Day: January 17, 2022

Ten members of the national women’s football team, including head coach Mai Duc Chung, arrived in India’s Pune city on January 16 for the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from January 20 to February 6.

A representative of the Consulate General of Vietnam in Mumbai travelled to the airport to assist the team with necessary procedures.

Other members are waiting for their COVID-19 test result in Spain, where the team headed for a short training camp last December, hoping to get a timely flight to India on January 19. They are in stable health.

Earlier, 15 members of the squad tested positive for the virus.

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The national women’s football team (Photo: VFF)

Vietnam are set to play the Republic of Korea on January 21.

Currently placed 32nd on the FIFA ranking table, Vietnam are in Group C together with reigning champions Japan, the RoK and Myanmar.

The upcoming tourney will serve as the continental qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam Airlines Group, which operate Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and VASCO, said on January 17 that flights on many air routes on recent days have seen their occupation rates ranging from 70 to 90 percent as many people began to make the journey home for the traditional Lunar New Year.

The most crowded flights were from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, Hue, Quy Nhon, and Quang Nam.

The group observed that this year, passengers have chosen to depart sooner instead of waiting until a few days before Tet like in previous years. A large number of flights whose schedules fall between January 17 and 23 now have most of their seats booked. The 2022 Lunar New Year holiday, the longest and most important traditional festival in Vietnam, lasts from January 31 through February 4.

Notably, on the first four days of the lunar year, a soaring number of booked seats have been reported for flights from Hanoi and HCM City to popular tourist destinations like Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc and Con Dao. This promises an exciting Tet tourism season after two years of travel restrictions.

Previously, to serve higher demand around Tet, the group announced the increase of flights on many routes to about 300 one-way flights per day on average, with the number of seats rising by 120 percent compared to the normal days.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Top Vietnamese and Chinese leaders have exchanged their messages of congratulations on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic relations (January 18, 1950 – 2022).

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue exchanged congratulatory messages with China’s Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Li Zhanshu.

On the occasion, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also exchanged his congratulatory message with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ecological agriculture, modern rural areas and smart farmers are expected to be the three key factors helping agriculture secure its role as a firm pillar of the economy in 2022 and following years.

Despite COVID-19 impacts that caused the crackdown of the global supply chains in 2021, the agricultural sector still made a miracle with a trade surplus and a record export revenue at 48.6 billion USD, exceeding the target of 42 billion USD set by the Government for the year.

Last year, total food grain production hit nearly 44 million tonnes, meeting the demand of the 100-million-strong domestic market and for export, proving the sector’s position as a prop of the economy even during unprecedented difficult situations.

During the fourth wave of the pandemic that hit Vietnam since last April, amid numerous difficulties in all 63 localities nationwide due to prolonged social distancing measures which led to disruption in selling chains, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) formed its taskforces in the north and the south to support the selling and circulation of farm produce in all localities.

MARD Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien said that along with making best use of trade agreements between Vietnam and partners, the agricultural sector has focused on promoting digital transformation, considering it as a breakthrough measure to create a new motivation for agricultural growth and expansion.

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Agricultural sector has focused on promoting digital transformation (Photo: VNA)

However, MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan pointed out that despite the achievements, the agricultural sector has still seen many problems, including a lack of supply-demand connections. As part of the solutions to the issue, the ministry has set up the 970 Agricultural Connection Forum to synchronise production and sale information, heading to a transparent agricultural sector in 2022, he said.

The minister said the ministry is putting final touches to a draft sustainable agricultural development strategy in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050 with three key pillars of ecological agriculture, modern rural areas and smart farmers.

It is necessary to integrate multiple values into agricultural products, Hoan said.

In 2022, export is predicted to continue to be a driving force for the economy, with the agricultural sector to play a significant part. Promising products with export revenue above 3 billion USD include wooden products, shrimps, cashews, vegetables, rice and rubber.

Head of the General Statistics Office Nguyen Thi Huong was of the view that this year, Vietnam’s goal of 6-6.5 percent in GDP growth is feasible thanks to the country’s good preparations in input materials for production and export. She stressed that this year, the agricultural sector will further promote its strengths.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Relevant agencies and localities in Vietnam are speeding up preparations for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) which is scheduled to be held from May 12 to 23 this year.

According to the General Department of Sports and Physical Training (GDSPT), a delegation led by GDSPT Deputy General Director Le Thi Hoang Yen has paid a working visit to the northern province of Hoa Binh to check preparations for competitions in SEA Games 31’s cycling event.

According to the local SEA Games Organising Committee, Hoa Binh will host five terrain and seven road cycling events.

The track for terrain cycling is being built according to international standards. This project will serve not only the SEA Games but also other domestic and international tournaments.

Tracks for road cycling events and other facilities are being upgraded in accordance with experts’ requirements.

So far 162 cyclists, comprising 91 male and 71 female, have registered to take part in the events.

Earlier, the deputy general director also inspected the preparation for SEA Games 31 in Vinh Phuc province which will host Muay Thai and golf competitions.

The upgrading of the 3,000-seat Vinh Phuc Sporting Hall, the venue for Muay Thai event, has almost finished while other auxiliary works are underway.

The golf event will be held at the 18-hole Dam Vac course which meets international standards.

A delegation headed by deputy director general Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet has inspected the venue for the Karate competition in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

A representative of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports affirmed that Ninh Binh will be able to fully meet the requirements of organising Karate at the 31st SEA Games.

The 31st SEA Games, hosted by Vietnam, will run in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring localities. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and attract around 10,000 participants.

At the 30th SEA Games in 2019, the Vietnamese sports delegation finished second in the overall medal tally, with 98 golds, 85 silvers and 105 bronzes, behind hosts the Philippines.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

“Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring) Programme 2022, the biggest annual event held for overseas Vietnamese (OV) on the occasion of the Lunar New Year Festival, will be held on January 22, or the 20th day of the last lunar month of the Year of the Buffalo.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, who is head of the State Committee for OV Affairs, said that the programme will be the largest political, external relations and cultural event to be held in the beginning of 2022, aiming to foster link between OVs and their fellows at home.

This is also a chance for Party and State leaders to listen to aspirations of the Vietnamese community abroad and honour collectives and individuals that make great contributions to the homeland, he said

Hieu said that the programme will feature diverse activities, including incense offering to national ancestors, carp releasing, tribute paying to President Ho Chi Minh and heroic martyrs, meetings with Party, State and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) leaders, and art performances. State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will take the podium during the programme to extend New Year wishes to OVs.

According to Deputy FM Hieu, the Vietnamese community abroad has shown good integration into the host society in all fields and become an important resource for the national development.

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Overseas Vietnamese in Canada donates cash to COVID-19 fight at home (Photo: VNA)

Last year, despite COVID-19 impacts, the amount of remittances to Vietnam rose 10 percent over the previous year, getting closer to a new record of 20 billion USD. Meanwhile, Vietnamese intellectuals abroad have actively contributed their brainpower to many important areas of the country.

Hieu underlined that amid COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese community abroad has actively responded to the call of the Party, State and VFF leaders for support in pandemic fight. In 2020-2021, the community donated about 115 billion VND (5.05 million USD) as well as a lot of medical supplies to the homeland.

The Deputy FM said that in 2022, the OV affair activities will focus on two major objectives of fostering the great national solidarity and promoting resources from the OV community for national development.

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Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu (Photo: VNA)

To this end, seven key tasks have been given, including the implementation of a series of action plans such as the Government’s action plan on OV affairs in 2021-2026 period.

More activities will be conducted to optimise resources from the Vietnamese community abroad for national development, support the community to strengthen their legal status, expand the teaching of the Vietnamese language, increase the supply of information to the community, and improve the capacity of officials in charge of OV affairs, stated Hieu.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The visit to Cambodia by Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son from January 19-20 aims to realise agreements reached by senior leaders of the two countries, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang.

The minister’s visit will be made at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn.

It takes place nearly one month after a state visit to Cambodia by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Tang told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s correspondents on January 17.

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang (Photo: VNA)

Son and Prak Sokhonn will discuss activities marking the 55th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967-2022), along with regional and international issues of shared concern.

The visit will contribute to deepening and improving the efficiency of the “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability” between the two countries, the ambassador believed.

Tang suggested Vietnam and Cambodia maintain and foster their political ties, raise public awareness of the strategic importance and vital significance of the relationship to national construction and defence in each country in the new situation, consolidate their political trust, and enhance their multi-faceted collaboration.

At the same time, they should strengthen cooperation in national defence and security, and external affairs, while closely coordinating at regional and international multilateral forums, helping Cambodia successfully perform its role as ASEAN Chair in 2022.

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Illustrative image (Source: Internet)

Apart from forging economic links to create new momentum for national development, the two countries need to step up their partnerships in culture, education-training, health care and science-technology, the ambassador added.

Vietnamese and Cambodian ministries, agencies, localities, especially border localities, organisations and associations should beef up their cooperation and friendship, contributing to deepening the comprehensive cooperation, he said.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The northern provinces of Lao Cai and Quang Ninh have decided to temporarily halt receiving vehicles of fresh fruits for export to China via some of their border gates and crossings, as congestion is still lingering there.

Lao Cai is going to suspend the reception at the Kim Thanh International Land Border Gate No. 2, whose Chinese counterpart is Beishan, from January 18 until further notice.

In an urgent announcement sent to localities nationwide on January 16, the Lao Cai provincial People’s Committee said China’s Yunnan province has resumed fresh fruit import through this border gate pair since January 12.

However, as the Chinese side is taking strict anti-COVID-19 measures, the gates’ customs clearance for fresh fruits remains modest, with only 60 lorries passing through from January 12 to 15. While nearly 1,000 vehicles of those produce, including dragon fruit, mango, water melon, and jackfruit, are currently stranded at border gates in Lao Cai, the Kim Thanh border gate has already been overloaded and unable to handle more.

Therefore, to ease congestion and reduce expenses and losses, Lao Cai asked authorities of other provinces and cities to recommend their businesses, cooperatives, and farmers temporarily halt exporting fresh fruit via its border gates.

It also pledged to carry out comprehensive measures and maintain frequent contact with Yunnan authorities to facilitate customs clearance at the Kim Thanh – Beishan border gate pair.

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Lorries prepare to pass Mong Cai International Border Gate in Quang Ninh province (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh province will stop handling trucks of fresh fruits, frozen aquatic products, and others that are hard to be preserved through border gates and crossings in Mong Cai city from January 17 to the Lunar New Year holiday, which will start in the next two weeks.

The provincial People’s Committee said the suspension aims to thoroughly dealing with the goods now stranded at border gates and crossings in Quang Ninh by January 31 and to avoid pandemic risks, or the Chinese side may stop customs clearance again.

It also called on provinces and cities across the country to notify the issue to their businesses and related organisations and individuals.

After a 20-day suspension, the Chinese province of Guangxi on January 10 restored customs clearance at three points of entry in Dongxing city whose counterparts in Mong Cai city are the border gates of Bac Luan 1 Bridge, Bac Luan 2 Bridge, and the Km3 4 floating bridge.

Source: Vietnam News Agency