Day: August 20, 2022

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 20 chaired a nationwide teleconference linking with the 63 cities and provinces on the development of labour market in a flexible, modern, sustainable and globally integrated manner.

He said the Vietnamese Party and State always pay attention to labour market and consider human resources one of the three strategic breakthroughs for socio-economic development.

After switching to the strategy of safely and flexibly adapting to and effectively controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic labour market has gradually recovered, making important contributions to socio-economic development. The rate of employment keeps rising while that of unemployment drops, he said, adding however that challenges remain ahead.

According to him, the labour market has yet to keep pace with the economic structure transition as well as industrialisation, modernisation, digital transformation and global integration.

He attributed that to the lack of policies related to market quality management, regulations on labour standards and relations, and limited connectivity between domestic and foreign labour markets. At the same time, education-training has yet to meet requirements for workforce development, especially in hi-quality and new fields.

The leader added that the socio-economic recovery and development programme is underway at a total cost of 340 trillion VND (14.7 billion USD), or nearly 4% of the gross domestic product, focusing on health care, social welfare, support for enterprises, infrastructure and administrative reform to create a safe and transparent business environment, thus attracting more investment and generating more jobs.

To have hi-tech industries, hi-quality workforce are needed, he said and called for attention to training and salary reform, continuing to perfect laws up to international standards committed by the country, developing a system of labour market information, employment service centres, vocational training establishments and social welfare net.

The PM suggested building a modern and transparent labour market governance system, pooling resources to build multi-layered labour market forecast system at the provincial, regional and national level, diversifying credit sources to generate jobs in service of digital transformation, particularly for vulnerable persons in remote and mountainous areas.

He noted that the Government recently held a conference on housing support with an aim to build at least 1 million houses for workers and low-income earners by 2030.

It is a must to tackle difficulties in linking vocational training with enterprises, as well as offer incentives to workers for skill improvement, he said.

On the occasion, he expressed his hope that international organisations will continue offering financial support to Vietnam and share their experience in labour market management.

PM Chinh directed the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to work closely with other ministries, agencies, localities, associations and businesses to collect feedback at the event and soon submit to him for consideration./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The south-central province of Binh Thuan, one of the popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, has issued a plan for the training and development of the tourism workforce from 2022 – 2025, with a vision towards 2030, in an effort to revive the pandemic-stricken industry.

The COVID-19 has forced local tourism businesses to cut 50-70% of their staff in order to deal with a sharp decline in tourist arrivals and revenue from the industry over the last two years. With many workers having shifted to other jobs, tourism services providers in Binh Thuan are facing serious labour shortage post-pandemic when travel recovers.

Binh Thuan is suffering severe labour shortage in tourism with more than 60% of lodging facilities understaffed, according to a survey of 75 company members of the Binh Thuan Tourism Association. Only 70% of the workers have been trained professionally.

Under the new plan, the province sets to have 75% of full-time tourism workers receive professional training and 75% proficient in a foreign languages by 2025. The figures will be 85% and 80%, respectively, by 2030.

Tourism firms and vocational schools in Binh Thuan are also cooperating in providing short-term training courses for workers in an attempt to quickly fill the gap and sustainably develop the industry.

Binh Thuan welcomed 2.9 million visitors in the first seven months of 2022, a surge of 67.3% against the same period last year. Tourism turnover rose by 38.5% year-on-year to total 5.4 trillion VND (230.72 million USD)./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, held a working session with President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Csaba Korösi on August 19 to discuss UNGA’s working priorities as well as Vietnam’s issues of concern.

Giang affirmed that Vietnam will actively join and contribute to promoting the common agenda of the international community, as well as seek solutions to global challenges.

He shared Vietnam’s interest in stepping up the fulfillment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, coping with climate change, preventing and responding to epidemics, promoting gender equality and the role of women and youths, upholding and promoting respect of international law, and dealing with regional and global issues of shared concern.

Vietnam will continue contributing to the international community’s efforts regarding peace and security, promoting the UN peacekeeping activities and important processes suggested by the UN Secretary General in “Our Common Agenda” report together with other UN member states, he said.

Korösi said major priorities during his tenure will be hastening the settlement of conflicts by peaceful means, upholding multilateralism, highlighting the UN’s role, strengthening solidarity among UN member states, promoting sustainable development, climate change response, sci-tech application, and ensuring human rights.

On the occasion, he congratulated Vietnam on being elected as one of the Vice Presidents of the UNGA’s 77th session.

He also said he wishes to work closely with Vietnam./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

More than 120 Tiktok content creators took part in a discussion on how to shoot videos promoting tourist destinations in Da Nang, during an event held by the municipal Tourism Promotion Centre and two media companies on August 20.

Joining them were salespersons and marketers from tourism services companies in the central city.

It forms part of Da Nang’s initiatives to boost tourism promotion on social media, particularly Tiktok, one of the most popular platforms among youngsters at present.

Director of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre Nguyen Thi Hoai An said Tiktok had 1.2 billion monthly active users in the fourth quarter of 2021 and expected to reach 1.8 billion by the end of 2022.

As it is a very promising platform for businesses to promote their products and services, the centre is doubling efforts to popularise the city’s destinations via Tiktok, An said. It requires support from young people to create a Tiktok community able to spread the beauty of Da Nang and its cuisine, destinations and friendliness among the users, she added.

During the event, the organisers provided Tiktokers with expertise on how to effectively develop content and a channel, and to attract viewers. The Tiktokers also exchanged experience in making video clips on Da Nang as well cuisine and natural landscapes across Vietnam./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc has urged Vietnamese universities to improve quality of their programmes and beef up international cooperation to attract more foreign students.

He made the statement during a conference reviewing the training and management of foreign students in Vietnam from 2016 – 2021 and chalking out plans for the 2022 – 2030 period, held in Hanoi on August 19.

Over 45,000 foreign students from 102 countries and territories enrolled in 155 Vietnamese universities between 2016 and 2021, according to a report by the Ministry of Education and Training’s International Cooperation Department. Of the total student number, 26.6% were offered scholarships under agreements between the Government of Vietnam and foreign governments.

Annually, some 4,000 – 6,000 foreign students come to Vietnam to study. The highest number was reported in 2019 with the total reaching 6,300. The figure dropped to just around 3,000 in 2020 and 2021 due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A majority of the foreign students attended undergraduate and short-term courses, while very few studied post-graduate and PhD ones. Nearly 80% of the students were from Laos and Cambodia. But as a result of growing relations with the Republic of Korea, China, France and Japan, the number of students from these countries in Vietnam is on a rise.

The Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi attracted the largest foreign enrollment, with more than 1,000 from 74 countries and territories. It is followed by the VNU Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi University, Hue University, Thai Nguyen University, and Da Nang University.

Deputy Minister Phuc asked the Ministry of Education and Training to enhance regulatory framework on the training and management of foreign students in Vietnam. He also expected the ministry and Vietnamese universities to ramp up signing of international agreements on student exchange to welcome more foreigners to study in the country./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The 10th edition of a networking event marking its decade, hosted by the Association of Vietnamese Students and Professionals in the US (AVSPUS), is taking place in Washington from August 19-21.

At a recent gala, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung congratulated the AVSPUS on its achievements, especially in connecting Vietnamese youths and intellectuals in the US together who have served as a bridge promoting Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership.

A series of activities, both online and offline, during the event are expected to attract over 35,000 Vietnamese living and studying in the US, representatives from domestic and foreign agencies, press outlets and economic groups.

They will also be livestreamed on Facebook and Youtube.

The AVSPUS was founded on June 1, 2013, and became a registered non-profit organisation in Massachusetts state on March 3, 2014.

It now groups more than 35,000 members throughout the US./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has signed a resolution on continued payment for workers in accordance with another dated September 24, 2021, by the NA Standing Committee on the issuance of policies in support of employees and employers hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NA Standing Committee suggested spending over 1.1 trillion VND (47.8 million USD) from the unemployment insurance fund as of the late 2021 on continued payment for eligible workers.

The payment must be made no later than September 10.

The NA Standing Committee assigned the Government to make timely payment and report on the implementation of those resolutions to its September meeting./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The office of the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Secretariat of the Lao National Assembly held the?r 11th annual seminar and exchange, in the central province of Quang Binh on August 20.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese NA Tran Thanh Man and Secretary Generaral of the Lao NA Pingkham Lasasimma attended the event.

The event focused its discussions on renewing work for NA meetings, especially improving the quality of the information and secretary work, using modern technology in meetings, coordination between the NA Office and Office of the NA delegations of deputies.

It was also meant to share experience to realise contents in the cooperation agreement between the Secretariat of the Lao NA and the Office of the Vietnamese NA signed in May 2022, thus tightening solidarity between their officials, toward marking the Year of Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship, the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 45th anniversary of the signing of Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.

On the occasion, participants also had a chance to join cultural and sport exchanges, and visit tourist destinations in Quang Binh./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency