Day: April 9, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on April 8 signed the Prime Minister’s dispatch requesting the acceleration of disbursement of foreign official development assistance (ODA) and preferential loans.

In the document, the PM noted that as the COVID-19 pandemic is basically put under control, the task of promoting the disbursement of public investment, including foreign ODA and preferential loans, is considered one of key solutions to economic recovery and socio-economic development in 2022.

However, the ODA disbursement in 2022 remains slow, thus reducing the efficiency of public investment use as well as the attraction of other social resources, wasting resources, and affecting post-pandemic economic recovery momentum, said the dispatch, citing a report of the Ministry of Finance that as of March 31, the disbursement of ODA from the central budget reached only 0.99 percent of the yearly plan assigned by the PM.

Therefore, to meet the plan, the Prime Minister asked ministries, sectors and localities to consider ODA disbursement one of the core political missions of 2022 and the following years, strengthen discipline, and uphold the responsibility of the leaders.

It is necessary to intensify coordination between foreign donors and ministries and localities in drawing up detailed disbursement plans for each ODA project, especially key ones with large capital, and at the same time step up land clearance and focus on solving difficulties related to land and resources.

The Finance Ministry was required to continue review regulations to simplify procedures and shorten the time to control spending and withdraw capital from sponsors.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A mobile app named ‘Den Hung’ (Hung Temple) was launched on April 9, or the ninth day of the third lunar month and a day prior to the death anniversary of Hung Kings – the legendary founders of the nation.

Via the app, now available on App Store and CH Play/Google Play, users can search for information on the Hung Temple special national historical relic site illustrated by images, video clips with narratives.

Maps and areas opened for visitors, venues hosting rituals and festivals this year, services and trustworthy accommodations, dinning, and shops, will be featured in the app. A hotline of the organising board is provided to receive feedback and reports regarding violations during the Hung Temple festival.

People at home and abroad can donate to the repair of the relic site via the app.

Hung King is the title given to the ancient Vietnamese rulers of the Hong Bang period (2879–258 BC). They were the Kings of Van Lang. The worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings was recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

Legend has it that Lac Long Quan (real name Sung Lam, son of Kinh Duong Vuong and Than Long Nu) married Au Co (the fairy daughter of De Lai). Au Co then gave birth to a pouch filled with 100 eggs, which soon hatched into a hundred sons. However, soon thereafter, Lac Long Quan and Au Co separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coast with 50 of the children, while Au Co went to the highlands with the rest.

Their eldest son was made king, who named the country Van Lang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (modern-day Viet Tri city in Phu Tho province), beginning the 18 generations of the Hung Kings.

The kings chose Nghia Linh Mountain, the highest in the region, to perform rituals devoted to rice and sun deities to pray for healthy crops.

To honour their great contributions, a complex of temples dedicated to them was built on Nghia Linh Mountain, and the 10th day of the third lunar month serves as the national commemorative anniversary for the kings.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A decision of the Hanoi People’s Committee to allow the reopening of preschools from April 13 has received consensus from a majority of parents and teachers.

Kindergartens in the capital city have remained closed from late April last year after the outbreak of the fourth COVID-19 wave in Vietnam.

Hanoi is the last locality among 63 provinces and cities nationwide to allow kindergartens to resume in-person learning.

According to the municipal education department, about 80 percent of parents said they are willing to bring their children back to preschools. Many shared that the reopening of preschools is a great joy for them.

For many parents, the reopening of preschools means family reunion as they can pick up their kids from their hometowns to Hanoi to live together.

Meanwhile, preschools are busily preparing the best conditions to welcome pupils back after a nearly-one-year break.

Due to the long closure, many private ones went bankrupt or are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam on April 9 reported 34,140 new COVID-19 infections, including two imported cases, down 5,195 cases from the previous day, according to the Ministry of Health.

The capital city of Hanoi continued to log the highest number of infections, with 2,202 cases, followed by Bac Giang province with 1,956 cases and Nghe An with 1,656 cases.

The new infections brought the country’s total caseload to 10,169,929 since the pandemic broke out, ranking 12 out of 227 countries and territories in the world.

As many as 41,857 patients were declared to be free from coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, lifting the total number of recoveries to 8,497,532.

The same day, 26 fatalities were announced, raising the total death toll to 42,794.

The country has to date administered 208,460,812 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will focus on solutions to tighten Vietnam’s economic and trade relations with European and American partners, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien has affirmed.

Speaking at a recent meeting with partners from Europe and the Americas, Dien told participants that his ministry will maintain the flexible and effective implementation of the dual goal of COVID-19 prevention and control and economic recovery and development in the new normal.

Attention will be paid to helping enterprises overcome difficulties and develop production and business, facilitating goods circulation and import and export, and developing the smart manufacturing industry.

The sector will encourage the development of clean and renewable energies and form major energy centres, and focus on measures to diversify market and imported and exported commodities, bring into full play the signed free trade agreements, and develop e-commerce.

To successfully implement theses solutions, in addition to its own efforts, the ministry wants to receive close and effective cooperation and support from both domestic and foreign partners, including those from Europe and America, Dien added.

Ambassadors, and representatives from organisations, associations and businesses from the two regions showed their willingness to be trusted partners and boost collaboration for common growth and prosperity.

On this occasion, delegates visited an exhibition of Vietnam’s outstanding products in fields of industry, energy and export.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) will support businesses when implementing the socio-economic recovery and development programme, Finance Minister Ho Duc Phoc said.

Specific areas will include accessing markets, capital, labour and infrastructure as well as open administrative procedures.

MoF will accompany firms with supportive solutions so that the domestic business community can overcome difficulties to restore and develop production. Thereby they can contribute to the economic recovery and development.

Minister Ho Duc Phoc was addressing a forum on “Fiscal policy to support the socio-economic recovery and development programme” that was held on April 7 in Hanoi by the Thoi bao Tai chinh (Vietnam Financial Times) and Da tu (Investment Review).

The ministry has listened to opinions from the businesses and then reported to authorities to remove obstacles to business development. At the same time, it also promulgates policies to achieve financial development goals, ensure strong and harmonious economic development, and improve national competitiveness, according to Phoc.

Dang Ngoc Minh, deputy director of the General Department of Taxation, said the general department had built drafts of two decrees on extending the deadline for tax and land rent payments. They included the decree on extending payment of value added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax, and land and water surface rent in 2022 and the decree extending the deadline for excise tax payment for domestically manufactured or assembled cars.

For these two drafts, the General Department of Taxation had collected opinions from ministries, agencies, and people’s committees of provinces and cities. At the same time, it also had coordinated with the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry to organise an online seminar on those drafts.

The ministry was finalising the drafts to send to the Ministry of Justice for appraisal before submitting them to the Government for consideration of issuance in April 2022.

If they were approved, the total amount of tax, land rent and water surface rent extended payment would reach about 132 trillion VND to 137 trillion VND, said Minh.

The extension would be of great significance to businesses and individuals because they could have more financial resources for production, promoting economic growth, said Minh.

Meanwhile, the customs sector has also continuously implemented reforms to create more favourable conditions for businesses. Hoang Viet Cuong, deputy director of the General Department of Customs, said that the General Department of Customs had proactively implemented solutions to create favourable conditions for trade activities, helping businesses and people in recovery and development of production, imports and exports.

Last year, it completed regulations to shorten customs clearance time and reduce costs for enterprises.

By reviewing, amending and supplementing core documents in customs procedures and guiding circulars, the General Department of Customs had proposed to reduce documents, orders and procedures that are not necessary to simplify administrative procedures and handle problems.

In addition, the general department had strengthened research for modernising equipment to support customs inspection and supervision, and carried out specialised inspections for imported and exported goods.

It had also promoted simplification and automation of customs procedures, and implementation of the national single window, ASEAN single window and the application of information technology for online public services.

In the future, Vietnam would continue to promote administrative reform in an extensive and comprehensive manner to reduce the time for customs clearance of goods, creating favourable conditions for businesses, and meeting the requirements of State management.

It would focus on reviewing and evaluating the implementation of the Law on Customs; redesigning the information technology system of the customs sector based on the latest technology.

It would also promote electronic document exchange via the ASEAN Single Window; review the implementation of administrative procedures via the National Single Window; and reform specialised inspections.

Especially, the customs sector would coordinate with ministries, sectors and businesses to reform customs clearance procedures for import and export goods, creating favourable conditions for the businesses to cut costs and save time, and improve national competitiveness, Cuong said.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Border Guard Command of southern Tay Ninh province has visited armed forces in Cambodia’s Tbong Khmun, Srey Veng, Svay Rieng provinces on the occasion of Chol Chnam Thmay – Khmer people’s traditional new year festival.

On April 8, Colonel Le Hong Vuong, Commander of the Border Guard Command, led a working delegation to visit and present gifts to the Police, Military, Gendarmerie forces and border guard at Bavet international border gate in Svay Rieng province.

Vuong took the occasion to grant best new year wishes to the officers and soldiers in particular and Cambodians in general.

A representative from the Cambodian side said that the two sides have well coordinated in COVID-19 prevention and control and cross-border crime combat, and hoped that they will continue working to protect the borderline

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Regional cyclists, including Bui Thi Quynh of Vietnam, are competing at the ongoing Tour of Thailand 2022, about a month prior to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) to be hosted by Vietnam.

In the women’s category which began on April 8, Jutatip Maneephan of Thailand triumphed at the first stage, followed by Quynh and another Thai national Pannaray Rasee.

The women’s competition will wrap up on April 10 after three stages.

Polish cyclist Alan Banaszek of HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski was crowned the champion of the men’s tour on April 6.

Malaysia’s Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team won the team general classification with a time of 64:25.53 hours. They were also the best ASEAN team.

Patompob Phonarjthan of Thailand National Team showed his strength by taking two intermediate sprints during the sixth stage. He was also named the most combative cyclist of the final stage.

Thai rider Nattaphol Chamchat was the country’s only stage winner with his success in the fifth.

Decha Hemkrasri, President of the Thai Cycling Association, said the Thai national team cyclists will now join the training camp to prepare for the SEA Games 31 next month.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, will be held in the capital city of Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities from May 12 to 23. Featuring 40 sports with 526 events, it is expected to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the pandemic’s impact.

Source: Vietnam News Agency