The central province of Quang Nam has said that it is exerting efforts to prevent the state in which fishing boats losing vessel monitoring system (VMS) signals as it is an effective measure to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Specifically, local authorities, agencies, and associations regularly organise disseminations in diverse forms, and impose administrative punishment to prevent fishermen, captains, and ship owners from violating this regulation.

In the first three months of this year, 44 offshore fishing vessels were detected staying unconnected to the VMS.

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ngo Tan said that immediately after uncovering this situation, authorities of coastal localities and fisheries unions have worked with those ship owners to have a definitive solution to this situation.

Tan said that the department has assigned the provincial Sub-Department of Fisheries to urgently coordinate with network suppliers providing services on fishing vessels to find the cause for connection loss.

Once a fisherman is detected to intentionally disconnect the device, the fine will be up to 700 million VND (28,200 USD) for each case./.

Two Chinese nationals arrested for organising illegal exits to Laos

The police of central Quang Tri province have launched criminal proceedings against two Chinese citizens for organising the illegal exits of 21 Vietnamese people to Laos.

The two suspects - Zhu Gui Neng, 47, and Liu Fang Quan, 36, - reside in Yunnan province. They allegedly ran a ring that was unlawfully transporting groups of ethnic Vietnamese people to Laos through unofficial routes.

The two Chinese men were caught red handed in the Ka Tang area in Lao Bao Town on March 23 taking a group of 21 Vietnamese ethnic people for illegal immigration into Laos. 

At the police station, the suspects later confessed that they had entered Vietnam via Sam Pun border gate in northern Ha Giang province to recruit employees for Zhu Gui Neng’s company in Laos.

Each ethnic Vietnamese person was required to pay some CNY280, equal to US$38,7, for the transportation. The expenses were then to be deducted from their salary after successfully entering Laos.

A further investigation into the case is now underway.

Quang Ninh attracts more doctors with incentives 
 
Hospitals in the northern province of Quang Ninh have attracted more doctors after local authorities offered higher financial incentives to healthcare workers.

Quang Ninh has provided financial support ranging from VND200-750 million (USD8,140-USD30,500) for distinguished doctors committing to serve in the province since January.

Doctors with experience are required to serve for a minimum of five years, while new graduates are expected to commit to seven years. Eligible candidates must hold degrees from higher education institutions recognised by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training.

This initiative is part of efforts to attract medical professionals to state-run healthcare facilities and drug addiction treatment centres through 2025. The goal is to enhance healthcare and treatment services for local residents, aiming to recruit at least 298 doctors.

Deputy director of the Quang Ninh Provincial Department of Health, Trinh Van Manh, said that they have so far attracted 14 doctors since applying the new policy.

"Some communal healthcare centres including Dong Trieu and Quang Yen have also received doctors," the official said, adding that they are working with concerned agencies and departments to employ more doctors for localities in need.

Like many other localities, Quang Ninh has seen a large number of doctors leaving public hospitals. Statistics showed that more than 100 doctors have left local hospitals and healthcare centres since over the past two years.

The province currently has over 2,300 doctors including over 1,700 working at public hospitals, with an average rate of 17 doctors for 10,000 people. However, more than a half of those doctors are working at provincial-level hospitals while a fifth of healthcare centres at local communes have no doctors.

Vietnamese ambassador attends Brazil communist party’s Vermelho festival

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi attended the second Vermelho Festival in Salvador, northeastern Brazil, from March 21-24 at the invitation of the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB).

Speaking at an international forum on peace and solidarity with the Palestinian people held within the framework of the festival, the Vietnamese diplomat voiced deep concerns about the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in many civilian casualties, widespread damage to infrastructure, and a serious humanitarian crisis.

 The ambassador emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement and called on all relevant parties to adhere to international law, exercise restraint, avoid tension escalation and violence, and create a conducive environment for peaceful dialogue.

He emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement, and called on all relevant parties to adhere to international law, exercise restraint, avoid escalating tensions and violence, and create a conducive environment for peaceful dialogue.

Vietnam values the role and significant contributions of United Nations (UN) agencies, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the ambassador stated, affirming that the country welcomes and supports all international initiatives and proposals aimed at immediately ending the conflict.

Representatives of the seven political parties also voiced their solidarity with the Palestinian people, while calling on all parties to exercise restraint and engage in negotiations to end the conflict.

The festival saw the participation of nearly 1,500 delegates from PCdoB and 30 guests from Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Portugal, China, and Iraq, and international organisations. It serves as a venue for fraternal parties to show friendship and solidarity in struggles for peace and socialism worldwide.

The book on President Ho Chi Minh’s life and career in Portuguese language was also displayed at an exhibition in the framework of the festival.

Previously, Ambassador Nghi paid a visit to Rio de Janeiro from March 18-21, and had working sessions with local authorities on activities to celebrate the 35th founding anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Brazil. Representatives from Rio de Janeiro expressed their desire to strengthen cooperation in education, tourism, culture, and cuisine with Vietnam.

Vice Mayor of Rio de Janeiro Nilton Caldeira affirmed the readiness to support the completion of procedures regarding the placement of a commemorative plaque marking President Ho Chi Minh's journey for national salvation in 1912.

At a meeting with the Vietnamese diplomat, Chairman of the Communist Party of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro Daniel Iliesco showed the desire to connect and increase exchanges  between the Brazilian Union of Communist Youth and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU)./.

Vietnam, China eye stronger border trade

Border provinces of Vietnam and China should continue close coordination and enhance trade promotion between the two sides, stressed the recent talks between the management boards of the economic zone of the northern province of Ha Giang and the Malypo border economic cooperation zone of China’s Yunnan province.

Representative of the Vietnamese side Hoang A Chinh said that over the past time, competent authorities of both sides have joined hands to remove bottlenecks in the customs clearance process and facilitate trade activities and immigration of the people and vehicles of the two countries.

So far this year, total border trade revenue amounted to 38 million USD, he said, adding trade activities through the Thanh Thuy – Tianbao international border gate have been stable, with an average of 1,000 people immigrating through the gate.

Chinese side representative He Changyuan said that Chinese agencies have carried out various measures to ensure the best conditions for trade activities via the border gate.

Along with supporting businesses in legal trade procedures, Chinese authorities will work to put the road connecting Wenshan Zhou of Yunnan to Ha Giang province into operation, he added.

According to Chinh, Ha Giang is striving to become a locality with fast, sustainable, and comprehensive development in socio-economy, environment, defence-security, and foreign affairs.

The province is also exerting efforts to build the Thanh Thuy International Border Gate into one of the border economic, cultural, social and tourism development centres, contributing to developing a border line of peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual development, he said./.

VBA to host 3x3.EXE Premier group round this summer

The Vietnam Pro Basketball League (VBA) has become the first Vietnamese member of the 3x3.EXE Premier, the world's largest 3x3 basketball tournament.

A partnership was signed between VBA and Xross Sports Marketing (XSM), a subsidiary of Xebio Group, on March 26 in HCM City. 

The VBA was founded in 2016 and runs an annual league with seven clubs.

ZSM was established in 2011, specialising in project marketing, research - business consulting, event promotion and asset management. In the sports marketing industry, XSM has proven itself to be an influential factor in promoting the 3x3 sport.

One of the company's highlights is the 3x3.EXE Premier, the first world pro basketball approved by FIBA. In its first season in 2014, seven teams competing with each other. 

After a decade of development, 3x3.EXE Premier has become the largest scale event of its kind in the world.

In 2022, as many as 100 clubs with 600 talented players took part in 1,143 matches in four member countries, namely Japan, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia.

Becoming part of 3x3.EXE Premier, the VBA 3x3 competition will be one stage of the 2024 season.

Accordingly, the group rounds will be held in Việt Nam (May and June), Japan (May and September), New Zealand (June and August), Thailand (August) and Australia (August).

It is expected that VBA 3x3 will be at level six in the FIBA ​​3x3 system with two formats for six men teams and six women teams in HCM City.

The winning team of each format will join other stages' champions in playoffs in Japan in September.

“In a new year of economic changes, VBA continues to improve its strategy to flexibly adapt to achieve the goal of financial independence and support for Vietnamese basketball," said VBA CEO Trần Chu Sa.

"2024 is an important year when VBA will carry out our adaptation and sustainable development strategies for the next phase. In addition to focusing on organising quality domestic tournaments, we believe that international integration is also a key step in these strategies," Sa said.

Sa added that the signing ceremony between VBA and XSM would be a foundation for the stronger development of 3x3 basketball in Việt Nam. VBA was honoured to be the first Vietnamese member of the 3x3.EXE Premier.

He hoped that the cooperation would not only open new unprecedented opportunities for Vietnamese talent and resources for the national team, but also connect and spread the power of sports internationally.

On his side, XSM Chairman Takaaki Nakamura welcomed VBA as a new member. The Japanese company would make more efforts to develop and popularise 3x3 basketball globally.

He hoped that the competition between players of different countries would help Việt Nam's 3x3 basketball spread widely in the community.

3x3 basketball has gradually lured the attention of world athletes and supporters.

Việt Nam won gold of this sport at the 32nd SEA Games in 2023 in Cambodia.

This year, 3x3 basketball will appear in Paris as one of the official Olympic sport competitions.

Indian folk dance introduced in Hanoi

The Pratibha Kala Kendra folk dance troupe from India put on vibrant and exciting performances at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology on March 27 following an invitation made by the Embassy of India in Vietnam and the administration of Hanoi.

The troupe, led by acclaimed choreographer and artistic director Pratibha Sharma, consists of several of India's most talented dancers, musicians, and costume designers.

The artists made five dance performances, telling different stories about the life and love of gods Krishna and Radha and the spring festival.

Their performances showcased a kaleidoscope of Indian culture, featuring a diverse range of folk dances from various regions across the country.

Furthermore, the Indian artists held exchanges with local students in Hanoi, offering them an opportunity to learn about the history and significance of Indian folk dance.

The event was part of their tour across the country taking place from March 26 to March 31 with the aim of showcasing the rich heritage of Indian folk dance whilst promoting cultural understanding between both nations.

The Pratibha Kala Kendra folk dance troupe will hold a performance at Tam Chuc Pagoda Complex in Ha Nam province on March 28, and Thai Nguyen University and Vietnam-India Secondary School in Thai Nguyen on March 29.

They will move to Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces on March 30 and 31, respectively.

Vietnamese cueists compete at Asian Carom Champs in RoK

Top Vietnamese male and female cueists are currently competing at the three-cushion billiards Asian Carom Championship 2024, which is now underway in the Republic of Korea (RoK).

Among 11 Vietnamese billiards players competing in the tournament are world No.2 Tran Quyet Chien, world No.8 Bao Phuong Vinh, Duong Thanh Tam, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tao, Nguyen Hoang Yen Nhi, Le Thi Ngoc Hue, Phung Kien Tuong, and Nguyen Thi Bich Tram.

The championship attracted the participation of a number of talented athletes from the RoK, Japan, and China, including world No.1 Cho Myung-woo, world No.10 Kim Jun-tae, and world’s No.12 Kim Haeng-jik.

Competitors are divided into eight groups, with the top eight players advancing to the next round.

Vietnam also sent five cueists to the one-cushion category and three players to the three-cushion Juniors U22.

The tournament is due to last until March 31.

In 2019, leading Vietnamese player Tran Quyet Chien became the champion of the three-cushion billiards Asian Carom Championship 2019, while Ma Minh Cam won the one-cushion category at the tournament.

Ho Chi Minh City charity run to raise funds for disadvantage children

The 'Skechers Friendship Walk 2024', a charity event to raise funds for disadvantaged children, will be held on May 5 at Saigon Riverside Park of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Ho Chi Minh City.

The event is being organised by Skechers, a globally renowned fashion and sports brand from the United States. The run will be an exciting opportunity, not only for professional athletes, but also for everyone who shares a passion for walking and running.

Moreover, through this event Skechers hopes to bring people closer together to take meaningful steps and further contribute to the Operation Smile Vietnam's cleft surgery fund.

Operation Smile is a US-based non-profit organisation that provides free surgery in 25 countries for children and young adults born with facial deformities.

Last year, the race attracted nearly 1,900 participants from across the country.

Vietnam Railways adds trains for upcoming holiday

The railway industry will introduce additional trains from March 28 to May 14 to meet the rising travel demand during the upcoming Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1) holiday.

During this period, SE11 and SE12 trains will be deployed to serve passengers on the North-South route.

Moreover, the Vietnam Railways Corporation will operate extra trains on key routes. These include trains SNT4 and SNT5 on the HCMC-Nha Trang route, trains SE30 and SE29 on the HCMC-Quy Nhon route, and trains SPT1 and SPT2 on the HCMC-Phan Thiet route.

To incentivize early bookings, passengers who purchase train tickets at least five days in advance will enjoy discounts ranging from 5% to 30%. Additionally, group bookings of at least five people will receive discounts of 2% to 4% on fares.

Passengers are encouraged to purchase tickets through the official website to ensure they benefit from these discounts.

Large-size vehicles face deadly Thua Thien-Hue expressway ban

The Vietnam Road Administration has agreed with a proposed ban on passenger buses of over 30 seats and trucks of over 30 tonnes from the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway as part of efforts to curb traffic accidents.

The decision was announced at a Wednesday meeting with the attendance of representatives of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, the Department of Traffic Police, the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association, and localities that the road runs through.

Speaking at the meeting, the Truong Son Consultancy Company said they had surveyed the number of vehicles running on the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway for three days from March 15-17.

"We found an average of 4,216 vehicles used the expressway daily, and nearly 50 percent of them were large-size passenger buses and trucks," Truong Son said. "Cam Lo-La Son Expressway has already been overloaded with this volume of traffic. Meanwhile, National Road 1 which runs parallel sees 17,278 vehicles daily, of which only 37 percent are large-size vehicles. National Road 1 can receive some 6,000 vehicles more daily."

Truong Son then proposed to ban passenger buses of over 30 seats and heavy trucks of over 30 tonnes from the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway to ease traffic volume. The vehicles would be diverted to National Road 1.

Head of the Vietnam Road Administration Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that they agreed with the proposal from Truong Son Company and asked concerned agencies to prepare for the new regulations.

The VND7.70 trillion Cam Lo- La Son Expressway spans over 98 kilometres of hilly terrain, connecting Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri provinces.

Despite having many dangerous curves, the expressway has just two lanes of just 12 metres wide and a maximum speed limit of 60 kph.

Only some 15 km of the road has four lanes allowing a maximum speed of 80 kph.

The hilly terrain and narrow lanes have been highlighted as the main reasons for the large number of traffic accidents.

Despite a ban on overtaking on the two-lane overpass, violations still occur. The expressway still lacks surveillance cameras to monitor and penalise offending drivers.

Two people died and nine others suffered injuries after a passenger bus crashed into a truck on the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway on March 11.

Several deadly accidents have recently occurred on the road. Early this month, two people died and nine others suffered injuries after a passenger bus crashed into a truck here. On February 18, three people were also killed in an accident on the expressway.

Long An residents face water scarcity

Thousands of households in the Mekong Delta province of Long An have had to buy clean water at exorbitant prices due to the prolonged droughts and saltwater intrusion.

Many households in Tan Lap Commune in Can Giuoc District have queued overnight or in the early morning to buy clean water at prices of VND200,000-300,000 (USD8-12) per cubic metre, 10-15 times higher than usual. 

At present, local ponds and freshwater reservoirs have all dried up. Meanwhile, rivers, canals and streams in the commune have been contaminated with salt.

A resident, Dang Thi Phuong, 63, said that over the past month, she has had to queue to buy clean water from 1-2 am. Many other households have visited relatives in other localities to get water.

According to Tan Lap Commune Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Tu, more than 4,700 local households with 20,000 people have been hit by the water scarcity since early March. The commune needs around 1,800 cubic metres of water for daily use, but suppliers can ensure 500 cubic metres per day.

Commune authorities have asked water suppliers, including Biwase-Long An Joint Stock Company and the Bang Tam Environment and Water Supply Joint Stock Company, to arrange freshwater tankers for the residents.

Nguyen Duc Anh, chairman of Can Giuoc District People's Committee, said that the freshwater shortage has affected Tan Lap Commune and part of Phuoc Vinh Tay Commune. The people have been advised to store and save freshwater when supplied. Water supply firms have been asked to arrange tankers to bring water to areas.

The district will conduct a review of underground water wells and stop contracts with unqualified water suppliers.

Tây Hồ Half Marathon features large number of runners

The fourth season of the Tây Hồ Half Marathon will be held on April 14, featuring more than 10,000 runners.

This is twice as many as last year, making it the largest ever half marathon Việt Nam. Among them, 6,000 have registered in the 21km category. Other distances will be 15km and 5km.

The routes pass through legendary landscapes with historical and cultural imprints such as Trấn Quốc Pagoda, Tây Hồ Palace, Quán Thánh Temple and old Đông Thái Village.

At a press briefing on March 27, head of the organising board Bùi Thị Lan Phương announced there were more awards than previous years with a view to stimulate determination and excitement.

In addition to the overall awards, there will have bonuses for winners of five age groups from under 30 to over 60.

Runners who set new records in the men's and women's 21km classes will receive special prizes up to VNĐ130 million (US$5,300) in cash and gifts.

The current records are 1hr 14.38 for men and 1:24.13 for women.  

“The larger scale of the Tây Hồ Half Marathon proves the correct direction of Tây Hồ District in developing community sports, improving the quality of life of people both physically and mentally," said Lan.

"Running has become a kind of festival that pro athletes, amateur runners and local people look forward to."

She said changes of the tournament this year were expected to bring runners new experiences and excitement on the route that they were familiar with.

A tournament for children is also held on April 13. More than 2,000 young runners will compete in three categories of 700m for four to six year olds; 1,500m for seven to 10 and 3,000m for 11-15.

The tournament is jointly held by the Tây Hồ District's People's Committee and Vũ Media under strong support of the BIM Group.

First waste-to-energy plant debuted in Thừa Thiên Huế

The central province has put into operation the first advanced technology waste-to-energy plant in Hương Thủy Town as part of the sustainability plan to build a ‘green’ urban area in central Việt Nam.

The Phú Sơn waste treatment plant, invested by EB environment energy company from 2021 at a cost of VNĐ1.7 trillion on 11.2ha, could process 600 tonnes of waste per day, while providing material for construction from ash and having power production capacity of 12MW per hour of incineration.

The plant was designed for processing 220,000 tonnes of waste per year, and supplying 93 million kilowatt per hour. It also collects trash and leachate for recycling and treatment, as well as strictly monitoring air emissions under European standards.

Deputy Chairman of the provincial people’s committee Phan Quý Phương said the waste treatment plant would help the tourism hub improve environmental protection by reducing waste released to the environment and preventing pollution from dumping.

Huế City, a tourism hub in central Việt Nam, in co-operation with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Việt Nam), has launched the project 'Huế - plastic smart city in central Việt Nam' to cut its plastic waste by 30 per cent before 2024, and will be a ‘zero plastic waste’ destination by 2030.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) also provided a non-refundable assistance package worth US$53,858 for the province to implement urban waste recycling in 2018.

Engineers work in the monitoring room of the Phú Sơn waste-to-energy plant in Thừa Thiên-Huế. The plant is operated under European standards.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Embassy of Japan in Việt Nam also presented six electric trucks to the Huế City People's Committee to use for waste collection, supporting the green transformation and carbon and methane reduction of the transport sector.

These are also the first electric trucks for garbage collection operating in Việt Nam.

The central province has been cooperating closely with international organisations and partners in boosting 'green' traffic by encouraging electric vehicles in the province's 2021-2030 master plan. 

Eight strongest pool players will vie for big prize in Hà Nội

Việt Nam's top players will compete for big prizes at the TD Pool Master League 202 held on March 29-30 in Hà Nội.

The tournament gathers eight athletes in the current 'golden generation', including Nguyễn Phúc Long, Lương Chí Dũng, Đặng Thành Kiên, Đỗ Thế Kiên, Đỗ Hoàng Quân, Dương Quốc Hoàng, Nguyễn Anh Tuấn and Phạm Phương Nam.

They will compete in the nine-ball event in the round robin format, which appears for the first time in Việt Nam, at the TD Billiards Club in Sài Đồng new urban area in Long Biên District.

Players will compete in pairs following a random draw. The six strongest from the first stage will advance to the second round. Then the four best players will qualify for the semi-finals.

The biggest ever prize money of VNĐ500 million (US$20,200) is up for grab with the champion taking VNĐ250 million.

The event is sponsored by TD Billiards Club and Vietcontent, a leading producer and distributor of entertainment and sports in Việt Nam.

The event will recognise the players' contributions to national billiard, position Việt Nam internationally, and push national billiards development.

Supporters can receive tickets through fanpages of TD Pool Club and Vietnam Billiards Promotion. The competition is also livestreamed on different channels including the above fanpages and youtube Web thể thao. 

HCMC mobilizes financial resources for public park projects

As public park projects in the city do not meet the city’s plan, Ho Chi Minh City will mobilize financial resources for the implementation of public park projects.

Regarding the project of the public park and green tree development program for the period 2025-2030, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong yesterday assigned the city Department of Construction to urgently coordinate with districts and Thu Duc City to make proposals on the list of public park development projects which ought to be finished in the period 2021-2025.

Accordingly, balancing capital sources to implement projects that have favorable premises in accordance with the city’s planning will be given priority. Moreover, the Department will review additional statistics on public parks in Ho Chi Minh City, including parks that have been invested and operated with budget capital and social contributions.

Furthermore, the Department must study and develop a project to beautify and exploit the park effectively while pouring more money to speed up the implementation of public park projects.

The City Department of Planning and Architecture urgently guides park management units on procedures to prepare and approve detailed master construction plans for each park. Based on detailed master construction plans of each park, the department will beautify and effectively exploit them.

At the same time, the Department should work with the Department of Construction to advise and propose to the City People's Committee a detailed 1/500 construction planning for parks including Tao Dan Park, September 23 Park, Chi Lang Park, Bach Dang Wharf and the area in front of Ben Thanh market in the city downtown.

While waiting for the approval of detailed planning, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee agreed on a policy of pilot research on a number of appropriate solutions to improve service efficiency in public parks by installing vending machines, and machines for physical exercise.

At the same time, departments should liaise with relevant agencies to find solutions to expand the space of parks so that people can access and use appropriate fun and exercise activities on lawns and common spaces in parks.

More practical measures needed to cope with saltwater intrusion in Mekong Delta

Can Tho University yesterday cooperated with related state agencies to hold the conference ‘The Mekong Delta responds to saltwater intrusion’. 

In the conference, Director Le Ngoc Quyen of the Southern Region Hydro-Meteorological Centre informed that until now, the levels of saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta provinces of Ben Tre and Tien Giang are much higher than those in 2016.

The level in Ben Tre Province on March 26 was 1‰ at 69km away from Dai estuary and 72km deep inside Ham Luong River. The one measured at My Tho Station on March 12 was 6.8‰, by far higher than that in 2016 (3,9‰).

The levels in other provinces of Soc Trang, Long An, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau are also higher than the average of many years but still lower than those in 2016 and 2020.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hieu Trung – President of Can Tho University – commented that besides unavoidable objective factors from nature, human beings themselves contribute a great deal to this problem. Unsuitable management and exploitation of underground water leads to delta subsidence, whereas over-mining of riverbed sand results in lower riverbeds, creating a favorable condition for deep saltwater intrusion.

In addition, inappropriate conversion of land use purposes helps to bring saltwater deeper into the fields and make irrigation management much more difficult.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Thi Hong Diep from Can Tho University proposed that it is necessary to synchronously adopt various feasible solutions to adapt to drought and salinity intrusion.

In particular, the local authorities should instruct residents to build reservoirs for freshwater to serve both daily operation and agricultural purposes. There should be more support for farmers to upgrade their cultivation techniques suitable for the local water source of each ecosystem, to shift structures of crop planting and animal raising appropriate to each region. More research should be done to create new plant varieties that can resist drought and saltwater while bringing more economic values.

The Lost Recipes introduces the forgotten dishes of Binh Thuan

The Lost Recipes – the event to introduce and enjoy lost dishes - took place on March 28 in the south-central coastal province of Binh Thuan, bringing together many local chefs and a large number of tourists staying in Phan Thiet - Mui Ne.

The event aimed to introduce delicious dishes of the coastal areas of Phan Thiet and Binh Thuan, especially old dishes such as Bac Binh duck, braised dried scad fish in Phan Thiet style served with pandan leaf white porridge and sweet potatoes stewed in sugar, scad fish braised with Phan Thiet horn chili, and Phan Thiet beef noodle soup.

Besides enjoying traditional dishes, visitors will have a chance to learn the culinary history of Binh Thuan.

Traditional dishes are made from materials available in the locality, chefs said, adding that those seemingly simple dishes bring an unforgettable flavour.

For Viet Tien, an overseas Vietnamese from Canada, The Lost Recipes offers him a chance to learn dishes from his homeland that he had not enjoyed in the past.

Thai Ngoc Hieu, head of the Binh Thuan Chefs Association, said the event helps connect chefs, thus reviving lost dishes of the locality, contributing to diversifying tourism products.

With numerous activities to promote tourism, Binh Thuan is set to welcome 9.5 million visitors in 2024. In the first two months of this year, Binh Thuan served more than 1.5 million arrivals, up 7.3% over the same period last year, earning nearly 3.8 trillion VND (over 152.2 million USD) in revenue./.

Lam Dong urgently handling ASF outbreak after detection of 24 dead pigs

The People's Committee of Lam Dong Province has just given directives to promptly carry out measures against African swine fever (ASF) in Lac Duong District after the death of 24 pig-boar hybrids infected with the disease at a farm.
 
According to the epidemiological investigation, the Van Truong Thanh Limited Company on National Highway 27C, Da Nhim Commune, Lac Duong District raised 450 pig-boar hybrids.

From March 12 to March 16, the company detected about 10 sows with signs of eating refusal. By the afternoon of March 16, seven out of the pigs died on the farm.

Right after the situation, the company took blood samples from three sows for testing and dead pigs gave positive results with African swine fever.

By March 21, the company continued to detect more pig-boar hybrids dead and proceeded to cull the infected pigs by burning.

To timely prevent the risk of spread, loss and environmental pollution from the disease, the People's Committee of Lam Dong Province requested functional units to mobilize all resources to handle, delineate, isolate and prevent thoroughly the spread of the disease.

The local authority asked the swine farmers and people not to sell off, slaughter and dispose of ASF-infected pigs or pigs suspected of the disease; and to prepare well for vaccination campaigns for livestock throughout the district.

Nam Dinh province resolved to fight IUU fishing

The northern coastal province of Nam Dinh is employing multiple solutions to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, joining efforts to seek the removal of the European Commission (EC)’s "yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood.

Local competent forces have stepped up the inspection and settlement of the violations of fishing regulations, and sent to relevant agencies a list of the vessels that commit violations in and outside the province.

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Huu said those that have yet to meet regulations are not permitted to set sail, and unregistered fishing boats will be strictly handled.

The department granted licenses to 96.89% of the total vessels in the locality. As of mid-March, up to 97.38% of vessels measuring at least 15 metres long had been equipped with monitoring devices.  

Competent forces also handled 20 cases with administrative fines totaling over 230 million VND (9,728 USD)./.

Top legislator lauds Keidanren’s role in fostering Vietnam - Japan ties

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue received Fujimoto Masayoshi and Hyodo Masayuki, chairmen of the Japan - Vietnam Economic Committee at the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), along with leaders of some Keidanren member enterprises in Hanoi on March 28.

The Keidanren delegation is in Vietnam to attend a high-level meeting held on March 27 to launch the first phase of the Vietnam - Japan Joint Initiative in the new era.

Chairman Hue lauded Keidanren’s cooperation and contributions, along with the two chairmen and Japanese enterprises’ role in promoting the two countries’ relations and Japanese investment in Vietnam.

Fujimoto and Hyodo expressed their delight at the recent upgrade of the two countries’ relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.

In the new development period, Keidanren hopes to continue fostering bilateral economic connections, they said, noting that survey results released by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in late December 2023 show that last year, Vietnam emerged as the second place among the countries or regions with the best business prospects in Japanese enterprises’ eyes.

They added that in the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative, Japan views Vietnam as an extremely important partner.

Applauding the sound development of the Vietnam - Japan relations in all spheres, Hue spoke highly of the Vietnam - Japan Joint Initiative, which has been carried out successfully over the last 20 years.

Vietnam always attaches importance to and supports Japanese enterprises to make investment, do business, and give proposals on policies, administrative procedure reform, and investment climate improvement in the Southeast Asian nation, he stated.

At the meeting, the Keidanren chairmen and Japanese enterprises highlighted their intention to expand business and investment activities in Vietnam. They also mentioned cooperation in training high-quality human resources and noted that they hope administrative procedures and the investment climate will be further improved.

Hue asked the Japan - Vietnam Economic Committee as well as Keidanren to continue coordinating with Vietnamese agencies to increase policy dialogue, share information and experience to help better the local investment climate, and serve as a bridge for Japanese firms to invest more in Vietnam.

The top legislator highly valued the JBIC’s survey results, which he said reflect the investment - business environment in Vietnam along with Japanese enterprises’ interest in the country.

The NA and Government have been supporting and creating the best possible conditions for Vietnamese and Japanese enterprises to boost investment in each other’s countries, he remarked.

He also asked the Economic Committee and Keidanren to introduce Vietnam’s investment environment, potential, and opportunities to Japanese enterprises while encouraging and assisting Japanese firms to invest more in Vietnam to diversify supply chains in line with the five main areas of the first phase of the Vietnam - Japan Joint Initiative in the new era.

Chairman Hue voiced his belief that with the political resolve of both countries’ leaders and support from Japanese enterprises, bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties will grow even more strongly to generate tangible benefits for the two countries’ people and enterprises and bolster bilateral relations./.

Vietnamese ambassador attends Brazil communist party’s Vermelho festival

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi attended the second Vermelho Festival in Salvador, northeastern Brazil, from March 21-24 at the invitation of the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB).

Speaking at an international forum on peace and solidarity with the Palestinian people held within the framework of the festival, the Vietnamese diplomat voiced deep concerns about the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in many civilian casualties, widespread damage to infrastructure, and a serious humanitarian crisis.

 The ambassador emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement and called on all relevant parties to adhere to international law, exercise restraint, avoid tension escalation and violence, and create a conducive environment for peaceful dialogue.

He emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement, and called on all relevant parties to adhere to international law, exercise restraint, avoid escalating tensions and violence, and create a conducive environment for peaceful dialogue.

Vietnam values the role and significant contributions of United Nations (UN) agencies, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the ambassador stated, affirming that the country welcomes and supports all international initiatives and proposals aimed at immediately ending the conflict.

Representatives of the seven political parties also voiced their solidarity with the Palestinian people, while calling on all parties to exercise restraint and engage in negotiations to end the conflict.

The festival saw the participation of nearly 1,500 delegates from PCdoB and 30 guests from Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Portugal, China, and Iraq, and international organisations. It serves as a venue for fraternal parties to show friendship and solidarity in struggles for peace and socialism worldwide.

The book on President Ho Chi Minh’s life and career in Portuguese language was also displayed at an exhibition in the framework of the festival.

Previously, Ambassador Nghi paid a visit to Rio de Janeiro from March 18-21, and had working sessions with local authorities on activities to celebrate the 35th founding anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Brazil. Representatives from Rio de Janeiro expressed their desire to strengthen cooperation in education, tourism, culture, and cuisine with Vietnam.

Vice Mayor of Rio de Janeiro Nilton Caldeira affirmed the readiness to support the completion of procedures regarding the placement of a commemorative plaque marking President Ho Chi Minh's journey for national salvation in 1912.

At a meeting with the Vietnamese diplomat, Chairman of the Communist Party of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro Daniel Iliesco showed the desire to connect and increase exchanges  between the Brazilian Union of Communist Youth and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU)./.

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