Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has decided to carry out a project on tasks and measures realising outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference. The project was approved by the Prime Minister under a decision dated July 25, 2022. For a long term, the ministry will develop agriculture in an ecological, organic and eco-friendly way. Further attention will be paid to the protection, preservation and sustainable use of forests and forestry land. The ministry will review demand for clean technology and low carbon emissions in areas to fulfill the goal of achieving zero carbon emission by 2050./.

Society Vietnam Red Cross sends aid to flood victims in Nghe An, Ha Tinh The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRSC) will send emergency aid worth 330 million VND (13,830 USD) in cash and kind to help flood victims in the two central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Society Ba Ria-Vung Tau: nine sailors on Chinese vessel saved in suspected food poisoning Nine critical ill sailors in a suspected food poisoning case on a Chinese vessel have been saved after being taken to the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, said a local health official. Society NA Chairman attends ceremony announcing establishment of new town in Binh Phuoc National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue attended a ceremony on October 1 in the southeastern province of Binh Phuoc to announce the establishment of Chon Thanh town in the province. Society Thai Room established at Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam The Thai Embassy in Hanoi and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) on September 30 co-organised a ceremony to inaugurate the Thai Room at the academy's campus.

Vietnam has huge potential for co-processing of waste in cement industryThe potential for co-processing waste, including non-recyclable plastic, as an alternative fuel in the cement industry in Vietnam is huge. Vietnam is a major cement producer with a capacity of more than 100 million tonnes of cement per year, said Associate Professor Luong Duc Long, deputy president of Vietnam National Cement Association. Data from the Vietnam Environment Administration shows that Vietnam has issued licenses for co-processing wastes for four cement manufacturers of Holcim Hon Chong Cement Factory; Thanh Cong Group Joint Stock Company; Nghi Son Cement Company; and VICEM Ha Tien Cement Joint Stock Company. Thai Ambassador Nikorndej Balankura affirmed that the space demonstrates Thailand's determination in establishing a long-term relationship with Vietnam in terms of education and human resources development, which are the foundation for the countries’ socio-economic development. Vietnam sees the US as one of its leading partners, he said, expressing his appreciation for US support for a strong, independent and prosperous Vietnam.

Shipping vessels at a port (Illustrative photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s maritime sector is striving to upgrade its international merchant fleet in order to reduce the country’s dependency on foreign-owned vessels in export-import activities. The domestic fleet currently mainly operates on domestic and short international routes in Asia, VinaMarine Deputy Director General Hoang Hong Giang said. There is a lack of container ships and large tonnage ships operating on international routes. Vietnam’s merchant fleet ranks third among ASEAN nations and 28th in the world. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Xuan Sang underlined that the development of an international merchant fleet under the project requires efforts from relevant State management agencies, firms and associations.

The Danish firm, Spectre, has started running its new factory in An Giang Province, Vietnam, after two years of construction. This is the third Spectre factory in Vietnam and the first Danish Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project in An Giang with a total investment of approximately US$17 million. As allied with high Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) standards, the factory’s construction used solar energy and advanced design features to assist the firm in reducing the CO2 emissions per year. Spectre offers a wide variety of garments for outdoor sports like trekking, hiking, climbing, hunting, golfing and sports fishing, etc. It was established in 1947.

A worker at VICEM Ha Tien Cement Joint Stock Company in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang (Photo: VNA)- The potential for co-processing waste, including non-recyclable plastic, as an alternative fuel in the cement industry in Vietnam is huge.Vietnam is a major cement producer with a capacity of more than 100 million tonnes of cement per year, said Associate Professor Luong Duc Long, deputy president of Vietnam National Cement Association.He spoke at a workshop on the co-processing of alternative fuels and raw materials in the Vietnamese cement industry, held by the Norwegian Embassy on September 29 in Hanoi. For example, it eliminates dioxin, reducing CO2 emissions by utilising waste.In terms of economic benefit, he said that co-processing waste will help reduce waste storage and handling costs, reduce waste burial and disposal space, take advantage of heat energy, and reduce coal consumption.However, he said the biggest barriers to using waste for cement production consist of ensuring stable waste collection and supply to cement manufacturers and co-processing technology in clinker incinerators.Do Xuan Thinh, technical expert of Vietnam National Cement Corporation (VICEM), also pointed out some disadvantages that the cement industry has to face when it applies co-processing waste currently.He said there is no stipulation relevant to granting costs for waste treatment in the cement production process and no supporting mechanisms and policies for entities participating in handling and treating ash, slag, synthetic gypsum, wastes and sludge.In addition, waste is not sorted out, collected and pre-processed by specialised entities to meet requirements for supplying and co-processing cement kilns. This results in unstable quality and low supply capacity.Thịnh suggested that the Government, the Ministry of Construction and relevant authorities review for amendments and supplements of some stipulations concerning the waste treatment and co-processing in cement production to create more favourable conditions for cement manufacturers participating in co-processing activities in the coming time.It is necessary to amend Decree No. 40/2019/ND-CP to include cement production facilities in the provincial environmental protection and construction plans so that the cement manufacturers could smoothly participate in waste co-processing activities.Because the decree currently regulates that the location of industrial ordinary solid waste co-processing facilities has to belong to the provincial environmental protection and construction plans. The programme intends to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.1, which states that the world should prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution by 2025.A regional project called OPTOCE investigates how the involvement of the Cement Industry can increase the treatment capacity for Non- Recyclable Plastic Wastes in five Asian countries, including Vietnam, thereby contributing to reducing the release of plastics into the sea./.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – Cotton Day Vietnam 2022, themed “Partner for Prosperity”, will return to Ho Chi Minh City on October 4 to provide networking opportunities for domestic and foreign firms in the garment supply chain. The Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association (VITAS) and Cotton USA held a press conference on September 30 to announce the event, saying that it will also bring solutions to sustainable development and origin tracing for Vietnamese apparel firms. Fashion products using US cotton from domestic fashion brands like John Henry, Routine, Modern Humans will also be launched. Leading experts from Cotton USA and US apparel companies are due to provide insightful information about the global and US cotton market. In particular, origin tracing technology has also prompted them to make changes to strengthen consumer trust in Vietnamese products./.

Floods, landslides isolate thousands of residents in central, Central Highlands regionsFloods and landslides have isolated thousands of people in the central and Central Highlands regions after typhoon Noru. In the 2011-2020 period, Vietnam trained 1,196 officials and teachers of Laos through 44 courses in Vietnam with durations from 2-9 months. The Can Tho-born beauty measures 87-63-88 and is currently a student at the Faculty of International Affairs of the Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City. 1 under the Hanoi Forest Protection Department, and the owner's family voluntarily transferred it to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center. Organised by the Vietnam Youth Federation (VYF) Central Committee in coordination with the Vietnam National Committee on Disability and TCP Vietnam Co., Ltd, the event also aimed to call for support for youths with disabilities.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Since the portal for tax payment of cross border activities was launched on March 21 this year, 36 foreign service providers have registered, declared and paid taxes through it, heard a webinar held by the Government Portal on September 29. Those providers include six big names - Meta (Facebook), Google, Microsoft, TikTok, Netflix, and Apple - which together account for 90% of the e-business on cross-border digital platforms in Vietnam in terms of revenue. Cross-border foreign businesses are those without permanent establishments in Vietnam and carry out e-commerce and other services with businesses and individuals in Vietnam. Earlier, foreign businesses had to rely on an agent or third party to declare and pay taxes in the country. A representative from the General Department of Taxation said foreign service providers worked closely with tax agencies to learn about tax policies and offer suggestions to them to improve tax policies and tax management tools./.

Illustrative image (Photo: Antara)Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia and Singapore have concurred to intensify maritime border patrols to control and prevent smuggling and piracy amid rising crimes along their maritime border. The agreement was reached by Indonesia's Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DGCE) and the Singapore Police Coast Guard (SPCG) during the Rendezvous at Sea meeting held in the Singapore Strait on September 28, Head of Batam Customs Enforcement and Investigation Sisprian Subiaksono said in a statement. Synergy and collaboration between DGCE and SPCG are needed to maintain and supervise the waters of the Singapore Strait that is bustling with international maritime activities owing to its strategic location that connects two continents and two oceans, he said. Both sides also discussed operational technicalities, including operational simulations and coordinated patrols for phase I and coordinated patrols for phase II, he said. During the meeting, DGCE and SPCG also talked about exchanging information regarding lists of illegal goods from the two countries, sending watchlists from DGCE and SPCG, and coordination of patrol boats in the Horsburgh waters./.

(Photo: VNA)Brussels (VNA) – The Brussels Times of Belgium has run an article highlighting that Vietnam - a development partner of the EU in the Indo-Pacific - is becoming a beacon in the region with the capacity to control inflation and maintain economic growth at a high level despite turbulent international affairs. According to the article, Vietnam aims at creating a favourable investment environment for international businesses and corporations. Along with efforts to improve the quality of the economic environment, Vietnam is constantly improving its commitments to sustainable trade. Up to 76% of the respondents expect their companies to increase FDI into Vietnam before the end of the third quarter. Vietnam and the EU share many objectives, goals, and visions in maintaining multilateralism, promoting environmental protection, green and sustainable development, innovation and digital transformation, according to the article.

He expressed his joy at the increasingly growing friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand, especially in economy, trade and investment. The two sides will coordinate to organise the Vietnamese Culture Week in Cambodia in 2024 and 2026, and the Cambodian Culture Week in Vietnam in 2023 and 2025. Vietnam will train Cambodian students at cultural and art schools managed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Vietnamese culture, tourism introduced in MalaysiaA seminar to introduce Vietnamese culture and tourism to Malaysian people was held in Kuala Lumpur on September 28. The event was hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia in coordination with the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) and the Vietnam Tourism Exchange (VNTE).

The 2022 Horasis India Meeting opens in Binh Duong, September 26, 2022. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA)- Vietnam was praised as a hub for Indian investors to expand their business into other parts of Asia during the 2022 Horasis India Meeting, the foremost annual meeting of India business leaders and their global counterparts that convened on September 26 in the southern province of Binh Duong. Participants also debated how to use Vietnam as hub for expansion into Southeast Asia, with the country playing an important role in connecting India with other parts of the region. The 2022 Horasis India Meeting continued on from the success of the Horasis Binh Duong Asia Economic Cooperation Forum 2018 and 2019. In addition to the Horasis India Meeting, Horasis also hosts the annual Horasis Global Meeting, the Horasis USA Meeting, the Horasis China Meeting, the Horasis Asia Meeting, and annual gatherings of the Horasis Visionary Circle./VNA

Minister Tra highly valued the Vietnam - France cooperative relationship, affirming that the strategic partnership establishment in 2013 reflected the two countries’ determination to further deepen the bilateral relations with a solid and long-term vision. Elian Pilvin, Rector and General Director of the Normandie School of Management, said that since 2014, the school has organised training courses for over 200 civil servants and managers of the Vietnamese Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission and localities of Vietnam. After the ceremony, Tra witnessed a signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the National Academy of Public Administration of Vietnam and the French school. The same day afternoon, Minister had a meeting with Mayor of Le Havre Édouard Philippe, during which the French official affirmed that he is ready to do everything to contribute to the bilateral relations./.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam on September 27 also decided to temporarily suspend flight services at an additional five airports in the central region. In Vietnam, on-site oxygen storage at smaller and provincial hospitals is rare, necessitating dependence on regular oxygen deliveries. The Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission is also considering disciplines against other Party members involved. It proposed the Politburo consider disciplinary measures against Bui Nhat Quang, Secretary of the Party Committee and VASS President. It asked the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee to step up inspection and supervision, and punish a number of organisations and individuals concerned.