Day: January 30, 2022

The Vietnamese Party, State and people always pay special attention to and strive to strongly and comprehensively build the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) in general, and the Air Defence – Air Force in particular, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed when visiting the Air Defence – Air Force on January 30 on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

PM Chinh visited the Air Traffic Management Centre, the Airspace Management Centre and the Combat Operations Command of the Air Defence – Air Force.

At the Combat Operations Command and through the online form, the Government leader directed the combat readiness, and encouraged and extended his Tet wishes to the force as well as people and soldiers on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

He acknowledged and appreciated efforts, victories and achievements that the Air Defence – Air Force has gained over the past time.

The PM noted that in 2022, the world and regional situation may continue developing complicatedly and unpredictably, with fiercer traditional and non-traditional security challenges and the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic directly affecting the development and stability of countries.

Domestically, besides opportunities and advantages, Vietnam will continue to be negatively affected by climate change, natural disasters, and diseases, especially the COVID-19 pandemic.

The task of safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the new situation is heavier, requiring the VPA in general and the Air Defence – Air Force in particular to innovate themselves and uphold the heroic tradition of the army, PM Chinh stressed.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President of the Cambodian People’s Party and Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen have made phone calls, extending his greetings to senior leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Vietnamese State on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival and the 92nd founding anniversary of the CPV.

In the phone call with General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, the two leaders congratulated each other on the respective country’s great achievements their Parties, States and people have gained in recent times, especially in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, thus helping ensure social welfare and economic development.

They expressed their delight at the fine development of the relationship between the two Parties and States, contributing to maintaining political stability and socio-economic development in each country and bringing practical benefits to the their people.

Despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have maintained regular high-level meetings and exchanges in various forms, including the successful organisation of a meeting between the leaders of the three ruling parties of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, a State visit to Cambodia by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and online talks by the two countries’ Party and State leaders, they said.

The two leaders agreed that both sides should promote and expand the bilateral cooperation in various areas, including politics, security, national defence, economy and connectivity, while supporting each other at international and regional forums.

The same day, PM Hun Sen also made phone calls, extending his Tet greetings to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and PM Pham Minh Chinh.

On this occasion, Cambodia’s National Assembly President Samdech Heng Samrin and Senate President Samdech Say Chhum sent letters of congratulations to National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

They wished the Vietnamese people happiness, peace and prosperity on the traditional festival.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 30 visited the Department of Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention and the Department of Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue under the Ministry of Public Security on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

The PM praised efforts and achievements that the two departments have made over the past time. Last year, in addition to regular tasks, they have contributed to the successful organisation of the 13th National Party Congress; the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term and to consolidate the entire political system.

Notably, PM Chinh said, during the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, the police force in general and the cyber security and hi-tech crime prevention and control and the fire prevention and fighting and rescue forces, in particular, stood on the frontline of the fight against the pandemic. They took part in the development of pandemic prevention and control technology, contributing to the maintenance of political stability as well as ensuring social order and safety, he said.

The PM also requested the two forces to be more active, flexible and creative in carrying out tasks. They must enhance human resource training to meet increasing requirements and tasks and invest in science and technology, facilities, and professional skills in the new context, PM Chinh stressed.

It is necessary to strengthen management science and coordination among forces, mobilising the strength of the whole society to ensure cyber security, preventing and combating crimes using high technologies, fire prevention and fighting. The administrative reform is also a must, he said.

The PM requested the police force to stay ready round the clock during the Lunar New Year so that people have a healthy, safe and happy Tet holiday.

He affirmed that Party and State leaders always pay attention to the people’s public security force and expressed his belief that with their glorious traditions, the two departments will achieve greater achievements in 2022.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on January 30 offered incense in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at Kim Lien special national relic site in Nam Dan district, Nghe An province, on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival and 92th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930-2022).

He was accompanied by provincial leaders and representatives of local agencies and departments.

The delegates offered incenses in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, the great leader of the Vietnamese Party and people, who sacrificed iên his whole life to the cause of national liberation and struggle for peace and happiness of Vietnamese and people around the world

They also reaffirmed their determination to study and follow the late President’s thought, morality and lifestyle.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Government has recently issued a plan to implement Directive No. 05-CT/TW dated June 23, 2021 of the 13th Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on strengthening the Party’s leadership on sustainable poverty reduction by 2030.

One of the tasks and solutions to carry out the plan is to continue perfecting and implementing poverty reduction mechanisms and policies effectively. Specifically, attention will be paid to improving poverty reduction policies, multidimensional poverty in association with sustainable development goals, to ensure a gradual increase in minimum living standards and people’s access to basic social services.

The plan will renew the way of approach to poverty reduction, increase social protection for poor households which are unable to work, adopt policies to encourage enterprises and cooperatives to cooperate in production and business, develop diversified production models with the participation of poor and near-poor households, and support the development of poverty reduction models and projects associated with national defence and security.

Activities to provide consultancy, connect and introduce jobs to poor people and those living in underprivileged areas will be stepped up, and actions will be taken to perfect mechanisms and policies on housing, hygienic water and rural sanitation for the poor and people in areas with extremely difficult socio-economic conditions, border areas and islands. The plan will also intensify the implementation of preferential credit policies for poor and near-poor households, and those just getting out of poverty and other policy beneficiaries, adopt policies to support and encourage enterprises to invest in disadvantaged areas associated with ensuring national defence and security, and review and adjust planning, and step up resettlement to ensure sustainable and safe livelihoods for residents in areas frequently affected by natural disasters, climate change, and in special forest areas.

Efforts will be made to allocate suitable production and residential land, create jobs, ensure basic services for the poor, especially those in ethnic-inhabited and mountainous regions.

Another task is to mobilise and effectively use domestic and foreign resources for poverty reduction. The State plays a leading role in securing resources and developing socio-economic infrastructure in poor districts and communes with extremely difficult conditions.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Keo Pagoda, which was built in 1632 in the Le dynasty, is one of the oldest in Vietnam where ancient architecture has been preserved.

Located in Vu Thu district, the northern province of Thai Binh, the pagoda initially included 157 compartments covering a total area of 58,000 sq.m. It is surrounded by three lakes, one in the front and two at both sides, creating a beautiful surrounding.

Also known as Than Quang Tu, Keo Pagoda worships Buddha and Duong Khong Lo, a monk of the Ly dynasty, who founded the pagoda. Duong Khong Lo was born in 1016 in Giao Thuy district, the northern province of Nam Dinh. He became a monk at 29. In 1061, after practicing Buddhism in India, he returned home and founded Nghiem Quang pagoda. In 1167, King Ly Anh Tong changed the name of the pagoda from Nghiem Quang to Than Quang. However, it was pulled down by a typhoon in 1611 and rebuilt in 1632.

The pagoda now has 128 apartments covering 2,000 sq.m. Despite several upgrades and repairs over the past 400 years, Keo Pagoda retains its unique architecture from the 17th century.

The section for worshiping Buddha houses nearly 100 statues. At its rear is the area for worshiping the founder of the pagoda. Next to the section for worshiping genies is a well walled with 36 rock barrels which, according to legend, were used for polishing rice for those who built the pagoda.

The bell tower is the most outstanding feature of the Keo pagoda. It is 11.04m high and has a three-layered tile roof. On the first floor of the tower, there is a 1.2 meter-high stone plaque. On the second floor, there is a bronze bell casted in 1686 which measures 1.30m high and 1m in diameter. There are two smaller bells on the third and the upper floors which are 0.62m high and 0.69m diameter, both casted in 1796.

In September 2012, the pagoda was designated as a special national relic. Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as the national intangible cultural heritage in 2017 and the wooden bell tower of the structure, by the Vietnam Record Organisation (Vietkings) as the tallest of its kind in the country in 2007.

The festival is held annually from the 10th to 15th day of the ninth lunar month to honour the founder of the pagoda.

It features religious rituals and communal activities such as Buddhist offerings, palanquin parades, love duet singing on boats, and a range of folk games like duck catching, rice cooking, and blindfolded drum beating. The traditional folk games and art forms reflect the lifestyle of residents in the Red River Delta in general, and Thai Binh province in particular.

In addition to the autumn festival, a spring one takes place here annually on the 4th day of the first lunar month.

The events feature many traditional and cultural sports and activities closely associated with the life of farmers residing in the Red River Delta, like palanquin processions, swimming or rowing competitions on the river.

Keo Pagoda is not only a place of worshiping but also one to learn more about Buddhism and to explore the history and culture of Vietnam.

The pagoda attracts thousands of visitors to Thai Binh every year.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet), National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visited and presented Tet gifts to poor and near-poor households and social policy beneficiaries in Nghi Loc and Hung Nguyen districts in the central province of Nghe An.

Specifically, Hue handed over 400 gift packages to the target people, and granted funding to build 10 houses for households living in extremely difficult circumstances. The two districts also received 200 million VND (8,830 USD) each to assist the poor.

On behalf of Party and State leaders, the NA Chairman extended his best Tet wishes to the Party Organisation, administration, officers, soldiers and people of Nghe An. He asked the locality to pay more attention to all policy beneficiaries, poor and near-poor households, with the spirit of leaving no one behind.

On the Tet occasion, the top legislator has so far presented 1,000 gift packages worth 500 million VND in total to social policy beneficiaries and poor households in Nghe An province.

Source: Vietnam News Agency