As part of events to respond to the Vietnamese Ethnic Groups' Culture Day (April 19), activities will contribute to promoting and upholding unique traditional cultural values of the ethnic communities, thus attracting tourists during national holidays.

Many special events aim to commemorate Hung Kings - the legendary founders of the nation, and mark National Reunification Day (April 30), and May Day (May 1).

The reenactment of a mountainous market of Cao Bang province will be the most attractive event. It will spotlight the cultural space of ethnic groups of Lo Lo, Mong, Tay, Nung and Dao, their traditional cuisine and specialties, traditional arts, and folk games.

The Mong people in Cao Bang will introduce melodies of Khen (panpine) art, which plays an important role in their cultural and spiritual life.

Meanwhile, Dao (Dao Tien) and Nung ethnic groups will showcase their traditional handicrafts of beeswax batik printing on fabric, and incense-making, respectively.

A rain praying festival will be reenacted by 15 artisans from the Lo Lo ethnic group in Bao Lac district.

Visitors to the village at the weekend will also have a chance to watch art performances with traditional musical instruments by ethnic groups from the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta regions.

Transnational drug ring busted in Quang Tri province

Vietnamese customs officers apprehended nine Lao nationals in a transnational drug ring on March 30 and seized 100kg of methamphetamine, the General Department of Vietnam Customs reported on April 2.

The suspects were caught transporting the drug on a 12-seater passenger minibus with Lao license plate number 6689 at around 5:30 pm along National Highway 9 in Vay village, Tan Long commune, Huong Hoa district, the central province of Quang Tri.

All the arrestees, five men and four women, reside in Pakading district, Lao province of Bolikhamsai.

The illicit drugs were concealed above the ceiling of the vehicle./.

45,600 new jobs created in Hanoi in Q1

Over 45,600 new jobs were created in Hanoi in the first quarter of this year, representing 27.6% of the annual target and a 2.3% year-on-year increase.

The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, entrusted by municipal authorities, played a key role by providing loans totaling 886.9 billion VND (36.95 million USD) to the poor and social welfare beneficiaries. This initiative is credited with creating employment opportunities for 13,900 workers.

The Hanoi Employment Service Centre facilitated job creation through various channels. They organised 54 job fairs with the participation of over 1,700 enterprises and 11,500 job seekers, resulting in over 3,700 successful placements. Additionally, the centre assisted 1,100 people with securing employment contracts for work abroad, primarily in Japan, Taiwan (China), and the Republic of Korea (RoK). Through guidance and referrals from businesses in the employment sector, an estimated 26,900 people found employment.

During the period, unemployment insurance benefits totalling 450.4 billion VND were distributed to roughly 14,000 people.

The manufacturing and electricity production and distribution sectors saw workforce reductions of 2.9% and 0.4%, respectively. In contrast, the water supply and waste treatment sector experienced a 1.3% growth, and the mining sector witnessed a substantial surge of 49.7%.
 
Despite the positive employment figures, the data revealed a slowdown in business registration. The city granted certificates to 6,944 new businesses, reflecting a 6% decrease in volume and a 4% decline in total registered capital compared to the same period last year.

The number of dissolved businesses rose by 23% to 1,121, and nearly 12,400 others temporarily suspended operations, marking a 25% increase. However, there was a positive sign with a 10% rise in firms resuming operations, reaching 3,748./.

Vietnam-RoK ties at best stage in history: Deputy Foreign Minister

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang on April 1 held working sessions with Governor of Jeonbuk province Kim Kwan Yyeong and Mayor of Naju city in Jeollanam-do province Bok Soo Kim within the framework of her working visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), during which she assured them that the Vietnam-RoK ties are now at the best development stage in history.

Hang, who is also Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs, described the RoK as the biggest foreign direct investor in Vietnam with a total capital value of 86 billion USD. The two countries also enjoy active exchanges on various levels, including cultural interactions and high-level delegations.

Governor Kim Kwan Yeong, for his part, praised the Vietnamese community in Jeonbuk and Vietnamese brides in particular for taking care of their families and raising their children in multicultural households, contributing to the development of both countries.

The provincial authorities will continue improving policies in support of Vietnamese workers through simplified visa process, consider offering Vietnamese as a second language in local schools, and continue to support the stability and development of the Vietnamese community here.

Presenting Naju as a burgeoning city thriving in both industry and agriculture, Mayor Bok Soo Kim said the city needs skilled labour, citing the presence of 16 major industrial conglomerates. He also mentioned Naju's recent labour agreement with Thuan Thanh district in Bac Ninh province and a twinning relationship established with Dong Nai province in Vietnam.

In reply, Hang proposed that the host further boost cooperation in labour, trade and vocational training, especially for skilled workers from Vietnam. She also urged continued support for the Vietnamese community living there.

While in the RoK, she attended the opening of the Vietnamese community office in Jeonbuk, and held meetings with the Vietnamese Associations in Jeonbuk and Jeonnam Gwang Ju.

The Vietnamese community in Jeonbuk now groups about 15,000 people, primarily students, workers and women married to Korean citizens./.

"Denmark in Your Eyes" painting contest awards winners

A total of 65 prizes have been presented to individuals and groups winning the "Denmark in Your Eyes" painting contest at a ceremony in Hanoi on April 2.

Themed “Green Future,” the competition was co-organised by the Danish Embassy and the Vietnam - Denmark Friendship Association (VIDAFA). It had received more than 21,500 entries from 256 schools and clubs across 42 provinces and cities nationwide.

Chu Ha Giang, a sixth-grader from Nguyen Gia Thieu Secondary School in Hanoi, won the special prize for conveying a message of saving the oceans.

Of the remaining 61 individual prizes, there are two first, three second, six third, and 50 consolation prizes given to primary and secondary pupils from 22 localities.

Can Tho city’s Union of Friendship Associations, SenTia School and Nguyen Sieu Primary School in Hanoi seized three prizes in the group category.

At the award ceremony, Danish Ambassador Nicolai Prytz said supporting green growth and the transition to a sustainable society is key to the Vietnam-Denmark cooperation relationship.

The diplomat noted that the contest has created a special opportunity to add value to ongoing joint programmes at the government level within the framework of the two countries’ strategic partnership on green growth, with participating works reflecting commitments by young Vietnamese people to building a greener future for all./.

Vietnam, Peru strengthen cooperation in auditing

General Auditor of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) Ngo Van Tuan had a working session with Comptroller General of Peru Nelson Eduardo Shack Yalta in Lima on April 1 to seek stronger bilateral cooperation.

Hailing the Office of the Comptroller General’s experience in maintaining transparency and accountability for the government, Tuan expressed his hope to promote bilateral collaboration through expanding delegation exchanges, and enhancing the sharing of expertise and training cooperation.

The official shared Vietnam’s experience in carrying out cooperative audit on sustainable development goals, and affirmed that the visit by the Vietnamese delegation to Peru on the occasion of the 30th anniversary Vietnam-Peru diplomatic relations will contribute to strengthening bilateral partnership in the field.

Vietnam also shared experiences on the process of cooperative auditing in the management of water resources in Mekong River basin in line with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The work was conducted simultaneously by the audit institutions of Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar under the chair of the SAV, said Tuan.

For his part, Shack Yalta affirmed that the Office of the Comptroller General of Peru is willing to work with Vietnam in areas of its strengths, while further cooperating with the SAV.

He said he believes the SAV delegation’s visit will lay a firm foundation for cooperation between the two audit agencies and the two countries.

At the working session, the two sides exchanged information om the structure, missions and achievements that they have gained recently, and agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies at an early date./.

Large posters exhibited to mark Dien Bien Phu Victory

Seventy large posters by amateur and professional artists across the country are put on display in the northwestern province of Dien Bien’s Dien Bien Phu city, as part of the activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory.

The posters are chosen from a contest for such works commemorating the victory, which was launched by the Mass Culture Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Addressing the opening ceremony on April 2, Vice Director of the department Nguyen Quoc Huy said that the posters depict the meaning, significance, and historical values of the victory, affirming the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, as well as the great national solidarity spirit.

The exhibition aims to highlight the tradition of patriotism, revolutionary heroism, and the determination to win through the victory, while showing gratitude to people who shed their blood and made contributions to the cause of national liberation and reunification, he said.

The official added that the activity is expected to encourage officials, Party members, and people from all walks of life to overcome difficulties to complete all political tasks and successfully implement the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution.

The exhibition will last until the end of April.

Along with Dien Bien, the posters were exhibited in the northern provinces of Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho./.

Cat Ba tourism season 2024 kicks off

The People's Committee of Cat Hai district, the northern city of Hai Phong held the "Cat Ba Xanh 2024" event on March 31 to celebrate the 65th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Cat Hai and to kick off the Cat Ba tourism season 2024.

Bui Tuan Manh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cat Hai district, said at the event that the Cat Ba archipelago has received many titles, such as being recognised by UNESCO as a world biosphere reserve in 2004 and the Prime Minister recognised it as a special National Monument of scenic beauty in 2013.

On September 16, 2023, Cat Ba archipelago along with Ha Long Bay in neighbouring Quang Ninh province were recognised by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site. This is also the first inter-province World Natural Heritage Site in Vietnam.

Manh affirmed that in recent years, Cat Ba has unique, high-quality tourism products that attract tourists, and is on the path to renew its tourism image.

The opening of the Cat Ba tourism season 2024 is a particularly important event, a message and an invitation to domestic and international tourists to come to Cat Ba to explore and enjoy the invaluable gift that nature gives to humans.

Cat Ba, a four-season rendezvous, is ready to open its arms to welcome tourists, he said/.

ASEAN Future Forum 2024 to take place in Hanoi on April 23

The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) will take place in Hanoi on April 23, with over 200 delegates taking part, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet told an international press conference in Hanoi on April 1.

As one of the foremost multilateral diplomatic events hosted by Vietnam this year, the AFF 2024 initiative was announced by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia in September 2023.

The AFF 2024 is expected to create a platform for stakeholders within and beyond ASEAN to contribute ideas and initiatives, Viet said, adding that the forum is about to forge a shared vision for ASEAN 2045 and its implementation.

The forum serves a dual purpose: fostering regional contribution to the upcoming UN's September Summit of the Future, and amplifying ASEAN's voice on global development. It also reflects Vietnam's commitment to a people-centric ASEAN, prioritising rapid and sustainable growth.

The opening session will see the attendance and speeches by high-ranking Vietnamese leaders, current and incoming ASEAN Chairs, ASEAN Secretary-General, and UN Secretary-General.

Two key discussion sessions will delve into accelerating ASEAN's sustainable development and strengthening comprehensive security measures for a people-centred ASEAN.

A highlight of the event will be a dialogue between the ASEAN Secretary General and young people.

The emblem and official website of AFF 2024 were also announced at https://www.asean-futureforum.com./.

Party leader’s instructions on clean, strong leadership building applauded

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong recently demanded preventing those persons committing any of certain shortcomings from entering the 14th Party Central Committee, which many Party members considered essential to building a clean and strong leadership.

The Party leader delivered a speech at the recent first meeting of the sub-committee on personnel affairs of the 14th National Party Congress which focuses on some issues requiring special attention during the personnel preparation for the coming congress. In the address, he underlined the demand for not missing truly moral, talented, and eligible persons while preventing those committing any of certain shortcomings from entering the 14th Party Central Committee.

Voicing support for the speech, Giang Mi Say, Secretary of the Party Committee of Lung Cu commune in Dong Van district, the northernmost province of Ha Giang, noted one of the first shortcomings General Secretary Trong mentioned in his speech is to show unsteadfast political mettle; not stay persistent in the Party’s guidelines and viewpoints; show political opportunism, desire for power, flattery, solicitation, corruption, bureaucracy, and group interests; and neither protect the right nor fight against the wrong.

Say said members of the Party Central Committee are outstanding individuals who have served in many positions, so they need to bring into play their sense of responsibility and build a strong political mettle – a factor critical to their task performance.

Besides, violating the principle of democratic centralism, practicing demagogy and arbitrariness, showing unfairness or injustice in personnel assessment and use, and repressing those straightforwardly voicing criticism are also shortcomings that a member of the Party Central Committee must avoid, according to the Lung Cu official.

Lawyer Ha Huy Tu, Director of the Legal Advisory Centre for the Poor and Community Development at the Vietnam Lawyers Association, perceived that the speech by the Party chief, who is also head of the sub-committee on personnel affairs of the 14th National Party Congress, is both general and detailed, easy to be applied in reality.

General Secretary Trong’s speech also aims to help the public realise signs of shortcomings to prevent ineligible persons who lack morality or talent from holding leadership posts.

Over the recent past, Tu went on, the combat against economic crimes and corruption has proved that an individual showing any of the shortcomings pointed out by the Party leader may cause negative consequences for the nation and the people.

Basing on experience of previous tenures, the speech identified righteous and comprehensive methodology for selecting personnel for not only the Party’s next tenure but also many years to come, he said.

The lawyer also highly valued the speech’s statement that the personnel preparation for the 14th National Party Congress is a task of not only the personnel affairs sub-committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, or the Party Central Committee but also the entire political system, all-level Party committees, Party organisations, agencies, units, and localities.

Meanwhile, Vu Mi Ho, Secretary of the Party cell in Then Van hamlet of Lung Cu commune, held that since members of the Party Central Committee are those winning high prestige and trust from people, to avoid shortcomings, they must do as they say, lead a good moral example, seriously adhere to the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws, order cadres and Party members to disseminate the Party’s guidelines to the public, and give detailed instructions.

He also underlined the need for each member of the Party Central Committee to proactively make self-improvement, improve their knowledge about various fields, actively perform their tasks, and conduct criticism and self-criticism so as to deserve their role as a “truly staunch servant of the people“./.

HCM City to open 14 more bus routes to airport 

Fourteen more bus routes connecting HCM City's Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport will be put into operation this year, according to the city’s Department of Transport.

The work is expected to meet travel needs and ease current congestion, which often occurs in the pickup and drop-off areas in front of the airport’s domestic terminal.

The new routes are being carried out by Hải Vân International Transportation Joint Venture Company’s HCM City Branch.

In November 2022, the company, which is based in northern Hải Dương Province, proposed to open new bus routes connecting the airport with urban areas and bus stations.

It is currently doing administrative procedures relating to pick-up and drop-off stops along the routes to submit to the Department of Transport for approval of the implementation of the work on the 49th anniversary of South Việt Nam's Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30). 

Accordingly, there will be about 30 pick-up and drop-off stops along the route. The end points will be at urban areas, residential areas, hotels and tourist attractions to help people to easily access the buses.

Aiming to improve service quality and free up space for luggage, vehicles operating on the routes will have 16 seats. Each bus route will have 12 vehicles operating 24/7.

Four out of the company’s 14 proposed routes will connect the airport and the new Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station in Thủ Đức City.

Two routes will go to Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station in Bình Tân District.

Two others will connect to Phú Mỹ Hưng urban area in District 7 and Trung Sơn Residential Area in Bình Chánh District.

The remaining routes will connect the airport to Trung Sơn Residential Area and Nguyễn Văn Linh Boulevard in District 7; Phú Định Resettlement Area in District 8; Phú Long Bridge in District 12; Hóc Môn Market in Hóc Môn District; Dương Hồng - Mizuki Residential Area and Vinhomes Central Park Urban Area in Bình Chánh District; and Thảo Điền Ward and Kim Cương (Diamond) Island in Thủ Đức city.

These new routes will contribute to meeting the increasing travel demand of passengers, especially during peak time, and create more selections for tourists to move to destinations and bus stations during festivals.

About eight km from the city centre, the airport in Tân Bình District is the city’s major transport hub. It serves about 120,000 passengers every day, so the number of vehicles picking up passengers at the airport is very high.

There are only four bus routes running to the airport, including route No. 103 connecting to chợ Lớn Bus Station in Gò Vấp District, route No.109 connecting to Sài Gòn Bus Station in District 1, route No.152 going to Bình Chánh District, and route No.72-1 leading to the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu. 

Vietnamese singer wins excellent prize at music competition in Japan

Local singer Pham Thuy Linh successfully surpassed several strong foreign rivals to win the excellent prize at the 26th Kyushu Music Concour 2024 held in Japan.

At the performance, Linh impressed the judges with her presentation of Martha’s song Den Teuren zu versohnen.

Most notably, not a single other contestant has achieved this award over the past three years.

The 23-year-old singer will also be invited to attend a ceremony honouring outstanding contestants of the competition in Japan, which is scheduled to take place in May.

This comes after Linh also won the gold cup in the vocal competition at the 2023 Asian Arts Festival which took place in Singapore from July 10 to July 14, 2023.

Kyushu Music Concour is held annually and targets international musical talents under 18 and between 18 and 25.

This year, the event it attracted more than 1,000 candidates worldwide competing in many categories.

Booking.com names Mui Ne among top five unique vistas in APAC

Mui Ne, a coastal fishing town located in the southcentral province of Bình Thuan, has been named among the Booking.com’s top five best destinations that could fool visitors into thinking they are anywhere but the Asia-Pacific (APAC).

According to the website, some of the unreal destinations which are unexpectedly in the APAC allow holidaymakers to experience what the globe offers without the boredom and shackles of a long flight and a much lighter wallet.

“Upon its wavy slopes of sand dunes and the arid atmosphere, one can easily mistake Mui Ne’s backdrop for the pristine deserts in Egypt,” said booking.com.

It also noted that the coastal town boasts iconic red and white sand dunes, Suoi Nuoc beach, and the ancient Po Sah Inu Cham Towers complex which appears like the Great Pyramid of Giza.

In addition, Mui Ne boasts a string of beach resorts which form one long coastal strip. A popular spot with both backpackers and those seeking a luxury vacation on a budget, it’s also a highly-recommended destination for those looking to enjoy a spot of kitesurfing.

Other destinations featured on the list include Ella of Sri Lanka, Jozankei, Hokkaidō of Japan, Krabi of Thailand, and Don Det of Laos.

Previously booking.com also named Mui Ne among the top six budget-friendly fall escapes for World Savings Day which falls on October 31, a day dedicated to highlighting the benefits of saving for the future.

An Giang Province flags high risk of forest fires

An Giang Province has increased its forest fire warning level to fifth, the highest and indicating an extremely dangerous threat, because of prolonged dry weather.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has nearly 16,820ha of forests and forest-zoned land, and identified nearly 7,370ha as facing fire threats.

Tịnh Biên Town alone has more than 2,900ha of the latter in places such as Trà Sư and Nhơn Hưng cajuput forests, Phú Cường Mountain, Đất Mountains, Nhọn Mountain, Kakô hill, and Latina-Tà Lọt area.

Thái Văn Nhân, director of the province management board of special-use and protective forests, said to combat forest fires this year, the board has made fire breaks and roads for patrolling in forests in Tịnh Biên Town and Châu Đốc City.

To protect special-use and protective forests in mountainous areas, it has cut grasses, made fire breaks and consolidated water supply, he said.

It has created facilities and signed contracts for protecting forests in 194 locations with various individuals and organisations.

The province has put police, army and rangers personnel and forest owners on alert to fight fires.

Nguyễn Thị Minh Thuý, deputy chairwoman of the province, said the People’s Committee has ordered the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, local administrations and other relevant units to effectively implement plans for preventing and fighting forest fires.

They should expand oversight of fire-prone forests, have personnel standing by around the clock to protect forests, ban activities that could spark forest fires, and punish people violating forest protection regulations, she added.

The province had 13 forests fires that affected 10ha last year, but all were extinguished promptly and did not cause severe damage.

Local players to gather for U23 Asian Cup campaign

The national U23 men’s football team are set to join a gathering on April 5 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center in Hanoi ahead of the 2023 U23 Asian Cup finals in Qatar.

This comes after Hoang Anh Tuan, 56, was chosen by the Vietnam Football Federation to coach Vietnam at the upcoming competition in Qatar after it parted ways with Philippe Troussier.

As the new coach, Tuan has already named 28 official players for the upcoming U23 Asian Cup campaign.

The list consists of footballers who are already familiar with Tuan from youth levels, including U17, U19, and U20 tournaments, as well as the most recent championship title won by Vietnam at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U23 Championship.

Many members of the senior team participating in the 2023 Asian Cup and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, such as goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet; defender Phan Tuan Tai; midfielders Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Thai Son, and striker Nguyen Dinh Bac were also listed.

Furthermore, key players such as defender Nguyen Manh Hung of Binh Phuoc FC, midfielder Nguyen Duc Viet of HAGL FC, and striker Vo Nguyen Hoang of Thanh Hoa FC were also called up.

The U23 team is set to gather together on April 5. Three days later, they will then to Qatar for training before playing a match with U23 Jordan ahead of the tournament.

Vietnam are set to compete in Group D alongside Uzbekistan, Kuwait, and Malaysia in the competition which will take place from April 15 to May 3 in Qatar.

The tournament is also meant to determine the Asian representatives for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

HCM City forecasted to struggle with intense heat

HCM City will see more intense hot weather this month with the highest temperature of more than 38 degrees centigrade.

According to the Southern Region Hydro-Meteorological Centre, HCM City would have widespread heat in the first ten days of April. Many areas would suffer temperatures of more than 38 degrees centigrade.

The city would continue to face hot weather, with some light rains in the next ten days.

In the last 10 days of the month, several areas would be hit by downpours and strong winds. Local people have been warned of hailstones and whirlwinds.

The average temperature in the city in April would be 1-1.5 degrees centigrade higher than during the same period in previous years.

HCM City’s total rainfall in April would be lower than in many years.

Nha Trang City to be expanded

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has signed a decision to approve the general planning of Nha Trang City by 2040.

Nha Trang City which currently covers a total area of 26,700 hectares will be expanded by 1,300 hectares of Dien Khanh District.

By 2040, Nha Trang’s population will increase by 250,000 to 750,000 people.

The plan is to leverage the city's brand as a coastal resort destination through upgrading the tourism infrastructure and diversifying tourism products.

Nha Trang City is targeted to be the centre for science, technology, education and training, healthcare, tourism and financial services for southern central and Central Highlands regions.

The city is oriented to have 14 areas with coastal urban areas to be the centre and those along the south of the Cai River, and the old Nha Trang Airport.

Rare python handed over to Hue forest rangers

A man in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue has handed over a rare python weighing 85 kilos to the provincial forest rangers.

The 5.20-metre-long Indian python was handed over by a man from Vy Da Ward in Thua Thien-Hue Province on April 2.

The Hue City Forest Rangers used a team of five people to place the animal into the cage.

After being received, the python will be released into the wild.

The Indian python belongs to Group IIB in the list of endangered, precious and rare animals.