HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese internet users need to avoid depending on a single digital platform for important services in life. Most users of social media platforms will be panic and fear of losing their accounts when encountering unexpected problems. This incident also brings opportunities for other social media platforms, including Vietnamese social media platforms. In particular, press and media agencies need to actively promote the benefits of and encourage people to use Make-in-Việt Nam platforms. Specialised units under the Ministry of Information and Communications will continue to promote strong development of the Make-in-Việt Nam digital platform.

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong addresses the first meeting of the sub-committee in charge of the personnel work of the 14th National Party Congress. Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang (R) receives outgoing Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura. Read full story- VinFast Auto announced on March 15 that it will take part in the 45th Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS 2024) in Thailand. At BIMS 2024, the Vietnamese electric automaker will introduce its complete range of electric vehicles for the first time in Southeast Asia, including the mini-SUV VF 3; VF 5, VF e34, VF 6, VF 7, VF 8, and VF 9, covering the A-SUV to E-SUV segments./.

- Indonesia continues to push the use of electric vehicles (EVs) with the dream of bluer skies and cleaner air with lower pollution in the country.Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is striving to realise the target as as the "conductor" in the "orchestra" of EV industry development in Indonesia.Nevertheless, he did not deny the fact that fossil fuel transportation is not the only contributor to air pollution in Indonesia.Pandjaitan ensured that various policies of ministries and institutions are in harmony, so that the dream of changing people's habits from using fossil fuel vehicles to EVs could be realised.The population of EVs in Indonesia has shown significant growth. In 2022, the number of electric motorcycles in Indonesia stood at 17,198 units, which rose to 62,409 units in 2023, according data from the Ministry of Transportation's Type Test Registration Certificate.Likewise, the population of electric cars also showed growth, albeit not as high as electric motorcycles. The number of four-wheeled EVs in 2023 rose by 43%, from 8,562 units in 2022 to 12,248 units in 2023.Despite the government having issued various incentive programs, the increase in the number of electric cars is not sufficient to boost the electric car industry in Indonesia.Hence, to this end, the government has devised a new incentive program, namely import duty and sales tax on luxury goods incentives. The incentives apply for the imports of electric cars in the Completely Built-Up (CBU) and Completely Knocked Down (CKD) categories./.

Indonesia lifts oil exploitation (Photo: reuters.com)Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas) will strive to achieve oil lifting production in 2024 so as not to be less than 600,000 BOPD amid challenges at the beginning of the year. In 2023, SKK Migas recorded an oil lifting realisation of 605,500 BOPD. This number is down from the 2022 realisation of 612,300 BOPD and is still below the 2023 state budget target of 660,000 BOPD. Executive Director of the Reforminer Institute Komaidi Notonegoro said the main problem of unachieved oil production targets is because the existing fields are old in pattern or trend and are in a continuously declining condition. According to Komaidi, the main problem now is that the oil business system in Indonesia uses a contract system, where at the exploration stage when oil and gas reserves have not been found, 100% of the risk is attached to contractors.

Business Vietnamese organic products to make way to Australia A delegation of 19 Vietnamese businesses, the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association (VOAA), and several organic farming trainers will go to Australia to popularise various kinds of organic products from March 18-25.Business Gia Lai urged to promote administrative reform The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai needs to focus on administrative reform and give support to local enterprises so as to promote socio-economic development, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has said. Business Land Law boosts Vietnam’s investment appeal: Japanese expert Koizumi Kenichi, a Japanese real estate investment expert, has praised the amended Land Law that was passed by the Vietnamese National Assembly earlier this year, believing that one specific amendment will be very welcome to foreign companies. Business Mini Thailand Week to take place in Quang Ninh this month High-quality products of Thailand will be showcased at Mini Thailand Week 2024 in the northern province of Quang Ninh from March 28 to 31.

QPFMA 2024 are now open for nominations until 3 May 2024. The goal of QPFMA 2024 is to contribute value to the community and make Hong Kong an even better place to live—a truly ideal community. "stated in his closing remarks: "This year, the QPFMA 2024 Launch Day cum Seminar received overwhelming support from over 40 Government departments, property management companies, institutional and academic organisations. The award aims to elevate the standards of Property and Facility Management (PFM) services, advocate for PFM professionalism, and transparently showcase the dedication and diligence of industry professionals to the public. About Quality and Property and Facility Management Award (QPFMA)Jointly organised by The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Property and Facility Management Division (HKIS-PFMD) and The Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Limited (HKAPMC), QPFMA is a biennial award designed to recognise outstanding projects and practitioners in property and facility management and advance the industry standard of professionalism.

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 15 March 2024 -Under this agreement, Jospong will distribute VinFast's entire range of vehicles, including electric cars, e-scooters, e-bikes, and electric buses, throughout Ghana and West Africa. Jospong will also plan to deploy public charging infrastructure across the country to support EV penetration. Fueled by government support for achieving net-zero emissions in transportation, demand is forecast to surge rapidly. About VinFastVinFast – a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of the global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam.

Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan delivers a speech at the opening session of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) of the UN Economic and Social Council in New York. (Photo: VNA)Delivering a speech at the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women ( CSW ) of the UN Economic and Social Council in New York, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan expressed Vietnam's high-level commitment to ensuring gender equality and women's rights as well as its multifaceted engagement and contributions to this priority area, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang has assessed.In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency in New York, Giang elaborated the four proposals by the Vietnamese leader aimed at accelerating swift and effective actions in this field.According to the diplomat, the first involves the enhancement of women's participation in decision-making mechanisms in politics, economy, culture, and society, and the prioritisation of resources to support women and girls in humanitarian crises.The second highlights the empowerment and provision of access opportunities for the group in science, technology, and digital transformation, coupled with efforts to combat discrimination and violence in the cyberspace.The third focuses on elevating the role of women in building a peaceful, stable, comprehensive, and sustainable international environment, and addressing non-traditional security challenges, particularly in climate change response.Last but not least, it is necessary to promote partnership for sustainable development, to enhance financial support and consultation for institutional and policy building in developing countries, and to share, disseminate, and leverage effective models to enhance the role of women in socio-economic and sustainable development.About Vietnam's efforts at the UN in promoting global gender equality, Giang noted that gender equality and women's rights have always been the fields that Vietnam values and actively contributes to at the national, regional, and global levels.Vietnam was among the first countries in the world to sign the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on July 29, 1980, and ratified it on November 27, 1981. It is also a member of the Group of Friends on Gender Parity, promoting women's holding of positions at the UN, especially leadership ones. The Southeast Asian country recently adopted its national action programme on women, peace, and security for 2024 - 2030 with specific objectives.Vietnam has been evaluated by the international community as one of the top ten countries implementing Goal 5 on promoting gender equality and women empowerment in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the ambassador highlighted.The country is in the top one-third in the world concerning the proportions of female parliamentarians and of women participating in the workforce. Notably, its human development index for men and women is nearly equal, with women earning 81.4% of estimated male income.Giang concluded that these meaningful results reflect Vietnam's commitment and efforts that can be shared with international friends to promote the cause of gender equality and empower women and girls, thereby contributing to the construction of a world of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development./.

Vietnam hopes Canada will share experience, methods, and carbon pricing tools to support Vietnam in building a carbon market, Ha said. She said Canada considers cooperation with Vietnam in implementing the JETP as a model to continue fostering cooperation in environment and climate change. About the third one, Happy Society, we want to bring the best things to Việt Nam and its people," said Kaneda Hiroki, Acecook Việt Nam General Secretary. Elevating Việt Nam football is the dream of the entire nation and also Acecook Việt Nam." After that, it has been held around Việt Nam in cities such as Huế, Đà Nẵng and Phú Yên.

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has remained a high human development country through the difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and human development continues to be a focus of the country’s development strategy. That was the message from UNDP Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi, as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced its new report. Achim Steiner, administrator of the UNDP, congratulated Việt Nam on the many important achievements in human development it has obtained over the recent past. The Human Development Index (HDI) has bounced back and stood at the highest-ever level since the HDR was first released in 1990. The UNDP’s Human Development Report, released every two years, is compiled basing on contributions by many experts from UN agencies, member states, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations.

Floods affected more than 16,700 people in at least 11 areas in Indonesia’s Central Java and East Java last week, of them 280 forced to flee to safer places, the country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported.The flood-hit localities included Salatiga city and parts of Demak, Grobogan, Brebes, Bantul, and Mojokerto districts, the agency said. The death toll from floods and landslides in West Sumatra province has risen to 32. At least two people have died and hundreds been displaced by severe flooding in several regions of Central Java and East Java.Two foreign tourists were found dead on March 14 on the Indonesian resort island of Bali after heavy rain triggered a landslide that swept away their villa in Jatiluwih village.The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency warned that some areas could experience more extreme weather in the coming days, and the northern coast of Central Java may be hit by tidal floods.The Semarang city Disaster Management Agency reported 361 disasters nationwide in the first two months of this year, which left 47 people dead, 1.6 million displaced, and more than 13,000 houses damaged./.

Representatives from businesses receive certificates of high-quality Vietnamese products in 2024. (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – The Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Products on March 14 held a ceremony in HCM City to announce and award certificates to 529 high-quality Vietnamese businesses in 2024. Among the businesses, 32 have been on the list for 28 consecutive years since the High-Quality Vietnamese Goods Programme was launched, while 16 have entered the list for the first time. Outstanding names in the list include Asia Bakery-Confectionary Co. Ltd., Tho Phat Food Processing One Member Company Limited, Ha Long Canned Food JSC, VISSAN JSC, Cholimex Food JSC, Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk), Van Thanh Mattress Company Ltd., An Phuoc Garment Embroidery Shoes Co. Ltd, My Hao Chemical Cosmetics JSC, and Saigon Cosmetics JSC. The vote for high-quality Vietnamese products this year received feedback from over 70,000 consumers across the country.

HÀ NỘI — The stock market was mixed on Thursday as investors took profits after shares posted strong gains in the previous session. Meanwhile, foreign investors net sold more than VNĐ900 billion on the main exchange. On the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index finished lower at 1,264.26 points, down 6.25 points, or 0.49 per cent, but still hovering near a more than one year high. Several securities firms believe that investor confidence is also on the rise as market liquidity improved along with the index. Foreign capital continued to see strong outflows from the market as foreign investors net sold VNĐ911.36 billion on HoSE.

Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (L) and President Pro Tempore of US Senate Patty Murray at their meeting on March 13 in Washington, D.C(Photo: VNA)At the meeting between Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Elizabeth M. Allen in Washington DC on March 13. (Photo: VNA)- Vietnam regards the US as a strategically important partner, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan affirmed at a meeting with President Pro Tempore of the US Senate Patty Murray on March 13 in Washington, D.C.Xuan told Murray that Vietnam hopes for bilateral engagement to actively implement the countries’ new bilateral relations framework as well as agreements reached during President Joe Biden's visit to Vietnam in September last year, bringing practical benefits to their peoples.Suggesting the organisation of more parliamentary delegation exchanges to strengthen mutual understanding and trust, she underscored Vietnam's readiness for dialogue and exchange of ideas with the US on remaining differences.The leader also proposed that the US government and congress continue to prioritise cooperation in addressing the consequences of war in Vietnam, facilitating trade and investment relations with the nation, and promptly recognising Vietnam as a market economy.Welcoming the US's expanded relations with Asia-Pacific and positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region, she called on the country to further support ASEAN's centrality, the ASEAN-US comprehensive partnership, and the Mekong-US partnership.For her part, Murray affirmed her strong support for the US’s efforts to enhance its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam over recent times, and pledged to continue joining the congress’s efforts to facilitate the development of the bilateral ties, including the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership framework.She also expressed interest in learning about Vietnam's situation and policy perspectives regarding sustainable development in the Mekong Delta, climate change response, women empowerment, and addressing challenges to peace, stability, and development in Southeast Asia.Later the same day, Xuan received Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Elizabeth M. Allen who stated that the US values and prioritises the countries’ implementation of the new relation framework to bring tangible benefits to both sides.In response, Xuan urged the US Department of State to closely work with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other units involved in carrying out the nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership, particularly their cultural, education, and people-to-people ties.Allen revealed that the US will continue to make resources serving joint projects with Vietnam a priority in terms of culture, education, and people-to-people relations.She also informed Xuan of several important bilateral cultural and educational cooperation programmes planned for the near future, such as developing the higher education and vocational education system, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, cultural exchange, and heritage preservation.Immediately after the meeting, Xuan, together with the Under Secretary of State and Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung, witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation and people-to-people relations between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the US Department of State./.

Illustrative image (Photo: Organising board)– Over 2,200 runners from 40 countries and territories will participate in the Vietnam Ultra Marathon which will take place in Mai Chau, the northern province of Hoa Binh , on March 23.This is the latest tournament in the Topas Vietnam Trail Series , comprising the first ultramarathon in Vietnam – Vietnam Mountain Marathon in Sapa in Lao Cai province, and races in Moc Chau in Son La province and Pu Luong in Thanh Hoa province.Athletes will participate in running at five distances, from 5km, to 10km, 25km, 50km and 70km ultramarathon with a total increase in altitude of up to 3,300 metres.The running track is uniquely designed, bringing participants a new feel of Mai Chau that not many people have experienced. From the romantic Mai Chau valley with villages of Thai ethnic people, the race will take runners through a variety of landscapes, from dense primitive forests to terraced fields, passing many long slopes and majestic landscapes.Especially, the race will welcome children from the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation. The organiser will sponsor all expenses for 50 disadvantaged children from Hanoi to participate in the race.The event also attaches special importance to charity work. So far, the Topas Vietnam Trail Series has raised more than 11 billion VND (445,000 USD)./.