Day: July 22, 2021

Vietnam’s urbanisation ratio reached about 40.4 percent as of the end of June, with a total of 867 urban areas, according to the Ministry of Construction.

Compared to the end of 2020, the ratio rose about 0.4 percent, with the establishment of five new urban areas, the ministry reported.

Among the urban areas, two special-tier areas – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, along with 22 tier-1, 32 tier-2, 48 tier-3, 89 tier-4 and 647 tier-5 areas.

Under the Resolution released at the 13th National Party Congress, Vietnam targets 45 percent in the ratio of urbanisation in 2025 and about 50 percent in 2030.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Star Telecom (Unitel), a joint venture between Viettel Global and Lao Asia Telecom in Laos, has presented the Lao Ministry of Defence 3 million USD to support the development of the country’s military.

Star Telecom General Director Luu Manh Ha handed over the amount to Major General Phaivanh Chanthaphomma, head of the Lao Ministry of Defence’s Office during a recent ceremony held in Vientiane, local media reported on July 22.

Addressing the event, Lao Defence Minister General Chansamone Chanyalath thanked Star Telecom for its contribution to the development of Laos’ military.

Affirming that the support will be a great help in modernising Laos’ military, he pledged that he will direct relevant agencies to optimise the efficiency of the aid.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of Public Security has been asked to seriously punish individuals and organisations working as brokers to bring Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen to overseas waters to illegally exploit aquatic resources.

It was directed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, head of the National Steering Committee on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Prevention and Control, in document No.198/TB-VPCP issued by the Government Office on July 21.

The document said over the past years, thanks to drastic directions by the National Steering Committee on the IUU Fishing Prevention and Control together with efforts and determination of ministries, agencies and people’s committees of 28 centrally-run coastal cities and provinces, the fight against IUU fishing has made important results.

To achieve the goal of having the “yellow card” warning lifted next year, the Deputy PM asked heads of relevant ministries, agencies and people’s committees of centrally-run coastal cities and provinces to continue following directions by the permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention and Control and seriously following recommendations by the European Commission.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was assigned to work with ministries and agencies concerned to inspect imported aquatic products. It must also partner with the Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies to propose measures to cooperate with countries, international organisations and region in the exploitation of aquatic resources.

The Ministry of Public Security was tasked with preventing and eliminating IUU fishing in the near future, and promptly report the situation and suggest measures to the Government, PM and the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention and Control.

The Ministry of National Defence was urged to take effective measures to prevent and end fishing vessels from illegally tapping aquatic products overseas, ensuring the security and safety of legal exploitation by Vietnamese fishermen.

Via diplomatic channels, the Foreign Minister will convey messages reflecting the Vietnamese Government’s political determination to combat IUU fishing, deal with issues regarding Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen arrested overseas, oppose to brutal treatment against Vietnamese fishermen in sea areas, especially in overlapping waters and those pending negotiations on demarcation, while working closely with domestic agencies to seriously punish violations.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the Vietnam Fisheries Society, and fisheries enterprises must seriously follow regulations on IUU fishing prevention, as well as stay away from buying, processing or exporting products with IUU fishing origin

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), underscored the nation’s solidarity, cooperation with and support for Cuba at a recent meeting held by the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau (NAM-COB) at the UN on July 21.

As part of his speech delivered at the event on Cuba that gathered over 100 NAM countries, Quy committed to upholding the principles of international law included in the UN Charter.

The Ambassador said that Vietnam closely follows the ongoing situation in Cuba and firmly believes that the Cuban people, with their revolutionary tradition and dauntlessness demonstrated over the past decades, will soon overcome these economic hardships and pandemic impacts.

Vietnam opposes the imposition of unilateral embargo and coercive measures against a sovereign state, the ambassador stated, sharing the view that the continuation of the embargo against Cuba is unjustified and has caused great damage in all aspects to the local economy, including difficulties leading to its current situation.

He said Vietnam calls on the US to implement Resolution 289 of the UN General Assembly, which was adopted on June 23, to end the unilateral embargo against Cuba, so that Cuba can participate freely in economic and commercial relations following an equal and fair manner in accordance with international law.

The diplomat continued to affirm that Vietnam calls on the US to reverse its current policy trend towards Cuba, not only for the sake of the two countries’ people but also for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

During this difficult time, Quy urged the international community to stand with the Cuban people, whose country is in dire need of financial resources and other support to overcome the current challenges.

Briefing the meeting, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the UN Pedro Luis Pedroso Cuesta said Cuba has completely controlled the situation and all activities have returned to normal. The country continues to promote measures to protect the constitutional order it has freely chosen to exercise its right to self-determination.

He called on NAM member countries to voice their support for these actions and said that the assessment of Cuba’s current situation should be based on objective, de-politicized, verifiable information and avoid the trap of fake news and misinformation.

Participating nations expressed their support for Cuba’s efforts in addressing its challenges. Many condemned the acts of interference in the internal affairs of Cuba, and asked the US and other forces to respect Cuba’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. They asked the US to respect international law, especially the UN Charter, and immediately lift the embargo against Cuba.

The countries also backed NAM’s efforts and looked forward to collective actions to support the Cuban Government and people

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Advertising service providers inside and outside the country engaging in cross-border advertising activities in Vietnam must abide by regulations on advertisement, cybersecurity, as well as management, provision and use of Internet services and online information, and must pay tax in line with tax-related laws, according to a new Government decree.

Decree No. 70/2021/ND-CP gives amendments and supplements to a number of articles of Decree No. 181/2013/ND-CP dated April 14, 2013 providing details on the implementation of a number of articles of Law on Advertising, including adjustments relating to the provision of cross-border advertising service in Vietnam.

According to the document, the provision of cross-border advertising activities in Vietnam means the use of electronic information sites by foreign organisations and individuals to provide advertising services from systems located outside Vietnam for users in Vietnam, having revenue generated in Vietnam.

Foreign organisations and individuals engaging in providing cross-border advertising services in Vietnam must comply with regulations and obligations stated in Article 13 of the Law on Advertising and related regulations.

They must not cooperate with websites that have been reported by authorised agencies due to legal violations, whose names are available on the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)’ online portal.

Meanwhile, Decree 70 also gives supplements to regulations on the responsibility in management of activities providing cross-border advertising services. Accordingly, the MIC will receive reports on violations on cross-border advertising activities from other ministries, sectors and localities. It will then send requests on violation settlement to foreign organisations and individuals providing cross-border advertising services.

The decree will take effect from September 15, 2021

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his counterpart of the Republic of Korea Kim Boo-kyum held a phone talks on July 22 to discuss specific measures promoting bilateral strategic cooperative partnership, towards the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

The two PMs agreed to work closely together, maintain all-level exchanges to bolster joint work in all areas and exchanges between the two countries’ people. They also vowed to regularly discuss key issues in bilateral ties in the near future.

They also reached consensus on achieving the goal of lifting two-way trade to 100 billion USD in a balanced trade manner, including facilitating Vietnam’s exports of strength such as agro-forestry-fishery products and seasonal fruits.

Vietnam encourages and creates favourable conditions for RoK firms to continue expanding and shifting investment to the country while actively assisting those hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

The RoK side vowed to continue extending the supply of official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam.

Both sides will effectively maintain bilateral labour cooperation and make it easier for the Vietnamese in the RoK and the Koreans in Vietnam to have a stable and safe life, particularly amid the current pandemic, as well as step up several projects in national defence-security.

About the fight against COVID-19, PM Chinh said Vietnam is actively implementing a vaccine strategy. He suggested the RoK continue assisting Vietnam in receiving vaccines via COVAX Facility at the earliest, and share vaccine supplies to Vietnam as many as possible.

The two leaders also promised to direct relevant agencies share experience and work closely together on the research and transfer of vaccine production technology. They also pledged to vaccinate foreign citizens, including those from the two countries.

On regional and global issues of shared concern, they committed to enhancing collaboration at multilateral forums.

They shared a joint vision on ensuring security, maritime safety and freedom in the East Sea, maintain an environment of peace and stability, settle disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while seriously realising the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), toward the early signing of an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The socio-economic situation was kept stable and recorded positive results in different fields during the first half of 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh told the ongoing first session of the 15th National Assembly (NA) on July 22.

Delivering a report on the implementation of the socio-economic development and State budget plans in the first six months, he said amid the complex COVID-19 situation, the entire Party, people, and army have stayed united and strived to surmount difficulties and challenges to achieve the “twin targets” of fighting the pandemic and boosting socio-economic recovery and development.

The pandemic has been developing complicatedly in the country with the appearance of the Delta variant that is more contagious and dangerous, severely affecting some provinces and cities, especially the southern key economic region, the Mekong Delta and, particularly, Ho Chi Minh City.

Facing that fact, Minh noted, the Party Central Committee (PCC), the Politburo, and the PCC Secretariat have issued conclusions and official dispatches on some key tasks on COVID-19 prevention and control and socio-economic development.

He said Vietnam has proactively cooperated with other countries and international organisations while making use of resources, experience, and other nations’ assistance for the pandemic combat. Relevant sides have worked hard to remove obstacles to vaccine procurement, development, production, and inoculation. The COVID-19 vaccine fund was also set up and has received strong support from the entire people, businesses, and overseas Vietnamese.

Given the global vaccine shortage, the Party General Secretary, the State President, the NA Chairman and, especially, the Prime Minister, ministries, and sectors have worked with other countries and international organisations via different forms so as to access and purchase vaccine for people, according to Minh.

Regarding tasks for the remaining months, he said the Government is determined to realise the “twin targets”, but the current priority is curbing COVID-19 so as to fuel production and business activities and achieve the set targets at the highest possible level.

The Deputy PM pointed out that all-level authorities, sectors, and localities need to focus on treating serious COVID-19 cases, minimising deaths, and effectively implementing the vaccine strategy.

It is also necessary to tighten control over the exit from and entry into the country, ramp up contact tracing and quarantine and post-quarantine management, and stringently deal with violations, he added.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The National Assembly must continuously reform and perfect itself to improve its working quality, thus meeting requirements in the new period, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has said.

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on July 22, the top legislator pointed out three key points in the operation of the NA in the time ahead, one of which is raising the efficiency of law building work and tightening disciplines.

Secondly, reforming the legislature’s supreme supervision must be considered a key task, he continued, stressing the need to accurately select important matters of the country for supervision.

Thirdly, it is important to engage experts, scientists and collaborators in the process of making decision on important matters of the country.

He said the NA’s operation needs the intelligence of not only the 499 deputies in the NA but also all the people. He added that the performance of deputies, especially full-time deputies, is the decisive factor to the operation quality of the legislative body.

Being elected to the NA is the honour and pride of the deputies, which comes with heavy tasks, the NA Chairman said, calling on NA deputies to work hard to fulfill their responsibility towards the nation

Source: Vietnam News Agency