Month: December 2022

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Traffic accidents kill 14 people on first day of New Year holidays

Twenty six traffic accidents occurred nationwide on December 31 – the first day of the 2023 New Year holidays (December 31-January 2), killing 14 people and injuring 11 others, according to the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department.

 

The figures showed a rise of five accidents, but decreases of one fatality and one injury from the first day of the same holidays last year.

 

Of the total, 25 accidents happened on roads, claiming 13 lives and injuring 11 others, up five cases but down one death and on injury compared with the figures last year.

 

Meanwhile, one person was killed in one railway accident in souther Binh Duong province.

 

Traffic police officers across the country handled a total of 8,365 traffic law violations and imposed fines worth 14 billion VND (592,000 USD)./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Hanoi enters New Year with fresh optimism

 

Facing a range of difficulties and challenges last year, Hanoi has realised and even exceeded all 22 of its socio-economic targets, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) in a recent interview.

 

According to the official, the capital city grew 8.8%, higher than the nation’s average level of about 8%. It saw better-than-expected outcomes in its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), GRDP per capita, growth rate of export turnover, and reduction of poor households.

 

Dung said 2023 is key to Hanoi’s socio-economic development plan for the 2020-2025 period and takes the work theme of discipline, responsibility, action, innovation, and development.

 

This year, Hanoi will strive for an increase of 7% and above in GRDP, with its rates of social investment and export growth expected to hit 10.5-11% and 7.5-8%, respectively.

 

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Aerial view of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi downtown. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

 

Concerning tasks to be completed to realise such goals, the official stressed improving the business climate and economic restructuring; developing the quality, effectiveness, and competitiveness of local craft villages; and encouraging the application of technological advances, among others.

 

The city will also work to complete its planning for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050 for submission to the Prime Minister.

 

Dung said in the future, the capital will develop two affiliated cities – one to the north of the Red River (Me Linh-Soc Son-Dong Anh) and other to the west of Hanoi (Hoa Lac-Xuan Mai), serving as a premise for further growth.

 

Hanoi prioritises fostering cultural and social development to be on par with economic growth, while continuing its plan for investment in education, health, and culture, he affirmed./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

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Pope Francis extends New Year greetings to Vietnam

Pope Francis, head of the Holy See, wished the leaders and people of Vietnam a merry Christmas and a happy New Year while meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung at the Christmas Mass recently held in St. Peter’s Basilica.

 

At the meeting, the Vietnamese diplomat respectfully conveyed regards and the best New Year greetings from the Vietnamese Party and State leaders to the Pope.

 

He informed that Vietnamese Party and State leaders visited and extended greetings to the Vietnamese Catholic community on the occasion of Christmas 2022, and acknowledged positive contributions by Catholic followers to the cause of national construction and defence in Vietnam.

 

The ambassador wished that the Vietnamese Catholic community will continue to promote cultural and moral values, and make more contributions to the country’s construction and development.

 

Pope Francis expressed his delight at the fruitful development of the relations between Vietnam and the Holy See. He hoped that the bilateral ties will further develop in the time to come./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Work starts on specialties trade centre in An Giang province

The construction of a trade centre showcasing specialties of Vietnam began in Mekong Delta province of An Giang on December 30.

 

Spanning over 20,000 sq.m in Chau Doc district, the centre has a total investment of more than 66 billion VND (nearly 2.8 million USD).  It includes zones that sell regional specialties of Vietnam, pedestrian streets, food courts of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, as well as areas that sell agricultural products and event venues.

 

Lam Quang Thi, Secretary, Chairman of Chau Doc city’s People’s Committee, said the construction of the centre will contribute to boosting the development of Chau Doc tourism industry.

 

This year, the city has welcomed more than 4.1 million visitors and revenue from the tourism sector is over 3 trillion VND, he noted, adding that currently each tourist spends an average of only 800,000 VND per day./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

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2023 state budget revenue estimate up 0.4%: report

 

State budget revenue in 2023 is projected at 1.62 quadrillion VND (68.5 billion USD), up 0.4% from 2022, according to a report on state budget, which was exclusively made for the public.

 

Under the report, recently released by the Ministry of Finance, state budget expenditures would be 2.07 quadrillion VND, a rise of 16.3% as compared with this year’s estimate.

 

Meanwhile, the country’s GDP is expected to grow about 6.5% and GDP per capita income would reach some 4,400 USD. The manufacturing and processing sector is set to make up from 25.4 – 25.8% of the national GDP and the consumer price index (CPI) would increase by around 4.5% in the year. The poverty rate is hoped to reduce 1-1.5%.

 

The State budget overspending is projected at 455.5 trillion VND, equivalent to 4.42% of the national GDP.

 

The report also introduces major solutions relating to financial and State budget management in the year, focusing on responding to complicated changes in the domestic and international situation, maintaining macro-economic stability, controlling inflation and ensuring major economic balances.

 

It mentions consolidating the State budget collection system, and amending, supplementing and perfecting tax management institutions to ensure the accurate and timely collection of taxes and fees.

 

The responsibility of leaders of relevant agencies will be promoted and unnecessary expenditures will be cut, according to the report./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

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Vietnam’s agricultural sector posts record high growth in 2022

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on December 30 announced that the agricultural sector has achieved all goals set for this year, including a growth rate of 3.36%, a record for many recent years.

 

Specifically, animal husbandry and cultivation grew 2.88%, fisheries by 2.88%, and forestry 6.13%. Vietnam’s forest coverage reached 42.02% of the country’s total area.

 

More than 73% of communes in the country met the criteria of new-style rural areas.

 

The export revenues of agro-forestry-fishery products reached a new record of 53.22 billion USD, 9.3% higher than that of 2021, with a trade surplus of over 8.5 billion USD.

 

Nguyen Van Viet, Director of the ministry’s Planning Department, said that the production structure of the industry continued to be adjusted more appropriately and effectively in association with the market.

 

The consumption market of Vietnamese farming products continues to expand in both categories and products. The domestic market has received more attention while the Government and the sector made efforts to promptly remove trade barriers, boosting the exports of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products.

 

It is forecast that Vietnam’s economy will continue to face difficulties and challenges in 2023 such as inflationary pressure, a sharp increase in production costs, negative impacts of climate change, changes in demand and new consumption patterns, and especially impacts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

 

In 2023, the agriculture sector targets a growth rate of 3% and export revenue of 54 billion USD.

 

It aims to have 78% of communes and at least 270 districts nationwide recognised as new-style rural areas./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

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HCM City’s consumer price index drops slightly in December

 

Unlike previous months, Ho Chi Minh City recorded a month-on-month decline of 0.07% in its December consumer price index (CPI), the municipal Statistics Office said on December 30.

 

Two of the 11 groups of main consumer goods and services witnessed price decreases, namely transport (down 3.05% from last month) and garment, footwear and headwear (down 0.1%).

 

Prices of the nine remaining groups increased from November, including food and catering services (up 0.48%); drinks and tobacco (0.33%); housing, electricity, water, fuel, and construction materials (0.15%); education (0.18%); medicine and medical services (0.01%).

 

While the local December CPI went up 4.92% from December 2021, this year’s index grew 2.73% from last year.

 

Also in December, gold prices fall 0.31% and US dollar prices down 2.53% from last month. The respective prices in 2022 increased 16.95% and 1.14% from 2021, according to the office./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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PM hosts historical witnesses from People’s Public Security force

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 30 had a meeting with historical witnesses from the People’s Public Security force, who directly engaged in the struggle against sabotage war and espionage activities during the resistance war against the US.

 

Colonel, Hero of the People’s Armed Forces of Vietnam Nguyen Tri Phuong, who is former Director of the provincial Public Security Department of Quang Binh province, and Major General Trinh Xuan Thu, former Director of the Public Security Department of Thanh Hoa province, recalled memories during the struggle against sabotage war and espionage activities during the resistance war against the US.

 

Addressing the meeting, PM Chinh highlighted the strong performance of the People’s Public Security force over the past 77 years, winning trust from the Party, State and people.

 

He underlined the contributions and sacrifice by public security officers and soldiers to the success of the struggle, contributing to the victory of the revolution for the national liberation and reunification under the leadership of the Party.

 

The PM noted that in more than 10 years from 1961 to 1972, Vietnam, with the core role played by the People’s Public Security force, detected and arrested hundreds of spy and commando teams.

 

With the bravery, wisdom and ingenuity and a strong spirit of overcoming difficulties, the People’s Public Security force won this arduous battlefield, contributing to the bankruptcy of the enemy’s espionage war, he said.

 

Inheriting and promoting this glorious tradition, the People’s Public Security force has continued to make important contributions to the national construction and defence, fulfilling all assigned tasks, monitoring the situation to avoid being inactive in any circumstances, and actively engaging in preventing and combating corruption, wastefulness and negative phenomena, he said.

 

The Party and State highly appreciate, recognise and are proud of the great achievements of the People’s Public Security force through periods, he affirmed.

 

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PM Chinh speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

 

He said that in the time to come, the tasks are heavy for the force, requiring it to promote solidarity and consensus, overcome all difficulties and challenges, and become more creative to achieve more attainments and make more contributions to the national construction and defence.

 

The PM expressed his hope that the historical witnesses will continue to actively join the movement of all people engaging in the protection of national security.

 

Their contributions to the nation are always remembered and respected by the Party, State, the People’s Public Security Force and the people, he said./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency