VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES SEPTEMBER 4
16:41
Japan to donate 440,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to
Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan
Japan is planning to donate another
440,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, split between Việt Nam,
Thailand, and Taiwan, Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced
on September 3. The vaccines
are due in the first half of September, but it is not yet clear at the moment
how many each country/region would receive. Motegi said
the decision for more donations was made after a comprehensive evaluation of
COVID-19 situations in Việt Nam, Thailand, and Taiwan, including new cases,
the healthcare system’s capacity, vaccination progress, as well as the
demands for inoculation of Japanese nationals in the three countries/regions. He said that
all three had been making progress in their vaccination drives, including for
Japanese nationals living in those countries, but the coverage remained
limited due to supply shortage, so he hoped with this latest shipments, both
locals and Japanese nationals would get access to COVID-19 vaccines. The same
day, the Japanese embassy in Việt Nam said it was currently coordinating with
authorities to carry out vaccination for Japanese citizens and
their spouses in Việt Nam in Hà Nội, which would be conducted at clinics
where Japanese doctors are available. The three
chosen facilities – Raffles Medical Hanoi, Family Medical Practice Hanoi, and
Sakura Clinic Hanoi – are set to open up registration for appointments. The costs
for the vaccination, along with pre-injection COVID-19 tests, are paid for by
the Japanese Government and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in
Việt Nam. “People’s determination posture” gathers national power Building the
firm postures of people’s determination, all-people national
defence and people's security to lay groundwork for the cause of
national defence is one of the important tasks and solutions to carry the
country towards a new development period, which is mentioned in the documents
of the 13th National Party Congress. Of which,
the “posture of people’s determination” is placed above in its relation with
the all-people national defence and people's security postures, demonstrating
a new stride in the Party’s mindset. The
country’s thousand-year-long history showed that when the entire people and
army stood united, they could defeat any enemy. From the onset of COVID-19
outbreak, the whole political system defined COVID-19 prevention and control
as an urgent task to fulfill the “dual goals” of fighting the pandemic and
recovering socio-economic development. As a bridge
between the Party and authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front chapters at
all levels together with the entire political system held a number of
activities, proving the importance of “people’s determination posture” in
consolidating resources for pandemic fight. Businesses,
organisations and philanthropists donated about 8 trillion VND (350 million
USD) to anti-pandemic work. From May 1 to August 15, VFF chapters at all
levels received over 7.6 trillion VND, which has been used to purchase
medical supplies and necessities for residents in areas under social
distancing order. In
unaffected or less-affected localities, a number of campaigns were launched,
receiving the warm response from local people who donated food and
necessities to Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces. Affirming
the role and importance of “people’s determination” and “people’s
determination posture”, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said
meeting the people's aspirations, the regime and the Party will survive. On
the contrary, losing their trust means losing all. He also
described the army as a solid mainstay of the Party, State and people and a
core force in building the all-people national defence posture. In the fight
against the pandemic, military officers and soldiers were a truly solid and
reliable mainstay of the Party, State and people, deserving the people’s army
and the army in the heart of the people. Politburo
member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of
National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang asked units in the army to actively
learn about and meet the people’s needs. He affirmed that the military is
determined to use all means and forces, within and beyond its ability, to
wipe out the pandemic and bring the people’s lives back to normal. Politburo
member, permanent member of the Central Military Commission and Director of
the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People's Army Gen. Luong
Cuong said since the pandemic broke out, officers and soldiers in the army
and self-defence militia forces nationwide have fully upheld the spirit of
patriotism in service of the nation and people. They are both ready to fight
and actively join in the combat against the pandemic. Thousands of
military medical staff and students voluntarily moved to the south to help
with the effort. Many military camps have been used as quarantine facilities.
The entire army deployed over 1,900 teams and checkpoints with more than
13,000 people, and 190 quarantine facilities serving more than 270,000, and
set up 10 temporary COVID-19 treatment hospitals. Fishing vessels to be closely controlled to end IUU  Preventing and ending vessels’
illegal fishing overseas is the first requirement to lift “yellow card”
warning by the European Commission, said Deputy General Director of the
Directorate of Fisheries Nguyen Quang Hung. In an
interview recently granted to Vietnam News Agency, Hung said the Fisheries
Law and relevant decrees stipulate that fishermen going out to sea must be in
the right occupation allowed in the fishing licence. They are banned from
fishing in wrong areas and routes, using mines or explosives and destructive
fishing tools. Regarding
the size of fishing vessels, the law stipulates clearly that ships with a
length of 15m or above are only allowed to fish in sea areas of Vietnam,
ships of 12-15m can only work in inshore route, and ships under 12m can
operate in coastal route. Fishing wrong areas and routes also means violating
the law. Offshore
fishing vessels are also required to install cruise control equipment and
maintain operations from departure to arrival. Fishermen at sea must keep a
full log of fishing, which is important to trace product origin.
Additionally, fishermen are prohibited from using child labour in accordance
with the labour law. Hung said
the Government issued Decree No.42/2019/ND-CP regulating fines on
administrative violations in fisheries field. Accordingly, if fishermen
commit one of the 14 violation behaviours, they will be punished in line with
the law. Deputy Prime
Minister Le Van Thanh asked cities and provinces to take more drastic actions
to raise fishermen’s awareness of legal regulations. He hailed Quang Ninh,
Binh Dinh, Kien Giang, Ca Mau and Binh Thuan for doing such job well,
contributing to reducing the number of violating fishing vessels. Hung
revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is assigning
the Directorate of Fisheries to build a draft project on the prevention and
control of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), in a bid to
lift “yellow card” warning by 2022 and develop fisheries sustainably and
effectively. During its implementation,
there will be nationwide specialised inspections and strict punishments if
violations are found. Advanced technologies will be adopted in fishing
management. The
fisheries sector was required to perfect database on fishing vessels and
fishing vessel supervision centre from the central to local levels. A
fisheries management centre is also expected to be established at the
Directorate of Fisheries. The project
will take more drastic measures and increase patrols while launching drives
to inspect and handle fishing vessels violating foreign waters./. Vietnam attends 36th Meeting of ICAPP Standing Committee A Vietnamese
delegation led by Nguyen Thi Hoang Van, deputy head of the Party Central
Committee’s Commission for External Relations, attended the 36th meeting of
the Standing Committee of the International Conference of Asian Political
Parties (ICAPP), held online on September 3. Addressing
the event, which brought together representatives from 24 political parties
in Asia, Van highlighted efforts of the ICAPP Secretariat in maintaining the
operation of the organisation given the complex developments of the COVID-19
pandemic, contributing to promoting solidarity, cooperation and experience
exchange between political parties, while proposing measures to boost the
ICAPP’s activities in the new situation. The
Communist Party of Vietnam will continue to play an active and responsible
role in the ICAPP’s activities, for peace, cooperation and development in the
region and the world as well, she affirmed. The
delegates reviewed the operation of the ICAPP after the 35th meeting, and
focused discussions on the ICAPP’s activities from now to the end of this
year and well as in 2022, especially preparations for its 20th founding
anniversary, and cooperation between the ICAPP and the United Nations. The ICAPP
was set up in September, 2000 with an aim to boosting exchange and
cooperation among political parties in Asia. After 20 years of establishment,
it has affirmed its role in promoting cooperation in the region through the
role of political parties./. Hanoi aims to effectively wipe out child labour Hà Nội is
striving to reduce child and juvenile labour (those between seven
and 17 years old) to under 1 per cent by 2025. It is one of
the aims of a plan by the municipal people’s committee
targeting the period 2021-25, with a vision to 2030. The plan
aims to increase awareness, capacity and responsibility of
authorities at different levels, concerned organisations, employers,
community and parents in preventing child labour. The city
will give support to all children at high risk of child labour, or
being sold for labour. As many as 90 per cent of children at high risk
of child labour will have access to education and proper vocational training
by 2025. Hà Nội is
also aiming to reach 90 per cent of teachers and workers at children
sponsoring centres, 80 per cent of parents and caregivers, 85 per cent of
children and 90 per cent of enterprises, especially small- and
medium-enterprises, receiving enough information and education about
child labour prevention. Seventy per
cent of households in trade villages will also receive training about child
labour prevention. To reach the
target, the city has asked authorities at different levels to insert the
targets into plans, duties, strategies and programmes for socio-economic
development. The targets
will also be inserted in programmes to set up new rural living styles,
welfare and poverty reduction and vocational training policies. Authorities
at different levels will work closely with each other in preventing and
reducing child labour, especially in supporting those sold for labour. The city
will improve education programmes to raise community’s awareness about the
issue to ensure child rights. More
management and care will be given to children in poor families and
employers in trade villages. As of the
end of 2019, Hà Nội had nearly 1.86 million under-16-year-olds, making
up 23.2 per cent of the total city population. Nearly
41,000 children are at high risk of child labour, but the capital city
has not reported a case of illegal child labour. In the
period 2016-20, the city regularly gave education on child labour
prevention, inspected child care and protection. Thanks to this, nearly
18,000 children and nearly 1,600 households with children at high risk
of child labour received support. Sapa tourism scene quiet amid Covid-19 The previously
bustling tourist town of Sapa has become quieter due to travel restrictions
and the lack of tourists. Sapa Church
area used to be crowded with tourists but it has recently been much quieter.
Vuong Trinh Quoc, chairman of the Sapa People's Committee said in the past
few weeks, they only received 250 visitors. People who want to go to Sapa
must be tested for Covid-19 and quarantined. In 2019,
Sapa received 50,000-60,000 visitors. The number of visitors in 2021 as of
now only accounts for 0.04% of 2019's. Most hotels and restaurants are
already closed. "A
large number of visitors were from Hanoi and HCM City and nearby provinces.
However, these provinces and cities are dealing with a severe outbreak and
implementing strict social distancing rules," Quoc said. People in
Sapa also go out less and crowds outside public places are banned. Visitors
to the markets must wear face masks and have their body temperature taken. A
trader said life was getting more difficult since the majority of their
customers used to be tourists. Since travelling is more difficult, the prices
of everything also get higher. Nguyen Van
Dao, a tour organiser, has been out of a job for the past four months. He and
his wife then sell dried salmon floss online to earn some money. But their
business is struggling now as transportation is limited. "Many
people have left the city to wait out the outbreak. Some others tried to find
other work. Sapa has never lack visitors for so long," Dao said. Ninh Binh promotes biodiversity preservation
Boasting
distinctive biodiversity, from abundant species of flora and fauna to rich
and varied landscapes, the northern province of Ninh Binh has taken drastic
measures to preserve its nature. The Van Long
wetland reserve, located in the north of Gia Vien district in Ninh Binh
province, is dotted with spectacular islands and caves. Covering
more than 3,000 hectares, Van Long is considered the Red River Delta’s
wetland nature reserve and is home to thousands of land and aquatic flora and
fauna. Among them
are rare and endangered species listed in Vietnam’s Red Book, such as
Delacour’s langur. From the
start of this year, the provincial Department of Forest Protection has
detected 15 gross violations in the forestry sector and imposed fines
totalling more than over 5,700 USD. In the time
to come, the department said it will bolster inspections to tackle violations
in a timely manner to protect local biodiversity./. Vietnam administers 20.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine Vietnam has
to date administered around 20.8 million doses of Covid-19 for people aged
over 18 with 2.8 million given with the second jab, according to the Ministry
of Health. The Ministry
of Health has received roughly 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. From
now until the end of this year, around 49 million doses of Pfizer vaccine
will be brought to Vietnam, including 1.3 million doses in
September. Vietnam has
signed contracts to buy 51 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, including 20
million doses for children aged 12-17. The Ministry
of Health has asked cities and provinces to speed up the Covid-19 vaccination
when more vaccines are scheduled to arrive in the country in the fourth
quarter of this year. Localities
are urged to provide a second shot for qualified people. HCM City,
the Covid-19 epicentre in Vietnam, needs around 8.1 million doses of Covid-19
vaccine to give the second shot to all of the local 7.2 million adult
population by late this year. The city has
prioritised Covid-19 vaccination for some groups, including elderly people,
frontline medical staff in the Covid-19 fight and people with underlying
medical conditions. Vietnam’s 76th National Day celebrated abroad A series of
activities have been held by Vietnamese embassies in many countries worldwide
to mark Vietnam’s 76th National Day (September 2). Addressing a
meeting held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow, Russia, on September 2,
Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi noted under the leadership of the Communist Party
of Vietnam over the past 76 years, the Vietnamese people have won glorious
achievements in the cause of national defence, construction and development,
helping elevate the nation’s prestige and position regionally and globally. In 2020,
Vietnam was one of the few countries achieving positive economic growth. In
the first half of 2021, its GDP expanded by 5.64 percent, or 1.82 percent
higher than the same period in 2020. Amid the
COVID-19 pandemic, the ambassador said, the embassy considers vaccine
diplomacy to be a primary task. It has actively worked with Russian ministries
and sectors to promote the negotiation and import of vaccines and drugs for
COVID-19 treatment, as well as the transfer of vaccine production technology. Despite
living far from the homeland, the Vietnamese community in Russia has also
raised 140,000 USD to purchase vaccines, drugs and other medical supplies to
send them back to Vietnam. On the
occasion of the event, staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, representatives of
the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese students in Russia offered flowers at
President Ho Chi Minh’s statue in Moscow. Meanwhile,
in Egypt, a ceremony to celebrate the National Day was held in Cairo by the
Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt. Speaking at
the function, Ambassador Tran Thanh Cong emphasised that Vietnam is always
proud to have Egypt as a reliable and traditional friend in the history of
the struggle for national independence, unification and development. He said the
two countries’ relations are developing well and there are numerous
opportunities for extensive and effective bilateral cooperation in various
fields such as politics-diplomacy, economy-trade, culture, and education. Despite the
COVID-19 impact, two-way trade between Vietnam and Egypt reached 515 million
USD in 2020, up 5 percent compared to 2019. Ambassador
Cong said there is room for cooperation between the two countries, especially
in the fields of industry, agriculture, and logistics. He expressed his
belief that bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Egypt will soon
reach 1 billion USD in the coming time. Vietnam’s
76th National Day was also celebrated by Vietnamese diplomatic missions in
Hungary, Switzerland, Israel, Mongolia and Mexico./. Germany offers 180,000 COVID-19 test kits to Vietnam A Vietnam
Airlines flight carrying 180,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits worth 615,000 EUR
(730,290 USD) donated by Germany to Vietnam left Frankfurt airport on
September 3 and is scheduled to land in Cam Ranh International Airport, south
central province of Khanh Hoa, on September 4 before being handed over to
Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang. The batch
comprises 150,000 test kits provided by the World University Service of
Germany (WUS) and 30,000 others offered by Berlin. Dr. Kambiz
Ghawami, President of the WUS, said that the gift aims to show Germany’s solidarity
with Vietnamese people, which is hoped to help the country control COVID-19
as soon as possible. With the
support of Vietnam Airlines, in May 2020, the WUS received more than 200,000
face masks as gifts of Vietnam to Germany, he noted, adding that this was
evidence of the solidarity between friends that always stand shoulder by
shoulder through difficulties. Earlier on
August 19 in Berlin, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Minh Vu
symbolically received 30,000 rapid test kits presented by Berlin./. Deputy health minister urges recovered COVID patients in HCM
City to join battle Deputy
Minister of Health Nguyễn Trường Sơn has written an open letter to people who
have recovered from the Delta variant of COVID-19, calling on them to join
hands in the fight against the pandemic in HCM City. “Your
sharing of experiences and the secrets to conquering the illness will also be
part of the city's disease prevention and control measures today," he
said in his letter on September 3. He
congratulated and thanked the patients who fought bravely and overcame the
illness to spark the belief that the city would defeat the pandemic. “[But] loss,
sacrifice and suffering are still there for a number of people infected with
the Delta variant and COVID-19 patients [in general]. Our city still has too
many difficulties and challenges, requiring drastic and maximum efforts by
the local government, city people and medical personnel. “We
understand that you still need time to recuperate after a terrible illness,
but we desperately need your contribution in this decisive phase. “With hope
and belief in the successful control of the pandemic, our medical staff
eagerly look forward to your participation in the city's pandemic prevention
and control. Any position, any work that you participate in will
be appreciated and thanked by me and all the people of the city." When they
feel adequately healthy, former patients can register to participate in the
fight against COVID at the city Department of Health’s personnel division at
028.39309967 or 0907.574.269. Sơn added:
“We will assess the level of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus through
rapid tests and arrange the best possible working conditions for you. I
firmly believe that your presence at this time will bring positive energy,
cheer to the pandemic prevention forces and especially COVID-19 patients. We
must definitely go forward and win.” As of
September 2 the country has had 482,497 infections in the fourth wave of
COVID, which began on April 27, with HCM City, the epicentre, accounting for
232,585. The city is
discovering thousands of new cases every day and there are hundreds of
fatalities. The city has
said it will pay former patients who help health workers in hospitals take
care of COVID patients. At a press
conference on September 2 Nguyễn Hòai Nam, deputy director of the city
Department of Health, said the city has 116,337 recovered patients who have
been discharged from hospitals. They are a
very valuable resource since they have antibodies that make
them temporarily immune to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the city wants to
recruit and pay them salaries for caring for patients. Healthcare
authorities would test and assess their antibody levels to assign them with
appropriate work, he said. These
recovered patients could offer huge support to frontline health workers in
many areas like disinfection so that the latter could focus on their
professional tasks, he pointed out. The city
invites them to participate in the fight against the pandemic, he said. Russia offers to donate curative drugs The HCMC
Department of Health said it has asked the Department of Medical Examination
and Treatment and the Drug Administration of Vietnam to consider the use of
Reamberin and Cytoflavin in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. It received
a letter from the city Department of Foreign Affairs about the offer of
donation of the two drugs by Russia’s Polysan Company to the city. They are
used in the treatment of COVID patients in Russia. The
Department of Health wants the Ministry of Health to add them to the COVID
treatment regimen so that the city could use the donated medicines. Medical consultation in nine areas The
departments of Health and Information and Communication have added
a healthcare consultation channel to the portal 1022. Callers
should press No.5 and follow instructions to choose the area in which they
want to get advice. The areas
include cardiovascular - blood pressure ( No.1), respiratory diseases (No.2),
obstetrics and gynaecology (No.3), paediatrics (No. 4), diabetes mellitus
(No. 5), ear, nose and throat (No. 6), dental and oral (No. 7), other
diseases (No. 8), and psychological counselling amid COVID-19 (No. 9). Professors,
associate professors and doctors from the Medical Association of HCM City
will be on the line on all days of the week at 8-10am, 2-4pm and 7-9pm. Previously,
the city set up the portal 1022 for receiving information on COVID-19 control
and prevention in 24 hours. All calls
are free of charge. ‘Social Welfare’ app launched for COVID support The HCM City
Welfare Centre has launched the 'An Sinh' (Social Welfare) mobile phone
application for the public to send it information and requests for emergency
support. People can
send requests for ambulances, oxygen tanks, medicines, medical equipment for
COVID treatment, and emergency assistance. The requests
will be passed on directly to the centre’s management for verification and
processing. It is meant
to help reduce the workload for frontline forces while enabling the public to
receive quick assistance. Vietnamese delegation's performance is higher than expected:
official Vietnamese athletes have
finished their competition at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with
a silver medal. The
Vietnamese delegation was temporarily ranked at the 70th in the medal tally
at the end of September 2, the 9th day of the Games. Deputy
Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Nguyen Hong Minh, who is also
the head of the Vietnamese delegation, said seven Vietnamese athletes had
competed in three sports of swimming, weightlifting and athletics. They got a
silver medal, won by Le Van Cong in the men's 49kg powerlifting on August 26.
The Vietnamese team has ranked 6th in three categories and ranked 7th in
another type. The results
reflect the reality and conditions of the athletes, Minh said. “The
performance of the Vietnamese sports delegation at Tokyo 2020 Paralympic
Games is higher than we expected,” he said. Minh
attributed the achievement to the efforts and determination, especially the
admirable willpower of the Vietnamese athletes with disabilities at the
Games. The
Vietnamese delegation is expected to return home on September 4./. Vietnam condemns use of chemical weapons at UNSC discussion Vietnam has
reiterated the consistent policy in favour of non-proliferation and
disarmament regimes, as well as the country’s support for the role of the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in ridding the
world of chemical weapons. Speaking at
a discussion of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the
implementation of Resolution 2118 (2013) regarding the settlement of chemical
weapons in Syria, Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Deputy Permanent Representative of
Vietnam to the UN voiced concern over the use of chemical weapons in Syria
and the current impasse. He called on
the two sides to deepen their technical cooperation in a constructive and
non-politicised manner, with the aim of finally settling remaining
outstanding issues related to Syria’s initial declaration. He looked
forward to the upcoming meeting between the Foreign Minister and head of the
National Authority of Syria and the OPCW Director-General — which should
serve as a confidence-building measure - and called for the international
community to lend its support to that engagement. Izumi
Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament
Affairs, briefed the 15-member Council on her Office’s recent engagement with
its OPCW counterparts. Noting that
their work remains subject to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and conditions
on the ground, she reported that the Syrian authorities requested talks with
the organisation’s Declarations Assessment Team to be pushed back to October
from the initially requested date in September. UNSC members
showed their concern over the accusation of the use of chemical weapons in
Syria, underlining the need to strengthen cooperation between the Syrian
Government and OPCW as well as members of the Chemical Weapon Convention to
deal with issues related to chemical weapons in the country./. Vietnamese flag raised in US city of Jersey on National Day The
Vietnamese Consulate in New York, the United States, in collaboration with
the administration of Jersey city in the state of New Jersey held a ceremony
on September 2 (local time) to raise the Vietnamese flag at the City Hall,
marking the 76th National Day of Vietnam. Addressing
the event, Consul Dinh Phuong Mai said the flag raising ceremony is of
special significance as it was the first time that the administration of
Jersey City has coordinated with the Vietnamese Consulate in New York to host
the event on the occasion of Vietnam’s National Day. The event
will mark the start of new exchanges between Jersey City Hall and the
Vietnamese Consulate in New York in the near future, she said, hoping such
the flag raising ceremony will be held annually locally. “I think it
is an opportunity to promote images of the country and people of Vietnam, and
at the same time to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and
forge closer ties with the local Vietnamese community towards the homeland,”
said the Consul. At the
ceremony, City Council President Joyce Waterman presented Consul Mai with a
statement signed by Mayor Steven Fulop stating that on September 2, 2021,
Jersey City has honoured Vietnam’s National Day, demonstrating the close
friendship between the United States and Vietnam. Waterman
said Jersey welcomes people of different nationalities and cultures,
including Vietnam, to come and live in the city to promote mutual
understanding and develop altogether. She stressed
the flag raising ceremony in Jersey City is to honour the freedom of
cultures./. Vietnam Spark Board meets to support Vietnam in COVID-19 fight,
post-pandemic recovery Vietnamese
Ambassador to the United States Ha Kim Ngoc has highly appreciated and
expressed his hope that the Vietnam Spark Plan would help set forth
breakthrough initiatives for Vietnam to overcome challenges and maintain
strong development momentum He made the
statement at the first meeting of Vietnam Spark Board on September 2. The
Vietnam Spark Plan was launched by the Boston Global Forum aimed to bring
together leaders, strategists, academics, experts in health, technology, and
economics to discuss and propose solutions to help Vietnam in the fight
against the COVID-19 pandemic, recover and develop the economy as well as
seeking new opportunities for the country when the pandemic ends. Participants
at the meeting were former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Chairman
of the Boston Global Forum, former Acting US Secretary of Commerce Cameron
Kerry, Co-Chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative, Professor Thomas
E. Patterson from Harvard University and many other professors and
strategists from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT). The
Vietnamese Ambassador said that this event has special meaning as it took
place at the proposal of a prestigious organisation in Boston, where
President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked in the days when he was searching for
a way to save the country. He
emphasised that President Ho Chi Minh had foreseen the future of
the Vietnam - US relations and they are following that vision. The recent
successful visit to Vietnam by US Vice President Kamala Harris is a new step
in the relationship between the two countries, he said. The pandemic
situation in Vietnam is complicated, causing seriously economic and social
impacts, the ambassador said, adding that the Vietnamese government has been
taking many measures to fight the pandemic and seek vaccine sources at the
earliest time, Ngoc said. Addressing
the meeting, former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis expressed his
interest and desire to help improve the pandemic situation in Vietnam, saying
that the anti-pandemic effort and economic development are interrelated and
are of great significance in helping the country overcome the COVID-19. Professor
John Quelch - former Vice President of Harvard Business School and Dean of
the University of Miami Business School - said that Vietnam should coordinate
with member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
to build a regional health strategy for vaccine autonomy, care for small
businesses and pay attention to people's mental health. Other
participants also contributed many ideas on developing health and information
infrastructure, remote psychological counseling and enhancing the role of
women. Nguyen Anh
Tuan, former Editor of VietNamNet Newspaper and Director of the Michael
Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation, said after the first
meeting, the Vietnam Spark Plan would continue to have discussions
and was expected to submit a report of the plan to Vietnam by the end of this
November./. Quang Ninh aims to become country's economic driving force The northern
coastal province of Quang Ninh has seen a rapid speed of development in its
urban areas in recent years. The early
approval of the province's urban development programme to 2030 is a
prerequisite to focus all investment resources and soon build Quang Ninh into
a centrally-run city by 2030. Quang Ninh
has a fairly developed urban system, but there is a difference in terms of
the development speed and scale of each area. Fast-growing and large-scale
urban centres develop along main traffic routes, concentrated in coastal
areas, associating with the development of tourist, service, industrial, and
port areas. To become a
centrally run city by 2030, Quang Ninh province set strategic goals many
years ago. Nguyen Tuong
Van, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said the province's
target is to develop an urban area system towards a sustainable direction and
to build and develop a green economy based on science, technology, and human
resources. One of Quang
Ninh's breakthrough strategies in the process of accelerating urban planning
is investing in infrastructure systems. Up to now, many important
infrastructure works have been completed, contributing to the synchronous
connection of transport infrastructure in the province and the
region. It also helps promote the socio-economic development of the whole
region. During its
development process, Quang Ninh always determines that planning
must be the first and foremost step. The province has spent a lot of
resources and at the same time called for strategic investors to participate
in the implementation of key projects, creating a stronger driving force for
socio-economic development. Regarding
the planning work, it was determined that the planning must be relevant to
the socio-economic development strategy of the country, the region, and that
of sectors and fields. It was
necessary to make a breakthrough based on potential and advantages of the
province, ensuring modernity, synchronisation and meeting the international
standards. Since its
first planning, the province has invited leading consulting firms such as
McKinsey Group, BCG (the United States), Nikken Sekkei and Nippon Koie
(Japan) to get involved in. These plannings have closely followed the
development space of the province, assuring the connectivity to promote the
strengths of each locality in the province and the Red River Delta, and the
northern key economic region. To realise
the goal of developing Quang Ninh into a civilised and modern city, the
province has identified three strategic breakthroughs in the urban
development programme to 2030. They were developing high quality human
resources in association with increasing population scale and quality;
speeding up the development of synchronised and modern strategic
infrastructure, and promoting local cultural identities while shortening the
income gap. In addition,
the province is also finalising the medium-term
public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period. Accordingly,
priority will be given to allocating state budget capital as a motivation to
maximise the exploitation of resources, especially from the private sector.
It will also focus on perfecting the synchronous and modern infrastructure
system, contributing to promoting socio-economic development in a fast and
sustainable manner. Quang Ninh
is viewed as a strategic destination in northern Vietnam and an important
link in the northern economic growth triangle of Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang
Ninh. Over the
past five years, Quang Ninh has experienced high and sustainable growth, with
an average annual growth rate of 10.7 percent. The average GRDP per capita is
estimated at 6,700 USD in 2020, two times higher than the national average. It topped
the PCI rankings for the third year in a row in 2019, according to the PCI
2019 report compiled by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In addition
to the PCI, Quang Ninh also led the country in the PAR Index for three
consecutive years from 2017 to 2019. The province has also been among the
best performers in the SIPAS for many years and rose to the top in 2019./. Online COVID-19 steering centre set up at PM's office Prime
Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Thursday evening directed prevention and
control measures for 2,594 communes, wards and towns of 19 southern
localities that are undergoing social distancing through an online system set
up in his office. The online
steering and examination centre for COVID-19 prevention and control has been
established at the PM’s office after he inspected COVID-19 prevention and
control tasks at communes, wards and townships in HCM City, Hà Nội and
southern Bình Dương and Đồng Nai Province. The centre
was created by the Việt Nam Post and Telecommunications (VNPT) and the
Military Industry-Telecoms Group (Viettel) to connect the PM's office with
communes, wards and towns nationwide. This is the
first online system that helps the PM to quickly and directly examine and
guide COVID-19 prevention and control in areas which are considered as the
“fortresses” in the fight against the pandemic. The PM
appreciated the efforts of VNPT and Viettel in setting up the centre within a
short space of time while ensuring quality. The centre
would serve as a tool to help the Government leader to regularly examine,
supervise and direct communes, wards and towns as well as listen to their
recommendations and proposals. The same
day, the PM examined COVID-19 prevention and control tasks at five communes,
wards and towns in HCM City, Tiền Giang and Long An provinces. He asked
local authorities to continue implementing social distancing and quarantine
measures more strictly and effectively, ensuring social security and making
sure every citizen could get access to healthcare, while speeding up testing
to promptly detect COVID-19 patients. He also
asked to increasing mobile healthcare centres following the Ministry of
Health’s guidance as well as organising vaccinations for people
safely and effectively. Bad intentions distorting Vietnam’s fight against COVID-19 fail Although the
COVID-19 fight demands a joint effort and solidarity, certain organizations
and individuals are distorting the situation to smear the accomplishments of
the Vietnamese Party, State, and people. At the
frontline of the fight against the pandemic, medical staff, the army, the
police, and other forces are working hard to contain the coronavirus and
ensure adequate supplies of food and medicines to everyone, following the
motto ‘no one is left behind’. Military
servicemen, policemen, local cadres, and volunteers are on duty around the
clock, buying and delivering food and other necessities to people in social
distancing areas, and transporting urns containing the ashes of COVID-19
victims to their surviving relatives. These activities are in the Vietnamese
tradition of mutual support, love, and solidarity. In an
affront to this noble effort, some people are spreading the ridiculous claim
on the Internet that the people performing these selfless activities are just
showing off. There have also been articles, including from RFA, RFI, BBC, and
other overseas media networks, criticizing efforts by the army to assist
pandemic efforts as inappropriate and calling the government’s preventive
measures in the southern provinces and Ho Chi Minh City unscientific. Some
have accused the government of using deception in its vaccination campaign
without giving any justification of this baseless accusation. All attempts
to distort the policies and intentions of the Party and State to contain the
pandemic ignore the reality that if the pandemic is allowed to spread, the
consequences for everyone will be devastating. The involvement of the army
and police forces has encouraged people to comply with pandemic preventive measures.
Those forces have maintained public security and social order and managed the
delivery of food and other necessities to people who must stay at home to
control the spread of the coronavirus. Their efforts have made people feel
more comfortable and secure in a difficult period.
The world
has been pushing ahead with COVID-19 vaccination, and positive results are
being reported in the US, the UK, and Israel. Vietnam’s goal of achieving
nationwide vaccination is based on scientific results that are being seen in
countries around the world. It must be
stressed that misrepresentations about Vietnam's determined fight against
COVID-19 are meant to undermine people’s trust in the leadership of the Party
and State. But Vietnamese people should not be fooled by these malicious
distortions. It is the strong determination of the Party and the solidarity
and faith of the Vietnamese people that will win the fight against this
pandemic. When artists join forces to fight against COVID-19 Despite the
negative impact of COVID-19 on society, the pandemic cannot hinder local
artists from displaying their talents and making contributions to the
nation’s fight against the virus. Several
other popular singers in the southern city also put on performances outside
field hospitals as they sent words of encouragement to frontline healthcare
workers and patients suffering from the virus. Artists,
including the likes of Cam Van, Phuong Thanh, Toc Tien, Quoc Dai, Le Minh,
Cece Truong and more had the unique experience of singing for up to thousands
of COVID-19 patients in field hospital No.11 in Thu Duc City, part of HCM
City. The artists
concerted the hospital’s yard into a special stage featuring active and
optimistic items, whilst also uplifting the spirits of those in attendance
and encouraging viewers. Along with
singers, Vietnamese musicians also contributed their talent to the fight,
inspiring an outburst of songs to encourage people to remain home and support
the Government’s efforts. "Ghen
Co Vy" which was penned by Khac Hung and released on February 23, 2020
by Min and Erik, immediately became a hit song and has since gone viral on
all media platforms. This was a project initiated by the Vietnamese Ministry
of Health to raise public awareness about COVID-19 prevention. Most
notably, UNICEF has also co-operated with well-known Vietnamese dancer Quang
Dang, who is famous worldwide for coming up with a dance in the
hand-washing song “Ghen Co Vy” which was released in March, 2020, amid
the height of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also participated
to choreograph the moves in the song “Let’s Act Together for Nature”, a
product of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, by singer Quan
A.P, and Nguyen Jenda. Musicians An
Hieu and Nguyen Van Chung also wrote several impressive songs as gifts in
order to encourage and honour the dedication and silent sacrifice of
frontline forces whilst contributing to spreading noble values and calling on
all people to stay united to weather the COVID-19 crisis. In the field
of fine arts, a number of art auctions were held by painters and charitable
groups as part of efforts to raise funds for hospitals treating COVID-19
patients. A
painting by artist Bui Hoang Duong is auctioned to raise funds
to support COVID-19 hospitals Approximately
70 paintings eventually sold for a total of VND1 billion,
equivalent to US$43,680. The proceeds will be used to purchase 20 hospital
beds, medical equipment, machinery, and medicine for COVID-19
field hospital No.5 in Thuan Kieu Plaza of District 5. Meanwhile,
Cai luong (Renovated Theatre) artists also contributed to the COVID-19 fight
by putting on a number of impressive plays. In June,
several artists from the HCM City-based Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre
released two music videos on YouTube, showcasing the Vietnamese spirit in
fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. The videos,
Niem Tin (Belief) and Chung Con La Chien Si (We’re Fighters), feature songs
discussing the challenges that doctors, nurses, health workers, and soldiers
face during the ongoing national fight. They include messages to encourage
and praise the solidarity and bravery of citizens during the pandemic. This was
done alongside a number of writing contests spreading messages of hope amid
COVID-19. Vietnamese
publisher Skybooks has invited entries for a writing contest to receive
submissions about life at the time of COVID-19 with the aim of exploring
beautiful stories and sending positive messages to readers. The contest
provided a platform for young people to share their own experiences on how
they worked from home and took care of themselves and their families, along
with some of their unforgettable days during lockdown. Although
social distancing measures require the suspension of cultural and
entertainment services, artists found their own ways to show their gratitude
to frontline forces and their unique contributions to the COVID-19 fight. Source:
VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes |
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