Day: July 28, 2021

The index of industrial production (IIP) of southern Binh Phuoc province increased by 15.63 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of this year over the same period in 2020, according to the provincial Department of Statistics.

In July alone, the index rose 12 percent compared with last year’s figure.

Key industries posted growth such as processing and manufacturing (16.8 percent), production and distribution of electricity, gas and air conditioners (3.4 percent), water supply, and waste treatment (4 percent).

Significant growth was seen in certain industries including food production and processing, apparel production, paper production, and motor vehicle production with 30.1 percent, 8.1 percent, 24.7 percent, and 51.6 percent, respectively.

Those with low expansion or decline were beverage production with a year-on-year increase of 1.8 percent and chemicals production with 0.7 percent while production of leather and related products decreased by 6 percent and production of other non-metallic mineral products shrunk by 14.5 percent.

According to the department, a number of major industrial products in the first seven months of this year rose sharply compared to the same period last year such as dried cashew nuts (28.5 percent), treated and preserved timber (74.8 percent), packages and bags made of wrinkled paper and paperboard (24.7 percent), audio equipment (51.6 percent) and wooden cabinets (69 percent).

To realise the dual goals of preventing the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting socio-economic development, Binh Phuoc province will mobilise all resources for infrastructure development, giving priority to inter-regional transport infrastructure.

Due attention will be paid to implementing measures to remove difficulties for local businesses. In addition, the provincial authorities will continue to renovate business environment, strengthen investment promotion and support enterprises to expand the consumption market

Situated in the southern key economic region, Binh Phuoc is the largest of the 19 provinces in Vietnam’s southern region.

It is famous for two crops of high economic value – rubber and cashew nuts – and has 243,000ha of land under the former and 138,000ha under the latter.

It posted economic growth of 7.51 percent last year thanks to outstanding efforts in containing COVID-19 and promoting economic development

Source: Vietnam News Agency

As many employees of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, the group’s production and trade as well as projects and plants have met with many difficulties and challenges, and above all, the employees’ safety and health are at high risk.

At a working session with leaders of the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau on July 25, Deputy Prime Minister and head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control Vu Duc Dam said if the pandemic spreads to seaports and oil and gas facilities, Vietnam’s transport and logistics network as well as the oil and gas economy will be hard hit.

As a mainstay State-owned enterprise of the economy, PetroVietnam operates and manages key oil and gas works and plants, playing a key role in ensuring the country’s energy and food security, making great contributions to the State budget and macro-economic stability. Amid the recent resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic, PetroVietnam and its affiliates have strived to accomplish the twin goals of fighting the pandemic and maintaining production and trade. With efforts and determination to adopt comprehensive measures and with business administration experience, PetroVietnam had surpassed almost assigned targets for 2020 and the first half of this year, while participating in COVID-19 prevention and control activities at a total cost of over 500 billion VND. While a number of State-owned corporations and groups were seriously hit by the pandemic, PetroVietnam’s contributions in the current context are not only significant to the State budget but also social life in general.

PetroVietnam now has over 50,000 managers, experts and workers. In order to ensure their safety and health, PetroVietnam and its affiliates have actively sought COVID-19 vaccine supplies and registered vaccination for their staff, apart from implementing strict prevention and control measures such as “three on the spot”, “a road – two destinations” rules.

Amid the complicated developments of the pandemic at present, the fact that many employees have not been vaccinated poses big risks to the operation and production at oil rigs, plants, oil and gas works. Major projects such as Song Hau 1 thermal power plant, face delay due to social distancing measures that lead to the shortage of workers and experts. On Song Hau construction site, about 1,300 workers from contractors are working, so direct contacts with many people and units are likely to spread infections. If a COVID-19 case is found there, many workers will be put under concentrated quarantine and travelling is limited. The pilot operation and commercial production will be behind schedule, not meeting the plan assigned by the Government. Similarly, if similar cases occur in oil rigs and seaports, the damage will not stop within the group but will cause unpredictable consequences to the economy.

Therefore, the group has made vaccination the top priority in order to prevent the pandemic and ensure smooth production and trade. Regarding the Song Hau 1 thermal power plant project, PetroVietnam has actively worked with ministries, agencies and authorities of Hau Giang and Can Tho to seek vaccination for its workers at the construction site. However, only nine members of the project’s management board have been vaccinated. The remaining workers have yet to be inoculated, together with thousands of experts and workers from contractors and sub-contractors.

From a broader angle, PetroVietnam’s strategic products such as gas, electricity, petrol are “flows of energy” which can be considered the “bloodline” of a region and a country while fertiliser plants have the ultimate task of ensuring food security amid the scarcity of fertilizer supplies and price hike at present. Therefore, protecting oil and gas facilities against COVID-19 means protecting key national works. Sharing the same view with Deputy PM Dam, at a recent teleconference between permanent Government members and 27 southern cities and provinces to discuss drastic measures against the pandemic, Secretary of the Ba Ria – Vung Tau provincial Party Committee Pham Viet Thanh said one of the current priorities is ensuring the safety of seaports, maritime transport system, oil and gas activities and several key projects. He suggested offering vaccine packages for workers in these areas.

PetroVietnam is fully aware of the seriousness of the current pandemic resurgence, and at the same time has set vaccination “campaign” as the key task in the coming time. The Group and its affiliates are exerting daily efforts to access vaccine sources as quickly as possible via different channels. Apart from classifying priority groups for vaccination and units with high number of workers, PetroVietnam has come up with a plan to provide suitable equipment and timely deal with contingencies, toward ensuring the goal of preventing production chain disruption and make positive contributions to the national economy./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Since joining UNESCO in July 1976, Vietnam has continued to play a greater role, and has been a very active member of the Executive Board of different committees, said Michael Croft, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam.

“To give a general assessment of Vietnam towards the United Nations, the easiest thing to say is it’s certainly very positive,” Croft said in an exclusive interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of 45 years of Vietnam joining the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The country has also been active, particularly in the culture sector in terms of supporting some of the new resolutions and new conventions, especially the convention on promoting the diversity of the cultural expression, he added.

Vietnam demonstrates to other member states how to leverage UNESCO’s designations, he said, adding “we have seen in terms of the success of the country in using the World Heritage Sites, the Geoparks, and also the World Biosphere Reserves as engines for development.”

“As we’d like to say UNESCO’s placing culture as the heart of development. So in terms of the role of the organisation, it’s a very vibrant member, and it’s a member that punches above its own weight.”

He highlighted that Vietnam’s first candidacy to head a UN organisation was with UNESCO in 2017, and emphasised this shows the importance that Vietnam places on UNESCO and the way it sees its role within the organisation.

Regarding the cooperation relationship between UNESCO and Vietnam over the year, Croft said it has evolved as the UN’s relationship with Vietnam has evolved.

According to him, it was development assistance in the previous years, and this is shifting, as Vietnam starts to transform.

Vietnam is now a middle income country, has a lot of different resources, and has always been very capable of making strategic decisions, he said, adding that “what it expects from UNESCO and from the rest of the UN is for us to be used on mandates creatively in support of those priorities.”

UNESCO’s moving away from projects towards supporting partnerships for sustainable development in Vietnam. So UNESCO’s role now in Vietnam is less about doing development projects and more about working with the government, with society, with academia, and with the private sector to build the “coalition” of the concerns around important issues in education, culture, science, communication and information.

On UNESCO’s recommendations to the Vietnamese Government to promote the image of Vietnam to the world, Croft said he is impressed by cultural diplomacy in Vietnam, especially the work and the approaches of President Ho Chi Minh, who was able to apply cultural diplomacy. “With such great effect during the struggle for freedom of independence, cultural diplomacy is as important now in the 21st century as it was before,” he said.

According to him, Vietnam has such a unique cultural heritage and it also retains culture, and there are a lot of cultural assets that it can use to continue to build up its soft power.

The cultural industries in Vietnam have great untapped potential because there’s a lot of things that are still undiscovered here and that people are still very interested about. This is really an advantage of Vietnam in promoting social and economic development.

He highlighted Hanoi’s initiative, almost two years ago, to apply to UNESCO and to be granted the title of Hanoi Creative City is really wonderful.

This is an opportunity for Vietnam to rebrand itself and recreate itself in the 21st century – “a country of peace, a country where it’s good to visit and calm but also a country of creativity, a country of dynamism, a young country, an up and coming country, an engaged country.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Young artists are encouraged to take part in a music project called Production House, recently launched by Bpro Entertainment in HCM City.

The project aims to seek new talent and help them develop their art as well as bring music closer to audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Production House will help young singers, music producers and mixers to release new MVs and albums featuring Vietnamese songs.

The project’s first production, Co Ai Cho Toi Hay (Who Tell Me Why), was released on July 18 and has attracted 200,000 views on YouTube.

The MV features young artist XAN as a producer, songwriter and lead singer. It also features the voice of pop singer Trinh Thang Binh, the project’s founder.

XAN, 23, began his career in 2018 after his first hit, Hongkong 1, was No1 on ZingMP3’s Zingchat, the country’s most popular music site. XAN and his partner, singer Nguyen Trong Tai, wrote, composed and produced Hongkong1.

His second MV as a producer, Khac Biet To Lon (The Big Difference), was released last year and has attracted more than 60 million views on YouTube.

“I think Production House is a great opportunity for young singers, musicians and producers to introduce their art and experience their passion,” XAN told local media.

To guarantee the success of Production House in the pandemic fight, the project’s founder Binh has worked with his partners to spend 2 billion VND (90,000 USD) on three home studios with high-quality recording equipment.

“We will produce and release one MV by young artists every two months,” said Binh, who has been involved in the music industry since 2006.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The first session of the 15th National Assembly (NA) concluded in Hanoi on July 28.

At the closing meeting, all 469 deputies present or 93.99 percent of total lawmakers voted to pass the session’s Resolution.

Speaking at the event, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said after nine consecutive days of working in a serious, democratic, solidarity, wise, and responsible manner, the legislature has successfully completed its agenda.

With high consensus, the NA approved and issued 29 resolutions, including 17 resolutions on organisation and personnel, 11 thematic resolutions, and one general resolution on the first session, promptly resolving immediate pressing issues and making decisions on important strategic and long-term ones.

At the session, the legislators elected the State President, NA Chairman, Prime Minister, Vice State President, Vice NA chairpersons, members of the NA Standing Committee, Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, NA Secretary General, Chairperson of the Council for Ethnic Affairs, heads of NA committees, and State Auditor General.

It also ratified the appointment of Deputy PMs, ministers and other Cabinet members, and justices of the Supreme People’s Court, while approving a proposed list of Vice President and members of the National Defence and Security Council.

In addition, the lawmakers spent their time discussing and making decisions on plans for 2021 – 2025 regarding socio-economic development, national finance and public debt borrowing and payment, and middle-term public investment. They also decided on investment policy for the national target programmes on new-style rural development and on sustainable poverty reduction for the period.

The top legislator underscored that the first session delved into various important contents and took place amid complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Ho Chi Minh City and southern localities with a risk of wide spreading.

Given such context, the NA has agreed to shorten the session’s duration by eight days compared to the plan, he said.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The 15th National Assembly (NA) passed a resolution ratifying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s proposal on the appointment of 18 ministers and four other members of the Government for the 2021-2026 tenure during its ongoing first session on July 28, with a majority of “yes” votes.

Accordingly, General To Lam, member of the Party Central Committee in the 11th, 12th and 13th tenures, member of the Politburo in the 12th and 13th tenures, and member of the 14th-term and 15th-term National Assembly, was appointed to Minister of Public Security.

General Phan Van Giang, member of the Party Central Committee in the 12th and 13th tenures and member of the 13th Politburo assumes the post as Minister of National Defence.

Bui Thanh Son, member of the Party Central Committee in the 12th and 13th tenures and member of the 14th-term and 15th-term National Assembly, was approved to be Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Nguyen Chi Dung, member of the Party Central Committee in the 11th, 12th and 13th tenures and member of the 14th-term and 15th-term National Assembly, was appointed to Minister of Planning and Investment.

Nguyen Hong Dien, member of the Party Central Committee in the 12th and 13th tenures and member of the 14th-term and 15th-term National Assembly, undertakes the position as Minister of Industry and Trade.

The legislative body also approved the appointment of 13 other ministers, including the Minister of Finance; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Minister of Home Affairs; Minister of Justice; and Minister of Transport; Minister of Construction; Minister of Natural Resources and Environment; Minister of Information and Communications; Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of Education and Training; and Minister of Health.

Four other Government members were also named, including the Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hau A Lenh, Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong, Government Inspector General Doan Hong Phong and Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son.

The resolution became effective right after is was approved by the National Assembly.

Earlier, the NA heard the NA Standing Committee’s report on the results of group discussions on the proposal to approve the appointment of the ministers and other Government members

Source: Vietnam News Agency