79-year-old embroidery artisan Nguyen Quoc Su still works on his embroidery frame every day, helping to preserve and promote the traditional craft of the nation (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Nguyen Quoc Su, a 79-year-old embroidery artisan who has practised the craft for over 60 years, still works on his embroidery frame every day, helping to preserve and promote the traditional craft of the nation. Su was born in 1942 in Khoai Noi village, Thang Loi commune, Hanoi's Thuong Tin district, which is considered the "cradle" of the traditional embroidery craft. Su is now the owner of Quoc Su Handmade Embroidery JSC in Thang Loi commune, which has an office in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. A picturesque still-life embroidery (Photo: VietnamPlus)With Su’s skillful hands, the embroidery products produced there are unlike those produced anywhere else. Whenever he talked about his first embroidery portrait, which is also his favourite embroidery, Su was still moved.

Tet is an occasion for foreigners living in the country to experience the local traditional culture, including the preparations for Tet - the biggest and most important traditional festival in Vietnam, he told the Vietnam News Agency. The diplomat noted 2021 was an important milestone in Chile - Vietnam relations when the two countries marked the 50th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties. Over the past decades, they have maintained and developed the close-knit and diverse ties, particularly in trade and culture. According to the ambassador, his country can be a strategic partner of Vietnam in sustainable development and green growth. E-mobility will create favourable conditions for the fight against climate change, one of the priorities of Vietnam.

The Consulate General of Vietnam in Sydney hosted a get-together on January 30 for overseas Vietnamese (OV) to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet). In Sri Lanka, the Vietnam Embassy on January 30 organised a programme that gathered more than 100 Vietnamese expats. Vietnam among top 10 travel trends for 2022: US magazineTravel magazine Condé Nast Traveler of the United States has voted Vietnam as one of the top 10 travel trends for 2022. Chinese players arrived in Vietnam early on January 29 for their clash with hosts Vietnam in Hanoi. Tet, the longest and most important traditional festival in Vietnam, is considered a time for family reunion.

Langbiang is truly an attractive and special destination for nature lovers.Located in the north of Lam Dong province, it covers 275,439 hectares of land and boasts a large primeval forest whose core is the Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park. It is assessed as one of the four biodiversity centres in Vietnam.Langbiang is home to a great diversity of natural ecosystems, including terrestrial and aquatic ones. Its climate is strongly influenced by a north-east and south-west monsoon.Covering nearly 1.3 million hectares, it is the largest biosphere reserve in Southeast Asia. It comprises 105 islands, the biggest of which is Phu Quoc, a popular tourist hotspot famous for long, sandy beaches and five-star resorts.The reserve consists of three parts – Phu Quoc National Park, U Minh Thuong National Park and Kien Luong-Kien Hai coastal forest.Covering an area of over 1.1 million hectares, the biosphere reserve has six ecosystems with 22 different habitat types. According to the Vietnam Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the biosphere reserve is a place where many natural forests and rare and precious wildlife species of Vietnam and the world are preserved, including elephants, gaurs, sun bears, java rhinos, sorrel roosters.In 2000, the Can Gio Mangrove Forest, or Sac Forest was recognized as a world biosphere reserve.

Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (Photo: The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)Hanoi (VNA) – Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko highlighted milestones in Vietnam – Russia ties in 2021 and Vietnam’s changes after nearly four decades of renewal in an interview recently granted to Vietnam News Agency. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko on August 13, 2021 (Photo: VNA)Last year, the two countries celebrated the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Joint Statement on Vietnam – Russia strategic partnership, the 40th anniversary of oil and gas joint-venture Vietsovpetro, and the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam – Russia Joint Venture Bank. The ambassador stressed that since the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam took effect in October 2016, two-way trade has increased considerably. According to him, Russia’s leading natural gas producer PAO Novatek is exploring the possibility of launching liquefied natural gas projects in Vietnam. General Director of Vietnam News Agency Vu Viet Trang (R) and Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (Photo: VNA)Bezdetko, who has lived in Vietnam for many years, also hailed Vietnam’s achievements in improving its position on international arena and people’s lives in recent years.

According to Tran Huu Son, deputy head of the Vietnam folk arts association, each family normally prepares two offering trays of food on the occasion. House 67, where President Ho Chi Minh breathed his last, still keeps many remembrances associated with his life and career. House 67 is where President Ho Chi Minh lived, worked and passed away. The trips were organised by the Communist Youth Union, Vietnam National Union of Students, and the student support centre in HCM City. The Vietnam National Union of Students and the Vietnamese Student Development and Support Centre also handed out 100 million VND (4,415 USD) in total to support students in need in HCM City.

Speaking at the seminar, Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Cao Phong gave the attendees a comprehensive picture of Vietnam's foreign policy after 35 years of Doi Moi (renewal) and reviewed milestones of external affairs in the country's history. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s speech at the National Conference on Foreign Affairs relating to the implementation of the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution has attracted the interest of Canadian scholars. They were particularly impressed with Vietnam's 'bamboo diplomacy' which imbued with national identity. Steve Rutchinski, a representative of the CVFS, attributed these successes to the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The representative also acknowledged the great achievements in Vietnam's cause of national construction and foreign policies./.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extends Tet wishes to Air Defence-Air Force officers and soldiers. (Photo: VNA)- The Vietnamese Party, State and people always pay special attention to and strive to strongly and comprehensively build the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) in general, and the Air Defence - Air Force in particular, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed when visiting the Air Defence - Air Force on January 30 on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.PM Chinh visited the Air Traffic Management Centre, the Airspace Management Centre and the Combat Operations Command of the Air Defence - Air Force.At the Combat Operations Command and through the online form, the Government leader directed the combat readiness, and encouraged and extended his Tet wishes to the force as well as people and soldiers on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.He acknowledged and appreciated efforts, victories and achievements that the Air Defence – Air Force has gained over the past time.The PM noted that in 2022, the world and regional situation may continue developing complicatedly and unpredictably, with fiercer traditional and non-traditional security challenges and the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic directly affecting the development and stability of countries.Domestically, besides opportunities and advantages, Vietnam will continue to be negatively affected by climate change, natural disasters, and diseases, especially the COVID-19 pandemic.The task of safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the new situation is heavier, requiring the VPA in general and the Air Defence - Air Force in particular to innovate themselves and uphold the heroic tradition of the army, PM Chinh stressed./.

(Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Predictability and transparency in the policy framework will be the key for Vietnam to overcome the crisis and the positive outlook will put the country in a much better position to aim for an investment rating in the near future, Olivier Rousselet, Country Director of BNP Paribas Vietnam, has said. Speaking in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), he said Vietnam's credit rating is always in an uptrend from 2013 to 2021. Specifically, it increased from B2 to Ba3, according to Moody's, from BB- to BB and from B + to BB in line with S&P and Fitch's assessments. Olivier Rousselet, Country Director of BNP Paribas. Vietnam is the only country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the ‘BB’ rating category to gain positive rating momentum in 2021 and this is a reflection of the country's economic strength and resilience.

The Party chief noted that 2022 is the pivotal year to implement the Resolution as well as the 2021 – 2025 socio-economic development plan. Mr Universe Vietnam 2022 launchedThe first Mr Universe Vietnam 2022 competition has been launched in HCM City. Vietnamese men at home and abroad, aged 18 to 30, who are at least 1.75m tall are encouraged to join. The mausoleum has become an important landmark of the capital city and is integral to the political and social history of Vietnam. Tet (Lunar New Year) is the largest and longest traditional festival of the Vietnamese people.

Illustrative image. "COVID-19 causes difficulties for many industries, but also creates advantages for others. Besides, logistics is also a concern of investors.In 2021, the world witnessed the rise of Vietnam as a pioneer in blockchain game development, welcoming the Metaverse (virtual world) movement. However, this field has not been recognised by the State and there has no clear legal corridor.Large investment funds believe that 2022 will be the booming year of the Metaverse wave. COVID-19 is seen as a test, but also a push to accelerate the application of technology.

Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Deborah PaulTrade and investment is an important driver of Canada-Vietnam ties, she said, adding that Vietnam continues to be Canada’s largest trading partner in the ASEAN region. The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and the Trade Facilitation Office Canada on May 31, 2021 (Canada time) signed an agreement to carry out activities enhancing export capacity of women-led businesses in Vietnam for the 2021-2024 period. In July 2021, during the inaugural Defence Policy Dialogue between Canada and Vietnam, both sides reached agreement on a three-year plan on defence cooperation, said the ambassador. Canada promotes cultural diplomacy in Vietnam through the screening of Canadian films – both English and French, and by organising exchange events with Canadian artists. The ambassador noted that Canada recently approved a project on “Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment in Vietnam,” providing 4.4 million CAD (3.46 million USD) for Care Canada and Care Vietnam to implement the project between 2021-2024.

The giant screen of the Diem Communal House has four parts arranged vertically, stretching from the roof to the floor. The communal house of Diem village in Hoa Long ward of Bac Ninh city is one of the tourist destinations in the northern province of Bac Ninh. The Diem Communal House boasts typical architectural features of a communal house in the Red River Delta. Apart from the Diem Communal House, Hoa Long ward of Bac Ninh city is also home to many other old communal houses, temples, and pagodas. The “cua vong” of the Diem Communal House is one of the two national treasures of Bac Ninh province recognised in January 2020.

Ambassadors to Vietnam of the G4 countries visit Hope Box (Photo: Screenshot)– On the threshold of the Lunar New Year (Tet), Ambassadors to Vietnam of the G4 countries, namely New Zealand, Canada, Norway and Switzerland, have visited Hope Box, a shelter for victims of gender-based violence, in Hanoi.The ambassadors and women in Hope Box made Tet biscuits and spread the message of “hope” in the new year.Through the special visit, the diplomats expressed their hope to contribute to raising awareness about gender equality and preventing gender-based violence in Vietnam. And that pretty much sums up the women I’ve met here at Hope Box. I hope that in the Year of the Tiger, all of our countries have the courage to nurture, educate, support and protect our women and girls. May our girls especially, find their voice and shout it from the roof tops – the future is ours,” she said. Women and men must work together to tackle the root causes of gender-based discrimination and violence in particular.

- Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) has suggested supermarkets start charging consumers for plastic bags in order to discourage the excessive consumption of disposable bags, thus reducing CO2 emissions Accordingly, consumers will likely have to pay between five and 10 cents for a disposable bag at supermarkets starting from 2023.According to a 2018 study done by the non-profit Singapore Environment Council, shoppers took 820 million disposable carrier bags from supermarkets a year, an average of 146 bags a person.The NEA said Singaporean households and businesses threw away about 200,000 tonnes of disposable plastics in both 2019 and 2020, enough to fill 400 Olympic-sized pools. An estimated two-thirds of the waste was disposable bags.The Southeast Asian nation incinerates almost all of its non-recyclable waste, with the ash and some solid waste shipped to Pulau Semakau, a nearby manmade island. This landfill is estimated to be filled by 2035./.