President attends APEC Informal Leaders Retreat on COVID-19
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and delivered a speech at a virtual informal meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders on July 16 at the invitation of the APEC 2021 Chair - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Participating leaders affirmed the important role of cooperation and multilateral measures in together overcoming the health crisis, and boosting innovative, sustainable, inclusive and secure economic recovery. They agreed on four action orientations for APEC in the coming time.
With the motto of ‘leaving no one behind’, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc put forward three important proposals for APEC cooperation, including the quick implementation of cooperation programmes to support vulnerable groups in overcoming the crisis, improve the resilience and adaptability of businesses, especially micro-, small-, medium-sized enterprises, provide skill training for workers, and narrow the digital gap between urban and rural areas.
The Vietnamese leader also affirmed Vietnam's commitment to closely coordinate with other members to promote cooperation for a better future for all.
NA Standing Committee wraps up 58th meeting
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NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the event (Photo: NDO/Duy Linh)
The 14th National Assembly Standing Committee concluded its 58th meeting in Hanoi on July 14 with a high consensus among participants, especially regarding socio-economic development, public investment, national finance, and public debt payment plans, and a medium-term public investment for 2021-2025.
Agreements were also reached concerning the national target programmes on new-style rural building, sustainable poverty reduction for 2021-2025, and other contents submitted by the Government, the Fatherland Front and relevant agencies during the session.
After the meeting, all contents prepared for the upcoming first session of the 15th legislature, slated for July 20, have been completed.
Frozen Vietnamese ginger products favoured in Australia
Australia plans to push up its import of frozen ginger products from Vietnam, with their value expected to exceed VND100 billion (US$4.35 million) this year, according to the Vietnamese trade office in the country.
Currently, the market has yet to open for fresh Vietnamese ginger. However, frozen products, which are available here both online and at physical stores, have won favour from Australian consumers, said the office.
Statistics showed that in the first four months of 2021, the value of frozen Vietnamese ginger exported to Australia grew 1,350% year-on-year to surpass US$348,000.
Australia is currently opening its market to longan, lychee, mango and dragon fruit from Vietnam. Therefore, the diversification of exports to seek new opportunities through the trade of processed agricultural products is a promising direction for Vietnamese firms and farmers.
Vietnamese female billionaire continues to appear on Forbes list
Businesswoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (Photo: VGP)
Businesswoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao continues to be Vietnam's only female billionaire in the 2021 Forbes Annual World's Billionaires List, ranking second in Vietnam and 1,111th in the world.
With a net worth of US$2.8 billion, businesswoman Phuong Thao makes her fifth appearance on the list.
Previously, businesswoman Phuong Thao was also a prominent name in the top 100 People Transforming Business in Asia in 2020 according to Business Insider. She is also the first and only self-made female billionaire in Southeast Asia. She currently holds the roles of General Director of Vietjet Air and Vice Chairwoman of HDBank.
In addition to Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Vietnam has five businessmen who are also on the 2021 Forbes Annual World's Billionaires List, namely Pham Nhat Vuong, Tran Dinh Long, Ho Hung Anh, Tran Ba Duong and Nguyen Dang Quang.
More AstraZeneca vaccine doses arrive in Vietnam
One million AstraZeneca doses donated by the Japanese Government landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of July 16.
The batch of AstraZeneca vaccine, manufactured in Japan and announced by Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on July 13, has brought the total volume of COVID-19 vaccine granted to Vietnam to nearly 3 million doses in the month since the first shipment on June 15.
A total of 4,185,623 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to Vietnamese people so far, with 3,890,947 people having got their first shot and 294,676 others having received the full two jabs.
Female Vietnamese doctor receives international award
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Female Vietnamese doctor Nguyen Kim Anh receives international award
Nguyen Kim Anh, a young female Vietnamese doctor, has just won the “The most downloaded paper award 2021” award from the Progress in Earth and Planetary Science (PEPS), a journal of the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU) for a study on the salinity situation in the Mekong River region.
Nguyen Kim Anh, currently principal researcher at the Institute of Geography under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, is now engaging in post-doctoral research at the Centre for Space and Remote Sensing Research under National Central University of Taiwan (China).
She and her colleagues received the prestigious PEPS award for an article entitled “Soil salinity assessment by using near-infrared channel and vegetation soil salinity index derived from Landsat & OLI data: a case study in Tra Vinh Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam.”
The outcomes of this study are useful for agricultural activities, planners, and farmers by mapping the soil salinity contamination for better selection of crop types to reduce economic loss in the context of climate change.
Vietnamese lawyer named as part of CAS office to address disputes at Tokyo Olympics
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced the opening of two temporary offices in Japan for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with Vietnamese lawyer Nguyen Thi My Dung named within the 10-member CAS Ad Hoc Division.
Dung is a member of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF)’s legal and player qualification department. She was elected as a member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for the 2021-2025 tenure at the 71st FIFA Congress, which took place virtually on May 21.
The division, led by American Michael Lenard Oly, will resolve any legal disputes that may arise during the Games.
Vietnamese delegation sent off to Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Vietnamese delegation sent off to Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
A send-off ceremony was held in Hanoi on July 13 for the sports delegation of Vietnam to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, slated for July 23 - August 8.
The delegation, set to leave for Tokyo (Japan) on late July 18, consists of 43 members led by Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan. The group comprises 25 officials, coaches, and experts, along with 18 athletes in 11 sports.
All the members have been injected with the required two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and they will be tested twice within the 72 hours prior to the departure.
Head of the delegation Phan said the athletes will strive to achieve the best possible results, adding that the Olympics also provide an occasion to evaluate the recent developments in Vietnamese sports and identify the targets and focal tasks for the time ahead.
Send-off held for Vietnamese naval soldiers to 2021 Army Games
A send-off was held in the south central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on July 12 for the Vietnamese naval soldiers setting off to the 2021 Army Games in Russia.
The team will compete in the “Seaborne Assault” category for naval infantry units within the framework of the Games, their fleet comprises frigates 015-Tran Hung Dao and 016-Quang Trung of Naval Region 4’s Brigade 162. The two vessels will also participate in a parade in celebration of the 325th founding anniversary of the Russian Navy.
The 2021 Army Games will be held from August 22 to September 4, attracting a total of 277 teams from 41 countries and territories to compete across 34 disciplines hosted by several countries.
Vietnam will host the two events of Rescue and Sniper, scheduled to take place from August 22 to September 2 in Hanoi.
