on social distancing norms.

Hải Dương will continue to halt festivals, religious rituals, sporting events and other unimportant events that require large gatherings in public.

Entertainment venues, tourism venues, sport centres, beauty parlors, hairdressing shops, karaoke bars, massage parlours, bars, discotheques, restaurants, cafes and lottery stalls will continue to be closed.

People are urged to halt weddings, while funerals need to be held with caution in mind.

Factories and plants can resume work, but the owners will need to sign documents with the local authorities affirming their commitment to COVID-19 safety. Factories and plants are urged to routinely test their employees and managers for COVID-19.

Service venues – retail/wholesale trading shops, shopping malls, markets, supermarkets, hotels, accommodation facilities, etc. – can resume operations, but must observe COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Remote learning will continue until when outbreaks are completely under control, at least March 17.

Inter-provincial and intra-provincial passenger transport can resume, but anti-pandemic measures need to be ensured in line with the guidelines from the Ministry of Transport.

Areas under lockdown due to new cases will continue until the order expires.

Secretary Thăng stressed the outbreaks could still recur if the local authorities are careless and let their guard down, and that the leaders will be held primarily accountable for the situation under their jurisdiction.

In the coming days, there might continue to be new cases found in the quarantine facilities or out in the community, but “we don’t need to be worried, given the sufficient experience and resources,” Thăng said. — VNS

Student exhibition brings new energy to city life

March 1, 2021 by english.thesaigontimes.vn

Student exhibition brings new energy to city life

The Saigon Times

Part of the Saigon: Interplay exhibition, “Monsters of Saigon” by RMIT student Bui Cam Vy showcases exhibits “to he” figurines made by children, with the purpose of acknowledging and sharing feelings about traumas – PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ORGANIZER

HCMC – Design students from RMIT University are showcasing their fresh takes on urban transformation and human connections at the Saigon: Interplay exhibition in HCMC, the result of a three-month project between the Museum of HCMC and RMIT, focusing on the transformation of Vietnam’s biggest metropolis.

The exhibition features over 20 works by final-year students from RMIT University’s Bachelor of Design Studies program.

“AĂ ” by Truong Thanh An, Kee Zi Sing and Tran Bich Tuyet Nhi aims to help people recognize the hidden identity of Saigon through an interactive public event

With the mutual aim of connecting the city and its people, the ideas presented range from community video and photography projects to public art work displays, motorbike parades, bicycling tours and other novel ideas.

“Saigon Slumber Party” by Le Cao My Phuong is a free-entry fashion event that invites people to share their self identity in their most comfortable outfit

Prior to coming up with this project, RMIT lecturers found that technological and media innovations over the past 20 years have left museums around the world questioning traditional models of artifact collection, conservation, exhibition and publication.

Thus, museums are turning to their immediate surroundings to ask how they can renew their local ties and refresh their community bonds. The RMIT students’ works were developed in response to this transformative context.

The “Than” project by Nguyen Thai Hoang (pictured in the lower half of the image) encourages people to take photos to preserve the cultural identity of the city’s neighborhoods

“The works on display present really creative and new ideas that touch on various aspects of life. The students created these works and they are also the ones to benefit the most from this connection with our museum,” a representative of the Museum of HCMC said.

The Saigon: Interplay exhibition is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until March 21 at the Museum of HCMC, 65 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

“Saigon in a Walk” by Dinh Ngoc Minh Chau allows participants to explore the city through the eyes of pedestrians

Over 18,000 new firms set up in first two months

March 1, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

The number of employees registered by the newly-established enterprises rose 9.7 percent to 173,000.

The months saw an addition of over 720.4 trillion VND (32.24 billion USD), in total registered capital, up 12.4 percent. Average level in registered capital per enterprise surged 46.4 percent to reach 18.5 billion VND in the period.

About 11,030 enterprises resumed operations in the first two months, down 7.6 percent while 33,611 others were dissolved, an increase of 18.6 percent.

In February alone, as many as 8,038 new businesses were set up with a combined registered capital of nearly 179.74 trillion VND.

The number of new firms represented a year-on-year drop of 12.3 percent while the amount of capital surged 85.6 percent.

The number of workers registered by these businesses reached almost 57,000, down 22.1 percent.

Source: VNA