Top leader calls for solidarity against COVID-19
On March 30, Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong appealed to compatriots, comrades and soldiers nationwide along with overseas Vietnamese to stay united in their will and actions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leader made the call in the wake of the rapid spread of the disease around the world and its profound and comprehensive impact on every socio-economic aspect in many countries, including Vietnam.
“Don’t panic excessively but absolutely don’t be subjective,” the leader said.
Vietnam officially declares COVID-19 a national epidemic
Health workers measure body temperature and carry out disinfection on a patient before entering Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. (Photo: NDO/Duy Linh)
The Prime Minister signed Decision 447/QĐ-TTg, dated April 1, 2020, to officially declare COVID-19 as a nationwide epidemic.
The decision stated that the outbreak of the disease commenced on January 23 this year, when the first infection case was confirmed in Vietnam.
COVID-19 is classified as a Group A infectious disease according to Vietnamese disease classification, as it poses the risk of becoming a global pandemic through transmission from person to person.
PM orders strict nationwide social distancing rules, starting from April 1
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a range of stringent social distancing measures, including restricting people from leaving their homes and banning gatherings of more than two people in public.
The order will apply nationwide for 15 days, starting April 1 in order to limit the spread of COVID-19, which has showed no signs of abating.
Government looks into social welfare package for pandemic-affected groups
The meeting of permanent cabinet members on April 5
Permanent Cabinet members deliberated the social welfare package for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during their meeting in Hanoi on April 5.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the Government has spent time discussing the social welfare package in order to soon provide assistance to those in difficult circumstances. He stressed that after the package, the Government will focus on removing difficulties in production and businesses and accelerating the disbursement of public investment.
Priority should first be given to the poor, near-poor, national contributors and those with deeply-decreased income due to COVID-19, he said.
Vietnam’s growth remains among fastest in Asia despite coronavirus impacts
Vietnam’s economic growth is expected to slow to 4.8% in 2020, due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, but remains one of the highest in Asia, according to projections by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
In its latest report, the ADB said that the slowdown in the Vietnamese economy was due to the initial supply shock to economic activity from the outbreak and the subsequent and ongoing drop in demand from Vietnam’s main trading partners.
According to the ADB, Vietnam’s growth could rebound to 6.8% in 2021 if the pandemic is contained in the first half of 2020, while the World Bank’s prediction for Vietnam in 2021 is 7.5%.
European Council passes final procedure for EVFTA
Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh (sitting, first from right) signs the EVFTA between Vietnam and the EU representatives in Hanoi on June 30, 2019. (Photo: NDO/Tran Hai)
On March 30, the European Council passed a decision to ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), paving the way for the deal to come into force.
Once ratified by the Vietnamese National Assembly, the deal is expected to officially take effect at the beginning of this summer.
The document, together with the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, was signed in Hanoi on June 30 last year. They include intensive, extensive and comprehensive commitments covering the fields of economy, trade, investment and sustainable development issues.
Vietnamese photographers win gold prizes at international competition
Gold medal-winning photo "Maternal Love # 2" by Vu Duy Thong
Vietnamese photographers have won 17 prizes in 10 out of 12 categories at the International Exhibition of Art Photography - Contrast 2020 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Vietnam Artistic Photographers' Association announced on April 2.
Vu Duy Thong brought home two gold medals for his works entitled “Maternal love # 2” and “The last wharf” in the categories of Birds and Life, respectively.
Meanwhile, photographer Duong Van Nhi bagged the salon silver medal for his photo “Small and Big” in the Monochrome and Colour category.
Two Vietnamese players named as top ASEAN goal scorers in AFC Cup
Two Vietnamese players have been named among the top 10 all-time ASEAN goal scorers in the AFC Cup by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
They are Nguyen Van Quyet of Hanoi and Huynh Kesley Alves of Binh Duong. They have been top players in V.League 1 for many years.
According to the AFC, Quyet has scored 19 goals in four different editions of the tournament for the capital team. The other Vietnamese representative is naturalised Brazilian striker Huynh Kesley Alves. He scored 15 goals in the AFC Cup while playing for Binh Duong.
