Urology journals accepting case reports

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has proposed a new international airport in Hai Phong City to support the Cat Bi Airport by 2050.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said they had completed the evaluation report on airport network planning during the 2021-2030 period with a view to 2050. The report has been sent to the Ministry of Transport and the evaluation board for review. In the report, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam suggested keeping all 28 airports until 2030. Cao Bang Airport would be built later by 2050. Vietnam would have a total of 14 international airports and 15 domestic airports.

In March, Hai Phong authorities proposed construction of a new international airport in Tien Lang District, Hai Phong City, as a major airport for Hanoi and to replace Cat Bi Airport in the future since Cat Bi Airport can’t be expanded. The new airport will be 120 km from Hanoi and connected to the Hanoi-Hai Phong Highway.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed to keep the plan in which an alternate airport would be built in Hai Phong to support Noi Bai and Cat Bi airports as per prime ministerial directives issued in 2011.

By 2030, the airports in Vietnam must be able to serve 278 million passengers and 4.1 million tonnes of cargo per year.

Vietnam reports 26 new COVID-19 cases on May 5 evening

Vietnam recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases, including eight imported and 18 domestically-transmitted infections in the past 12 hours to 6pm on May 5, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said.

The domestically-transmitted infections include one case in central Quang Nam province, one in the capital city of Hanoi, one in southern Dong Nai province, one in northern Hai Duong province and 14 others at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district.

The new patients brought the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country to 3,022, including 1,626 domestically-transmitted cases. Of them, 56 cases were detected since the latest outbreak hit the country on April 27.

According to the MoH’s Medical Service Administration, a total of 2,560 patients were given the all-clear from coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, while the death toll related to the disease remained at 35.

Among active patients undergoing treatment at medical establishments, 24 tested negative to the virus, 12 twice and 38 thrice.

As many as 40,736 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entered Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions are currently quarantined across the country, including 560 in hospitals, 21,733 in state-designated establishments and 18,443 at their residences.

The MoH also decided to extend the compulsory concentrated quarantine period to 21 days instead of 14 days as previously, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said at a regular meeting of the Government on May 5 morning.

The decision came into force right on May 5, the minister said.

The local centres for disease control must be accountable for monitoring and medically supervising people who complete the concentrated quarantine period for the next seven days.

In a related move, the MoH’s Medical Service Administration has asked the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district to take drastic measures to prevent transmissions among its staff after 14 of its members tested positive to the virus and the establishment was put under lockdown on May 5.

The hospital was requested to devise plans to maintain its medical checkup and treatment for inpatients who are currently quarantined and treated at the facility./.

Kim Chung facility of national tropical diseases hospital under lockdown

The Health Ministry has directed placing the second facility of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Kim Chung commune in Hanoi’s outlying district of Dong Anh under lockdown from 8am on May 5, after several medical staff tested positive to SARS-CoV-2.

After a doctor of the hospital was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on May 4, the hospital immediately collected samples of staff members and patients in certain departments for testing, some of which turned out positive. The hospital suspected that it is a cluster of infections from an inpatient treatment area.

During the lockdown period, the hospital will only admit new COVID-19 patients for treatment.

The Health Ministry instructed that only severe cases of COVID-19 should be moved to the Kim Chung facility, while patients who had received treatment at the facility within the past 14 days must be traced and put under quarantine./.

COVID-19 fight, NA election high on Cabinet meeting’s agenda

The fight against COVID-19 and National Assembly election are among issues which are at the top of the agenda of a regular monthly Cabinet meeting held in Hanoi on May 5.

Dozens of infections have been detected in Vinh Phuc, Ha Nam, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hung Yen, Yen Bai, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, with some carrying the variant B.1.1.7 originating from the United Kingdom and the variant B.1.617.2 originating from India.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh earlier criticized several cities and provinces for lax management that has led to fresh outbreaks in the community.

Cabinet members are scheduled to discuss drastic measures to halt the spread of the virus.

They are also set to examine preparations for the upcoming elections of deputies to the National Assembly and local People’s Councils slated for May 23.

They will review national socio-economic development for April and the first four months of the year, while looking at measures to implement the dual goal of epidemic prevention and economic recovery.

Vietnam documents no COVID-19 infections on May 5 morning

Vietnam logged no new COVID-19 infections in the past 12 hours to 6am on May 5, making the nation’s tally unchanged at 2,996 with 1,608 locally-transmitted cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ministry’s Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Department said the country has seen 2,560 recoveries so far.

A total 40,736 people who came in close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine nationwide, including 560 at hospitals, 21,733 other quarantine sites, and 18,443 at home.

Among patients under treatment, 24 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 12 twice, and 38 thrice.

A total of 585,539 frontline medical workers and members of community-based anti-COVID-19 groups in Vietnam had been injected with COVID-19 vaccine as of 4pm on May 4. The country began its COVID-19 inoculation campaign on March 8.

In a bid to live safely with the pandemic, people should strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration)./.

VFF: holding election campaigns in line with COVID-19 control regulations

The standing board of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee asked localities to hold election campaigns in accordance with requirements of COVID-19 prevention and control.

In a guideline issued on May 4, Vice Chairman of the VFF Central Committee Ngo Sach Thuc urged standing boards of VFF chapters at all levels to coordinate with election committees at the same level to decide the number and the form for meetings with voters based on the situation in their respective localities.

Localities in normal state or under social distancing measures could hold conferences with voters either offline or online.

For localities under lockdown, local VFF committees should work with Party Committees and election committees at their corresponding levels to select the suitable methods to hold election campaigns, with priority given to campaigning via the mass media.

In case candidates are infected with COVID-19 or under quarantine, the standing boards must reach consensus with election committees on the way to organizing election campaigns, with priority given to campaigning via the mass media.

Throughout a five-step process with three rounds of close, democratic, cautious, and non-discriminatory consultations, the lists of candidates for the elections of deputies to the 15th legislature and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure have been finalised.

Voters nationwide will cast their vote to choose 500 out of 868 candidates for the 15th National Assembly on May 23./.

Vinh Phuc, Ho Chi Minh City police deal with illegal entries

Illegal Chinese immigrants

Accordingly, Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, 36, residing in the province’s Vinh Yen city, was charged with organising the illegal entry and residence of 52 Chinese nationals in the locality.

The same day, the Ho Chi Minh City’s police reported that they found 11 illegal immigrants, all foreigners, in the city, and detained two involved persons.

As many as 69 officers were also deployed to ensure security and order in two places under lockdown.

During the four-day holiday, local police also increased inspections to ensure traffic order and create favourable conditions for travelling./.

Up to 39 suspected illegal immigrants found in Vinh Phuc

Thirty nine allegedly illegal foreign immigrants were detected in Vinh Yen city in the northern province of Vinh Phuc on May 3 night as local police are stepping up efforts to contain coronavirus outbreaks which have become more complicated in recent days.

The foreigners were found residing in four locations in Khai Quang and Lien Bao wards.

Local authorities seized personal belongings of the foreigners for further investigation, and disinfect their lodging facilities.

Many foreigners are residing in Vinh Yen city, which houses a lot of industrial parks and lodging facilities.

Local authorities are examining and classifying foreigners with illegal entry and residence in the province so as to have effective settlement measures.

The Ministry of Health said on May 3 that Vinh Phuc province documented eight COVID-19 local transmissions, all making close contact with Chinese experts who earlier tested positive for the virus.

Provincial authorities have ordered a halt to meetings and other events with gathering of more than 20 people, as well as non-essential services such as karaoke and massage parlours, bars and dance clubs as part of COVID-19 prevention measures./.

Quiz on Army Games launched

The People’s Army Newspaper together with the Ministry of National Defence’s Department for External Relations held a press conference in Hanoi on May 4 to introduce a quiz on the International Army Games.

Speaking at the press conference, deputy head of the department Pham Manh Thang said the contest aims to promote the games, which encourage international defence cooperation between nations, and to honour the People’s Army of Vietnam’s achievements at previous events.

Vietnam is actively preparing itself to host a number of competitions within the games this year, he said, adding that meetings have taken place to discuss options for organising these activities at the Mieu Mon training centre in Hanoi in line with COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Army Newspaper Le Ngoc Long said the contest, held weekly from May 6 to August 8, features multiple choice tests and requires that contestants submit their predictions of the numbers of people with correct answers.

In addition to weekly prizes, there will be one first prize worth 20 million VND (865 USD), two second prizes worth 10 million VND each, three third prizes of 5 million VND each, and 10 consolidation prizes of 3 million VND each.

The International Army Games 2021 is scheduled for August 22 – September 4, with 13 host nations, including Russia, Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Qatar, China, Mongolia, Serbia, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Of the 34 competitions, Vietnam will host the rescue and sniper events./.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau: Early voting held for soldiers, fishermen

Officers, soldiers and fishermen working for days at sea off the coast of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau cast their votes to elect deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and People’s Council at all levels on May 4 – earlier than scheduled.

The early voting was held in five constituencies in the provincial capital of Vung Tau for naval and coast guard officers and soldiers, fishery surveillance forces, workers on offshore oil platforms, and fishermen, nearly three weeks before the national polling officially takes place on May 23.

Two working groups were also dispatched from the wharf of Brigade 171 to organize advance polling for voters at offshore economic, scientific and technical service stations on the southern continental shelf, known as DK1 platforms, and on ocean-going naval vessels.

Bidding farewell to the working groups, Tran Dinh Khoa, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and head of Vung Tau city’s steering committee for elections, requested the groups to ensure all forces on duty at sea cast their votes and exercise their rights as citizens.

According to the Naval Region 2’s High Command, there are 378 officers and soldiers on duty at 15 DK1 platforms and on naval vessels at sea.

The groups are set to return to the mainland before May 23./.

Foreign parliamentary leaders congratulate new Vietnamese NA Chairman

Parliamentary leaders of Switzerland, Chile, Saudi Arabia and Israel have cabled messages of congratulations to Vuong Dinh Hue on his election as Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly.

The messages were sent by President of the National Council of Switzerland Andreas Aebi, President of the Senate of Chile Yasna Provoste Campillay, Speaker of the Consultative Council of Saudi Arabia Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, and Speaker of the Parliament (Knesset) of Israel Yariv Levin./.

Long An’s Asia-Pacific tourism membership funded

The Long An Golf Investment – Development JSC and Hoan Cau Group will fund the southern province of Long An’s 130th membership of the Tourism Promoting Organization for Asia-Pacific Cities (TPO).

The contract signing ceremony took place in the province on May 4.

Accordingly, they will fund the membership cost of 500 USD and the annual fee of 3,000 USD during the province’s membership.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Tan Hoa said via its membership, Long An could connect with other TPO member cities to develop tourism together through discussing strategies and grasping tourism trends in the region, amid the era of the fourth Industrial Revolution.

He asked relevant agencies and units to work closely with the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to explore the possibility of expanding cooperation between the tourism sector and firms to tap existing potential and strengths.

Hoa also suggested paying attention to resort tourism and supplying tourism value chains.

TPO is an inter-city network aimed at promoting exchange and cooperation among major cities, with key projects such as information sharing, marketing tourist sites, developing new tourism products, and training human resources.

It now groups 130 member cities from 15 countries and 50 tourism organisations./.

Amnesty must be carried out strictly, transparently: State President

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has directed that the implementation of amnesty measures follows a strict, open, and transparent process in accordance with the law, to avoid any possible negativity.

He made the comments while working with leaders of relevant agencies on the enforcement of the 2018 Law on Amnesty, on May 4.

Amnesty is a major policy of the Party and State, demonstrating the humanity of the regime and holding great political, economic, social, and diplomatic significance, Phuc said, adding that it affirms the special policy of clemency held by the Party and State for inmates with good results in studying, training, and rehabilitation.

Amnesties on special occasions, holidays, or major national events aim to encourage prisoners to rehabilitate themselves and qualify for amnesty policies, and the implementation of the law on amnesty demonstrates the orientation towards building a law-ruled Socialist State of Vietnam, he stated.

The President asked the Ministry of Public Security and relevant agencies to propose major regulations on amnesty in the time to come.

According to an assessment from the Ministry of Public Security, the 2018 Law on Amnesty has basically addressed the shortcomings in the 2007 version in order to improve the effectiveness of amnesty work.

After the National Assembly adopted the Law on Amnesty in 2007, Vietnam’s State President has granted seven different amnesties, under which a total of 87,000 inmates have been freed ahead of their scheduled release dates./.

Vietnamese students in Laos get support amid COVID-19

The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos on May 4 handed over gifts to Vietnamese students at the National University of Laos (NUOL) who are facing difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presented by Vietnamese Counsellor of Culture and Education Tran Dai Thang and the officer in charge of community work, Vu Tu Oanh, the gifts include 1,000 medical masks and foodstuff.

Amid the complex developments of the pandemic, Lao medical staff in cooperation with the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane conducted COVID-19 testing on Vietnamese living and working in Thatluang, Naxay and Sisangvone wards and the area around the NUOL.

Those showing symptoms will be placed in quarantine and receive timely treatment./.

Journey to share love with border guards, policy beneficiaries, the poor

A programme entitled “A Journey to Share the Love” was launched in the Mekong Delta province of Long An on May 4.

Jointly organised by the provincial Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Ministry of Public Security’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and the Phu My Hung Development Limited Company, the programme targets border guards on duty in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and also policy beneficiaries, the poor, and poor students with good academic results in Duc Hoa, Duc Hue, Can Giuoc, Ben Luc, Thu Thua, and Tan Tru districts.

With total capital of 2 billion VND (86,500 USD), the programme will present 230 gifts worth 500,000 VND each to policy beneficiaries, young workers, and the elderly, grant 120 scholarships worth 500,000 VND each to local students, and give gifts worth 1 million VND each to 12 Heroic Mothers.

Twenty-five houses worth 70 million VND each will be built and handed over to families living in extremely difficult circumstances, while daily necessities, solar lighting, and cash totalling 35 million VND will be presented to two border stations in Duc Hue district./.

Universities turn to online learning as pandemic continues

In light of rising concerns about the spread of Covid-19 and calls to contain the virus, a growing number of public and private universities in Vietnam have shut down in-person classes after April 30 and May Day holidays.

Specifically, Hanoi University of Science and Technology asked lecturers and students to use Microsoft Teams for online teaching and learning from May 4 to 9 while experimental sessions and practice are paused until further notice.

Similarly, Foreign Trade University required students in campuses in Hanoi and the Northern Province of Quang Ninh to take online classes from May 4 to 16. The school must ask for permission from the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control if it opens in-person classes.

The management board of the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda also decided to switch to online learning from May 4 until there is a new announcement. Students at the Transportation University also made the switch to online classes instead of face-to-face classes from May 3.

The University of Transport Technology, the Faculty of Law of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Natural Sciences, University of Thuyloi, Hanoi University of Education 2, Banking Academy, University of Commerce, University of Business and Technology followed suit.

Prior, the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, Hanoi University of Finance and Banking, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education had announced teaching and learning via the internet to prevent and fight against Covid-19.

Hanoi strives to create 160,000 new jobs despite Covid-19

Strengthening cooperation and linkage in the development of tourism products with businesses, industries, localities in the country and foreign countries will be a measure to boost job generation in the city.

The Hanoi People’s Committee will put effort into creating some 160,000 jobs for workers by the end of 2021 despite the negative impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on almost aspects of life, according to the city’s job creation plan in 2021.

To accomplish the above-mentioned target, the municipal authorities will promote the application of science and technology and take a number of measures to tighten the linkage between vocational education and businesses to develop the labor market.

Hanoi will also apply new technologies to build a system connecting supply and demand for training model with the participation of schools, enterprises and students.

Under the plan, the city expects to effectively roll out industrial programs and projects, lure more investment projects into industrial zones as well as fostering craft villages in the direction of improving quality, efficiency and competitiveness.

Hanoi’s authorities will step up industry restructuring, promoting the development of hi-tech agriculture and organic agriculture to stimulate consumption markets.

The city will also concentrate on improving investment environment, solving difficulties for production and business, and thoroughly addressing petitions of enterprises, especially those on administrative procedures reform.

“Hanoi will perform synchronous solutions to support the development of small and medium enterprises in the period of 2021-25, promoting start-ups and innovation,” noted the plan.

Strengthening cooperation and linkage in the development of tourism products with businesses, industries, localities in the country and foreign countries is also a measure to boost job creation to be taken by Hanoi city.

Some achievements

In early 2021, the Hanoi Employment Services Center under the Hanoi Department of Labor – Invalids and Social Affairs launched Vietnam Employment Service Portal (ESIP) and the Information Technology (IT) Job Transaction Floor, with the expectation of helping local companies to find highly qualified human resources, analyze and forecast the market outlook in 2021 and the subsequent years.

The job transaction floor targets units and enterprises; vocational training schools; IT students from vocational facilities, and those who have the need for finding jobs, learning, and labor export.

“Hanoi is one of the largest labor markets in the country. With the launch of the ESIP, we highly value the city’s creativeness in coordinating with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs,” said Vu Trong Binh, director of the Employment Department under the MoLISA.

Besides, the city used the Anti-Unemployment Fund to train employees working in enterprises. This is considered as a preventive solution to combat unemployment and ensure social security.

The city also provided more information on the labor market, supports job seekers to post job resumes, and helps enterprises to post recruitment announcement through website: vieclamhanoi.net.

Vietnamese students to compete at int’l science, engineering contest

Seven projects of Vietnamese students are to compete at the 2021 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which will be held virtually from May 16-21.

The projects all came first in their respective fields at the national high school Science and Engineering Fair for the 2020-2021 academic year recently held in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

The 2021 ISEF is to see the participation of 2,000 ninth through twelfth graders from over 80 countries and territories across the world, with about 1,500 projects in 21 fields.

The contest has a total prize value of over 5 million USD in the form of scholarships, internships and awards./.

Quang Nam’s flood-hit residents receive new houses

The skinny woman trembled, seemingly unable to stand still because of her happiness to receive a house thanks to the work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam and local people’s generosity.

Luu Thi Phuong, 56, in Que Thuan Commune, Que Son District, Quang Nam Province, saw her house destroyed by a storm in October 2020.

She was one of the thousands of people who lost nearly all of their assets due to the storms of 2020 in central Vietnam.

Her husband died when she gave birth to her fourth child 16 years ago, so Phuong alone raised her four small children.

“Life is so hard. I work alone in the field as a hired labourer to support these children,” she said.

Now, her two eldest daughters have their own families and work in a local factory. However, her two sons have health problems, so they still live at home and can only work as hired labourers around the commune.

In the new two-storey house, she reserved the most solemn area on the second floor as an altar for her husband. On the first floor, she presented a set of wooden tables and chairs bought from money saved by children.

“I give my thanks to the UNDP, the provincial People’s Committee and the Red Cross. Without this support, I don’t know when we would have been able to build such a house,” she said.

“I will pick up local neighbours to live at my house if there are floods and storms in this area,” she added.

The house with a ground area of 16sq.m and worth 110 million VND (5,000 USD) was one of more than 430 storm-resistant houses provided by the UNDP in five provinces in central Vietnam.

This assistance activity is part of the project ‘Responding to natural disasters in Vietnam’ funded by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

At the end of April, the UNDP handed over 10 houses to people in Quang Nam Province as part of the UNDP’s 2021 plan to build flood-resistant houses.

In addition to building more than 430 new houses, the UNDP in collaboration with the People’s Committees of central provinces that suffered heavy damage in the storms last October (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai) and the Red Cross completed the repairs and reinforcement of more than 3,300 damaged houses.

Some 3,300 household kits have also been provided to poor households. Household items, including kitchen equipment, blankets, curtains, personal protective equipment, and chemical disinfectants were all necessary for people to get back on their feet.

UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, Caitlin Wiesen, said that more than ever, affected people, especially the poor, women and girls were in need of safe houses and essential items to deal with the damage.

“Our safe homes have saved thousands of people during the historic floods and storms that devastated central Vietnam,” she said.

“However, there is still a long way forward to be able to assist those in need of safe homes.”

Tran Van Tan, Deputy Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee, said there were still many poor households, lonely mothers and disabled people suffering difficulties in life and some had lost their homes in last year’s floods.

“This makes the poor, who already struggle so much, in even greater difficulties without community support.”

Tan said the local authorities appreciated the UNDP’s efforts and timely support to build and repair the houses.

“It is very practical and meaningful support for local people. We hope to continue to receive this support so that people living in areas affected by storms and floods have a warmer life,” he said.

At a house handover ceremony at Que Thuan Commune last week, Nguyen Van Tien, Deputy Chief of the Standing Office of the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, said: “I appreciate the co-ordination of UNDP that help people in the disaster area.

“This assistance not only solves immediate post-disaster recovery but is also sustainable for local residents living in frequent disaster areas such as central Vietnam.”

The UNDP is also organising a crowdfunding campaign titled ‘Safe House, Peace of Life’ to support the construction of 100 new safe houses in vulnerable locations in Quang Binh Province and further construction of safe houses in Que Son District, (Quang Nam Province) and Ly Son island district (Quang Ngai Province).

“In particular, our safe homes in Ly Son Island will have a new design and enhanced resistance to special wind conditions, and rooftop solar systems are capable of providing sufficient lighting systems for households,” said Wiesen.

Central Vietnam was battered by strong storms and floods last October. According to the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, more than 230 people were killed or went missing. At least 380,000 houses were flooded, damaged or collapsed./.

Brazilian films to be screened in Hanoi

A Brazilian film week will take place in Hanoi from May 10 – 14, hosted by the Brazilian Embassy in Vietnam.

Five outstanding Brazilian movies, including Nise: The Heart of Madness, Jules and Dolores, Trinta, Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury, and Buddies, will be screened free of charge at the National Cinema Centre.

Through the event, the embassy wants to introduce unique characteristics of Brazilian culture to local audiences.

All the movies will be shown in their original language whilst featuring both English and Vietnamese subtitles./.

Newly established firms grow at fastest pace since 2017

The number of new enterprises established in the first four months of 2021 rose 17.5 percent from a year earlier, the fastest growth since 2017, and it increased in all economic sectors, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Between January and April, nearly 44,200 new firms were set up with 627.7 trillion VND (27.2 billion USD) worth of capital and 340,300 employees registered, up 17.5 percent, 41 percent, and 7.8 percent, respectively, from the same period last year.

The registered capital averaged 14.2 billion VND per business, rising 20 percent year on year.

The total capital poured into the economy topped 1.42 quadrillion VND in the first four months, including 792.9 trillion VND of additional capital from 14,900 existing businesses.

Besides, nearly 19,300 enterprises also resumed operations, growing by 8 percent from a year earlier, the GSO reported.

In April alone, the number of newly established firms approximated 14,900, registering 179.9 trillion VND worth of capital and 94,600 employees. These figures respectively went up 33.1 percent, 59.1 percent, and 30 percent from the previous month.

The registered capital averaged 12.1 billion VND per business, rising 19.6 percent month on month and 1.7 percent year on year.

As many as 5,745 companies resumed operations in April, up 50.8 percent year on year.

The GSO held that these are positive signs for enterprise development in the time ahead.

To create further momentum, Director of the GSO’s Industrial and Construction Statistics Department Pham Dinh Thuy said it is necessary to stimulate investment among export manufacturers so as to ready goods supply once global markets are reopened and to capitalise on chances generated by free trade agreements, especially the one between Vietnam and the EU.

He also pointed out the need to swiftly develop supporting industries to ease the burden on the import of input materials.

Businesses expect the Government will invest more in the transport system to boost the connectivity between key production areas and international ports of entry, develop the logistics network, set up technical centres to help companies meet export standards, and push ahead with strongly improving the business climate, Thuy added./.

Dong Thap striving to preserve intangible cultural heritage

The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap recently released a plan on preserving and bringing into play the art of “Don ca tai tu” music and song and “Ho Dong Thap” (Dong Thap singing), both of which are national intangible cultural heritages, so as to improve awareness and raise a sense of responsibility in the community and the political system regarding the task.

Not only a national intangible cultural heritage, “Don ca tai tu” music and song was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.

Evoking people’s lives and work on the land and rivers of the Mekong Delta, it is an indispensable part of spiritual activities and the cultural heritage of local people and helps to foster amateur cultural activities.

Meanwhile, “Ho Dong Thap” is a type of folk singing that reflects the thoughts and sentiments of local residents.

Authorities have worked on studying and revitalising the art. In particular, training courses have been held in all district-level localities, while classes and extra-curricular activities have been organised at all schools province-wide so as to inspire a love among students for the cultural heritage.

Ngo Hoang Viet, Deputy Director of the centre for culture, sports, and radio broadcasting in the province’s Cao Lanh city, said 47 “Don ca tai tu” clubs with 530 members have been set up around town.

Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap provincial People’s Committee Doan Tan Buu noted that local authorities are striving to have “Don ca tai tu” and “Ho Dong Thap” clubs established in 50 to 70 percent of all communal-level localities.

They are also encouraging each commune, ward, and township to form one club and maintain festivals on the arts annually at the provincial level and biennially at the district level.

The province is also stepping up communications in the media to help turn “Don ca tai tu” and “Ho Dong Thap” into typical tourism products of Dong Thap./.

Parents struggle to find semi-boarding schools for their children

Many parents want to enroll their children in semi-boarding schools, which keep students for a full day.

Mai Nguyên, whose child is in the first grade at Lê Văn Thọ Primary School in HCM City’s District 12, said that she was looking for a full-day school as she had been suffering from hiring someone to pick up and take care of her child every afternoon.

Many parents in HCM City, especially from large migrant areas, are in a similar situation in which their children can only be at school for half a day.

Lê Anh Tuấn said that this was the second year that his family and other parents had had to rent a car together to pick up their children, who then would go to their teacher’s house afterwards.

“The teacher is responsible for taking care of all of the students until late when their parents are then able to pick them up after work. I want to find a semi-boarding school which would allow my child to stay at school for the whole day in Bình Thạnh District,” Tuấn said.

He said that his child was under stress from having to travel between different places during the day.

In the 2020-2021 academic year, many primary schools have given priority to two study shifts or a semi-boarding session for all first-grade students, while reducing the rate of two study shifts or semi-boarding sessions for second graders and upper grades.

According to the HCM City Department of Education and Training, 18 out of 24 districts are relatively stable in terms of arranging two study shifts per day for first graders.

Some districts such as Gò Vấp, Bình Tân, Tân Phú and District 12, however, are not able to do so, due to the large number of children entering the first grade.

At Lê Văn Thọ Primary School in District 12 which has over 4,500 students with about 90 classes, all students have switched to one study shift per day to avoid overcrowding.

In mid-May, many districts in HCM City and Thủ Đức City will announce early entry enrollment for students in the area. Parents should take note of each area’s enrollment regulations to prepare necessary documents for their children.

Even though parents have the tendency to apply for resident registration in District 1, the number of students who are able to attend the first grade in this area is calculated based on the number of fifth graders graduating from the schools.

“Students’ resident registration has been carefully reviewed in recent years. Children who are not from the area are not usually accepted to schools in District 1,” a representative of District 1 said.

According to the city People’s Committee’s early enrollment regulations, parents need to pay attention to important timelines and submit documents on time for their children.

Reading culture promoted in Cầu Giấy District apartment building

For more than 20 years, the space under the stairs of the first floor in the A3 apartment building in Nghĩa Tân Ward of Hà Nội has been home to bookshelves.

Newcomers or those who first visit the building may be surprised as the bookshelves and reading materials there belong to no one. They are shared and look after by the residents of the building.

The mini library has bookshelves, tables and chairs and books of all genres shelved in different areas such as classics, fiction, non-fiction, history, healthcare, science, law, memoirs as well as daily newspapers.

Đào Thị Anh Tuấn, a resident of the building, has spent many years voluntarily arranging newspapers and books at the library.

Tuấn said before 1999, people usually parked their motorbikes, ran small business stalls or occupied the stair area for personal purposes.

“Some retired people and veterans living in the building had an idea to set up a public library there, making it the first special cultural stair in the city,” Tuấn said.

It was then turned into a common cultural area for the community where people can go to read books, newspapers and talk to each other.

“We called on the residents to donate newspapers, books, tables and chairs,” she said, adding they set some rules to ensure the reading corner runs effectively. For example, every household takes turns to clean the stair daily, remove advertisements or drawings on walls and funds are raised by the residents to buy more books and newspapers.

“For over 20 years, the stair has been a familiar place for the building’s residents to gather and share their reading habit,” she said, adding that such activities also helped tighten the relationship of the different generations, neighbours and solidarity of the community.

While the young find interesting or useful resources for their studies or reading pleasure, older people enjoy reading news and events from daily newspapers. Many of them come to read and discuss news and events together.

Đỗ Trung Minh, a retired official who helps run the library, said the space under the stairs at the A3 building was quite large – about 20 sq.m, so it used to be used for parking.

Some people even left garbage there, he said.

“Since we cleaned up and opened a reading corner there, the area looks much better and residents have a place to meet, read and talk,” he said.

Another resident, Nguyễn Thị Hát, said she found many useful medical books and materials at the small library under the stairs.

“I usually read books and articles about how to stay healthy and avoid illness,” she said.

Đào Tùng Dương, a secondary school pupil, said he usually went to the library to read after school.

“Reading printed books and magazines is better for my eyes rather than using a mobile phone,” Dương said.

In the era of the internet, tablets and e-readers, reading culture is still maintained and promoted here, thanks to the “cultural stair”.

From this model, many community activities have been organised such as the weekly cleaning of the whole building, fundraising for people suffering from natural disasters and cooking competitions.

The success of the “cultural stair” of the A3 apartment block has even been spread to dozens of other neighbouring apartment buildings in Nghĩa Tân Ward.

The ward’s authorities have called on other buildings to implement the same model which has proved effective in promoting the reading culture and community connection.

Vietnam Airlines employees return about US$43,417 to passenger

Flight attendants of the flight VN7177 from Hanoi to the Central City of Da Nang on April 24 discovered and promptly returned valuable property to a passenger, Vietnam Airlines said yesterday.

Vietnam Airlines employees found a wallet in the seat 1A with US$45,000 and VND50 million, ATM card and other important personal papers with the total value of over VND1 billion (US$43,417). Flight attendants informed the lost-and-found counter which returned the wallet to the passenger.

The passenger later sent a thank-you letter to the flight attendants and employees of the lost-and-found counter.

Every year, Vietnam Airlines flight attendants and ground staff pick up and return many of valuable assets left on aircrafts to passengers.

The airline advised that passengers can go to the Lost and Found counter, or contact the airline’s representatives and airport security for assistance if they leave their property in planes.

Thousands of new COVID-19 cases reported in Southeast Asian countries

The Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand on May 3 reported thousands of new COVID-19 cases, while Indonesia announced that it detected several new infections of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant in Jakarta.

The Health Ministry of the Philippines confirmed 7,255 new cases, lifting the country’s tally to 1,062,225, including 17,525 deaths.

The Southeast Asian country started its COVID-19 vaccination programme from March, giving over 1.9 million doses of vaccine to its people. The Philippine government planned to vaccinate 70 million people this year to achieve the community immunity.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Ministry of Health reported 2,500 new cases, including 2,496 domestic infections, bringing its national count to 417,512. As many as 1,551 deaths related to COVID-19 were confirmed in the country.

The Public Health Ministry of Thailand on the same day reported a new daily high of 31 deaths and 2,041 new infections. This took the total number of cases in the country to 71,025 since the pandemic began last year. The death toll stands at 276.

Prasit Watanapa, a professor of medicine, warned that the country faces a crisis if the number of deaths continues to rise. He urged people to be strict about wearing face masks, to follow all measures advocated to curb the latest outbreak and to accept vaccination.

Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi announced that his country recorded two cases in Jakarta infected the B.1.617 variant, which was firstly detected in India.

An infection of the SARS-CoV-2 variant found in South Africa was reported in Bali, he added.

So far, Indonesia has recorded 1,677,274 cases, including 45,796 deaths.

The Cambodian government has announced its decision to lift the lockdown in Phnom Penh and the city adjacent to the capital – Ta Khmao in Kandal province from May 6./.

Exhibition on National Assembly opens in HCM City

More than 200 photos and documents featuring the development of the National Assembly of Vietnam are being displayed at the Southeastern Armed Forces Museum in Ho Chi Minh City.

The exhibition, which opened on May 4, is to welcome the elections of deputies to the 15th legislature, and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure.

It gives visitors an insight into the formation of the legislative body, the first general election on January 6, 1946, the 75-year journey of the NA, and the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh in the legislature.

Among the documents on the display are those regarding regulations of the Constitution and laws towards the NA and People’s Councils at all levels, as well as documents relating to the elections.

The exhibition also highlights contributions of the armed forces of Military Region 7 to preparations and organisation of the elections.

In his opening remarks, Colonel Thai Thanh Duc, Deputy Chief of the Department of Politics of Military Zone 7, stressed the significance of the exhibition, saying it aimed to raise the awareness of Vietnamese people, especially young officers and soldiers of Military Zone 7, about the NA and elections.

The event will last until the end of May./.

Hanoi detects new COVID-19 infection at Times City

An Indian expert, who works for local automaker Vinfast, has been confirmed with COVID-19 in Hanoi, the municipal Centre for Disease Control said on May 4.

The man, born in 1984, arrived in Vietnam on April 17 and was immediately put under 14-day quarantine at a hotel in Hong Bang district, the northern city of Hai Phong.

He tested negative for the coronavirus twice during the mandatory quarantine period, and left for Hanoi on May 1 to stay with his wife and children at Park 10, Hoang Mai district’s Times City.

He visited Vinmec Hospital on May 3 for a commercial COVID-19 test and his test result turned out positive. He is now under treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district.

Authorities are actively tracing people having close contact with him for COVID-19 test and quarantine to prevent the virus spreading further.

A day earlier, Hanoi reported one case of COVID-19 in Bac Tu Liem District. He was on the same flight from Da Nang to Hanoi last week with two Chinese experts, who had later been found infected with COVID-19./.

Central region closes entertainment venues, schools to fight COVID-19

Local authorities in central Việt Nam shut down various entertainment venues from midnight on Monday after a community COVID-19 case was confirmed in the region.

All bars, discotheques, karaoke parlours, entertainment areas, internet, massage parlours and mass gatherings in public in the cities of Đà Nẵng, Hội An and Thừa Thiên-Huế, and Quảng Nam and Quảng Ngãi provinces were shut after a spa ticket salesman at a hotel in Đà Nẵng was found to be positive on Monday.

Since then, a massage therapist who works at the same hotel has also tested positive.

Health officials have been tracing the contacts of the two new patients and have listed 21 sites including restaurants, bars, karaoke parlours and bus stations in Hội An and Đà Nẵng that the salesman visited between April 21 and May 2 so people who visited them can submit health declarations.

Kindergartens, schools and universities in Đà Nẵng and Quảng Nam were also closed from Tuesday morning until further notice from education authorities.

Quảng Nam Province has asked all residents returning from Hà Nội and HCM City and Yên Bái, Hưng Yên and Hà Nam provinces to report their health status and destinations they visited during the four-day holiday (April 29 to May 3) through the national online health declaration system.

Đà Nẵng has also ordered all taxis and public buses to only carry half of their passenger capacity, while a safe distance (2m) and face mask-wearing is a must for all in public.

Medical staff of a lab in central Việt Nam tests samples for SARS-COV-2. Photo courtesy of Thiện Nhân Health Centre

Trade centres, accommodation sites and restaurants are still open, but strict virus prevention measures are required, including hand-washing stations, face masks and temperature checks.

Sunny Club staff in Vĩnh Phúc infected with Indian coronavirus variant: health ministry

Staff working at Sunny Club in the northern province of Vĩnh Phúc contracted the Indian variant of coronavirus, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology took samples of COVID-19 patients in Vĩnh Phúc, Hà Nam, Hưng Yên and Hà Tĩnh provinces to trace the origin of the virus.

Samples taken from three female staff of Sunny Club showed they had contracted B.1.617.2, the Indian variant, known as a ‘double mutant’, which has been found in at least 17 countries.

They are among six bar staff confirmed as having COVID-19 last week after being in close contact with a Chinese expert who came to the bar and tested positive earlier.

Six samples in Hà Nam, two in Hưng Yên and two in Hà Tĩnh (taken from two patients traveling from Laos to Việt Nam by road) showed they were infected with UK variant B.1.1.7.

The health ministry on Tuesday morning reported a man living in Hà Nội, who was on the same flight as two Chinese experts, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Associate Professor Trần Đắc Phu, a senior advisor at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, said a case deemed to have had close contact with an infected person on a flight is someone sitting within two rows of that person. The man in Hà Nội indeed sat two rows from the two Chinese experts.

The environment on the plane is an enclosed space. If passengers do not strictly comply with protective measures, the risk of infection is high, he said.

Việt Nam has reported flight attendants infected with COVID-19. It is compulsory for passengers to wear masks on the plane, but sometimes they take off the masks. Coughing, talking, and sneezing on the place can spread the virus. Pathogens can be found on the surfaces of chairs and toilet door knobs. If a person touches those surfaces then touches their eyes, nose or mouth, they can be infected, he said.

In a related move, seven provinces and cities in Viet Nam have closed schools from Tuesday amid the high risk of COVID-19 community infection.

Children at kindergarten and students at primary, secondary and high schools in Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam, Hưng Yên have been off from schools since Tuesday until further notice after community cases were detected in these areas.

Most universities in Hà Nội have turned to distance learning.

Schools in Yên Bái City, Nghĩa Lộ Town, Văn Chấn and Trấn Yên districts of northern Yên Bái Province and Hà Nam Province will remain shut until May 9.

Schools in Vĩnh Phúc Province will be closed until May 8.

Border provinces step up efforts to stop spread of COVID-19

Provinces and cities across Việt Nam, especially border areas, are stepping up their COVID-19 prevention and control efforts.

Đồng Tháp provincial border guards are making efforts to prevent people from entering the province illegally from Cambodia to stop the virus from entering the community.

At about 4.30am on Monday, during patrol duty on the Sở Thượng River in Thường Thới Hậu A commune, Hồng Ngự District, the border guard discovered 14 people, including 11 adults and three children, on seven wooden boats, preparing to illegally enter Việt Nam.

Previously, on Saturday and Sunday, they discovered 55 people travelling in 23 vehicles to the border on the Tiền River to prepare to illegally enter the country.

On Đồng Tháp southern province’s 50.5km long border with Cambodia, comprising 40km of the river border and 10.5km on the mainland, the border forces deployed 21 fixed posts and 18 mobile control teams on patrol duty.

Meanwhile, in the northern mountainous province of Hà Giang, hundreds of soldiers have been deployed on the Việt Nam-China border for border management and protection and COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control.

Colonel Lưu Đức Hùng, Political Commissar of the Hà Giang Border Guard Command, said the provincial border guards have worked with other forces to maintain operations of all fixed control posts, mobile teams on the border, supplement the establishment of posts when necessary to ensure tight control at the border gates and trails.

“We are determined to fight the pandemic from the border and carry out the ‘dual task’ of managing and protecting the sovereignty and preventing and combating the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Hà Giang has more than 277km of border with China. Due to the complex terrain and long border, illegal entry and exit activities are very complicated to handle.

Major Tạ Tấn Hoàng, director of the Xín Cái Border Guard Station in Méo Vạc District, said pandemic prevention has been activated at the highest warning level.

In all 69 medical posts across the province, in addition to measuring body temperature and sterilising surfaces, people from other provinces and cities entering Hà Giang are instructed to make a medical declaration.

On Monday, chairman of the Lạng Sơn Province People’s Committee Hồ Tiến Thiệu checked prevention and control activities in a number of key units and areas in the province.

At the Hữu Nghị International Border Gate, Thiệu said the pandemic was developing in a complex manner with many cases of community infection in some provinces and cities. Therefore, the forces on duty at the border gate must uphold their sense of responsibility, promote vigilance and strictly comply with pandemic prevention measures.

At Tân Thanh Border Gate, many drivers still do not wear masks and many people gather at restaurants and yards with a potential risk of spreading the disease. Thiệu asked the forces on duty here to take measures to prevent and control the pandemic under the Ministry of Health’s guidance.

He called for pandemic checkpoints on both access roads to the Tân Thanh bus station to ensure strict control of people and vehicles entering and leaving, and require all people entering and leaving the area to be medically examined, wear masks and keep a safe distance.

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

People work at an auto plant. The improvement in Vietnam’s manufacturing sector in April 2021 was the strongest since November 2018 – PHOTO: VNA

New orders rose at a sharper rate, with firms responding by upping their rate of job creation and ramping up purchasing.

Input costs continued to rise sharply, leading to the fastest increase in selling prices in nearly a decade. Meanwhile, there were some signs that supply-chain disruption had started to ease during the month.

The Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased for the third straight month, posting 54.7 in April following a reading of 53.6 in March. The manufacturing sector was boosted in April by signs that customers were willing to commit to larger orders than they previously did, given the general improvement in demand and control of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The total new orders increased for the eighth straight month running and at the fastest pace in close to two and a half years.

New export orders also continued to rise amid an improving international demand climate. Higher new orders led to a similarly-sized expansion of manufacturing output, with production also up at the fastest pace since November 2018.

Companies boosted production by increasing workforce numbers. Staffing levels were expanded for the third month running and to the greatest extent since December 2018.

This increased capacity, however, was not sufficient to prevent a first rise in backlogs of work in 15 months due to the strength of new order growth.

Besides raising staffing levels, firms also posted a sharp and accelerated expansion of purchasing activity. Respondents indicated that the increase in input buying was both in response to higher new orders and as part of efforts to build reserves to support production growth in the months ahead.

Efforts to expand inventory holdings were generally successful in April, with both stocks of purchases and finished goods increasing. In both cases, the rate of accumulation was solid and faster than at the end of the first quarter.

There were some signs that recent severe disruption to supply chains eased in April. While suppliers’ delivery times continued to lengthen, the latest deterioration in vendor performance was modest and the softest since last September.

Supply shortages and rising shipping costs continued to feed through to higher input prices. The rate of cost inflation remained substantial and was only slightly slower than that seen in March. In turn, firms raised their selling prices sharply, with the rate of inflation quickening to the fastest for close to a decade.

Expectations that the pandemic will remain under control led to higher demand, and the introduction of new product lines, supported ongoing confidence among firms regarding the 12-month outlook for production.

“The Vietnamese manufacturing sector hit the ground running at the start of the second quarter. Output and new orders each rose to the greatest extent since late 2018, and there were encouraging reports that customers were often happy to place larger orders amid greater confidence in the sustainability of the current expansion,” said Andrew Harker, economics director at IHS Markit.

“Inflationary pressures remained elevated, with output prices increasing at the fastest pace for almost a decade. There were some signs, however, that the severity of the difficulties in supply chains may be easing, which will hopefully reduce some of the upward pressure on prices,” Harker added.

Binh Phuoc seeks to bolster investment from US

The Becamex IDC Corporation together with the People’s Committee of southern Binh Phuoc province held an online conference on May 5 with investors from the US.

Addressing the gathering, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Huynh Anh Minh said trade and investment promotions remain restricted as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc across the world.

The conference, therefore, holds significant and practical meaning for Binh Phuoc and the US business community and affirms the province’s determination to expand cooperation and attract investment and the attention from US firms.

Binh Phuoc hopes to bolster cooperation with US investors in the fields of industrial engineering, electromechanics, the agricultural processing industry, supporting industries, and high-tech agriculture, among others, he said.

He also pledged that Binh Phuoc will improve its investment climate to ensure transparency, revise policies, and create favourable conditions for businesses operating in the province.

At the conference, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc underlined that the US is among Vietnam’s leading trade partners, with bilateral economic and trade cooperation maintaining growth levels despite the adverse impact of COVID-19.

Binh Phuoc is currently home to 13 industrial parks (IPs) covering 4,686 ha. To satisfy economic development demand and attract investment in the 2021-2030 period, the province eyes the expansion of three IPs and the establishment of four others, raising the total area to 10,000 ha.

Prominent among these will be the Becamex – Binh Phuoc Industrial and Urban Complex in Chon Thanh district, which has drawn 49 projects with registered capital of nearly 1 billion USD.

Becamex Binh Phuoc is set to build the 1,000-ha Dong Phu Urban IP in the time to come./.

115 trillion VND for tax payment extension

The total value of taxes and land lease fees under the Government’s recently-issued decree on the extension of deadlines for tax payment is 115 trillion VND (4.97 billion USD), heard a press conference of the Government on May 5.

Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son said Decree No. 52/2021/ND-CP aims to support enterprises, organisations, family businesses and individuals who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the Decree, a five-month extension will be given to value-added tax of the assessment periods of March, April, May, June, the first quarter and the second quarter this year. This means the payment of VAT of March assessment period will be extended to September.

Timeframe for payment of value-added tax of July and August will be extended by four and three months, respectively.

Payment of corporate income tax in the first and second quarters will be extended by three months, according to the Decree.

A six-month extension will be given to payment of land rent fees, starting from May 31, 2021.

This is the third time the Government has introduced tax and land rent payment deadlines since the first COVID-19 cases reported in Vietnam on January 23, 2020.

Earlier, the Government promulgated Decree No. 41/2020/ND-CP dated April 8, 2020 on extension of deadlines for tax and land rent fee payment and Decree No. 109/2020/ND-CP providing the extension of time limits for excise tax payment for domestically manufactured or assembled cars.

In implementing the two previous Decrees, a total of 184,900 dossiers on tax and land lease payment extension were passed with a total sum of 87.3 trillion VND./.

Capital injections loom in finance M&A

Although the pandemic is still taking a serious toll on the economy, foreign investors are banking on cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the financial industry, especially in consumer finance and retail banking, illustrating the urgency to acquire new capabilities.

Japanese financial group Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) – parent of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and consumer arm SMBCCF – was last week reportedly to acquire 49 per cent in FE Credit, Vietnam’s largest consumer finance company under VPBank.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh told Masahiro Yoshimura, general manager of Business Development Department at SMFG, at a reception last week that he welcomed SMBC’s investment in FE Credit, and noted his belief that the cooperation will be a success.

SMFG will pay $1.4 billion to buy 49 per cent at FE Credit, making it the largest deal conducted by a Japanese bank in Vietnam’s financial institution landscape. “The looming acquisition comes as Vietnam’s consumer loan market rapidly expands on the back of strong and sustained economic growth,” reported Nikkei Asia. “Sumitomo is aiming to widen its business in Asia by leveraging its digitalisation and customer management expertise.” FE Credit, after the deal, is now valued at $2.8 billion.

A representative of VPBank told VIR, “Through this transaction, FE Credit is expected to receive additional support and international expertise in capital resources, as well as management skills from SMFG, especially from SMBCCF.

“At the same time, this transaction will inject a large amount of capital to VPBank, bolstering the bank’s solid growth fundamentals and enhancing its financial capabilities to explore its huge potential as well as capitalise on the emerging financial industry in Vietnam,” the representative added.

VPBank’s Board of Directors initially forecast that a successful initial public offering could triple FE Credit’s share price compared to the book value after equitisation.

The $1.4 billion bet on FE Credit is part of SMFG’s strategy to increase its footprint in Asia. The mega deal will offer mutual benefits, where the Japanese lender fund could jump on the lucrative consumer finance bandwagon in Vietnam, and FE Credit could enhance its operations to international standards.

SMBC Group is one of the three biggest banking and financial groups in Japan, with total assets of over $2.1 trillion as of December 31 last year. The group operates in retail banking, corporate banking, and investment banking worldwide, and is present in over 40 countries.

Last December, SMFG was allegedly planning to acquire an Asian lender, specifically in Vietnam, the Philippines, and India. Accordingly, the bank would cooperate with a global investment bank on US deal-making activities.

Elsewhere, international banks including DBS Group, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, OCBC, and Standard Chartered are allegedly vying to each other to buy Citibank’s retail banking business in Asia after the latter’s announcement to shut down this arm in 13 markets a fortnight ago.

“The sale process will start within a couple of weeks, they added, declining to be named as they were not authorised to speak to media. Potential bids from the regional banks and Standard Chartered, which makes most of its profit in Asia, underscores their growing appetite for businesses like credit cards and mortgages in a push to lock in long-term income growth,” Reuters noted.

“Asia is critical to our group’s strategy, and we will allocate resources to drive profitable growth,” a Citi spokesman in Hong Kong said.

At the same time, Japanese banks MUFG and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, along with Brit-based Standard Chartered, are mentioned as other potential bidders. In South Korea, financial institutions OK Financial Group and DGB Financial Group are strong candidates if a bidding war to acquire Citibank’s retail subsidiary takes place.

Specifically, DBS – the Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation – is reportedly mulling over buying Citibank’s retail business in India, according to The Hindu Times.

“DBS has always been open to exploring sensible bolt-on opportunities in markets where we have a consumer banking franchise and where we can overlay our digital capabilities,” DBS said in a statement.

Besides DBS, Standard Chartered and Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank also show their interest in the deal in India. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported the Bank of the Philippines – the country’s oldest lender – is mulling over acquiring Citibank’s retail arm domestically.

“We have told them that as soon as there is any information, we will take a look at it and most likely, we will be interested,” the bank’s president TG Limcaoco said, referring to Citigroup’s retail banking business.

In Vietnam, Citibank has been one of the most prestigious foreign lenders for years, providing a wide range of services from credit cards to wealth management, among others.

Citibank’s representative in Vietnam previously said that the withdrawal will not affect to its long-term commitment in this country. Citigroup’s consumer banking business in 13 markets made up for $4.2 billion of the bank’s revenue in 2020 of $74.3 billion.

Developers work around foreign cap

To meet the increasing demands of non-nationals on owning a property in Vietnam, many real estate developers are moving such buyers towards a long-lease term of 50 years instead after using up their restriction of 30 per cent of foreign ownership per project.

In the event of an area with geographical boundary equivalent to ward level with many apartment buildings for sale or lease purchase, those organisations and individuals may own no more than 30 per cent of the total units of each apartment building, and not more than 30 per cent of the total units of all the apartments.

Some projects, however, have used up the limitation such as Gateway Thao Dien, Nassim, and Thao Dien Pearl. In response, the project developers are persuading their overseas buyers to a long-lease term of 50 years instead.

According to Le Hoang Chau, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association (HoREA), in several projects that that reached the ownership rate ceiling, non-nationals are being offered two options for short-term rent or long-term home lease. “In reality, there is not much difference between being in or out of the 30 per cent limitation. Foreign buyers who are consistent in wanting a property in their target projects will choose the long-lease term,” Chau said.

While current regulations include the 30 per cent cap for foreign ownership in Vietnam, no such limitation is applied for long leasing.

Some nations are currently tightening foreign ownership policy to avoid speculation, like South Korea, or trying to limit the number of homes being bought by foreigners, causing prices to soar and making it difficult for local middle- and low-income people to acquire accommodation, like in Australia.

Chau stressed that housing needs and housing ownership are different. “Most of the foreigners living in Vietnam would choose to rent a house instead of buying. This is because if they stay in Vietnam for more than 180 days each year will have to pay personal income tax. They will not buy fixed assets and then waste half a year of not using them,” Chau said.

Keeping the limitation of 30 per cent does not affect the target of attracting foreign investment while ensuring the advantage for Vietnamese in the luxury segment, he added.

According to unofficial figures, more than 320,000 foreigners live and work in Vietnam, mainly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City has recorded the highest percentage of foreign buyers nationwide. According to HoREA, 17 leading real estate groups and corporations in Vietnam have sold more than 12,000 homes to foreign individuals and enterprises during the past five years.

The majority of overseas buyers come from China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, while leasers are mainly from Europe, the US, Australia, and Japan. Nationwide, the HoREA predicts that around 16,000 units have been sold to non-Vietnamese buyers during this time.

Among the 17 real estate groups, 85 per cent of the total units belong to five leading ones with more than 10,000 units. Of those, Vingroup occupies around 40 per cent, with more than 5,000 units sold to foreigners.

Figures from the Ministry of Construction said that more than 4 million units were built in Vietnam in the last 10 years.

Under Decree No.99/2015/ND-CP to guide to the implementation of Law on Land 2013, the ministries of defence, public security, and construction work with local authorities to set up a list of projects eligible for foreign buyers. Developers must propose those projects and meet the required conditions so as to not harm national security.

However, many localities have not released their list of eligible projects for them, causing a prolonged process in handing out red books for buyer certification.

Only localities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa, Danang, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau have offered up lists so far.

“This slow process is confusing and brings risks to buyers if they bought a project but has not had it permitted yet,” said Nguyen Van Minh, a consultant in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 4.

Beer battle ahead shakes up goals

The country’s biggest brewers, SABECO and HABECO, have been quizzed over their ambitious profit targets and possible solutions at their annual general shareholders’ meetings as tough competition and beer consumption figures stand in their way.

Although domestic brewers have been faced with social restrictions during the pandemic and stricter regulations on road traffic to keep beer lovers safer, this year’s revenues and net profit targets show an attempted direction towards economic recovery.

The publicly-listed Hanoi Beer, Alcohol, and Beverage JSC, or HABECO (code BHN), approved its business plan at last month’s annual general shareholders’ meeting. Revenues from its main product lines of beer and UniAqua water was presented, reaching VND5.3 trillion ($230.4 million), while profits after tax amounted to VND225.4 billion ($9.8 million), down 8.5 per cent and 59.2 per cent on-year, respectively.

Although the beermaker holds the largest market share in the north, HABECO predicted that its business situation this year will still face many difficulties as the global fight against the pandemic persists.

In the context of the generally weak demand due to lowered consumers’ purchasing power, HABECO also must deal with pressure from competitors that are concentrating large resources on continuous promotions, investing heavily in their distribution systems, and bringing new products to the market that directly compete with popular segments of the company.

Ngo Que Lam, general director of HABECO, said that in the northern and north-central regions, which are the company’s main markets, the beer industry has experienced a stronger decline compared to other markets.

Despite being subject to stiff competition from international and local beer brands, HABECO however still maintains its position as the leading brewer in the market and recovered its business in the summer season and by the end of 2020 as a whole.

According to a report conducted by SSI Securities Corporation, the beer sector’s recovery momentum will continue but the demand is forecasted to not return to pre-pandemic levels before 2022.

Although Vietnam has handled the pandemic well, with catering and entertainment improving, the overall performance of the food and beverage sector is still a long way off pre-pandemic levels, and customer frequentation at restaurants, cafes, shopping centres, theme parks, and museums remains weak, representing an overall decrease of 10 per cent compared to the average rates.

Meanwhile, SABECO (code SAB) set a target revenue of VND33.5 trillion ($1.33 billion) with net profits of VND5.2 trillion ($208 million) for 2021, a 20 per cent and 7 per cent on-year increase, respectively.

Explaining the figures, Bennett Neo, general director of SABECO shared, “Our business plan for 2021 was made in January, but the goal of increasing sales by 20 per cent is not easy. Even so, the Management Board still maintains its commitment and strives to fulfil it.”

Despite the challenges from the pandemic, new regulations, and natural calamities last year, SABECO was able to post better-than-expected bottom-line results by implementing cost savings, leveraging new sales opportunities, and expanding the market by introducing new brands such as Lac Viet and Saigon Chill. With this, SABECO has also been able to meet its previously-approved 2020 dividend plan which maintained a rate of 35 per cent.

At the company’s presentation of its 2020 financial results, SABECO highlighted that while revenues and profit after tax went down 26 per cent and 8 per cent from the previous year, respectively, SABECO still managed to surpass its targets by 17 per cent and 52 per cent, respectively. In absolute figures, SABECO exceeded its revenue target by VND4.1 trillion ($178.2 million) and its net profit goal by VND1.6 trillion ($69.6 million).

“We were able to weather headwinds in 2020 by remaining fiscally prudent and operationally nimble,” said Neo. “We focused our spending on the essentials and continued to find efficiencies, where possible, while making sure that we are able to leverage on market opportunities.”

The spirit of accepting tough trials is rooted in the company’s transformation strategy that started three years ago after Thai Beverage acquired a majority stake in the state-owned brewer.

Both SABECO and HABECO showed solutions to shareholders to reach their targets, including improving the distribution network and adjustments to customer tastes, resulting in a larger market share.

Although the beer sector faced the dual pressure of the pandemic and regulations on drink-driving last year, the newly-introduced product lines could be utilised to increase market share as Vietnamese consumers begin to pay more attention to such products thanks to quality and taste, and thus are more willing to pay higher prices.

Pushing agricultural product consumption through e-commerce

A number of localities in Son La province have recently supported agricultural product consumption via social networks and e-commerce sites. The move has brought initially positive results compared to traditional methods of consumption.

One hour of livestreaming attracted more than 500,000 views, and after two days the number had increased to more than 3 million, with a total of 20 tonnes of plums sold. Online sales have contributed to promoting the Tam Hoa plum brand among many more people throughout the entire country.

Tam Hoa plums are a high yield crop, and in recent years there have been many localities planting the variety as their main crop. But due to a lack of communications and promotional efforts, they were still mostly consumed locally or in neighbouring areas. To remove the obstacles, the local government established a campaign committee to support the promotion and consumption of plums and of agricultural products in general through social networks and e-commerce sites.

Selling goods online and through e-commerce sites has many benefits, but quality must be ensured when products reach consumers. In order to guarantee the fair sale and uniform quality of agricultural products, authorities at all levels in Son La have created specific lists, giving priority to households that do not use fertilisers or chemical pesticides in the growing process./.

Questions over air titans’ funding plans

While Vietnamese airlines are looking at  fundraising on the stock market as a way to shelter from financial storms, the possibilities of making it a success remain narrow.

According to Pham The Anh, chief economist at the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research, airlines plan fundraising on the stock market as favourable conditions in the stock market are in reach. This may therefore be a good solution for them to access more financial sources for operations amid the pandemic.

However, many experts warn that it will not be easy for air carriers to mobilise tens of trillions of VND in the stock market at this time because their tickers are simply less attractive than others.

In a specific case, the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange decided to issue warnings to HVN, the ticker of Vietnam Airlines, from April 15 due to business losses. An expert at FPT Securities told VIR, “HVN has fallen in recent days due to serious concerns over COVID-19.”

Also, VJC – the ticker of Vietjet – also saw a downtrend from over $5.66 per share on April 22 and $5.53 on April 27 to $5.47 on April 28.

Bamboo Airways is currently selecting an international auditing company to prepare for its initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, planned for the third quarter.

Chairman Trinh Van Quyet, also the chairman of private-run property developer FLC Group, said that the airline aims to raise $200 million in the IPO by offering 5-7 per cent of stake at a starting price of VND60,000-80,000 per share ($2.60-3.47), thus increasing its market capitalisation to $4 billion.

“The IPO in the US is part of Bamboo Airways’ efforts to expand its services globally,” Quyet said. “This is the latest development of the airline and the IPO on a local stock exchange is a backup plan, depending on market conditions.”

In similar moves, Vietjet offered nearly 18 million treasury shares on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange from March 30 to April 28 to increase its working capital. Elsewhere, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, in which the state holds 86 per cent, has received government approval to issue additional shares worth VND8 trillion ($348 million) regardless of the issuance schedule.

Together with issuance plans, airlines are seeking government support policies on loans after Vietnam Airlines earlier received refinancing loans worth VND4 trillion ($174 million) with interest rates for refinancing loans set at zero per year.

Specifically, Vietjet seeks a loan of VND4-5 trillion ($174-217 million) with a term extending to 2023 and lending rate of 4 per cent annually. In the meantime, Bamboo Airways also seeks a loan of VND10 trillion ($435 million).

While Anh said that the government should have similar credit supporting policies for airlines to ensure equal treatment, others suggested careful consideration to ensure fair treatment, as aviation is not the only sector badly hit by COVID-19.

As a result of the uncertainty, airline expansion and restructuring plans are inevitably placed on the back-burner. Market analysts forecast that the struggling sector will start recovering at the end of this year, with expectations pinned on regular international flights for those with “vaccine passports”. But numerous obstacles abound in terms of adequacy of evidence, effectiveness, technology, and vaccine efficacy.

Vietnam emerges as top alternative for global supply chain shift

The number of US-based companies seeing Vietnam as a top sourcing market has doubled over the past four years as a result of the global investment relocation trend from China.

Hong Kong-based QIMA specialised in providing supply chain compliance solutions has just released a survey of over 700 companies across the globe. Of this, the number of US-based respondents selecting the Southeast Asian country as the leading sourcing location has doubled against four years ago, to 43 per cent in early 2021.

Similarly, 25 per cent of EU companies also listed Vietnam as one of the three leading sourcing markets in this year’s first quarter, down 15 per cent on-year but up 11 per cent against the same period of 2019.

Of all establishments switching to suppliers in new geographic regions last year to avoid COVID-19 impacts, nearly one-third revealed that the 100-million population country is one of their best options. For US-based business, the rate was even higher, at 40 per cent.

QIMA also forecast the trend to continue this year. Of the companies asked for finding new suppliers over the next 12 months, 38 per cent of US-based establishments and 28 per cent of those from the EU stated that they are planning to relocate some sourcing to Vietnam or buy more from current suppliers there. On the other hand, only 6 per cent of US-based brands and 11 per cent of those from the EU were looking for suppliers in China.

Also, US-based respondents showed some signs of dissatisfaction with Chinese sourcing. While one-third of them are planning to purchase more from Chinese suppliers in 2021, almost as many reported plans to completely stop buying from the market.

Nevertheless, words and actions often differ. Pointedly, in the survey, 73 per cent of companies said they had plans to look for new suppliers in 2020 but only 38 per cent were able to follow through on those schemes. For brands headquartered in the US, 93 per cent declared to diversify supply chains in early 2020 but only 49 per cent carried out these plans.

Indonesia speeds up foreign investment appeal with Vietnam and Singapore

Indonesia is stepping on the gas in the race for foreign investment with Vietnam and Singapore, with new incentives targeting the production of electric vehicles and batteries.

To compete with Vietnam and Singapore, Indonesia is offering plenty of made-to-measure inducements, including the latest programmes accepting carbon offset, according to Bloomberg newswire.

The 270 million population country is reviewing its carbon-offset programmes to promote investment. The Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board is drawing up a list of peatlands which can store huge volumes of CO2 emissions, and also artificial lakes that could house solar panels, according to Nurul Ichwan, deputy chairman for Investment Planning at the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board.

Bloomberg stated that the moves aimed to lure in electric vehicle and battery makers who want to source nickel from the country.

The Indonesian government has attempted to attract South Korea-based LG Chem that is present in Vietnam, China-based battery manufacturer Amperex Technology, and US-based electric car maker Tesla to set up shop in the country.

Ichwan said that Vietnam and Singapore offer similar incentives for overseas investors, however, Indonesia will draw in many big investment projects on account of its natural resources, large market, economic efficiency, and the directions of the country’s government.

The Indonesian administration late last year approved the Omnibus Law creating jobs for labourers in the nation. Accordingly, the law favours foreign investors pouring in large capital to develop industries, said Ichwan.

Similar to Vietnam, Indonesia has found that its traditional growth engines have all seen a downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic and the country is looking for investment into more modern industries such as manufacturing electric vehicles and batteries.

The competition for foreign capital has been heating up in Southeast Asia like Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines which are all lowering tax rates and rolling out other incentives for foreign companies. As a result, Indonesia – the region’s largest economy – has accelerated policy reforms to encourage investment for years now.

The efforts have been paying off: in 2020, the country received Rp826 trillion ($57.2 billion) in total investment capital, up 2 per cent on-year. This is a positive sign as the nation has experienced the first recession over two decades due to the pandemic. Indonesian government targets to get Rp900 trillion ($62.5 billion) in investment this year.

Southern provinces brace for high temperature

The Hydrometeorological Forecasting Center for Southern Region stated that the southern provinces will witness hot weather throughout May, with temperatures expecting to reach 35 degrees Celsius or even higher.

May 4 was a sunny day for many areas within the Southern region as the Eastern provinces and some areas in the Western provinces experienced hot weather, with the temperature oscillating between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius at 1.00 p.m.

Throughout May 5, most southern provinces will experience sunny weather, which will gradually intensify in the afternoon, the local media reported.

The intensity of the heat in the Southern region will decline as the areas affected by the hot weather will narrow down compared to yesterday.

The highest temperature for today is predicted to oscillate between 33 and 35 degrees Celsius, with some places experiencing temperature over 35 degrees Celsius. Convective clouds are likely to develop gradually, causing thunderstorms at approximately one third of the affected area, while local areas will have moderate to heavy rain in certain areas.

Vietnam identifies three locally-infected cases of Indian coronavirus variant

Three locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases linked to Sunny Club in Vinh Phuc Province have been found infected with the Indian coronavirus variant.

The Ministry of Health today, May 4, released the results of a genetic analysis of the virus from the locally-infected cases which have been reported recently in Vinh Phuc, Ha Nam, Hung Yen and Ha Tinh provinces.

Three samples of three employees of Sunny Club in Vinh Phuc Province tested positive for the Indian variant, while six samples in Ha Nam, two samples in Hung Yen and two others in Ha Tinh came out positive for the UK coronavirus variant.

On May 2 and 3, Vinh Phuc Province reported 14 community-transmitted Covid-19 cases related to Sunny Club, which were suspected to have caught the virus from Chinese experts. After these Chinese experts completed their quarantine period at the same quarantine facility as a group of Indian experts in Yen Bai Province, they travelled to Vinh Phuc Province.

The Indian coronavirus variant is said to be more transmissible than others and reduce the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines, the local media reported.

Danang imposes ban on beach swimming, events to prevent Covid-19 wave

Earlier this morning, May 4, a warning tape fence was placed along the over 20-kilometer-long Danang coastal road, stretching from the Nam O beach (in Lien Chieu District) to the Marble Mount area.

This is in response to the official letter by the Danang People’s Committee last night on strengthening prevention measures against Covid-19 after a case was discovered in the central city on the same day.

Specifically, gymnastics, sports, bodybuilding at the gym, yoga, billiards, indoor sports activities, sports and martial arts and swimming on the beach were banned from May 4 until further notice.

Nguyen Van Loi, owner of an establishment offering freshwater bathing and parking services near My Khe beach in Son Tra District, said that earlier this morning, many people went to the beach as usual, but they had to return because it was forbidden by the local authorities.

This is the latest beach swimming ban in Danang after the first two in March and August 2020 when the Covid-19 waves broke out.

In addition to swimming activities being banned, some other activities in Danang were also suspended, including cultural and entertainment festivals.

Those running entertainment and beauty establishments, bars, pubs, discos, karaoke and massage parlors, video game arcades, movie theaters, casinos and public internet services must also remain shut. Activities at walking streets, night markets or dining with more than 30 people have also been prohibited.

Public passenger transportation services are available, but they must carry no more than half of the allowed number of people for each type of vehicle, ensuring safety.

This morning, Le Trung Chinh, Chairman of the Danang People’s Committee, signed an official letter, proposing all students take 4-5 days off school until further notice.

Previously, the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Epidemic Prevention in Danang had announced a Covid-19 case.

Phu An Hotel where the patient worked has been shut down, while 11 people working there have also been quarantined at the hotel.

In another development, the  government of Hoi An City in Quang Nam Province also suspended visits to the ancient town, traditional crafts villages and pedestrian streets from May 4.

Prices of consumer goods about to climb

The promotional program to stimulate the purchasing power on the occasion of the Reunification Day and the International Workers’ Day is going to end, while the prices of input materials have been climbing sharply, significantly affecting the pressure of increasing the selling prices of many essential goods.

Although there have not any official statistics from the authorities yet, according to some retailers and enterprises, the purchasing power in the last holidays increased by two times compared to normal days. Many retailers reduced prices sharply on thousands of products. Particularly, fresh food discounted 10-20 percent, kitchen utensils dropped 21-47 percent, and health care products offered a discount of 50 percent for the second item.

According to the representative of Co.opmart supermarkets, because the holiday of the Reunification Day and the International Workers’ Day this year lasted for four days, the purchasing power at Co.opmart supermarket network, on average, rose two to four times higher compared to normal days. The highest increase in the purchasing power focused on fresh foods, some types of processed foods, frozen goods, beer, and soft drinks. Other products, such as household appliances and garments, were being strongly discounted, so the purchasing power also doubled compared to before.

Similarly, at Lotte Mart, Emart, and MM Mega Market An Phu, in recent days, the purchasing power has also increased significantly and increased drastically in the afternoons and evenings of the holiday, focusing on fresh food products, including meat, fish, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. Items, such as confectionery, canned food, and garments, were also interested by consumers. Ms. Nguyen An Nhien, a resident in Thu Duc City said that the holiday is a “golden” opportunity for her family to buy many items at the best prices. For instance, Emart currently offers promotions for hundreds of essential items with attractive combo gift packages applicable to food, beverages, cosmetics, clothing, and household appliances. To meet the increasing shopping demand on the occasion of the holiday, supermarkets have also enhanced their staff of all stages, at the same time, increased the source of goods to best ensure the demand of customers.

Shopping centers in Ho Chi Minh City, especially Vincom Center, Takashimaya, and Giga Mall, were always highly patronized. Besides the need for window shopping, entertainment, shopping, and dining, a large number of visitors go to the shopping centers to escape the heat, contributing to making the atmosphere of these places bustling during the holiday.

In terms of prices during the holiday, retailers had worked closely with suppliers to reduce prices by up to 50 percent for various products to stimulate consumer demand, so they have created a stable common ground of selling prices. The supply of goods for the market is plentiful and diverse. At traditional wet markets, many small traders said that the selling prices of all kinds of goods were fairly stable. The groups of items that were bought heavily at the markets included fresh food, fruits, and ready-made clothes.

According to forecasts of the domestic market management unit, in May and the coming time, the market of essential goods will not have any major fluctuation in supply and demand. However, the impacts of the global prices or the increase in import duties on some input materials in the first months of the year will affect the prices of some commodities, such as agricultural products, milk, and processed foods.

It is recorded that the prices of some items retailed at grocery stores, such as instant noodles, seasoning powder, spice powder, cooking oil, and cake flour, increased by 7-10 percent compared to those at the end of last year. Some cake flour producers explained that the prices of many input materials increased by up to 20 percent. Currently, the purchasing power in the market remains weak, if they increase the selling prices of finished products based on the prices of raw materials, it will be difficult to convince consumers. Therefore, for these manufacturing enterprises, increasing the selling prices at this time is a necessary evil.

The group of fresh food products, such as poultry meat and eggs, also increased by 10-15 percent compared to the beginning of 2021. This situation is because the price of animal feed surged by more than 20 percent and that of packaging went up by about 15 percent. Besides, the pressure to increase the selling prices of many fresh foods also comes from the increasing gasoline prices, which affected freight rates from provinces to HCMC.

A representative of the purchasing department of one of the major distribution network in HCMC said that although suppliers sent requests to increase the selling prices, mainly the group of fast-moving consumer goods, from May, to harmonize the interests of all parties, the supermarket will carefully consider the possibility of increasing the selling price of each item, as well as the group of goods, avoiding causing a disturbance in the general price level of commodities, affecting consumer psychology. Besides the increase in the prices of input materials, the prices of many product groups are higher than before because the promotional program has ended.

The selling prices of some products may increase slightly, but essential goods will certainly be plentiful and diverse. Even the group of items serving the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as hand sanitizers and masks, are also fully prepared.

To continue stabilizing the goods and services market, the domestic market management unit recommended ministries, industries, and localities to continue to closely coordinate in the management of market and prices of goods and propaganda to create consensus in public opinion with the State’s administration, and stabilize the commodity market.

Chili price sinks heavily, farmers forsake harvesting

According to the journalist of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, farmers in Phu My District and some midland and mountainous districts of Binh Dinh Province have entered the harvest of chilies. This year, thanks to favorable weather, chili plants give more fruits than in previous years. Because farmers harvest chilies at the same time, the price of chilies drops steeply.

In Phu My District, traders are buying bird’s eye chilies for only VND3,000-VND5,000 per kilogram while at the beginning of the season, the price was VND15,000 per kilogram. Many chili farmers even cannot find any trader to sell. Many households with a large area of chilies have to leave the ripe chilies in the field because they cannot afford to hire workers to pick them.

The representative of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Phu My District said that the growing area of chilies in the whole district this year was about 1,262 hectares, an increase of 30 hectares compared to last year. This year, the yield of chilies is extremely high, from 1 to 1.5 tons per 500 square meters. Currently, the price of chilies is too low, so the locality has reported to the higher level to find a solution to help farmers.

Vietnam trade turnover records 10-year high growth to US$207 billion in Jan-Apr

Vietnam posted a trade surplus of US$1.29 billion during the four-month period, a positive result amid difficult global trade environment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vietnam’s trade turnover in the January-April period rose by a 10-year high growth of 29.5% year-on-year to reach US$206.5 billion, the General Statistics Office (GSO) has said in a monthly report.

Upon breaking down, the country’s exports during the period surged by 28.3% year-on-year to US$103.9 billion, while imports were estimated at US$102.61 billion, up 30.8%.

As Vietnam reported an estimated trade deficit of US$1.5 billion in April, the overall trade surplus in the first four months of 2021 was narrowed to US$1.29 billion, but remained a positive note amid difficult global trade environment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the GSO, the foreign-invested sector made up 75.2% of the total exports with US$78.14 billion, representing an increase of 34.4% year-on-year, while the domestic-invested sector exported US$25.76 billion, or 24.8% of the total.

Among Vietnam’s key export staples, phones and parts earned the largest export turnover during the January-April period of US$18.4 billion, up 19.4% year-on-year and accounting for 17.7% of Vietnam’s total exports.

In addition, electronic products, computers and components have earned an estimated US$15.9 billion, up 30.8% year-on-year; followed by equipment and parts (US$12 billion and up 76.9%); garments (US$9.5 billion and up 9%).

Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Import and Export Department Tran Thanh Hai attributed Vietnam’s effective measures against the Covid-19 pandemic to its strong performance in trade.

“No disruption to business and production activities was key to help local traders fulfill their  their foreign peers’ orders,” said Hai.

Meanwhile, efforts from Vietnamese enterprises in adjusting to the new situation during the pandemic have also been decisive, he noted.

On the trade outlook for this year, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai warned any resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic would cause negative impacts on trade activities.

“Given the current context, safety measures to combat the pandemic continue to be the utmost priority,” said Hai.

Amid growing uncertainties surrounding the pandemic situation, Head of the Macroeconomic Policy Department under the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) Nguyen Anh Duong called for enterprises to focus on markets having free trade agreements (FTAs) with Vietnam.

In the first four months of the year, the US, China, EU, ASEAN and South Korea remained Vietnam’s largest five export markets.

Meanwhile, China continued to be Vietnam’s largest supplier, selling US$33.1 billion worth of goods to Vietnam, or an increase of 47.8% year-on-year.

South Korea claimed the second place by exporting US$16.9 billion worth of goods to Vietnam, up 16.9% year-on-year, followed by ASEAN countries with US$14.1 billion, up 48.2%.

COVID-19 developments remain complicated in regional countries

The Lao Ministry of Health confirmed 46 new COVID-19 cases on May 5, mostly in Vientiane and Bokeo province with 19 and 15 cases, respectively.

According to the ministry, the decreased number of newly-confirmed cases showed the efficiency of drastic measures applied by the Lao Government.

From May 4, the Lao government decided to apply lockdown for additional 15 days until May 20.

So far, Laos has discovered 1,072 COVID-19 cases, including 99 recoveries and no death.

Meanwhile in Thailand, the pandemic is still developing complicatedly with 2,112 new cases confirmed on May 5 and 15 deaths, raising the total cases to 74,000 cases, with 318 deaths.

Bangkok is still a hot spot of COVID-19 with 789 cases.

In Indonesia, 155,000 soldiers and policemen will be deployed within the framework of Operation Ketupat Jaya 2021 from May 6-17 to minimise the spreading of COVID-19 during the Muslims Eid al-Fitr holidays from May 13-14.

Some 4,276 personnel will be stationed in the capital city and its adjoining areas. The Jakarta Police will deploy these personnel at 14 isolation points and 17 check points.

The Operation Ketupat Jaya 2021 is being conducted to block access to and from Jabodetabek, to maintain security, and to monitor the implementation of health protocols to stem the transmission of the coronavirus disease before, during, and after Eid al-Fitr, among others.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Wiku Adisasmito affirmed that all forms of homecoming activities, including the local homecoming, are banned during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr to lower the rate of COVID-19 infection.

At the same time, Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur will re-apply movement control order (MCO) from May 7. This will be the third time the city is placed in MCO to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malaysian Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the order is given after 17 new clusters were recorded.

The order will be applied until May 20. Food premises, such as restaurants, food trucks, hawkers and kiosks, are allowed to operate from 6am to midnight only. Dine-ins are not allowed and food served are for delivery and takeaways only.

Malaysia on May 5 logged 3,744 new cases in the last 24 hours to bring the total to 424,376. There were 17 more deaths, bringing the total fatalities to 1,591.

The MCO was applied for the first time on March 18, 2020 and the second time on January 13, 2021.

The same day, Executive Secretary of the Philippine Presidential Office Salvador Medialdea said that the Southeast Asian country will ban tourists from Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from May 7-14 as part of efforts to prevent the entry of SARS-CoV-2 variants found in India.

Earlier, the Philippines banned travelers from India from April 29 to May 14.

On May 5, the country confirmed 5,685 new COVID-19 cases and 178 deaths, raising the count to more than 1 million with 17,800 deaths.

In Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen on May 5 ordered to vaccinate more than 52,000 people in all areas in the red zones of Phnom Penh with COVID-19 vaccines, with the administration of the first dose to be completed soon and the second dose to commence once the stipulated time frame has been reached.

To date, more than 1.5 million people have been vaccinated with either Sinopharm, Sinovac or Covishield (AstraZenacca vaccines) since February 10.

The same day, the Cambodian Ministry of Health confirmed 672 new cases, raising the total cases to 16,971, including 110 deaths./.

Party chief commends role of banking sector in growth

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong lauded efforts and achievements made by the banking sector during the national cause of economic development as he delivered a speech at a ceremony marking the sector’s 70th founding anniversary (May 6).

Describing the sector as the lifeblood of the economy, he hoped it to continue contributing to the nation’s reform, industrialisation and modernisation.

The Party leader recommended the sector enhance the efficiency of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s management and monetary policy, while ensuring the security, safety, and effectiveness of credit organisations’ operations.

The sector should keep up its efforts to control inflation, stabilise the macroeconomy, mobilise and meet demand for credit, and offer banking services serving socio-economic growth, Trong said.

At the event held on May 5, State Bank Governor Nguyen Thi Hong underscored the SBV will closely follow orientations and policies issued under the 13th Nation Party Congress’s Resolution in directing and managing banking activities in contribution to realizing targets set in the 2021 – 2025 plan and 2021 – 2030 strategy for socio-economic development as well as the vision toward 2045.

The SBV will boost the effectiveness of its monetary policy monitoring and its capacity to adapt to domestic and global economic fluctuations so as to realize the goals of inflation control, stable macroeconomics, helping enhance the economy’s independence and autonomy amid international integration, she noted.

Restructuring, completing legal frameworks, diversifying services, and promoting administration reform and innovation are also other tasks of the sector, the SBV governor added.

On the occasion, the SBV was conferred with the Labour Order, first class./.

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

Nine cases of COVID-19 associated with the pandemic cluster at the Hanoi-based National Hospital for Tropical Diseases were reported on May 6 morning.

Of the latest infections, two are relatives of patients being treated at the hospital, the city’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said.

On the day, the health department of northern Thai Binh province also reported five new cases linked with the hospital’s pandemic cluster.

Thai Binh has decided to impose social distancing across the province from 12:00 on May 6, and activate anti-COVID-19 groups.

The two other cases were recorded in the northern province of Hung Yen.

The localities have quickly conducted contract tracing and rolled out measures to seal off pandemic-hit areas.

Located in Hanoi’s outlying district of Dong Anh, the hospital was the frontline facility in the COVID-19 fight. On May 4, a doctor of the hospital was confirmed positive for the coronavirus./.

Vietnam prioritises safety for people amid COVID-19

The Ministry of Health will join hands with relevant ministries and sectors to study and recommend the Government the suitable time to apply vaccine passports, with safety for locals being the overriding priority, said Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan.

Vaccine passport only proves its efficacy until herd immunity is reached, which means around 70 percent of the Vietnamese population get vaccinated, Health Deputy Minister Thuan said at the Government’s press conference on May 5.

Currently, no vaccines show 100 percent protection against the SARS-CoV-2 variants, he said, highlighting competent authorities must have meticulous consideration before carrying out the vaccine passport.

Besides COVID-19 inoculation, Thuan stressed that implementation of the Ministry of Health’s 5K message: Khau trang (facemask), Khu khuan (disinfection), Khoang cach (distance), Khong tu tap (no gathering) and Khai bao y te (health declaration) will contribute to stamping out the pandemic.

Regarding support policies for local people and businesses battered by the novel outbreak, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong said that the ministry outlined specific support measures in February and have reported to the Government.

Meanwhile, the State Bank of Vietnam has told financial institutions to reschedule debt repayments to help customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under Circular No 03/2021/TT-NHNN dated April 2, 2021, the central bank gives permission to financial institutions to reschedule debts with repayment obligations incurred from January 23, 2020 to the end of this year./.

Authorities move to handle illegal entry, exit

Authorities in northern Quang Ninh and Dien Bien provinces and southern Binh Phuoc province on May 5 took actions against persons involved in illegal migration.

Police of Quang Ninh’s Hai Ha district said they had officially launched an investigation into and temporarily detained Le Van Kieu, born in 1978, from the nearby city of Hai Phong for organising illegal entry.

Kieu was initially found to have arranged persons helping Luong Thi Xuan (born in 1964), whose passport was granted by the Vietnamese Consulate General in China’s Nanning city, illegally cross the border to enter Vietnam.

The case is still under further investigation.

In Dien Bien province, the A Pa Chai border guard post handed over 13 Chinese nationals to Chinese authorities.

Together with 12 Vietnamese, they were arrested on April 18 and 19 for assisting others to illegally exit from the country. They admitted that they had been seeking ways to help several Chinese illegally come to Laos.

Before being returned to Chinese authorities, they had been sent to concentrated quarantine to prevent any possible COVID-19 transmission.

In the southern border province of Binh Phuoc, the healthcare centre of Loc Ninh district said that it received many people with illicit exit and entry transferred from anti-COVID-19 forces on May 4 and 5.

They include six Chinese nationals who were trying to cross the border to enter Cambodia, a Cambodian attempting to come to Vietnam, and seven Vietnamese illegally moving to the country from Cambodia.

They are being tested for the coronavirus and also under investigation./.

Train services on Hanoi-Yen Bai/Haiphong routes to be suspended due to Covid-19

The Hanoi Railway Transport JSC (Haraco) has decided to suspend the operations of the YB3/YB4 trains on the Hanoi-Yen Bai route and the HP1/LP2 trains on the Hanoi-Haiphong route starting from May 8, due to the impact of the latest Covid-19 resurgence in Vietnam.

Before the suspension, the YB3/YB4 and the HP1/LP2 trains were only operational on weekends. The YB3 train departs from Hanoi station on Saturdays and the YB4 starts at the Yen Bai station on Sundays. The HP1 departs from the Hanoi station and the LP2 at the Haiphong station, reported VietnamPlus.

Passengers who booked tickets for these trains can return them to railway stations before the time of departure and will not be charged any fee, a representative of Haraco said.

Passengers boarding trains departing from other provinces to Haiphong City were informed that the northern city had started applying quarantine measures such as quarantining at concentrated quarantine centers, home-quarantining, health declarations and medical monitoring for people arriving from virus-hit localities, starting from May 4.

On the Hanoi-Haiphong route, the LP3, LP5, LP6, LP8 trains are still operational daily.

Earlier, the provincial government of Yen Bai on May 3 issued a dispatch ordering the implementation of social distancing in public places starting from the same day to combat Covid-19.

Vinh Phuc to increase Covid-19 testing capacity fivefold

Amid the complicated Covid-19 situation, chairman of the Vinh Phuc Provincial government Le Duy Thanh asked the provincial Department of Health to augment the Covid-19 sample collecting and testing capacity by five times.

Addressing a meeting held early this morning, May 5, Thanh also tasked the local health authorities with scaling up the number of hospital beds serving quarantine purposes by three times and making preparations to resume the province’s Covid-19 field hospital.

Districts in the province were told to complete setting up concentrated quarantine centers and facilitate patrols and tackle people illegally entering the country.

The provincial government will work out and allocate appropriate financial amounts to local units to deal with the pandemic, Thanh added.

The northern province had mapped out Covid-19 testing plans for residents in vulnerable areas such as the Dong Son urban area where the hotspot Sunny Club is located and six coronavirus cases had been reported, the Phuc Yen General Hospital and locations linked to a group of Chinese experts who were confirmed to have been infected with Covid-19.

Besides this, the province will expand its field hospital, add at least 2,000 beds at concentrated quarantine facilities and propose purchasing or renting 10-15 Covid-19 testing machines to meet the testing demand.

As of May 4, the province had discovered over 5,000 people were linked to coronavirus patients through its contact tracing efforts. Further, it had quarantined over 5,700 people and collected the samples of over 2,800 people, according to VnExpress news site.

The Covid-19 community transmission broke out in Vinh Phuc on May 2, reportedly originating from a group of Chinese experts that had left Vietnam. Up to now, the province has reported 14 infections during the latest coronavirus wave.

Big smuggling case at Nhat Cuong Company put on trial

The People’s Court of Hanoi on May 5 opened a first-instance trial of a case related to smuggling and violations of accounting regulations which occurred at the Nhat Cuong Technic Co Ltd.

This is one of the five major cases which the Central Steering Committee for Corruption Prevention and Control has required to be tried as early as possible.

At the opening session on May 5, the trial jury announced a decision to cancel the trial against Mai Tien Dung, 38, head of Nhat Cuong Company’s used mobile business line, who died due to fatal illness.

Among 14 defendants put on trial, there are three women. All of the defendants have been held in custody.

Two defendants are charged with violating accounting regulations, causing serious consequences, who are Nguyen Bao Ngoc, the firm’s finance director, and Nguyen Thi Bich Hang, its chief accountant.

The 12 other defendants, along with Ngoc, are prosecuted for smuggling.

Regarding the charge of smuggling, the indictment said from January 2014 to May 2019, Bui Quang Huy, Nhat Cuong General Director, personally directed the company’s staff to conduct 2,502 illegal transactions involving the purchase and sale of more than 255,000 mobile phones and electronic equipment worth over 2.92 trillion VND in total (126.7 million USD) with 16 suppliers in Hong Kong (China).

Huy then contacted and hired smuggling rings to transport the products from Hong Kong to Vietnam and hand over to the Nhat Cuong Company for selling, with a total of 52,811 products sold at a total value of 307 billion VND.

As for the violations of accounting regulations that cause serious consequences, the indictment said in 2014, Huy instructed the firm’s employees to set up two different accounting systems, one for internal use and another fake one for public reporting.

The procuracy said that this is a banned act under Article 13 of the law on accounting, which caused a loss of nearly 30 billion VND in tax revenue for the State.

Huy and several other defendants are on the run and have been put on the wanted list by police.

The trial is expected to last one week./.

Humanitarian Month 2021 launched in Hanoi

The Hanoi Red Cross Association held a ceremony on May 5 to launch Humanitarian Month 2021, on the occasion of the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8).

With the theme “For a safe community”, the month-long event will feature practical activities to build a united, healthy, and safe community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairman of the association Dao Ngoc Trieu said the event will help raise public awareness and sense of responsibility about the humanitarian work while creating a philanthropic emulation campaign among agencies and people from all walks of life.

He expressed his belief that activities held will help with poverty reduction and new-style rural development in localities.

On the occasion, the association also presented two houses, each worth 50 million VND (2,100 USD), to two poor households in Hanoi’s outlying districts of My Duc and Quoc Oai.

The organising board also handed over 20 bicycles and aid to 10 local families and students in need.

At the launch ceremony, the association received more than 11 billion VND in donations from its chapters and enterprises, which will be used to support 7,000-8,000 poor residents, build at least two humanitarian works, and repair 69 Red Cross houses.

As part of the event, a blood donation drive was also launched in Gia Lam district.

Piloted from 2018 to 2020, activities during the month have benefited more than 153,000 people and cost around 53 billion VND./.

Ba Son underground station’s ground floor completed ahead of schedule

Construction for the first ground floor (B1) at Ba Son station, part of Ho Chi Minh City’s Metro Line No.1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien), was completed one month earlier than the set deadline.

Ba Son is one of the metro line’s three underground stations, together with Municipal Theatre and Ben Thanh stations. The station consists of two stories with a combined length of 240 metres, width of 34.5 metres and depth of 20 metres.

The freshly-completed B1 is built with a lobby, ticket vending machines, automatic toll gates, and a passenger information centre. Meanwhile, the platform is arranged at the second ground floor.

Ba Son station is designed with wave-like decorations reminiscent of the Saigon River.

According to Le Van Quang Vinh, manager of the CP1b package (construction of the underground line from Municipal Theatre station to Ba Son station), said that construction of Ba Son station will be fulfilled by the end of May.

The city’s first metro line between Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and the Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9 has 14 stations, three of them underground. There will be 17 trains with three carriages each that will run at a maximum speed of 110km/h above ground and 80km/h below ground.

Construction on the line is now 84.44 percent done./.

Urgent dispatch on concentrated quarantine regulations issued

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on May 5 sent an urgent dispatch requiring the strict implementation of concentrated quarantine regulations and post-quarantine management.

Under the document, the steering committee requests strict management over those entering Vietnam, as well as tighter inspection of concentrated quarantine along with strict punishment of organisations and individuals violating regulations on concentrated quarantine and quarantine at home and place of residency.

Chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities are asked to direct the implementation of concentrated quarantine for at least 14 days followed by home quarantine for the next 14 days for everyone entering the country.

The committee required checking infrastructure at concentrated quarantine facilities to ensure the strict monitoring of quarantined people. Localities must improve the handover, transport and reception of those who complete their quarantine period at concentrated facilities back to their places of residence.

People who return from concentrated quarantine facilities should make daily health declarations for local medical workers. If showing signs of fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, tiredness and loss of taste, they are advised to move to the closest health clinic for timely guidance.

They are not allowed to leave their houses or places of residence. In cases they need to go out for work or other necessary purposes, they are required to report to local police and medical staffs and strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration).

In addition, COVID-19 testing should be conducted on the seventh day since the concentrated quarantine period ends, said the urgent dispatch.

The Ministry of National Defence is requested to direct army-managed concentrated quarantine establishments to seriously follow disease prevention and control measures, while the Ministry of Public Security is asked to direct local police forces to coordinate with medical agencies to manage the health monitoring at home and place of residency for those entering Vietnam./.

First Vietnam International Photography Festival on horizon

A view of Trang An boat wharf (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

The event comprises a competition to select a logo for the festival, an exhibition in Ninh Binh showcasing 250 photos of Vietnam through the lens of foreign photographers, and a host of symposiums.

The festival, part of activities during the 2021 National Tourism Year in Ninh Binh, is hoped to build brand for Vietnamese photography, thereby promoting the country’s image and enhancing international exchanges through photography.

Call for entries is scheduled for May and June, while photo selection in September. The award ceremony and exhibition will be held later this year./.

National inspection drive aims to detect illegal immigrants

The Minister of Public Security has ordered a national examination campaign to discover illegal immigrants in Vietnam, the Ministry of Public Security’s Spokesperson Lieut. Gen. To An Xo said at the Government’s regular press conference on May 5.

Xo said that under the order, motels, hotels and accommodation facilities across the country will be examined, while the border guards will increase border patrols, and the police will seek illegal immigrants and launch legal proceedings against them and brokers of illegal immigration.

Illegal immigrants who are negative to COVID-19 will be returned to the places they departed, while accommodation facilities violating relevant regulations will have their licences revoked and receive administrative fines and even criminal punishments, he said.

According to the officer, since the beginning of the year, about 150,000 people have entered Vietnam, including 110,000 through land border gates, and 40,000 through flights.

Meanwhile, 39 localities nationwide have reported 199 cases with 1,343 illegal Chinese immigrants. The Ministry of Public Security prosecuted 49 cases with 141 defendants.

“It is crucial to drastically prevent illegal immigrants, as illegally entering Vietnam is violating the country’s sovereignty, causing high risks of pandemic outbreaks and affecting the livelihoods of Vietnamese people,” he stressed.

The officer added that the major method of organising illegal entry into Vietnam is contacting those wishing to enter Vietnam through the Internet before transporting them to the country.

As Vietnam shares a long border with neighbouring countries, it is easy to cross the land border, he said, adding that through the general examination campaign, localities will report to the ministry major methods of brokering illegal entry into Vietnam, thus put forth effective prevention and combat measures./.

Hoa Binh: mother, son jailed for anti-State propaganda

The People’s Court of the northern province of Hoa Binh on May 5 sentenced a woman and her son to eight years in prison each for “making, storing, distributing, or disseminating information, documents and items against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”

Can Thi Theu, born in 1962, and her son – Trinh Ba Tu, born in 1989, reside in Ngoc Luong commune, Yen Thuy district.

At the court, Theu and Tu confessed that they had created, published and distributed video clips with fabricated and distorted contents defaming people’s administration.

Between January 9-14, 2021, they used their Facebook accounts to post eight video clips against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. They also published video clips inciting people to revolt against authorities, insulting organisations and agencies, and defaming Party, State and Government leaders.

The judge decided that the duo will be under home probation for another three years after their jail terms end./.

Red-shanked douc released to the wild

An individual of red-shanked douc was released into Bach Ma National Park in Phu Loc district, the central province of Thua Thien – Hue on May 5.

The animal, weighing 6.3 kilogrammes, is the queen of primates, and has been listed as critically endangered in the 2007 Vietnam’s Red Book. It was found near Ta Trach reservoir by a local in Duong Hoa commune, Huong Thuy town, on April 28.

According to Director of the Bach Ma National Park’s management board Nguyen Vu Linh, the animal is in a good health condition.

The Park’s staff will keep a close watch on its moving, and ability to integrate into the red-shanked douc herds in the park.

Recent research shows that Bach Ma National Park is home to 15 herds of red-shanked doucs with more than 170 individuals. Since 2017, the park has received and released more than 200 endangered individuals, including Indochinese serows, red-shanked doucs, Indochinese box turtles, and pangolins, among others./.

Exhibition on National Assembly kicks off in Bac Ninh

More than 500 photos and documents featuring the first General Election and development of the National Assembly of Vietnam are being displayed in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

It gives visitors an insight into the formation of the legislative body, the first general election on January 6, 1946, the 75-year journey of the National Assembly.

The exhibition also features activities of delegation of National Assembly deputies of Bac Ninh and the provincial People’s Council during 2021-2026 tenure.

The event will last until the end of June./.

Front leader examines election preparations in Kien Giang

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has completed major electoral steps, including the organisation of three consultative conferences, the provincial Election Commission told Do Van Chien, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, on May 5.

The province has also established election groups in localities, stepped up the communication work, and settled complaints and denunciations regarding the upcoming elections in line with regulations.

Candidates for the seats of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils have met with voters. Meanwhile, the lists of candidates and voters have been announced.

Apart from measures to ensure security and order during the important political event, Kien Giang has drawn up a COVID-19 prevention and control plan.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of the provincial Election Commission, Chien, who is also Vice Chairman of the National Election Commission (NEC), lauded Kien Giang’s efforts in the preparation work.

Pointing out the high risk of COVID-19 infections as Kien Giang borders Cambodia that is facing a surge in cases, he asked the province to observe COVID-19 prevention and control regulations during the organisation of meetings between candidates and voters./.

Long An supports Cambodian provinces in COVID-19 fight

The Mekong Delta province of Long An on May 5 presented medical supplies worth 150 million VND (6,500 USD) to Cambodia’s Svay Rieng and Prey Veng provinces to support their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Youth Federation of Long An also handed over 30,000 face masks, 2,500 litres of sanitizer gel, and 4 anti-bacterial chemical sprayers to the Youth Unions of the two provinces of Cambodia.

The gifts aim to support the two provinces to overcome hard times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while showing the mutual support and assistance between Vietnam and Cambodia.

On the occasion, Long An also presented 400 gifts to Vietnamese Cambodians in Svay Rieng and Prey Veng./.

Working group for Vietnam-France defence ties meet via videoconference

The working group for Vietnam-France defence cooperation held a meeting via videoconference on May 5 during which the two countries’ officials agreed to maintain high-level contact and strengthen links in different aspects.

The event was chaired by Lt. Gen. Vu Chien Thang, Director of the Department for External Relations under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, and Brigadier General Eric Peltier, head of the south bilateral cooperation department of the French army.

Reviewing the cooperation outcomes in the recent past, the two sides noted that Vietnam and France have maintained their cooperative ties in many areas in an appropriate manner.

Despite complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have sustained high-level contact via videoconference while working closely and rather effectively in other spheres like training, UN peacekeeping operations, and military medicine.

Thang appreciated the French Ministry of Armed Forces’ assistance for Vietnam in personnel training, knowledge exchange, and experience sharing.

Particularly, he added, France has sent its experienced experts to provide specialised advice for the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under a cooperation agreement between Vietnam and the EU.

For the time ahead, the two sides agreed to maintain high-level contact in suitable forms, in person or via teleconference; organise activities to mark the 30th founding anniversary of defence relations; and enhance ties in hydrography, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, and training.

They will also specify the time for the Vietnam-France defence strategy and cooperation dialogue this year and finalise the defence cooperation plan for 2021-2022./.

‘No one left behind’ project helps locals start online F&B businesses

The “No one left behind” project in Ho Chi Minh City is offering support to local people who want to start their own food and beverage business online.

Gojek Vietnam, the HCM City Women Cultural House under the HCM City Women Association, and Cafetek, a production of the HCM City Television (HTV), have jointly launched the project.

Relatives of Gojek drivers are also given training to help them start a technology-based business, with the aim of improving their incomes and living conditions.

Under the project, experts from the Women Cultural House and Gojek provide courses on financial planning and e-commerce store management, cooking skills, and knowledge about food safety and hygiene.

After completing the courses, participants receive support to help them become merchant partners of GoFood, a food delivery platform developed by Gojek.

Gojek also helps the participants advertise their products to millions of its users, and gives 2 million VND (87 USD) to each person for cookware purchases.

Phan Thi Bich Huong, director of the city’s Women Cultural House, said: “The ‘No one left behind’ project is part of the cultural house’s efforts to help people in the digital transformation era, and create conditions for them to start businesses and improve incomes with the aim of building a sustainable and happy family.”

Pham Thi Nam, wife of Gojek driver Ngo Cong Huong, one of the first 50 people participating in the project, said: “I have a passion for food and have been recognised as a good cook. My family encouraged me to open a food store but I didn’t know how to begin. Thanks to this project, I have a new start.”

The project was initiated by Gojeck Vietnam and Cafetek HTV in 2020, which was initially carried out from April to December.

It provided support for micro-, small and medium-sized shops and hawkers that have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic by helping them start their business on the GoFood platform.

Dozens of shop owners have become partners on GoFood, and now have more new customers and higher incomes.

Their stories have been broadcast on the HTV9 channel, and have received a warm welcome from TV audiences.

Phung Duc Tuan, general manager of Gojek Vietnam, said: “Supporting our drivers and micro-, small and medium-sized shops and hawkers is one of the key duties of Gojek. By helping them join the digital economy, we give them a chance to improve their incomes as well as contribute to social and economic development.”

“The cooperation with the Women Cultural House and Cafetek HTV helps us implement the project more effectively. I believe our work will create a positive impact for people who dream of starting their own business,” Tuan said.

The 2021 “No one left behind” project is expected to be broadcast at 8am on Sundays on HTV9 and at 7.30pm on Wednesdays on HTV7 in May./.

NA leader inspects preparations for elections in Ha Giang

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, who is also Chairman of the National Election Council (NEC), inspected preparations for the upcoming elections of deputies to the 15th legislature and members of all-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026 in Lung Cu commune, Dong Van district, in the northernmost province of Ha Giang, on May 5.

At a working session with leaders from Ha Giang and heads of the Election Committees of the province and Dong Van district, the top legislator lauded the efforts of the locality in preparing for the election, which have been conducted in line with regulations and made good progress.

He said he was impressed at the personnel work of Ha Giang, which meets requirements regarding the structure of candidates for election as deputies to the NA and People’s Councils at all levels.

Hue also hailed Ha Giang’s election communications and its organisation of election campaigns and training courses.

The NA Chairman also suggested that Ha Giang carefully review its list of voters, thus ensuring the rights of all local residents, while providing a proper response to all complaints related to election activities and candidates.

The locality should also strengthen the application of media efforts to increase communications on candidate information, while strengthening the application of information technology in organising meetings with voters.

He said from May 14, communications through mobile phones will be launched to remind voters to choose the best candidates to the NA and People’s Councils at all levels.

Along with preparing for the election, Ha Giang should also focus on boosting economic development and ensuring security-defence, especially along its shared border.

On the same day, Hue attended a flag hoisting ceremony at the Lung Cu flagpole.

He also visited the Lung Cu border post and witnessed the presentation of 5 billion VND from the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) to Dong Van district’s General Hospital.

Earlier, on May 4, the top legislator and his entourage offered incense to martyrs at the Vi Xuyen National Cemetery for Martyrs, where 1,800 martyrs are laid to rest. He also presented gifts to 20 policy beneficiary families in Thanh Thuy commune, Vi Xuyen district.

Meanwhile, NA Vice Chairman Do Ba Ty on May 5 examined preparations for the upcoming elections in the south-central province of Phu Yen./.

Border provinces step up efforts to stop spread of COVID-19

Provinces and cities across Vietnam, especially border areas, are stepping up their COVID-19 prevention and control efforts.

Dong Thap provincial border guards are making efforts to prevent people from entering the province illegally from Cambodia to stop the virus from entering the community.

At about 4.30am on May 3, during patrol duty on the So Thuong River in Thuong Thoi Hau A commune, Hong Ngu District, the border guard discovered 14 people, including 11 adults and three children, on seven wooden boats, preparing to illegally enter Vietnam.

Previously, on May 1 and 2, they discovered 55 people travelling in 23 vehicles to the border on the Tien River to prepare to illegally enter the country.

On Dong Thap southern province’s 50.5km long border with Cambodia, comprising 40km of the river border and 10.5km on the mainland, the border forces deployed 21 fixed posts and 18 mobile control teams on patrol duty.

Meanwhile, in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, hundreds of soldiers have been deployed on the Vietnam-China border for border management and protection and COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control.

Colonel Luu Duc Hung, Political Commissar of the Ha Giang Border Guard Command, said the provincial border guards have worked with other forces to maintain operations of all fixed control posts, mobile teams on the border, supplement the establishment of posts when necessary to ensure tight control at the border gates and trails.

“We are determined to fight the pandemic from the border and carry out the ‘dual task’ of managing and protecting the sovereignty and preventing and combating the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Ha Giang has more than 277km of border with China. Due to the complex terrain and long border, illegal entry and exit activities are very complicated to handle.

Major Ta Tan Hoang, Director of the Xin Cai Border Guard Station in Meo Vac District, said pandemic prevention has been activated at the highest warning level.

In all 69 medical posts across the province, in addition to measuring body temperature and sterilising surfaces, people from other provinces and cities entering Hà Giang are instructed to make a medical declaration.

On May 3, Chairman of the Lạng Son Provincial People’s Committee Ho Tien Thieu checked prevention and control activities in a number of key units and areas in the province.

At Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Thieu said the pandemic was developing in a complex manner with many cases of community infection in some provinces and cities. Therefore, the forces on duty at the border gate must uphold their sense of responsibility, promote vigilance and strictly comply with pandemic prevention measures.

At Tan Thanh Border Gate, many drivers still do not wear masks and many people gather at restaurants and yards with a potential risk of spreading the disease. Thieu asked the forces on duty here to take measures to prevent and control the pandemic under the Ministry of Health’s guidance.

He called for pandemic checkpoints on both access roads to the Tan Thanh bus station to ensure strict control of people and vehicles entering and leaving, and require all people entering and leaving the area to be medically examined, wear masks and keep a safe distance./.

Eighty journalists take up jab offers amid Covid-19

The Ministry of Health coordinated with the Pasteur Institute to organize the Covid-19 vaccination camp for reporters and editors. As per the Ministry of Health’s plan, 80 journalists in Ho Chi Minh City will take up Covid-19 jabs.

A journalist is one of the first groups to be offered the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine jab against Covid-19 according to Resolution 21 of the Government.

Journalists wore facemasks and declared their health status at the vaccination locations. All of them were safe after immunization.

Journalist Hoang Loc from Tuoi tre newspaper, one of those who arrived at the vaccination location early, said that journalists are at higher risk of contracting the disease because they have to contact many people and enter hotspots of Covid-19 to write articles on the development of the pandemic.

Journalist Hoang Lan  of Ho Chi Minh City Law newspaper said that she was a little concerned and worried before the injection yet she felt comfortable after receiving the jab. She said she has no side effects after vaccination.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is organizing the second injection of Covid-19 vaccine for medical workers who were more likely to have been on the “frontline” of Covid-19 care namely emergency medicine, critical care specialists, and anesthesiologists , the steering committees for epidemic prevention at all levels, police forces, and soldiers.

So far, more than 45,000 people have received Covid-19 shots. Those suffering post-injection reactions have been treated and all are stable.

Vietnam tightening cyber security on national citizen database

The Ministry of Public Security yesterday held a meeting in Hanoi with the Steering Committees of the ‘National Population Database’ project and the ‘Chip-based Citizen ID Card Issuance’ project.

Statistics reveal that until now, the ‘National Population Database’ project has been able to synchronize necessary information of over 98 million citizens of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, until April 27, the local police departments in 63 provinces and cities nationwide finished recording personal information of more than 33 million people for chip-based ID card issuance.

Minister of Public Security To Lam suggested that in the upcoming time, related state officers need to pour more effort in organizing information in the national population database to ensure concise, precision, and sufficiency before July 1.

The task of cyber security maintenance must be of the highest priority at all time, while the inner-link and inter-link between this database and other national ones should be enhanced simultaneously.

Universities turn to online learning as pandemic continues

In light of rising concerns about the spread of Covid-19 and calls to contain the virus, a growing number of public and private universities in Vietnam have shut down in-person classes after April 30 and May Day holidays.

Specifically, Hanoi University of Science and Technology asked lecturers and students to use Microsoft Teams for online teaching and learning from May 4 to 9 while experimental sessions and practice are paused until further notice.

Similarly, Foreign Trade University required students in campuses in Hanoi and the Northern Province of Quang Ninh to take online classes from May 4 to 16. The school must ask for permission from the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control if it opens in-person classes.

The management board of the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda also decided to switch to online learning from May 4 until there is a new announcement. Students at the Transportation University also made the switch to online classes instead of face-to-face classes from May 3.

The University of Transport Technology, the Faculty of Law of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Natural Sciences, University of Thuyloi, Hanoi University of Education 2, Banking Academy, University of Commerce, University of Business and Technology followed suit.

Prior, the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, Hanoi University of Finance and Banking, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education had announced teaching and learning via the internet to prevent and fight against Covid-19.

Cai Chanh military base recognised as national special relic site

A ceremony recognising Cai Chanh military base as national special relic site has been recently organised in Ninh Thanh Loi commune, Hong Dan district, Bac Lieu province.

Pham Van Thieu, chairman of Bac Lieu People’s Committee asked the local Department of Culture, Information, Sports and Tourism to preserve and promote the relic site in line with legal regulations on cultural heritage and develop distinctive tourism products to attract visitors.

During the celebration, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism transferred the certificate recognising Cai Chanh Military Base as the national special historical site to Bac Lieu province.

Cai Chanh Military Base is located in Cay Cui Hamlet, Hong Dan District. From 1949 to 1952, high-ranking officials of the Central Directorate for the South worked at the military base to lead revolutions in the southern region.

On January 26, 2011, Cai Chanh Base was already recognised as a national historical site./.

Hue Traditional Craft Festival to run for a month

The Hue Traditional Craft Festival will be held for one month for the first time, from May 29 to June 26 in Hue city in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

More than 40 art performances will be organised, gathering together a large number of artists, actors, and artisans.

The biennial festival is expected to dazzle participants with several new activities compared to previous editions.

It will feature a wide range of events, such as a craft design contest, the Hue Culinary Festival, a sculpting camp, an “ao dai” (Vietnam’s traditional dress) week, and a book exhibition.

The month-long festival will hold special activities on weekends to attract more visitors to the city.

The 2019 edition attracted around 400,000 visitors.

Steering committee talks review of implementation of Party resolution on agriculture

The Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission on May 4 held a meeting of the steering committee for reviewing the 15-year implementation of a Party Central Committee resolution on agriculture, farmers, and rural areas.

The steering committee for reviewing the realisation of Resolution No.26-NQ/TW on agriculture, farmers, and rural areas, issued at the seventh plenum of the 10th-tenure Party Central Committee in August 2008, was established under Decision No.02-QD/TW, dated March 26, 2021, by the Party Central Committee Secretariat.

Chairman of the Economic Commission Tran Tuan Anh said agriculture, farmers, and rural areas always hold a particular importance to socio-economic stability and development, and they are also a strategic issue in the national industrialisation and modernisation process, as well as the Party’s revolutionary cause.

Given their significant role, the Party’s consistent viewpoint is to develop agriculture and rural areas and to unceasingly improve farmers’ living conditions, he said, adding that many important resolutions and documents on this issue have been promulgated by the Party, including Resolution No.26-NQ/TW and the Politburo’s conclusions in 2014 and 2019 on the continued implementation of this resolution.

The documents of the 13th National Party Congress earlier this year once again emphasised the issue of agriculture, farmers, and rural areas, mentioning such critical aspects as promoting agricultural restructuring, developing rural economy in tandem with building new-style rural areas, and developing large-scale and modern agriculture.

They also underlined the need to encourage ecological, organic, smart, high-tech and digital agriculture adaptive to climate change, along with the continuation of the new-style countryside building programme in an effective and sustainable manner.

Anh noted that the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee is considering the review of the resolution execution and the building of another replacing Resolution No.26-NQ/TW to submit it to the Party Central Committee at the fifth plenum in early 2022, showing the necessity and significance of this issue to national development in the time ahead.

He asked the steering committee and relevant agencies and individuals to thoroughly look back on the achievements, failures, and lessons during the resolution implementation so as to seek ways to optimise human, natural, and social resources for agricultural, rural, and socio-economic development.

The new resolution must open up a new era in caring for the people, especially farmers, and agricultural and rural development, the official added./.

Remains of Vietnamese martyrs repatriated from Laos

A memorial and burial ceremony was held by the authorities of Quang Tri province on May 5 for the remains of 24 volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and specialists who sacrificed their lives in numerous battles in Laos during their international missions.

Speaking at the event, Hoang Nam, vice chairman of the provincial administration, praised the contributions made by the fallen Vietnamese soldiers to the revolutionary cause.

Their contributions served to help tighten the solidarity and special friendship that exists to this day between the Parties, States, and people of both Vietnam and Laos, Nam added.

The remains of the martyrs were returned to the nation from Laos during the 2020-2021 dry season. They were laid to rest at the Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery in Quang Tri province.

This marks the 35th time since 1993 that Quang Tri has received and reburied the remains of volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos.

Vietnamese students in Laos get support amid COVID-19

The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos on May 4 handed over gifts to Vietnamese students at the National University of Laos (NUOL) who are facing difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presented by Vietnamese Counsellor of Culture and Education Tran Dai Thang and the officer in charge of community work, Vu Tu Oanh, the gifts include 1,000 medical masks and foodstuff.

Amid the complex developments of the pandemic, Lao medical staff in cooperation with the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane conducted COVID-19 testing on Vietnamese living and working in Thatluang, Naxay and Sisangvone wards and the area around the NUOL.

Those showing symptoms will be placed in quarantine and receive timely treatment.

Risk of COVID-19 outbreak due to illegal immigration

In recent days, further new COVID-19 infections have been reported in the country. Notably, through epidemiological investigation as well as the tracking and contact of health agencies, the police defined that they were all foreigners or those had contact with foreigners.

This has really become a serious and worrying issue, especially with the series of illegal immigration cases that have just been discovered. On May 2, the police from the districts of Cau Giay and Nam Tu Liem, in collaboration with the professional departments of the Hanoi Police, detected 46 Chinese illegal entries who were renting nine rooms in the Florence apartment at 28 Tran Huu Duc Street, Cau Dien Ward, Nam Tu Liem District. The police are fighting to clarify the “hole” that let Chinese people enter the country illegally. The Security and Investigation Agency of the City Police has just prosecuted two women who rented an apartment and then brought dozens of Chinese people in. Their motive was the benefit of hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong from these Chinese subjects’ illegal acts.

More seriously, a member of the Covid-19 anti-epidemic control group of Ban Lau Commune, Muong Khuong District, in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, acted as an “inside-hand” for a team that brought 200 people to immigrate illegally for 91 times. Most recently, the Vinh Phuc Provincial Police’s Security and Investigation Department has coordinated with Vinh Yen City’s Police to detect and detain 52 Chinese people who illegally entered and have been residing in the province. The case was discovered in the context of the complicated development of COVID-19 epidemic in the locality.

According to statistics of the Ministry of Public Security, around 100-150 people have been trying to enter illegally Vietnam per day. Although the functional forces have been working hard to prevent illegal entry, many cases have been worked out. This shows that there is still a “gap” in the control of the borders. If the illegal entries continue, the country will not be able to prevent the epidemic from the root, but through localising and detecting infections.

The loss of control over COVID-19 is entirely possible in Vietnam if we do not promptly prevent all risks, including illegal entry, and not strict manage people entering Vietnam, especially those coming from countries affected by the pandemic. Looking at the above cases and statistics, it can be seen that people who enter illegally are a threat that can cause a “breakdown” in the anti-epidemic efforts of the country that has been preventing and controlling COVID-19 effectively. Despite the dangers, several local people have been still irresponsible when they are ready to assist people entering illegally cross the borders. Therefore, it is necessary to soon prosecute these subjects with a strict penalty in accordance with the law to create deterrence.

In addition, it is crucial to develop a solid “defence” system with the border protection as the front line. The Border Guard needs to coordinate with other forces to continue strengthening measures to prevent and combat illegal entry and exit as well as enhancing the COVID-19 prevention and control in the current period. In the border areas, the inspection and control should be tightened at the border gates, trails and open paths, focusing on key directions and areas. The functional forces should firmly grasp the epidemic status, make prompt forecasts and advise local committees and authorities to develop plans to direct the appropriate response to each epidemic level in line with the actual situation.

For the domestic “defence” line, the police force needs to continue to open a rush to attack criminals related to illegal immigration. The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security should directly coordinate and guide the local Police to grasp the situation and closely coordinate with the Border Guard force to strengthen the inspection and control at the border gates, trails and opening paths on border routes towards the prompt detection and prevention of any illegal entry or exit. The department should instruct the local police to strengthen the management of foreigners staying in the locality promptly detect and propose handling illegal entries and stay at the localities in accordance with the law and regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

It is also essential to enhance the state management of security and order, especially in residential management, foreigner management, and the management of investment and business sectors in terms of security and security. The relevant agencies should pay great attention to grasping the situation of households and people and solving security situation in the local area, while conducting the coordination of patrol forces, notably with the locals, such that each citizen becomes a “scout” in the fight against the epidemic.

Dong Nai Province ceases some non-essential activities

The People’s Committee of Dong Nai Province asked to suspend non-essential activities like festivals, night markets, spa, beauty salons, game rooms, cultural entertainment shows, etc from May 5 until further notice amidst the current Covid-19 surge.

As for the goods services, Dong Nai Province required all business owners have to comply with the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control regulations, especially wearing facial masks and washing hands with antibacterial gels.

Food and beverage businesses are recommended to limit the number of customers in areas of food and beverage service like coffee and milk tea shops, keep a safe distance between customers, change their business model to food delivery and takeaway during this time.

Regarding religious activities and meetings, it is necessary to balance the number of participants not exceed 50 percent of normal seating capacity. The organizers must strictly perform checking temperature, wearing facial masks and spraying disinfectant.

Heads of the People’s Committee at all levels propagate, mobilize and guide families about the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures to apply to weddings, celebrations and funerals in the locality.

Da Nang proposes suspending repatriation flights from foreign countries

Amidst a high risk of the Covid-19 pandemic infection, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Da Nang City Mr. Le Trung Chinh yesterday submitted a report and proposed the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow the city to suspend repatriation flights carrying overseas Vietnamese citizens.

According to the report, from the beginning of the year to May 2, Da Nang City welcomed around 11,800 entries. Particularly, from April to now, the beach city in Central Vietnam has received and carried out centralized quarantine for over 8,000 overseas entries.

From March to now, the city has continuously recorded 61 cases who are people on entry with positive testing for the coronavirus.

On the other hand, the Da Nang Lung Hospital has received and treated Covid-19 cases causing high pressure on medical staff. Especially when the city has seen Covid-19 cases in the community. In addition, functional forces performing the task of monitoring medical isolation are also overloaded.

To create conditions for Da Nang City to implement Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control and effective treatment of Covid-19 cases in the coming time, the People’s Committee of Da Nang City asked for permission not to receive the flights carrying Vietnamese citizens from foreign countries into the city.

The municipal People’s Committee also petitioned the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health to provide more specific guidance to support localities to well implement following regulations and effectively perform the hand-over, reception, management and supervision of people after centralized isolation period.

Authorities in HCMC detect Covid-19 rule violators

Yesterday evening, inspectors in Ho Chi Minh City paid an unscheduled visit to KTV restaurant detecting a Chinese man who broke Vietnam’s Covid-19 prevention guidelines.

The inspection team led by Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc visited some karaoke parlors and restaurants in District 1.

Inspectors discovered four Japanese, four Chinese and tens of Vietnamese people didn’t wear facemasks as per the Ministry of Health’s regulation. Worse, amongst four Chinese men, expert LuoRongFan of Uong Sam Company at 59/2 Binh Thanh village in the Mekong Delta Province of Long An’s Thuan My District violated the law as he has been in self-isolation period but he was going to a restaurant.

Deputy Chairman Duc asked health workers to take samples of all employees of the restaurants and visitors. Police officers were requested to keep track of Japanese and Chinese visitors.

The inspectors also paid visits to restaurants and karaoke parlors in streets Suong Nguyet Anh, Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung and Tran Nhat Duat in District 1 ; however, all of the venues closed the doors.

At the meeting with the Steering Committee for Covid-19 epidemic prevention in the city on May 5, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City will work with the People’s Committee of District 1 upon punishment for violations in KTV restaurant.

Authorities asked people to strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s instructions on Covid-19 epidemic prevention as well as coordinate with local authorities and functional agencies to monitor people coming from epidemic areas for effective preventative measures.

Two Chinese escaping from quarantine facility arrested

The Police of Cu Chi District in coordination with Ho Chi Minh City Police last night arrested two Chinese escaping from the concentrated quarantine facility in Cu Chi District.

Accordingly, the police forces detected and arrested these people who tried to evade capture by the police in Long An Province. After the arrest, the two Chinese were sent to a concentrated quarantine center in HCMC’s Cu Chi District.

Accordingly, two escapees are among 11 Chinese illegal immigrants into Vietnam being found on April 30 and May 1. Through the investigation process, the police arrested additional two instigators involved in a ring bringing Chinese nationals into Vietnam illegally.

Hai Duong extends mandatory quarantine period to 21 days

Leaders of the northern province of Hai Duong has decided to extend mandatory quarantine period from current 14 days to 21 days for F1 individuals who come in direct contact with COVID-19 patients.

The decision was made on May 4 after the locality recorded two suspected cases of COVID-19.

One of the suspected cases was on the fight with two Chinese nationals from Da Nang to Ha Noi on April 29. The Chinese nationals tested positive after undergoing 14-day mandatory quarantine in Viet Nam.

Earlier the same day, the Ministry of Health asked localities to not to discharge those who completed 14-day quarantine from quarantine sites following confirmation of several positive cases with incubation period longer than 14 days.

Quarantine protocols will be renewed and announced later, the ministry added.

Hai Duong was Viet Nam’s epicenter of the third wave of community transmissions with 720 cases./.

Sustaining economic gains amid COVID-19 of first importance: Official

Keeping the coronavirus at bay and sustaining economic achievements are now of the first importance to the government and the political system, from central to local levels, due to the complexity of the latest COVID-19 outbreak, Minister-Chairman of Government Office Tran Van Son told the monthly Government press conference on May 5.

The most important tasks are radically curbing the spread of COVID-19, protecting people’s safety and well-being, striving to sustaining economic gains and boosting economic recovery, he said.

He also reported on Vietnam’s economy in April and the first four months of 2021 which saw positive signs.

April CPI inched up 0.89 percent, the lowest level since 2016. Four-month State budget revenue made up 40.5 percent of the yearly plan and was 7.9 percent higher than the same period last year.

Four-month foreign trade grew by 29.5 percent year-on-year, with trade surplus reaching 1.29 billion USD. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) spurred 24.1 percent in April and 10 percent from January – April.

The country has so far disbursed 18 percent of public investment, relatively higher than a year earlier, Son noted.

He urged relevant authorities to swiftly come up with measures to remove barriers in terms of legal institutions, mechanisms and policies so as to release resources for development; and at the same time, accelerate the progress of disbursement of public investment, particularly ODA, and speed up major projects.

More attention should be paid to helping farmers distribute their products, he said, adding that ministries and local administrations must also maintain a close watch on the development of prices of fuel and material products and make timely reports to the government in order to keep the inflation under control./.

HCM City supports OVs, Cambodian and Lao people affected by COVID-19

Ho Chi Minh City will spend 2.5 billion VND (over 108,000 USD) from its COVID-19 prevention and control fund to support Vietnamese expatriates and people in difficult circumstances in Cambodia and Laos who are affected by COVID-19, a representative from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of HCM City announced on May 5.

A total of 1.5 billion VND will be offered to Vietnamese Cambodians and disadvantaged people in Cambodia and 1 billion VND to Vietnamese expats and Lao people.

HCM City previously presented 1.6 billion VND to Cambodia to support the country in its fight against the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of HCM City said it will provide aid of 1.5 billion VND to the city’s Border Guard High Command to carry out COVID-19 prevention work.

On the same day, the committee organised two missions to visit and present gifts to frontline forces in the fight against COVID-19 in the border provinces of Long An and Binh Phuoc. Each province received 1 billion VND for prevention efforts and 200 million VND for solar-powered lighting projects./.

Memorial services held for fallen soldiers repatriated from Laos

Memorial and burial services for the remains of 24 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos during wartime were held at the Road 9 National Martyr Cemetery in the central province of Quang Tri on May 5.

The martyrs rested in peace at the Road 9 National Martyr Cemetery.

Their remains were found and repatriated by search team 584 under the provincial Military Command during the 2020-2021 dry season.

At the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Hoang Nam commended the soldiers’ contributions to the Vietnam – Laos special friendship as well as the revolution in each nation.

Quang Tri province has held memorial and burial services for Vietnamese soldiers who died in Laos since 1993./.

Schools in Quảng Nam to reopen, Hội An and Đà Nẵng keep testing

All schools in Quảng Nam Province (except for those in Hội An) will reopen from Thursday (May 6) as 46 out of 47 close contact cases (F1) of two COVID-19 patients (No 2899 and No 2982) were isolated and tested negative for SARS-COV-2 as of Wednesday.

The provincial COVID-19 steering committee said only schools in Hội An will remain closed. All entertainment and tour services, as well as crowded events, are halted from Wednesday.

The committee said the wife of the COVID-19 patient (No 2982) in Hội An tested positive for SARS-COV-2 following a test result released on Tuesday (May 4).

The pregnant woman and her 11-month-old son have been isolated at a health centre in Hội An.

A section of Nguyễn Phan Vinh street in An Bàng Beach in Hội An was locked down from May 3 after a COVID-19 patient (No 2982) visited his home previously.

Meanwhile, Đà Nẵng began testing 400 people who worked at Phước Mỹ market in Sơn Trà district on Wednesday. The market was one of a number of places visited by a COVID-19 patient (No 2889, a spa therapist) between April 29 and May 2.

At least 100 residents in Hội An and Đà Nẵng went to Thiện Nhân medical centre for tests.

The city’s education and training department asked for students to provide online health declarations.

At least 10 people in Đà Nẵng have been fined VNĐ1 million (US$43.5) each for not wearing face masks in public.

All bars, restaurants and shops in Đà Nẵng and Hội An – where the two COVID-19 patients visited – were disinfected on May 3.

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

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung on April 27 hosted a reception for Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Pranay Kumar Verma, during which he affirmed Vietnam’s solidarity and readiness to stand side by side with the Indian government and people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dung expressed his sympathy over hardships and damage caused by the second COVID-19 wave in India, voicing his belief that the country will soon overcome this difficult time and challenges.

He also conveyed the sympathies of Vietnamese leaders and people to their Indian counterparts.

In reply, the Indian Ambassador briefed his host on the COVID-19 situation in the South Asian nation and voiced his gratitude for the sentiments and support of the Vietnamese Government and people for India.

He affirmed that the Indian government will create the best conditions and exert efforts to ensure safety for Vietnamese citizens living, working and studying in India./.

Vietnamese nationals must not return home illegally: Vietnamese embassy

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand has called on Vietnamese nationals to strictly follow COVID-19 prevention measures in the host country in the face of increasing infections recorded in the country over recent days.

In an announcement on April 27, the embassy said it is working with Vietnamese and Thai authorities to arrange repatriation flights for Vietnamese citizens and has asked them not to return to the homeland illegally.

The Thai Government is introducing new restrictions to halt the country’s spiralling outbreak, the embassy said.

Wearing a face mask is now compulsory in Bangkok and 46 other provinces. Those not doing so risk a fine of up to 20,000 THB (640 USD).

Vietnamese nationals are advised to avoid public spaces and travel, and to contact Thai authorities for support if they exhibit symptoms of the coronavirus disease.

They should contact the embassy via its citizen protection hotline on ( 66) 898 966 653 or ( 66) 2650 8979.

The embassy will continue keeping a close watch on COVID-19 developments in the country, and stay in touch with Thai authorities to remain updated.

Thailand reported 15 new fatalities from the pandemic on April 27 – a new record for the third time in four days during a growing third wave of infections.

Some 2,179 new infections were reported on the day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 59,687. Fatalities now stand at 163.

The Thai Government will adopt a single command system to improve the efficiency of the national COVID-19 vaccination drive, with the aim of vaccinating about 30 million people over the next three months and 50 million by the end of the year.

According to a post on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s official Facebook page, he has met with advisers at the Government House to discuss ways to ramp up the distribution of vaccines, which is a top national priority.

The Government will do everything in its power to procure more doses to support the national vaccination drive, with a target of purchasing 10-15 million doses a month from several manufacturers, according to the post./.

Information ministry calls for use of COVID-19 tracing tools

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has issued a document guiding the use of tools to prevent, control, and trace COVID-19 cases in the community, as travel demand is forecast to soar during the April 30 – May 1 holiday.

The set of tools comprise the Bluezone app, which issues alerts on any contact with suspected cases, and the NCOVI app, which manages voluntary health declarations and a COVID-19 tracking map.

According to the MIC’s Authority of Information Technology Application, QR scanning in public places plays an important role in the fight against the pandemic. It should be carried out on Bluezone, NCOVI, and Vietnam Health Declaration.

The ministry affirmed that the widespread use of these tools will help to precisely trace areas with suspected cases.

Vietnam had reported no new COVID-19 infections for 12 hours as of 6am on April 27, with its tally unchanged at 2,852 cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ministry’s Medical Examination and Treatment Department said that a total 2,516 COVID-19 patients have been given the all clear. The death toll remains at 35./.

CAAV orders tightened aviation security at airports

The aviation security control must be tightened and raised to Level 1 before, during and after the four-day holiday of Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1), the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has recently requested.

Accordingly, security measures will be enhanced at all units in the sector, including airport authorities, airports, aviation service providers and air traffic service suppliers.

They are asked to increase personnel for aviation security control, examine and supplement necessary equipment, while preparing measures to improve service quality which helps meet travel demand of people.

Under current regulations, when there are high risks to aviation security, security control measures can be tightened in three levels.

Level 1 is applied in case of nationally important socio-political events, or complicated situations of political security and social order.

Level 2 is applied when there is intelligence information about an illegal interference plot in civil aviation activities with places, targets and time undetermined; or in case of serious political insecurity and social disorder in localities.

Meanwhile, level 3 is applied when there is verified information about an illegal interference plot in civil aviation activities with specific places, targets and time; or in case of extremely serious political insecurity and social disorder in localities.

Travel demand during public holiday is expected to increase significantly.

According to a survey conducted by the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board and VnExpress.net in March, of 3,500 respondents, 53.4 percent had plans to travel between May and September while 30.2 percent said they were ready to go on holidays in March and April.

The top 10 getaways are Da Nang, Kien Giang, Lam Dong, Lao Cai, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Ha Giang, and Quang Nam, the survey revealed.

Meanwhile, travel firms said that up to 60 percent of tours have been booked for the four-day holidays. Tourists are booking mostly short-distance trips and brief stays in Sa Pa, Ha Long, Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Da Lat, and Con Dao Island.

Vietravel said that around 60 percent of its vacation packages, which include flights, car rentals, and hotels, have been bought.

Condolences extended to Indonesia over submarine sinking

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has extended condolences to Indonesian President Joko Widodo over the recent submarine sinking.

Media in Indonesia reported that KRI Nanggala-402 became untraceable on April 22 during live torpedo training exercises off the Indonesian holiday island of Bali.

The 40-year-old submarine was found split into three pieces on the sea bed after five days of search efforts. All the vessel’s 53 crew have been confirmed dead.

The same day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also cabled a message of condolences to President Joko Widodo over the tragedy./.

Hanoi, Hai Duong reinforce COVID-19 prevention efforts

A woman passes through a “face mask required” sign on downtown Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake

In an official dispatch, the Party Committee of Hanoi ordered the suspension of festivals and pedestrian zones in the city, and restriction of non-essential events with mass gatherings. In case the events are held, preventive measures must be in place.

If COVID-19 infections are detected, contact tracing and quarantine must be promptly rolled out to curb the spread of the pandemic.

Local people are asked to closely follow the 5K message and wear face masks in public places.

Meanwhile, leaders of Hai Duong proivnce requested relevant agencies to bolster communications to raise public awareness.

Hai Duong police will work with departments, sectors, localities and inspection groups in illegal entry prevention and supervision at concentrated quarantine facilities and homes.

People are recommended to refrain from travelling to crowded places and those with high COVID-19 risks, especially as the National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day holidays are approaching.

Non-essential services in the province like massage parlors, karaoke, bars and discotheques will continue to be suspended until further notice, while vaccinations are asked to be sped up.

As of 5 pm on April 27, Hai Duong has neither COVID-19 patients under treatment nor people staying in quarantine for having close contact with infected people.

The province reported 726 cases in the resurgence of COVID-19 outbreaks that began on January 27./.

VBS requires strict following of COVID-19 prevention measures at places of worship

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has called for the mandatory wearing of face masks and strict adherence to COVID-19 prevention regulations at pagodas and monasteries nationwide amid the ongoing complex developments of the pandemic.

Vice President and General Secretary of the VBS Executive Council, Venerable Thich Duc Thien, stressed that COVID-19 prevention measures must be enhanced at places of worship around the country.

VBS chapters in all 63 cities and provinces have been asked to strictly implement requirements, he said.

The Ministry of Health’s 5K message – khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfectant), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations) – must be seriously observed, he added.

He also called on people to report any instance of illegal entry, in order to effectively contain the spread of the virus./.

Da Nang tops ICT Index for 12th straight year

The central city of Da Nang has maintained its leading position in terms of readiness for information and communications technology (ICT) development and application, after topping the Vietnam ICT Index rankings for the 12th consecutive year.

In the rankings for 2020, the city led the way with a total score of 0.9238, followed by the neighbouring province of Thua Thien-Hue.

Compiled by the Ministry of Information and Communications since 2005 and based on UN criteria, the Vietnam ICT Index assesses technical infrastructure, IT application, online public services, and the IT industry.

It has secured a prestigious reputation over the years and serves as a foundation for the ministry and local authorities to adopt appropriate decisions and policies to develop the ICT sector and the IT industry./.

Vietnam treasures comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia

Vietnam always attaches importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on April 27.

During his phone talks with the Russian minister, Son affirmed that Russia is among leading important partners in Vietnam’s foreign policy, and congratulated the country on its success in containing COVID-19, especially in vaccine research and production.

Despite the pandemic, Vietnam and Russia have maintained exchanges, with many phone talks held between their high-ranking leaders, contributing to promoting the bilateral cooperation across spheres, Son said.

The ministers discussed Vietnam-Russia collaboration, covering politics-diplomacy, security-national defence, economy-trade, investment, energy-oil and gas, and COVID-19 prevention and control.

They also compared notes on cooperation between the two foreign ministries and coordination between the two countries at multilateral forums, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and ASEAN.

Both expressed their hope to well organise activities during the Vietnam-Russia and Russia-Vietnam Year in 2021.

Minister Son used the occasion to thank Russia for supporting Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020, and non-permanent membership of the UNSC for 2020-2021.

Vietnam is willing to closely coordinate with Russia and other ASEAN countries in organising activities marking the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-Russia relations (1996-2021), Son said.

For his part, the Russian minister lauded Vietnam’s performance in external affairs, as well as the country’s increasingly impressive role in regional and international arena.

On this occasion, Lavrov invited Son to visit Russia at a convenient time. The Vietnamese minister accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Religious communities offer support to Cambodia, Laos amid COVID-19 spread

The Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City on April 27 called on followers to make contributions to present 4 million face masks to people in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in a bid to ease their difficulties amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.

Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Deputy Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Chairman of the Executive Council of the HCM City Buddhist Sangha, donated 100 million VND (over 4,300 USD) while a charitable group of the HCM City Buddhist Sangha presented 500 million VND to support disadvantaged Buddhist followers and people hit by COVID-19 in Laos and Cambodia.

Phnom Penh capital of Cambodia has been hardest-hit by COVID-19 in recent weeks, with hundreds of new cases being reported daily.

By the afternoon of April 27, Cambodia had logged 11,063 COVID-19 infections and 82 fatalities.

Meanwhile, a total of 511 COVID-19 cases were reported across 15 out of 18 provinces and cities of Laos./.

Working group heads to Truong Sa island district

A working group headed to Truong Sa (Spratly) island district and DK1 Platform on April 26 from Cam Ranh city in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

A farewell ceremony for the group, including officers and soldiers of the Naval Zone 4 High Command, representatives departments and agencies, and journalists, was held by the Naval Zone 4 High Command and the provincial People’s Committee.

The delegation will present necessities to soldiers and residents in the island district, according to Rear Admiral Phan Tuan Hung, Deputy Commander of the Naval Force.

They are scheduled to visit DK1 Platform and several islands in the Truong Sa archipelago, where they will meet with officers, soldiers, and local people.

On this occasion, the delegation of National Assembly deputies of Khanh Hoa province will also present certificates of merit from the provincial People’s Committee to collectives that performed strongly in fulfilling national defence and security tasks in 2020./.

Photo exhibition marks 46th anniversary of National Reunification Day

Twenty-one prize-winning photos in a contest named “Tu Hao Mot Dai Bien Cuong” (Pride in the frontier strip) are on display at an exhibition launched in Ho Chi Minh City on April 26.

These works vividly reflect daily life and the beauty of distinctive architectural works, festivals and folk arts of ethnic minority people living along the border; and life of on-duty border guard officers who stay ready to defend the country’s sovereignty and border security.

The exhibition will run through May 7./.

Localities intensify COVID-19 prevention measures ahead of holidays

Increased pandemic prevention measures have been noticed in cities and provinces nationwide, as the Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1) holidays approach.

Strict fines are imposed on people without facemasks in public places in Ho Chi Minh City, the local authorities said in an urgent direction issued on April 26.

Accordingly, public-awareness-raising communications on COVID-19 and pandemic prevention and control measures have been ordered, with restrictions in place for mass gatherings. Those involved in organising illegal entries in the city also face strict punishments.

The same day, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung emphasized a high risk of new outbreaks during and after the upcoming holidays at a meeting of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on April 26.

He urged the active implementation of pandemic measures that prioritise early detection, quick quarantine, and effective treatment. Wearing facemask is a must in public areas and on public transport vehicles; and events that gather a large number of people are restricted.

The capital will continue its vaccination drive correctly, safely, and efficiently, according to Dung.

Also on April 26, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long had a working session with the Can Tho People’s Committee, asking the Mekong Delta city to soon complete its national-level COVID-19 treatment hospital and prepare for complicated developments of the epidemic in the future.

For the work to be done, he assigned the Can Tho General Hospital to collaborate with localities and the Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Can Tho also needs to establish a 400-bed COVID-19 treatment hospital in Phong Dien district that is capable of accommodating up to 800 beds when necessary, the minister underscored./.

Nation to enjoy sunny April 30-May 1 holidays

All regions across the country are expected to see sunny weather on the upcoming National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holidays, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

In the northern and north-central region, rains are forecast to reduce on April 29. From April 30, the weather will be good again with cool temperature, according to the centre. However, high temperature is forecast in certain areas such as northwest as well as northern and central mountainous regions.

From April 30 to May 3, the northern region is expected to enjoy sunny weather, but a hot spell is forecast for the northwest region in the daytime and rains at night.

Hanoi is predicted to enjoy sunny weather in the daytime but whirlwinds and rains at night. The central coastal, central and Central Highlands regions are expected to experience the same developments of weather.

Meanwhile in Ho Chi Minh City, the weather will be good with sunlight in the morning and potential rains, thunder and whirlwinds in the afternoon and night./.

Multiple tourism products, services launched in HCMC

HCMC is launching a series of tourism introduction programs between April 25 and August 15 to attract domestic visitors to the city, while many three- to five-star hotels are also lowering room prices by up to 65% during the period.

Apart from many tourist destinations and special eateries, various new check-in points and street food in HCMC will be introduced through these tourism programs, according to the HCMC Department of Tourism.

The city will be offering new tours, including “Throwing back at the history-Silent Footprints-Saigon Army Rangers”, telling visitors about the stories of HCMC, “Can Gio- a different Saigon” and “Back to sacred place”, in which tourists will be taken to Binh Chanh to explore historic fights against French troops.

The “Talking with typical three-generation families of artists in HCMC” program will also bring new experiences to tourists.

In addition, traditional plays of hat boi, a genre of Vietnamese traditional drama, which is over 500 years old, will be performed at the Lang Ong Ba Chieu Temple, where the tombs of Le Van Duyet and his wife lie, or the Saigon Zoo & Botanical Garden.

Aside from reducing room prices, many hotels such as Nikko Saigon, Park Hyatt Saigon and Le Meriden are rolling out staycation packages for the city’s residents.

Report claims right to autonomy and self-determination

Nearly half of women in 57 developing countries are denied the right to bodily autonomy, said a report released on Thursday.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s 2021 flagship report – State of World Population – was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the HCM Central Youth Union.

For the first time, a UN report focuses on the topic of bodily autonomy, without fear of violence or having someone else decide for you.

The report shows that in countries where data is available, only 55 per cent of women are fully empowered to make choices over healthcare, contraception and sexual relations.

Only 71 per cent of countries guarantee access to overall maternity care.

Only about 56 per cent of countries have laws and policies supporting comprehensive sexuality education.

Addressing the launch, Nguyễn Tường Lâm, Secretary of the Central Youth Union, said: “The theme of this year’s World Population Report “My body is my own” turns the spotlight on bodily autonomy. With the focus on comprehensive sexuality education and gender equality, the report calls for joint efforts in strengthening awareness among young people and rights to ensure that they are equipped with knowledge and skills to make their own decisions about their health.”

Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Việt Nam, said: “A woman who has control over her body is more likely to be empowered in other spheres of her life. She is more likely to thrive, and so is her family, her community and her country.”

Bodily autonomy is measured through two sustainable development goals (SDGs) indicators, including 5.6.1 and 5.6.2. In the report, Việt Nam is cited, among 75 countries which have data, for the measurement of SDG indicator 5.6.2 – the existence of laws, regulations, or policies that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive healthcare, information and education.

Việt Nam has the indicator value of 54 per cent out of 100 per cent achievement, which is higher than Nepal (48 per cent) but lower than Cambodia (98 per cent) and Myanmar (75 per cent).

Việt Nam does not yet have a full data set for SDG indicator 5.6.1 about proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive healthcare, but plans to make it available in the coming years.

The Sate of World Population report is UNFPA’s annual flagship publication. Published yearly since 1978, it shines a light on emerging issues in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Job market shows strong signs of recovery

Vietnam’s job market showed strong signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2021, opening up various opportunities for workers, especially highly-skilled workers.

Sectors seeing an increase in hiring demand in the quarter included Engineering and Manufacturing, Energy, IT, E-commerce, Electronics, Semiconductor Design, Civil Engineering, and Industrial Construction.

The combination of global supply chain shifts and the positive impact of free trade agreements will offer new prospects for Vietnam’s economy into the future, leading to a significant increase in employment opportunities and hiring demand, said Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Adecco Hanoi’s Recruitment Manager.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the labour market in Q1 was livelier than in the same period last year, according to the municipal Centre for Human Resources Forecasting and Labour Market Information (FALMI).

Its figures show that there were over 44,000 job vacancies and nearly 19,500 jobseekers in the southern economic hub during the period, increasing local human resources demand by 13.14% year-on-year. The majority of vacancies (70.38%) were in the services sector, followed by industry (29.51%) and agriculture (0.11%).

The centre forecasts that the city will need between 68,600 and 73,500 workers, mostly in the fields of IT, electronics and electricity; mechanics and automation; healthcare and medicine; accounting and auditing; finance, banking and securities; real estate; and tourism, lodging and catering services.

Adecco Hanoi Office Director Nguyen Thu Ha explained three main reasons contributing to the current situation. The first is the Government’s successful efforts in virus prevention and containment, she said. Second, businesses have gradually ramped up their operations and are eager to bounce back after a period of economic stagnation. Third, in terms of psychology, people now are better able to take care their health and cope with coronavirus anxiety.

FALMI said that demand for trained workers in HCM City made up 85.72% of the total, including 22.19% for university graduates or higher.

Commenting on the labour market outlook for 2021, Andree Mangels, General Director, Adecco Vietnam believed that the recovery of the economy and the global trends of digitalisation will open up opportunities for skilled workers.

A recent survey from the Adecco Group on shifts in workplace expectations in the post-pandemic world indicate that 82% of participants appreciate the strict hygiene regulations at work.

Other noticeable expectations among workers are flexibility (80%), adequate facilities for remote working (79%), investment in technology (77%), financial support policies (77%), and regular updates on business plans and performance (75%).

Kien Giang acts to protect Phu Quoc from Covid-19 transmission

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has adopted multiple measures to prevent the Covid-19 transmission from hitting its island city of Phu Quoc, as scores of Vietnamese citizens working in Cambodia and other countries, which share the border with Vietnam, are forecast to return home through the Cambodia-Ha Tien border gate after these neighboring countries lifted Covid-19 lockdown.

At a recent meeting reviewing the efforts to control and prevent Covid-19 infection throughout the province, Lam Minh Thanh, chairman of the provincial government, said that the province will face more difficulties in fighting the disease in the coming time since it shares a long borderline with Cambodia, where the pandemic is at its peak, and has many border crossings.

Therefore, aside from receiving and taking anti-epidemic measures for Vietnamese citizens returning home from Cambodia, Thanh asked local border guard forces to ramp up efforts to monitor vehicles operating in the locality and increase the frequency of patrols at border areas to prevent illegal entry.

The chairman also required the local competent forces to check the compliance with Covid-19 safety protocols in the province and monitor fishermen and those living and trading in border areas in order to promptly detect and prevent illegal immigrants.

Besides this, sea patrol police were asked to team up with the competent forces to direct boats operating at sea to combat Covid-19 and quickly deal with problems arising on the island.

Phu Quoc Island is a popular tourist destination in Vietnam. Recently, many local carriers have launched new air services to this island city to meet the rising travel demand among passengers after the coronavirus outbreak in the country has been brought under control.

Son La receives rice support for between-crop period

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has signed a decision assigning the Ministry of Finance to provide over 59,800 tonnes of rice to the northern mountainous province of Son La during the between-crop period of 2021.

The rice, sourced from the national reserves, aims to support local residents in order to ensure no one suffers from hunger during the period.

The Deputy PM assigned the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to allocate the rice to the locality, while asking the provincial authorities to ensure timely delivery to right beneficiaries in line with regulations.

In case Son La still faces difficulties after receiving the aid, the local authorities are advised to report to the two ministries for further assistance./.

Hai Phong’s Flamboyant Festival to draw tourists

Various cultural, economic, sport and tourism activities will be held in the northern port city of Hai Phong between May 11 and 15 during the annual Flamboyant Festival of the northern port city.

An art show titled Hai Phong – A Successful Destination on May 11 will be a highlight of the programme with a fireworks show.

The event aims to celebrate the anniversary of the Liberation Day of the city from French occupation (May 13, 1955).

Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was not held to spare funding to fight the virus. This year, with the pandemic under control, authorities decided to host the festival at a cost of some 20 billion VND (869,000 USD) contributed by local individuals and enterprises.

Local authorities of all culture, sport, tourism and art sectors in 15 districts in the city will host 66 activities during the festival.

They include photo exhibitions, a virtual contest titled “Check-in Hai Phong, My Beloved City” on Facebook; ca tru (ceremonial singing) performances; a golf tournament; exhibition of Hai Phong’s achievements in socio-economics; a cooking contest; a tourism fair; a singing contest on Hai Phong; an ao dai (traditional long dress) festival; a women’s beach volleyball tournament, and a classic car show.

According to Le Khac Nam, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, the event will promote the city’s image as a smart developing city, which is friendly to international visitors and also a successful destination for investors.

Hai Phong is 100km to the northeast of Hanoi. Flamboyant trees are planted in many streets in the city, which come into full bloom in summer (May-June), hence the name of the festival./.

Man arrested for illegal deforestation

The investigation police agency at the Police Department of the northern mountainous province of Son La on April 26 decided to arrest a 43-year-old man for his illegal deforestation.

Lo Van Quy, from Co Noi commune, Mai Son district, Son La province, will be arrested for his violation of regulations on exploitation and protection of forests and forest product management in line with Article 232 of the Penal Code.

The decision has been approved by the provincial People’s Procuracy.

Investigators said Quy hired a group of people to illegally exploit forest products and they were caught red handed in a forest in Na Pan hamlet, Chieng Dong commune, Yen Chau district.

The case is under further investigation./.

HCMC Transport Dept proposes restricting vehicles with over 30 seats downtown

The HCMC Department of Transport has proposed restricting vehicles with more than 30 seats in downtown areas, including districts 1, 3, 5 and 10.

The restriction will not be applied to buses that transport students, workers and tourists and vehicles for special purposes.

The department also proposed increasing the number of cameras installed in downtown areas and around the Mien Dong Bus Station in Binh Thanh District as many coaches frequently stop on the streets in these areas to pick up or drop off passengers.

The pickups and drop-offs of passengers have worsened traffic congestion and caused dangers to commuters in these areas. The city will publish the list of locations that allow coaches to pick up or drop off passengers.

Besides that, the HCMC Transport Department proposed that the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam upgrade the data analysis system for dashcams to effectively detect and punish vehicles that violate traffic regulations.

HCMC currently has over 110 stops for coaches to pick up and drop off passengers.

Project launched to protect children in coffee production

A project on enhancing capacity and bolstering the protection of children working in coffee production in Dak Lak was officially launched in the Central Highlands province on April 26.

Implemented from October 2020 to March 2023 at a total cost of nearly 5.7 billion VND (248,000 USD), the project covers the six communes of Ea Tan and Dlie Ya in Krong Nang district, Ea Drong and Ea Tul in Cu M’Gar district, and Cu Bao and Ea Drong in Buon Ho township.

Objectives include improving the living conditions of children in coffee growing and processing areas, to ensure they are protected and their rights are observed.

About 2,000 children are expected to benefit from the project, most of whom are from ethnic minority groups.

According to Vice Director of the Dak Lak Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Phuong, Dak Lak is an agriculture province and nearly 70 percent of its population are farmers.

Coffee is the major crop, he said, adding that the project will contribute to improving awareness among children, parents, businesses, and local authorities about children’s rights, realising targets set regarding their care, especially in preventing them from leaving school during the harvest season.

Along with strengthening communications, the department will support poor children to return to school while assisting local authorities to inspect workplace safety at coffee production facilities, Phuong said.

At the same time, the department will coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to organise contests on technology application in coffee production, with the aim of erasing work involving child labour, while cooperating with the Health Department to prevent children being injured during production.

The capacity of units in the coffee supply chain to protect children will be enhanced, he said, adding that training courses will be held for relevant parties while communications on child protection laws will be strengthened. Businesses will be encouraged to sign agreements on not using child labour and ensuring workplace safety./.

Commune on Phu Quoc Island to hold elections early

The National Election Council recently issued Dispatch No 533/HDBCQG-VP dated April 20, allowing Tho Chau island commune of Phu Quoc city to hold the elections of deputies to the National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure on May 21, two days earlier than the national election day.

This was reported by the Election Committee of the Mekong Delta’s Kien Giang province, to which Phu Quoc belongs.

Covering over 1,395 ha, Tho Chau island commune consists of eight islands and islets: Tho Chu, Hon Tu, Hon Cao Cat, Hon Nhan, Hon Kho, Hon Xanh, Hon Cai Ban, and Hon Da Bac.

Tho Chu is the largest and only inhabited island in the commune.

The elections are being held early due to difficult access and extreme weather conditions here./.

New NA Chairman receives more congratulations

Parliamentary leaders of foreign countries continued to send letters of congratulations to National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on his election as the top leader of the Vietnamese legislature.

NA Chairman Hue received congratulations from President of the Senate of Romania Anca Dana Dragu, President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux, and Speaker of the National Assembly of Mozambique Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias./.

Japan-funded project to help mitigate COVID-19 impacts on vulnerable populations

The Japanese Government will provide Vietnam with more than 2.8 million USD to finance a project on “Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Vulnerable Populations”, which was launched in Hanoi on April 26.

The project aims to aid the Vietnamese Government’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations and ensure national progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It plans to intervene in four areas: gender-based violence, improvements to elderly care, sexual and reproductive health care, and support for returning Vietnamese migrants.

The project will be conducted from April 2021 to March 2022 in 14 cities and provinces: Thai Nguyen, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Da Nang, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Dak Lak, An Giang, Can Tho, Vinh Long, and HCM City.

Addressing the launch of the new project, the Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam said the COVID-19 pandemic proved the importance of mutual understanding, the sharing of resources, and, above all, solidarity and cooperation between communities, societies, and nations in tackling the unprecedented challenges. The new project also demonstrates the good relationship between Vietnam and Japan, he added.

Though Vietnam responded to COVID-19 better than most countries, the social and economic consequences it has caused are of great concern, the ambassador went on, and vulnerable groups such as women and girls, the elderly, and adolescents have been hit hardest.

Naomi Kitahara, representative of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam, said the challenges facing Vietnamese people, especially vulnerable groups, have become more complex due to COVID-19, which has deepened existing inequalities and exposed social gaps.

For Vietnam to achieve the SDGs, it is necessary to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and ensure that all people are part of the sustainable development process so that no one is left behind. She expects the project will represent a great leap forward for Vietnam in remaining committed to fulfilling the SDGs.

The project plans to establish three one-stop shop service centres, hold 10 creative and innovative campaigns on the prevention of gender-based violence amid COVID-19, and provide training for around 500 men and women on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

Under the project, about 1,000 elderly citizens in selected cities and provinces will be provided with high-quality health care and support services, while some 58,000 others are expected to benefit from telehealth services.

About 5,000 ethnic minority women will benefit from a mobile application offering information and consultation on sexual and reproductive healthcare, while 45 district-level public clinics will receive medical equipment to protect their health workers from COVID-19.

It will also register returning migrant workers for training courses on soft skills and comprehensive gender education, and provide them with counselling in sexual and reproductive health, the prevention of gender-based violence, and future careers./.

Vietnam ready to help Laos respond to COVID-19

Vietnam is ready to provide support within its capability to Laos in overcoming difficulties that Laos faces in COVID-19 prevention and control work, standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong said.

The official made the pledge during a reception in Hanoi on April 27 for Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang.

Thuong expressed his delight at the development of the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, and affirmed that Vietnam will work together with Laos to protect and foster the ties between the two countries.

He offered sympathy to the Lao Party, State and people over the loss caused by the pandemic, noting his belief that under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the governance of the Lao Government and the solidarity of the entire political system and Lao people, the country will be able to contain the spread of the pandemic in the shortest time possible, thus ensuring the implementation of socio-economic development tasks.

The Party official appreciated the important role of the Lao Embassy in Vietnam and asked the embassy to continue working as a bridge to connect ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries towards more effective bilateral cooperation.

Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang congratulated Vietnam over its great and comprehensive achievements and voiced his belief that the Vietnamese people will continue to reap even greater accomplishments in their Doi Moi (Renewal) cause and successfully realise the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

The ambassador also thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their whole-hearted and effective help for Laos, and took the occasion to update Thuong on the situation in Laos, especially developments of the COVID-19 pandemic./.

Five COVID-19 cases recorded on April 27

Vietnam recorded five cases of COVID-19 during the past 12 hours to 6pm April 27, raising the national total to 2,857, according to the Health Ministry.

Among the new patients, four are Vietnamese citizens returning from abroad and have been quarantined immediately after arrival. The fifth patient was a staff member at a hotel which is used as a quarantine facility in the northern province of Yen Bai, where several Indian experts are quarantined after arriving in Vietnam. This staff member has also been under medical monitoring since the first day he made contact with the Indian experts.

Meanwhile, 2,516 COVID-19 patients have been given the all clear, and the death toll remains at 35.

Among patients still under treatment, 13 have tested negative for the novel coronavirus once, 15 twice and 20 thrice.

A total 38,266 people are being quarantined across the country./.

Government committee meets foreign religious practitioners in Vietnam

The Government Committee for Religious Affairs held a meeting with foreign religious practitioners on April 27 to inform about legal regulations on beliefs and religions, and the realisation of the right to freedom of belief or religion of foreigners legally residing in Vietnam.

The event was attended by officials of the Government committee, the Ministry of Home Affairs, relevant ministries and agencies, and localities’ committees for religious affairs, along with dignitaries representing 43 places and groups for concentrated religious practices of foreigners.

Vu Chien Thang, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said Vietnam’s strong integration into the world has attracted a large number of foreign entrepreneurs and businesses. Many of foreigners working, studying, and living in the country have beliefs or religions, thus having the demand for religious practices.

He emphasised Vietnam’s policy of respecting and protecting all people’s right to freedom of belief or religion, noting that the 2013 Constitution recognised the right as one of the fundamental human rights while the Law on Belief and Religion, adopted by the National Assembly on November 18, 2016 and coming into force on January 1, 2018, detailed this right of all people, including foreigners legally residing in Vietnam.

In fact, foreigners legally residing in the country have had their right to freedom of belief or religion ensured in line with legal regulations, Thang went on.

Local authorities have created conditions for tens of foreigners’ places and groups to practice religions at legal sites in Vietnam. Meanwhile, foreign dignitaries are allowed to preach at places or groups of concentrated religious practices. Foreigners are also permitted to bring religious publications and items to serve their practices, according to the official.

He expressed his hope that the dignitaries and representatives of foreigners’ places and groups for religious practices will not only help introduce the land, people, and religious life in Vietnam, but also correctly present the country’s relevant policies and legal regulations to other foreigners.

At the meeting, participants learned about the basic contents of the Law on Belief and Religion, the rules on exit from and entry into Vietnam, and the provision of online public services related to belief and religion.

They also discussed issues relevant to the realisation of foreigners’ right to freedom of belief or religion to help build a healthy religious life in the country./.

Kien Giang readies medical infrastructure in face of COVID-19 risk

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is working to establish a temporary hospital for COVID-19 treatment in its border city of Ha Tien amid complex developments of the coronavirus in neighbouring Cambodia and illegal border crossings.

Based at the centre for culture, information, and sports in My Duc ward, the hospital will be capable of handling about 300 patients with mild symptoms in the initial phase, according to Director of the Kien Giang Department of Health Ha Van Phuc.

He noted that if the number of Vietnamese people in Cambodia returning home via the Ha Tien International Border Gate keeps increasing, the province will add 200 beds to the temporary hospital.

Eleven rooms for COVID-19 patients in a critical condition will be set up at the Healthcare Centre of Ha Tien city, while the second storey of this centre will be able to provide treatment for 39 patients in fair condition.

After new infrastructure at the Kien Giang General Hospital opens in early May, the old facilities will serve as another temporary hospital if the COVID-19 situation becomes more complex, Phuc added.

On April 19, a quick response team from the Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City was sent to assist Kien Giang in its COVID-19 response.

Dr Tran Thanh Linh, deputy head of the resuscitation and emergency department at the Cho Ray Hospital, said local authorities have thoroughly prepared pandemic prevention and control plans, including the arrangement of treatment sites, as the border areas of Ha Tien city are facing a high risk of COVID-19 transmission.

As of the morning of April 27, Vietnam had recorded 2,852 cases of COVID-19, including 2,516 recoveries, while fatalities remain at 35, according to the Ministry of Health./.

Vietnam’s largest man-made crystal lagoon to be launched

Final touches are being put on the 6.1-hectare salt-water lagoon in Hanoi’s Vinhomes Ocean Park, which will be launched during the upcoming public holiday this weekend.

Constructed by US-based Crystal Lagoons, the project is holding a national record as Vietnam’s largest salt-water lagoon recognised by the Vietnam Record Association. It is also the sixth largest man-made crystalline lagoon in the world.

Dubbed as a jewel in the city, Vinhomes Ocean Park’s crystal lagoon offers its residents and visitors a unique and exciting beach life experience with beautiful turquoise waters surrounded by 35-metre-wide white sand beach.

The sand has been brought here from Nha Trang whose beach was listed in the top 50 most beautiful white sand beaches in the world.

Once operational, the lagoon is expected to help create a unique living space for Hanoians and realise the dream of enjoying beach life every day right in the hustle and bustle capital city.

Vietnamese people will enjoy four days off during the upcoming public holiday from April 30 to May 2 to celebrate the National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1)./.

Da Nang starts legal proceeding against illegal entry organisers

Police in the central city of Da Nang have started legal proceedings and detained 14 suspects involving in a ring of brokering and organising illegal entry to Vietnam for Chinese people.

According to Major General Vu Xuan Vien, Director of the Da Nang Department of Public Security, the suspects reside in different northern localities such as Ninh Binh, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, Hanoi and Hung Yen.

He highlighted the joint efforts of the police of Da Nang and other localities in raiding the ring, saying this is important amid the current COVID-19 situation.

In December 2020, the police of Da Nang discovered four illegal Chinese immigrants in a seven-seat car driven by Dinh Xuan Hien, a resident of Thai Binh province. Expanding investigation into the case, the police arrested additional 14 suspects.

The investigation results showed that from December 21-29, the ring managed to bring 49 Chinese people to Vietnam and then to Cambodia for 28-30 million VND for each person.

Meanwhile, authorities in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, which shares sea border with Cambodia, are tightening control over illegal entry to Vietnam, especially during the upcoming April 30- May 1 holidays and the upcoming general elections as part of efforts to prevent COVID-19 pandemic to enter Vietnam.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Doan Dinh Tranh, Vice Political Commissar of the provincial Border Guard High Command said that Kien Giang has set up 30 posts, eight mobile teams and 11 checkpoints in Phu Quoc Island to prevent COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 23-24, local forces discovered four illegal immigration cases with 23 illegal immigrants to Phu Quoc./.

16 teams progress to next round of Bamboo Airways National Cup 2021

A total of 16 teams have made it into the round of 16 of the Bamboo Airways National Cup 2021, which is scheduled to take place in July.

The results were announced following the conclusion of two final matches as part of the national cup’s qualifying round on April 25.

Phu Dong FC and Khanh Hoa FC became the final two football clubs to have their progress to the round of 16 confirmed after recording a 1-0 win over Hue FC and a 2-0 victory over Phu Tho FC, respectively.

The most notable match in the next round of the competition will be between Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC and SHB Da Nang FC, with both teams being placed in first and second positions in the current V.League 1 table.

Hanoi FC, the current National Cup champions, are exempt from competing in the qualifying round, therefore they will face Pho Hien FC in their first match in the following round.

As V.League 1 champions of the 2020 season, Viettel FC will play Hai Phong FC in their first match of the competition.

The tournament’s next round is set to get underway in July, with the winner being granted a sum of VND1 billion, equivalent to US$43,000, in prize money, whilst also earning a place in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup 2022.

The first and second runners-up will be given VND500 million, equal to US$21,500, and VND200 million, equivalent to US$8,600, respectively.

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