Day: July 7, 2021

The Investigation Security Agency of Can Tho city’s Department of Public Security has decided to commence criminal proceedings against a man from Hanoi for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate the interests of the State, the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals.”

Le The Thang, 39, was granted bail, but prohibited from leaving his residential area to serve investigation.

According to investigation results, Thang and four others who had been arrested earlier, including Facebook user Truong Chau Huu Danh, 39, residing in Long An province, created a Facebook page named “Bao sach”.

Thang also owned a Youtube channel named “BS Channel” to post video clips and photos produced by his group – “Lam bao sach.”

The group published many articles about issues of public concern like the land dispute in Dong Tam commune, Hanoi’s My Duc district, drought in the western region and Vietnam’s rice export amidst COVID-19.

After Danh was arrested, the remaining members left the group. Thang directly removed the Facebook page and Youtube channel.

However, competent forces still stored 47 articles published by the group, which have violated the Law on Telecommunications and the Law on Cybersecurity, with distorted information inciting acts of sabotage, affecting the role, leadership and management of the State and authorities.

The defendants confessed that the information is inaccurate, causing misunderstanding among the public and eroding public trust in the Party and authorities.

Can Tho police proposed prosecuting Danh and the three others – Nguyen Phuoc Trung Bao, Deputy Director of FOCUS Business Communications Limited; Doan Kien Giang, born in 1985 and residing in HCM City, and Nguyen Thanh Nha, Director of FOCUS, for “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to violate the interests of the State, the rights and legitimate interests of organisations and individuals.”/.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a dispatch requiring intensified efforts to better COVID-19 prevention and control amidst complex developments of the pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam’s largest economic hub.

The Government leader asked chairpersons of the People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces, Ministers and heads of ministry-level agencies and Government agencies to strictly follow directions of the Party Central Committee’s Politburo and Secretariat, the Government, the Prime Minister, and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control as well as guidance and regulations of the Health Ministry.

It is a must to seriously carry out measures to prevent, detect and zone off new outbreaks, conduct effective quarantine and provide active treatment, he said, requiring the supply of food, food stuffs and necessities for people in quarantine sites and locked-down areas.

The PM also asked for the application of mandatory prevention and control measures for all people coming from pandemic-hit areas. The Ministry of Health is urged to regularly update the list of pandemic-hit areas on its e-portal.

For Ho Chi Minh City, while the whole city has not been considered a pandemic-hit area, people coming from or going through areas that have not been declared as pandemic-hit ones must make compulsory medical declarations. The local authorities of where they go must monitor them, conduct epidemiological investigations and make decisions on quarantine, testing and health monitoring in accordance with the results of the investigations.

The Prime Minister requested the municipal People’s Committee to strengthen directions for stronger and more radical measures to soon cut off the infection chains and control outbreaks.

Locals were required to avoid large gatherings and follow distancing regulations.

The Government leader also urged the city to immediately complete necessary work on legal affairs and communications to minimise the movement of people./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi will strictly monitor people returning from pandemic-hit areas who are requested to be tested for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 three times and quarantined at home within seven days.

This is part of an urgent dispatch issued by Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh on July 7, requiring extra COVID-19 prevention and control efforts amidst new developments of the pandemic.

The document requested local people to avoid travelling to pandemic-hit areas and Ho Chi Minh City.

The city leader also asked heads of departments and sectors and chairpersons of the People’s Committees of districts, towns, communes and wards to tighten discipline in obeying COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the new situation, and intensify dissemination and punishments.

Service establishments and indoor restaurants must strictly comply with regulations and close before 9pm daily.

Departments and agencies were required to monitor all transportation activities from the outbreaks and passengers on public vehicles going from pandemic-hit areas to Hanoi and vice versa.

In addition, the Department of Health was required to direct medical facilities to strictly follow prevention and control regulations and measures, organise screening testing and prepare response plans in case the pandemic worsens.

The municipal Management Board of Industrial Parks and Export Processing Zones should continue to take drastic measures as well.

From July 5-7, Hanoi has recorded 16 more infections, including those with epidemiological factors related to pandemic-hit areas such as Ho Chi Minh City, Nghe An and Bac Giang provinces./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Twenty-two young people have been chosen to take part in the 2021 Australia – Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue (AVLD), slated for early September, with each country having 11 delegates.

The selection result was announced at a virtual ceremony on July 6 that attracted representatives of government agencies, universities, enterprises, non-governmental organisations, and press agencies from both countries.

The AVLD organising board said the chosen delegates are aged between 25 and 35 and work in various fields, including health care, agriculture, arts, technology, business, education, tourism, and communications.

This year’s dialogue, scheduled for September 5 – 9, will be held in both in-person and videoconference forms, featuring a wide range of discussions and workshops with famous speakers from the two countries. The Vietnamese representatives will take part in the event in Ho Chi Minh City while their Australian peers will join in Sydney city.

Margaret Beazley, Governor of New South Wales – the sponsor of the 2021 dialogue, said her state is delighted to support young leaders to further enhance the two countries’ relations, especially in the time New South Wales is working to strengthen its cooperation with Vietnam in trade, education, and more importantly, people-to-people exchange.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie, a member of the AVLD’s advisory board, offered congratulations to the chosen delegates and expressed her hope to witness the effects young people will have on the communities in Australia and Vietnam via deeper mutual understanding and stronger cooperation.

On this occasion, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh said the ones selected for the 2021 AVLD are all excellent individuals who will represent the close-knit ties and friendship between the two countries.

He emphasised that the relations between the Vietnamese and Australian people, especially those between young leaders, will help promote mutual understanding and trust and generate realistic hopes about the common future of Vietnam and Australia.

For her part, Cat Thao Nguyen, co-founder and Chair of the AVLD, said this year’s event is designed to help participants learn more about their role and responsibility in contributing to bilateral ties so that the two countries can work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam was the 10th country in the world in terms of smartphone users in 2020 with more than 61 million, according to a recent report on the global mobile market.

In Asia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Thailand are also major smartphone markets with 41 million, 39 million and 38 million users, respectively.

China currently has the largest number of smartphone users worldwide with nearly 912 million.

The figures come from the annual Global Mobile Market Report by Newzoo, a trusted source for games and e-sports analytics and market research.

They are based on a model which takes into account a country’s economic progression, population, online population, demographic makeup, and accessibility to wireless networks.

Accordingly, a smartphone user is defined as anyone using the device at least once a month./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Outcomes of border demarcation and marker planting of Vietnam and Cambodia were highlighted at a conference jointly held by the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies in Hanoi on July 7.

The online conference, which saw the participation of representatives from 10 provinces sharing border with Cambodia, gave an insight into relevant legal documents signed by the two countries.

They are the Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries and the 2005 Supplementary Treat and the protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting, which took effect as from December 22, 2020.

Phung The Long, Vice Chairman of the National Border Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed the significance of building a modern common border to defence and security management and guaranteeing in border areas.

The documents have consolidated the legal framework for the two countries to continue building a shared border line of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development, contributing to continuously enhancing the good neighbourliness and traditional solidarity, for the sake of their people, he said.

Long urged border localities to closely coordinate with Cambodian authorities to raise border management capacity, and protect results of border demarcation and marker planting.

Joint efforts are needed to fight plots and activities that aim to sabotage authorities in each country and undermine the traditional friendship between the two countries, he added.

The conference put forth major tasks in the time ahead, especially the communication work./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency