A river festival opened on August 4 in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time, with a series of cultural and entertainment activities related to the city’s waterways for locals and tourists.

The three-day river festival aims to preserve and promote the city’s culture and history, and make use of its waterways to boost the economy and tourism, in order to build the city’s brand as a culturally rich riverside urban area.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai highlighted that the city’s rivers are an important part of the over 300 years of development of Sai Gon - Cho Lon - Gia Diịnh - HCM City. Wharves, traditional craft villages, and markets along the rivers and canals have grown over the years, helping to form a unique identity for the region.

There are stalls selling local cuisine, fruits and specialties along Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal (the section between Dien Bien Phu and Thi Nghe bridges) in District 1 and Binh Dong Wharf in District 8.

There are also river boat tours, art performances in the evening, and activities that recreate the lives and culture of the locals of Sai Gon – Cho Lon – Gia Dinh – HCM City in the past.

The Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 features a traditional boat race (with participants from across HCM City and other provinces), and fun traditional folk games.

The Bach Dang Wharf and Nhieu Loc Canal also offer visually exciting watersport performances such as flyboards, water canoes, and boat sailing.

A key feature of the festival is Sai Gon – Dong Song Ke Chuyen (Sai Gon - Tales of the River), a real-scene art performance to be held at 8pm on August 6 on the Sai Gon River, which combines traditional stage materials with modern sound and light effects, creating unique experiences for viewers.

It will use 3D technology, a water music system and high power laser lights, among other modern twists, and features nearly 700 performers and artisans.

HCM City needs 165,000 more skilled employees in H2

Businesses in HCM City will need about 155,000 to 165,000 new workers in the second half of this year, according to the HCM City Centre of Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour.

The jobs in need are for four key industries, including food processing, chemicals, mechanics, electronics and services.

Vocational training and quality staff are needed to meet market requirements.

Notably, demand for trained workers accounts for over 86 per cent of the total human resources needed.

In Bình Dương southern province, in the first six months this year, the number of unemployed without degrees or certificates accounted for nearly 92 per cent of all people applying for unemployment allowance, according to the provincial Employment Services Centre.

The number of workers with certificates applying for unemployment benefits accounts for only a small percentage.

Education and training need to be innovated to provide skilled and qualified human resources, contributing to an effective labour market.

Nguyễn Khánh Cường, principal of the Lilama 2 Technology International College in Đồng Nai southern province, said that to become an excellent vocational training centre and reach an international level, the college had joined the UK vocational training council and is also a member of the European Vocational Training Association.

It has since been recognised as a leading international welder training and testing centre, he said.

The college prepares several professionals based on high-quality vocational training techniques from foreign countries such as Germany and Australia.

It cooperates with colleges abroad, exchanging teachers and training programmes to ensure that students are equipped with enough knowledge and skills to meet changes in the labour market.

Students at the college received education in technology, programming, human-robot interaction and new creative thinking abilities.

The college also set up many new training professions such as industrial automation engineering, aircraft maintenance engineering, aircraft structural repair and logistics in aviation based on the expected demands of the domestic and international labour market.

In the Mekong Delta, the Cần Thơ College is also actively improving its training programme quality.

It trains for many careers including three key national-level occupations that have high recruitment demand in many localities: tourism and travel service management, applied informatics, and environmental engineering technology.

The college works with businesses to provide training based on their requirements, ensuring practicality over just theory time.

It also focuses on internships at enterprises.

Located in the southern key economic region, the College of Machinery and Irrigation focuses on training for a number of occupations that are in demand by the labour market, such as electronic and energy technology in buildings, mechanical technology, heating and air conditioning.

Nguyễn Văn Chương, principal of the college, said that it combined training and equipping students with soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, research, creativity, and initiatives on the environment and energy saving, meeting the national strategic goal of green growth. 

Heavy rains battering many regions across the country

The northern region from Thanh Hóa to Quảng Bình, as well as the central highlands and south-central region will experience heavy rains, ranging from 20-50mm, according to the National Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Centre.

In some places, the rainfall is forecast to exceed 100mm. Rain will come mostly during the night and in the afternoon.

From Friday, the heavy rain is expected to gradually decrease.

Widespread thunderstorms and heavy rain in the mountainous areas of the northern region may last three or four days.

Experts have warned of flash floods and landslides in the mountainous and low-lying areas. During thunderstorms, there is a possibility of tornadoes, lightning, and strong winds.

The forecast indicates the possibility of rain, strong thunderstorms, tornadoes, and rough seas in the coastal regions. These factors can create strong winds and high waves, posing danger for boats and other activities at sea.

People are advised to closely follow the weather forecast to take precautionary measures against damages caused by storms and tornadoes.

Several streets and residential areas in Điện Biên Phủ City were inundated, with water as deep as 80cm following a downpour on Wednesday evening.

In the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) of Đắk Lắk, heavy rain on Monday night left one person dead.

Nguyễn Văn Nguyên, chairman of the People's Committee of Ea Rốk Commune, Ea Súp District, said the cause of the man's death is suspected to be due to electrocution when his house was flooded during heavy rain.

Continuous rain in the past few days submerged many places in border communes of Quảng Bình central province, said the provincial Border Guard Command.

Border guard stations strengthened inspection forces, set up warning signs and are guiding local people not to go through dangerous areas.

Flood water rose to up to one metre and Ka-Ai, Hà Nội and Tà Rà villages were temporarily separated.

The rapid flows of water make it impossible for people and vehicles to travel.

The Cha Lo International Border Guard Station checked dangerous areas and warned local residents not to collect firewood and fish along streams.

In Trọng Hóa Commune, Minh District, the Ra Mai Border Guard Station assigned soldiers to be on duty in flood areas and inform of the real situation to local residents. 

US helps Vietnam improve business environment and private sector competition

The US Mission to Vietnam, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Vietnam’s Office of the Government, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment celebrated their joint achievements in improving the business environment and enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the USAID Linkages for SME (LinkSME) project.

The event was held in Hanoi and attended by USAID Mission Director Aler Grubbs, Deputy Chairman of the Office of the Government Nguyen Sy Hiep, and representatives of relevant government agencies, business support organizations (BSOs), and the business community. 

“USAID has been a committed partner in Vietnam’s effort to address its key challenges in economic governance, private sector competitiveness, and workforce readiness for the digital economy. The achievements that we have made together through our partnership on the USAID LinkSME project will serve as the foundation for enhancing the capacities of Vietnam’s SMEs and BSOs, facilitating trade, and creating linkages for new successes in the future,” said USAID Mission Director Aler Grubbs.

Since 2018, the USAID LinkSME project has assisted the Vietnam’s Office of the Government (OOG), the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), and its partner ministries and organizations in continuing to reduce and simplify business-related regulations, strengthen administrative reform, and improve one-stop-shop (OSS) and inter-agency OSS mechanisms for handling administrative procedures.

As an example, the project has supported more than 70 studies with recommendations and guidelines to enhance the implementation of Resolution 68/NQ-CP, a Government of Vietnam program for cutting and simplifying business-related regulations during the 2020 to 2025 period, leading to 2,352 business-related regulations reduced and simplified across 191 legal documents. These efforts save enterprises’ time and compliance costs as well as facilitate their participation in global supply chains, digital transformation, and access to finance. 

“Through the LinkSME project, USAID has supported the Government of Vietnam with many studies, reviews, and recommendations to foster business regulation reforms, improve the business environment and increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese SMEs,” said Deputy Chairman of the Office of the Government Nguyen Sy Hiep. 

To enhance the capacity for SMEs to sustainably participate in global supply chains, the project has conducted pre-evaluations and screenings for 180 SMEs, comprehensive audits for 11 SMEs, and provided intensive technical assistance to 41 enterprises to participate in global supply chains. Among 318 purchase orders from lead firms resulting from the project assistance, 280 orders have been successfully delivered and payments made, totaling US$8.6 million. In addition, the project has enhanced the capacity of business support organizations in Vietnam to better support their member SMEs’ linkages with supply chains. 

This year, the US and Vietnam celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their Comprehensive Partnership. Our close cooperation over the past decades on unlocking economic growth, including through improving the business environment and strengthening private sector competitiveness, is yet another example of how the United States and Vietnam work strategically together to create a better future for our two peoples.

Human trafficker arrested after 14 years of hiding

A suspected people trafficker has been arrested after spending 14 years on the run.

Sùng Mí Sử was discovered hiding in a cave on the side of a mountain in Khai Hoang Village.

The Criminal Investigation Division of Hà Giang Province's Police Department, in cooperation with local police in Mèo Vạc District, apprehended the 44-year-old on Wednesday.

He was the last remaining suspect in the human trafficking case involving victims under the age of 16 that occurred in 2009.

According to the case file, in January 2009, L.T.C and three other women in the same commune were deceived and trafficked to China by three individuals.

L.T.C was sold to a Chinese individual as a wife for the price of 60,000 Chinese Yuan (US$8,380).

At the beginning of the year, L.T.C was deported back to her home country because she did not have proper identification documents. After that she filed a report accusing the human traffickers.

Lầu Mí Chứ, 44, and Ly Mí Pó, 43, both residing in Khâu Vai Commune, were arrested at the time along with Sùng Mí Sử.

But Sử fled the locality and has been on the run since 2009.

Health experts raise voices against draft law on transferring hospital management

Leaders of central hospitals have voiced their concerns over the draft amended Law on the Capital that would transfer the management of central hospitals from the Ministry of Health to Hà Nội.

They argue that such a move would negatively impact the quality of healthcare services for patients and the professional development of the medical teams at these hospitals. Many said that the Ministry of Health should continue managing the central hospitals as they currently do.

Trần Cao Bình, director of the Hà Nội Central Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology pointed out that the hospitals under the ministry in Hà Nội were all specialised and leading institutions, serving as the final level of medical care with international influence and connections.

They developed specialised techniques on par with other countries in the region and the world.

"We not only provide medical care but also carry out the task of training and directing local hospitals. We update the world's advanced techniques before transferring them to lower-level hospitals. If the management is transferred to Hà Nội, how will the development of specialisation for lower-level hospitals be handled?" he said.

Đào Xuân Cơ, director of Bạch Mai Hospital, highlighted the current lack of emergency and intensive care units in the southwest and central highlands regions.

Without specialised hospitals and guidelines from central hospitals, lower-level hospitals would find it hard to ensure quality healthcare.

Cơ mentioned that in most developed countries around the world, there were numerous private hospitals, but the Government still directly managed 20-30 per cent of public hospitals to fulfil social welfare tasks.

He said he had received requests for specialised and leading hospitals to continue being managed by the Ministry of Health to ensure consistent guidance from the central level.

Regarding Bạch Mai Hospital, Cơ explained: "Besides medical treatment and guidance to lower-level hospitals, we are actively cooperating internationally to learn, apply, and deploy advanced techniques from around the world to Việt Nam.”

“We are currently implementing the task assigned by the Ministry of Health to build a comprehensive list of economic and technical indicators. With the support of relevant departments of the Ministry of Health, we have already established more than 5,000 indicators. How will this be accomplished if we are under Hà Nội's management?", he said.

Nguyễn Công Hựu, director of E Hospital and Vũ Nam, director of Central Traditional Medicine Hospital agreed, saying that their hospitals were currently directing several district and provincial-level hospitals.

If they came under Hà Nội's management, this would significantly impact their work of providing guidance, they said.

The role of central hospitals managed by the Ministry of Health in training healthcare personnel was also another problem.

Việt Nam-Germany Friendship Hospital, Bạch Mai Hospital, Central Pediatrics Hospital, Cancer Hospital, the National Otorhinolaryngology Hospital, and E Hospital have been used as practical training facilities for medical staff in Hà Nội and neighbouring areas.

"Currently, E Hospital is a practical training base for Hà Nội Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy under the National University of Hà Nội. If we are under Hà Nội's management, will this work be affected?" he said.

In a previous meeting at the Ministry of Health on July 31, Hựu said more than 1,300 medical staff at E Hospital expressed their wish to continue being managed by the Ministry of Health.

Dr Trần Sĩ Tuấn, Editor-in-chief of Sức khoẻ & Đời sống (Health & Life) newspaper said that transferring hospital management was impulsive and unbeneficial, which might cause a wave of doctors to quit their jobs.

Tuấn said the Cancer Hospital, Việt Nam- Germany Friendship Hospital or Bạch Mai Hospital were renowned for having highly skilled teams of doctors and specialists, serving 10 million residents of Hà Nội and tens of millions of people from northern and central provinces.

Bringing these leading hospitals under Hà Nội's administration would limit their scope of operations. As a result, patients will suffer.

Patients from other provinces might be sent back to their local hospitals as Hà Nội-based hospitals were already overloaded. This could lead to cases where patients might die prematurely due to a lack of timely medical attention.

Central hospitals also have the responsibility of transferring expertise, providing guidance, and supporting hospitals at grass-root levels. When transferring these leading hospitals to Hà Nội's administration, this important role could be compromised as the Ministry of Health will need to obtain the city's consent to continue this job.

This would significantly impact the healthcare services for ethnic minorities and those in remote areas.

These leading hospitals are also places of practical training for medical universities. Professors and doctors from universities are involved in leading hospital departments. Moreover, these professors and doctors from the universities are high-quality staff for the hospitals.

If these hospitals come under Hà Nội's management, this collaboration might be disrupted, significantly affecting the training of doctors and the hospitals' operations, he stressed. 

Promoting heritage value of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park

The Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in the central province of Quảng Bình has twice been honoured as a World Natural Heritage site.

This is a testament to its unique geomorphology, global tourism value and countless efforts of Việt Nam to increase awareness in the process of international integration.

Over the past two decades, the province has preserved cultural heritage values of the national park toward the goal of sustainable development.

On July 3, 2003, the World Heritage Committee under the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) approved Việt Nam's submission to recognise the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park as a World Natural Heritage Site, with criteria of exceptional global value in terms of geology and geomorphology.

The Government of Việt Nam, with support of international organisations, saw the park expand to more than 123,000 hectares to preserve the largest ancient limestone region in Southeast Asia.

On July 3, 2015, UNESCO members agreed to add the criterion of outstanding value representing the evolutionary and development processes of terrestrial ecosystems, possessing meaningful natural habitats for biodiversity conservation.

Over the years, the park management board has actively cooperated with domestic and foreign organisations to carry out scientific projects in the fields of environment, geology-geomorphology, biodiversity, and culture-history to preserve the heritage for the local socioeconomic development.

Since 2003, experts from the Royal British Cave Association have surveyed and discovered 425 caves in seven areas and systems, of which 389 caves have been measured with a total length of 243 km. The most prominent was the discovery of Sơn Đoòng - the world's largest cave. The site is important in caving research in the region, promoting the image of Việt Nam and Quảng Binh and Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng around the world.

Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park has three forms of tourism, including self-exploration, joint venture businesses, and leasing of forest environment services.

Currently, the World Natural Heritage site has 15 different routes possible on a tour that include various combinations of nature exploration, caves, camping, walking, and zip line areas.

The development of tourism services has attracted an increasing number of visitors to the site. In order to ensure both tourism development and sustainable heritage conservation, the park management board is monitoring and assessing the impact of tourism activities on the caves to mitigate negative impacts on the heritage.

Phạm Hồng Thái, Director of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park Management Board, said the board will continue to strengthen forest management and protection work, scientific research and rescue of wildlife in order to preserve the outstanding global value of the heritage.

The National Park is a model of "Ecosystem and Biodiversity" with a unique population not found anywhere else on the Earth, an evergreen tropical forest with a 500-year-old cypress species.

The Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park borders the Hin Nam No National Park of Laos. In line with UNESCO's goal of expanding cooperation in the conservation and preservation of heritage sites, Việt Nam and Laos are working together to build the first inter-country heritage profile in Southeast Asia and the largest continuous karts cross-border heritage in the world. The expansion plans are to be submitted to UNESCO in 2024.

30 businesses receive assistance to continue social impact missions

Thirty Vietnamese social impact businesses (SIBs) have received financial and technical support to transform their business models, innovate their products and navigate the aftermath of COVID-19 under a United National Development Programme (UNDP)-supported project.

They will receive a tailored six-month, one-on-one coaching service along with VNĐ100 million as seed funding under the project “Leveraging Việt Nam’s Social Impact Business Ecosystem in Response to COVID-19” (ISEE-COVID), UNDP announced on Thursday.

The project is also sponsored by Global Affairs Canada and co-implemented by the Agency of Enterprise Development, Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The project aims to enhance the resilience of Vietnamese SIBs and contribute to mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, with a particular focus on women and girls.

The 30 SIB finalists range from producing high-quality agricultural products through climate-resilient farming methods to utilising new technology to create decent jobs for persons with disabilities and fostering inclusive education.

Addressing public health is another priority, with SIBs dedicated to healthcare for vulnerable groups and applying technology for cleaner air and a healthier environment.

Three inspiring incubators - BizCare, Wise, and Angle4Us - will be working alongside the SIBs, assisting them in refining their business models, developing new products or services and accelerating their recovery from the pandemic.

UNDP Resident Representative in Việt Nam Ramla Khalidi said last year all of the project’s finalists were able to successfully develop new products or services, maintain or increase their revenue, with some experiencing a remarkable peak increase of 19 times in revenue compared to that of 2021.

She congratulated the SIB finalists this year and expressed her hope that they would take full advantage of the acceleration programme to develop and refine their products and services.

Shawn Steil, Canadian Ambassador to Việt Nam, said: “SIBs’ dedicated efforts play a vital role in addressing social and environmental gaps, making a positive difference in Việt Nam. The SIB sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience, generating employment opportunities for vulnerable and marginalized communities, fostering the development of eco-friendly products, adding value to authentic goods, and enhancing resilience against climate change, among numerous other endeavours that have gained global recognition.

“We trust that SIBs would become successful agents of change, not just for themselves but for their communities and country,” he said.

The herbal detergent production company using biotechnology of Nguyễn Minh Hồng is among 30 SIBs granted support on Thursday in Hà Nội.

Her company is one of the pioneer SIBs in central Đà Nẵng City, applying biotechnology to produce detergents, aiming at waste treatment at source. Her production line has also created jobs for 140 local women living under disadvantaged circumstances over the past seven years.

Hồng said: “The assistance from ISEE-COVID acts as a life-saving buoy that help us recover from COVID-19 and economic downturn. We are also in need of knowledge so the project’s technical support will assist us to develop further.”

“In the future I plan to do research on a type of detergent made from watermelon and will register for intellectual property,” she told Việt Nam News.

Hoàng Thị Huyền Nga, from Will To Live Centre, which receives grant for their Artificial Intelligence (AI)-training project for the disabled, said her centre has worked with a Korean company to offer training and jobs after graduation for disabled students.

70 per cent of the disabled students who graduate from AI-training courses will have jobs with monthly income of VNĐ5-6.5 million, she said.

Nga said the centre will use financial and technical support from ISEE-COVID to expand marketing research and upgrade training equipment. 

Đồng Nai focuses on high-tech agricultural investment

As one of the leading provinces in agricultural production, Đồng Nai Province is giving a lot of priority to supporting farmers in high-tech agricultural investment.

Agricultural production in the province has been affected by abnormal weather conditions, climate change, and diseases over recent years. Many farms in southern Đồng Nai have applied high-technology in agricultural production in order to cope with the situation, helping increase quality and output.

High-tech production requires massive investment, not just capital but also technology, equipment, and knowledge, to adapt to cutting-edge manufacturing methods.

High-tech manufacturing models have been expanded around Đồng Nai, especially in animal husbandry and on poultry farms.

Lê Văn Quyết, director of Long Thành Phát Hi-tech Agriculture Co-operative in Long Thành District, who has more than 20 years of experience raising chicken, is one of the pioneer farmers investing in developing large-scale chicken farming that is eligible for export to strict markets like Japan.

He also successfully established the first high-tech agricultural co-operative to raise chickens for export.

With the determination to raise disease-free chickens and protect the environment, Quyết spent a lot of time researching high-tech chicken farming models around the world before setting up his own.

He was a pioneer in building a chicken farm in Đồng Nai Province that installed automatic cooling, lighting and a temperature, humidity and wind speed control system that automatically adjusted every day according to the ages of the chickens.

According to Quyết, these are the prerequisites for success in raising chickens.

“Understanding the necessary technical parameters in the farm helps farmers actively control and prevent pathogens from reaching the chickens from outside,” Quyết said.

“As the result, the loss rate is low while productivity is increased three times compared to the conventional farming model,” Quyết said.

The chicken farm uses bio-buffer substances and odour removal technology so it does not discharge waste water and pollute the environment, he said.

In 2017, he co-operated with some chicken farmers in the district to establish Long Thành Phát Hi-tech Agriculture Co-operative, with an aim to form a modern and large-scale chicken farming model for export.

At present, the co-operative has 17 permanent members and eight partners.

In order to support members, Quyết sponsored them to borrow bank loans to invest in closed cold henhouses.

Hoàng Thị Thanh, one of the founding co-operative members, said that although she had experience in animal husbandry, when participating in the linkage chain, she was greatly supported by Quyết.

"To date, my farm has a total of 800,000 chickens for export. Thanks to participating in the livestock linkage chain, my family's income has increased dramatically," she said.

Currently, the total chicken flock of the co-operative is nearly 2 million.

Conventional livestock production requires more than 300 workers to work continuously, but high-tech farming requires only 100 people to work.

On average, each worker can take care of about 30,000 chickens.

Similarly, Nguyễn Thị Lành, a farmer in Thống Nhất District, started to invest in growing butterfly orchids using high technology in 2018.

Lành grew 35,000 orchid plants in an area of 2700sq.m and carefully protected them with a five-layer model consisting of a heat-retaining layer and an insulation layer.

Her garden also has a system of humidity monitoring and a device maintaining a temperature of more than 17 degrees Celsius in the spring-winter season and below 25 degrees Celsius in the summer-autumn.

Her orchids met technical standards and are popular in the market.

She said that thanks to the application of high technology, her flowers are not affected by the weather and the quality is the same.

Every day, she provides about 1,000-1,500 orchids to the market, and on peak occasions like Tết, up to 3,000 orchids per day. Every year, she earns a profit of about VNĐ600 million, twice as high as traditional orchid growing.

The farms of Quyết and Lành are among hundreds of high-tech farming models of Đồng Nai farmers.

Agriculture attached to high technology has become a breakthrough in farming production in Đồng Nai Province.

Local authorities have offered incentives to invest in agricultural and rural infrastructure and to support high-tech agriculture.

A series of scientific and technical advances in seed production, VietGAP production processes, the technology of net houses, greenhouses, tillage, and automatic irrigation have been widely applied and brought high economic efficiency.

The provincial People’s Committee has launched incentives to encourage the new establishment of high-tech agricultural businesses and form high-tech farming areas. High-tech agricultural businesses have been offered loans with preferential interest rates.

Local authorities also created favourable conditions for land lease.

Nguyễn Tuấn Anh, Chairman of the Đồng Nai Farmers’ Association, said that high-tech agricultural development is a necessity, especially in a province with a narrow natural land area, a high population density but has geographical advantages like Đồng Nai.

The province will continue to attract resources to develop high-tech agriculture sustainably, thereby creating valuable products, increasing incomes and improving the life quality of farmers, he said.

He said local authorities would continue supportive policies such as bank loans and seed support, and promote scientific research and technology transfer and application. 

HCM City needs 165,000 more skilled employees in H2

Businesses in HCM City will need about 155,000 to 165,000 new workers in the second half of this year, according to the HCM City Centre of Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour.

The jobs in need are for four key industries, including food processing, chemicals, mechanics, electronics and services.

Vocational training and quality staff are needed to meet market requirements.

Notably, demand for trained workers accounts for over 86 per cent of the total human resources needed.

In Bình Dương southern province, in the first six months this year, the number of unemployed without degrees or certificates accounted for nearly 92 per cent of all people applying for unemployment allowance, according to the provincial Employment Services Centre.

The number of workers with certificates applying for unemployment benefits accounts for only a small percentage.

Education and training need to be innovated to provide skilled and qualified human resources, contributing to an effective labour market.

Nguyễn Khánh Cường, principal of the Lilama 2 Technology International College in Đồng Nai southern province, said that to become an excellent vocational training centre and reach an international level, the college had joined the UK vocational training council and is also a member of the European Vocational Training Association.

It has since been recognised as a leading international welder training and testing centre, he said.

The college prepares several professionals based on high-quality vocational training techniques from foreign countries such as Germany and Australia.

It cooperates with colleges abroad, exchanging teachers and training programmes to ensure that students are equipped with enough knowledge and skills to meet changes in the labour market.

Students at the college received education in technology, programming, human-robot interaction and new creative thinking abilities.

The college also set up many new training professions such as industrial automation engineering, aircraft maintenance engineering, aircraft structural repair and logistics in aviation based on the expected demands of the domestic and international labour market.

In the Mekong Delta, the Cần Thơ College is also actively improving its training programme quality.

It trains for many careers including three key national-level occupations that have high recruitment demand in many localities: tourism and travel service management, applied informatics, and environmental engineering technology.

The college works with businesses to provide training based on their requirements, ensuring practicality over just theory time.

It also focuses on internships at enterprises.

Located in the southern key economic region, the College of Machinery and Irrigation focuses on training for a number of occupations that are in demand by the labour market, such as electronic and energy technology in buildings, mechanical technology, heating and air conditioning.

Nguyễn Văn Chương, principal of the college, said that it combined training and equipping students with soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, research, creativity, and initiatives on the environment and energy saving, meeting the national strategic goal of green growth. 

Musician Đức Trí announces the biggest live concert in his career

Musician Đức Trí announced that his live concert Tựa Như Gió Phiêu Du (Like The Wind That Wanders) will take place on October 1 at the National Convention Center.

Regarding the meaning behind his show's name, Trí explained Like The Wind That Wanders is the first song he composed since 1995. However, it was not until 2013 that singer Phạm Thu Hà performed it for the first time.

Although Like The Wind That Wanders later became the foundation for Trí's artistic style, the song was sleeping in the musician's drawer for many years.

The concert will include Trí's most iconic songs, which have symbolised the Vietnamese music industry throughout its great sublimation period from the late 1990s to the 2000s.

“During the process of composing, the musician's job is to find his own path for his music. This concert is part of a series of events marking a journey of my composition and closing an old chapter as I am preparing to release many recently written songs in a slightly different style," Trí said.

Like The Wind That Wanders groups artists associated with the hits of the musician as well as his favourite new singers Phương Thanh, Mỹ Tâm, Nguyên Hà, Lân Nhã, Phạm Anh Khoa, and Quốc Thiên.

With this live concert, he wants to appear as a songwriter, not a producer as usual.

"I have two roles, one is a music producer, and the other is a songwriter. I have not been a songwriter for a long time, but somehow people know me through the role of a songwriter more than a music producer. Perhaps this is due to the fact that producing music comes after writing songs. Therefore, there came a point when I realized that I should not turn down the role of a songwriter," he said.

Additionally, he promised that the audience would have a chance to hear previously long-kept truths behind each song in the concert.

Trí is a musician, songwriter and leading producer of contemporary Vietnamese light music. Trí is the first Vietnamese musician to obtain a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in 2000. The US institution has produced numerous international talents who have won Grammy awards over the years.

He has had a great influence on the Vietnamese music industry through a series of hit songs by popular singers over 30 years. His hit songs have contributed to making the name names of Vietnamese star singers, such as Phương Thanh with Khi Giấc Mơ Về (When the dream come), and Lam Trường with Katy Katy.

He consecutively won the Mai Vàng Award in 2004 and 2005 for Best Musician with two songs Katy Katy, performed by Lam Trường, and Ước Mơ Trong Đời (Dream in life) performed by Hồ Quỳnh Hương.

For his tireless dedication to Vietnamese music for nearly 30 years, in 2006, Trí received the Musician of the Year in the Contribution Music Award. 

VNA photo exhibition celebrates 50th anniversary Việt Nam-Japan friendship

A photo exhibition opened on Thursday in the centre of Hà Nội to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Japan.

The week-long event themed "Việt Nam-Japan: Towards the Future, Reaching out to the World" is jointly held by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

About 50 photos are displayed at the event to present an overview of friendship and co-operation between the two countries in many fields including politics, diplomacy, security, defence, economic-trade-investment cooperation, culture and people-to-people exchange over the past five decades.

On September 21, 1973, Việt Nam and Japan officially established diplomatic ties. In April 2009, Japan became the first G-7 country to establish a strategic partnership with Việt Nam, and in March 2014, the relationship was further upgraded to "Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia”, marking a strong, comprehensive, and substantive development in the bilateral ties.

Attending the opening ceremony on Thursday were representatives from ministries, agencies, the Japanese Embassy in Việt Nam, the Việt Nam - Japan Friendship Association, and various Japanese Government agencies and organisations in Việt Nam.

Speaking at the ceremony, VNA General Director Vũ Việt Trang stressed the event is held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries with a hope to popularise their cooperation achievements over the past half a century, as well as the potential and opportunities for further development in their future cooperative relationship.

It also reflects the effective collaboration in information and communications between VNA and Kyodo News over the past decades.

For his part, Kyodo News President Toru Mizutani held that the photos on display symbolise the exchange and friendship between the two countries in various fields, affirming their extensive and diverse cooperation.

As the theme of this event goes, he said he hopes that Japan and Việt Nam will jointly move towards the future and further deepen their friendship and cooperation for peace and stability in the world.

Visitors to the event will have an opportunity to look back on the significant milestones and prominent events over the past five decades in all bilateral co-operation areas captured by photographers from the VNA and Kyodo.

These photos create the most authentic, lively and clearest evidence showing that the Việt Nam - Japan relations of friendship have never been better than they are now. Not only do the two nations share numerous strategic benefits, but their leaders and peoples also enjoy a close bond of mutual trust and support in various fields.

The images of projects completed through effective cooperation between Japan and Việt Nam will contribute to lifting bilateral extensive strategic partnership to a greater height on the principles of "Sincerity, Friendship and Trust” so that both nations can march forward together, reaching out to the world in pursuit of a bright future.

A series of performances, art and cultural activities have already taken place this year across Việt Nam and Japan to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The Consulate General of Việt Nam in Osaka, in collaboration with the Japan-Việt Nam Friendship Association of Sakai City in Osaka prefecture, and the local administration organised a special concert in April to celebrate the event.

The concert has contributed to promoting cultural exchanges and cohesion between the two nations, adding it is a foundation to build a strong relationship between the two countries in the coming time.

The Việt Nam-Japan Festival 2023 kicked off in the central city of Đà Nẵng on July 13 attracting participation of 80 booths introducing Vietnamese and Japanese cultures, traditional dishes, and information about education, study, tourism and trade.

The festival has become a significant annual cultural event not only for Đà Nẵng residents but also for Japanese people living and working in the city and tourists.

From July 12-23, the Japan Business Association in Đà Nẵng (JCCID) organised a magnificent lighting space with 500,000 LED lights at Dragon Bridge West Bank Park.

The Dragon Bridge West Bank Park in Đà Nẵng was adorned with a large-scale installation that features three captivating themes, including Sakura Dom and Sakura Garden, which evoke the essence of Japan, and Lotus Lake, inspired by the stunning lotus lake in Việt Nam.

Furthermore, a Việt Nam– Japan Festival was held at Biển Đông (East Sea) Park from July 13-16. The festival was an incredible opportunity to engage in cross-cultural exchange programs across various fields, focusing on promoting international cooperation between Đà Nẵng, Japanese representative offices in Việt Nam, Japanese locals, organisations, businesses, and artists.

Meanwhile, the construction of a Việt Nam-Japan friendship house began in the southern province of Long An on July 28.

Covering a total area of nearly 7,000sq.m, the project is designed to include various functional zones such as a cultural house, restaurants, an exhibition area, and miniature landscapes representing the cultural characteristics of Việt Nam and Japan.

This project not only caters for people of Long An province but also serves as a cultural exchange hub and a symbol of friendship and co-operation between the two countries. 

U15 players to vie for national championship in Vũng Tàu

Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu will play PVF-Hà Nội Police in the opening match of the National U15 Football Championship on August 10 in Vũng Tàu City.

On August 4 in Hà Nội, the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) conducted a draw for the tournament, which will see 12 teams compete in the finals.

Teams which took part in qualifications last month are divided into three groups of four. They will compete in a round robin format with the two best from each group and two best second-placed teams advancing to the quarter-finals.

The gold-medal match will be held on August 23.

VFF General Secretary Dương Nghiệp Khôi said: "Recently, the national youth football has strongly developed. Việt Nam teams have earned remarkable results in the Southeast Asia and Asia. Young players have contributed their parts in the national team.

"These results are mainly from the clubs' focus on scouting and training youth football activities. I believe that such a tournament for the youngsters will help them to sharpen their skills, gain more experience and strengthen their competitive mind for their future careers."

The event is sponsored by Acecook Việt Nam, a leading manufacturer of foodstuffs in the country. Acecook Việt Nam has attained a strong position in the market while providing instant processed products with high quality and nutritional values.

Speaking at the sponsoring ceremony on August 4, Kajiwara Shinsuke, Acecook Việt Nam representative, said the company has been an official sponsor of the VFF since 2018.

Through its sponsorship Acecook Việt Nam has helped the development of football in Việt Nam.

He said it was an honour for the company to sponsor the National U15 Football Championship this year.

Through this support, the VFF decided to increase bonuses for the annual tournament which is named the Acecook Cup 2023.

The champions will walk away with VNĐ100 million. The two runners-up will take VNĐ80 million and VNĐ50 million, respectively.

The best fair-play team will receive VNĐ30 million.

Other sideline awards such as MVP, best goalkeeper and top scorer will receive VNĐ10 million. 

Central Highlands provinces continue to have heavy rains, landslides

Central Highlands provinces continue to see heavy rains leading to flooding and landslides in many places.

Gia Nghĩa City in Đắk Nông Province has three locations at risk of landslides. Local authorities gave warnings and are ready to evacuate people when necessary.

Nhân Cơ Commune and Kiến Đức Town in Đắk R’Lấp District have two roads with tens of metres of landslides, and are in danger of spreading.

Tuy Đức District also has four roads damaged. Soil and rocks blocked the road causing congestion.

Flood water flew over the Đắk Nông Hydropower Plant No 2, causing landslides with an area of about 300sq.m and about 10m deep.

Hundreds of residents in Đắk Nông Province felt worried when their house walls and floors cracked.

After two days of leaving Bu Krăk Village in Quảng Trực Commune, Thi Phí, 30, feels anxious and does not know when she can return to her house.

Her house is made of wood with a kitchen built of concrete. However, after prolonged rains on Tuesday, she saw many cracks on the floor and walls. She was told to seek refuge by authorities.

Local authorities moved 48 people to Gia Nghĩa City for safety.

Nguyễn Văn Thắng lives in Đông Thanh Commune, Lâm Hà District. He said his house was built for VNĐ3.7 billion (US$155,200) but was damaged after prolonged heavy rains. He was forced to move.

Statistics show that Đắk Nông Province has 163 landslides.

Deputy director of the Đắk Nông Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Quang Dần said that to determine the causes of subsidence and landslides, careful geological research was needed.

"Protecting forests will limit natural disasters including landslides," said Dần.

On Thursday afternoon, after checking the subsidence around the Đông Thanh irrigation lake, chairman of Lâm Đồng People's Committee Trần Văn Hiệp requested a geological inspection.

Nguyễn Văn Quý, deputy director of the Đức Long Đắk Nông BOT and BT Joint-stock Company, said that the investor would hire a consulting unit to survey the geology of the entire area.

The Road Management Zone 3 Department reported to the Ministry of Transport that the left side of National Highway 14 had a landslide of about 300m.

Associate professor Trần Tân Văn, from the Institute of Geosciences and Minerals, said that cracks and subsidence were caused by long-term heavy rains.

"A crack is one of the first signs of a landslide,” he said.

Vũ Ngọc Long, former director of the Southern Institute of Ecology, said that the problem related to incorrect land use, farming, groundwater extraction and chemical use. They affected the natural ecosystem.

Many people planted high-yield and specialty crops without paying attention to safety. So, the vegetation disappeared. When it rains for a long time, the soil forms underground flows and the rock structure is broken leading to landslides, according to Long.

The overuse of chemical cleaning agents killed microorganisms that maintain the soil structure. The land will no longer be able to defend itself.

Regarding solutions, Long said that authorities must put the role of forests in combating climate change as priority. The agricultural sector should aim for safe and sustainable production. 

Prime Minister receives US House of Representatives delegation

 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception for a delegation from the US House of Representatives led by Chairman of its Ways and Means Committee Jason Smith, in Hanoi on August 4.

The PM affirmed that Vietnam always treasures the comprehensive partnership with the US, and welcomed the US’s increased cooperation with Vietnam, respect for political institutions and support for a “strong, independent, self-resilient and prosperous” Vietnam.

In the coming time, Chinh suggested the countries continue promoting bilateral visits and contacts, enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, sci-tech, education-training, innovation, semi-conductor chip production, digital transformation, energy transition, green growth, supply chain diversification and climate change response.

He proposed the US Congress continue increasing support for Vietnam’s efforts to overcome war consequences, and creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the US.

The guests spoke highly of Vietnam’s development achievements, especially maintaining high economic growth, guaranteeing food security, energy, healthcare and public finance sustainability.

They said they wish to further promote the two countries’ relations, especially in economy and trade, and affirmed to cooperate with Vietnam in responding to regional and global challenges.

Top legislator meets with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairperson

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on August 4 as part of the Vietnamese top legislator’s official visit to Indonesia.

Megawati, who is also head of the steering committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), and the steering committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and former Indonesian President, stressed that the first official visit to Indonesia by the NA Chairman contributes to strengthening the traditional friendship and the strategic partnership between the two countries intensively, extensively and practically.

She expressed her admiration for Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, affirming that Vietnam is an important partner of Indonesia in the region.

Hue conveyed regards from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the PDI-P leader, and thanked Megawati and her father – President Sukarno – for their significant contributions and sentiments to the land and people of Vietnam, as well as the bilateral friendship and cooperation.

He lauded Megawati’s role to the development of the friendship with the establishment of the comprehensive partnership in 2003 on the occasion of her visit to Vietnam as the first female President of Indonesia.

Hue congratulated Indonesia on its outstanding G20 presidency in 2022, and 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Chair, stressing Vietnam always attaches importance to the strategic partnership with Indonesia.

The two sides agreed that relevant agencies of both nations should propose measures to enhance the bilateral cooperation in all spheres, levels and channels, especially the Party channel.

They also concurred to promote collaboration between research and theory agencies of the two countries, especially between the BPIP and BRIN of Indonesia, and Vietnam’s Central Theory Council, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

On this occasion, Hue conveyed the invitations by Party General Secretary Trong and other high-ranking Vietnamese leaders to Megawati to visit Vietnam. She accepted the invitation with pleasure, and affirmed that she will soon visit Vietnam.

Indonesia's media highlight close ties with Vietnam

Indonesia's media on August 4 ran many articles hihglighting close relations with Vietnam.

According to the Voice of Indonesia (VOI), Speaker of the People’s Representative Council (lower house) of Indonesia Puan Maharani said at a joint press conference after her talks with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue that the two sides emphasised the importance of bilateral cooperation and the backing of ASEAN's solidity in maintaining peace and stability in the region, through the support of parliamentary diplomacy.

The speaker expected that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two legislatures signed on August 4 would result in real impacts on the strategic partnership between Indonesia and Vietnam in various areas such as trade, investment, clean and renewable energy, and connectivity.

She expressed her pleasure that trade value between Indonesia and Vietnam increases year by year, reaching 11 billion USD last year, while saying that she supports the two government's bilateral trade target of 15 billion USD by 2028 by lifting non-tariff barriers.

Regarding tourism, she suggested expanding direct air routes between the two countries, saying that the two sides are striving to launch a direct route linking their capital cities.

According to the VOI, Vietnamese NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue recalled the closeness between Vietnam and Indonesia, while expressing his hope that bilateral parliamentary cooperation will contribute to further tightening the friendship between the two countries.

Outcomes of the talks between the heads of the Indonesian and Vietnamese legislative bodies, and the signing of the MoU were also covered by many news outlets, such as Detik.com, Tempo.com, Akurat.co. They said the signing of the MoU on parliamentary cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam will encourage information exchange, consultation, training, capacity building and exchange of visits by NA delegations and have an impact on political stability in the region.

NA Vice Chairman receives President of World University Services Germany

National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai hosted a reception in Hanoi on August 4 for President of the World University Services (WUS) of Germany Dr. Kambiz Ghawami.

Hai thanked Ghawami for his sentiments, dedication and practical support to the Vietnam-Germany relations over the past years, especially to the bilateral legislative ties, and connectivity between educational institutions in Vietnam and German and international partners.

The legislator commended Ghawami for his significant contributions to the construction and development of the Vietnam-Germany University, a “lighthouse” project in the bilateral relations.

Vietnam always attaches importance to the strategic partnership with Germany, Hai said, expressing his hope that Ghawami, who is also the authorised representative of the German state of Hessen for coordinating activities with Vietnam, will contribute more to the relations between Vietnam and Germany in general, and Hessen in particular.

The host highlighted the exchange of experience in e-parliament building, digital transformation, scientific-technological transfer and finance-budget management, as well as priority cooperation areas like education-training and cultural heritage conservation and development, collaboration between localities and people-to-people exchange.

For his part, Ghawami noted his belief that cooperation between the legislatures of Vietnam and Hessen will be enhanced and grow further in the time ahead, pledging to make more contributions to the relations between Vietnam and Germany, particularly Hessen.

Earlier, the Vietnamese State conferred the Friendship Order on Ghawami, acknowledging his contributions to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Vietnam attends ASEAN senior officials’ meetings in Indonesia

Ambassador Vu Ho, head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, attended senior officials’ meetings of ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Maritime ASEAN Forum (AMF) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF ) in Indonesia from July 31 to August 4.

The participants touched upon various regional issues, including preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit, slated for September 4-7 in Jakarta with the aim of enhancing dialogues and cooperation across spheres.   

They also shared the view on the significance of economic, trade and investment cooperation, considering this an important foundation for countries in the region, and the view that a peaceful and stable environment will create a premise for prosperous, sustainable and inclusive development.

ASEAN member countries laid emphasis on the culture of dialogue, respect for law and the resolve to build an open, transparent, and inclusive regional architecture in line with international law.

The participating countries affirmed their support for ASEAN’s efforts in assisting Myanmar, and East Sea dialogues, especially the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

At the AMF and EAMF, the delegates highlighted the importance of maritime cooperation, and compared notes on strategies and measures to boost the blue economy.  

In his remarks, Ho affirmed that Vietnam will engage in ASEAN cooperation more actively, proactively, responsibly and effectively, firstly coordinating with other countries to ensure the success of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

He also suggested ASEAN member countries step up economic, trade and investment ties, and optimise cooperation opportunities from the trend of green, clean, sustainable development.

A peaceful and stable environment is a prerequisite and a solid basis for cooperation and sustainable development, he stressed, speaking of basic principles in maritime cooperation in the region that are “responsible,” “responsive” and “restraint.”

On this occasion, ASEAN and its partners organised a forum on maritime economic development in coastal countries on August 4.

Vietnam attends ASEAN senior officials’ meetings in Indonesia

Ambassador Vu Ho, head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, attended senior officials’ meetings of ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Maritime ASEAN Forum (AMF) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF ) in Indonesia from July 31 to August 4.

The participants touched upon various regional issues, including preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit, slated for September 4-7 in Jakarta with the aim of enhancing dialogues and cooperation across spheres.   

They also shared the view on the significance of economic, trade and investment cooperation, considering this an important foundation for countries in the region, and the view that a peaceful and stable environment will create a premise for prosperous, sustainable and inclusive development.

ASEAN member countries laid emphasis on the culture of dialogue, respect for law and the resolve to build an open, transparent, and inclusive regional architecture in line with international law.

The participating countries affirmed their support for ASEAN’s efforts in assisting Myanmar, and East Sea dialogues, especially the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

At the AMF and EAMF, the delegates highlighted the importance of maritime cooperation, and compared notes on strategies and measures to boost the blue economy.  

In his remarks, Ho affirmed that Vietnam will engage in ASEAN cooperation more actively, proactively, responsibly and effectively, firstly coordinating with other countries to ensure the success of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

He also suggested ASEAN member countries step up economic, trade and investment ties, and optimise cooperation opportunities from the trend of green, clean, sustainable development.

A peaceful and stable environment is a prerequisite and a solid basis for cooperation and sustainable development, he stressed, speaking of basic principles in maritime cooperation in the region that are “responsible,” “responsive” and “restraint.”

On this occasion, ASEAN and its partners organised a forum on maritime economic development in coastal countries on August 4.

Vietnamese, Thai localities and businesses boost cooperative ties

A conference to boost trade cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand as well as between Quang Tri and Thai localities was held in the central province of Quang Tri from August 3-4.

“Meet Thailand”, the first of its kind, was organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai Embassy in Vietnam to mark the 47th founding  anniversary of diplomatic relations (1976-2023) and 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Hung said the province has always paid attention to expanding regional connectivity to promote advantages of localities along the East-West Economic Corridor.

Hung acknowledged that Quang Tri and Thailand’s Mukdahan provinces established their friendship relations nearly 20 years ago. The ties are expected to be strengthened and elevated in the time ahead.

Besides, a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing friendship relations between Quang Tri and Ubon Ratchathani provinces is scheduled to sign in 2023, thereby opening up new opportunities and development steps in their ties, he said.

Hung noted that the event was a forum for localities and businesses of both sides to exchange and seek investment cooperation. Quang Tri will create the most favourable conditions for Thai investors investing in the province, especially in the areas of industry, tourism, hi-tech agriculture, port and logistics services, among others.

business matching sessions between Vietnamese and Thai businesses.

Localities urged to take drastic measures against IUU fishing

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has asked localities to take strong measures to fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and prepare for the visit by the European Commission’s inspection team in October to assess Vietnam’s progress in combating IUU fishing.

Localities were asked to prioritise ensuring resources for implementing measures against IUU fishing, and take strong measures to prevent and stop fishing vessels and fishermen from illegal fishing in foreign waters.

Violations relating to arranging for vessels and fishermen to illegally fish in foreign waters investigated and verified in a timely way and strictly punished.

Regarding the management of fishing vessels, localities will conduct a comprehensive inspection and review all fishing vessels to make detailed records on both registered and unregistered vessels operating in areas outside their local fishing grounds, and those without vessel monitoring system (VMS).

Authorities must strictly control fishing vessels entering and leaving local ports, and those entering and exiting at the border posts and border stations.

Relevant agencies must fully update fishing vessel data into the national fisheries database (VNFishbase), prevent and strictly handle those  operating without VMS.

Localities must intensify the verification and certification of the origin traceability of aquatic products to ensure legality, and organise specialised inspections and examinations of enterprises that import raw aquatic materials for processing and exporting to the European market.

The MARD also asked relevant departments including the Fisheries Department and the Fisheries Surveillance Department to strengthen management and control over the import of aquatic products, fishing, and inspections.

The Fisheries Surveillance Department will have to coordinate with relevant agencies of the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, and Foreign Affairs in organising interdisciplinary working groups to work with host countries where Vietnamese vessels are alleged to commit illegal fishing.

It was assigned to hold an online meeting with the EC in September to prepare for the 4th visit of EC’s inspectors in October.

Students win medal at Microsoft office specialist world championship

Vietnamese students bagged one silver medal and two bronzes in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship (MOSWC 2023) and the Adobe Certified Professional World Championship 2023 (ACPWC 2023) held in Florida, the US, on August 2.

The silver medalist is Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc from Vietnam Maritime University. Meanwhile, Dang Thi Minh Anh from Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Nam Dinh, and Hoang Thuy Linh from the Foreign Trade University won bronze medals.

Additionally, Nguyen Tuan Dung and Do Thanh Viet, 8 graders of Nguyen Tat Thanh Secondary and High School in Hanoi, were listed in the top 4 and top 6 of MOSWC 2023.
 
Meanwhile, Bui Minh Tra from Chu Van An High School in Hanoi was named in the top 8 of ACPWC 2023, while Ngo Hoang Phu from Van Lang University won an award voted by the audience.

Doan Hong Nam, head of the Vietnamese team to MOSWC 2023, said the Vietnamese students have excellently demonstrated its office computing capabilities, maintaining its position as one of the strongest teams participating in the final round for many years.

These results have brought the total number of medals won by Vietnamese students in the two competitions during the last 14 years to 21 medals, including four gold, four silver and 13 bronze medals.

Quang Tri enhances cooperation with Thailand

The People's Committee of central Quang Tri province, in collaboration with the Thai Embassy in Vietnam, on August 3 organised the “Connecting Quang Tri – Thailand” programme with the theme of “Quang Tri - Thailand's convergence and development cooperation point on East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC)”.

The event was to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership.

Quang Tri holds an important geopolitical and economic position in Vietnam’s central region, with a convenient location both on the North-South Economic Corridor route of Vietnam and along the EWEC. At present, the province has seven Thai-invested projects with a total registered capital of 109.22 million USD.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Hoang Nam emphasised that the programme was a chance for Quang Tri to directly introduce its potential, strengths and opportunities for investment, trade and tourism cooperation to agencies, localities and businesses from Thailand; while serving as a venue for both sides to promote friendship and collaboration.

Thai Ambassador Nikorndej Balankura emphasised that Thailand and Quang Tri can strengthen cooperation in three main areas of politics, economics, and people-to-people exchanges.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Hung affirmed that Quang Tri will create all favourable conditions for Thai investors, enterprises and people to seek cooperation opportunities and make tours to the locality.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes