Day: December 29, 2021

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended a ceremony to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the name of Quang Nam in the central province’s Tam Ky city on December 28.

The event aimed to promote and honour the sound traditional values as well as great contributions of the land and people of Quang Nam throughout the history of national defence and construction.

The name of Quang Nam, which literally means “expanding to the South,” shows King Le Thanh Tong’s strategic vision in national development.

Addressing the event, President Phuc said that this is a chance to get a deeper insight into the position, role, historical and cultural values of the sacred land with a rich and glorious tradition, where many national famous heroes were born. Quang Nam is also the cradle of the script of the national language, and a pioneering locality in globalisation and international integration, he added.

The State leader noted that during 35 years of implementing the “Doi moi” (Renewal) policy and 25 years of re-establishment of Quang Nam, the province has gained many important and comprehensive achievements in all fields.

He asked the Party Organisation, administration and people of Quang Nam to continue further promoting the potential and advantages of a locality at the centre of the Central Key Economic Region. Quang Nam should focus on boosting the growth of industry, especially processing-manufacturing industry, along with tourism and high technology agriculture to create new growth motivation.

At the same time, Quang Nam should improve its investment environment to lure more foreign investment, promote the development of the private sector and support the cooperative economy, while investing more in human resources development, science-technology, digital transformation and innovation, encouraging startup and inspiring the desire for prosperity among young people, he stressed.

President Phuc called on the Party Organisations, administrations and people of Quang Nam and other central localities to further promote their glorious tradition and brainpower to grasp opportunities and overcome difficulties and challenges, thus successfully completing all targets and tasks in all fields and helping to firmly safeguard and develop the nation.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The dragon fruit of south-central Binh Thuan province was recently granted a protected geographical indication (PGI) certificate in Japan, which is said to create both opportunities and challenges.

The GI of “Thanh long Binh Thuan” (Binh Thuan dragon fruit) officially became protected in Japan on October 7 this year, making this fruit the second product of Vietnam to be given a PGI certificate in the North Asian country.

The acquisition of this certificate is an important milestone in the export of dragon fruit to Japan, as well as in the promotion of GI certification for other agricultural products of Vietnam in this demanding market, Dinh Huu Phi, Director of the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam, told a meeting held by the Binh Thuan provincial People’s Committee on December 29.

He added it will also open up new chances for Vietnamese farm produce to enter other choosy markets like Europe, the Republic of Korea, and New Zealand.

Chairman of the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association Vu Huy Hoang said products with protected GIs in Japan will secure almost absolute trust from local consumers and be sold at a much higher price than others there.

By the end of 2021, Binh Thuan has had over 33,000ha under dragon fruit cultivation with an output of more than 690,000 tonnes.

Phi noted that gaining PGI certificates is an important stride but how to maintain GIs is more important.

With a number of strict requirements in terms of production unit codes, quality, food safety, among others from Japan, the entire political system, from the provincial People’s Committee to departments, sectors, and the dragon fruit association, needs to engage in the management and development of this GI.

Each party involved in farming, processing, trading, and distribution should cooperate with one another to ensure sustainable development of the sector.

During 2016 – 2020, businesses in Binh Thuan exported nearly 32,000 tonnes of fresh dragon fruit worth 37 million USD via official channels. However, the volume accounted for only 2 – 3 percent of the total shipments, while the rest was exported via unofficial channels.

Nguyen Minh, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, called for boosting communications to improve farmers and traders’ compliance with GI-related regulations, increasing advertisement of the Binh Thuan dragon fruit, cooperating to create a dragon fruit value chain, developing an e-commerce platform for the fruit, and forming specialised farming zones applying VietGAP standards.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith co-chaired the 31st annual Vietnam-Laos border meeting held in Hanoi on December 29.

The two sides reviewed the implementation of border work in accordance with the Protocol on Vietnam–Laos borderline and border markers signed in 2016 since the previous meeting, and outlined orientations and key tasks in the coming time.

They underlined that although the implementation of the agreements and bilateral activities in border management faced various difficulties triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have exerted efforts to maintain stability and ensure security, thus facilitating the COVID-19 prevention and control work and cooperation for socio-economic development and cooperation in border localities.

The management and development of border gates have been paid attention, they affirmed.

Vietnam’s Quang Nam province and Laos’ Sekong province inaugurated the the Nam Giang-Dac Ta Ooc international border gate pair in August, while some border gates were reopened to facilitate trade.

Such efforts have strengthened peace and stability in the countries’ border areas, contributing to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos.

Both sides also agreed to continue coordinating in borderline and border marker management, and propose the Governments allow measures, particularly the application of ‘vaccine passports’, to create favourable conditions for travel between Vietnam and Laos amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides will issue and apply specific policies and mechanisms to attract businesses to channel investment in border areas, especially in the Lao side.

They consented to step up investment in border gate infrastructure and transport connectivity so as to promote trade; and bolster communications on border-related policies for soldiers and people of the countries.

The 32nd meeting is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of 2022 in Laos.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The 16th theoretical workshop between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) was held virtually on December 29.

The Vietnamese delegation to the event was led by Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, Chairman of the Central Theory Council and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. Meanwhile, the Chinese side was headed by Huang Kunming, Politburo member, Secretary of the Secretariat and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

In their remarks, both officials affirmed the significance of enhancing theoretical exchanges between the two parties in the new situation, and considered the workshop an opportunity to share achievements in theory and practice, as well as experience in the Party leadership in building socialism in each country.

Thang said building a pure, strong Party plays a crucial role in reform and dealing with difficulties and challenges.

For his part, Huang briefed the Vietnamese side on outcomes of the sixth plenum of the CPC Central Committee.

They shared the view that the workshop will practically contribute to theoretical development in service of Party building, country management and socialism building in the two nations.

Participating experts and scholars looked into achievements recorded by the two parties, along with leadership experience in socialism building in each country.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee held a meeting with heads of Vietnamese diplomatic representative agencies abroad (2021-2024 tenure), in Hanoi on December 29.

VFF Central Committee President Do Van Chien said the committee has coordinated with the Foreign Ministry’s State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs to connect Vietnamese abroad with their homeland.

He urged the agencies’ chiefs to seek ways to further link foreign organisations with the VFF, helping to expand people-to-people diplomacy in the time ahead.

At the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Quang Minh affirmed that Party, State and VFF leaders always pay attention to the life of overseas Vietnamese, stressing the spirit of great national unity in diplomacy.

Chiefs of the agencies expressed their hope that the VFF will continue to pay heed to overseas Vietnamese affairs, and support them during the tenure.

On this occasion, Minh, on behalf of the Vietnamese community in London, and the Chairman of New World Fashion Group – UK presented over 1.3 billion VND to Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Police in the southern province of Dong Nai on December 28 arrested three men and a woman for their involvement in trafficking in persons, organising illegal migration and bringing persons abroad for prostitution.

Arrestees include Phan Thi Kim Hue (or Nhi), 24, residing in the central province of Phu Yen; Bui Van Huu, 41, from the southern province of Binh Phuoc; Tran Danh Tuong, 24, from the central province of Binh Thuan; and Nguyen Van Son (or Ty Bay), 26, from Dong Nai province.

The victim named D reported that in early April 2021, she met Bay and was introduced by him to work at a karaoke parlour and restaurant at a monthly salary of 80 – 100 million VND (3,400 – 4,300 USD).

Via Bay, D connected with Nhi via Zalo and agreed to move to Cambodia. After arriving there, she found out that the job failed to meet her expectation.

In mid-June, D and other victims managed to escape after many failures, and contacted the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia for support.

Via interrogation, Hue admitted that she was the mastermind and Huu directly took victims to Cambodia.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam and Laos held an online meeting to review the pilot implementation of the one-stop-shop inspection model at the Lao Bao (Quang Tri) – Densavan (Savannakhet) border gate pair on December 29.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith co-chaired the meeting.

The two sides issued a five-point joint communiqué, saying the pilot implementation of the model demonstrates the political resolve of the two Parties and Governments to facilitate trade and travelling of people and businesses of the two countries and other regional nations, contributing to boosting socio-economic development.

The joint communiqué stated that the Lao Bao – Densavan international border gate pair remains the first among seven mentioned in the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (GMS-CBTA) to implement the “one-stop-shop” inspection model, which not only holds significance to the fulfillment of obligations committed by relevant countries in the agreement but also brings in helpful experience in the application of the model in other border gate pairs.

Both sides expressed their determination to work closely together to map out appropriate solutions for the model future as well as dealing with existing difficulties.

Source: Vietnam News Agency