Vietnam, EC strengthen cooperation in climate change response
Politics Vietnam to soon issue policy on visas for foreign tourists The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to complete plans on tourism resumption and devise a policy on visas for foreign tourists, the ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press conference on February 17. Politics Measures to be taken to protect legitimate rights of Vietnamese citizens abroad The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has asked the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine to announce a hotline on citizen protection to provide timely support for Vietnamese people there when necessary, the ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said on February 17. Politics Repatriation of Vietnamese stuck abroad amid COVID-19 sound policy: spokesperson The repatriation of Vietnamese people who are in extremely difficult circumstances abroad and wish to go home amid the COVID-19 pandemic is a sound and humane policy of the Party and the State, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed. Politics Vietnam calls for enhanced solidarity to build strong, resilient ASEAN Community Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has called for solidarity, unity, dialogue, and cooperation to be enhanced to serve as the basis for a strong and resilient ASEAN Community.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 18, 2022 21:58 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 18
Earlier he held the position of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam for many years. The two admitted they were hired to transport the drugs from Laos to Vietnam and were arrested on the way. Binh Thuan wants to host National Tourism Year 2023Binh Thuan Province yesterday, February 16, wrote to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism seeking permission to host the National Tourism Year 2023. The province is also effectively implementing a scheme to develop Binh Thuan into a national sports and tourism center, and mapping a zoning plan for the Mui Ne national tourism area. Among over 2.5 million Covid infections reported in Vietnam, more than 490,000 are children under 18.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 18, 2022 07:44 UTC
Vietnam ready to join negotiations on draft Peru/ Rwanda resolution on plastic waste
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)– Vietnam is ready to join negotiations on a draft resolution which aims to pave the way for an i nternational legally binding agreement on marine litter and plastics to be presented by Peru and Rwanda at the second segment of the 5th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) in late February.This is part of the tasks set out in the Prime Minister’s decision on approving a project named “Vietnam actively prepares and participates in building a global agreement on ocean pollution”.As an international partner supporting Vietnam in developing contents for negotiations, the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF Vietnam) recently carried out many specific activities. Pham Manh Hoai, WWF Vietnam’s Plastic Policy and Partnership Programme Manager, said WWF is supporting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in conducting research to review domestic policies on the management and reduction of plastic pollution, and assess the integration of existing national policies with potential regulations to be built into the global agreement.According to the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in 2021, it took an active part in activities and meetings within the UNEA framework. The agency and its counterparts from Germany, Ecuador and Ghana coordinated in holding the Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution in September 2021 to contribute to building the global agreement.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 18, 2022 04:35 UTC
Vietnam in same group with Thailand, Malaysia, RoK at AFC U23 Asian Cup final round
Vietnam will be in the same group with other two Southeast Asian teams of Thailand and Malaysia, along with the Republic of Korea (Photo: VNA)– Vietnam have been drawn in Group C at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Asian Championship final round following the draw results in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on February 17 (Hanoi time).According to the Vietnam Football Federation, Vietnam will be in the same group with other two Southeast Asian teams of Thailand and Malaysia, along with the Republic of Korea, the 2020 champion.The final round of the AFC U23 Asian Championship 2022 will see the competition of 16 teams which are divided into four groups. Eight teams that are group winners and runners-up will advance to the quarterfinals.In the qualifying round, the U23 Vietnam team won all two matches to win a ticket to the final round. This is also the fourth time in a row that the U23 Vietnam team have entered the final round. The team played the final game of the championship in 2018.The final round of the AFC U23 Asian Championship 2022 will take place in Uzbekistan from June 1-19./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 17, 2022 23:58 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 17
The entire route is expected to operate on a trial basis by December 31, according to Dau tu (Vietnam Investment Review). The event, which is jointly organised by the Vietnamese Cultural Centre in France in collaboration with the Aurore Association and Arcueil city. The award ceremony was hosted by the Vietnam Football Federation in Ho Chi Minh City on February 16. The festival is considered the biggest and most important cultural event of a year of the Chinese-Vietnamese community in Vietnam. A vivid cultural week is underway at Vietnam Pavilion in EXPO 2020 Dubai to promote Vietnam tourism as well as the reputation of Ha Long Bay worldwide.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 17, 2022 23:05 UTC
NA Standing Committee looks into copyright of national flag, emblem, anthem
A proposal by the Ministry of Science and Technology – the compiling agency - on supplementing Article 24a on the copyright and other relevant rights related to the national flag, national emblem and national anthem received great attention. Tung said strict regulations on the promotion and use of the national flag, national emblem and national anthem are necessary to ensure the sanctity of those national symbols in social life, as well as people’s rights towards the national anthem. However, the Standing Committee found that the compiling agency has failed to provide sufficient grounds and information to decide the supplementation of Article 24a, he noted. Tung stressed that the national flag, national emblem and national anthem are both intellectual properties and sacred symbols of the nation. Therefore, the adjustment in this law only would fail to cover the use of the national flag, national emblem and national anthem in a comprehensive, inclusive and complete manner.
Source:VietNamNet News
February 16, 2022 07:06 UTC
Plan on resuming tourism activities from March 15 mulled over
A meeting was held on February 15 to discuss the plan to reopen tourism activities in the context of safe, flexible adaptation to and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam in the chair. Accordingly, the pilot programme for welcoming international tourists, which was implemented from November 2021 to February 10, has had positive results. Nearly 9,000 international tourists were welcomed while safety was ensured, leaving a good impression on them. Regarding the issuance of entry visa, Vietnam has exempted visas unilaterally for 13 countries and bilaterally for 88 countries and territories. Ministries and agencies have proposed the Government resume the visa issuance for international tourists including electronic visa, unilateral and bilateral visa exemption as from March 15.
Source:VietNamNet News
February 16, 2022 01:38 UTC
Vietnam News Agency, Lao Cai province forge communication cooperation
The VNA delegation and officials of Lao Cai province pose for a group photo. (Source: VNA)The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai will enhance cooperation in communication work this year under a programme launched in Lao Cai city on February 15.The launching ceremony was attended by VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang and Deputy General Director Dinh Dang Quang, Secretary of the Lao Cai province Party Committee Dang Xuan Phong and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Trinh Xuan Truong, among others.The programme is intended to disseminate the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws among local officials, Party members and residents, and promote Lao Cai’s land, people, achievements in socio-economic development, Party building and defence-security, and investment potential.Accordingly, the VNA will help Lao Cai popularise diplomatic, political, socio-economic and cultural events in the province this year, especially activities marking its 115th anniversary (July 12) and the 75th anniversary of the provincial Party Committee (March 5).The State-run news agency will also report on the pandemic fight, the process of socio-economic recovery, the restructuring of State-owned enterprises, major investment projects and areas, administrative reform, e-government building, anti-corruption and the settlement of petitions and complaints in Lao Cai, as well as the province's efforts to turn into an economic bridge between Vietnam and other ASEAN member countries, and China’s southwestern region.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 15, 2022 23:06 UTC
Indonesia to hold meeting of G20 finance ministers, central bank governors
According to Perry Warjiyo, Governor of Bank Indonesia, high-profile topics to be discussed in this meeting will be about inflation, policy normalisation and digitalisation to help G20 members recover their economy from the pandemic situation.The meeting will be held at the Jakarta Convention Centre and the Gelora Bung Karno sports stadium in central Jakarta.It will be preceded by a meeting of finance ministry and central bank deputies from February 15-16.Both of the meetings were initially scheduled to take place in Nusa Dua in Indonesia's popular resort island of Bali, but moved to Jakarta as the Indonesian authorities are sure that the capital city is much safer due to its high COVID-19 vaccination rate.The meeting s will take place both offline and virtually, Indonesia 's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said recently, reminding that they be held under tight health protocols and all participants be strongly required to follow the rule.The Southeast Asia's largest economy on February 14 confirmed 36,501 new COVID-19 cases, raising its tally of infections to over 4.844 million./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 15, 2022 19:57 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 15
Meanwhile, a poetry reading event to celebrate the Vietnam Poetry Day will be held at the Van Lang Park from 7.30pm-9.30pm. Japanese Film Festival 2022 opens onlineThe Japanese Film Festival 2022 in Vietnam by the Japan Foundation Center opens online from February 14 to 28. The organiser hopes the film festival will introduce a taste of the Japanese film industry as well as the country's history, culture and lifestyle to Vietnamese audiences. The CEFF International Environmental Photography is part of the Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) of the United States. The health ministry asked the other ministry to ensure karaoke and bar businesses strengthen pandemic prevention measures including frequent disinfection and better ventilation as they are indoor venues.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 15, 2022 09:26 UTC
Vietnam’s wood industry continues to grow
A worker checks wooden product before packaging for export in a wood processing company in Binh Duong province (Photo: VNA)Vietnamese wood and furniture products are expected to grow in 2022 due to the purchasing demand of the international market along with meeting necessary factors in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).Despite experiencing a difficult year last year after being heavily affected by the pandemic, the country’s exports of timber and non-timber forest products in 2021 was predicted to reach 15.6 billion USD, up by 18 percent compared to 2020. The UK still has a lot of room for Vietnamese farm produce, including wooden products.Over the year, Vietnamese wood processing and exporting businesses have been quick and flexible in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure signed contracts with international customers.According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the export value of Vietnamese timber and wood products in 2021 to the Americas reached 9.3 billion USD, up 22 percent compared to 2020, and the US market alone accounted for 8.7 billion USD, an increase of more than 22 percent compared to 2021.Local economists forecast that the global economy will gradually recover and grow again this year. Global consumption and foreign direct investment into Vietnam will also increase. The initiatives in technology and available raw materials of local wooden products makers will become the driving force for the country’s wood sector.Le Minh Thien, Chairman of the Binh Dinh Timber and Forest Products Association, said that during an economic recovery, the economy will undergo a process of adaptions to new conditions affecting the industry.In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Binh Dinh province’s wood processing and exporting businesses have received many orders but also face challenges, including shortage of raw materials and accessories, while the price of wood chips and pellets dropped sharply.There are still many difficulties and challenges such as shortage of raw materials, increase in raw material prices, labour shortages, and factory capacity. Logistics is also a big challenge when businesses have demand to export goods but cannot find empty containers causing supply chain disruption.The Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association and wood processing and export businesses have worked with authorised agencies to minimise risks in the supply of imported wood materials to avoid trade fraud.It has suggested authorised agencies carefully review FDI investment posing a high risk for the Vietnamese wood industry.Do Xuan Lap, the association's chairman, said that despite difficulties, opportunities for Vietnam’s furniture industry were wide open.Enterprises themselves are aware of the great opportunity, so they have been constantly looking for ways to adapt to new conditions, from retaining workers and, finding a stable source of raw materials to applying machinery and modern equipment to reduce dependence on human resources, improving product quality and packaging and delivery services./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 15, 2022 08:50 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 14
The victory earned Vietnam 15.46 points which has also helped them return to the world’s top 100 ranking. Compared to the previous rankings at the end of 2021, Vietnam obtained 6.1 more points to maintain their 98th place globally this year. They include the HCM City International Music Festival, Academic Arts Festival “Autumn Melodies”, National Tuồng and Folk Opera Festival, ASEAN Music Festival, National Band Festival, International Circus Festival and National Puppetry Talents, among other activities. There are several objectives in developing Hue into the capital of Ao dai in Vietnam, as stated within the proposal for the “Hue - the Capital of Ao dai” project. Meanwhile, Trading Economics noted the Vietnam unemployment rate is projected to trend around 3.3% in 2022 and 2.9% in 2023.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 14, 2022 08:11 UTC
Thailand to donate COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam, five others
A shipment of 500,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines arrive in Thailand from China in June 2021. (Photo:AFP/VNA)– Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on February 11 approved a proposal to donate up to 3.55 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to six countries, including Vietnam.The others are Myanmar, Laos, Nepal, Kenya, and Ethiopia.In response to Thailand's signalling to the World Health Organization (WHO) its readiness to donate vaccines to other nations in need via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), the WHO has permitted the country to proceed with donating to the six countries directly, said Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the CCSA.Following the approval by the CCSA, around 3.5 million doses of the vaccine will be delivered to those countries, he said.Thailand will donate 500,000 to 1 million AstraZeneca doses to Myanmar, 300,000 to Laos, 300,000 to Vietnam, 400,000 to Nepal, 550,000 to Kenya, and 1 million to Ethiopia.On February 12, Thailand logged in 16,330 new COVID-19 cases and 25 related deaths, raising the total caseload to nearly 2.58 million and death toll to over 22,400.As of February 8, more than 52 percent of some 35,500 schools across Thailand had reopened and resumed in-person classes. According to the CCSA, nearly 100 percent of the teachers have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot and 79.45 percent vaccinated twice. For the students, the figures are 95.11 percent and 71.41 percent, respectively./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 12, 2022 20:20 UTC
Dragon dancers scale up ambitions in Vietnam
Tu Anh Duong Dragon & Lion Dance Art Association, Can Tho City set a record by organizing an event, wherein 4 lion mascots including both males and females performed the dance and drop of scroll on Meihuaquan on pillar, where the lowest pillar measured 1.1 m height and the highest pillar measured 2.5 m in height. This is an extremely difficult and complex dance that requires collective coordination and teamwork. This record stands confirmed by Asia Book of Records. (Photo:VNA)Lion dances are physically demanding, requiring agility and power to excel at the traditional sport. (Photo:VNA)
Source:Viet Nam News
February 12, 2022 06:55 UTC
Vietnam keeps 98th spot in FIFA rankings for February
Culture - Sports Winners of 2021 Literature Awards announced The Vietnam Writers’ Association has announced the winners of the 2021 Literature Awards, spread across four categories: Theory and Critics, Poetry-Prose, Children’s Literature, and Translation. Author Truong Dang Dung won the Theory And Critics category for his research on literary texts and the instability of meaning. Culture - Sports Dragon dancers scale up ambitions in Vietnam Tu Anh Duong Dragon & Lion Dance Art Association, Can Tho City set a record by organizing an event, wherein 4 lion mascots including both males and females performed the dance and drop of scroll on Meihuaquan on pillar, where the lowest pillar measured 1.1 m height and the highest pillar measured 2.5 m in height. Culture - Sports NA Chairman congratulates national women’s football team Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue on February 11 sent Tet (Lunar New Year) gifts to head coach Mai Duc Chung and the national women’s football team and congratulated the squad on winning a ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time. Culture - Sports Women’s football team showered with bonuses The national women’s football team has received more bonuses after making history by winning a ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 12, 2022 02:57 UTC