Vietnam Newswire

The National Assembly (NA) on July 27 approved a resolution on the socio-economic development plan for 2021 – 2025, targeting an average annual growth rate of 6.5 – 7 percent during the period.

According to the resolution, the overall goal is ensuring fast and sustainable economic growth on the basis of enhanced macro-economic stability while achieving an economic growth rate higher than the average of the 2016 – 2020 period so that Vietnam will become a developing country with modernity-oriented industry and escape from the lower-middle income status.

Apart from the growth target of 6.5 – 7 percent, the resolution also aims at per capita GDP of 4,700 – 5,000 USD on average, the processing – manufacturing industry making up over 25 percent of GDP, and the digital economy about 20 percent of GDP in the next five years.

To that end, it detailed 11 groups of key tasks and solutions, including working to obtain the “twin targets” of curbing COVID-19 and recovering and developing the economy and society; pressing on with building and completing development institutions, firstly the ones of the socialist-oriented market economy; stepping up economic restructuring in tandem with growth model reform, improving the economy’s productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness; and developing the digital economy and digital society.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on July 26 sent a message of congratulations to Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the occasion of his election as President of Vietnam.

Phuc was elected President of Vietnam on July 26 during the first session of the 15th National Assembly.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Leaders and former leaders of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front on July 27 morning laid wreaths and offered incense at the Heroic Martyrs’ Monument and paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum on the occasion of the 74th Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27).

Present at the event were President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien.

They expressed their profound gratitude to heroic martyrs who dedicated their lives to the struggle for national liberation and reunification, for the sake of national independence and freedom of the Fatherland and well-being of the people.

Seventy four years ago, President Ho Chi Minh designated July 27 as the Day of Invalids and Martyrs to remind the entire Party, armed forces and people to uphold the tradition of “when drinking water, remembering its source”, contributing to the enhancement of the great national unity bloc and public trust in the Party and State. At the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the leaders expressed their immense gratitude to the late leader for his dedication to the Party and nation’s glorious revolutionary cause.

In the morning of the same day, delegations from the Central Military Commission – the Ministry of National Defence, the Central Public Security Party Committee – the Ministry of Public Security, the VFF Central Committee, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and VFF Committee also paid floral tribute to heroic martyrs at the monument and President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Xeo Chu, a 14-year-old painter, has joined hands in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City by donating nearly 3 billion VND (about 130,200 USD) raised from auctions of his paintings.

The sum was used to purchase medical equipment, including ventilators, external defibrillators, protective gears, and N95 masks. They were sent to University Medical Centre of Ho Chi Minh City, the painter’s family said.

“I am happy to make a small contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope that the doctors and nurses are always safe and in good health to help us overcome the pandemic,” said the young artist.

This is not the first time Xeo Chu has contributed to charity programmes in Vietnam. Last November, the prodigy painter used all his proceeds from selling his paintings to help disadvantaged students at seven schools in the central province of Quang Tri.

Xeo Chu, whose real name is Pho Van An, has been painting since he was just four years old.

In 2019, he opened his first exhibition “Big World, Little Eyes” at the prestigious Georges Bergès Gallery in Soho, New York.

Xeo Chu has set sales records with his colourful abstract paintings in the US, with some selling for more than 150,000 USD when he was only 12.

His paintings have been compared to works by Jackson Pollock, a famous American painter in the 20th century.

In 2021, Xeo Chu was granted the “Khat vong de men” or “Cricket Aspiration” award by The Thao & Van Hoa (Sports and Culture) newspaper of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) for his painting series about nature and life.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong’s article “Several theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the pathway toward socialism in Vietnam” has proven that building socialism is a sound decision suitable with reality in the country by the CPV, said General Secretary of the Mexican Labour Party Alberto Ayana Gutiérrez.

In an interview recently granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s resident correspondent in Mexico, Gutiérrez said the Vietnamese revolution’s glorious victories over the past more than 90 years are the result of many factors, including the CPV’s political platforms, sound policies and guidelines based on creatively applying Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought in Vietnam’s reality, inheriting and upholding traditional values, cultural quintessence of humanity and loyal solidarity under the CPV’s leadership.

According to the official, Vietnam is now not only known for its tradition of patriotism and fighting foreign invaders to regain its independence and freedom, but also its successes on the path of national construction and development, with increasingly improved role and position in the international arena.

Highlighting Vietnam’s achievements in developing a socialist-oriented market economy since its Doi moi (renewal) process began in 1986, Gutiérrez said the Southeast Asian country has made bold steps towards socialism with significant strides recorded in the cause of national industrialisation, agriculture, infrastructure development and social policies.

On the path towards socialism with the goal of a strong country, wealthy people, and a democratic, fair and civilised society, Vietnam needs to grasp opportunities at home and abroad the develop the nation, he suggested.

The leader also expressed his belief that Vietnam’s past achievements together with initiatives in real life and theory that the CPV has put forward will lay a solid foundation to ensure Vietnam’s new successes in the process of building socialism.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on July 27 morning delivered a speech at the plenary session of the 15th NA on the occasion of the 74th War Invalids and Martyrs Day.

The NA leader expressed deep gratitude to revolutionary veterans, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, Heroes of the Armed Forces, Labour Heroes, wounded and sick soldiers, martyrs’ relatives and people who rendered services to the nation.

He affirmed that taking care of wounded and sick war veterans, martyrs’ relatives and revolution contributors is a consistent policy of the Party and State, which reflects the national tradition of “when drinking water, remember its source”.

Over the past years, Party Committees and administrations at all levels as well as the Vietnam Fatherland Front, agencies, organisations and individuals have conducted practical activities to care for the living conditions of wounded war veterans, martyrs’ relatives and revolution contributors.

He showed respects to their efforts to overcome difficulties to build a prosperous and happy life, contributing to the cause of national construction and defence.

Noting that many of them are still struggling, while remains of many fallen combatants have not been found, the NA leader underscored the need to continue enhancing the efficiency of support policies for revolution contributors and conduct practical and comprehensive activities to ensure their living conditions are at least equal to the average level in their residential places.

Hue stated that showing strong performance in implementing support policies for revolution contributors is a responsibility of the whole political system and people, as well as a factor contributing to the ensuring of social progress and equality, helping to reinforce the great national unity bloc and strengthen people’s trust in the Party and State.

He stressed the need for the NA and legislators to continue improving their sense of responsibility and operational efficiency, especially in building and completing the legal system, mechanisms and policies to support revolution contributors as well as supervising the implementation of the policies, so that ensuring they will enjoy full benefits from the support policies from the Party and State.

“The great sacrifice by the revolutionary veterans, martyrs and wounded war invalids, martyrs’ families and people who rendered services to the nation is a valuable source of spiritual motivation for the whole Party, people and army to overcome all difficulties and challenges, firmly maintaining independence and freedom and safeguarding sacred national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Fatherland as well as ensuring a peaceful and stable environment for younger generations so that they will live in peace and happiness and make the nation more prosperous,” the top legislator stressed.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) of Ho Chi Minh City said on July 22 that it had sent an official dispatch to authorized agencies, proposing the use of its religious establishments as temporary COVID-19 treatment hospitals and quarantine facilities for Buddhist monks and nuns.

Amidst the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in HCM City, Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Deputy Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Chairman of the Executive Council of the HCM City Buddhist Sangha, sent the official dispatch to the city’s leaders and the Department of Health, asking for permission to use the Vietnam National Pagoda in district 10 and Pho Quang Pagoda in Tan Binh district as temporary COVID-19 treatment hospitals for Buddhist monks and nuns.

If approved by the city’s leaders and the Department of Health and provided with medical equipment and workers, the HCM City Buddhist Sangha will cover all accommodation and transport expenses.

He emphasised that this move will contribute to reducing the medical burden that is currently putting great pressure on hospitals and medical centres in HCM City.

The Most Venerable also suggested municipal authorities pay attention to giving vaccination against COVID-19 to Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers who are performing social charitable activities in support of the city’s COVID-19 fight. Currently, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in HCM City is providing more than 30,000 servings a day for medical workers and people in concentrated quarantine sites and COVID-19 treatment hospitals.

If health authorities accept, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in HCM City will quarantine Buddhist volunteers at its religious establishments when they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 or after they finish their charity activities.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Leading the Vietnamese contingent, athletes Quach Thi Lan and Nguyen Huy Hoang, proudly carried the national flag aloft during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23 night.

For the first time in the history of the Games, each nation that took part was led by both a female and male athlete, as part of the International Olympic Committee’s efforts to push gender equality.

Swimmer Hoang and runner Lan were bestowed the honour by the Vietnam Olympic Committee.

Amid the pomp and circumstances of the opening ceremony, the pair was followed by the Vietnamese team.

The 43-strong contingent is made up of 18 athletes who will compete in 11 sports.

Weightlifting, shooting and taekwondo are the events considered Vietnam’s best possible chance of taking home a medal

Source: Vietnam News Agency