HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese enterprises and authorities are taking action right from the start of 2024 to promote industrial production though many challenges remain in the global economy. The General Statistics Office (GSO) reported that the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in January fell 4.4% month on month but still went up 18.3% year on year. In particular, the processing - manufacturing sector expanded 19.3% from a year earlier, contributing 15.1 percentage points to the overall growth. It will accelerate the completion and inauguration of new industrial production projects to serve export and domestic consumption, he went on. The province will also effectively step up dialogue with, and assistance for enterprises to recover and boost industrial growth, according to local authorities.

Minister Counsellor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, speaks at the 62nd session of the UN Commission for Social Development on February 12. (Photo: VNA)– A diplomat of Vietnam has emphasised the country’s priority of building an inclusive, equal, and resilient society where no one is left behind while addressing the 62nd session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development on February 12.The session from February 5 to 14, themed “Fostering social development and social justice through social policies to accelerate progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication”, saw the presence of representatives of UN member states and relevant international organisations.In her remarks, Minister Counsellor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, reaffirmed the country’s strong commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and underlined its priority of building an inclusive, equal, and resilient society where no one is left behind.Basing on that orientation, Vietnam has carried out a number of policies on education, social security, and poverty elimination, thereby obtaining such results as reducing the multidimensional household poverty rate to 4.3% in 2022, raising the average income of poor households by 230%, and increasing the rates of literate people and school-age children attending school to over 90%, she noted.Besides, Thoa added, Vietnam pledges not to pursue economic growth at the expense of the environment but make persistent efforts to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2050, especially its participation in and implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).She held that there remain numerous challenges to the realisation of the social development and social justice target due to limited resources. This requires international cooperation be enhanced in building capacity and giving technical support for developing countries like Vietnam so as to promote efforts towards the common target of social development and social justice.At the session, many participants shared the view that the process of promoting social development and social justice is being affected considerably by such global challenges as conflicts, climate change, and economic uncertainties.Given this, it is necessary to step up national and international efforts to increase the provision of core social services, social security, and high-quality health and educational services with reasonable costs for all people, they said./.

According to the "Vietnam’s SMEs Empowerment" report, during the 12 months ending on August 31, 2023, Vietnamese selling partners collectively sold over 17 million products on Amazon, achieving an impressive 50 per cent year-on-year export value growth. The overall export value of Vietnamese selling partners on Amazon witnessed an impressive year-on-year growth of over 50 per cent, with the number of partners surpassing US$100,000 in sales increasing by 70 per cent. Cross-border e-commerce emerged as a crucial factor in the export success of Vietnamese businesses, with the number of selling partners on Amazon's platform increasing by more than 40 per cent. Vietnamese selling partners leveraged Amazon's tools, programmes, and services to achieve significant growth. Gijae Seong, Head of Amazon Global Selling Vietnam, expressed his enthusiasm for the sustainable growth of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and manufacturers, emphasising the vital role of SMEs in the local economy.

These ambitious goals align seamlessly with the unveiling of new sustainability initiatives, reinforcing ONYX Hospitality Group's dedication to a "Tailored Approach to Hospitality." In this pursuit, ONYX Hospitality Group is not just shaping the present but envisaging a future where succeeding generations can enjoy the same travel privileges. This approach enables travellers to connect with the destination and its local community on a more profound level. As part of this collaboration, ONYX Hospitality Group hosted the official launch event with UNESCO on 3February 2024, at Amari Bangkok.In addition, ONYX Hospitality Group embarks on a pioneering initiative with WWF Thailand through the Sustainable Consumption and Production Project. In 2023, 11 properties under the management of ONYX Hospitality Group attained Carbon Footprint for Organization certification from the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO), signifying a noteworthy milestone.

During meetings, Secretary of Thu Duc City Party Committee Nguyen Huu Hiep repeatedly emphasized Thu Duc City has flexibly applied the resolution to make breakthroughs. In addition, Thu Duc City has merged the Cultural Center with the Sports Center into the Cultural and Sports Center. The head of Thu Duc City government affirmed that all activities of Thu Duc City revolve around the goal of building a civilized, modern Thu Duc City with a good quality of life. Many social housing projects and worker accommodation projects to rent in Thu Duc City have gradually been completed. In the first phase, Thu Duc City received nearly 370 works and projects in all fields.

HÀ NỘI — Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Vũ has highlighted the need to build a common vision towards stability, sustainability and connectivity across seas and oceans, including the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea), while addressing the recent seventh Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Perth, Australia. Co-chaired by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on February 9-10, the conference attracted the participation of leaders, senior officials, researchers and scholars from over 30 countries and international organisations inside and outside the region. Within the framework of the event, the Vietnamese official had meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, the UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific, Deputy Foreign Ministers of Australia, Maldives and Japan, and the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and representatives of some ASEAN countries. At a meeting with Roger Cook, the premier of Western Australia state, Deputy Minister Vũ asked the premier to continue facilitating the integration of Vietnamese working and studying in the state, and proposed speedier visa granting procedures for Vietnamese businesspeople, skilled workers and students. The two sides expressed satisfaction at the positive developments in relations between Vietnamese localities and Western Australia, particularly the opening of a direct air route between Hồ Chí Minh City and Perth in January 2024 and an Invest and Trade Representative Office of Western Australia in HCM City in March 2023.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Saudi Arabian Ambassador Mohammed Ismaeil A. DahlwyThe year 2023 marked a bright spot in the Vietnam-Saudi Arabia relations with regular exchanges of delegations at all levels, and fruitful meetings between leaders of the two countries, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Vietnam Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy said.In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024, he laid stress on the visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his entourage to Saudi Arabia last October, affirming that it has helped elevate the bilateral ties, and positively contributed to connecting the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) and the Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC ).During the visit, the first working trip of a Vietnamese Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia and the second of a Vietnamese high-level leader in 13 years, the two sides organised the Vietnam – Saudi Arabia business forum, and signed five cooperative documents in the areas of judiciary, foreign affairs, crime prevention, tourism and trade promotion, helping complete legal frameworks and create favourable conditions for future bilateral cooperation, the ambassador noted.According to him, Saudi Arabia attaches importance to developing collaborative ties with Vietnam in various fields, which is reflected through the working trip to Vietnam by Minister of Tourism Ahmed Mibin Aqeel-Khateeb, and successful organisation of the Vietnam – Saudi Arabia business forum and the fifth meeting of the Vietnam – Saudi Arabia Intergovernmental Committee.He added that both sides worked closely and supported each other at the regional and international forums, while negotiating various agreements to shape up a foundation to consolidate the bilateral relations.In particular, economic cooperation was a highlight in the ties in 2023, with Saudi Arabia being Vietnam’s leading economic partner in the Middle East and two-way trade reaching 2.68 billion USD, the diplomat said.Building on the achievements that the two nations have carved out over years, the Saudi Arabian Embassy will continue to consolidate the existing cooperation mechanisms, promote the exchange of delegations at all levels, and serve as a bridge to connect the two peoples.This year, the embassy will organise a series of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (October 21, 1999-2024) with culture and art exchanges, exhibitions, and trade promotion events on schedule.Expressing his hope that the year 2024 will bring Vietnam new achievements, he wished Vietnam will stay strong and prosperous, and develop strongly to become one of the "economic dragons" in the region.He said he wants to make further contributions to the Vietnam – Saudi Arabia cooperation in the time ahead./.

(Photo: TasteAtlasHanoi (VNA) - Four Vietnamese dishes have made the list of "67 Best Chicken Dishes in Asia" compiled by cuisine magazine TasteAtlas. Lemongrass chicken, chicken curry, shredded chicken salad, and boiled chicken were at the 34th, 40th, 59th, and 61st places, respectively, in the list. Vietnamese chicken curry is an adaptation of the Indian variety, and the meat is cooked with potato, carrot, onion, garlic, coconut milk, chicken broth, and flavoring like lemongrass, fish sauce, bay leaf, and curry powder. Boiled chicken involves cooking a whole chicken with ginger, salt, scallion, and turmeric powder, giving it a golden appearance. The top five chicken dishes in Asia are Korean fried chicken, Indian butter chicken and tikka (boneless chicken roasted over charcoal in the traditional cylindrical clay oven), Indonesian ayam goreng (fried chicken seasoned with spices), and crispy fried chicken of Guangdong (China) which is a traditional dish of the Cantonese cuisine./.

Scanning QR Code for payment (Photo: VNA)Staff at Binh Phuoc province Smart Monitoring and Operations Centre. (Photo: VNA)VNA- Ho Chi Minh City will implement different measures to promote the digital economy , with the goal that it will contribute 20% to the city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) by 2025, and 40% by 2030.In 2021, for the first time, Ho Chi Minh City assessed the contribution of the digital economy to its GRDP from a scientific research perspective, at 15.38% (excluding e-commerce and sharing economy). The figure was estimated at 18.66% in 2022, and is expected to reach 22% in 2024.Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, said that the Politburo’s Resolution 31/2022 assigned the city the task of becoming the flagship center to lead the nation into a digital economy by 2030.The city has proactively carried out measures to promote the digital economy. It has also integrated solutions into digital economic development targets in the municipal Party Committee's resolutions and the city's annual socioeconomic development programme, said Thang.Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is developing digital infrastructure, promoting non-cash payments in many fields, especially administrative procedures, education, health care, and transportation.However, awareness in many places, many levels, and many sectors is still insufficient. Measurement methods and tools are not consistent, and policies and resources to support small and medium-sized enterprises are lacking, Thang pointed out.Ha Than, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Computer Association, proposed the city consider choosing priority economic sectors to focus on digital transformation, and have a roadmap for digital transformation to help the public gain more experience on digital economic and digital administration.Meanwhile, Professor-Dr. Tran Minh Tuan, Director of the Department of Digital Economy and Digital Society under the Ministry of Information and Communications, advised the city to promote digital economic development in key areas such as processing, manufacturing, garment and textiles, logistics, agriculture and services.According to the Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, to promote the digital economy, since the beginning of 2024, the city has implemented measures and policies to support small- and medium-sized enterprises, business households and individuals through training and consulting activities, and assisting the use of digital platforms at low prices.The city focuses on supporting and encouraging digital technology businesses to develop further, creating motivation to promote enterprises in different economic sectors to speed up digital transformation, developing new production and business models based on digital technology platforms, and improving the investment environment and operations at the hi-tech park, added Thang./.

ASEAN School GamesĐÀ NẴNG — The 13th ASEAN Schools Games will be held from May 31 to June 9 in Đà Nẵng. It will be the second time that the Games is taking place in Đà Nẵng. At a Chef de Mission Meeting was held recently, the organising board reported on the preparations for the Games, checked competition venues and hotels along with discussing and approving regulations. Trần Chí Cường, deputy chairman of the Đà Nẵng People's Committee, said: "Đà Nẵng is one of the leading cultural, tourism and sports centres in Việt Nam. It is an honour for the city and local residents to be chosen as the venue for the Games.

Currently, Việt Nam is Canada's largest trading partner in ASEAN and this country's seventh largest import partner after the US, mainland China, South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands and Hong Kong. Statistics compiled by the Việt Nam Customs and the Việt Nam Trade Office in Canada indicated that Vietnamese exports to Canada dropped by 11.3 per cent to over US$5.6 billion compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Canada exported goods worth $620 million to the Vietnamese market last year, down 12.7 per cent on-year. According to the office, Vietnamese items that would see good export growth included footwear, leather products and hats. In addition, it would also concentrate on supporting Vietnamese micro and small food producers to participate in trade fairs in Canada while promoting their cooperation with overseas Vietnamese businesses.

Hà underscored that 2023 marked the first year the Politburo’s Resolution No. According to Hà, Việt Nam also made significant contributions to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the 14th AIPA Caucus Meeting and the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians. These efforts contributed to elevating diplomatic activities as a highlight in the overall achievements of the country. Looking ahead to 2024, it is imperative for the Party and the State, particularly the NA, to actively and proactively implement the frameworks of relations established in 2023, Hà said. This approach, he said, is vital for fostering an environment of peace and stability conducive to national development and the fulfilment of objectives set forth by the 13th National Party Congress.

This is the first unit of the mobile police force tasked with training for counter-terrorism and armed rebellion tasks. Colonel Triệu Văn Minh, director of the Centre, said that the three female soldiers all enlisted in February 2022, having previously served in special police units. The female soldiers were hit by the AK rifles on their backs, slipped from trees due to the slick oil on fresh leaves, and fell and got tangled in barbed wire. The hobbies of the three women after training hours are martial arts, karate, volleyball, and soccer with male teammates. Mơ said: "Female counter-terrorism soldiers have to be sun-tanned, strong and fit.

Vietnam – active UNESCO member of enormous potentials, valuable experiencesUNESCO Representative to Vietnam Jonathan Wallace Baker has highlighted Vietnam’s remarkable achievements at the organisation last year as evidence of its active participation, enormous potentials, and valuable experiences. On the occasion of the New Year 2024 and Vietnamese traditional Lunar New Year celebration, he wished Vietnamese people good health, peace and prosperity. Because they have chosen a future career related to the Vietnamese language, learning about Vietnamese culture is something that Russian students are very interested in. The show depicts beautiful stories and images of the Dragon symbol in Vietnamese culture and the famous scenic spots of the capital city Hanoi. All passengers were given Tet gifts including conical hats and some local traditional Tet foods.

In Thailand (Photo: VNA)Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand's tourism industry saw a strong start to 2024 with nearly 4 million foreign arrivals in January, the government’s spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said on February 10. Thailand welcomed 128,969 foreign visitors on February 8, two days ahead of the Lunar New Year. As of the same day, visitors from China topped the list with 730,747, followed by travellers from Malaysia (419,116), Russia (275,641), India (209,431) and Laos (130,551). Factors contributing to the huge increase in Thailand’s travel could be the need to travel after outbreak restrictions have been lifted in China, and the Thai Government’s free visa policy, said Chai. Apart from attracting visitors from China, the Thai Government has been building positive relations with ASEAN members to promote mutual tourism in the region.