Centre for strategic and international studies

Visiting Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong has affirmed that her nation will continue promoting its strategic partnership with Vietnam and always attaches importance to the Southeast Asian country's role in the region. She was speaking at her talks with her Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi on Monday as part of her three-day official visit to Vietnam from June 26 to 28 at Son’s invitation. Wong told her host that Australia highly values Vietnam’s role and position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the region and the world, and that the new Australian government in which she is a member will continue strengthening the strategic partnership with Vietnam to boost the bilateral ties to a new height. The diplomat also stated that her country highly values cooperation with ASEAN, appreciates its central role, and will continue to promote cooperation with the bloc for the sustainable development of the Mekong sub-region. … [Read more...] about Australia pledges to beef up strategic partnership with Vietnam

Jesse Choi, CEO of Sunwah Innovations and director of Sunwah Vietnam talked about Vietnam's market entry opportunities and strategy The webinar received around 100 participants including experts and representatives of corporates, startups, universities, incubators and accelerators, venture capital firms, and business associations from Vietnam and neighbouring countries and territories including Cambodia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, and Hong Kong. Vietnam has seen significant improvements in developing a dynamic and open business environment. In the post-pandemic period, the country stands firm as one of the most attractive destinations in the Southeast Asian region for foreign investors and businesses including venture capital firms and startups. Realising an increasing need from overseas startups and supporting organisations to explore and gain footholds in the market, Sunwah Innovations organised the Vietnam Market Entry Opportunities and Strategy webinar. It was … [Read more...] about International webinar on Vietnam’s Market Entry Opportunities and Strategy

Destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, corvette Gremyashchy and oil tanker Pechenga led by Colonel Alexey Anciferov had docked at the strategic naval base at Cam Ranh Bay in Khanh Hoa from June 25 to 28. During their stay, the Russian officers and crew members played sports with their Vietnamese counterparts at the High Command of Region 4 of the Vietnam People's Navy, which oversees the waters off the central coast. They also visited several cultural and historic sites in Nha Trang. Destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov belongs to the Soviet designation Project 1155 Fregat and Russian designation Project 11551 Fregat-M, which are a series of anti-submarine guided-missile destroyers built for the Soviet Navy, seven of which are currently in service with the Russian Navy. Commissioned in 1985, the destroyer has a length of 163 meters, a beam of 19.3 meters, and a draught of 7.8 meters. She can reach a top speed of 35 knots (65 kph) and has a crew of 300 sailors. In 2017 the ship received … [Read more...] about Three Russian Navy ships complete Vietnam tour

"Covid-19 vaccination is a requirement in the pandemic fight. As such, people need to get vaccinated as per existing regulations and at the right doses. The fact that localities are requesting people to sign forms to ‘take responsibility’ is to show their responsibility to the people," Phan Trong Lan, head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, told press Monday. The statement was made as Covid-19 vaccination was slowing down in several regions, with many people refusing to get booster shots since they've already developed certain degrees of immunity from their previous shots and Covid-19 infections. The Ministry of Health has requested southern Vietnam localities to use up all their distributed vaccine doses before June ends, adding that people must sign forms to "take responsibility" if their decision not to get vaccinated causes an outbreak. The ministry however did not respond to the press regarding whether its decisions were based on any basis or precedents. Lan … [Read more...] about Covid vaccination refusal must be confirmed in print: official

The flag carrier is looking for potential investors to acquire a stake in Pacific Airlines while trying to evaluate its value, and whether a private placement offer or public auction is suitable for the deal, Vietnam Airlines head accountant Tran Thanh Hien told shareholders at the annual general meeting Tuesday. There are several different decrees on state capital management that should be consulted for each of the two options, which Vietnam Airlines are studying in great depth, he said. Another challenge involves Pacific Airlines having accumulated a loss, with extra rules governing the sale of such companies, he added. Hien said Vietnam Airlines is requesting the government to help it find a suitable investor in Pacific Airlines in a way that ensures transparency in legal implementation. The state-owned carrier said in a recent report that Pacific Airlines is in a "severe" financial situation and is facing insolvency. The low-cost carrier is reporting an accumulated loss … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines faces legal headache in sale of ailing Pacific Airlines

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong enjoys Hanoi's specialty of Pho ga or chicken noodles as she arrived in the city on her first visit to Vietnam. “The Ambassador was delighted to share her favorite Pho ga with Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Foreign Minister, and Chef Sam Tran on the first days in the city. Foreign Minister Wong (black shirt) enjoys P ho ga with Ambassador Robyn Mudie (blue shirt) in Hanoi’s old quarter area. Photo: Australian Embassy in Hanoi. In a Facebook post on June 27, the Embassy of Australia in Hanoi shared that Minister Wong was introduced by Chef Tran to the history and importance of Pho , and especially the Hanoian style of eating Pho . The photo shows the top diplomat in casual wear, enjoying Pho ga with Ambassador Mudie and sharing "views on Australia and Vietnam’s strong people-to-people links.” As a Vietnamese exquisite cuisine, the s imple yet exotic delicacy of Pho has won the heart of many foreign visitors … [Read more...] about Australian Foreign Minister enjoys Pho ga in Hanoi

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A joint venture between India ’s Adani Group and Vietnam’s Anh Phat Investment Construction & Trading JSC has been approved by authorities of Da Nang to start studying the development of a major seaport in the central city, according to Nhan dan (People) newspaper. Lien Chieu Port will be capable of handling 3.5 – 5 million tonnes of cargo annually in the first phase. It can accommodate vessels of up to 100,000 tonnes and container ships of up to 8,000 TEU. The new port will be of the world class and offer a new engine for the development of Da Nang and Vietnam at large. Insiders said the project can provide 5,000 jobs and contribute up to 80 million USD to the city's coffer, equivalent to around 2.1 percent of Da Nang’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), by 2030. The approval was officially granted by the municipal People’s Committee to the joint venture in the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the … [Read more...] about India conglomerate pledges to invest 10 billion USD in Vietnam

A new species of damselfly, an insect closely related to the dragonfly, has been discovered by a researcher from Da Nang’s Duy Tan University studying biodiversity in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. Damselflies and dragonflies are indicative of the water quality and general health of an ecosystem.  They also help protect crops from pests. Dr. Phan Quoc Toan first wrote publically about the newly discovered species in an article published in the international journal of Zootaxa in early February, where he announced it would be named Coeliccia lecongcoi in honor of the scientific contributions made by Le Cong Co, the first president of Duy Tan University in the central city of Da Nang. Two damselflies of the Coeliccia lecongcoi are seen in tandem in this photo taken from Phan Quoc Toan’s paper published in Zootaxa in February 2019 . Phan Quoc Toan shows Coeliccia lecongcoi, the latest damselfly that he found in Vietnam and was featured in a … [Read more...] about New damselfly found in central Vietnam

UNDP Resident Representative in Việt Nam Caitlin Wiesen. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Đức UNDP Resident Representative in Việt Nam Caitlin Wiesen suggests measures to realise the new integrated development plan of Mekong Delta 2021-2030 while talking to Việt Nam News on the launch of the plan on Tuesday. How do you assess the missions and orientations of the master plan of the Mekong Delta region in the 2021-30 period with a vision towards 2050. Remarkably, the plan sets the target that agricultural production will be transformed to adapt to changes in natural conditions in accordance with three ecological sub-regions? I would like to congratulate the Government on this first regional master plan for the Mekong Delta. This is the first multi-sector, inter-disciplinary, and inter-provincial master plan, which is the right direction for planning and sets a good example for other regions to follow. The plan employs nature-based solutions and a people-centred approach for … [Read more...] about Master plan expected to create breakthrough development for Mekong Delta

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Japanese Minister of Justice Furukawa Yoshihisa (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for visiting Japanese Minister of Justice Furukawa Yoshihisa on June 28, during which the Vietnamese leader suggested the justice ministries of the two countries further promote mutual legal assistance and cooperation. President Phuc spoke highly of the legal and judicial cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in recent times, affirming that through cooperation with Japan, the capacity and qualifications of Vietnamese officials have been improved,  contributing to helping Vietnam build a law-governed socialist State. The two ministries should expand cooperation in the context of increasing civil, commercial and investment transactions, he said, expressing the hope that the Japan ese side will continue to help Vietnam train legal and judicial human resources in the time to come. The Vietnamese leader … [Read more...] about President receives Japanese Minister of Justice