Socio economic or socio demographic

The project has clear, systematic and feasible criteria to ensure maximum mobilization of resources and successful roadmap elaboration.

Danang, the central city of Vietnam, is set to become a coastal eco-urban city, creating a safe environment for local residents, investors and visitors.

This is a key content of the project introduced by Director of the Danang Department of Natural Resources and Environment To Van Hung at a press conference held in the city on April 19.

Director of the Danang Department of Natural Resources and Environment To Van Hung (middle) presides over the press conference. Photo: Quang Hai

The project “Building Danang into an environmentally friendly city” is estimated to have an investment capital of more than VND15,000 billion (US$652.876 million).

With a view to protecting the environment as the foundation for building an ecological city, Danang’s economic growth has to be in harmony with the city’s nature.

The project expects to involve the participation of the business community, socio-political organizations, communities and local residents in environmental protection; promote internal resources and international cooperation; strengthen state management and raise people’s awareness about environmental protection.

“The project has clear, systematic and feasible criteria to ensure maximum mobilization of resources and successful roadmap elaboration,” Hung said.

Suoi Hoa eco-tourism area is 30 km from the center of Danang city. Photo: danang.gov.vn

At the conference, Hung introduced the music mega show “The Water World” with the theme “Water – Revitalizing” that will take place on the night of April 29.

This is an artistic function in a series of media events to introduce the project “Building Danang into an environmental friendly city”. The program will convey a message highlighting the importance of water for life, health and the environment; thereby raising community’s awareness about protecting water resources against the increasing negative impacts of socio-economic development and climate change.

Danang has set a target of collecting 95% of solid waste for treatment over the 2019-2025 period, with 12% and 15% the amount to be recycled and reused in 2020 and 2025 respectively.

By 2025, Danang will roll out domestic solid waste sorting at families. Besides, all industrial parks, production establishments, service providers, and government agencies and organizations will separate waste at the source.

Danang expects to expand the waste classification at source by 2022, in which olid waste in Danang will be classified into four categories: recyclable waste, such as paper, plastic and metal; toxic waste, such as batteries and light bulbs; construction debris; and other types of waste.

Hanoi (VNA) – The northern province of Quang Ninh is taking all-out efforts to achieve a Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth rate of 9.6 percent in the second quarter of 2021 and 9.3 percent in the first half of the year.

The province sets for its GRDP to grow by 10.1 percent this year.

The services sector is expected to expand 11.5 percent, industry and construction 9.1 percent, and tax revenue from goods 10.2 percent in the second quarter.

A number of measures are being undertaken to revive and boost local tourism, one of the province’s key sectors which has been hit hard by the pandemic, under the “new normal.”

The provincial Department of Industry and Trade has been helping local coal, electricity and cement producers tackle difficulties as the province plans to generate about 12.5 million tonnes of clean coal, 10.5 million kWh of electricity and 879,000 tonnes of cement.

Meanwhile, the Quang Ninh People’s Committee has requested the provincial Economic Zone Authority to actively provide support for a number of foreign investors in developing ready-built factories and storages, liquid bulk terminals and warehouses; and implementing projects.

Quang Ninh targets to attract over 48.34 trillion VND (2.1 billion USD) in investment in local industrial parks and economic zones from April – June. Total State budget revenue is expected to reach 12.23 trillion VND, including over 9.15 trillion VND from domestic collection and nearly 3.15 trillion VND from foreign trade.

The province also plans to disburse 50 percent of public investment plan during the period.

In the first quarter of 2021, Quang Ninh’s GRDP surged 9.02 percent, twice as high as the national average and the second largest among those of provinces in the northern key economic region, only after Hai Phong, despite the fact that the third resurgence of COVID-19 in the province early this year has taken some toll on its economy.

The province managed to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in the shortest possible time. Within only a week from the first local infection being reported in late January, it had completely brought the situation under control, thus minimising the socio-economic impact and stabilising production and business.

The main growth driver during the period was the processing and manufacturing sector, which increased 35.6 percent compared to 20.8 percent in the same period last year. That contributed to a record industrial growth of 8.73 percent in January-March.

Meanwhile, stable growth in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries made up for contractions in other sectors, including tourism, which nosedived almost 50 percent in visitor number and revenue during the period.

Quang Ninh is viewed as a strategic destination in northern Vietnam and an important link in the northern economic growth triangle of Hanoi – Hai Phong – Quang Ninh.

The province possesses major advantages from Van Don district planning to become a multi-sectoral maritime economic zone and entertainment centre with a casino and high-end sea-island tourism and services. It is also a gateway for international trade, creating unique, modern, and high-quality products that are internationally competitive.

Over the past five years, Quang Ninh has experienced high and sustainable growth, with an average annual growth rate of 10.7 percent. Average GRDP per capita is estimated at 6,700 USD in 2020, two times higher than the country’s average figure.

It topped the PCI rankings for the third year in a row in 2019, according to the PCI 2019 report from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In addition to the PCI, Quang Ninh also led the country in the PAR Index for three consecutive years, in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The province has also been among the best performers in the SIPAS for many years and rose to the top in 2019.

It has also made great strides forward in improving governance and public administration capacity, moving from 62nd place in 2016 to third last year in Vietnam’s PAPI./.

VNA

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s National Power Transmission Corporation ( EVNNPT ) put into operation its first digital transformer station in Thuy Nguyen district, the northern port city of Hai Phong on April 19.

The 210kV station was built at the total cost of more than 348 billion VND (15 million USD) on an area of some 40,100 square metres spanning Dong Son and Kenh Giang communes.

According to EVNNPT Deputy General Director Luu Viet Tien, the station helped cut around 80 percent of the amount of copper cable, slash copper cable transport and installation costs, while reducing the risks of incidents caused by cable damage.

Tien said that the digital transformer station is a new technology in both Vietnam and many developed countries in the world, adding before carrying out construction of the station, EVNNPT held several conferences with large equipment suppliers such as Siemens, ABB and GE.

He said the 220KV digital station will ensure stable power supply for socio-economic development in Thuy Nguyen district, Hai Phong city and regions in the vicinity, reduce power loss as well as enhance connectivity, safety, stability and flexibility in operation of power system.

EVNNPT will make evaluation on the efficiency of the station so as to select suitable technologies for transformer stations in the future.

The Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) plans to have all equipment on transmission lines and 80 percent of 110 kV circuit facilities digitalised from now to 2022.

By 2025, EVN will have digitalised 100 percent of facilities on medium- and higher-voltage power lines, according to EVN Chairman Duong Quang Thanh.

To that end, the group will press on with applying digital technologies like Internet of Things, big data, and cloud computing, he said, noting that it will use artificial intelligence (AI) in monitoring and examination and make use of cameras and smart drones to repair lines.

It will continue research on building information models and digital worker platforms to serve its staff while developing AI applications for image analysis and data governance.

EVN said it has completed 61 of the 63 centres for remote control of transformer stations and converted 670 of the 844 transformer stations into unmanned ones./.

VNA

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Industry and Trade launched the Vietnam National Brand Week 2021 , an event to strengthen national brand identity and promote products recognised as national brands by the Government domestically and internationally, in Ho Chi Minh City on April 19.

A number of forum and seminars on Vietnam’s national brands will be held in Hanoi and HCM City during the event, which runs through April 25.

The event is expected to help promote Vietnam as a producer of high-quality goods and services, boost foreign trade and enhance national competitiveness while calling for concerted efforts from ministries and business community in developing national brands in Vietnam.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and Vice Chairman of the National Brand Council Do Thang Hai said Vietnam is viewed as a global bright spot for its rise in national brand value and socio-economic achievements over the past several years.

According to Hai, Vietnam posted the fastest-growing national brand in 2020, with value surging 29 percent to 319 billion USD, on the list of the world’s 100 most valuable national brands compiled by the London-based independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance. The country climbed nine places from 42nd last year to 33rd.

Vietnam also moved up three places from 50th to 47th in the Global Soft Power Index 2021, which ranks the world’s top 60 soft power nations, according to the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index Report. Vietnam was the only country in ASEAN to be upgraded in the global soft power rankings./.

VNA

Hanoi has compiled a plan on attracting between 30 and 40 billion USD worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) during the 2021-2025 period, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Vu Duy Tuan told a working session with local authorities on April 19.

The country will also focus on improving public awareness on the roles and responsibilities of families.

Vietnam will take action to promote the quality of people’s family and gender equality while fighting domestic violence in the next year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

In the draft Vietnam Family Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, which was issued to the public recently by the ministry, the country will also focus on improving public awareness on the roles and responsibilities of families.

Vietnam Family Development Strategy improves awareness on roles and responsibilities of families. Photo: Dan Thanh

The draft strategy is designed to achieve the country’s socio-economic development goals and family-related targets to support the families’ sustainable development, prosperity, equality, progress and happiness.

It must be based on the practice to present solutions in accordance with the new situation, as well as ensuring the close coordination among relevant agencies and units in the strategy formulation process.

Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces and cities must contribute ideas to the draft strategy and coordinate with the Department of Family in implementing it.

Under the Vietnam Family Development Strategy to 2020, which was promulgated on May 29, 2012, about 80% or more of the total households nationwide were classified as family awarded with cultural title by 2015. The figures increased to 85% in 2020.