February 15-21: Politburo and Secretariat of Party Central Committee hold first session

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

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Politburo and Secretariat of Party Central Committee hold first session

The Politburo and Secretariat of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee held their first session in Hanoi on February 18 to discuss the key tasks for the first quarter along with the policy for purchasing and using COVID-19 vaccines. The Politburo and Secretariat asked Party Committees at all levels to focus on leadership and direction and offer all possible support to fight the pandemic, considering it a task of top priority.

The Politburo and Secretariat highlighted the need to realise the Resolution adopted by the 13th National Party Congress right from the beginning of the year as well as the Politburo’s Directive on the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and the People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 tenure.

Speaking at the event, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong urged every agency, sector and unit to build their own action plans for this year, initially for the first quarter, in order to conduct the policies adopted at the 13th National Party Congress.

Ceremony held to pay last respects to former Deputy PM Truong Vinh Trong

A State-level funeral was held for Truong Vinh Trong, who is a former Politburo member, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs, at the great hall of the Ben Tre Provincial People’s Committee and the National Funeral Hall on Hanoi on the morning of February 21.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong sent a wreath in commemoration of the deceased, who passed away on February 19 at the age of 79.

At the great hall of the Ben Tre People’s Committee, a delegation of the Party Central Committee led by Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc came to pay their last respects to Truong Vinh Trong and offer condolences to the bereaved family.

Truong Vinh Trong (also known as Hai Nghia) was born on November 11, 1942, in Binh Hoa Commune, Giong Trom District, in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre. He resided in Giong Trom District’s Luong Quoi Commune. He passed away at 3:25am on February 19 due to serious illness and old age.

Provinces launch tree planting festivals to support one billion tree programme

February 15-21: Politburo and Secretariat of Party Central Committee hold first session ảnh 1

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other delegates planting trees in Phu Yen. (Photo: VGP)

A number of localities across the country have launched tree planting festivals as part of this year’s efforts in response to the Government’s programme on planting one billion trees to 2025. Addressing the ceremony held in Phu Yen province on February 20, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc Phuc emphasised that the tree-planting programme is a very meaningful event which is not costly but will bring about a lot of benefits.

The government leader noted that besides economics, science and technology, a green and clean environment is also an important factor contributing to enhancing the living standards of the people and promoting sustainable development. "Green also means prosperity and is the colour of fertility and sustainability", thus the message of the programme on planting one billion trees will be “For a green Vietnam”, the PM added.

Over VND5.5 trillion earmarked for policy beneficiaries during Tet

February 15-21: Politburo and Secretariat of Party Central Committee hold first session ảnh 2

Tet gifts presented to policy beneficiaries in Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province (Photo: NDO/Thien Vuong)

Over 10.4 million gifts totalling more than VND 5.5 trillion (US$239 million) were granted to policy beneficiaries and workers on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival 2021, reported by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) on February 17. Of the figure, VND543 billion was from the State budget, over VND3.37 trillion from local budget and the remainder from the Vietnam Father Front (VFF) chapters at all levels, funds for the poor and other sources.

Over 1 million people who rendered service to the nation received gifts from the State President at a cost of more than VND538 billion. Localities also offered monthly allowances to policy beneficiaries and paid tribute to martyrs.

The MoLISA also worked with the Finance Ministry and the Government Office to propose to the Prime Minister the provision of over 9,000 tonnes of rice for more than 605,000 people in the provinces of Nghe An, Quang Nam, Ninh Thuan, Binh Dinh, Ha Giang, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Kon Tum, Binh Phuoc, Dak Nong and Gia Lai.

Vietnam to receive 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in 2021

Vietnam is expected to secure 60 million doses in 2021 as the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative and AstraZeneca have committed 30 million doses each to the country, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said on February 19. Up to 150 million doses are needed to ensure vaccination for all Vietnamese people, he stated during a virtual meeting with localities on February 19 to discuss COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the coming time.

Negotiations are underway with global multilateral units such as COVAX or AstraZeneca to ship COVID-19 vaccine home as fast as possible, the minister affirmed. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has promptly worked with organisations and vaccine developers in an endeavour to purchase vaccine in the shortest time possible.

Procedures for vaccine procurement, import and utilisation will be carried out in an urgent manner in line with the regulations and recommendations of the World Health Organisation and manufacturers.

Vietnam among top three leading nations in renewable energy shift in Asia Pacific

February 15-21: Politburo and Secretariat of Party Central Committee hold first session ảnh 3

Sao Mai solar power plant in An Giang province (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam is among top three nations leading the shift to renewable energy in Asia Pacific, according to the latest research from IHS Markit. Reporting on the IHS Markit’s Renewable Additions Index, the site energyvoice.com said the renewable power development pipeline has soared across the region.

According to the index, Australia leads the index with 89% of capacity under construction being either wind, solar or biomass power, followed by Japan. The third place in the region is taken by Vietnam, which leads emerging markets, as the country promoted feed-in tariffs to attract investment in solar and wind power.

Vietnamese photographer wins top prize at int’l contest in India

Vietnamese photographer Vu Manh Cuong has been awarded the gold prize at the Shadow 4th International Salon 2021 in India, for his photo titled “Van Nui 5”. The Shadow 4th International Salon 2021 was organised by Worlds of Shadow (WOS) under the sponsorship of the Federation of Indian Photography (FIP) and the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).

This year’s contest, which featured four topics: Open Monochrome, Open Colour, Nature and Travel, received a large number of submissions from photographers globally, including countries such as France, Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, the UK, India, China and Vietnam. Cuong’s photo, featuring the beauty of Vietnamese terraced fields, claimed the FIP Gold in the competition’s Travel category.

Vietnamese photographer wins gold prize at TIFA

February 15-21: Politburo and Secretariat of Party Central Committee hold first session ảnh 4

The photo named "The Children Dancing With Gong" by Khanh Phan. (Photo: www.tokyofotoawards.jp)

Khanh Phan, a female Vietnamese photographer, has won two high prizes, including a gold prize at the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) in 2020. Khanh Phan won gold prize in the People / Culture category for her work "The Children Dancing With Gong", and silver prize in the Advertising/Travel/Tourism category with her work “Drying Fish”.

The piece “The Children Dancing With Gong” was taken on December 2, 2018 at a festival of the Jrai ethnic minority in Gia Lai province, while the work “Drying Fish” was taken on July 26, 2020 at the Long Hai fish market, in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province.

The TIFA is a prestigious international photo contest. TIFA 2020 included nine categories of advertising, architecture, books, editorials, events, fine art, nature, people and science. Each category is subdivided into several different streams, for example, the “people” category has seven elements including children, culture, family, lifestyle, portrait, self-portrait, and wedding.