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
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives ambassadors of Singapore, Egypt
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Singaporean Ambassador Jaya Ratnam at the meeting on February 1. (Photo: VNA)President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Egyptian Ambassador Mahmoud Hassan Nayel on February 11. (Photo: VNA)– President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received the ambassadors of Singapore and Egypt at separate meetings in Hanoi on February 11.Talking to Singaporean Ambassador Jaya Ratnam, the State leader stressed that the two countries’ cooperation has been thriving, especially in trade and investment, since his official visit as the Prime Minister of Vietnam to the city state in April 2018.Ambassador Jaya Ratnam noted though 2021 was a year full of difficulties for both countries and the world, the two sides have sustained close relations as seen in high-level talks. Singapore ’s investment in Vietnam’s industrial parks topped 14 billion USD, and the two nations mutually supported in health care, including in COVID-19 vaccine and medical supplies.He vowed utmost efforts to bolster bilateral ties, particularly in economy, trade, investment, defence, and security.Applauding the diplomat’s determination, President Phuc spoke highly of the coordination among the countries’ agencies, ministries, and sectors to further intensify the Vietnam - Singapore strategic partnership and work towards the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023.He asked the two sides to maintain all-level mutual visits, restore commercial flights, boost defence cooperation, consider new cooperation areas like defence industry, search and rescue, and promote collaboration in human resources development.The host leader also thanked Singapore for its precious and timely assistance for Vietnam in the pandemic combat, calling for mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” and favourable conditions for each other’s people and businesses to travel and do business.Meeting with outgoing Ambassador of Egypt Mahmoud Hassan Nayel, President Phuc highly valued his guest’s contributions to the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.He affirmed that Vietnam always treasures the long-standing bilateral relations, noting even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the countries have still enhanced ties in multiple fields, including trade which rose from over 491 million USD in 2019 to 515 million USD in 2020. They have also consistently supported each other at international and regional forums.Ambassador Mahmoud Hassan Nayel thanked relevant agencies of Vietnam for their active support for his embassy to fulfill duties, adding that he always views Vietnam as his second homeland.He expressed his hope that in the time to come, bilateral trade will continue to be fostered and high-level mutual visits resumed.Sharing the diplomat’s view on the huge potential of their countries’ cooperation, President Phuc asked the two sides to increase high-level delegation exchanges and meetings, as well as those between ministries, sectors, and enterprises to tighten links.They should also work together to fruitfully organise the 6th meeting of the Vietnam - Egypt Inter-governmental Committee in 2022; actively carry out the signed agreements such as the investment facilitation and protection agreement, the memorandum of understanding on rice trade between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade, and the cooperation memorandum between the MoIT and the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources; and step up partnerships in education - training, tourism, and agriculture, according to the President.He voiced his hope that after returning to Egypt , Mahmoud Hassan Nayel will continue supporting the countries’ relations to develop in various spheres.For his part, the Egyptian ambassador pledged more dedication to bilateral ties, especially when his country is the host of the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27), which will give both sides many chances for stronger cooperation in the climate change issue./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 11, 2022 23:34 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 11
Vietnam records nearly 1,400 cyber attacks in JanuaryVietnam posted 1,383 cyber attacks in the first month of 2022, an increase of 10.29 percent from December 2021, according to the Vietnam National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Algeria hopes for stronger economic partnership with Vietnam: AmbassadorAlgeria hopes to further bolster its economic partnership with Vietnam to match the sound political ties between the two countries, according to Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Boubazine Abdelhamid. Regarding cooperation priorities in 2022, the diplomat said that the two sides will organise the 12th meeting of the Algeria-Vietnam Cooperation Committee and the Algerian Culture Week in Vietnam this year. International tourism forecast to recover strongly in Vietnam in 2022The number of international searches about Vietnam tourism is on an upward trend, which is considered as a positive sign for the Vietnam's industry, especially in the efforts to revive it and regain growth momentum. The Department of Construction and Quality Management of Traffic Works takes responsibility for proposing the establishment of a working group for the Steering Committee.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 11, 2022 10:17 UTC
Bright future forecast for US companies in Vietnam despite COVID-19: AmCham
US automaker Ford's production in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)Adam Sitkoff, executive director from the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Hanoi. (Photo: tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn)There are great opportunities and a bright future for US companies within sight in Vietnam despite the economic implications of the COVID-19 for the country, said Adam Sitkoff, executive director from the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Hanoi, in a recent interview. US companies and investors have contributed significantly to the transformation and growth of Vietnam’s economy, Sitkoff told Dau Tu (Vietnam Investment Review). A trade deal would improve investment and trade flows, assist sustainable supply chains, enhance business conditions that strengthen the private sector, ensure sustainable economic and social development, and promote prosperity in Vietnam, he stated./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 11, 2022 10:04 UTC
UNDP, UNFPA pledge to help Vietnam in post-pandemic recovery
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang on February 10 held talks with Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Foreign AffairsGiang spoke highly of contributions by the two UN agencies to socio-economic development in Vietnam, and thanked them for their support to Vietnam in the fight agaist the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnam will prioritise post COVID-19 socio-economic recovery in a green, sustainable and inclusive fashion, and promote innovation, he said, welcoming key areas of the 2022-2026 Country Programme Document (CPD) and the 10th Country Programme for Vietnam recently approved by executive boards of UNDP and UNFPA. The Deputy Minister also praised cooperation between UNDP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organising an international conference on green, sustainable, inclusive socio-economic recovery and innovation this month, and expressed his belief that the conference would result in policy proposals useful for post-pandemic recovery in Vietnam and the world. Nhập mô tả Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Vietnam Naomi Kitahara (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)Wiesen and Kitahara, for their part, affirmed the importance that UNDP and UNFPA attach to the cooperative relations with Vietnam, and lauded the active and responsible cooperation of Vietnamese ministries and agencies.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 10, 2022 21:18 UTC
Mekong Delta should become role model in climate change adaptation: Minister
An aerial view of Ca Mau Cape in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, which is also located in the southermost of Vietnam (Photo: VNA)– The Mekong Delta, the largest agricultural hub of Vietnam, should be confident to surmount difficulties and become a role model in climate change adaptation in the world, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan.Agriculture will remain a pillar of the economy in the coming years, so it needs to grow in a new direction which is shifting from separate development within each locality to inter-locality and inter-regional connectivity to boost common development, he told a meeting with agriculture officials of the 13 Mekong Delta localities in Bac Lieu province on February 9.Hoan said the local agriculture sector should adopt the production models generating high economic values and enriching farmers.Highlighting the tasks for 2022, the minister asked the localities to boost eco-farming to meet the global consumption demand, noting that agriculture should not be developed at the expense of the environment or people’s health.They need to stay dynamic, flexible, and adaptive to the new normal context while effectively developing the rural economy, creating jobs, and raising locals’ income, which can be done by setting up cooperatives and improving their operations, he recommended.Local agriculture officials said since the Government issued a resolution on sustainably developing the Mekong Delta in adaptation to climate change in November 2017, the localities have been making efforts to weather difficulties and challenges and carry out agricultural promotion solutions, thus achieving fruitful outcomes.International organisations and development partners have also highly valued and actively assisted the region to expand farming, they noted.They also pointed out certain problems such as the imbalance in food security, environmental pollution, land subsidence, the depletion of underground water and water from the upstream Mekong River, riverbank and coastal erosion, along with human resources and infrastructure issues, calling for support from the ministry to address those problems in the time ahead./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 10, 2022 14:51 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 10
The Vietnamese national women’s football team beat Chinese Taipei 2-1 on February 6 in a play-off match of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, securing a berth in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 for the first time. Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Tran Viet Truong said that the resolution is a new opportunity to promote the rapid development of Can Tho – one of the five centrally-run cities of Vietnam. Up to 775 entries by Vietnamese and Korean were submitted to the contest, launched by the Embassy of Vietnam in the RoK and the Embassy of the RoK in Vietnam last October and November. This brings the total caseload in Vietnam to 2,404,651 infections. Many localities face post-Tet Covid-19 outbreakMany localities in Vietnam are experiencing Covid-19 outbreaks after the Lunar New Year Tet holiday.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 10, 2022 06:34 UTC
RoK considers Vietnam key partner in New Southern Policy: President
– The Republic of Korean (RoK) always considers Vietnam a key partner in its New Southern Policy, stated RoK President Moon Jae-in while receiving visiting Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on February 9.Son is paying an official visit to the country from February 9 to 11 at the invitation of his RoK counterpart Chung Eui-yong , during which the official is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP).Hosting the Vietnamese minister, President Moon expressed his hope that the two nations will soon elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and recommended the sides increase their collaboration regarding regional and international issues of common interest.He also requested that Vietnam further facilitate RoK firms' operation in the country, particularly those investing in infrastructure, finance, and large-scale projects.Appreciating Vietnam’s coordinating role for the ASEAN-RoK relations during 2021-2024, the President said the Vietnamese FM's current visit to the RoK will contribute to developing his nation’s ties with Vietnam and ASEAN in the time to come.For his part, Son affirmed Vietnam highly values and wants to foster its relations with the RoK, particularly in organising activities in celebration of the 30th founding anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic relationship and in lifting the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership this year.He suggested the sides maintain regular high-level exchanges and interactions, create a favourable political environment and effectively implement mechanism for cooperation expansion, especially in economy, trade, investment, and post-pandemic recovery.The diplomat highlighted the goal of raising bilateral trade to 100 billion USD in 2023 and the need to enhance bilateral collaboration in culture, education tourism, labour, people-to-people exchange, and citizen protection.It is also necessary to maintain the bilateral cooperation at multilateral forums, he added.He stressed Vietnam will fulfill its role of coordinator for ASEAN-RoK relations for 2021 – 2024 to achieve more practical and effective progress in the ties.The Vietnamese minister hoped that the two nations will continue to coordinate and affirm their stance on maintaining peace, stability and legal order at sea, respecting the freedom of navigation and overflight and settling the East Sea disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).The sides should continue to support the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the UNCLOS, Son noted./.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 09, 2022 21:25 UTC
VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEBRUARY 9
HCM City universities tell students to return on Feb 14Many universities and colleges in HCM City plan to resume in-person classes next Monday (February 14) with strict compliance with COVID-19 pandemic safety measures. HCM City targets attracting 50,000 people to live and work in Thủ Đức by 2025, including 20,000 engineers and other experts. Documentary about Vietnamese music wins at Los Angeles Film AwardsA documentary about Vietnamese music by French filmmaker François Bibonne has been announced as one of the winners at the Los Angeles Film Awards (LAFA). The 30-minute film, entitled Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam, won the Best Documentary Short in January. Besides, during the period of 2026-2030, all senior citizens in Vietnam will have access to necessary health care services when they are sick.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 09, 2022 05:22 UTC
Vietnam, RoK target comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership
– The upcoming official visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son is expected to contribute to fostering relations between Vietnam and the RoK, towards a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tung has said.Son will pay an official visit to the RoK and attend the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD )-run Southeast Asia Regional Programme ( SEARP ) ministerial meeting from February 9-11 at the invitation of his RoK counterpart Chung Eui-yong and OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann.This is the first visit to the RoK by a Vietnamese foreign minister over the past five years, and also the first by Son after his appointment to the position, the ambassador told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), adding that the visit opens up activities marking the 30th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (1992-2022).Given complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the visit demonstrates the resolve to maintain and boost the bilateral relationship, he noted.According to the diplomat, Son will hold working sessions with officials of the RoK, during which they will look into the celebration of the diplomatic ties, and orientations for the relations as agreed by senior leaders of the two countries.Priority cooperation areas would be politics-diplomacy, national defence-security, economy and social affairs, for peace, stability, collaboration and development of the two countries, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and other regions.The two sides will work to consolidate the existing cooperation spheres and open up new ones, while restoring those disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Son is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the RoK, the ambassador said.The minister will attend the OECD-run Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP), to be hosted by the RoK, in his capacity as the co-chair of the programme for 2022-2025.As coordinator for the ASEAN-RoK relations for 2020-2023, Son will also engage in discussions with Korean partners in this regard.
Source:Viet Nam News
February 08, 2022 21:30 UTC