Vietnamese culture in australia

Kien Giang assists Vietnamese Cambodians affected by COVID-19

April 16, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Deputy Director of the Department for External Affairs of Kien Giang province Nguyen Viet Thong (R) hands over 300 million VND to Vietnamese Consul General Vu Ngoc Ly (Photo: VNA)

Phnom Penh (VNA) – Deputy Director of the Department for External Affairs of Kien Giang province Nguyen Viet Thong on April 15 handed over 300 million VND (13,000 USD) to representatives from the Vietnamese Consulate General in Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province as a gift of the southern province for poor Vietnamese Cambodians.

At the handover ceremony at Ha Tien International Border Gate, Thong spoke highly of efforts made by the Vietnamese Consulate General to support Vietnamese Cambodians in the region it is in charge, including Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Kep, Koh Kong, Kampong Speu and Takeo provinces, especially amidst COVID-19 outbreaks in Cambodia.

He took the occasion to extend his best wishes to Vietnamese Cambodians in the southwestern region of Cambodia on the occasion of Chol Chnam Thmay, Cambodia’s New Year Festival.

Vietnamese Consul General Vu Ngoc Ly expressed his gratitude for the support of Kien Giang province as this was the third time the province have sent gifts to Vietnamese Cambodians in the region since the pandemic broke out in the province early last year.

On this occasion, President of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Kampot province Hoang Duc Ha received 60 million VND as a gift from the Vietnam Fatherland Front of Kien Giang province to Vietnamese Cambodians who are living in difficult circumstances in Kampot and Kep provinces./.

VNA

Japan-Vietnam Fest to open in HCM City at weekend

April 16, 2021 by dtinews.vn

The seventh Japan-Vietnam Festival will be held on April 17 and 18 at the September 23 Park in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1.

The Japanese four-member girl group Elfin’ will perform to open the seventh Japan – Vietnam Festival on April 17 and 18 at September 23 Park in District 1. Their performances will be broadcast from Japan. (Photo: courtesy of the organiser)

The event will offer a wide series of cultural and sports activities introduced by artists from the both countries.

The festival will open with performances of the famous Japanese four-member girl group Elfin’, which will be broadcast from Japan at 10am on April 17 and 18.

The featured events will be two music shows featuring Japanese singer Exile Atsushi, boy bands Da Pump and Amatou Dansi.

Takayuki Nakanishi, leader of Wadaiko Syo, a group of performers of Japanese drums, or taiko, will also perform at the event.

All performances of Japanese artists will be streamed from Japan.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese singers Dong Nhi, Ong Cao Thang and Minh Hang, boy group UNI5, and girl group SG048, will provide live performances on the festival’s main stage.

The festival will offer a Bon Odori dance to honour the spirits of the ancestors, and a Yosakoi dance performed at festivals and events.

In addition, the Awa Odori Vietnam Dance Association will provide dance performances from Japan, which will be broadcast at the festival.

The event will introduce visitors a workshop on the history of ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) and quan ho (love duet singing) performances.

The HCM City flower artist Shimaken will give a presentation on Japanese flower arrangement.

Japanese martial arts of Kendo, Alsok and Karate will also be showcased at the event.

The World Cosplay Summit (WCS) Vietnam will organise the TOUCH Cosplay Cup HCM City to find a winner in the national contest.

The organiser will also host exchange meetings between students from HCM City and Kitami City in Hokkaido.

The festival will include stalls showcasing Japanese cuisine, healthcare products, appliances and cultural products such as manga and dolls.

OVs in France, French friends believe in bright future of Vietnam

April 16, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Former Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese in France ( UGVF ) Nguyen Thanh Tong (second, right) and representatives of the UGVF receive the Independence Order presented to the association for the second time.(Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Oversea Vietnamese ( OVs ) in France always believe in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam ( CPV ), and hope the country will develop strongly, said former Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese in France (UGVF) Nguyen Thanh Tong.

In a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s correspondent in France, Tong highlighted the success of the 13th National Party Congress, saying that in the ‘gloomy sky’ of the global economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has emerged as a remarkable and proud bright spot. He believed that the country will thrive further under the leadership of newly-elected leaders.

Meanwhile, Lydia Samarbakhsh, head of the Communist Party of France Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, praised Vietnam’s successes in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the implementation of urgent and drastic decisions to effectively respond to the health crisis.

Vietnam has been always transparent in giving pandemic-related information, she stressed, noting that this has helped the international community assess the pandemic situation, thus enabling governments to prepare their own plans to control the disease.

She also mentioned challenges facing Vietnam in coping with climate change, and in realising its goal to become a developed country with high income by 2045.

Giving comments on the Vietnam – France relationship, Samarbakhsh said France always wants to maintain its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam. The Communist Party of France will continue contributing to the development and consolidation of partnerships between France and other countries, including Vietnam, she added.

She believed that the French government has always considered Vietnam a friendly country. This has facilitated political and diplomatic exchanges between the two countries, as well as cooperative relations that the two sides will continue to promote together, especially cooperation between localities of the two countries.

Meanwhile, Olivier Corzani, Mayor of Fleury Merogis city in the Essonne region, held that Vietnam is currently at the time of the most dynamic development.

Corzani expressed his hope that the new Vietnamese leadership will continue to lead the country to greater development, and further promote France-Vietnam cooperative ties in various fields./.

VNA

UNFPA, Norwegian Government support Vietnam in ending gender biased sex selection

April 16, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

The joint affirmation was made by Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Lochen and UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Naomi Kitahara at a working session on April 15 to discuss gender equality in Vietnam, focusing on gender-based violence and GBSS.

Addressing the session, the ambassador said that the top priority of the Norwegian Government is to strengthen and observe global standards on the rights of girls and women, including changing the preference for sons.

The Norwegian Government is working with many partners and relevant parties, including the UNFPA, to deal with the problem on global, regional, and national scales, she said.

Lochen expressed delight at Vietnam’s pioneering role in dealing with GBSS, affirming that close cooperation and a comprehensive approach are among the major measures for the successful resolution of the problem.

For her part, Kitahara acknowledged Vietnam’s progress in promoting gender equality. She also said that this progress should be further sped up within the completion of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

She pledged to assist Vietnam and local social organisations to hasten changes towards becoming a modern, progressive country where all women and girls have access to the same opportunities as men and boys.

The working session was a chance for both sides to review the three-year “Addressing Gender Biased Sex Selection and Related Harmful Practices in Vietnam” project, which was launched in April 2020.

The project is being jointly funded by the UNFPA and the Norwegian Government, and implemented by the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the General Office for Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health, the Vietnam Farmers’ Union, and the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents.

It aims to support the Government’s ongoing efforts to fully implement approved legal and policy frameworks to end GBSS, and includes campaigns conducted through innovative approaches to change social norms and practices that reinforce the preference for sons and the low value of girls, strengthening capacities in the media, implementing the fatherhood program, and streamlining the country’s coordination mechanisms for GBSS.

Vietnam’s gender imbalance has rapidly increased in recent times and stood at 111.5 boys per 100 girls in 2019, according to the 2019 Population and Housing Census.

Source: VNA

Vietnam emerges as attractive investment destination for FDI enterprises

April 16, 2021 by vov.vn

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink believes that the most important values and products of the PCI are not the rankings of localities, but rather the sharing of the lessons learned, along with models and technology reforms.

The past 16 years has seen the PCI play an important role in promoting transparency and accountability in provincial economic governance domestically whilst facilitating private economic development as a means of promoting the nation’s competitiveness within the international arena.

Informal fees have continued to decline in recent years due to positive results achieved in the fight against corruption. In addition, both domestic and foreign investors are applying modern technologies as part of efforts to develop a greener, more stable economy, the diplomat states.

According to Ambassador Kritenbrink, the country has yielded several positive results due to improved administrative procedures, especially in terms of customs procedures. Vietnamese success in the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has also had a positive impact on the local business climate in recent times.

Despite a high proportion of firms being negatively impacted by COVID-19 last year, Vietnamese businesses were largely able to continue their operations. Overall, the PCI underscores the success in the country’s economic development strategy based on FDI attraction and domestic private sector development.

Along with these remarkable results there remains a number of areas of major concern, such as corruption control, procedural systems, regulations, infrastructure, and quality public services.

Despite significant improvements occurring in these areas, last year saw only 27% of FDI enterprises rate the level of corruption in Vietnam as less common than in China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Furthermore, only 32% of FDI enterprises believe that the Vietnamese system of procedures, regulations, and infrastructure is better than that of these countries, while roughly 42% of them state that the quality of Vietnamese public service delivery is better.

These figures are largely in line with the judgment of the Korean Chamber of Business in Vietnam (KORCHAM), who say that infrastructure and regulatory systems are two areas in which the nation can further improve in to attract new investors moving forward.

Foreign financiers also expect that the country will continue controlling corruption, whilst simultaneously improving the quality of public service delivery, revamping procedures, and greatly upgrading the quality of infrastructure facilities.

Japanese enterprises promote retailing in Vietnam through e-commerce channels

April 16, 2021 by vov.vn

According to Shinji Hirai, Chief Representative of Japan Trade Promotion Organization (JETRO) in Vietnam, during the Japan Vietnam Festival (JVF) set to be underway from April 17-18 in Ho Chi Minh City, Japanese businesses are keen to bring traditional products to Vietnam such as ice cream, furikake rice spices, natto beans, apple cider vinegar, and eye care masks.

These are food items, daily necessities, and cosmetics originating from Japan that are highly appreciated by Vietnamese consumers, e-commerce sites and retailers.

Up to 50% of Japanese businesses were connected by JETRO to display their products at this first event to get acquainted with the Vietnamese market.

Although the number of products sold in 2020 suffered a fall compared to the previous year, the total sales of these items surged by 5%. Cosmetics, basic necessities, especially Japanese foods are currently being consumed well in Vietnam.

Shinji Hirai notes that Vietnamese people’s interest in Japanese food is increasing and many Japanese businesses are pinning their high hope on the Vietnamese market. Therefore, the Japan Mall project and online platform BtoB “Japan Street” are focused on promoting development by JETRO in order to bring the above items to Vietnamese consumers.

Specifically, in Vietnam, the forerunner of the project started operation in 2016 and by 2020, 7 units including EC e-commerce sites and retailers participated in the project, including FamilyMart, Hachi Hachi , Kamereo.

In addition, JETRO has been operating the online platform “Japan Street” in early 2021, allowing to support the distribution of Japanese products throughout the year. Accordingly, there have been than 500 providers registered on the website and it is expected that the number will increase by many times in the time ahead.

“With the use of this platform, we will further promote the Japan Mall project via expanding and commercially distributing Japanese products into Vietnam,” says the JETRO chief representative.

Previously, Vietnam was mainly chosen by Japanese enterprises to be the production place of goods, but now it has become a consuming market for Japanese products. Notably Vietnam ranked 5th in the top 10 markets importing Japanese agro- forestry – fishery products with a turnover of JPY 53.5 billion in 2020, Shinji Hirai emphasizes.