Six vials of Botulism Antitoxin Heptavalent (BAT) sent from Switzerland by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as emergency aid arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on May 24 evening to treat patients poisoned with botulinum.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health said botulism is a serious illness caused by clostridium botulinum, a poisonous substance in the bacteria found in badly preserved food. It rarely occurs around the world and in Vietnam.

As such, the supply of BAT is also limited worldwide, the administration said, adding that the price of this antitoxin is sky-high, and BAT is not listed among the medicines covered by the health insurance fund.

Since 2020, Vietnam has reported a few cases of botulism poisoning, with three recorded in HCM City most recently.

On May 23, the administration had a working session with the WHO Office in Hanoi, asking for the organisation’s help with antitoxin supply.

The Ministry of Health said the Prime Minister has agreed with its proposal on building a mechanism to ensure the availability of scarce drugs and those with limited supply.

Legislators work on further application of 2% VAT reduction

Legislators on May 24 listened to a proposal and a verification report on the further application of the 2% reduction in the value added tax (VAT) under a resolution dated January 11, 2022, as part of the ongoing fifth session of the 15th National Assembly.

Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc noted that the Government submitted Resolution 43/2022/QH15 on fiscal and monetary policies in support of the socio-economic recovery and development programme for approval.

The resolution prescribes the VAT reduction for most items from 10% to 8%, he continued, noting that the document has helped businesses and people with about 44.5 trillion VND (1.8 billion USD), contributing to spurring production and business, generating jobs for labourers, stimulating consumption, and raising State budget collection.

Given the complexities in the domestic and global situation forecast for the time ahead, which would challenge the domestic economy and enterprises, the Government proposed the further application of the 2% VAT reduction from July 1, 2023 to the end of this year, the minister said.

According to Chairman of the NA’s Finance-Budget Committee Le Quang Manh, most of the members of the committee approved the Government’s proposal to further support people and businesses in recovery and development.

The committee, however, suggested the Government evaluate the impact of the reduction more precisely to meet set targets, he said, adding that some proposed raising the rate to 4% from the present 2%.

Most of the lawmakers also agreed with the duration from July 1 to the end of this year, while some others held that it should be extended to ensure the stability and efficiency of the policy, Manh said.

Socio-economic situation report to be scrutinised during NA session

 National Assembly (NA) deputies will, on May 25 morning, discuss in group a report on supplementary assessments on outcomes of the socio-economic development and State budget plans in 2022 and the implementation of such plans for the first months of this year, during its ongoing fifth plenary session.

The thrift practice and wastefulness prevention in 2022, and the approval of the state budget settlement in 2021 are also to be discussed in the morning.

Deputies will exchange views on the adjustment of investment policy of Ka Pet Reservoir Project in Ham Thuan Nam district in the south-central province of Binh Thuan and a decision on investment policy of a traffic road project from National Highway 27C to Provincial Road 656 in central Khanh Hoa province connecting with the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong and the central province of Ninh Thuan.

They will scrutinise the assignment of lists and capital for tasks and projects under the Socio-Economic Development and Recovery Programme; the assignment, adjustment and supplementation of the medium-term plan on public investment from the central budget for the 2021-2025 period and the allocation of the central budget investment plan in 2023 of the national target programme; the continued implementation of the policy on reducing value-added tax by 2% in accordance with Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 dated January 11, 2022; and the policy of additional investment in charter capital for the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam.

In the afternoon, the National Assembly will listen to a report and a verification report on the draft Law on Water Resources (amended).

Chairman of the NA Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh is scheduled to present a report on elaboration and revising the draft Law on Cooperatives (amended). The legislature will then discuss this draft Law.

India’s Adani Group pushing for investment in Vietnam’s seaport

The Indian-based conglomerate Adani Group is working on a seaport investment project in Vietnam with an investment of about 2 billion USD, unveiled CEO of its Adani Ports and SEZ Limited (APSEZ) Karan Adani at a meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang in Hanoi on May 24.

Accordingly, Anadi plans to invest in technical infrastructure at Lien Chieu port serving the handling of general, bulk, liquid/gaseous cargo and containers.

Adani hopes to receive the support of the Ministry of Transport to translate the project into reality as quickly as possible, the CEO said, expressed his hope to explore the prospect of investment in other seaports of Vietnam and on human resources collaboration to operate seaports, inland waterway ports, and ocean fleets.

Minister Thang said given the limited number of Indian enterprises in Vietnam, the presence of Adani is a positive signal, opening up further cooperation prospects between the nations in the near future.

The ministry is looking for port investors with financial capacity and experience, and is ready to remove difficulties and obstacles and create favourable conditions for investors and businesses, he affirmed.

Thang suggested Adani invest in a complex of port operation infrastructure and logistics industrial park at Lien Chieu and other ports in accordance with Vietnam’s current regulations.

On the same day, the Indian CEO had a meeting and signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation strategy for port and logistics development with the Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC).

Nguyen Canh Tinh, CEO of the VIMC, said Indian firms such as the Adani Group have always been identified as the VIMC’s important strategic partner on its journey to develop its maritime and container fleet in the world, including the Indian market.

Adani expressed his belief that the combination of the two companies’ experience and expertise will contribute to improving the supply chain between Vietnam and India and to their realisation of bilateral trade goals.

Deputy PM Tran Luu Quang pays working visit to Japan

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang met with former Prime Minister of Japan Suga Yoshihide, Chairman of the Japan - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Nikai Toshihiro, and President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tanaka Akihiko in Tokyo on May 24 as part of his working visit to Japan.

At their meeting, Quang wished former PM Suga Yoshihide, who is now an advisor to the Japan - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, to pay further attention to lifting the countries’ relations to a new height, increasing the exchange of delegations this year, and supporting the Vietnamese community in Japan, whose population nears 500,000.

Suga said Japan considers Vietnam an important partner in implementing its foreign strategy in the region and pledged to back the promotion of the nations’ friendship and cooperation, especially in all-level delegation exchange, parliamentary exchange, economy-investment, and digital transformation; as well as of policies supporting Vietnamese living, working and studying in Japan.

He proposed that Vietnam assist the Japanese community in Vietnam.

Meeting with Nikai Toshihiro, the Deputy PM lauded the alliance’s meaningful and active contribution to the countries’ economic, cultural, tourism, and locality-to-locality exchanges.

He suggested Nikai continue to support the two countries’ high-level and all-level exchanges, tourism, locality-to-locality cooperation, culture, and people-to-people exchange, and promote the Japanese Government’s support for Vietnam in early implementing the new generation Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme.

Nikai, for his part, expressed his wish to work with the Vietnamese side in promoting the bilateral parliamentary connection, especially between young and female parliamentarians; and in stepping up cooperation in many fields such as tourism, education, and sports.

He vowed to help speed up the procedure of opening the Japanese market for Vietnam's green-skinned pomelo and suggested that Vietnam consider the procedure to allow Japanese grapes to enter its market.

Talking to the JICA leader, Quang highly appreciated the important contributions of Japanese ODA to Vietnam's socio-economic development and poverty reduction over the past three decades and stated that the Vietnamese Government always respects and makes effective use of the capital.

The Deputy PM suggested that JICA continue to pay attention to the provision of new-generation ODA for Vietnam in the matters mentioned at the recent high-level talks between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio in Hiroshima. Such matters involve the North-South high-speed railway project, the urban railway in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and other projects related to renewable energy, green transformation, and the enhancement of agricultural product value.

Tanaka underscored his willingness to closely coordinate with Vietnam to further stimulate ODA cooperation between the countries in all fields.

He said Japan is willing to participate in key projects of Vietnam and suggested that the two sides set up an all-level periodical consultation framework in order to promptly provide information, solve arising problems, and ensure the effectiveness of these projects.

On the same day, Deputy PM Quang visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, meeting embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Ceremony and exhibition honour Vietnam's contemporary art

Hanoi Grapevine’s Finest 2022 ceremony. Photos courtesy of Hanoi Grapevine

As an annual event honouring contemporary art in Việt Nam, Hanoi Grapevine’s Finest 2023 ceremony will take place on May 26 at the Temple of Literature in Hà Nội.

The event, hosted and selected by Hanoi Grapevine and the community of audiences, looks forward to recognising the outstanding contributions of individuals and organisations in the field of culture and art during 2022 and 2023.

The event recognises individuals, organisations, projects, and activities in the field of creative arts and artists aged 35 or under that have an impact on the community.

Having been organised successfully three times before, Hanoi Grapevine’s Finest aims to spread values, honour meaningful art projects in Việt Nam, and inspire and motivate artists to continue creating art.

The ceremony is also an opportunity for the art-loving community to express their unique views and perspectives on outstanding artists and initiated art projects within the previous year.

The selection criteria aim to highlight developmental significance and spreadability, proposed by Hanoi Grapevine and selected by the Hanoi Grapevine administrative team and the community of audiences.

Exhibition Shades of “Dó”, organised by Ngô Đức Dó Paper, Goethe Institute, and Ra Riêng, is nominated as the finest project in Hanoi Grapevine’s Finest 2023.

Besides Hanoi Grapevine's Finest Honouring Ceremony, The Grapevine Selection exhibition opening will also take place on Friday at the Temple of Literature.

The Grapevine Selection exhibition presents outstanding works of sixteen Vietnamese artists in Visual Arts, Sculpture, and Installation, whose names and faces, with their artistic styles, create new highlights in the Vietnamese art scene. 

Unlike the operating structure of a typical gallery or a curated exhibition with a specific theme, The Grapevine Selection exhibition focuses on the artists and works of representative values, setting milestones for the future with long-term art archives and collections in Việt Nam.

The exhibition is an opportunity to promote young artists, support the art community, and expand the knowledge of audiences and potential collectors.

The curators of The Grapevine Selection exhibition include art researcher Đỗ Tường Linh, art manager Mary Lou David, art manager Lê Thiên Bảo, and art researcher Ace Lê.

The exhibition will be open to the public from May 27 to June 11 at Thái Học Hall, Temple of Literature, in Hà Nội, and from June 22 to July 9 at Audi Charging Lounge, in HCM City. 

HCMC photography exhibition showcases Buddhist way of life

An exhibition titled “Buddhism and Peace” is being held by the HCM City Photographic Association and the Việt Nam Buddhist Research Institute to mark the 60th death anniversary of Thích Quảng Đức.

The exhibition at Nguyễn Văn Bính Street in District 1 commemorates the Buddhist monk’s self-immolation to protest against the persecution of Buddhists by the US during the war.

It displays 138 photos chosen from a contest of the same name held in March-May, which attracted over 1,200 entries.

Chairman of the association, Đoàn Hoài Trung, said the exhibits aim to showcase core Buddhist values and the great contributions made by Thích Quảng Đức to Vietnamese Buddhism.

The event focuses on promoting Buddhist perspectives on peace, condemning wars and encouraging patriotic activities, he added.

It also inspires creativity in photographers, he added.

The winners of the contest received awards at the exhibition.

They include a photo titled Tiếng Chuông Hòa Bình (The Bell of Peace) by Nguyễn Thùy, which depicts a monk ringing a bell made from a 500kg bomb shell, and aims to convey the message of how peace can be built after pain and an instrument of destruction can still be made into something that can bring peace to people.

It won the top prize in the contest.

Nguyễn Trung Tín, a student from Tôn Đức Thắng University, visited the exhibition after learning about it on social media. He said the exhibition enabled him to learn about Buddhism and understand more about the connection between Buddhism and life.

"Many photos here convey fascinating facets of Buddhism such as peace and healing. I also saw a few about requiems for soldiers, and I think it is cool how some of these photos also show the connection between Buddhism and politics."

The exhibition will go on until May 28. 

Taiwan Excellence offers concert, goods exhibition

The Taiwan Excellence concert will entertain Hanoian audiences with the performance of conductor Honna Tetsuji and the Việt Nam Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) at the Hà Nội Opera House at 7pm on May 27.

Pianist Hsin-Chiao Liao will perform Piano Concerto in C minor (Tyzen Hsiao). The Taichung-born talent has been popular from a very young age. She has performed on various famous shows such as Music@Menlo, Heifetz International Music Institute, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Olympic Music Festival and Icicle Creek Chamber Festival.

She is now working in Hà Nội and has just completed a record of a piano concerto by Robert Schumann together with the VNSO.

The orchestra will perform other pieces such as Longing for Spring Breeze, William Tell Overture, Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2, and the Vietnamese folk song Se Chỉ Luồn Kim.

On the same day, an exhibition featuring goods by Taiwan Excellence such as food, education equipment and technology will be available in front of the Post Office on Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street. 

Working group established to study using marine sand in construction

The Ministry of Transport has approved the establishment of a working group to study using marine sand in traffic infrastructure projects. 

Deputy transport minister Nguyễn Duy Lâm has been assigned as the head of the team, while deputy minister of natural resources and environment Trần Quý Kiên is the deputy head.

The group members include representatives from the Ministries of Transport (MoT), Construction (MoC), Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), Science and Technology (MoST), the Institute of Transport Science and Technology, Transport Development and Strategy Institute, as well as experts and businesses.  

The scope of the study will include mining and use, technical requirements, physical and chemical criteria for saline sand treatment; economic and technical efficiency, environmental protection, developing standards, and running a pilot programme using marine sand in civil and traffic constructions. 

The group will deliver a final evaluation report presenting research results and consult the government on the possibility of using marine sand in these projects. 

Previously in a report on the demand for sand filling in expressway projects in the Mekong Delta, a MoNRE representative said that the sand volume needed for 2022-25 projects is 40 million cubic metres. 

From now until 2030, it is estimated that the demand for sand as a levelling material in construction in the Mekong Delta localities is at hundreds of millions of cubic metres.

Meanwhile, the riverbed sand resources can only meet approximately 50 per cent of the required amount.

According to the Transport Construction Investment Management Authority (under the MoT), the Cần Thơ-Hậu Giang and Hậu Giang-Cà Mau sections of the North-South Expressway require a total of 18.5 million cubic metres of sand filling.

Localities involved could only respond to around 30 per cent of the demand, or three million cubic metres. 

The Mỹ Thuật Project Management Unit is also assigned to pilot using marine sand as road embankments at a section of the Hậu Giang-Cà Mau route. 

Following the study, if requirements are met, the MoNRE will proceed with procedures to assign the mines for authorised mining units. 

Italian manufacture and technological innovation to be exhibited in Hanoi

The Embassy of Italy in Hanoi and the Hanoi Museum are set to launch an exhibition titled “Created in Italy. An Aptitude for the Impossible”, from May 25 to June 18 in a bid to introduce Italian manufacture and technological innovation.      

The idea was conceived by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, designed by Studio Mario Trimarchi, and curated by Compasso d’Oro winners Odo Fioravanti, Giulio Iacchetti, and Francesca Picchi. The theme of “Created in Italy” represents a journey through Italian industrial design.

The show features a total of 31 groups of exhibits representing outstanding examples of Italian manufacture and technological innovation. They embody the inventive spirit, the search for new solutions, and the need to experiment and exceed the limits of materials.

The result of this “quest for perfection” is a characteristic that is inherent to Italian design: the combination of beauty and functionality, where taste for well-made objects goes alongside the purpose of improving peoples’ everyday life.

The exhibition will be held as part of activities to celebrate 50 years of Vietnam – Italy diplomacy this year and to honour contributions by Italian companies to the development of the manufacturing industry in Vietnam.

Ninh Binh Tourism Week 2023 to get underway from May 27

Ninh Binh Tourism Week 2023 is set to open at the Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist site from May 27 to June 4, according to the administration of Ninh Binh province.

The annual event themed “Golden colors of Tam Coc - Trang An" aims to honour the various values of unique natural landscape in the locality, such as the Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Site, as well as introducing the cultural and historic values of Hoa Lu - the former capital of Vietnam. 

The opening ceremony is expected to be held on the morning of May 27, with the main stage artistically shaped by a Dong Ho folk painting on a vast paddy field.

Visitors will have the opportunity to savor an array of scenic views of peaceful villages, admire one of the most beautiful rice fields in Tam Coc, and gain deeper insights into the cultural vestiges of the Tran Dynasty in Trang An Landscape Complex.

Furthermore, guests can also enjoy water puppetry shows, Chèo (traditional opera), Xẩm singing (folk singing by blind buskers in the old days), as well as folk songs from the country’s three regions.

In addition, cultural and artistic exchanges will be held in the evenings to honour intangible cultural values.

RoK promotes tourism potential in Ho Chi Minh City

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) hosted a Korean tourism promotion in Ho Chi Minh City on May 23.

According to KTO representatives, the Korean Government declared 2023 to 2024 as the Visit Korea Year, with a wide range of activities to take place, including travel packages and promotional campaigns using K-culture, in an effort to boost visitors numbers.

Joining the programme, visitors can expect huge discounts on flights, accommodations, shopping, and food. They are given the chance to explore K-culture all year round through K-pop concerts, e-sports, Korean food, and tours of cultural heritages, and more.

Vietnam ranks seventh in the Korean tourism market share, with 550,000 visitors travelling to the RoK in 2019.

Currently, there are many direct flights between the two countries, connecting major cities of the RoK to famous tourist destinations in Vietnam such as Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Most notably, the RoK boasts many popular destinations for Vietnamese tourists thanks to their delicious food, beautiful landscapes, and many entertainment activities.

Two die on national park trip

A student and a parent died on a trip to visit Xuan Thuy National Park in the northern province of Nam Dinh on May 20.

According to the initial information, on May 20, a delegation of around 50 people who were students from a private school in Hanoi’s Tay Mo District and their parents visited Xuan Thuy National Park.

The trip was organised by the parents of the class.

During the excursion, the group was taken by a boat to visit a sand bank located between the Red River and the Tra River. Here, students were allowed to catch oysters.

However, while the students were enjoying the activity, tides suddenly rose, sweeping them and their parents away.

The leader of the delegation immediately tried to save the students. After rescuing two successfully, he swam to save another. But he failed and the two were swept away by the violent water.

Some hours later, local authorities found their bodies.

Nguyen Xuan Manh, chairman of Giao Thien Commune in Xuan Thuy District, the water level at the sandy bank was around 50 centimetres, but it would be 3-4 metres high when the tides come in.

Special circus performance to celebrate Children’s Day

The Vietnam Circus Federation will present special circus performances at Hoa Binh Theater in HCMC’s District 10 on May 28 – June 3.

The Vietnam Circus Federation will present a special circus show at Hoa Binh Theater in HCMC’s District 10 on May 28 – June 3.

The show aims at marking Children's Day (June 1) and responding to the Month of Action for Children launched in HCMC.

The organization board plans to give 3,000 tickets to children patients undergoing treatment at HCMC Children’s Hospital 2, child care facilities in District 8 and Tan Phu, charity classes at Lien Hoa Pagoda, Binh An Child Care Center, Hy Vong (Hope) School, Binh Minh School for children with special needs.

Artists will perform special circus acts at the event such as juggling, spinning, swinging, and high-wire balancing, which promises to provide young audiences with unforgettable thrills.

There will be performances of animals, such as standing on their heads, jumping through rings of fire, or riding bicycles with the goal of fostering children’s love, empathy, and respect for animals.

Ban proposed for sleeper buses in HCMC’s inner-city areas

The HCMC Department of Transport has proposed barring sleeper buses from entering the inner-city areas round the clock.

The Transport Department has also asked other departments and relevant agencies for their feedback on the proposal.

The proposal comes after four months of the ban on sleeper buses from traveling in the inner-city areas from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. being in place.

It aims to strengthen management and inspections over the operations of the vehicles.

Under the proposal, sleeper buses would not be allowed to enter the inner-city districts, with the off-limits area bound by National Highway 1 and the streets of Nguyen Van Linh, Vo Chi Cong, Nguyen Thi Dinh, Dong Van Dong, Mai Chi Tho, and the Hanoi Highway.

However, sleeper buses would be permitted to travel on those roads without any time limitation and enter the Mien Dong and Mien Tay coach stations on the fixed routes regulated by the transport department.

Specifically, they must follow the National Highway 1 – National Highway 13 – Dinh Bo Linh Street route to enter and exit the Mien Dong Coach Station.

As for the Mien Tay Coach Station, sleeper buses would be allowed on the National Highway 1 – Kinh Duong Vuong Street route.

According to the department, the time limit travel restriction for sleeper buses has eased traffic jams in downtown areas, but illegally-established interprovincial bus stations in inner-city areas still exist, which has led traffic congestion to worsen.

Currently, HCMC has five inter-provincial coach stations, including the old Mien Dong, Mien Tay, An Suong, Nga Tu Ga and the new Mien Dong stations, with 58 bus service providers operating on fixed routes with 1,600 vehicles and over 1,350 firms providing around 91,000 contract cars and tourist cars.

In March, the city saw 60 illegally-established interprovincial bus stations, lesser by 16 as compared to late 2022.

Deputy PM to attend 28th International Conference on The Future of Asia in Japan

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang will attend the 28th International Conference on The Future of Asia and pay a working visit to Japan from May 24-26.

In a recent interview, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said that the Deputy Prime Minister's attendance at the event will not only show Viet Nam's interests in the forum but also manifest the importance of the event in the nation's foreign policy. 

As a responsible member of Asia, Viet Nam expects to make more contributions to the future of the continent, which is defining the next phase of globalization. 

According to Pham, the Deputy Prime Minister will deliver his remarks at the forum and convey a strong message of Viet Nam being a trusted partner and a responsible member of the international community. 

The country stands ready to join hands with other nations to discuss and seek for measures to address urgent global challenges, contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world, the Ambassador highlighted.  

In his remarks, the Vietnamese leader will share Viet Nam's viewpoints on big issues of Asia, experiences and solutions to coping common challenges of the region and efforts in containing the COVID-19 pandemic and boosting economic recovery, Pham added. 

Viet Nam has participated in the event since 2009 and its active participation has been highly appraised by the Organizing Committee, the participants, as well as the Japanese side, said the diplomat. 

By attending the conference, the country will take part in assessing the global and regional situation, analyzing opportunities and challenges, working with other countries to find solutions to difficulties, and common challenges, while consolidating trust in a bid to create a solid foundation for the future.

The forum is an international gathering where political, economic, and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region offer their opinions frankly and freely on regional issues and the role of Asia in the world. Held by Nikkei every year since 1995, it is considered to be one of the most important global conferences in Asia.

Vietnam aims to be ASEAN's vaccine production hub

Through international experience and collaboration among key stakeholders, Vietnam aims to become a regional leader in vaccine production.

 A roadmap to establish Vietnam as a regional vaccine production hub in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was highlighted at a workshop organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Health Strategy and Policy Institute (HSPI) under the Vietnamese Ministry of Health in Hanoi on May 22.

The roadmap outlines the steps and actions needed to strengthen Vietnam's vaccine production capacity and contribute to regional health security.

At the workshop, expected to shape future strategies and actions related to vaccine production and access in Vietnam, a report was presented on the introductory package on mRNA Covid-19 vaccine production for laboratory-scale processes, which was introduced at the first R&D training in South Africa. This report provided valuable insights into the technical aspects of mRNA vaccine production and its potential application in Vietnam.

"This is an important opportunity for Vietnam to access this important new vaccine production technology. But it will require careful consideration of the steps and timelines, the level and sources of funding required, and the development of expertise to ensure this technology transfer's effectiveness and financial sustainability," said Patrick Haverman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Vietnam.

He added that the results of the studies will feed into these considerations. The collaboration among key ministries, institutes, enterprises, senior experts, and partners at the workshop will contribute to developing an effective national strategy to improve access to vaccines in Vietnam and the region in the coming period.

The workshop is a step towards strengthening Vietnam's vaccine access and production capacity. By leveraging international experience and working with key stakeholders, Vietnam aims to become a regional leader in vaccine production and contribute to global efforts to respond to health crises.

It also disseminated the results of three studies on strengthening vaccine production and certification in Vietnam. It provided an update on Vietnam's participation in the World Health Organization's (WHO) mRNA technology transfer program through the project.

The workshop provided a platform to share the main findings of three key studies conducted under the project. These studies focus on sharing international experience in domestic vaccine development and production, mapping Vietnam's current vaccine production capacity, and reviewing international vaccine licensing policies and procedures, including licensing of international Covid-19 vaccines for use in Vietnam. It also provided a valuable opportunity to present these findings and discuss next steps for their application.

During the workshop, Vietnam's participation in the WHO-initiated mRNA technology transfer program was highlighted as an important step in strengthening vaccine access and production capacity in Vietnam.

The Covid-19 pandemic posed significant vaccine access challenges for Vietnam and other countries. By mid-2021, Vietnam had one of Southeast Asia's lowest Covid-19 vaccine coverage rates.

However, through a combination of COVAX supplies, donations facilitated by a dedicated government task force, and procurement from international suppliers, Vietnam rapidly increased its vaccination rates in the second half of 2021. This achievement not only saved lives but also set the stage for reopening and recovering from the economic impact of the pandemic.

Vietnam, Belarus foster cultural, art collaboration

The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) in coordination with the Ministry of Culture of Belarus on May 24 held an art programme in Ho Chi Minh City as part of Belarus Cultural Days 2023 in Vietnam.

Addressing the opening ceremony, MCST Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong said Belarus Cultural Days 2023, taking place in HCM City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau from May 24-27, is a meaningful activity, helping realise cooperation agreements in the field of art and culture between the two countries. Through this activity, Vietnamese audiences and international friends can better their understanding of Belarus' rich culture.

“Belarusian Culture Days in Vietnam will continue to consolidate and further strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries, thus promoting the traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus," the official said.

According to First Deputy Minister of Culture of Belarus Valery Gromada, the event reflects Belarusian art's endless richness and beauty.

The renewing of a cooperation programme between the two culture ministries for 2023-2025 is evidence of mutual interest and desire to continue collaboration between the two countries, he said.

An exhibition themed “Belarus through the eyes of a painter” was opened in HCM City on May 24 within the framework of the event.

The exhibition features 31 oil paintings on canvas by famous artists from Belarus such as  Gleb Otchik, Anton Vyrvo and Anna Sadovskaya.

Visitors will have the opportunity to admire famous destinations of the European country, including Borisoglebskaya church and Sozh, a 648-km river flowing through Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

The exhibition will run until May 27, at Ho Chi Minh City Museum.

Orbis International provides eye care training for health workers in Can Tho

Orbis International, a global non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and treating avoidable blindness, has launched a clinical training programme on board the Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board a plane, for 52 eye-care professionals at hospitals in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

Over the course of three weeks, which runs from May 8-29, Orbis’s clinical staff and medical experts provided in-person, hands-on training to help these medical staff build their skills to treat the leading causes of blindness and visual impairment in their communities.

This marks the 12th time the Flying Eye Hospital has held a training project in Vietnam, including one virtual project on Cybersight, Orbis’s telemedicine platform.

According to Pham Kim Ngoc, Country Director of Orbis Vietnam, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Orbis office in Hanoi.

Orbis started collaborating with the eye health sector in Vietnam in 1996 by providing hospital-based trainings at the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology. Since then, Orbis Vietnam and its partners have worked to increase the quality of care available by improving training and strengthening human resources.

In addition to hosting now 12 Flying Eye Hospital projects, Orbis Vietnam has helped establish screening and treatment centers for retinopathy of prematurity and other pediatric eye care, hospitals, vision centers, a wet lab, and an eye bank.

This project will complement Orbis's ongoing programmes throughout the country and contribute to the National Blindness Prevention Strategy, which was approved by the prime minister in 2016.

Orbis Vietnam has so far provided eye screenings and examinations to nearly 5.3 million people, medical and optical treatment for over one million people, surgical treatment for nearly 140,000 people, and trained almost 33,000 eye health professionals.

Last year, Orbis screened more than 70,000 students for eye diseases and trained more than 200 ophthalmologists in Can Tho. This year, it will provide free surgeries for 70 cases.

Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, said that Orbis’s programme has helped medical staff at Can Tho Maxillo Dental and Eye Hospital and Can Tho Children's Hospital have the opportunity to exchange valuable experiences in research and application of science in the treatment of eye diseases, contributing to improving the health care for local people.

First OV wins high prize at world’s most prestigious floral competition​

Designer Cao Thi Huyen (Rose Cao), a Serbian overseas Vietnamese, has become the first Vietnamese to win a prize at the Chelsea Flower Show 2023, the world's most prestigious annual flower exhibition hosted by the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

Huyen won the silver award in the floral design category with the work "Dance of Light". She said that her design shows the image of a flame, using a variety of flowers in purple and yellow tones to create natural light shining on the flower lamp post. The design does not use plastic according to the show criteria towards developing sustainable and environmentally friendly horticulture.

Taking place from May 23-27 at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, the event brings together nearly 300 leading UK and international companies, garden and florist designers.

This year's exhibition showcases more than 100 garden and flower designs and 270 booths showcasing horticultural products. It’s expected to welcome 200,000 visitors.

Held annually since 1913, Chelsea Flower Show is the UK's most prestigious flower exhibition, considered a "fashion exhibition" and "world cup" by international gardeners.

Garden enthusiasts will be gearing up for the world’s greatest flower shows which will see the best floral designs and cutting-edge garden displays.

The exhibition is a favourite destination for members of the UK's Royal Family, celebrities and professional and amateur gardeners alike. Late Queen Elizabeth II was a regular visitor of the show with more than 50 times attending the event.

Project on organising Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024 promoted

The steering committee for developing a project on organising the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024 (Vietnam Defence 2024) convened a meeting on May 24 in Hanoi, with Deputy Minister of National Defence and committee head Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien on the  chair.

Chien highlighted the significance of the expo, saying that it is a practical event to concretise Vietnam’s policy and direction of international integration and defence diplomacy, importantly contributing to promoting trade connection, supporting military enterprises in seeking and expanding international cooperation and promoting defence industry development in the country.

He said that it is necessary to learn experiences from the organisation of the Vietnam Defence 2022 and establish an organisation board of the expo to clearly determine the type of exhibition and diversify the types of weapons and products displayed at the event. 

Addressing the event, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army Phung Si Tan, who is also deputy head of the Steering Committee and head of the expo’s organisation board, said the event should to educate people about national defence and security and promote national defence and economic development.

He asked relevant agencies and units of the Ministry of Defence to closely coordinate to soon complete the project on schedule.

Participants proposed options on the time, place and scale of the event.

2023 Ninh Binh tourism week to draw many visitors

The 2023 Ninh Binh tourism week, themed “The Golden Colour of Tam Coc - Trang An”, is expected to draw a large number of domestic and foreign visitors to the northern province of Ninh Binh over eight days, starting from May 27.

Via the annual event, Ninh Binh will continue affirming its brand and position as a safe and friendly destination, as voted by many renowned newspapers, magazines and travel websites worldwide as one of the top 10 ideal destinations for a wonderful family vacation in 2023. Previously, it was the only Vietnamese representative to be listed among the top 10 friendliest destinations in the world.

A new feature in the 2023 version is a 9,500 sq.m painting using rice as material on vast fields of Tam Coc stretching along the meandering Ngo Dong river. It symbolises abundance and the bountiful water element that supports the sustainable development of green tourism in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, a land of cultural heritage for thousands of years.

Rice fields in Tam Coc have been voted as one of the most beautiful in Vietnam. The most impressive and enticing time to visit Tam Coc is around late May and early June. During this period, the vibrant yellow of the rice fields extends shimmeringly alongside the Ngo Dong river, flowing under majestic limestone mountain ranges. This enhances the beauty and geological significance, as well as the cultural and historical value of the Hoa Lu region, which still bears the traces of ancient humans.

Notably, Xuan Truong construction company will also launch the "Heritage Journey" free of charge from mid-May 2023, providing transportation for visitors from Tam Coc wharf to the ancient town of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh city and vice versa.

Tourists will have an opportunity to indulge in the unique culinary culture of the region at the pedestrian street and food market of Tam Coc. They can also join in photo tours, enjoy the photo exhibition "Golden Season of Tam Coc - Trang An”, explore the traditional handicraft items and enjoy water puppetry, cheo and xam singing, and many other cultural activities.

Ninh Binh strives to welcome 5.35 million visitors this year, with a total revenue of over 5.1 trillion (221.7 million USD). This effort contributes to gradually transforming tourism into a local key economic sector and establishing Ninh Binh as a prominent tourist destination in the Red River Delta and the country as a whole.

Vietnam Day marked in Moscow​ school

The Moscow State Linguistic University, known as Maurice Thorez Institute of Foreign Languages (MGLU), on May 24 organised the Vietnam Day to mark the 133rd birth anniversary of late President Ho Chi Minh.

Speaking at the event, Assoc. Prof Elena Zubsova, Department of Oriental Languages, Department of Interpretation MGLU, said that the university has a history of relations with Vietnam for decades. Since the 1960s, the school has trained hundreds of Vietnamese language experts, many of whom have held high positions, and for which the school has been honoured with the Friendship Order by Vietnam.

In 2017, the MGLU started to open Vietnamese language training classes, helping to strengthen the relationship with Vietnam

Currently, it is providing Vietnamese language courses to 39 students. The university currently has 64 Vietnamese students and doctoral students.

For her part, First Secretary in charge of education of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Mai Nguyen Tuyet Hoa affirmed that the embassy highly values the organisation of the second Vietnam Day at the MGLU.

She also said that language is a bridge to help promote the friendship as well as the relationship between the two countries.

Elena Zhusova, Head of the Vietnamese langugage Department of the MGLU, said that the event aims to popularise the Vietnamese culture to Russian friends and at the same time to encourage students who are studying the language to exert more efforts in studying and learning about the Vietnamese history and culture.

Vietnam ready for joint work to maintain global peace, stability: Minister

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security is ready to share experience with law enforcement agencies and international organisations to achieve sustainable socio-economic development, contributing to maintaining stability and peace globally, regionally, and within each nation, said Minister Gen. To Lam.

Addressing the plenary session of the 11th International Meeting of High-Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters that opened in Moscow suburban area on May 24, Lam said the world is witnessing the emergence of numerous new issues that pose threats to the security, sovereignty, and sustainable socio-economic development of each nation. Particularly, territorial disputes and maritime tensions are becoming increasingly complex, potentially turning into military conflicts that directly threaten the maintenance and development of an environment of peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom.

Additionally, high-tech cybercrime activities targeting the theft of information, intellectual property and State secrets are on the rise. Activities of terrorist organisations in certain regions are showing signs of escalation, while non-traditional security challenges such as epidemics, natural disasters, climate change, water security, nuclear safety, crises, depletion of natural resources, energy, and disruptions in supply chains are increasing in both severity and complexity, he said.

The minister added that his ministry highly values the significance of the meeting and wishes to continue learning from experience of international friends.

Earlier on May 23, Lam attended and delivered a speech at the third ASEAN-Russia Consultations of the High Representatives for Security Issues.

He spoke highly of the organisation of the meeting following the success of the 42nd ASEAN Summit held in Indonesia from May 10-11, demonstrating the determination to effectively realise joint statements and agreements reached by regional leaders, aiming for ASEAN becoming an epicenter of growth, especially amid complex and uncertain developments in the region and the world.

He emphasised that Vietnam highly values Russia's role and positive contributions to timely and effective coordination to address both traditional and non-traditional security challenges that are emerging.

Vietnam consistently supports the strengthening of ASEAN-Russia strategic partnership, he said, wishing that Russia would continue maintaining its role and position as a major power that makes active and responsible contributions to peace, security and development in the region. Focus should be placed on priorities such as cooperation in pandemic response, further tapping into untapped economic cooperation potential, and actively resuming tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam is committed to working closely with Russia and other ASEAN countries to contribute responsibly to peace, security and stability in the region and the world, with people as the centre, the goal and motivation, Lam said.

Draft revised Law on Bidding under scrutiny

Legislators put the contentious contents of the draft revised Law on Bidding under the microscope on May 24 as part of the ongoing fifth session of the 15th National Assembly.

The draft law comprises 10 chapters and 99 articles, up one chapter as compared with the one presented to the fourth sitting of the 15th legislature, which was held in late December 2022.

Le Quang Manh, member of the NA Standing Committee and Chairman of the NA's Finance - Budget Committee, presented a verification report on the legal document.

Many deputies shared the view that contractor appointment should be applied only when really necessary, with specific criteria, to avoid abuse in bidding, the legislator said.

Therefore, the NA Standing Committee instructed reviewing and adjusting Article 23, under which cases of contractor appointment have been reduced, according to the official.

At the working session, the legislators focused their discussion on the scope of the law, forms and methods as well as procedures of selecting contractors and investors, responsibility of relevant sides, and the settlement of petitions and complaints in bidding. Some suggested further clarifying acts that are banned to ensure publicity and transparency in bidding.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung noted that the law should address emerging issues, facilitate bidding and improve the efficiency of the management work in this regard.

Concluding the discussion, NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai said 16 deputies provided opinions and five others joined the debate, adding that they appreciated the verification report of the NA Standing Committee.

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