Dong Nai exports first batch of processed fruits in 2022

A ceremony was held in Long Khanh Industrial Zone in southern Dong Nai province on January 5 for exporting the first batch of processed fruits to Europe, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Russia and the Middle East.

Addressing the event, Cao Tien Sy, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), said Dong Nai has annually exported millions of tonnes of agricultural products to more than 30 countries and territories across the world.

Cashew nuts, coffee, pepper, vegetables and processed fruits are the province’s key products, he said, adding that Russia and the RoK are its main export markets.

Sy also pledged to work closely with relevant agencies in producing and promoting the export of agricultural products.

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The first batch of dried fruits was exported by Luong Gia Food Technology Joint Stock Company, one of the leading enterprises in the province in the field of processing agricultural products for export.

Established in 2009, the company has also pioneered in researching and applying modern equipment to ensure traceability and food safety.

Luong Gia’s products are available in large domestic supermarkets such as Lotte, Vinmart, Co.opmart, Aeon, Big C, and are exported to many markets including choosy ones like Europe, the RoK, Japan and Russia.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Work begins on Laos-Vietnam friendship vocational school

Construction started on the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Vocational School – a gift of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the Lao side – in Khammouane province on January 5.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos Vu Tu Oanh said that the school shows the attention by leaders of the two Parties and States to the educational cause and human resources training in Laos in general and Khammouane in particular.

The gift is not big, but has a profound significance as it conveys the faith and hope of Vietnamese Party and State leaders in general and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in particular that the young generation of Laos will be equipped with the best knowledge to build an increasingly prosperous Laos, and help preserve and enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, Oanh stressed.

Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Khammouane Vansay Phongsavan stated that the school is a vivid manifestation of the Laos-Vietnam great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

This is an important project in human resources development and training for Khammouane province, and also one of the key projects of the Year of Solidarity and Friendship between Laos and Vietnam in 2022 in order to celebrate the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of their Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, he added.

The school is built on an area of 3.7 hectares and has an investment of 5 million USD. The school, expected to be handed over in December, will provide training in five professions for high-school students, unemployed people and those having demand of job changes, especially those returning from abroad due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Can Tho, US university foster cooperation in high-quality human resource training

Officials of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on January 5 had a working session with representatives of the northern branch of the American University in Vietnam (AUV).

The university presented 41 scholarships to high school students of the city during the event.

They include a full-time scholarship worth 60,000 USD, 10 half scholarships and 30 others of 18,000 USD each.

Dr. Duong Manh Cuong, chief representatives of the AUV’s northern branch, voiced his to build a new branch in Can Tho city in the future.

For his part, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Tan Hien said that Can Tho has rolled out programmes to support students and officials to study abroad in an effort to provide the city with high-quality human resources.

The scholarships offered by the northern branch of the AUV will help the city successfully carry out a resolution on its development to 2030 with a vision to 2045, focusing on health care and education, he added.

Hien took the occasion to invite representatives of the northern branch of the AUV to join a fact-finding trip in Can Tho for the prompt establishment of a new branch in the city.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Party chief gives directions at teleconference between Government, localities

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong attended and gave directions at a teleconference between the Government and localities on January 5 to review 2021 performance and implement the Party Central Committee’s Conclusion and the National Assembly’s Resolution on 2022 socio-economic development scheme.

The Party leader highlighted that amid difficulties in 2021, the Government, local authorities and the entire political system together with the whole Party, people and armed forces had made utmost efforts to realise set targets at the highest possible level in various areas, and had reaped important achievements in most fields.

Though the economy contracted by 6 percent in the third quarter due to the fourth pandemic wave, it bounced back to a growth of 5.22 percent in the fourth quarter, compared to the 4.61 percent increase recorded in the same period last year. The full-year growth is estimated at 2.58 percent. Revenue of the State budget increased by 16.4 percent, higher than the 11.3 percent rise recorded in 2020. The total export-import value hit a record 668.5 billion USD, up 22.6 percent annually, making Vietnam one of the 20 biggest economies globally in terms of trade. The country also ran a trade surplus for sixth consecutive year that amounted to about 4 billion USD.

General Secretary Trong said political security, social safety and order were enhanced, thus ensuring security and safety of the country’s important political events. He lauded units concerned for promptly countering wrongful and distorted opinions and thoughts of hostile forces and reactionary organisations.

External activities and international integration were further expanded with important results, notably vaccine diplomatic activities. Further attention was paid to citizen protection, external information and economic-cultural diplomacy, thus improving the country’s position and international prestige, and making active, effective and responsible contributions to maintaining peace, development cooperation and progress in the world.

Impressive results were also recorded in Party and political system building. Authorities and agencies at all levels quickly implemented the Party Central Committee’s policies, resolutions and decisions with high consensus, which attracted attention from international community, he said.

In order to build on the past achievements and fix shortcomings, the Party chief asked delegates to closely review the situation, identify causes of outstanding problems and learn from lessons.

He noted that it is necessary to keep a close watch of the pandemic situation at home and abroad, especially threats from new variants of the coronavirus so as to timely take suitable responding measures and policies, while giving priority to the implementation of the comprehensive COVID-19 prevention and control programme, considering it an important and urgent task of all-level authorities and sectors from early 2022. At the same time, vaccination campaign must be hastened to quickly offer two shots to those eligible.

The Party leader required localities and sectors to effectively carry out the socio-economic recovery and development programme in tandem with pursuing the consistent goal of controlling inflation, ensuring macro-economic stability and major economic balances, continuing to improve the investment and business environment, propelling rapid and sustainable growth, restructuring the economy in combination with renewing the growth model; improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy; stepping up national digital transformation, digital socio-economy, green and circular economy and climate change adaptation.

He also laid stress on cultural development in harmony with and on par with socio-economic development to keep improving people’s material and spiritual lives.

Trong requested continuing to consolidate national defence-security capability, maintain political stability, social safety and order while improving the efficiency of external work and international integration, actively preventing and defeating all sabotage plots by hostile and reactionary forces, and absolutely avoiding being taken by surprise in any case.

It is a must to keep stepping up the building and rectification of the Party and political system, particularly the systems of law building, law enforcement and judicial agencies from the central to local level, he said, emphasising the need to build transparent, strong, effective and efficient Government and local administrations. The Party leader instructed that plans and programmes should be issued to seriously and quickly implement the Party Central Committee’s resolutions and decisions in Party building, especially the Resolution adopted by the fourth plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee and the Conclusion of the fourth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee on Party building and rectification, preventing and driving back degradation in political thought, moral virtue and lifestyle, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” behaviours in combination with the campaign on studying and following the thought, moral virtue and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh.

He called for resolutely and persistently fighting corruption and negative behaviours and hastening the progress of investigation, prosecution and trial of serious cases of public concern.

On the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year festival, the Party chief wished that the Government and local authorities would continue building on the past achievements, fixing existing weaknesses and shortcomings, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of leadership and directions, overcoming difficulties and challenges, and fulfilling tasks assigned by the Party, State and people.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

PM urges solidarity to complete 2022 targets

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 5 highlighted solidarity; discipline; safe, effective, and active adaptation; and recovery as the theme of 2022, to complete targets and tasks set for the year.

Addressing an online conference between the Government and localities, the PM pointed out bright spots recorded last year, such as the COVID-19 pandemic brought under control, vaccination and vaccine diplomacy accelerated, pandemic prevention and control strategy adjusted, GDP recovered in the fourth quarter, macro economy kept stable, and inflation under control.

He ordered stepping up economic restructuring in combination with growth model reform, diversifying export markets, making the use of free trade agreements, enhancing environmental protection, and paying more attention to the maritime economy.

The Government will further consolidate institutions, continue to support Vietnamese abroad, and better the citizen protection work, the leader said.

In his remarks, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong expressed his hope that the Government and local authorities will be more disciplined and raise their operational efficiency.

Delegates at the conference suggested removing bottlenecks to investment, increasing public investment, continuing with decentralisation, and rolling out policies to facilitate socio-economic recovery and development.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Lao Prime Minister to pay official visit to Vietnam

Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh will lead a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Government to pay an official visit to Vietnam from January 8 to 10 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

The Lao PM will co-chair the 44th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee and launch the Vietnam – Laos, Laos – Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam aims for improved business environment, more new firms

Vietnam plans to strongly improve its business environment and rapidly increase the number of newly-established firms, according to a draft resolution on tasks and solutions to improve the business environment and national competitiveness in 2022 delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai at the Government’s online meeting with localities on January 5.

The resolution aims to increase Vietnam’s position on international rankings regarding business environment and competitiveness to catch up with the development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and enhance the country’s resilience amid COVID-19.

Its objectives also include removing difficulties and obstacles brought by COVID-19, and giving timely support to people and enterprises in recovery process.

The resolution sketchs out goals for eight indicators to 2025, three more than those stated in similar resolutions in previous years, focusing on sustainable development, asset rights and cyber security. Specific targets for 2022 were also delivered.

According to Deputy PM Khai, in order to realise the resolution, the Government will assign more responsibilities to ministries in improving the indicators, while working with international organisations to provide information serving the evaluating and ranking activities.

The Government will request ministries and agencies to strengthen business environment improvement towards reducing administrative procedures, time and cost for businesses, removing overlaps in legal regulations, and speeding up management reform in all fields.

Along with directing the implementation of measures to strengthen digital transformation in line with administrative reform, the Government will improve the efficiency of online public services and speed up the expansion of cashless payment and e-commerce, while applying information technology to make administrative procedures more transparent, mobilising the engagement of businesses and people in the building of government, and encouraging the sharing of data for State management and socio-economic development.

Khai asked ministers and heads of ministry-level and State agencies as well as leaders of localities to define the improvement of business environment as a priority, and bear responsibility before the Government and the PM on the implementation results.

They were also requested to monitor the progress of programmes, plans and resolutions in the field, while strengthening communications on the work

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnamese field hospital, MSF save lives in South Sudan

Staff members of Vietnam’s third level-two field hospital at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have recently assisted doctors at a hospital run by the Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in conducting a successful caesarean section for a mother with severe kyphosis.

Receiving a request from the MSF hospital for support on January 3, an operation team of four Vietnamese doctors was immediately sent to the scene.

The 35-week pregnant woman, 22, was having a fetal distress. Her kyphosis condition as the sequelae of spinal tuberculosis made it hard for doctors to perform the surgical operation. The patient could neither lie on her back in the normal position nor receive spinal anesthesia. Therefore, doctors decided to employ endotracheal anesthesia using a rudimentary ventilator system, with the anesthesiologist team continuously squeezing the balloon by hand during the nearly two hour surgery.

The surgical team delivered a 4kg baby boy who did not cry. After 15 minutes of active neonatal resuscitation, he finally cried out, filling the operation room with joy.

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The 4kg South Sudanese baby boy is crying following 15 minutes of active neonatal resuscitation after his birth. (Source: Vietnam’s third level-two field hospital at UNMISS)

According to Nguyen Thanh Nam, head of the surgical department of the third level-two field hospital, his hospital was facing many challenges due to a shortage of human resources. Some members with COVID-19 were being isolated for treatment and one quarter of the staff was on leave.

Pou James, a staff member at the operating room of the MSF hospital, said he is very impressed with the Vietnamese surgical team for their professional manner and willingness to save the lives of local people.

The UNMISS Chief Medical Officer sent a letter to acknowledge the contribution of Vietnam’s level-two field hospital No. 3, asking the facility to continue assisting the MSF hospital in other surgeries.

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Doctor Nguyen Van Quynh gives instructions on the operation of an anesthetic machine for resuscitators at the Bentiu Hospital, South Sudan. (Source: Vietnam Peacekeeping Department)

On October 1, 2018, Vietnam deployed its first level-two field hospital with 63 staff members to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan in October 2018. The third hospital of this kind began their mission in April last year.

Source: Vietnam News Agency