July 6-12: Leaders of Vietnam and US exchange congratulations on diplomatic ties

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

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) hosting a reception for US President Donald Trump in February 2019 (Photo: VNA)
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) hosting a reception for US President Donald Trump in February 2019 (Photo: VNA)

Leaders of Vietnam and US exchange congratulations on diplomatic ties

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) hosting a reception for US President Donald Trump in February 2019 (Photo: VNA)

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc exchanged messages of congratulations with President Trump on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (July 12).

In his message, Party Chief Trong expressed his belief that the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership will be strengthened in an effective and sustainable manner, benefitting the peoples of both nations and contributing to security, peace and prosperity in the region and the world.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan exchanged congratulations with President of the Senate Michael Pence and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also cabled a congratulatory message to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.

US CDC congratulates Cho Ray Hospital for successful treatment of Patient 91

Patient 91 on the day he was discharged from hospital (Photo: Cho Ray Hospital)

A representative from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Doctor Drew Posey, sent an email of congratulations to Cho Ray Hospital on the successful treatment of COVID-19 Patient 91, a 43-year-old British pilot, announced Cho Ray Hospital on July 12.

The doctor also included a link to an article titled “A Scottish pilot who became an emblem of Vietnam’s virus fight leaves hospital”. It was published in the New York Times on the day Patient 91 was discharged from the hospital.

Patient 91, the most critically ill COVID-19 patient so far in Vietnam, underwent a total of 115 days of treatment at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and Cho Ray Hospital.

He was discharged from the Cho Ray Hospital on July 11 to return to the UK on a Vietnam Airlines flight the same day.

Consulting firm McKinsey assesses Vietnam’s economic recovery capacity

Vietnam could expect the strong growth of recent years to return next year, and will likely see its position as an offshoring location reinforced once the global economy begins to recover, as assessed by the McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm.

In a recent article titled “Emerging from the pandemic, Vietnam must position itself for recovery,” the author said. “Vietnam has fared better economically than many countries,” it wrote. GDP growth in the first quarter was at its lowest level since 2010, although it was still in positive territory at 3.8%.

“If Vietnam can continue its enviable record of keeping community transmission of COVID-19 at bay while also making the right structural shifts to drive growth over the next decade, it would not only recapture its pre-COVID-19 economic position but may also drive new economic growth,” the article said.

2019 Provincial Open Budget Index released

On July 8, the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research and the Centre for Development and Integration released the 2019 Provincial Open Budget Index (POBI), which assesses how transparently localities have spent their allocated public funds in the last year.

The average transparency score was 65.55 out of 100 points, up from 51 points in 2018 and 30.5 in 2017.

The southern-coastal and southern regions boasted the highest average POBI scores at 77.16 points and 73.81, respectively. The north-central region placed last among Vietnam’s seven regions with 52.62 points.

The Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long continued to have the most transparent administration in terms of budget spending, posting 90 points. Meanwhile, central Phu Yen Province and northern Thai Binh Province were ranked last, with just 10 points each.

Vietnam has third global geopark recognised by UNESCO

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Dak Nong Geopark

On July 7, the Programme and External Relations Commission of the 209th UNESCO Executive Board approved the Global Geoparks Council’s proposal to recognise Vietnam’s Dak Nong Geopark as a Global Geopark, the third of its kind in the country.

Located on the M’Nong Plateau at average elevation of 600-700 m, with the highest point at Ta Dung at 1,982 m, Dak Nong Geopark covers an area of 4,760 km2 in the northern districts of Dak Nong Province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, according to UNESCO.

Dak Nong Geopark is the third UNESCO-recognised Global Geopark in Vietnam after Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark in Ha Giang Province and Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in Cao Bang Province, both in northern Vietnam.

Ca Mau launches first sea route to Nam Du and Phu Quoc

Ca Mau launches first sea route to Nam Du and Phu Quoc

An express boat service connecting Ca Mau Province with Kien Giang Province’s Nam Du Archipelago and Phu Quoc Island was officially put into operation on July 7 in order to provide visitors to the province with an interesting experience.

The route is plied by two high-speed boats of the Phu Quoc Express Joint Stock Company. Each boat is 46.85-metre long and 12.2-metre wide with a capacity of 600 passengers at a maximum speed of 35 nautical miles per hour.

The trip takes about an hour and a half per leg with round-trip tickets priced at VND590,000 for adults, VND470,000 for the elderly and children, and VND980,000 for VIP tickets.

Nhan Dan Newspaper’s national table tennis championships on horizon

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175 players from 18 teams nationwide will be competing in the 38th Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championship 2020

A record number of 175 players from 18 teams nationwide will be competing in the 38th Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championship 2020, which is scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City from July 12 to 19, a press conference in Hanoi on July 6 heard.

The participants will compete in men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles tournaments. The championship will help decide the national team to play in international tournaments this year and at the 31st Southeast Asian Games 2021 in Vietnam.

The championships are co-hosted by the Nhan Dan newspaper, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Vietnam Sports Administration, the Vietnam Table Tennis Federation, and the HCM City Department of Culture and Sports.