She could not imagine that some years later, universities would enroll students by considering IELTS scores and students would rush to study for IELTS. IELTS language covers in-depth topics in many fields, from engineering, economics to sciences, and society. The question is why universities require international certificates on foreign language skills, and not the Vietnamese six-level foreign language proficiency framework. “The fact that students study for international certificates shows that they are ready to work in an international environment,” he said. IELTS language covers in-depth topics in many fields, from engineering, economics to sciences, and society.

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung and his Uzbekistani counterpart Furkat Sidikov co-chaired the fifth political consultation via videoconference on January 21 to discuss bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues of shared concern. Dung affirmed that Vietnam treasures and wishes to develop traditional friendship and all-around ties with Uzbekistan, especially in promising fields such as agriculture, apparel, health care, culture, tourism and labour. He emphasised that Uzbekistan wants to step up ties with Vietnam in various areas for the benefit of the two peoples and for development of the two nations. Both sides also discussed regional and global issues of shared concern, including maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea. They stressed that political consultation is an important mechanism to offer timely opinions and maintain joint work in bilateral and multilateral fields./.

At the ceremony to hand over the honorary consul certificate of Morocco in Ho Chi Minh City to Doan Huu Duc in December 2021. (Photo: Moroccan Embassy in Vietnam)Vietnam is one of the few countries that have successfully fulfilled the dual goals of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring the smooth operation of the economy, Moroccan Ambassador to Vietnam Jamale Chouaibi has said.In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the ambassador attributed the results to the early and effective implementation of pandemic prevention and control measures, as well as the awareness-building work in the country.All partners of Vietnam have applauded the Government’s new strategy on safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the pandemic to stimulate the national economic recovery and ease pandemic impacts, Chouaibi said.The ambassador also lauded Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout thanks to the vaccine diplomacy strategy, noting that the country has received enough vaccines to distribute to all of its cities and provinces within a short period of time.Regarding the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam-Morocco diplomatic ties in March 2021, he said the celebration offered a chance to honour the friendship between people of the two countries, review their bilateral cooperation, and seek the best solutions to enhance and expand the partnership.The ambassador noted that in the political sphere, the two countries share a number of basic principles in external relations, especially the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, no intervention in each other’s internal affairs, the promotion of peace, stability and development, and commitments to addressing disputes via dialogue, conciliation and negotiation.He also highlighted the expanding bilateral trade ties, saying Vietnam is the second most important partner of Morocco in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).Morocco’s appointment of an honorary consul in Ho Chi Minh City on December 7, 2021 has contributed to creating more trade and business opportunities between the two countries.

Vietnam are set to play the Republic of Korea on January 21. Vietnam, Malaysia should lift bilateral trade to 20 billion USD by 2025: PresidentPresident Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he wants Vietnam and Malaysia to lift bilateral trade to 20 billion USD by 2025 during a reception for outgoing Ambassador of Malaysia to Vietnam Dato Sharifah Norhana Syed Mustaffa on January 20 afternoon. Vietnam, France hold seventh high-level economic dialogueThe seventh high-level economic dialogue between Vietnam and France took place in the form of videoconference on January 20. It is a rare phenomenon in Vietnam and only recorded in high mountain areas in the northern region in winter. In 2021, up to 264 illegal migrants were deported from Vietnam by HCM City police.

Carrefour Ormesson hypermarket of French introduces Vietnam’s cuisine, commodities (Photo: VNA)– A programme to promote Vietnam’s Tet culture and cuisine kicked off at Carrefour Ormesson hypermarket in Ormesson city of France on January 20.This is the first time a Vietnamese Lunar New Year festival has been held at the Carrefour retail distribution system. The event is part of the activities in the framework of tripartite cooperation between the Vietnam Trade Office in France, importers and retail distributors, to introduce the traditional culture and products of Vietnam to French people.Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang affirmed this is a good opportunity for Carrefour to conquer the segment of consumers that have the demand to use healthy food He said Vietnamese businesses need to tap opportunities brought about by the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement in order to build a professional and sustainable development strategy in order to participate in "playing fields" of European hypermarkets.According to CEO of Carrefour supermarket chain Bruno Lebon, the event is an occasion to celebrate the strong relationship between Carrefour and its Vietnamese partners, as well as an opportunity for Carrefour’s consumers to explore the Vietnamese cuisine and goods.He further said over 700 products will be introduced at Carrefour’s supermarket chains during the event.Nhat Thanh Khiem, an importer of Vietnamese products in France, said the event is hoped to promote Vietnam’s exports to France.According to Vu Anh Son, Head of Vietnam Trade Office in France, a project to promote enterprises to directly participate in foreign distribution networks has been deployed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade since 2015.The tripartite cooperation mode has proven effective in the market, benefiting all the involved parties, and helping develop brand and image of Vietnamese goods in the local market.Owners of supermarkets and retail distribution chains in France have planned to increase the proportion of Vietnamese goods in their distribution systems./.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with leaders of the Khmer-Vietnam Association and presented gifts to needy Cambodians of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia on January 19 as part of his two-day official visit to the neighbouring country.President of the Khmer-Vietnam Association in Cambodia Sim Chy gave Son a brief update about the situation of the community of Cambodians of Vietnamese origin , the association’s main activities and how the community plans to celebrate Tet, Vietnam’s traditional New Year holiday.The association has been focusing on raising awareness of Cambodian legal regulations among the Vietnamese Cambodians and helping them handle legal papers, among others, he said.All chapters of the association have upheld their role in inspiring and promoting the solidarity and mutual support among the community at the time of COVID-19, he added.Son highly spoke of the Khmer-Vietnam Association’s efforts, suggesting that its leaders and local chapters organise more practical activities for the community and act as a bridge between the two peoples during the Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 when the two sides celebrate the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.He took the occasion to present 500 Tet gift packages, funded by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, to Vietnamese Cambodians affected by the pandemic./.

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)Investigation is still underway on a shooting threat made against a Vietnam Airlines flight en route from Japan to Vietnam earlier this month, spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference on January 20.Shortly after receiving the information about the incident, the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan has supported the representative office of Vietnam Airlines in the country to contact local authorities for information verification, Hang said. The embassy has also sent a note to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting an urgent security check for the flight upon its arrival at Fukuoka Airport, aiming to ensure safety of all passengers.The note also asked Japanese authorities to promptly investigate the case and identify the person who made the threat phone call, she added.With the help and cooperation of local authorities, the flight continued its journey and safely landed in Vietnam, the spokesperson said.At present, the case is under investigation . The relevant agencies of Vietnam are coordinating with the Japanese side to continue clarify the reasons behind it as well as identify the caller.According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), flight VN5311/NRT-HAN departed from Narita (Japan) for Hanoi at 10:30am (local time) on January 5, with 15 crew members and 47 passengers aboard.At about 11:10am, the Vietnam Airlines branch in Japan received a phone call from a man who spoke Japanese and claimed to be American. "Flight VN5311 had better come back to Narita or it will be shot down when passing Tokyo Bay," the unidentified caller said.The Vietnam Airlines office reported the incident to the Vietnam Airlines Corporation, which forwarded the information to Japanese authorities, the CAAV and agencies of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security./.

Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung holds virtual talks with the chief of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Indian ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vijay Chauthaiwale, and BJP Member of Parliament Ravishandar Prasad. (Photo: VNA)The head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, Le Hoai Trung , held virtual talks on January 20 with the chief of the Foreign Affairs Department of the India n ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vijay Chauthaiwale, and BJP Member of Parliament Ravishandar Prasad.Trung took the occasion to informed the BJP about the outcomes of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and Vietnam’s COVID-19 response along with measures to ensure social welfare and recover and develop the economy.He congratulated the BJP and the Government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on their achievements in leading India to fight the pandemic and restore economic development.The BJP officials hailed Vietnam’s achievements and expressed delight at the development of bilateral ties between the two countries and parties. They affirmed that the BJP attaches importance to and wants to bolster cooperation with the CPV.The two sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern, and discussed measures and directions to promote the ties between the CPV and the BJP in the time ahead, contributing to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries./.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)A total of 390 corruption cases involving 1,011 people were investigated and prosecuted last year, the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption reported at a meeting in Hanoi on January 20.Those included 10 major cases under the supervision of the steering committee. It is noteworthy that many new serious cases have been brought to light, which involved both incumbent and retired high-ranking officials and officers of general ranks in the armed forces, 10 of whom were under the management of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee's Secretariat.Progress was seen in the recovery of assets in corruption cases, with over 9 trillion VND reclaimed in 2021.Party committees and Party inspection commissions at all levels intensified supervision and inspection, with 618 Party members disciplined last year for corruption or intentional wrongdoings. The Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat meted out disciplinary measures on many high-ranking officials for their involvement in corruption.Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, head of the steering committee, said the commission had given concerted and effective instructions in inspection, auditing, investigation, prosecution, trial and sentence enforcement, while preventive work continued to be promoted, reflecting the strong resolve to fight corruption.He highlighted that Party committees, Party organisations and relevant agencies held seven national conferences to launch the implementation of the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, including one dedicated to internal political work and corruption prevention. Many important documents on Party building and rectification were issued, such as Conclusion 21-KL/TW of the Party Central Committee on intensifying the building and rectification of the Party and political system, Regulation 37-QD/TW on things that Party members are banned from doing, among others.The Party chief said the handling of wrongdoings in anti-corruption agencies was also been intensified, and the detection and settlement of corruption cases in localities showed positive progress.He ordered stepping up anti-corruption popularisation work and enhancing the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations, as well as the role of the press circle and people in the corruption combat.The leader requested the consolidation of institutions, saying it is necessary to tackle loopholes and shortcomings in mechanisms, policies and laws on bidding, auction and the use of land, finance and public assets.The Law on Investment, the Land Law and the law on democracy practice in communes, wards and towns, and other relevant bills should be amended and supplemented, he continued.He required that the commission focus its instruction on serious cases to fulfil the plan set for the year, including completing investigations into 16 cases and prosecution of 20 cases, while first-instance trials should be held for 22 cases.The Party General Secretary urged the serious handling of violations to create breakthroughs in the evaluation and recovery of assets in corruption cases ./.

Chairman of the VinFuture Prize Council Sir Richard Henry Friend presides over the seminar on January 19. (Photo: vtc.vn)– Leading scientists of the world and Vietnam looked into the future of energy, artificial intelligence (AI), and global health at a seminar held in Hanoi on January 19 as part of the VinFuture Sci-Tech Week In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy said countries around the world, including Vietnam, are facing common challenges related to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts. Promoting the application of science - technology , especially high technologies like big data, AI, and clean energy, is an essential solution to those challenges.At a session on the future of energy, participants focused on the limitedness of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, global energy trends in the future, sources of clean energy, and technologies using those energy sources so as to reduce climate change impacts.They also talked about scientific advances, the equality in accessing those advances, their applicability, and the energy-related responsibility of the community and each citizen.Regarding the future of AI, scientists shared the view that AI has been developing strongly and extensively applied to various aspects, and that the continually changing world and the fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly AI advances, have been greatly influencing humans.Speaking at the session on the future of global health, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan expressed his belief that science - technology will be a useful “weapon” in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and improving human health in the time ahead.Participants also discussed challenges caused by the pandemic, population ageing, urbanisation, environmental pollution, and work-related stress to human’s quality of life and longevity, global health trends, and each individual’s role in disease prevention and control.The first VinFuture Sci-Tech Week, from January 18 to 21, gathered thousands of scientists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs around the globe.The seminar on January 19 was presided by Chairman of the VinFuture Prize Council Sir Richard Henry Friend from Cambridge University in the UK. The professor of physics is the laureate of the Millennium Prize for Technology in 2010 and also one of the most influential physicists in the world./.

HANOI, Jan 20 (Bernama): Tourism ministers of Asean member nations have agreed to reopen Asean tourism to revive this industry amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported according to a statement. During their discussion at the 25th Meeting of Asean Tourism Ministers chaired by Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon, the participants stressed that the Asen tourism sector is not only ready for reopening but will also bounce back quickly with more resilience. The statement said the ministers agreed to announce the reopening of Asean tourism, both intra-regional and international, noting that every possible coordination and cooperation will be implemented so that the reopening process will be gradual and steady. They also reached a consensus on the application of a standardised Covid-19 vaccination recognition system among the regional countries, while welcoming the progressive roll-out of Covid-19 vaccination in each Asean member nation, which is a key indicator for the regional tourism’s reopening. The ministers underlined the need to further strengthen intra-bloc tourism cooperation to ensure that Asen remains competitive in this industry.

Business Coca-Cola invests 136-million-USD factory in Long An The Long An Economic Zone management board has granted an investment licence to Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam Co., Ltd to implement a soft drink plant project in in the southern province of Long An. Business Number of profitable Japanese firms operating in Vietnam rises The proportion of Japanese enterprises operating in Vietnam forecast to be profitable in business activities last year is 54.3 percent, up 4.7 points compared to 2020.Business Hai Phong leads in FDI attraction in 2021 The northern port city of Hai Phong topped localities across the country in foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction in 2021, drawing over 5.14 billion USD, up nearly 3.4 times over that in the same period last year. Business Reference exchange rate down 19 VND The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate for the US dollar at 23,100 VND/USD on January 20, down 20 VND from the previous day.

Business Infographic GRDP growths of five centrally-run cities over years Among the five centrally-run cities, the northern port city of Hai Phong took the lead in the gross regional domestic product growth in 2021, registering a rise of 12.38 percent. Business Infographic Industrial and construction sector sees highest growth In 2021, despite being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, all three areas of agro-forestry and fisheries, industry and construction, and services posted higher growth rates compared to 2020.

Vietnam targets ecological, sustainable agriculture. (Photo: VNA)Vietnam is striving to become a transparent, responsible and sustainable producer and supplier of food and foodstuff under a draft strategy on agricultural and rural development for 2021-2030 with a vision towards 2050.The strategy, which was sketched out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), targets ecological and sustainable agriculture. Vietnam ’s commitments at the United Nations Food Systems Summit and the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties ( COP26 ) have been integrated into the strategy.The agricultural sector is facing challenges presented by the rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, intensive and extensive international integration, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, natural disasters, diseases, climate change, and great changes in consumption markets.Tran Cong Thang, head of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, said such challenges require the sector to reform itself and work to create opportunities for agriculture and rural areas.Therefore, the strategy needs new views and orientations, and specific actions to reboot the sector and utilise new opportunities.Agriculture should develop effectively and sustainably in terms of economy, society and environment, he said, suggesting the sector bring into full play resources in land, water, personnel, history, culture, science-technology and innovations.Thang also stressed the need to shift the mindset from agricultural production to agricultural economy.Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, head of the International Cooperation Department under MARD, suggested Vietnam make use of by-products to reduce pollution and emissions, and create values and jobs, thus forming modern, dynamic rural areas.Cao Duc Phat, former head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission, said the strategy is expected to integrate economic, social and environmental values.Although there is ample room for the domestic agricultural sector to grow further, the resources are limited, he said, urging the sector to create added values by cutting production costs, increasing product values and utilising science-technology.Households should coordinate with businesses to gradually engage in national and international value chains, Phat added.MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan expressed his hope that with the measures, the domestic agriculture will see improved quality and win an ecology brand./.

At the launching ceremony for the project (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on January 18 launched a project on building the competitiveness of Vietnam’s small and growing businesses (SGBs). It aims to support 5,000 SGBs, with 240 businesses successfully participating in domestic, regional and international markets. USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock said the launch of the project reiterates the US Government’s commitment to helping Vietnam strengthen its economic competitiveness, materialise its socio-economic development strategy for 2021-2030, and promote sustainable growth of the SGBs. The two sides have coordinated closely and effectively, she said, promising that the USAID will continue to pay adequate attention to private businesses and stands ready to meet the needs of the sector. Private businesses account for 40 percent of Vietnam’s GDP and employ 85 percent of labourers nationwide.