Ho Chi Minh City’s Health Department on January 5 announced that a hi-tech screening and diagnostic centre is being developed at Oncology Hospital 2 in Thu Duc city, as part of a project to develop a specialised medical centre in the south of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

According to the department, the centre attracts medical workers with high expertise from central hospitals in the city.

The centre is equipped with modern medical devices to help medical workers detect early lesions in the brain, eyeballs, spine diseases, benign tu, malignant tumors in organs, and gene sequencing. 

Besides specialising in early detecting diseases, particularly cancers, doctors at the centre use different testing techniques to assess the current health conditions of customers, and check the health history of their relatives, through which they can offer recommendations for the consumers to maintain a healthy lifestyle as good as possible.

Tan Son Nhat Airport to serve average 130,000 passengers daily during Tet Holiday

The Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCM City is expected to serve an average number of up to 130,000 passengers including 90,000 from domestic flights a day during the peak travelling period of Lunar New Year (Tet) Holiday.

According to the airport, the two days which expect to see the highest number of passengers will be January 20 with 123,000 passengers and January 29 with over 144,000. 

There will be about 27,000 flights with 3.80 million passengers going through Tan Son Nhat Airport during the holiday, an increase of over 10 percent compared to the figures of 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Authorities at Tan Son Nhat have taken the highest level of security measures to ensure safety during this period.

The airport has adjusted flight frequency from January 6 to February 5 to serve the rising number of flights. As such, there will be 44 flights taking off and landing per hour between 6am- 11.55pm everyday and 36 flights per hour between 12am-5.55am. This is the highest number of flights operating per hour reported at the airport so far as 40 flights was the previous record.

They have also co-operated with taxi companies to increase the number of cars during this time.

The 2023 Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday will last from January 20 through January 26.

Travel Off Path: Ho Chi Minh City named as trendiest Asian destination of 2023

Ho Chi Minh City has been named as the trendiest Asian destination this year, as compiled by famous United States-based travel website Travel Off Path.

According to information given by the website, although Asia has yet to fully reinstate normality like in Europe, there’s no denying that the situation is in a much better place now than it was at the beginning of the year.

For instance, the website mentioned that several Asian countries which had completely banned tourism in response to the health crisis are now welcoming tourists back with open arms, without all of the usual pandemic-era bureaucracy.

Based on recent data from popular online travel agency Kayak, Travel Off Path released the top seven Asian destinations for visitors to consider in the upcoming year.

Ho Chi Minh City topped the list to be named as the trendiest Asian destination for 2023, becoming the most sought-after destination overall.

Rounding off the list of the top seven trending destinations were Tel Aviv in Israel, Tokyo in Japan, Bangkok in Thailand, Hong Kong (China), Singapore, and Taipei in Taiwan (China).

HCM City bans sleeper buses entering downtown

The HCM City Department of Transport has banned sleeper buses from entering the city centre between 6am and 10pm in an effort to crack down on picking up and dropping off passengers illegally.

The move is expected to reduce traffic jams and ensure traffic safety and order during the year-end increase in transport demand, especially for the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.

Accordingly, sleeper buses are not allowed to enter the off-limits area within National Highway 1A, Nguyễn Văn Linh, Võ Chí Công, Nguyễn Thị Định, Đồng Văn Cống, Mai Chí Thọ and Hà Nội Highway during the time limitation mentioned above.

This area has been off limits for cargo trucks since 2018.

However, sleeper buses are permitted to travel on those roads without any time limitation on their way to the new Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station in Thủ Đức City and Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station in Bình Tân District on fixed routes regulated by the transport department.

The Department of Transport will consider adjusting the time limitation depending on traffic conditions.

The city now has about 60 companies providing passenger transport services on inter-provincial fixed routes with nearly 1,600 vehicles, while more than 1,350 firms provide over 90,800 contract cars and tourist cars.

So far, there are more than 49,200 fixed-route passenger buses operating in the city, including about 1,100 sleeper buses from 22 to 44 beds. In addition, more than 1,600 sleeper buses travel from other provinces to the city's bus stations.

The sleeper buses traveling to and from the city are only allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at five bus stations: An Sương Bus Station in Hóc Môn District, Ngã Tư Ga Bus Station in District 12, new Miền Đông Bus Station, old Miền Đông Bus Station in Bình Thạnh District and Miền Tây Bus Station.

However, many sleeper buses have been discovered picking up and dropping off passengers at illegal locations.

The department’s traffic inspectors have identified 76 locations across the city where passenger transport services often pick up or drop off passengers illegally, mostly in Thủ Đức city, and districts of 5, 10, 12, Bình Tân and Tân Phú.

They also work with localities to monitor these locations and punish violations to ensure smoother and safer traffic.

Can Tho: Lantern festival lights up Ninh Kieu night

The 5th “Tourism Festival - Ninh Kieu Lantern Night” kicked off in Ninh Kieu district, the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, on January 5 after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The fest is one of the highlights in a chain of tourism activities organised by the municipal authorities in order to promote traditional cultural values of Can Tho.

According to Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ninh Kieu district, the highlight of the three-day event is a hot-balloon festival, offering visitors a chance to enjoy the city from above.

The lantern competition is held on Khai Luong Canal and Xang Thoi Lake, featuring over 100 lanterns in large size and many small lantern models.

Other activities are arts performance, cultural and sports events, tourism promotion programmes, and a photo exhibition spotlighting the vitality of Can Tho. 

Traffic banned in HCMC downtown routes to construct works for Tet celebration

Traffic on many routes in the downtown of District 1 has recently been adjusted to serve the construction of Flower Street and Book Street for the Lunar New Year 2023.

The Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City has recently announced traffic adjustment on many routes in the center of District 1 for the organization of Flower Street and Book Street for the upcoming Lunar New Year.

According to the Organizing Committee of Flower Street and Book Street for the Lunar New Year 2023, to serve the construction of Flower Street, from 7 a.m. on December 3 (the 12th day of the last month in the lunar calendar) to January 19 (the 28th day of the last month in the lunar calendar), all vehicles will be banned from traveling on the turning section of Nguyen Hue Street at the location near Ton Duc Thang Street. To serve the construction of Book Street, from 7 a.m. on January 12 (the 21st day of the last month in the lunar calendar) to January 19 (the 28th day of the last month in the lunar calendar), vehicles are prohibited from traveling on Le Loi Street - the section from Nguyen Hue Street to Quach Thi Trang Square.

In the period of welcoming people to visit Flower Street and Book Street, from 4 p.m. on January 19 (the 28th day of the last month in the lunar calendar) to 6 a.m. on January 26 (the first day of the Lunar New Year), vehicles are not allowed to travel on the following routes: Nguyen Hue Street - the section from Le Thanh Ton Street to Ton Duc Thang Street, Le Loi Street - the section from Pasteur Street to Nguyen Hue Street, and the section from Pasteur Street to Quach Thi Trang Square.

People-to-people diplomacy serving socio-economic development: VUFO President

People-to-people diplomacy will focus on activities in service of national socio-economic development in 2023, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga has said.

The Party and the State consider 2023 an important year to implement the 2021-2025 socio-economic development plan and the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, Nga noted in a recent interview granted to the press.

She emphasised people-to-people diplomacy’s mission and pioneer role in creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, mobilising external resources for national development, and raising the country’s position and reputation in the international arena.

Priorities will be given to promoting relations of people-to-people diplomacy and making it more intensive, extensive, substantive and effective, according to the ambassador.

2023 also sees various celebrations of diplomatic ties with foreign countries, which will be an opportunity for Vietnam to tighten its friendship with peoples worldwide and step up cooperation, thus mobilising resources for national socio-economic recovery and development post COVID-19, she said.
 
Reviewing achievements in people-to-people diplomacy in 2022, Nga said the sector has fulfilled most of its major tasks, focusing on relations with neighbouring countries, important partners and traditional friends.

VUFO directly joined and chaired many activities, both bilaterally and multilaterally, notably those within the framework of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year, helping consolidate and enhance relations with the two neighbours, she continued.

Multilaterally, Vietnam successfully hosted the 22nd Assembly of the World Peace Council for the first time, reflecting the country’s active and responsible contributions to the council and global peace movements at large, the ambassador said.

Nga also spoke of celebrations of diplomatic ties with other countries like India, Austria and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

A highlight of people-to-people diplomacy in the year was the connectivity between centrally-run agencies and localities, Nga said, explaining that friendship, peace and solidarity activities were organised at both central and local levels.

High-speed boats to Phu Quoc suspended due to bad weather

The high-speed boat service to Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang has been temporarily suspended from this morning, January 6, because of unfavourable weather conditions.

The information was given by Vo Minh Tuan, director of Kien Giang Ports Authority.

Since Thursday evening, Phu Quoc Island has been facing strong winds. According to the Hydrometeorological Observatory - Southern Region, the island would continue struggling with violent winds with waves of 2-3 metres high, in the next 24 hours.

Express boat operators have contacted their passengers to offer ticket refunds or other trips.

Tuan added that the boats from Rach Gia and Ha Tien to Phu Quoc and Nam Du would be resumed when weather conditions improved.

Strong winds also led to the suspension of high-speed boat services to Phu Quoc on December 18. Many flights to the island were also affected, causing losses of around VND2 billion (USD84,745).

Exhibition spotlights Paris Conference 50 years ago

More than 200 documents, photos and objects featuring the Paris negotiations for the signing of an agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam (Paris Peace Accords) 50 years ago are being displayed in Hanoi.

The exhibition, opened on January 5, is held by the National Archives Center III under the Ministry of Home Affairs' State Records and Archives Department. The documents, images and artifacts on display are being preserved at the National Archives Centers II and III; the archives of the Foreign Ministry, the Vietnam National Museum of History, the national archives of the US and Russia, the liaison board of war veterans who once served in the Joint Military Group at Davis Camp, and some witnesses of the negotiation.

The Paris negotiations lasted for nearly five years, with bilateral talks from May 13 to October 31, 1968, and four-party talks from January 25, 1969 to January 1973.

After 201 open sessions, 45 high-level private talks, 24 secret meetings, 500 press conferences, 1,000 interviews and hundreds of get-togethers in support of Vietnam, the Paris Agreement was signed on January 27, 1973 by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the US.

The agreement put an end to the longest and most difficult struggle in the history of Vietnam's diplomacy.

Ca Mau, Khammouane provinces step up cooperation

The southernmost province of Ca Mau and the Lao province of Khammouane agreed to facilitate cooperation during a meeting between their leaders in the Vietnamese locality on January 5.

Nguyen Tien Hai, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Ca Mau, spoke highly of Khammouane province and Laos’s success in surmounting difficulties and regaining growth momentum in the post-pandemic period.

The two provinces signed an agreement on development cooperation in 2014. Ca Mau has been providing annual aid worth 1 billion VND (nearly 42,600 USD) for Khammouane to boost personnel training in the 2019 - 2023 period.

The Vietnamese province pledged to continue assistance for the Lao side after 2023, the host official said.

Vanxay Phongsavan, Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Khammouane province, said the delegation’s visit aimed to learn local experiences in socio-economic development and investment attraction, and tighten relations between the Vietnamese and Lao Parties, States, and people.

They also looked to promote the two provinces’ partnerships in the fields both are strong at, including agriculture, forestry, tourism, and energy, he added.

At the meeting, both host and guest shared the view that there remains much room for bilateral development cooperation in various areas.

Ca Mau and Khammouane will step up popularising each other’s images and create the best possible conditions for bilateral investment and overall cooperation, thereby further strengthening their friendship in the future, they added.

Activities celebrate 1968 Spring General Offensive and Uprising

A series of activities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the 1968 Spring General Offensive and Uprising are taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from January 5 - 9. 

These events are organised by the Department of Information and Communications of Ho Chi Minh City in coordination with relevant departments, sectors and publishing units.

At an exchange programme on the same day, historical witnesses who directly participated in the offensive and uprising, highlighted the significance of the event, saying it shows the aspiration for independence, freedom and peace for the fatherland, the absolute confidence in the leadership of the Party, the spirit of independence and creativity, and the strength of the great national unity bloc. 

During the chain of activities, some publishing houses will introduce 55 titles of book on the 1968 Spring General Offensive and Uprising, the history, culture, and people of Sai Gon – HCM City, and the resistance wars against the US and France. 

Other activities include an exhibition of documents and photos.

A book compiled by many authors who are former officials of the HCM City committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and former members of political armed forces and student movements in the city; and a handbook introducing historical sites and architectural and art works in HCM City associated with the history of the offensive and uprising, will also debut. 

These activities are expected to help young people understand more about the sacrifice and contribution of previous generations to the country and instill pride in the heroic history of Vietnam.

Condolences to the Vatican on passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Leaders of Vietnam on January 5 offered condolences to the Vatican on the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a message of condolences to Pope Francis while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended condolences to the Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away on December 31, 2022 at the age of 95.

South Korean Jang wins the first stage of International Bình Dương TV Cycling

South Korean Jang Kyunggu excelled in the first stage of the International Bình Dương Television Cycling Tournament, taking the yellow jersey and finishing nearly three minutes faster than the rest of the pack.

The South Korean finished first with a time of 2: 24.20 on 137km from New Bình Dương City of Bình Dương Province to Phước Long Town of Bình Phước Province.

Jang separated from the peloton early and gradually extended the gap from other cyclists until the end, almost three minutes ahead of teammate Jun Jaebin in second. Roman Maikin of Lộc Trời An Giang came third.

Jang will wear the yellow jersey for the second, 128km stage from Gia Nghĩa City in Đắk Nông Province to Buôn Ma Thuột City in Đắk Lắk.

The tournament, known as the Number One Cup, will have seven stages from January 5 to 11. Cyclists will pass almost 1,000km through eight cities and provinces from Bình Dương Province to Lâm Đồng Province, a route that combines flat-surface roads and curving tracks that go over hills and along the coast.

According to the organisers, eight teams, including two from South Korea and the Philippines, are participating in the event, which is back after two years of the pandemic.

To vie for the titles against powerful international visitors, local clubs have recruited foreign athletes to strengthen their teams.

Among the total bonus of about VNĐ400 million (US$17,000), the yellow jersey (best time) winner will walk away with VNĐ50 million; the blue jersey (best sprinter) athlete will receive VNĐ25 million, and the red polka dot jersey (King of Mountain) and white jersey (best young rider) ones will bag VNĐ10 million each.

The winning team will take a trophy and VNĐ30 million.

Royal ritual to be presented at ancient Citadel Heritage Site

Visitors to the Hà Nội – Thăng Long Ancient Citadel Heritage Site will have a chance to learn more about the traditional customs of Tết (Lunar New Year holiday) through several lively spaces that are on display at the site.  

The spaces present the enthusiastic preparations for Tết including the hanging of câu đối (the red parallel sentences) and festive painting as home decorations. The custom of ancestor worshipping is also being shown.

From January 14, the display "The Royal Palace in Spring" will be inaugurated, featuring paintings that depict the royal Chính đán ritual during the Lê Dynasty. Held on the first day of the Lunar New Year at the Kính Thiên Palace, the Chính đán ritual is the most important worshipping ceremony which requires the participation of the Emperor and all royal court members to pray for the nation’s prosperity and longevity.

The display also includes a space to simulate an amenity where the mandarins send wishes to the Emperor for getting more blessings and longevity.

The amenity of granting lucky money by the Emperor will also be presented through a collection of antique lucky money by collector Đức Long.   

According to the Hà Nội – Thăng Long Ancient Citadel Heritage Site’s Management Board, the reenactment is to promote the cultural values of the ancient Thăng Long royal court. 

Hoa Binh workshop spotlights unique cultural value of Mo Muong

An international workshop on the role and value of Mo Muong - a unique cultural heritage of the Muong ethnic group in the northwestern province of Hoa Binh, is being held in the locality on January 5-6. 

Jointly organised by the Vietnam National Academy of Music (VNAM), and the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the event offered a venue for scientists, researchers and artisans to discuss and give analysis to clarify more about the role and value of Mo Muong, and propose measures to preserving the cultural heritage. 

Mo Muong is a job and also a performance practiced at funerals, religious festivals, and life cycle rituals by the Muong ethnic group. The art consists of Mo prayers and performances, by Mo practitioners, or Mo artisans.

Through generations, Mo prayers have been passed down verbally in the community. When they’re collected, translated, and published in books, however, they begin to exist separately from people.

These days, most Mo prayers are called Mo Muong. They are a collection of verses recited at traditional Muong funerals. 

Each Muong community has its own version of Mo, but they are all fairly similar. The existence of various versions of Mo has helped expand the heritage and spiritual life of the Muong people. 

Mo Muong has a long life, spanning centuries, as it has always helped to nurture the characteristics and the souls of the Muong people. It is the essence of labour, production, cultural behaviour and the philosophy of the Muong people, reflecting their love of life and home villages.

Mo Muong has been practised in the northern mountainous provinces of Hoa Binh, Son La, Phu Tho, and Ninh Binh, the north central province of Thanh Hoa, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak and Hanoi.

Hanoi to address traffic congestion through increased investment in transport infrastructure

This year, Hanoi plans to increase investment in transport infrastructure and accelerate the progress of technical infrastructure investment projects, and major transport works to alleviate traffic congestion in the city.

Traffic expert Nguyễn Xuân Thủy said that to reduce congestion, the city must show a strong determination to build a transport infrastructure system connecting the inter-region and within the region.

Hà Nội has faced traffic congestion for many years because the transport infrastructure development has not kept pace with urbanisation, population growth, and the increase of personal vehicles.

Data shows that the city has about 8.4 million people and more than 7.6 million vehicles.

The city has about 43 hospitals, around 2,500 schools (from preschools to universities), and 56,202 agencies and organisations. Many of them are located deep in the inner city, which is believed to be one of the main causes of city traffic congestion and infrastructure overload.

In the meantime, the capacity of public transport services only meets 30 per cent of travel demand.

Most people still keep the habit of travelling by personal vehicles, making the pressure on the city’s infrastructure system increasingly heavy.

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