The Vietnamese Party, State and people appreciate its faithful relationship with fraternal Lao counterparts in the past struggle for national liberation and current national development, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said.
During a reception in Hanoi on December 13 for head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP)’s Commission for Propaganda and Training Khamphan Pheuyavong, General Secretary Trong affirmed that Vietnam strongly and fully supports Laos’ renewal and national development.
He believed that under the leadership of the LPRP, the Lao people will continue reaping greater achievements and successfully realize the Resolution adopted by the LPRP’s 11th National Congress.
Speaking highly of the outcomes of cooperation and talks between the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Lao Commission for Propaganda and Training, he asked both sides to fulfill assigned political tasks and work closely together to effectively realise agreements between the two Parties and countries, and cooperation agreements between the two commissions.
Pheuyavong praised the success of the recent ninth theoretical workshop between the two Parties as well as activities held during the 2022 Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
He also hailed the Vietnamese Party’s Commission for Information and Education, the Central Theoretical Council and other Vietnamese theoretical agencies for working closely with the LPRP’s Commission for Propaganda and Training to realise agreements reached by leaders of the two Parties and countries and cooperation plans between the two commissions, especially in theoretical research. These include the compilation of a book on Kaysone Phomvihane Thought and a set of books on the history of the Vietnam-Laos special relationship, as well as the sharing of experience in propaganda and personnel training.
Int’l Kite Surfing Week to open in Ninh Thuan at weekend
The 2022 International Kite Surfing Week will take place in the south-central coastal province of Ninh Thuan on December 16-25, the People’s Committee of Ninh Thuan Province announced at a
The International Kite Surfing Week is scheduled to attract 70 kite surfers from 15 countries across the world.
The event that is scheduled to be organized in Vinh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District attracts 70 kite surfers from 15 countries across the world.
A wide range of activities will also be held during the international kite surfing week, including a boat race, a women’s beach volleyball tournament, a golf competition, an apricot blossom festival, a running race, a food festival, and a street carnival.
There are also cultural and arts programs, such as folk games, a food fair, and a trade fair to introduce and sell goods under the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) program.
NA Standing Committee to convene 18th session
The 18th session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee is scheduled to open on December 13 and will last only four days, said the NA Office.
During the session, the committee will give opinions on the revision of the draft amended Law on Medical Examination and Treatment and the working programme for 2023 of the committee, and a resolution promulgating regulations on fostering the knowledge and professional skills for NA deputies.
It will also consider and make a decision on the collection of people’s opinions on the drafted revised Land Law.
Regarding external activities, the committee will assess the results of the implementation of external affairs and international cooperation in 2022, and approve the programme for external activities in 2023.
Legislators will review the implementation of Resolution 30/2021/QH15 of the first session of the 15th National Assembly, and propose a number of mechanisms and policies on health care. They will also consider adding non-refundable foreign aid in 2021 to the State budget estimate and decide on additional funding for the purchase of rice for national reserves.
A proposal by the Prime Minister on the appointment and dismissal of Vietnamese ambassadors will also be discussed and approved at the session.
The NA Standing Committee will look into preparations for the second extraordinary session of the 15th legislature, solutions to fix shortcomings at toll stations, transport infrastructure investment projects under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, and the national master plan in line with the Law on Planning.
Vietnam, Netherlands share experience in data connection, sharing
A Vietnamese delegation led by Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Deputy Minister of Public Security, had a working session in the Netherlands on December 12 with representatives from the National Office for Identity Data, Logius – digital government service, and the Digital Society Department under the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK).
At the meeting, held within the framework of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to the European country, created a chance for both sides to exchange and study the Netherlands’ experience in the application of population data, and data connection and sharing with national databases.
Over the past years, the Vietnamese Government has drastically directed the concerted implementation of measures to build e-Government towards digital government, digital economy and digital society, which has achieved important results, he said.
Vietnamese officials paid their attention to security measures, the prevention of making fake ID cards, the system control and operation, and the management of foreigners living and working in the country, and the process of connecting and sharing data among ministries, sectors and fields.
Representatives of the Dutch ministry and Dutch experts in digital transformation introduced to the Vietnamese delegation the way to guide people in the process of data building, adding that this is the responsibility of all ministries, branches and fields, especially officials and employees of the Government’s management agencies.
Event marks International Human Rights Day, launches new cycle of UPR
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on December 12 held a ceremony in Hanoi to mark the International Human Rights Day and launch Vietnam’s universal periodical review (UPR) process for the fourth cycle.
Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc held that Vietnam, sharing progressive ideas on human rights as affirmed by the UN in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other important documents, has been determined to develop and implement policies on the protection and promotion of the rights, achieving outstanding results recognised and appreciated by the international community.
As a result, Vietnam was recently elected to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2023-2025 tenure, the diplomat noted.
The nation has to date completed 82.6% of recommendations from the 3rd cycle of its UPR process and is to complete the workload and launch the preparations for the building of the national report on the 4th cycle in 2023, he said.
He requested UN agencies, development partners and related parties continue accompanying and cooperating with Vietnam to complete the process on schedule with the highest quality.
UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis said the nation’s election to the UNHRC demonstrates concrete efforts to protect and promote economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights in accordance with international human rights standards.
Echoing the view, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Ramla Khalidi said the UNDP will continue to accompany and support Vietnam in the 4th cycle through capacity building for ministries, sectors and all stakeholders, especially NGOs and youth.
Exhibition on Earth images underway in Hanoi
An exhibition entitled “Vietnam-Italy Space Technology and Application. Looking Beyond” is underway in Hanoi, featuring 23 high-definition images of the Earth taken by Italian satellite system COSMO-SkyMed and processed by Telespazio/e-GEOS.
The event, which opened on December 12, is co-organised by the Vietnam National Space Centre (VNSC) under Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Italian Embassy in Hanoi. It is part of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Italy next year and on the occasion of the Italian National Space Day (December 16).
Two remarkable images of Hanoi and the Mekong Delta, together with nine panels by VAST illustrating the applications of satellite images in remote sensing and disaster prevention in Vietnam are also displayed at the exhibition.
The exhibition will run until December 23 at the VNSC building on 18 Hoang Quoc Viet street, Hanoi.
Event to feature famed Japanese speaker, architect
TOTO Architect Talk 2022 is a hotly anticipated forum for the architectural community in Vietnam, which will be held in Hanoi on December 17, featuring a speech by famous Japanese speaker and architect Akihisa Hirata.
The annual event, held by TOTO Vietnam since 2017, creates a playground for young architects to show off their talents and also provides an opportunity for the Vietnamese architecture community to exchange with leading Japanese architects.
TOTO Architect Talk in 2017, 2018 and 2019 featured talks by architect Shigeru Ban, Hiroshi Naito and Takaharu Tezuka, respectively.
After a two-year hiatus from the COVID-19 pandemic, the architectural event will come back this year with the topic Discovering New, which is inspired by the journey of discovering the essence of life through architecture by architect Akihisa Hirata, founder of Akihisa Hirata Architecture Office and professor of Kyoto University, Japan. This is also the main message conveyed in a unique and awaiting lecture by its main speaker Hirata.
The Japanese professor has created many iconic buildings in the past 20 years, like the Bloomberg Pavilion, Art Museum & Library: Ota or Tree-ness House. He also lectured at Harvard University, UK Architectural Foundation and Bauhaus Dessau in Germany.
Attending TOTO Architect Talk 2022, Hirata will share the philosophy of “new forms” in architecture that he has accumulated over the years, how he “gives souls” and creates a strange attraction for each of his works. Thereby, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with the renowned architect.
The winners of the Pavilion Design Contest will also be announced at the event. The contest aimed at seeking promising architectural talents was jointly organised by TOTO Vietnam Co., Ltd and the Vietnam Association of Architects from October 21 to November 25 as part of the architectural talk show.
Attendees will also be treated with a “visual feast” that includes an impressive collection of works by architect Akihisa Hirata or a model of the ten best results from the Pavilion design contest.
TOTO Architect Talk 2022 will take place at Lotte Hotel Hanoi, 54 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh. The entrance is free. The talk show will be presented in both English and Vietnamese. Participants have to register beforehand at toto.com/architecttalk/.
Vietnam News Agency has new Deputy General Director
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 12 issued Decision 1532/QD-TTg appointing Doan Thi Tuyet Nhung as Deputy General Director of the State-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
The new VNA Deputy General Director was born in 1975. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Chinese and Journalism, and advanced political theory.
During her career at the news agency, she has held a number of positions, including deputy head and then head of the World News Department.
Currently, the VNA has two Deputy General Directors – Nguyen Tuan Hung and Doan Thi Tuyet Nhung.
The VNA is a Governmental agency which is responsible for providing official information and documents of the Party and State, according to the Government’s recently-released Decree No 118/2017/ND-CP. It provides information in service of the Party leadership and State management; and collect and provide news through various forms of press and multimedia for mass media agencies, the public and readers of all kinds at home and abroad.
General Association of Vietnamese People in Laos has new leadership
The General Association of Vietnamese People in Laos held its third congress and elected an executive committee for the 2022 – 2026 tenure on December 12.
The event in Vientiane adopted the revised statutes of the general association, reviewed performance during 2015 – 2022, and defined orientations for the new tenure, including aligning the association’s activities with the new context, including the socio-economic situation in Laos, the development of the two countries’ relations, and the role and stature of the Vietnamese community in Laos.
A 23-member executive committee was elected for the third tenure, with Pham Van Hung serving as new chairman of the general association.
Vietnam, US on mission to find servicemen missing in action
Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam received a delegation of the US National League of Families of American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action (POW/MIA) in Hanoi on December 12.
The host official welcomed Executive Director of the league Ann Mills Griffiths and other delegation members returning to Vietnam since their last trip in January 2018 to discuss affairs related to the search for US servicemen missing in action, adding that they will have full cooperation from the Vietnamese administration and people in this humanitarian mission.
Lam noted Griffiths’ visit is taking place amid growing relations between Vietnam and the US, and that the two countries still hold more cooperation potential in all areas.
He expressed his hope that the league’s activities will become a pillar and a bright spot in Vietnam-US ties.
For her part, Griffiths said the league will continue working with Vietnamese authorities, including the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons, in efforts to search for those missing in action, thereby contributing to the settlement of war aftermath in Vietnam and the enhancement of overall bilateral cooperation.
Association of Vietnamese in France holds 16th congress
The Association of Vietnamese in France (UGVF) convened its 16th congress in Paris on December 11, with the participations of nearly 100 delegates.
The congress elected a new 28-member executive committee and a representative and strategic board with 10 members. Vuong Huu Nhan was re-elected as Chairman of the UGVF for the new tenure.
Established in 1919, the UGVF has greatly contributed to Vietnam’s development and promoting the country’s image in France, and supporting overseas Vietnamese in France. It also serves as a bridge connecting the two countries.
Young Vietnamese scientists gather at Seoul conference
A conference for young Vietnamese scientists in the Republic of Korea (RoK) was held at the Seoul National University of Science and Technology on December 11.
The 8th annual event, held by the Vietnamese Students’ Association in the RoK (VSAK), was sponsored by the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK, the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Da Nang city.
It attracted nearly 100 reports covering different fields. Veteran professors and doctors selected the ones on seven areas to be reported at the conference, namely physics, energy and material science, life science and biomedicine, chemistry and chemical techniques, computer science – information technology and communications, construction and structural engineering.
The organising board also received 24 nominations for an award reserved for young Vietnamese scientists in the RoK, and five obtained the honour for their remarkable performance in biotechnology, information technology and communications, new material technology, and medicinal – pharmaceutical technology and environmental technology.
Slanderous allegations about anti-corruption in Vietnam fall into oblivion
Several hostile forces have recently made unfounded allegations relating to the ongoing anti-corruption drive in Vietnam, stating that the fight initiated and led by the Communist Party is having a negative impact on the local economy.
Radio Free Asia and Voice of America (Vietnamese version) both reported that the widespread anti-corruption drive is currently paralysing many local economic transactions which may impact foreign direct investment inflows and reduce exports. They cited Reuters, saying that, “while fighting bribery is broadly considered positive in the long-term, short-term disruptions can paralyse business, especially if enforcement is seen as opaque and politically driven.”
Some organisations and individuals that are living in exile and are hostile towards the country immediately rallied in support of this lie by sharing stories on social media, thereby distorting the nature of the corruption fight and discrediting Vietnam in the international arena.
However, their arguments are groundless and are being made for unscrupulous reasons as opposed to being based on facts. Apparently, corruption directly affects stability and development in all aspects of social life, including economics. It also threatens social stability and security, and infringes upon democratic institutions, moral values and justice. Without prompt prevention measures taken, corruption can develop into a particularly serious threat to socio-economic development, thereby threatening the regime’s survival.
The Party and State are therefore keen to maintain that those who are corrupt must be held accountable by the law for their actions. Simultaneously, the State strives to create a healthy, highly competitive, and conducive investment environment for both public and private sectors to operate over the long term, with their efforts already being recognised internationally. Due to these factors, it cannot be said that because of the anti-corruption drive, many individuals are afraid to undertake projects, affecting the investment environment and supply chains in the economy.
The fight against corruption has captured great attention from all countries across the globe, especially after the UN General Assembly issued the UN Convention against Corruption on December 9, 2003. Indeed, countries and organisations such as the EU, the United States, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and those in Southeast Asia have all ramped up the fight to create a great impetus for economic growth and social development. Indonesia has even set up a hotline to encourage people to directly report pressing issues of concern, coupled with establishing the National Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK) and the President’s advisory group on anti-corruption.
In Vietnam, the anti-corruption drive led by the Communist Party and supported by people has made progress and yielded initial encouraging results. Over the past 10 years, Party committees and inspection committees at all levels have moved to discipline more than 2,700 Party organisations, with nearly 168,000 Party members involved, of whom more than 7,390 Party members have been handled for their role in corruption activities.
Most notably, over 170 senior officials under the management of the Party Central Committee have been disciplined. This includes more than 30 members and former members of the Party Central Committee and more than 50 military general officers. Since the 13th National Party Congress held in early 2021, approximately 50 high-ranking officials have been reprimanded, including more than 10 members and former members of the Party Central Committee, along with 20 officers of the general rank.
During a recent meeting held in Hanoi, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption and Negative Phenomena Prevention and Control, said enhancing the fight has helped the Party to be stronger and the people to increase their trust in the regime. The General Secretary went on to refute slanderous allegations that this is an internal purge or an internal struggle among various factions of the Party. Though this is an arduous campaign, Trong also affirmed there is a ‘no-go area’ in combating corruption and the anti-corruption drive is an irreversible trend in Vietnam.
Over the years, hostile forces have always given reasons to criticise the country over its fight against corruption in a vain attempt at tarnishing the nation’s image in the eyes of international friends. With the fight being accelerated and encouraging results being recorded in the country, such slanderous allegations will undoubtedly fall flat.
National team undergo intensive training ahead of AFF Cup 2022
The Vietnamese national men’s football team are practicing hard in Hanoi for their friendly match against the Philippines on December 14, another test for coach Park Hang-seo and his players ahead of their AFF Cup 2022 campaign.
Aside from Van Hau and Ngoc Hai undergoing individual practices due to injuries, the entire team showed good fitness after taking part in a 10-day training camp in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
To prepare for the AFF Cup, the Philippines have hired Josep Ferré Ybarz as head coach, with the Spaniard having experience managing football clubs worldwide, including Kitchee SC of Hong Kong (China), Buriram United, Ratchaburi FC, and Bangkok Glass FC of Thailand, East Bengal of India, and FC Bayamón of Puerto Rico.
The Philippines will name their strongest line-up in the friendly, which is a crucial test ahead of the AFF Cup.
Both national teams will get used to the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi on December 13 before playing the friendly game the following day.
The friendly match is due to be held at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi at 6 p.m. on December 14.
The regional football tournament is scheduled to take place from December 21 to January 16, 2023. Vietnam have been drawn in Group B and will play two away matches against Laos and Singapore on December 21 and December 30, respectively. They will also play at home against Malaysia on December 27 before taking on Myanmar on January 3, 2023.
Hanoi records two more deaths caused by dengue virus
The capital of Vietnam has seen a further two deaths due to dengue fever over the past week with 42 fresh outbreaks, according to the Health Ministry’s Preventive Medicine Department.
The new outbreaks have been mainly found in the districts of Ha Dong, Dong Da, Thuong Tin, Thanh Tri, Phu Xuyen, Hoang Mai, and Phuc Tho.
Hanoi has recorded 1,309 new cases over the past week, a decline of 9% compared to the previous week.
The caseload has brought the total number of dengue infections in the capital up to 17,623, including 23 deaths so far.
The Health Ministry has reported nearly 345,234 dengue infections, including 131 fatalities, in the country since the beginning of the year.
Vietnam, US on mission to find servicemen missing in action
Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam received a delegation of the US National League of Families of American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action (POW/MIA) in Hanoi on December 12.
The host official welcomed Executive Director of the league Ann Mills Griffiths and other delegation members returning to Vietnam since their last trip in January 2018 to discuss affairs related to the search for US servicemen missing in action, assuring they would have full cooperation from the Vietnamese administration and people in this humanitarian mission.
Lam noted Griffiths’ visit is taking place amid growing relations between Vietnam and the US, and that the two countries still hold more cooperation potential in all areas.
He expressed his hope that the league’s activities will become a pillar and a bright spot in Vietnam-US ties.
For her part, Griffiths said the league will continue working with Vietnamese authorities, including the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons, in efforts to search for those missing in action, thereby contributing to the settlement of war aftermath in Vietnam and the enhancement of overall bilateral cooperation.
25,000 job vacancies in HCM City in December
Some 25,000 jobs are available in HCM City this month, according to its Human Resources Forecast and Labour Market Information (Falmi) Centre.
Of this, 84 per cent comprise trained and skilled workers with degrees and other certificates.
There are 4,200 jobs for workers who have university degrees or higher, 5,700 for those with college degrees, 7,000 for those with intermediate education qualifications, and 3,800 for those with primary vocational education qualifications.
Some 17,000 are required by the trade and services sector and 8,000 in industry-construction.
Businesses have increased recruitment of seasonal workers.
Nguyễn Văn Sang, director of the HCM City Youth Vocational Training, Career Orientation and Employment Service Centre, said local businesses would need more than 3,000 part-time and unskilled workers during the upcoming New Year and Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays.
There is also rising demand for part-time workers in sales, services, cash, restaurants and hotels, shipping, and customer care to meet the increasing holiday demand.
The centre is implementing a programme called ‘A month of supporting and accompanying workers’ to help students and laid-off and furloughed workers find jobs.
HCM City to renovate polluted Xuyen Tam Canal next year
After prolonged delays, a project worth VNĐ9.6 trillion (US$405.6 million) to renovate polluted Xuyên Tâm Canal in HCM City is scheduled to start next year.
The eighth meeting of the 10th-tenure HCM City People’s Council last week approved a resolution to implement investment for the renovation project of Xuyên Tâm Canal in the city’s Bình Thạnh and Gò Vấp districts.
The total length of Xuyên Tâm Canal is about 8.2km, of which the project’s scope from Nhiêu Lộc – Thị Nghè Canal to Vàm Thuật River is 6.4km long.
The project has been delayed for 20 years and is also one of the city’s urgent projects of urban betterment and development plans in the period of 2021-25.
Previously, the project was planned to be invested under a BT (build-transfer) contract in a public-private partnership (PPP) model. But in 2019, the city agreed to allocate public investment capital from the city budget to implement the project.
Construction of the project is scheduled to begin in 2023 and be completed in 2028.
The project needs to relocate more than 2,000 affected households along the canal.
It includes dredging and cleaning up the canal, building a wastewater collection and drainage system, and a new road on each side with green areas, parks, and technical infrastructure.
The city plans to set up a working group to carry out construction of the project and the relocation of affected houses.
Its Department of Construction is the team leader and is responsible for working with relevant units and experts to initiate the project soon.
For many years, Xuyên Tâm Canal has been polluted due to illegal discharge of untreated domestic waste and wastewater used by households living along both sides of the canal.
That has caused blockages of water flow, polluting the environment, and flooding.
The city authorities have made great efforts to increase public awareness about the need to stop littering into rivers and canals, and strictly manage illegal encroachment and littering.
Anh secures women’s 50m compound gold at National Sports Games
Quang Ninh archers had a successful day on Sunday, bagging one gold medal and one bronze medal at the National Sports Games.
Young athlete Lê Phạm Ngọc Anh took her title in the women’s 50m compound all-round event with 686 points. Teammate Châu Kiều Oanh earned a bronze with 678 points.
Nguyễn Như Quỳnh from Phú Thọ claimed the silver with 681 points.
Archery is organised at the Quảng Ninh Sports Complex in Hạ Long City.
A total of 270 athletes and coaches of 20 teams have registered to compete in 30 events from December 11-16.
The hosts take part in archery with nine athletes under coach Đặng Thị Nhàn and have targeted to win at least two titles.
“Although it is the first time that Quảng Ninh has hosted an archery competition, we appreciate their well-prepared and well-organised activities,” said Phan Trọng Quân of the organising board.
“This is one of the best shooting ranges in Việt Nam with international standards. It will be chosen to host many national and international competitions in the future,” he added.
Counterfeit items discovered in fashion store in HCMC
The Ho Chi Minh City Market Surveillance Department suddenly inspected the Trang Nemo Style Fashion Store in District 1 discovering many counterfeit products such as bags, wallets, shoes, and clothes.
The staff of the city Market Surveillance Department yesterday said that it had paid a visit to the Trang Nemo Style Fashion Store at Nguyen Trai Street run by a 31-year-old man in the Southern Province of Dong Nai. Inspectors discovered many products such as bags, wallets, shoes, and clothes which counterfeited these items of famous trademarks.
Previously, this store attracted the attention of the online community, especially on the TikTok platform with a series of videos posted under an account called Page Nemo with hundreds of thousands of followers/accounts.
A store representative presented to the delegation a business household registration certificate issued by the Finance-Planning Department under the District 1 People’s Committee in early 2022.
Inspectors discovered that the store sold many products of famous brands such as Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton with prices ranging from VND300,000-VND850,000 a product. The store representative was unable to produce an invoice and voucher for these items.
Initially, inspectors announced that most of the goods on sale are likely counterfeit goods. They are conducting verification and clarification according to the present regulations.
Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes
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