Blinken to be in beijing for talks on june 18 us official vnexpress international

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) meets with Lao Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith in New York on September 20. (Photo: VNA) New York (VNA) – Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Salomon Islands Jeremiah Manele, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Uganda Henry Oryem Okello, and Vice President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations Maros Sefcovic in New York on September 20. The meetings took place on the occasion of their attendance in the high-level general debate of the United Nations General Assembly. Talking to Kommasith, Son applauded the sound development of the two countries’ relations, especially high-level mutual visits and meetings, and the promotion of key cooperation projects in the recent past. The Lao official spoke highly … [Read more...] about FM meets senior officials of Laos, Salomon Islands, Uganda, EU

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Foreign Affairs Don Tuan Phong. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Chairman of the Vietnam ese National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue’s official visit to Bulgaria from September 23-26 will contribute to deepening the traditional friendship and strengthening multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, which have been built and nurtured over the past 73 years. The statement was made by Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Foreign Affairs Don Tuan Phong in an interview granted to the media ahead of the visit, which will be made at the invitation of President of the NA of Bulgaria Rosen Zhelyazkov. Phong said that in 1950, Bulgaria was one of the first countries in the world to officially establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Hue’s official visit is made 15 years after the visit to the European country by then NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong in 2008. During his stay in Bulgaria, Hue will hold … [Read more...] about NA Chairman’s Bulgaria visit to deepen friendship, cooperation: official

But thanks to social media rumors and a blockbuster movie, the kingdom's image among many Chinese people is now one of dangerous illegality and seedy scam border compounds - leaving visitor numbers plummeting. Thailand is hugely reliant on tourism, particularly from China. The country welcomed more than 10 million Chinese visitors each year before the Covid-19 pandemic - numbers Bangkok is desperate to see return. But its struggling holiday industry has been hit by viral social media rumors claiming that tourists might be kidnapped and sent across the border to work in brutal scamming compounds in Myanmar or Cambodia. Chinese tourist Jia Xueqiong spent a week in Thailand with her husband and daughter, despite her parents' disapproval. "They felt it was not safe here, and tried to persuade us not to come," the 44-year-old nurse told AFP outside Bangkok's unusually quiet Grand Palace. "All my friends said 'You go first to explore, if it's ok we will follow'," she said. Her … [Read more...] about Blockbuster movie scares Chinese tourists away from Thailand

The Philippines foreign ministry late on Thursday said it was awaiting assessments from various agencies of the extent of environmental damage in Iroquois Reef in the Spratly Islands and would be guided by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra. Guevarra was quoted on Thursday by news outlet Rappler as saying he was studying the possibility of filing a second legal case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague, although no decision had yet been taken on what legal move would be taken. "The DFA stands ready to contribute to this effort," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "States entering the Philippines' EEZ and maritime zones therefore are likewise obliged to protect and preserve our marine environment," it said. Any move to pursue arbitration would be highly controversial after the Philippines' landmark 2016 victory in a case against China that concluded Beijing's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea had no basis under … [Read more...] about Philippines weighing legal options against China over coral reef ‘destruction’

Pham Thi Minh Phi, who won the Miss Philanthropy title in the Miss Vietnam Business 2022 contest held in Da Nang, was arrested by Lam Dong police on Wednesday to be investigated for obtaining property by fraud. In October 2022, a man in Da Lat of Lam Dong called Phi, requesting her cooperation to raise capital together and do business. Phi, the general director of the Moc Hoa trade and service company, said she was negotiating to buy two land plots, spanning 1.7 ha in total, at VND22 billion. She said she had found a buyer, who was willing to buy the land plots at VND23.6 billion. This would mean profit of VND1.6 billion. Phi said she did not have the VND3 billion needed as a down payment to buy the land plots, so invited the man to raise the money with her. The man agreed to give Phi VND1.8 billion, without seeing the land plots first-hand or checking the legal information of the plots. On November 2, 2022, Phi signed a contract stating that she would borrow VND1.8 billion … [Read more...] about Beauty queen arrested in fake land sale scam

1. Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago The Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago boasts limestone islands and lush islands, creating its unique natural charm. Photo by VnExpress/Tran Dat On September 16, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee added the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago to its list of world natural heritage sites. This latest recognition brings Vietnam's tally to three natural heritages, five cultural heritages, and a mixed natural and cultural property. According to the Department of Cultural Heritage, the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago earned UNESCO recognition due to its natural beauty, which includes limestone islands cloaked in foliage and limestone peaks rising above sea level. The area's vistas, featuring lush islands, saltwater lakes, and limestone cliffs, contribute to its unique appeal. 2. Ha Long Bay Ha Long Bay itself has received UNESCO accolades twice before. In 1994, it was designated … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s 9 UNESCO world heritage sites

Vinafruit, or the Vietnam Fruits and Vegetable Association, said durian, banana and dragon fruit were the main contributors to the increase, with durian in the lead after climbing into the billion-dollar export club. China has been by far the biggest importer, buying $2.3 billion worth of fruits and vegetables from Vietnam in the first eight months of the year, a 134% increase year-on-year and accounting for a 64% share. The next three biggest importers have been the U.S. ($168 million, 6% down in the same period), South Korea ($148 million, up 18%), and Japan ($123 million, up 6%). Durian exports increased 20-fold this year. Unlike the Thai and Philippine varieties, Vietnamese durian can be harvested even in the so-called off-season, and their exports fetch higher prices as a result. China also bought bananas and jackfruit from Vietnam at higher prices and is considering buying fresh coconuts through official quotas. The U.S. recently allowed imports husked coconut from … [Read more...] about Fruit, vegetable exports top $4B

The two countries, which account for about 3/4 of Asia's power generation and most of its emissions, are also to a lesser extent using renewables to make up for the hydropower shortfall and address rising electricity use. Major Asian economies have faced power shortages in recent years due to extreme weather conditions, including intense heat and lower rainfall over large swathes of northern China and Vietnam, as well as in India's east and the north. Higher use of polluting fuels such as coal to meet electricity demand spikes and supply shortages underscore the challenges of lowering emissions. Asia's hydropower output fell 17.9% during the seven months through July, data from energy think tank Ember showed, while fossil fuel-fired power rose 4.5%. "Despite a strong growth in solar and wind power generation in Asia, supply from fossil-fuel thermal power plants has also increased this year as a result of a large decline in hydropower generation," said Carlos Torres Diaz, Rystad … [Read more...] about China, India lead Asia’s biggest hydropower crunch in decades