1. Lao Prime Minister welcomed in Vietnam
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong receives Lao PM Thongsing Thammavong. (Credit: VNA)
Leaders of the Vietnamese Party, State and Government warmly welcomed Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong to Vietnam on his recent five-day visit to the country from July 13 - 18.
At various conferences held throughout the duration of his visit, the host praised Laos’ recent socio-economic achievements and pledged to support them to successfully perform the role as Chair of the ASEAN in 2016. Vietnam will do its utmost to elevate the all-around co-operation with Laos to a new height for mutual prosperity as well peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and beyond, the Vietnamese leaders stressed.
For his part, the Lao government leader expressed his thanks to the Vietnamese Party, Government and people for their valuable assistance to Laos and affirmed his country will work closely with Vietnam to effectively implement agreements reached by the two Parties and States to deepen the bilateral ties
2. Trade deficit reaches US$3.07 billion in first half of 2015
Vietnam experienced a trade deficit of US$3.07 billion in the first six months of this year according to the most recent statistics released by the Vietnam Customs Agency.
In the first half of the year, total export turnover reached US$77.77 billion, posting a 9.3% year-on-year increase, while the total import turnover stood at US$80.84 billion, an increase of 6.7% year on year.
As a result, there was a US$3.07 billion trade deficit in the first six months of 2015.
3. Vietnam Summer Camp opens
The Vietnam Summer Camp opens at Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi on July 16. (Credit: VOV)
The 2015 Vietnam Summer Camp (VSC) themed “Proud of Vietnam” for Vietnamese students abroad and young expatriates, kicked off at a ceremony held by the Foreign Ministry’s State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee in Hanoi on July 16.
The VSC aims to encourage young expatriates to learn about Uncle Ho’s life and career, foster national pride, strengthen unity, and encourage maintaining the mother-tongue as well as preserving Vietnamese culture.
Throughout the programme, the expatriates visited Uncle Ho’s homeland, General Vo Nguyen Giap’s tomb, the Truong Son Cemetery, Vinh Moc Tunnels, Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, and sites in Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Binh Dinh and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
4. Vietnamese team ranks fifth at International Math Olympiad
Vietnamese students have won two gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in Thailand, securing fifth position out of the 104 participating teams.
This is the best ranking thus far for the Vietnamese team in recent years at the IMO, an annual world mathematics competition for high school students. Previously the team only ranked 10th in 2014 and 7th in 2013.
The 2015 IMO attracted 577 contestants from 104 countries and territories around the world. The host Thailand placed 12th in the competition’s rankings.
5. US magazine lists Hanoi and HCMC in Asia’s best cities
Temple of Literature, a popular tourist attraction in Hanoi
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have been named among Asia’s ten best cities in 2015 by US travel magazine Travel + Leisure.
Hanoi remained in seventh position, as in the previous year,, while Ho Chi Minh City was added to the list for the first time, ranking number nine, one place above New Delhi.
In the first six months of 2015, Hanoi drew over ten million visitors, of which 1.58 million were foreign travellers, up 8.8% from the same period of 2014.
6. WHO launches campaign to save newborns in Vietnam
The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched its ‘First Embrace’ campaign in Vietnam on July 14, promoting basic steps that could save thousands of newborn lives and prevent hundreds of thousands of complications each year, aiming to correct unsafe and outdated practices in newborn care throughout the country.
The WHO said Vietnam has made great progress in the last two decades, reducing the number of newborn fatalities within the first month of life, reaching the UN Millennium Development Goal target of reducing child mortality.
WHO, with support from the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, launched the First Embrace campaign in Vietnam simultaneously at three hospitals last week: Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital in Da Nang, and the National Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Hanoi.
7. First Vietnamese tennis player wins title at Wimbledon
Ly Hoang Nam (left) and his Indian partner Sumit Nagal celebrate after winning the Wimbledon boys’ doubles title.
18-year-old Ly Hoang Nam became the first Vietnamese player to earn a title at Wimbledon, the world’s oldest tennis championships, after teaming up with Sumit Nagal of India to win the men’s doubles event.
Nam and Nagal beat duo Reilly Opelka and Akira Santillan 7-6(4), 6-4 in the final. Previously the pair defeated Miomir Kecmanovic and Casper Ruud in the semi-finals.
The title also makes Nam the first Vietnamese player to win a youth tennis accolade at a Grand Slam tournament.
