Day: December 15, 2021

Chargé d’Affaires of Vietnam to the United Nations Ambassador Pham Hai Anh suggested the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Assembly prioritise early finalising a code of conduct on seabed mining while attending the 26th session of the ISA Assembly held both online and offline in Jamaica from November 13-15.

In his speech from New York, Anh said the code of conduct must be in line with the principle of considering seabed and its mineral resources as a common heritage of the humankind, ensure fair and equal sharing of benefits, comply with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)’s terms regarding environmental protection, and pay attention to interests and demands of developing nations.

The Vietnamese representative proposed the ISA soon resume activities to support developing countries, improve their capacity and share technologies with them.

Anh also reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to upholding the UNCLOS’s role as a comprehensive international legal tool to adjust activities at seas and oceans, including the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources and environment protection at seabed.

At the event, the ISA Assembly elected members of its Finance Committee, and discussed the implementation of the ISA’s Action Plan for the Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Along with the Party and State diplomacy, people diplomacy has help create a synergy strength for Vietnamese diplomacy, contributing to the country’s achievements in 2021, said Director of the Russian-Vietnamese Cooperation Development Fund “Tradition and Friendship” Nguyen Quoc Hung.

In an interview granted to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Moscow, Hung said that throughout 2021, the Party and State have promoted the strength across all fields of foreign relations.

According to Hung, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s official visit to Russia with beyond-expectation success left deep impression on Russian friends and helped further lift bilateral ties to a new height, with the joint statement released during the visit outlining a vision on the Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership in the next decade.

He noted that this year, the Vietnamese community in Russia have conducted various activities, contributing to the country’s people diplomacy and the common success of Vietnam’s diplomacy.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many Vietnamese-initiated movements have been launched to support Russian doctors by providing them with masks, medical supplies and medicines.

Meanwhile, responding to the call by the President and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnamese Association in Russia, through the fund, raised about 3 billion VND for the National COVID-19 Vaccine Fund as well as a large number of medical supplies and medicines for Vietnamese people, he noted.

During President Phuc’s visit, the Vietnamese community in Russia handed over three UAZ cars to assist Vietnamese search and rescue forces in natural disaster prevention and control activities, he added.

Commenting on the diplomatic orientations of Vietnam in the future, Hung suggested that social organisations, including State agencies such as the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, should be involved in making plans and orientations for the development of people diplomacy.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha has had a working session with Minister of Environment Han Jeoung-ae of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on joint work toward the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050 as the heads of the two governments stated earlier.

At their meeting taking place on December 14 as part of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s official visit to the RoK, the two sides signed a plan on climate change cooperation toward the 2050 goal as the basis for implementing specific activities in the coming time.

Ha hoped the two ministries to further cooperate in realising directions of the two nations’ top legislators on environment and climate change.

The minister wished that the RoK Ministry of Environment will support his ministry in perfecting mechanisms and policies on solid waste treatment in urban and rural areas, handling air pollution, building a national plan on the environment, and completing policies for green-economy transition.

The Korean minister expressed her delight at the signing of the plan to meet the countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2030 and realise the carbon neutrality target by 2050.

The sides agreed to set up a joint working team to discuss the the implementation of the joint cooperation plan via such activities as the building and implementation of the RoK’s ODA projects on greenhouse gas emissions reduction, the conduction of the NDCs and the Paris Agreement on climate change, the conversion of waste into technology, and the monitoring of ocean plastic pollution, among others.

The two sides will also strengthen public-private cooperation through promoting environmental trade and exhibitions on advanced technologies, as well as organising conferences, seminars and forums to connect Vietnamese and Korean businesses.

Also on December 14, Minister Ha visited the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)’s headquarters, where head of the agency Park Kwang-suk stated the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is an important partner of the KMA, with ample room for their bilateral cooperation.

Park said the KMA wants to expand the joint work based on a pact the sides signed recently.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam Airlines has signed a comprehensive fleet restructuring agreement with the US-based Air Lease Corporation (ALC) in efforts to help the national flag carrier surmount difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agreement deals with Vietnam Airlines’ renting of 18 aircraft, including 12 Airbus A321Neos and six Boeing B787-10s, during the remaining lease term under their contract.

The two sides also reviewed the aircraft lease provisions based on the economic and aviation recovery in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Vietnam Airlines said the agreement, achieved after a long negotiation process under the Prime Minister’s monitoring, is an important achievement in its efforts to restructure and overcome the pandemic.

The ALC, headquartered in Los Angeles and one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing companies, is currently the largest supplier of aircraft for lease of Vietnam Airlines.

Aircraft-related costs account for a relatively big proportion in total expenses of Vietnam Airlines, which has the biggest fleet – more than 100 planes – in the country. Meanwhile, the suspension of many air routes due to the COVID-19 pandemic has put great cost pressure on this carrier.

General Director Le Hong Ha said Vietnam Airlines had 106 planes in July. It has sold two A321s since then and is planning to sell nine more A321s and six ATR-72s this month. Twelve more A321s will be sold between 2022 and the end of 2023.

The firm predicted that its fleet will continue facing redundancy by 2025. Given this, it is restructuring its fleet, negotiating with leasing companies about support measures, and will sell more planes, he added.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Politburo member and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man on December 15 extended his Christmas and New Year greetings to Catholics in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang’s My Tho city.

In the morning, he led a delegation to visit Joseph Nguyen Nang, Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City’s Archdiocese, and Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, former Archbishop of the HCM City Archdiocese.

At these meetings, Man informed his hosts on the nation’s overall socio-economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control in 2021.

He affirmed that the Party’s and State’s leadership and the concerted effort from the army and people, including the religious community, have been conducive to many successes of the country despite myriad difficulties.

He wished the religious community to promote their patriotic tradition, solidarity and contributions to the national construction and development causes.

Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang said the Catholic community still sustains COVID-19 prevention measures to ensure safety during their meetings and activities. The group has also made efforts to overcome obstacles, joined charity works for the needy and taken part in COVID-19 frontline forces.

In the afternoon, the NA official visited Pierre Nguyen Van Kham, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of My Tho and Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam.

At the visit, Man said the law on religion and belief is being completed and the NA will strengthen its supervision of the law implementation to create favourable conditions for religious dignitaries, followers, and organisations to operate and develop in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

For his part, Bishop Pierre Nguyen Van Kham expressed his gratitude toward appreciation given by the Party, Stated, and public competent agencies to the Catholic community.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MSB) announced on December 15 that it has become the first Vietnamese lender to sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Alibaba.com, a global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform of Alibaba Group, to support importers and exporters in the new normal.

Accordingly, the deal with Alibaba.com helps MSB get closer to import-export enterprises and support business activities, while promoting the digitisation process, optimising costs, and better serving customers.

MSB will provide Alibaba.com customers with a list of products and services including: bank accounts, cards, Online Banking, savings, insurance and investment products.

In addition, businesses have the opportunity to receive several incentives from MSB exclusively for customers participating in the cooperation programme.

MSB Deputy General Director Nguyen The Minh said that joining B2B e-commerce platforms will help importers and exporters directly approach customers around the world, thereby expanding the opportunity to access the global market.

According to data from Alibaba.com, during the pandemic period, the number of customers buying products on this platform increased by 100 percent, the number of orders jumped by over 170 percent, and the total transaction value rose by 125 percent.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City held a meeting in both online and offline forms with overseas Vietnamese (OV) across the world on December 14 to gather their ideas to promote the city’s comprehensive and sustainable development after COVID-19.

Addressing the meeting, Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee thanked Vietnamese organisations and individuals over the world for supporting the city in fighting the pandemic, noting that the pandemic is still posing challenges to the city, requiring urgent measures to stimulate economic recovery and ensure social security.

On behalf of OVs in the US, Prof. Ha Ton Vinh proposed that HCM City should identify immediate and long-term problems in order to outline suitable solutions, while paying greater attention to assisting the poor and labourers, supporting pandemic-hit enterprises to resume operations, and speeding up digital transformation and the building of circular economy.

Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof Dr. Vu Minh Khuong from Singapore suggested that the city should design a specific development strategy, improving governance systems regarding administrative procedures and business, fostering economic connections with regional localities, and speeding up the growth of Thu Duc city.

From India, Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau underlined that HCM City can secure sustainable development only after solving poverty and inequality. He advised the city to focus on industry and digital industry, along with biotechnology and semi-conductor. He also recommended that the city optimise trade, investment and tourism opportunities in the Indian market through the Indian community in the city and 5,000 Vietnamese living in India.

At the meeting, 130 delegates from 21 countries and territories shared their views on how to promote the city’s fast and sustainable economic development, improve the investment environment and growth quality, and encourage innovative startup.

They also contributed ideas on measures to enhance its human resources quality and promote a modern culture with strong national identity.

On the occasion, the city People’s Committee presented the HCM City insignia and certificates of merit to seven OVs who have made contributions to the city’s construction and development.

Source: Vietnam News Agency