February 28 – March 6: PM orders gradual normalisation of COVID-19 pandemic

Nhan Dan Online reviews the notable events that made headlines over the past week.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs teleconference between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with ministries, sectors, and 63 provinces and cities (Photo: NDO/Tran Hai)
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs teleconference between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with ministries, sectors, and 63 provinces and cities (Photo: NDO/Tran Hai)

PM orders gradual normalisation of COVID-19 pandemic

On March 5,Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the gradual normalisation of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a teleconference between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with ministries, sectors, and 63 provinces and cities.

He stressed the importance of continuing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, focus on curbing the risks, limiting the number of severe cases and fatalities, promoting rapid recovery and sustainable development, ensuring social welfare and maintaining national defence and security.

It is necessary to speed up the implementation of the vaccination drive, with the goal of completing the booster injection shot for people aged 18 and up in the first quarter of 2022, completing the second injection for those aged 12-17 in March, preparing a vaccination campaign for children 5-11 years old, and studying the administration of a fourth shot for adults and the injection for children under 5 years old.

Ten outstanding young faces of Vietnam announced

February 28 – March 6: PM orders gradual normalisation of COVID-19 pandemic ảnh 1

Ten outstanding young faces of Vietnam in 2021 (Photo via NDO)

Winners of the Vietnam Outstanding Young Faces Award 2021, were announced by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, on March 4.

The young faces were chosen from 20 nominees through secret votes.

They are Nguyen Le Thao Anh (study category); Dr. Nguyen Trong Hieu (scientific research category); Luu Duc Phong and Ho Xuan Vinh (production); Vu Gia Luyen (business - start-up); Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Tien Duy (defence); Captain Le Xuan Nam (security and order); Nguyen Huy Hoang (sport); Doctor Do Doan Bach (social activities); Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien (culture and art).

Government approves policy to organise flights repatriating Vietnamese from Ukraine

The Government has approved the policy to arrange flights to bring Vietnamese people home from Ukraine.

The Government allows the organisation of flights repatriating Vietnamese people and their families, with the initial number of 900 Vietnamese people, who will depart from Poland, Romania or Moldova. They will receive COVID-19 tests upon their arrival in Vietnam and take necessary medical measures, in line with the Ministry of Health’s instruction.

The Government assigned the Ministry of Transport to take charge of arranging the flights, while the Ministry of Finance was asked to finance the flights.

Vietnam’s public investment disbursement up 10.4% in first two months

February 28 – March 6: PM orders gradual normalisation of COVID-19 pandemic ảnh 2

Hanoi disburses 5,509 billion VND in the first two months of 2022.

Vietnam’s total public investment disbursement, over the first two months of 2022, was estimated at 46.3 trillion (2 billion USD), up 10.4% over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The figure is equivalent to 8.8% of the full-year’s target, of which disbursement for the central budget reached 6.4 trillion VND, up 10.1%, while disbursement of local budgets accounted for 39.9 trillion VND, up 10.4%.

Vietnam attracts nearly five billion USD of FDI in two months

Foreign investors have poured nearly five billion USD into Vietnam so far this year, equivalent to 91.5 percent over the same time last year, reported the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

As of February 20, 183 new projects had been licenced, a rise of 45.2 percent year on year, with their combined capital totalling 631.8 million USD, down 80.9 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, nearly 3.6 billion USD was added into 142 underway projects, over two times more than the same period last year. Foreign investors also injected 769.6 million USD into share purchase deals, up 41.7 percent.

Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival promotes national cultural identity

February 28 – March 6: PM orders gradual normalisation of COVID-19 pandemic ảnh 3

The collection by Nam Tuyen Ao Dai brand

The eighth Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress) Festival 2022, officially kicked off at Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, on March 5.

Themed ‘I Love Vietnamese Ao Dai’, the festival aims to honour the beauty of the traditional outfit, as well as encourage local residents and tourists to wear Ao Dai.

The event also contributes to preserving and upholding the national culture, while promoting the land and people of Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular.

The 2022 festival will also feature a wide variety of attractive activities, such as an Ao Dai parade themed ‘Aspiration for Peace’, art performances, an Ao Dai exhibition, a drawing contest on Ao Dai entitled ‘Ao Dai and Flowers’, and an Ao Dai design competition, among others.

Domestic tourists increase by 380% in February

The tourism industry has shown positive signs of recovery in February, with the number of domestic tourists estimated to have increased by 380%, over the same period last year.

The report of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that domestic tourists were estimated at 9.6 million visitors in February 2022, while international tourists under the pilot programme reached about 1,558 visitors.

Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 41.4 billion VND, up 313% over the same period last year.

Vietnamese cueist comes second at 3-cushion Carom Billiards World Cup

February 28 – March 6: PM orders gradual normalisation of COVID-19 pandemic ảnh 4

Chien (first from left) and other winners of the tournament (Photo: baovanhoa.vn)

Vietnam’s top cueist Tran Quyet Chien, was runner-up at the recently concluded 3-cushion Carom Billiards World Cup in Turkey, after winning over leading players from around the world.

Chien, world No.4, was the sole Vietnamese qualified for the main competition event.

The Vietnamese beat both No.8 Martin Horn of Germany 50-29 at the quarter-finals, and cueist No.7 Tasdemir Tayfun of the host country Turkey 50-41.He only lost to current No.1 Dick Jaspers of the Netherlands at the final, receiving a prize of 10,000 EUR (11,195 USD) and 36 points, maintaining his spot in the world’s top five.

Tran Quyet Chien and Nguyen Duc Anh Chien will represent Vietnam at the World Team Championship slated for mid-March in Germany.