Vietnam to mark World Wetlands Day
Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in northern province of Ninh Binh. (Photo: VNA)Vietnam will join other United Nations member states to mark World Wetlands Day on February 2 this year, according to a notice sent by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MoNRE) to concerned ministries, organisations, and cities and provinces.World Wetlands Day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971. 2022 will be the first year that World Wetlands Day will be observed as a UN international day , following its adoption by the UN General Assembly on August 30, 2021 in a resolution co-sponsored by 75 member states.This year’s event is themed “Wetland Action for People and Nature,” aims to motivate individuals, businesses, and governments to “invest financial, human and political capital to save the world’s wetlands from disappearing and to restore those we have degraded.”It was estimated that wetlands, amongst the world’s most valuable ecosystems and essential regulators of the global climate, are disappearing three times faster than forests. It has been joined by 172 UN member states. Vietnam participated the convention in 1989, making it the first signatory in Southeast Asia./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 11, 2022 09:05 UTC
Customs clearance resumed at border gates, crossings with China
- The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that on January 10 morning, China’s Guangxi province officially resumed customs clearance at border gates and border crossings in its Dongxing city bordering Mong Cai city of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, including bridges Bac Luan 1 and Bac Luan 2, and pontoon bridge Km 3+4.These pairs of border gates and border crossings are very important for imports and exports of both sides.The Guangxi side said at first, priority will be given to handling goods, especially farm produce and frozen products, which are being stuck at the border gates.Previously, to review and strengthen COVID-19 prevention and control measures, Guangxi temporarily suspended customs clearance at border gates in Dongxing city from December 21, 2021.Thanks to continuous efforts and goodwill discussions of both sides, since January 5, 2022, Guangxi has gradually reopened pairs of border gates and border crossings between the province and Vietnam.In recent working sessions with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Chinese side has repeatedly emphasised its high requirements for pandemic prevention and control and asked Vietnam to work together to ensure the safety of vehicles and goods.Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has assigned ministries, sectors and localities to work with China to speed up customs clearance, striving to remove the congestion of trucks carrying goods for export at border gates before the Lunar New Year./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 10, 2022 20:21 UTC
Vietnam considers new car number plate format
The possible new format of The possible new format of Vietnam 's car number plate. (Photo: zingnews.vn)The Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department is studying changes to the current format of car registration plate s, according to the department's deputy director Colonel Do Thanh Binh.Possible changes include new font and the addition of a QR code, the national flag and symbol of the car’s year of production, Binh said.It is part of an effort to stop drivers from covering their number plates with tape to avoid getting detected for traffic fines. “With the new font, it will be very difficult for drivers to tape (the number plate),” he explained.The department is testing the new plate format in various physical environments and lighting conditions to see how they are seen by surveillance camera system and human eyes./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 10, 2022 16:10 UTC
Vietnam diversifies dragon fruit markets
The ministry said Vietnam’s dragon fruit export to India, a country with a large proportion of population consuming dragon fruit at weddings, went up quickly during 2019-2020, reaching over 11,000 tonnes and fetching 9.86 million USD. Experts at the ministry suggested Vietnamese authorities hold regular talks with foreign counterparts, as well as forming working groups and subcommittees, in order to expand its market reach overseas. In addition, domestic associations and trade promotion agencies are also recommended to cooperate with diplomatic representatives abroad on trade promotion programmes to help firms improve their competitiveness in international markets. Meanwhile, to sustain the consumption of Vietnamese fruit, it is necessary to hold more trade forums to promote the fruit worldwide and develop the domestic market to be less dependent on trade with China. In the near future, firms should also take advantage of free trade agreements to bring dragon fruit exports to the next level./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 10, 2022 12:34 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES JANUARY 10
Vietnam Football Federation has new acting presidentPermanent Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan will serve as Acting President until a new president for the 2022-26 term is elected. They will cooperate to effectively carry out activities to celebrate the Year of Friendship and Solidarity between Vietnam - Laos, Laos – Vietnam in 2022, as well as the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. New cold spell to hit northern Vietnam from January 10 nightA new cold snap is projected to hit north-eastern Vietnam starting January 10 night,according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. It will be broadcast live on the Vietnam Television Channel 1 (VTV1), the CPV Online Newspaper, and the Vietnam National Defense Television channel. 2021 Vietnam Motorkhana Championship launchedThe 2021 Vietnam Motorkhana Championship was launched at a press conference in Hanoi, on January 8.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 10, 2022 07:13 UTC
Vietnam Youth Symphony Orchestra set up
The Vietnam Youth Music Institute (VYMI) has just put forward an initiative to establish Vietnam Youth Symphony Orchestra (VYO) with the support and strategic cooperation from Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO). The Vietnam Youth Music Institute (VYMI) has just put forward an initiative to establish Vietnam Youth Symphony Orchestra (VYO) with the support and strategic cooperation from Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO). This move aims to establish a non-professional orchestra programme for young people of all nationalities aged between 12 to 22. VYO rehearses on Sunday mornings at the VNSO’s rehearsal hall, 226 Cau Giay with full facilities and guidance from professional artists of VNSO. Besides, young people of VYO will have opportunities to perform with VNSO.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 10, 2022 04:28 UTC
COVID-19: 15,779 new infections recorded, Hanoi tops localities
As many as 15,779 people have tested positive for coronavirus in 60 cities and provinces across Vietnam during the past 24 hours, with Hanoi capital topping localities in infection number. Hanoi capital in the north again topped localities nationwide as its daily count surpassed the 2,800 mark, hitting 2,811. Binh Phuoc also registered to add 7,402 cases to the national COVID-19 database after summarizing its statistics. Official data from the MoH also show that 12,210 more patients recovered from the disease and 202 more patients died of COVID-19 and underlying illnesses. As many as 34,319 patients have died of the virus, making up 1.8% of the total number of infections.
Source:VietNamNet News
January 10, 2022 01:12 UTC
Vietnam-Laos trade value surges over 30 percent in 2021
Business Customs clearance resumed at border gates, crossings with China The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that on January 10 morning, China’s Guangxi province officially resumed customs clearance at border gates and border crossings in its Dongxing city bordering Mong Cai city of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, including bridges Bac Luan 1 and Bac Luan 2, and pontoon bridge Km 3+4. Business Vietcombank remains best-performing credit institution The JSC Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) remained the best-performing credit institution and the largest contributor to the State budget among the listed ones in 2021.Business Domestic logistics industry to focus on value-added services Despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic logistics industry still has many opportunities for growth if it improves competitiveness with foreign competitors.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 09, 2022 23:54 UTC
Cybersecurity crucial for ongoing digitisation of banking industry: researchers
Cybersecurity is one of the central issues in the digital transformation of the banking system. (Photo doanhnhansaigon.vn)- Cybersecurity is one of the central issues in the digital transformation of the banking system To mitigate risks, banks must adopt synchronised solutions that include top-notch security technologies, an effective cybersecurity risk management process and a strategy to foster a cybersecurity culture, according to academics from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City Business School.In a study titled ‘Cybersecurity risks in digital banking: The case of Vietnam,’ Dr Phan Chung Thuy and other researchers said in recent years Vietnamese banks have embraced digital transformation and it entails security risks.Typically cybercriminals attack banks’ systems to steal data or perform acts that cause losses to the bank and customers, it said.Attacks targeting customers, impersonating bank employees, malicious fake messages purportedly coming from bank links, and websites disguised as banks’ to defraud customers are also becoming more widespread, it said.The study cited Kaspersky as saying Vietnam ranks 21st in the world in terms of phishing attacks with 673,743 recorded in 2020, only after Thailand and Indonesia in Southeast Asia.According to a survey by the Vietnam Information Security Association, more than 50 per cent of cyberattacks are aimed at banks and financial institutions.A report by the Ministry of Public Security’s Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention said that in 2020 banks lost nearly 100 billion VND (4.39 million USD) in 4,000 cyberattacks, with a single bank suffering a loss of 44 billion VND.To address these problems, the scholars suggested various solutions related to process, technology and people.“The process-related solutions will focus on detailing steps in cybersecurity risk management together with detailed instructions to help banks identify and assess threats, and thus make active plans to prevent cybersecurity breaches and especially create effective incident response plans.“The technology-related solutions are built by combining modern cybersecurity tools and techniques. They require banks to adopt artificial intelligence and ‘security orchestration, automation and response’ technologies, two types of technology that are appreciated by banks around the world.“Despite its potential benefits, blockchain should be used with caution. There have been many reports recently that there are still many unknown hazards associated with this technology.“For HR solutions, we suggest a proactive approach to raising awareness and fostering a cybersecurity culture at banks.”The report also recommended that the Government and the State Bank of Vietnam should focus more on issues related to the legal framework and developing a national cybersecurity strategy.Another solution is to limit cybersecurity risks for a comprehensive digital banking model.“Based on the case of Brazil’s C6 digital bank, we recommend that authorities draft a comprehensive digital banking cybersecurity strategy.“Furthermore, cybersecurity risks can be also mitigated with the use of a three-layer risk control model. In particular, the first layer is related to operating procedures, the middle layer is related to risk control and ensuring compliance with security principles and the final layer is related to internal control.”It also offered some general advice to banks’ customers for protecting themselves against cyberthreats: by keeping personal information as safe as possible when using online banking services (installing anti-virus software and firewalls on network-connected devices), being wary of unscrupulous websites and fraudulent emails and messages and using different and strong passwords for different accounts./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 09, 2022 23:00 UTC
Vietnam needs to build linkages in organic farming
Vietnam needs to build linkages and investment plans in developing production and consumption of organic products , experts say (Illustrative photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam needs to build linkages and investment plans in developing production and consumption of organic products, experts say. As many as 46 out of 63 localities across Vietnam carried out organic farming in 2020, with the involvement of more than 170,000 farmers, data of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) shows. The organic farming movement has developed rapid but only a few products are recognised as organic ones. Large-scale production and support from localities are considered as necessary to create a large amount of organic products at reasonable prices. Stricter management mechanism is needed for organic farming development to guarantee transparency in the process and increase consumers’ trust in the organic farm produce./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 09, 2022 18:43 UTC
35 years of renewal: Vietnam’s rice conquers the world
35 years of renewal: Vietnam’s rice conquers the worldAfter 35 years of the “doi moi” (renewal) process, from a country experiencing food shortages, Vietnam has become one of the largest rice exporters in the world.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 09, 2022 01:44 UTC
Vietnam to attend ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cambodia
People wear face masks to avoid COVID-19 infection in Phnom Penh in May 2020. (Photo: AFP/VNA)Vietnam will attend the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2022, themed “a Community of Peace and Shared Future” in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, from January 16 – 20.It is the largest event within the ASEAN tourism cooperation framework.The forum will feature a series of major events, such as the 25th ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meeting, the Tourism Ministers Meetings between ASEAN and partner countries (China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, India and Russia), the International Travel Expo TRAVEX, and the ASEAN Tourism Award Ceremony.In this year’s ASEAN Tourism Award, Vietnam has won four out of the five categories, namely ASEAN Green Hotel Awards, ASEAN MICE Venue Awards, ASEAN Clean Tourist City Awards, and ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards.Vietnam’s pavilion at TRAVEX 2022 will be themed “Live Fully in Vietnam”, with the participation of popular tourist destinations, tour operators and luxurious hotels and resorts from the country.The ATF was first organised in Kuala Lumpur in 1981. The event was hosted by Vietnam twice, in Hanoi in 2009 and in Quang Ninh in 2019.According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, ASEAN is one of Vietnam ’s major source of tourists. In 2019, tourist arrivals from ASEAN totaled nearly 2.1 million, mostly from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia . The figure accounted for about 11.6 percent of Vietnam’s foreign visitors./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 08, 2022 23:03 UTC
Cultural value popularisation helps raise Vietnam’s status in int’l arena
The magnificent Son Doong Cave in the central province of Quang Binh (Photo: VNA)Boats on Ha Long Bay, a tourist magnet in the northern province of Quang Ninh (Photo: VNA)VNA– Proactively popularising Vietnam’s cultural values to the world and bringing into play the soft power of culture to help promote the country’s status in the international arena is one of the targets determined in the cultural development strategy until 2030.Over the past years, Vietnam has been striving to popularise images of its land and people so as to help uphold the national cultural identity, join humankind’s civilisation, and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.The year 2021 was the seventh time Vietnam had taken part in a World Expo. Prof. and Dr Nguyen Huu Thuc, a lecturer from the Hanoi-based National University of Arts Education, said the cultural identity of a country holds an important role in the development of that nation. It is not immutable but can be developed to match the reality, including the intensive globalisation and international integration.Many experts shared the view that cultural diplomacy has helped introduce Vietnam’s land, culture, history, and people to the world.In recent years, Vietnam has organised cultural days, weeks, and festivals in many countries which in turn have also held their cultural events in the Southeast Asian nation with a view to enhancing mutual understanding. In addition, several individuals have also been appointed as cultural ambassadors to spread cultural values of each country.The strategy for developing Vietnam’s cultural industries until 2020 with a vision to 2030, which targeted the development of cultural industries in tandem with the dissemination of the country’s images, has helped protect and bring into play the national cultural identity during the international integration and cooperation process. This is also in line with the role of culture as a driver for economic development stated in the documents of the 13th National Party Congress./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 08, 2022 14:52 UTC
Vietnam, Laos eye breakthrough measures to enhance cooperation's effectiveness
Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh shared the view that both sides must foster closer coordination and come up with breakthrough measures to enhance their cooperation’s effectiveness while meeting in Hanoi on January 8. The Lao PM is on an official visit to Vietnam until January 10 at the invitation of his counterpart PM Pham Minh Chinh. Welcoming PM Phankham Viphavanh, President Phuc said he expects the visit will provide a new impetus for the Vietnam-Laos special relations to expand further. They also wanted the two countries to expand connections in both hard and soft infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and digital economy. Phuc later took the occasion to ask his guest to convey his greetings to Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and other leaders of Laos./.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 08, 2022 14:16 UTC
Vietnam, Laos agree to boost special ties
For his part, the Lao leader also spoke highly of Vietnam’s achievements in its recent national construction and development, and thanked the Party, State and people of Vietnam for their great, valuable help to Laos. They reaffirmed their countries’ consistent policies of always attaching importance and top priority to the consolidation and strengthening of the bilateral great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation. They also agreed to continue raising the quality of the education-training cooperation; strengthen exchanges in culture, sports and tourism; and boost cooperation in clean agriculture, e-commerce and digital transform. The Lao PM invited PM Chinh to pay an official visit to Laos at a suitable time, and the invitation was accepted. During the ongoing visit, the two PM will co-chair the launch of the Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022 and the 44th session of the Vietnam - Laos Inter-governmental Committee.
Source:Viet Nam News
January 08, 2022 08:55 UTC