The discussion covered view exchange on the defense industry, the French Navy making port visits to Vietnam, military medicine, and peacekeeping operations. On the last point, a French officer appointed by the EU has been working in the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations since 2020. 26/2022/ND-CP prescribing conditions for appointing foreign honorary consuls in Viet Nam. 2- Permanently residing in Viet Nam or living and working in the consular district for at least one year. The move came following high vaccination coverage rate in Viet Nam, sharp drops in the number of critically ill patients and fatalities, and the successful disease containment.

The plan will be developed in accordance with the existing infrastructure, as well as the capacity of the public transport system. The cities’ People’s Committees are also instructed to work with their People’s Councils on the development of mass public transportation, which is aimed to account for 30 to 35 percent of the total traffic by 2025. The objective is to have no traffic jam that lasts longer than 30 minutes. The Ministry of Transport will continue implementing additional measures to improve traffic safety on roads. The Ministry of Public Security will also implement the project on installing traffic monitoring cameras, and proceed to the second phase of building a common database for public safety and order./.

Cold air to hit northern Vietnam this weekendTwo subsequent cold air waves are forecast to strike northern Vietnam, starting this weekend, according to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre. A cold spell is making its way through China into northern Vietnam and is expected to reach border localities on April 16, said the centre. On the occasion, the embassies of 10 Spanish-speaking countries in Vietnam presented books to the National Library of Vietnam. Volunteers ready for SEA Games 31: organiserSome 3,000 volunteers serving the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) have completed training, a representative of the organising board for the regional sporting event said on April 15. Hosted by the Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), the meeting focused on updates regarding preparations for the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Amid the strong growth of the fisheries sector, the preservation and restoration of fisheries resources and the protection of biodiversity have become a focus of the sector and coastal localities towards developing a sustainable, modern and responsible fisheries sector. Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development noted that recently, the Vietnamese fisheries sector has expanded greatly, with export revenue reaching nearly 9 billion USD per year. Efforts to regenerate fisheries resources and protect the environment will also contribute to enhance the prestige of the sector and maximise its potentials and advantages, Luan said. He took Soc Trang, a production hub of aquatic products, especially shrimp, as an example of effective restoration of fisheries resources. Luan stressed that along with releasing young fish and shrimps, it is necessary to protect natural fisheries resources.

The planning of a second booster shot is one of such efforts, especially as the Hari Raya Festival - Islam's biggest festival – approaches, he said. The ProtectHealth’s CEO advises high-risk individuals to protect themselves against the coronavirus by obtaining their second booster dose. The vaccine that will be used for the second booster dose is the Pfizer-BioNTech (mRNA Comirnaty). Anas said that the elderly who are healthy and above 60 years old without comorbidities could only opt for the second booster dose on the advice of a medical professional. Malaysia recorded 10,413 new COVID-19 cases on April 14, raising the total caseload in the country to 4,363,024.

Among the special activities held by the Vietnam News Agency at the festival, quizzes and game shows help players gain a deeper understanding of the history and development of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association, the Vietnam News Agency, and the Journalism Law. In particular, these also raise public awareness about fake news. A wide range of journalistic works developed by the Vietnam News Agency are on display at the festival, affirming the agency’s position as a leading provider of mainstream news. Through the festival, the Vietnam News Agency contributes to increasing the profile of Vietnamese journalists while enhancing the role of the press in society./.

The Tan Nam international border gate, located in Tan Bien district’s Tan Binh commune, is opposite to MeanChey border gate in Cambodia’s Pray Veng province. After nearly five years of preparation, on May 31, 2021, the Tan Nam - MeanChey international border gate pair officially came into operation. The programme is designed to help Vietnam upskill its workforce – a crucial ingredient for Vietnam to meet its ambitious 2045 target of being a high-income country. Vietnam will play the Philippines, then Myanmar and Timor Leste on May 8, 13, and 15, respectively. Regarding futsal events, Vietnam will play Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar in both men’s and women’s tournaments in Ha Nam province’s Gymnasium.

According to the draft, the payment of value added tax (VAT), corporate income tax (CIT), personal income tax (PIT) and land and water surface leasing fees in 2022 will be extended. Regarding VAT, it proposes a six-month extension for VAT from March to May 2022 and the first quarter of 2022; five-month extension for VAT in June 2022 and Q2 2022; four-month extension for VAT in July 2022; and 3-month extension for VAT in August 2022. For CIT, MoF proposes extension of the tax payment that enterprises have to pay temporarily for the second and third quarters of 2022. In addition, MoF has proposed a six-month extension for the payment of fees for leasing land and water surface in 2022, starting from May 31, 2022. The tax payment extension is seen as an interest rate-free loan provided by the State, which helps enterprises and individuals have more financial resources.

The press conference to announce the Vietnam - Asia DX Summit 2022 (Photo: VNA)– The Vietnam - Asia Digital Transformation Summit ( Vietnam - Asia DX Summit ) 2022 is set to take place on May 24 - 25, aiming to create chances for connecting localities with tech firms, and Vietnam with other Asian countries in this regard.The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Software & IT Services Association (VINASA) and the Ministry of Information and Communications, will be held both in person in Hanoi and virtually via communication channels of VINASA.VINASA Chairman Nguyen Van Khoa said on April 14 that the summit looks to gather resources from multiple sides to accelerate national digital transformation and create complete digital ecosystems that suit Vietnamese organisations and businesses.Vu Phuong Thao, Director of VINASA’s department for enterprise development services, said the summit will feature 22 panel discussions on four topics, namely digital government, digital enterprises, digital economy - digital society, and international experience in digital transformation.Fringe activities include an exhibition on outstanding digital transformation platforms and solutions, a training programme for small- and medium-sized enterprises, a talk with experts, and a programme to connect agencies, localities, and domestic and foreign firms in digital transformation, she added.The event is expected to draw 3,000 guests participating in person and over 10,000 others via videoconference./.

(Source: Doosan Vina)– Nine first “ Made in Vietnam ” modules weighing 709 tonnes in total manufactured by Doosan Vina were delivered to Malaysia’s Sarawak Refinery of Malaysia on April 14 after nine month of production.Of the modules, the largest weighs 118 tonnes, is 43m long, 13,7m high and 11,5m wide. Once the installation is finished, these modules will become a complete oil and gas pipeline system at the Methanol plant of the Sarawak Petrochemical Refinery.The Sarawak project was signed with the SECL on June 4, 2021 involved the manufacturing and supply of nearly 10,000 tonnes of equipment including steel structures, pipes and racks of the power system that are formed into 34 modules and one reformer for the Methanol plant of the Sarawak Petrochemical Refinery (with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes of chemical products per day), located in the coastal city of Bintulu in Sarawak state, Malaysia.As planned, the whole project will be manufactured in 15 months with five shipments and about to finish in November 2022.In March 2020, Doosan Vina supplied two projects of WHRP and CFP for SECL, including 39 modules weighing nearly 6,000 tonnes. These modules are used to increase flexibility in crude oil processing at the Ruwais Refinery in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi./.

The 10th session of the Standing Committee of the 15th National Assembly (NA) opened in Hanoi on April 14. Rice”, has contributed to turning Vietnam into a world famous rice exporter from a rice importing country. Hanoi begins COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-11Hanoi began vaccinating children in the age group of five to below 12 against the COVID-19 on April 14. 24/2022/ND-CP revising and supplementing regulations on the conditions required for the establishment of branches of foreign-invested vocational education institutions in Vietnam. It is also considered to have the harshest climate in Vietnam with a low rainfall and hot weather throughout the year.

Statistics show that foreign investment into real estate reached 2.69 billion USD in Q1 alone, higher than the 2.63 billion USD last year. It included 1.1 billion USD channeled into existing projects and 992 million USD spent on contributing capital to or buying shares from domestic firms. Specifically, the average monthly income of Binh Duong employees hit 8.6 million VND (375 USD) per capita, up 54 percent quarter-on-quarter, or 3 million VND per month. Employees in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai had the average monthly wage of 8.9 million VND and 8.5 million VND, up 36.5 percent and 32.9 percent, or 2.4 million VND and 2.1 million VND, respectively. The average income of male workers was 7.3 million VND per month, 1.36 times higher than that of female workers (5.4 million VND per month).

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)- The Vietnam Motor Show (VMS), the largest of its kind in Vietnam, will return this October following two years of postponement due to the COVID-19 impact.The show will get underway at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City on October 26 - 30.At least 11 automakers , including Audi, Honda, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Mitsubishi, MG, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo, have registered to participate in the show, according to the organisers.In addition to members of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association VAMA ) and the Vietnam Car Importers Association (VIVA), the event will see the participation of several manufacturers and importers of motorcycles, along with a number of businesses in the supporting industry.Workshops and conferences will also be held on the sidelines of the event, including one to discuss the global trend of electrified vehicles and the future development of the Vietnamese automobile industry.The national motor show had previously been postponed in 2020 and 2021./.

Society President bestows Bravery Order upon firefighter in Dong Nai President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 13 signed a decision to present the Bravery Order to Captain Thai Ngo Hieu, a firefighter from the southern province of Dong Nai for saving four men who faced drowning while bathing in the sea in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau’s Long Dien district on April 10. Videos National Press Festival opens in Hanoi The National Press Festival opened at the Hanoi Museum on April 13, displaying outstanding publications in early 2022.

The National Press Festival opened at the Hanoi Museum on April 13, displaying outstanding publications in early 2022. Football body discusses preparatory works for competition at SEA Games 31Acting President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan on April 12 chaired a meeting with its Board of General Secretariat and relevant offices to discuss the organisation of football events of the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31). As scheduled, Jeonbuk Huyndai Motors FC will reach HCM City on April 12 evening, and Sydney FC on April 13. Local residents will also be encouraged to get involved in voluntary activities for the SEA Games 31. Travelbook suggested visitors try pho (noodle soup) at least once in Hanoi If they haven't done it elsewhere in Vietnam before.