Vietnam, China exchange experience in trade union activitiesThe Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) on May 24 shared their operational experience and agreed to step up their exchanges. Hanoi greets nearly 31,500 foreign tourists during SEA Games 31Hanoi welcomed 700,000 domestic tourists and 31,448 foreigners who visited or participated in events of the recently concluded SEA Games 31, the municipal Department of Tourism announced on May 24. More than half of the list are key players of the squad winning the goal medal at the freshly ended SEA Games 31 hosted by Vietnam. According to Ramon Fernandez, head of the Philippine sports delegation to SEA Games 31, Vietnam has helped raise the level of SEA Games by including Olympic sports in the regional event. This is the best way for tourists to admire the beautiful sights of Ho Chi Minh City by night.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Vietnam’s aviation industry needs to improve to keep up with the global market as flights resume following the pandemic, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan said on May 24.He made the remark at an international seminar titled “Vietnam aviation in a post-pandemic world” organised by Tap chi Cong San (Communist Review) and the Ministry of Transport.There were 42 million international visitors out of 116 million air passengers in Vietnam in 2019, before the pandemic broke out. About half of them came to Vietnam to invest and seek business opportunities.The volume of goods shipped by air reached 1.5 million tonnes in 2019, which was rather low compared to other modes of transport but accounted for 25 percent of the value of exported goods.With a growth rate of over 15 percent per year in the 2010-2019 period, Vietnam's aviation market is considered to be the fifth fastest-growing market in the world and the fastest in Southeast Asia.Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aviation industry was severely affected in 2020 and 2021 as domestic airlines stopped international flights, which account for an average of 60 percent of their capacity, while the domestic market has also suffered a serious decline.Nawal Taneja, a senior adviser, said Vietnam can consider enhancing investment in human resource development, and upgrading infrastructure to increase productivity.He also suggested expanding the national airline’s network and flight frequency as well as promoting trade exchange with strategic partners.Professor Tran Tho Dat from the National Economics University emphasised that it is necessary for the State Bank of Vietnam to accelerate credit support for businesses to allow the aviation industry to recover.He also mentioned the need to consider reducing expenditure to lessen the negative impacts of rising petrol prices through the adjustment of the import tax on fuel, and removing the ceiling cap on air ticket, among others.Participants at the seminar recommended continuing to invest in building, expanding and harmonising aviation industry and systems infrastructure.The application of advanced science and technology in the state management of the aviation sector should be strengthened along with building a strategy to train and develop human resources for the industry, they said./.

A section of Ho Chi Minh Road in Binh Phuoc province (Photo: VNA)– About 86.1 percent of the Ho Chi Minh Road project has been completed, and the Government is working on the remaining sections so as to finish the entire project by 2025, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said on May 24.Reporting on the project implementation to the National Assembly (NA), he said under a resolution of the NA, this project, stretching 2,744km in total from Pac Bo in northern Cao Bang province to Dat Mui in the southernmost province of Ca Mau, should have had at least two lanes and been completed by 2020.So far, 2,362km of the road, equivalent to 86.1 percent, along with about 258km of access roads, has been completed. About 211km is current under construction while capital hasn’t been allocated for building the remaining 171km.The said as the project holds great significance in terms of politics, economy, defence - security, and poverty reduction, it has received great attention from the Party and State.It was carried out basically on schedule during 2000 - 2011. However, only few sub-projects were implemented between 2011 and 2015 due to impacts of the global economic crisis. Besides, since the size of the economy remained modest and resources limited, there wasn’t enough funding for the project to be completed by the end of 2020 as targeted by the parliament, according to the minister.He submitted the Government’s proposal for continued investment in the uncompleted sections during 2021 - 2025, and about 634km of Ho Chi Minh Road to be upgraded into expressways after that depending on demand, effectiveness, and financial capacity.Delivering a verification report, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy pointed out that only 8 percent of the total workload was carried out during 2017 - 2021, and the unfinished sub-projects were already two years behind schedule.The committee requests the Government arrange appropriate fundings and be determined to complete the remaining sub-projects during 2022 - 2025, he added./.

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by Vietnam News Agency. - The discussion of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) should aim at a framework that brings practical benefits to the people, stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the launch ceremony of the IPEF on May 23.Participating virtually at the hybrid event held in Tokyo, Chinh said it should be an open, inclusive, and balanced process in line with international law and meeting the lawful and legitimate interests of parties involved. Read full story - Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang held a reception for visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Tea Banh in Hanoi on May 23.Expressing his delight at the success of the first ministerial-level Vietnam-Cambodia border defence exchange, Minister Giang highlighted its significant meaning in strengthening the two countries’ solidarity and friendship. Read full story - The State budget overspending in 2020 stood at over 216.4 trillion VND (9.3 million USD), equivalent to 3.44 percent of GDP, statistics showed.It was 18.39 trillion VND and 151.89 trillion VND lower than the initial estimate and the permissible level set by the National Assembly, respectively. Read full story

At the event (Photo: VNA)Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang held a reception for visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Tea Banh in Hanoi on May 23.Expressing his delight at the success of the first ministerial-level Vietnam-Cambodia border defence exchange, Minister Giang highlighted its significant meaning in strengthening the two countries’ solidarity and friendship.He affirmed his ministry’s desire for further close collaboration and assistance for the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence to successfully conduct its role as ASEAN Chair in 2022.The minister stressed the sides need to work closely to practically and effectively implement their cooperation activities this year in line with the plan and with the common perception of the two defence ministries' leaders.In the immediate future, they will join hands to prepare for the 45th anniversary of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s path to topple the Pol Pot genocidal regime (June 20), Giang said.For his part, Tea Banh lauded Vietnam’s idea of holding the border exchange in contribution to pushing the nations’ relations to new heights.The Cambodian official said he is pleased with outcomes of bilateral defence cooperation, particularly the effective implementation of the protocol for 2020-2024 and plan for 2022.He also wished for their collaboration to continue this year, which marks the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam – Cambodia diplomatic ties (June 24)./.

Vietnam retained their SEA Games men’s football title on Sunday night, with a late, golden goal enough to see off bitter rivals Thailand by a goal to nil. The party began at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi and surely went long into the night as the whole country celebrated their latest group of young heroes./.

National Assembly’s third session opensThe 15th-tenure National Assembly (NA) convened the third session in Hanoi on May 23. Hoai, Hung win VN Trail MarathonNguyen Thi Nho Hoai and Nguyen Tien Hung won the Vietnam Trail Marathon held in Moc Chau District, Son La Province on Saturday. Accordingly, on May 23, 14 players of the U23 team, who competed at SEA Games 31, are scheduled to join other members at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center in the lead up to the training camp. Vietnam, Canada red cross societies eye long-term cooperationThe Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) and its Canadian counterpart have agreed to support each other in humanitarian activities and look towards a long-term cooperation agreement in the time ahead. Sauvé said both Vietnam and Canada face such challenges as climate change and natural disasters, and possible risks relating to the COVID-19 and socio-economic impacts of armed conflicts.

With a 1-0 victory over Thailand on May 22, Vietnam claimed back-to-back gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games men's football tournament. (Photo: VNA)Thousands of people waving flags pour into the streets of Hanoi to celebrate the victory. (Photo: VNA)ESPN ran a front-page story headlined “Vietnam retain Southeast Asian Games gold medal against Thailand to prove they are still force to be reckoned with,” saying “even at the simplest level, it was a victory with plenty of significance.”With a 1-0 victory over Thailand on May 22 – courtesy of the sumptuous 83rd-minute header from Nham Manh Dung – Vietnam claimed back-to-back gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games men's football tournament, it reported.It was only their second championship since breaking their gold-medal duck in 2019, ESPN said, adding that “the triumph was typical of the football that has become synonymous with Vietnam under Park Hang-seo - with organisation and efficiency the hallmarks of the game plan.”“Perhaps the most impressive aspect of their gold medal-winning efforts is that it was down with a new generation of prospects and not the golden generation that has fuelled much of Vietnam's recent success.” Thailand ’s Siam Sports described the 0-1 loss Thailand suffered as “heartbreaking.”French’s news agency AFP highlighted the exciting atmosphere in Vietnam after the win, reporting thousands of people waving flags poured into the streets of Hanoi and other cities after the SEA Games hosts beat fierce rivals Thailand 1-0 in the men's football final.“Defending their football crown from the 2019 Games, the home team came out on top of a tough match in front of a capacity 40,000 crowd at Hanoi's rocking My Dinh stadium,” it said.“Downpours had drenched Hanoi all day, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of red-clad spectators who began arriving for the clash several hours before it began in an effort to grab a prime seat,” according to AFP.The Vietnamese cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, erupted as the home team held on for a narrow, nervy win, it stated./.

Vietnamese finswimmer Kim Anh Kiet (Photo: VNA)– The Vietnamese team topped the finswimming competitions at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) with 10 gold medals in total.On May 22, the last day of competition, Vietnamese finswimmers set four new SEA Games records and pocketed five gold medals.Veteran Nguyen Thanh Loc finished first in the men's 50m surface, setting a record of 15.60 sec.Indonesian Wahyu Anggoro Tamtomo was second (15.83 sec) and Thai Khet Chamnanwat third (16.12 sec).Pham Thi Kim Thuong overcame all other rivals in the women's 800m surface with her personal best of 7:19.18 min.Indonesian Andhini Muthia Maulida (7:28.67 min) and her compatriot Katherina Eda Rahayu (7:31.72 min) were second and third, respectively.In the relay event, the Vietnamese triumphed the men's 4x100m surface. Their time of 2:25.57 min is a new SEA Games record Thailand (2:30.74 min) and Indonesia (2:31.06 min) were the two runners-up.The last record went to the women's 4x100m surface team as the hosts claimed their gold in 2:47.23 min.Indonesia (2:47.66 min) and the Philippines (3:05.57 min) came second and third.Earlier, Vietnam also won in the mixed 4x100m bi-fin event (3:06.78 min).Concluding SEA Games 31 finswimming competitions, Vietnam topped the sport's medal tally with 10 gold, 5 silver, and three bronze medals. The Indonesian team came second with three gold, six silver and three bronze medals. Thailand were third with two silver and five bronze medals. The Philippines and Cambodia each won one bronze./.

HCM City has a 10-year plan (2021-30) for increasing public parks and the green coverage, under which it will add at least 150ha of public parks and 10ha of public green spaces by 2025. Besides, the development of public green outdoor spaces has been gradually meeting the needs of urban residents. It is also the commitment of each individual in the Francophone community to contribute to the sustainable development of French-speaking countries and society. Spain committed to accompanying Vietnam in renewable energy growth: ambassadorThe Spanish government and enterprises will accompany Vietnam in accelerating energy transition and expanding bilateral cooperation in other areas, according to Ambassador of Spain to Vietnam Pilar Méndez Jiménez. Referring to the progress of bilateral relations, she said that in the past Spain had boosted development cooperation with Vietnam, with emphasis placed on sustainable development and gender equality.

A man receives COVID-19 vaccine in Quang Tri. (Photo: VNA)A total of 1,319 new COVID-19 cases, all community infections, were confirmed over the past 24 hours to 4pm May 22, according to the Ministry of Health.Hanoi remained the largest coronavirus hotspot with 347 cases, followed by Bac Ninh (138) and Vinh Phuc (90).The national tally now reached 10,708,887.Over 8,940 COVID-19 patients were given the all clear on the day, bringing the number of recoveries so far to 9,402,046.A total of 211 patients are currently given breathing support. No deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, keeping the fatalities at 43,075..By May 21, the country had injected 219,084,118 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 3,406,264 first doses and 24,272 second doses for children from five to under 12 years old./.

The Vietnamese gamers compete with Singapore in the semifinals of League of Legends. Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA) The Vietnamese gamers compete with Singapore in the semifinals of League of Legends. Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)Vietnam won over the Philippines in the esports’ League of Legends on May 22 to secure a gold medal at the 31st Southeast Asian Games ( SEA Games 31 ).With overwhelming attacks, Vietnam quickly controlled the first round of the game and claimed a victory with 26 points.Though the Philippine gamers caused some difficulties for their Vietnamese rivals in the second round, they could not keep it longer than the 27th minute when the host took a win with 21 points.Vietnam gave no chance to the Philippine opponents in the last round, settling a 3-0 victory to secure another gold in esports ./.

High-speed ship ticket to Ly Son Island sharply risesThe ticket of the express ship service to Ly Son Island in the central province of Quang Ngai has been raised sharply. Vo Phien, deputy director of the provincial Department of Transport, said four firms which provide transportation services to Ly Son Island are suffering from loss due to higher fuel prices. At the event, Vietnamese students performed dances and songs praising the country and people of Vietnam. Vietnam National University moved to Hanoi's outskirtThe Vietnam National University's Hoa Lac campus is ready with all facilities and equipment for educational and research activities. The Vietnam National University (VNU)’s headquarter has been relocated to its newly built campus in Hoa Lac on Hanoi's outskirt this week.

Christopher Rungkat and Aldila Sutjiadi from Indonesia (Photo: VNA)- Philippine tennis players Ruben Gonzales and Treat Huey pocketed the men’s doubles gold after getting the best of fellow Philippines Jeson Patrombon and Francis Casey Alcantara on May 21 during the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).The bronze in the event went to two pairs from Vietnam.In the women’s individual event, the final match was between Anchisa Chanta and Luksika Kumkhum, both from Thailand. Luksika Kumkhum beat Anchisa Chanta 2-1 to win gold. The bronze medal was shared by Vietnam’s Chanelle Van Nguyen and Alexander Eala from the Philippines.Earlier on May 20, in the mixed doubles event, the pair of Christopher Rungkat and Aldila Sutjiadi from Indonesia defeated Thai pair Pruchya Isarò and Patcharin Cheapchandej to win gold. SEA Games 31 , themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, is underway in Vietnam from May 12 – 23 in 12 cities and provinces. The regional biennial event welcomes almost 10,000 coaches, officials, and athletes who are competing in 40 sports./.

ietnam’s weightlifter Pham Thi Hong Thanh (Photo: VNA)- Along with securing a gold medal, Vietnam’s weightlifter Pham Thi Hong Thanh set three new records in snatch, clean and jerk, and total lift in the women's 64kg event on May 21 during the ongoing 31st Southeast Asian Games ( SEA Games 31 ).Thanh lifted a total of 230kg - 104kg in snatch, and 126kg in clean and jerk, 6kg and 2kg higher than the old records, respectively.Thanh’s total lifting was far higher than the old SEA Games record of 214 kg.Meanwhile, both her rivals from Indonesia and the Philippines had to stop at 120kg.Thanh said that this was not her best performance as she suffered injury during practice. She said she will continue to work hard towards higher targets such as competitions at the Olympics.With Thanh’s contribution, Vietnamese weightlifting has had three gold medals, exceeding the team’s goal of two medals set earlier.The 31st SEA Games, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, features 40 sports with 523 events. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.It is scheduled to last until May 23./.