BRUZZ, a Begian multimedia media outlet, recently released a video to honour Vietnam’s cultural diversity.

The reportage zoomed in on the Vietnamese community in Brussels and highlights cross culture through the stories about a French artist writing calligraphy in Vietnamese, Vietnamese-Belgian families ushering in Lunar New Year 2024, or Vietnamese-Belgian youths eager to explore Vietnamese culture.

A part of the reportage spotlighted the life of Maria Truong, a woman who was born and grew up in Denmark but developed her career in Brussels. Maria is currently working at the Belgian – Vietnamese Alliance where she connects partners from both countries to organise conferences, helping enterprises seek and set up cooperation, business, and investment ties.

Her story is a vivid illustration for the diversity of the Vietnamese community in Belgium while demonstrating the cultural interference in the modern life.

The video also discovered the poetry of Nhu Quynh de Prelle, an independent writer and artist in Brussels. Beyond culture and art, a talk with Quynh also underlined the society’s sustainable development in the future.

Nénuphar, one of the oldest Vietnamese restaurants in Brussels, was also introduced in the video. It is a popular destination for those who love Vietnamese food and an indispensable part of Brussels’s culinary diversity.

Vietnam wins 14 golds, ranking 5th at Asian Age Group Championships

The young Vietnamese swim team clinched a total of 14 gold medals across various events, culminating in a 5th-place finish overall at the 11th Asian Age Group Championships.

The swimming events for the championships took place on the final day of February 29 in the Philippines, where the young Vietnamese swim team continued to excel, securing additional gold medals.

On the last day of swimming competitions, young athlete Nguyen Thuy Hien emerged victorious in the girls 13-14 50m butterfly stroke event, clocking in at an impressive 27.53 seconds. In the finals of this event, Hien stood as Vietnam's sole representative and brilliantly outperformed strong competitors from teams including Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, Japan, and China to claim the championship title. This gold medal marks Thuy Hien's sole victory in the events she competed in the Philippines this year.

Following the impressive performance mentioned above, the young Vietnamese swimmers achieved another encouraging gold medal in the boys 15-17 800m freestyle event, with Mai Tuan Anh clocking in at 8'11"12.

By the end of the competition day, Vietnam's mixed relay team in the over-18 age group, comprising Tran Hung Nguyen, Pham Thanh Bao, Vo Thi My Tien, and Pham Thi Van, excellently clinched first place in the 4x100m medley relay with an outstanding time of 3'58"35, winning a gold medal. Notably, this achievement shattered the age group record, surpassing the previous record of 3'58"72. The mixed 4x100m medley relay also served as the final event of the championship, marking Vietnam's successful conclusion with an impressive medal haul.

On that same day, the Vietnamese swimming team also secured a silver medal in the boys over-18 4x200m freestyle relay, featuring Tran Hung Nguyen, Do Ngoc Vinh, Cao Van Dung, and Nguyen Huy Hoang. Additionally, Cao Van Dung earned silver in the boys over-18 200m backstroke, while Pham Thanh Bao claimed silver in the boys over-18 200m breaststroke.

Moreover, the team secured bronze medals in the over-18 age group for the girls 50m butterfly stroke, achieved by Pham Thi Van, and the boys 50m butterfly stroke, attained by Nguyen Hoang Khang. They also secured bronze in the girls 200m backstroke, performed by Hoang Thi Trang, and the boys 200m backstroke, obtained by Tran Hung Nguyen. In the boys and girls 15-17 800m freestyle events, Nguyen Quang Thuan and Le Thu Thuy both secured bronze medals.

With the results from the previous days, the overall performance of the Vietnamese youth swimming team resulted in 14 gold medals, 18 silver medals, and 23 bronze medals, securing them the 5th position. Japan claimed the top spot in this championship with 36 gold medals, 20 silver medals, and five bronze medals. Kazakhstan and Thailand followed closely behind. Singapore did not participate in the swimming events of this championship. The Vietnamese swimming team set new age group records in nine events.

On February 29, Vietnamese athletes Bui Thi Hong Giang and Dinh Anh Tuan clinched two bronze medals in the diving events. Bui Thi Hong Giang won her medal in the girls 16-18 individual 3m springboard, while Dinh Anh Tuan achieved his in the boys 16-18 individual 3m springboard.

HCM City pledges to contribute to enhancement of Vietnam-Japan ties: Official

Ho Chi Minh City commits to continuing exerting efforts for the promotion of the Vietnam - Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong said at a ceremony held by the Japanese Consulate General in the city on February 29 to celebrate Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s 64th birthday (February 23).

On behalf of the city's administration and people, Cuong extended the greetings to the Japanese Emperor, and showed his delight at the important progress in the Vietnam-Japan relations, especially the upgrade of the bilateral ties to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World in 2023.

HCM City is proud to make contributions to the growth of the Japanese ties last year by hosting the 8th Vietnam-Japan Festival, which drew nearly 500,000 visitors and helped to foster the cultural connectivity between the two nations.

Last year, the city attracted nearly 100 new Japanese-invested projects, raising the total number of such projects in the city to nearly 1,700 with combined registered capital of more than 5.7 billion USD, the official noted.

He believed that with the support of the Japanese Emperor as well as the determination and efforts of both sides, the Vietnam-Japan cooperation will be deepened and become more effective, expanding development spaces for the two countries.

HCM City hopes to become a major partner and a prioritised cooperation destination for Japanese localities for the prosperity of both countries and for peace and stability in the region, Cuong stressed.

For his part, Japanese Consul General in HCM City Ono Masuo expressed his pleasure at the growth of the ties between Japan and Vietnam across all fields, especially after the two nations elevated their relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World in 2023.

Japan is the biggest ODA provider and the second biggest foreign investor in Vietnam, he said, adding that the Japanese Business Association in HCM City has attracted 1,060 members.

The diplomat thanked leaders of the city to provide favourable conditions for Japanese investors, adding that the 500,000-strong Vietnamese community in Japan is a foundation for the stronger friendship between the two peoples, contributing to the development of both countries.

Party chief’s article the lodestar to navigate challenges: scholars

The article by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on the occasion of the 94th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930-2024) has set out important policies and guidelines for the whole Party, people, and army to navigate through challenges and move ahead, Party members and scholars said.

Entitled “Proud and confident under the Party's glorious flag, determined to build a Vietnam more prosperous, powerful, civilised, heroic with a fine and long lasting culture”, the three-part article reflects all of the Party’s policies and strategies, and serves as the lodestar during the mindset development and operational reality of the Party, said Nguyen Xuan Tung, a Party member from Ngoc Ha ward in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district.

In the article, the leader described the Party and political system building and rectification as a decisive solution to sailing through headwinds, Tung said, citing the Party chief as saying that the work must be done drastically, comprehensively, concertedly, regularly, and effectively, covering the all the aspects of politics, ideology, morality, and organisation and personnel affairs.

Regarding preparations for all-level Party Congresses for 2025-2030, towards the 14th National Party Congress, Tung stressed that officials and Party members, especially heads of agencies, must set bright examples to encourage the public to follow the Party’s guidelines and policies.

At the same time, they should be well aware of the domestic and international situation, maintain vigilance, and make greater efforts to successfully materialise programmes, plans, targets, and tasks set for the 13th tenure, as well as national development goals by 2030.

Dang Thanh Huong, from the Vietnam Lawyers Association, held that it is an elaborate and scientific article which offers a full, comprehensive, intensive, and clear review on the Party’s development for nearly a century.

She called the article a product of knowledge and theoretical thinking tested by the vivid reality of the Vietnamese revolution, and expressed her impression on its third part on further promoting glorious patriotic and revolutionary traditions, staying resolved to successfully implement the national development goals to 2025 and 2030, and building an increasingly wealthy, strong, civilised, and heroic Vietnam.

Huong suggested that the popularisation of the article be carried out seriously, regularly, intensively, and extensively among the Party units with diverse forms associated with the Party and political system building and rectification, the implementation of political tasks, and the organisation of national political events.

Vietnamese, Lao, Thai localities boost comprehensive cooperation mechanism

The 23rd conference of the nine provinces of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand that share the use of Road 8 and Road 12 took place in the northeastern Thai province of Sakon Nakhon on February 27 – 29 to review their cooperation in 2023 and propose future cooperation directions.

The event saw the participation of representatives from the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh of Vietnam; Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom and Nong Khai provinces of Thailand; and Bolikhamxay and Khammouane province of Laos. It was also attended by representatives of dozens of businesses from the three countries.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Consul General in Khon Kaen Chu Duc Dung said the agency is actively strengthening cooperation with provinces in northeastern Thailand, particularly those with overseas Vietnamese communities and bordering Laos, focusing on areas of trade, investment, tourism, culture, education, and health care in provinces along Road 8, Road 9 and Road 12; and fostering development in the nine provinces.

Participants reviewed their cooperation in 2023 and discussed orientations for future cooperation.

They agreed to continue promoting cooperation in education, health care, culture, sports, tourism, science, and technology, including expanding partnerships in training human resources; supporting migrant workers to move freely in accordance with agreements within ASEAN and on the basis of each country's legal regulations; and strengthening information exchange on preventing COVID-19, monkeypox and other diseases are spreading.

Regarding transportation, participants unanimously agreed to urgently request the governments of the three countries to complete documents for constructing the Ha Tinh - Thakhek - Nakhon Phanom - Bangkok transport route; coordinate to open a passenger transportation route connecting Quang Binh, Khammouane, Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon; create favourable conditions for logistics businesses in the nine provinces to set up partnerships in transporting goods via Routes 8 and 12 to the Vung Ang Industrial Zone of Ha Tinh province, Hon La of Quang Binh province, Cua Lo of Nghe An province, and delivery to third countries.

They underlined the necessity to accelerate the construction project of the Vientiane - Hanoi expressway via the Thanh Thuy (Nghe An) - Nam On (Bolikhamxay) intersection, towards facilitating trade, travel, and socio-economic development in Laos and Vietnam.

For agriculture cooperation, the localities also agreed to intensify information and experience sharing in training and technology transfer in agriculture among them; and cooperation in combating the trafficking of wild animals along border areas.

The 24th event of this kind will be held in Quang Binh in February and March, 2025. The 23rd preparatory conference for the event will take place in Laos’s Khammouane province in September and October this year.

Party official holds online talks with Cuban counterpart

Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung held an online meeting with Head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Emilio Lozada Garcia on February 29.

At the talks, they briefed each other on the outstanding achievements of the Parties in the two countries, as well as the cooperative relationship, the direction of the masterplan, and the relationship between the two Parties.

They spoke highly about the coordination between the two Parties in common political tasks, contributing to strengthening the special friendship and implementing the cooperation agreements. They also touched upon the success of important bilateral foreign relations activities in 2023, especially works to mark the 50th anniversary of the late leader Fidel Castro's first visit to the liberated zone in Southern Vietnam (September 1973 - 2023).

The two sides agreed to further promote their roles in advising and urging the implementation of high-level agreements between leaders of the two Parties and the two States. They agreed to continue coordinating to promote the removal of obstacles to further strengthen cooperation in trade, production, and investment between the two countries, and create conditions for enterprises of the two countries to operate more and more effectively, especially in the field of agriculture.

Trung also expressed his sympathy with the difficulties that the Cuban people have faced and said he believes that Cuba will overcome the current difficulties and challenges. He also emphasised that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always support the just revolutionary cause of the fraternal Cuban Party, State and People.

Aerial photos highlight beauty of Đà Lạt

The mountainous tourist city of Đà Lạt is captured in a collection of aerial photos by veteran photographer and journalist Giản Thanh Sơn. 

The photos were taken during Sơn’s 12-hour flight, from Long An Province to Đà Lại, on a Mi-171 Helicopter of the Air Division 917 in January. 

These works portray the beauty of Đà Lạt, located in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Lâm Đồng. It spans 394sq.km and has a population of about 260,000 from many ethnic groups.

Last year, the city launched many cultural activities to celebrate the 130th anniversary of its establishment (1893 – 2023).

Each photo is lively and brings viewers a feeling that Đà Lạt is so close to them that they can just open a door, and see, touch and feel it.  

Forests, farms, lakes, buildings and houses are captured beautifully through the eyes of the artist.

“I hope my photos of Đà Lạt will help to spread love for the city,” said 67-year-old Sơn, who is a professional in aerial photography. 

Sơn said he is working to exhibit his latest aerial photos in Đà Lạt next month as his thanks to the city and its people.

Sơn is a member of the Việt Nam Journalists Association and Việt Nam Lawyers Association. As a journalist for 45 years, he has travelled to 60 countries and territories, and participated in many United Nations conferences and summits.

Sơn has set four national records recognised by the Vietnam Books of Records for photography. 

He released several photo books featuring Việt Nam, its culture and lifestyle. Đà Lạt and other localities in Tây Nguyên are home to the culture of cồng chiêng (gongs), recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity in November 2005.

The city welcomed about 153,000 tourist arrivals from February 8 to 12 for the first five days of the Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday, an increase of 22.4% year on year, reported the municipal People’s Committee. 

Phu Yen unveils world-standard geopark plan

The planned establishment of Phu Yen Geopark was just one of the topics grabbing people’s attention at a press briefing on February 26 to discuss provincial planning until the end of the decade and beyond to 2050.

The final approved planning, including efforts to promote investment, will be unveiled at a press conference on March 3 in Tuy Hoa city, with more than 650 guests, including leaders from the government, management agencies, and the private sector all expected to attend.

The planned Phu Yen Geopark will aim to be recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, in the hopes that it will build a distinct local brand for the region by sustainably promoting its valuable geological heritage and biodiversity.

Phu Yen is renowned for the natural beauty of Ganh Da Dia, located in An Ninh Dong commune, Tuy An district, which is a stretch of coastline with prismatic basalt columns that appear like plates stacked on top of each other.

According to a local study, basalt in the area was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. As the lava flows cooled, they solidified and cracked into relatively uniform prismatic rock columns.

The stone columns, located right next to the sea, were then eroded by waves and continued to crack, forming these stone ‘disks’.

Last December, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha approved the task of preserving and restoring Ganh Da Dia in a move intended to promote the area as an attractive tourist destination in the south central region by protecting its unique biodiversity and geology.

Phu Yen’s planning also requires the province to ensure the preservation of the identity of the land and its people by promoting the cultural heritage of its communities through sustainable tourism development. Priority is to be given to protecting and restoring relics that have been degraded and those considered suitable for development into tourist attractions.

Also contained in the plan is a commitment for the province to focus on building a system of cultural and sporting institutions and developing and encouraging physical education and sports activities.

Nearly 19,000 ".vn" domain names transferred their usage rights

According to the Vietnam Internet Network Information Center under the Ministry of Information and Communications, nearly 19,000 ".vn" domain names have been transferred their usage rights.

In the draft Decree detailing a number of articles of the Telecommunications Law, the Ministry of Information and Communications has supplemented and completed regulations on transfer procedures, rights and obligations related to the ".vn" domain name.

Accordingly, individuals and organizations are eligible to make a proposal of changing the name of owners registering to use the Vietnamese national domain names ".vn" if they necessarily complete the formalities for donating, contributing capital, or inheriting use rights.

The draft decree also clarifies procedures for reclaiming Vietnam's internet resources. Specifically, the Ministry of Information and Communications will notify the revocation of the domain name by sending letters or via mass media, text messages, and its websites to let organizations and individuals know about the revocation at least three months before the Ministry conducts the recall of the domain names.

Any domain name “.vn” will be revoked if they are used to oppose the state, violate national security, commit illegal acts, or fail to pay maintenance fees. According to data from the Vietnam Internet Network Information Center, the total number of ".vn" domain names is currently 604,000 domain names as of the end of December 2023 and nearly 19,000 ".vn" domain names have been transferred their usage rights.

ACV responds to concerns about Long Thành Airport project underground station

In response to concerns about Long Thành Airport lacking an underground railway station, the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV) asserts that the construction structures do not impact each other, and there is a plan to connect the facilities to ensure convenient passenger movement between the railway station and the passenger terminal.

In the approved plan, both the North-South High-Speed Railway and the Thủ Thiêm-Long Thành light railway follow the inner port axis of Long Thành International Airport. In phase 1 of the airport construction, no structures from this plan were implemented. The ACV has designated vacant land for future railway track and station construction according to the plan. Passenger terminals T1, T2, T3, T4, and other projects like parking lots are situated outside and on both sides of this inner port traffic axis.

The ongoing High-Speed Railway project, spearheaded by the Transportation Design and Engineering Corporation (TEDI), envisions an underground railway station located within the central axis area. Positioned 220m in front of and towards Passenger Terminal 1 of Long Thành International Airport, the station will be situated 35m away from the T1 parking lot, according to the proposed feasibility study.

Upon operation, the railway station will be linked by a pedestrian bridge system, ensuring convenient passenger movement from Passenger Terminal 1 through the T1 parking lot, establishing a seamless connection to the railway station.

Leaders of the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV) affirm the independence of Passenger Terminal 1 of Long Thành International Airport and the high-speed and light railway stations in terms of location. This independence ensures that construction structures do not interfere with each other, and there is a plan to connect these facilities, ensuring convenient passenger connection from railway stations to the passenger terminal without affecting the foundation piles of the terminal.

Considering the design and construction progress of each item, the ACV states that the integration of technical systems such as electricity, water and communication will be part of the overall technical infrastructure of the airport.

It is essential to highlight that, based on research, the Thủ Thiêm-Long Thành light railway spans 37.35km, featuring 20 stations. This includes an 11.8km section passing through Hồ Chí Minh City and a 25.55km section through Đồng Nai province. The Thủ Thiêm Station (Thủ Đức city) serves as the starting point, and the Long Thành International Airport Station (Đồng Nai province) serves as the endpoint.

Expected project investment is VNĐ 40.5 trillion (US$1.6 billion). Primarily designed for passenger transportation between HCMC centre and Long Thành International Airport, the railway is set to operate at a maximum speed of 80 kph, with an operational speed of 60 kph. The Ministry of Transport aims to invest in the railway project by 2025, with implementation scheduled for 2025-2030.

During an on-site inspection of the Long Thành International Airport construction on February 13, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính stressed the importance of meeting project deadlines. He outlined the accelerated timeline, targeting completion in the first six months of 2026, following the start-up period in 2022-2023. The Prime Minister urged efforts to shorten the additional time by 3 to 6 months to compensate for any delays. He initiated a competition to achieve the deadline by April 30, 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of Việt Nam's reunification day.

Hà Nội innovates job creation efforts

The Hà Nội Centre for Employment Service (HCES) aims to comprehensively innovate and fundamentally change its professional job creation activities this year.

The HCES, under the Hà Nội Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, has organised an online job transaction session connecting nine northern provinces and cities – the first of its kind this year.

The session was held at No 215 Trung Kính Street right after the Lunar New Year festival.

To ensure convenience for workers to conduct transactions, the HCES rearranged departments, dedicating the entire first floor to the tasks of consulting policies, employment and recruitment.

Deputy Director of the HCES Vũ Quang Thành said, "Upgrading, renovating and modernising the centre requires a lot of time and resources. Therefore, we proactively rearrange working areas to become more scientific and effective, creating the best conditions for workers and businesses to connect, access job opportunities and recruit.”

The rearrangement was carried out before the Tết holiday.

Now workers coming to HCES can search for job opportunities either in person or online, and participate in online interviews with employers via the computer system.

In addition, job trading sessions are organised synchronously at all 15 job trading floors in Hà Nội, providing timely support to businesses and workers in job introduction, vocational training, labour export and implementing unemployment insurance policy.

Notably, the HCES’s innovation also aims to well conduct the unemployment insurance policy in the capital city, creating conditions for unemployed workers to not only receive benefits from unemployment insurance, but also have access to labour market information in the easiest way.

Accordingly, the HCES organises a department in the second floor to handle administrative procedures on unemployment insurance.

At the same time, right at the HCES, unemployed workers are consulted and provided with recruitment and employment information, including vocational training information if they need to change jobs.

Vũ Đình Phúc, living in Thường Tín District in Hà Nội, had worked for a Japanese manufacturing company but lost the job not long ago because the company cut its staff.

He said, "Coming to the HCES, along with resolving unemployment insurance, I can access many sources of labour recruitment. I see many new job opportunities because many other enterprises need more workers. The important thing is to consider and learn about a working environment that suits my ability and skills."

Tô Thị Thúy Hằng, who lives in Cầu Giấy District, just graduated from the Hà Nội Community College majoring in Information Technology and participated in internships at many businesses.

“At the job transaction session, I got a lot of recruitment information from companies and believe that I will have a stable job in the near future," she said.

Bùi An, Manager of the Đông Anh Satellite Job Exchange, located at the Bắc Thăng Long Technical and Economic School, said that following the HCES's policy, the exchange had many innovations in its work.

In addition to organising synchronous sessions with other exchanges, Đông Anh will also arrange monthly sessions with the participation of 20-25 businesses.

It coordinates with communes and towns to collect information about workers who need vocational training and to find jobs.

On that basis, the exchange selects businesses with job positions that suit the needs of workers to proactively connect supply and demand.

Deputy Director Thành said, "The HCES's staff is determined to comprehensively strengthen connections between labour supply and demand, reduce unemployment, and support sustainable career changes for workers. We also promote information technology application and improve our work efficiency."

All of the HCES’s efforts aim to successfully complete the general goals of the municipal labour, invalids and social affairs sector this year, which are to create new jobs for 165,000 workers, reduce the urban unemployment rate to less than three per cent, and raise the rate of trained workers to 74.2 per cent. 

Exhibition honours late Vietnamese artist

A retrospective exhibition of the late artist Tú Duyên (1915 - 2012) will open on March 1 at Annam Gallery in HCM City. 

The exhibition Of Scented Reverie showcases 18 artworks, including creations on silk alongside a series of paintings employing the renowned hand-stamped print technique of the artist.

Of Scented Reverie is inspired by the woodblock printing technique, combined with the use of hands to mix and layer varying intensities of colours.

These techniques were meticulously researched and innovated by the artist under the name thủ ấn họa over 80 years ago.

The exhibition evokes a nostalgic, gentle and poetic space, with aesthetic subjects including various flowers alongside beautiful Vietnamese women, gracefully adorned in traditional áo dài, accompanied by traditional musical instruments.

The lotus, the sunflower and the lily are the artist's favourite flowers, recurring prominently in his paintings, depicted from various perspectives. There are budding pink lotuses stretching eagerly, awaiting their blossoming amidst a pond, or resilient and robust sunflowers standing against the wind. Also featured is a vase of vibrant and lightly fragrant lilies placed beside the solemn figure of the Buddha.

These floral motifs symbolise beauty, elegance and gentleness, reflecting the graceful and refined demeanour of Vietnamese women as portrayed skilfully by the artist via juxtaposing floral imagery with beautiful Vietnamese women clad in flowing áo dài in his paintings.

The artist, real name Nguyễn Văn Duyến, was born in the pottery village of Bát Tràng in Hà Nội. He was a student at the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine from 1935-1942. He moved to Sài Gòn in 1942, making silk and paper Đông Hồ folk prints from finger-painted woodblocks. His work is considered as having given new dimensions to traditional thủ ấn họa hand stamp paintings.

The HCM City Museum of Fine Arts currently exhibits his work including nine paintings on canvas and 52 wood carving plaques. 

Of Scented Reverie exhibition will run until March 31 at 371/4 Hai Bà Trưng, Võ Thị Sáu Ward, District 3, HCM City. The exhibition is open from 9am to 8pm with entrance fee VNĐ70,000/person. 

Hanoi's first cycle lane yet to grab public attention

The first bicycle-exclusive route in Hanoi which was opened along the To Lich River has seen few bike users after a month. 

A local resident, Le Thi Xuan, said that the road often sees more people in the early morning and late afternoon, but it is quiet during the day.

"I think that one of the reasons is that it lies next to the polluted To Lich River which has discouraged visitors," Xuan said. "If the environment improves, the road will attract more people."

A bike user, Tran Minh Quang, said he found it inconvenient when having to stop at the barriers put up at two ends of the road.

"These barriers should be removed," he said, adding that to attract more users, there should be more cycling roads connected to this road and schools, offices and other public places.

The road was very quiet on the morning of February 28. The polluted To Lich River and rubbish dumped along the road create a bad odour.

Some people were choosing the nearby lane for cars and motorbikes instead of using the bike-only lane.

Spanning 4 km through Cau Giay and Dong Da Districts, this bicycle-exclusive road was opened on February 1. The road connects directly with the Lang Station on the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, and Station 8 of Nhon-Hanoi Station metro line. There are six public bike stations on the route.

Demand for workers on the rise in HCM City after Tết

Recruitment demand in HCM City has increased after the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday as businesses accelerate production to meet a rise in orders.

Upgain Vietnam Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Linh Trung 1 Export Processing Zone needs to recruit 500 workers in the garment sector as the company has received new orders since late last year, said a representative of the company.

It offers monthly salary and allowance ranging from VNĐ12 to 14 million (US$487-568), he said.

Nidec Instruments Vietnam at Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Thủ Đức City is offering 1,000 positions that require only a high school diploma.

Việt Tiến Garment Corporation in Tân Bình District is in need to recruit 100 workers to compensate for the 10 per cent turnover rate after Tết holiday.

Lượng Thị Tới, deputy director of the city Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said many businesses face a shortage of labourers after Tết holiday, particularly in labour-intensive sectors such as garment and textile, footwear, electricity-electronics, and insurance-finance.

The city’s labour market will seek to fill 52,000 jobs, with trade and services sectors accounting for 70 per cent of the total human resources needed, while the industry and construction sectors account for 28 per cent.

Of that figure, businesses in industrial parks and export processing zones offer around 1,000 positions that require a university diploma, 500 positions that require a college diploma or vocational training, and 8,800 manual labour jobs.

Nguyễn Văn Sang, deputy director of the HCM City Centre for Youth Employment Services, said it has nearly 3,000 job openings from businesses in the city for sales, customer service, and financial consultancy positions, along with unskilled jobs in the textile and garment sector. 

Big bonus available at Volvo Golf Championship 2024

The Volvo Golf Championship 2024 will feature huge bonuses for winners at the two-event tournament that will be held in the next few weeks.

The first event will be at Long Thành Golf Course on March 29 in Đồng Nai Province. The second will be at Đồng Mô Golf Course on April 12 in Hà Nội.

Around 600 golfers have registered to tee off.

Based on athletes' results in both events, organisers will pick 14 top including those who won the best gross and best net of different divisions. They will receive an offer to take part in an international competition in Sweden.

A total prize pot of VNĐ19 billion (US$771,700) in cash and gifts will be delivered to golfers who perform well and hit holes in one.

The tournament, spreading the message Recharge to Shine, is organised by Volvo Car Vietnam. It is one of the activities to celebrate 55 years of relations between Việt Nam and Sweden.

Quy proves best Vietnamese swimmer at Asian junior championship

Dương Văn Hoàng Quy maintained his top form to win his fourth gold at the 11th Asian Age Group Aquatics Championship on February 28 in New Clark City, the Philippines.

In the third day of competitions, Quy met no difficulty to beat all rivals in the boys 12-14 years old to win the 100m freestyle in a time of 53.73sec.

Previously he won in the 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly events. With four golds in three days Quy has been the best athlete of Việt Nam.

In other activities, Nguyễn Huy Hoàng won his third gold in the boys over-18 400m freestyle, swimming in 3min 53.31sec. His teammate Trần Hưng Nguyên finished third to earn bronze.

Mai Tuấn Anh took Việt Nam's third gold of the day in the boys 15-17 years old 1,500m freestyle, which saw Nguyễn Quang Thuấn at third for bronze.

The Vietnamese also took five silvers and three bronzes in other categories.

In addition to swimming and diving, athletes will also compete in synchronised swimming and water polo until March 9. 

Việt Nam currently place No 5 in the ranking with 11 golds.

Japan topped the table with 33 golds, followed by Kazakhstan with 15 and Hong Kong with 14. 

HCM City to host Arbitration - Mediation Symposium 2024

The Arbitration – Mediation Symposium 2024, themed “Third parties and influences on arbitral proceedings”, will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from March 22 to April 11, according to the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC).

The event, which will be held in a hybrid format, will include workshops on topics such as interim measures in arbitration and the impact of third parties; the execution of arbitration rulings and issues arising from third parties; mediation in arbitration proceedings; neutral third parties’ roles and their influence on resolving disputes; and a symposium on completing third party mechanisms for facilitating the arbitration proceedings.

Currently, the efficiency of resolving disputes by arbitration in particular and by alternative disputes resolutions (ADRs) in general has been recognised by the business community, according to the organisers.

Statistics from the VIAC showed that the number of cases resolved through arbitration and mediation significantly increased in 2023 but there was also a diversity of industries and parties’ nationalities.

In the context of increasing disputes and applying the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010 (LCA) over the past 13 years, the matter related to disputing parties has been raised and discussed, aiming to enhancing and perfecting the legal framework on arbitration in Vietnam.

In reality, it can be seen that besides disputing parties (regulated in LCA), third parties have involved in many cases in different roles and they are able to make significant impacts on ensuring the fairness, transparency and effectiveness of arbitration and mediation methods.

The VIAC, in collaboration with law training institutions and other partners, decided to organise the symposium, aiming to discussing issues of third-parties in arbitral proceedings through analysing Vietnam's legal framework and international practices, along with giving recommendations for mechanisms for third parties in the arbitration legal framework.

The Arbitration - Mediation Symposium (AMS) is an annual event which does not only provide participants with a helpful forum for in-depth discussions but also makes contributions to supporting the parties in resolving disputes effectively and improving the legal framework of ADRs in Vietnam.

Boat vendors return to hassling tourists on Ha Long Bay
 
Authorities in Ha Long Bay are stepping up inspections of boat vendors who have recently reappeared at the UNESCO Heritage site.

The Ha Long Bay Management Board reported detecting two wooden boats operated by local vendors on Wednesday. The vendors were attempting to approach tourists on cruise ships near Trong Mai Islet.

The boats, QN 67264-TST owned by Tran Van Quan and QN 3544 TS owned by Pham Van Tien, were brought to shore, and their owners were fined for the violations.

According to the Ha Long Bay Management Board, it has recently addressed 15 boats attempting to sell souvenirs, fruits, and seafood to tourists at exorbitant prices.

"We are intensifying our inspections to curb the problem," the board stated.

Since 2015, local authorities have been working to clamp down on boat vendors to protect tourists from disturbance.

In 2017, authorities destroyed 36 wooden boats operated by local vendors and increased to 50 in 2018.

Since its designation as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in 1994, Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, located about two hours from Hanoi, has become a popular tourist destination.

Qingdao receive first prize at Clipper Round the World's awarding ceremony

The Qingdao crew have finished first in Race 7 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race after a dramatic conclusion in Ha Long Bay.

This is the first podium for Qingdao who crossed the line first after a nail-biting climax.

Teams Zhuhai and UNICEF finished second and third respectively.

Vietnamese representative Hạ Long Bay-Việt Nam secured the fifth position in its homecoming sailing. The hosts received Ocean Sprint award for the team with the fastest speed across the ocean. Under skipper Josh Stickland, Hạ Long Bay-Việt Nam are currently in sixth place in the overall ranking. 

Chairman of Quảng Ninh People's Committee Cao Tường Huy presented souvenirs to the race organising committee and teams.

The organisers also thanked sponsors such as Việt Thuận Group and Essence Grand Cruise for helping to create a successful event.

Race 7: Endless Discovery in Hạ Long Bay was the fifth leg of the eight-leg competition that covers 16 individual races crossing six oceans. 

During time in Quảng Ninh, sailors enjoyed experiencing at the UNESCO World Heritage Bay’s which is best known with its rock formations and emerald-green waters.

Sailors took part in a walking tour experiencing the impressive architecture of Quảng Ninh Museum, bustling markets of Hạ Long, Trần Quốc Nghiễn Temple and enjoyed renowned delicacies such as squid cakes and traditional dumplings.

“It has been enlightening to learn about the many different traditions and cultures. It is a fascinating place, and I am really pleased I have learned more about it while here," Chris Carroll from Qingdao told clipperroundtheworld.com.

Ciska Kruger from team Zhuhai added: “The food was a wonderful experience. We tried the local delicacy of squid ball and dumplings, along with a lovely broth. It is great to be given the opportunity to do this.”

Han Van Roosmalen from Hạ Long Bay-Việt Nam said: “I really liked this trip. Especially the very well thought out museum tour followed by the walking tour from the boulevard to the temples. The guides were very helpful and knowledgeable, having visited Ha Long Bay back in 1999 it was fascinating to see how much it has changed.”

This year, 11 teams are taking part in the race.  They will depart for the next leg to Jiuzhou Port in Guangdong, China on March 2.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes