Sea sun holidayy

The 2018 Ba Ria – Vung Tau Sea Festival opened in Vung Tau City on Tuesday, expected to be the greatest sea festival ever held in Vietnam.

This is the second time the festival has been organized, with the first one dating back to 2006.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province is located on the coast of southeastern Vietnam, around 100 kilometers (a two-hour drive) from Ho Chi Minh City.

The area is well known to tourists for its beautiful scenery and beaches in Vung Tau, the capital of the province, including Back Beach, Front Beach, and Pineapple Beach.

The opening ceremony was held at Cot Co (Flagpole) Park, on Nguyen An Ninh Street of the Back Beach area, where most activities of the festival will take place.

With this year’s theme “Connecting the Provinces, Cities of Vietnam – Sustainable Development of Commerce – Tourism and Economy,” the festival will display a large number of the localities’ main activities, specialties, and cultures, according to news page Vung Tau Tin Tuc (Vung Tau News).

The opening ceremony succeeded in displaying the rich resources and how the regions are favored by nature so as to attract visitors, promote their tourism, and raise investments.

Twenty-eight coastal localities with 800 stalls participate in the festival to display the regions’ cultures, while conducting entertaining activities.

During the opening ceremony, Nguyen Van Trinh, chairman of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee, mentioned the region’s most recent efforts to improve tourism quality including high-quality product promotion, tourism networks, private investment encouragement, and human workforce development, among others.

After having taken a “break” for 12 years, the 2018 Ba Ria-Vung Tau Sea Festival is held from August 28 to September 3. Photo: VOV

In his opening remarks, Trinh also expressed his desire to connect, partner, and work with private businesses, other regions, and foreign investors.

Moreover, Ba Ria-Vung Tau also introduced its strategic plan and goals for 2030 as a response to the central government’s recent decree aimed at turning tourism into one of Vietnam’s core industries.

The festival plays a vital role in establishing long-lasting, meaningful, and supportive relations among the provinces and cities, as well as promoting Ba Ria-Vung Tau as a touristic destination, both nationally and globally.

Other activities of the festival include kite flying performances, ancient Vespa motorbike parades across Vung Tau, carnivals, beer fests, and musical performances.

One of the most outstanding activities would be the display of sand sculptures on the beach of the DIC Sea Tourist Area on Thuy Van Street, Vung Tau.

Four sculptures will be made by 30 professional sculptors, painters, and university students from the University of Arts in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Trinh Hang, director of the Department of Tourism of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, all of the expenses, around VND20 billion (US$860,000) were fully raised by International Trade Expo Joint Stock Company.

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Ca Mau (VNA) – Endowed with a 254-km coastline and an abundance of aquatic resources, the southernmost province of Ca Mau has viewed sea-based economic development as an inexorable trend to help it create breakthroughs in socio-economic development.

Priority on infrastructure development

Due attention has been given to developing infrastructure in order to develop the blue economy in an effective and sustainable manner that is commensurate with the province’s advantages and potential.

Ca Mau plans to continue calling for investment in infrastructure at the 10,802-ha Nam Can Economic Zone , which is envisaged to become a sea-based economic zone with sound logistics services to meet regional and international distribution demand.

It is also encouraging investment to build Song Doc and Nam Can towns into third-tier urban areas by 2025.

Along with developing fifth-tier urban areas in coastal districts such as Dam Doi, Ngoc Hien, Phu Tan, Tran Van Thoi, and U Minh, the province will invest in engineering and shipbuilding industries at the Song Doc, Khanh Hoi, and Rach Goc estuaries, while carrying out construction of the Tan Thuan, Rach Goc, and Cai Doi Vam industrial clusters.

Socio-economic infrastructure in coastal communes, districts, and islands are being completed, providing the conditions necessary for blue economic development .

The province has given top priority to investment in important economic sectors such as aquaculture, tourism and services, renewable energy, and the maritime economy.

It is also improving local fisheries infrastructure to enhance logistics services, and calling for investment in logistics centres in Hoa Trung, Nam Can, Song Doc, and Hon Khoai.

Comprehensive development of the blue economy promoted

Known as one of Vietnam’s four key fishing grounds and with abundant and diverse aquatic resources, of which many have high economic values, Ca Mau has sharpened its focus on developing fisheries exploitation, which is a spearhead economic sector.

The province targets catching 800,000 tonnes of fish and seafood by 2030.

Along with developing a strong fishing fleet of more than 4,500 vessels, the province will also re-arrange seafood production based on expanding cooperatives and collectives to benefit fishing families and the sustainable protection of the ecosystem.

Ca Mau will fund the upgrading of infrastructure at fishing ports and storm shelters, as well as complete a fishing vessel information system to give timely warnings to fishermen in case of incidents at sea or to facilitate search and rescue efforts.

It will work to create concentrated aquaculture areas that produce high-quality aquatic species, apply state-of-the-art technologies into production, and develop a traceability system for products.

Relevant authorities will expand monitoring systems in concentrated aquaculture areas, to provide environmental and disease warnings to farmers.

The province will also work to create jobs for 25,000 local people living in coastal resettlement areas./.

It came into force on November 16, 1994, with approval from 60 members. It is now binding on 168 states as well as the European Community, which is the only international organisation that is a member.

The Convention has 320 articles, set out in 17 parts, as well as nine annexes and four resolutions. It governs all critical issues relating to seas and oceans. It sets out the legal regime for seas and clarifies the rights and obligations of both coastal and mainland countries in relation to international traffic, environmental protection, and scientific research, etc., regardless of their development status. It also sets forth procedures to peacefully settle marine disputes between countries.

The 1982 UNCLOS was signed after nine years of negotiations, expressing the strenuous efforts of the international community in setting up such a legal framework. Following its signing in 1982, then UN Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar hailed the document as the most significant achievement in international law in the 20th century, while Tommy Koh, President of the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, called it “A constitution of the Oceans”.

The most notable achievement reached through the convention is binding countries in a standardised method of identifying different zones at sea, including internal waters, territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelf. In case of overlaps between the territorial waters, contiguous zones, and continental shelf of neighbouring countries, they will negotiate over a boundary line.

UNCLOS has affirmed its significance in maintaining peace and stability in the maritime space. Every member is responsible for fully adhering to its regulations, with no exceptions or delays. The convention serves as an instrument to secure peace, justice, and progress in all nations of the world./. VNA

Long jumper Nguyen Tien Trong sets up a new record of 7.98m at the National Athletics Championships in 2019 in HCM City. Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Tiến Trọng

“It is two centimetres.

“Just only two centimetres.

“I will make two centimetres this jump.”

Nguyễn Tiến Trọng thinks about this tiny distance every day in training.

If the long jumper can add the small distance to his personal best, he will become the first Vietnamese athlete to jump 8m and prove he belongs on the world stage.

National record holder

Born in 1997 in Cẩm Giàng District, Hải Dương Province, Trọng was taller and bigger than any of his friends at school.

He was chosen to take part in the provincial track-and-field competitions where he caught the eyes of the Military team’s scouts. He became an athlete when he was 13.

“I am the only one in the family as well as the district pursuing sport. So I think it is a fate that I am ‘engaged’ with athletics,” Trọng told Việt Nam News.

“My height was an advantage when I participated in different school events. I was offered to join basketball and martial arts clubs but athletics is my true love.

“I was only six when I watched the Việt Nam 22nd SEA Games on TV. I had no idea what ‘glory’ meant at that time but was strongly impressed with the way the track-and-field winners were honoured. They received big claps and huge encouragement after winning. It obsessed me. It was the reason why I agreed to join the Military team when invited immediately,” he recalled.

“Coaches had to persuade my parents a lot to let me go, saying that I had potential if I was trained professionally. They seemed okay with some doubts but now they have become my biggest supporters,” he said.

After nearly nine years of training, Trọng has proved his talent.

The man, who was born in the Year of the Buffalo, dominated national underage tournaments and set a record of 7.71m in the long jump before conquering the senior championships since 2016.

He has collected titles from international competitions including open events in Thailand and HCM City in 2019.

Among medals, his most memorable one is the gold at the fifth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

“Athletes from 44 countries came for titles. As a freshman in international events, I thought I would have no chance for the top three because it was Asia and all the jumpers were strong.

“Competing with no pressure, my leaps after three attempts were better than everyone including title favourites Chan Ming Tai (Hong Kong) and Amila Wijayalath Pedige (Sri Lanka). After the last jump, I was named the winner. It was a great feeling that I still shake when I think about,” he said.

At the 2019 national championship, Trọng confirmed his reign of the national men’s long jump pit with a leap of 7.98m, a new Vietnamese record.

“He is on the cusp of the eight-metre club that not too many athletes can do in the world. His jump is history, challenging the next generation,” said Dương Đức Thủy, head of the Athletics Department of the National Sports Administration.

Thủy was happy with Trọng’s result but reminded him: “You still owe me 2cm. Do what you have to do”.

“It is a little pressure for me,” said Trọng who promised to jump 8m to Thủy during an event in 2018. “It is not an easy tiny gap but I feel I can do better. I consider it a target to reach.”

SEA Games in sight

Long jumper Nguyễn Tiến Trọng competes to defend his title at theNational Athletics Championships in 2020in Hà Nội. Photo toquoc.vn

Trọng was expected to complete his target at the 2020 championship in Hà Nội last November.

However, he could only defend his crown with a humble jump of 7.58m.

“I also believed that I could do it. But a leg injury occurred just 10 days ahead of the tournament that prevented me from jumping my best,” he said.

“I have to try harder this year,” said Trọng referring to local tournaments as well as the 31st SEA Games in winter in Hà Nội.

It will be the third Games of the young lieutenant who has recorded poor results in previous tournaments despite being seeded.

At the 2017 event, he finished fifth and two years later he also could not join the top three despite just setting a national record.

“I was inexperienced at the first Games while I was not at my peak in the second one after competing in an international tournament for soldiers,” he explained.

Trọng is one of the athletes tipped to win gold for Việt Nam at the coming Games on home turf as his current results are similar to the top three of the Manila event two years ago.

“My coaches and I are working hard to improve and sustain my ability at a high level. The eight-metre distance is the first step and then I have to do better so that I could set my sights on continental events,” he said.

“I do not set a specific target which will make me tired and nervous but I do not want the gold medal to leave Việt Nam this year,” he said.

“I am trying hard every day to be the second Vietnamese male long jump gold medalist in history.”

Việt Nam have won only one SEA Games gold medal in men’s long jump to date. The first went to Bùi Văn Đông who triumphed in 2017. VNS

VNS