General

Jakarta (VNA) - Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi highlighted the need for closer public-private partnership amid challenging global economic outlook, at the 14th Dialogue with the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA) on August 10. FJCCIA representatives along with key important figures in ASEAN – Japan cooperation including Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN Akira Chiba, President of the Economic Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Professor Hidetoshi Nishimura and Chairman of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Sasaki Nobuhiko attended the meeting. At the dialogue, Secretary-General Dato Lim highlighted ASEAN’s strategies to attain economic resilience in the post-pandemic world by leveraging on trade openness, digital transformation, and sustainability. He also welcomed closer engagements with Japanese businesses to increase trade and investment activities and deepen collaboration in technology transfer, digital … [Read more...] about ASEAN chief highlights need for closer public-private collaboration

Vietnamese stall at Hong Kong Food Expo (Photo: VNA) Hong Kong (VNA) – The Vietnamese Consulate General and Vietnam Trade Office in Hong Kong (China) are introducing a variety of Vietnamese specialties at the Hong Kong Food Expo from August 11-15. As one of the most important events of Hong Kong's food and beverage sector, the expo was organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and drew exhibitors from Europe, the US, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, China and Southeast Asian countries. Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong Pham Binh Dam expressed his hope that from 2023, more Vietnamese agricultural companies and products will be introduced at the event. Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Hong Kong Vu Thi Thuy hailed Hong Kong as a promising market for Vietnamese food and beverages as it imports almost consumer goods and food instead of producing them. According to the official, both sides share similarities in consumption culture while Vietnamese … [Read more...] about Vietnamese specialties displayed at Hong Kong Food Expo

The head of the European Space Agency (ESA) has warned economic damage from heatwaves and drought could dwarf Europe's energy crisis as he called for urgent action to tackle climate change. Director General Josef Aschbacher told Reuters successive heatwaves along with wildfires, shrinking rivers and rising land temperatures as measured from space left no doubt about the toll on agriculture and other industries from climate change. "Today, we are very concerned about the energy crisis, and rightly so. But this crisis is very small compared to the impact of climate change, which is of a much bigger magnitude and really has to be tackled extremely fast," he said. He was speaking in an interview as heatwaves and floods generate concerns over extreme weather across the globe. More than 57,200 hectares have been swallowed by wildfire in France this year, nearly six times the full-year average. In Spain, a prolonged dry spell made July the hottest month since at least 1961. … [Read more...] about Climate risks dwarf Europe’s energy crisis, space chief warns

The documents, published for the first time, provide an overview of the current situation, solutions and steps to be taken so that stakeholders can carry out digital transformation for sustainable tourism development, contributing to the harmonization of the process in the industry. They introduce software and apps for tourists, firms, guides and management agencies. According to the VNAT, digital transformation is an inevitable trend for the tourism industry worldwide. In Vietnam, the application of information technology (IT) and digital transformation is a major policy of the Party and State, with priority given to the development of digital and smart tourism. The administration has coordinated with partners to build a range of products that apply IT and digital transformation in the tourism industry, thereby bringing convenience to firms and state management agencies as well as tourists, towards forming a tourism digital transformation ecosystem. VNAT’s website has also been … [Read more...] about Document on digital transformation in tourism industry published

A scene of the MV featuring Ninh Binh's Trang An complex. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam looks stunning in a music video “ Waiting for You – 5 , 000 Years ” newly released by Republic of Korean singer and composer Joseph Kwon to mark the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries (December 22, 1992 – 2022). A press conference took place in Hanoi on August 10 to launch the new MV with Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu in attendance. Sieu said he appreciates Kwon for his love for Vietnam’s nature, people and culture, stressing his brilliant MV makes the beauty of Vietnamese tourist destinations shine through and expecting the MV will promote Vietnam’s landscapes globally. According to Kwon, for almost two months, he and his production team have travelled to numerous popular destinations across Vietnam, from Hanoi, Cuc Phuong National Park and Trang An (Ninh Binh), Tam Chuc (Ha Nam), … [Read more...] about RoK singer shows love for Vietnamese destinations in new MV

Foreign tourists visit the Independence Palace in HCM City on August 8. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Strict visa policies and a shortage of human resources and infrastructure in the tourism sector have stymied recovery of the travel industry, and the target of five million international arrivals this year could be out of reach, industry players have warned. Domestic travel has seen a strong rebound whereas international tourism, with a target of five million arrivals this year, remains in a slump, said Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association. Domestic visitor numbers topped 71.1 million in just the first seven months of this year against a full-year target of 60 million, he said. In the same period there were only 733,000 international visitors, or 8% of pre-pandemic numbers, he told a two-day programme titled ‘Lien Ket Suc Manh Du Lich Vietnam Nam 2022’ (Power of Vietnam Tourism Linkages) that ended in Ho Chi Minh City on August 9. Though … [Read more...] about Vietnam mulls ways to boost inbound travel

Some students might not be able to attend their dream university due to increases in tuition fees. (Photo: nld.com.vn) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Sudden increases in university school fees have brought challenges to both parents and students. Even though the Ministry of Education and Training ( MoET ) has written a proposal to keep the tuition fee unchanged between the 2021 and 2022 school years, many universities have announced multiple price hikes. HCM City University of Law is one of the schools with the highest tuition fees next school year. According to the school's announcement, the lowest tuition fee for Course 47 applied from the academic year 2022-23 to 2025-26 for general programmes of law, international commercial law and business administration is 151 million VND (6,455 USD). The tuition fee for remaining general majors range from 179 million VND to 205 million VND per course. For high-quality programmes of administration and law, a student would have to spend … [Read more...] about Universities increase school fees despite MoET’s proposal

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by Vietnam News Agency. - Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception in Hanoi on August 10 for Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Vientiane. The Party leader congratulated Laos on its comprehensive achievements, with active contributions made by the capital Vientiane. Read full story President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Ambassador of Israel Yaron Mayer (Photo: VNA) - President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received in Hanoi on August 10 Ambassador of Kuwait Yousef Ashour Al-sabbagh and Ambassador of Israel Yaron Mayer, who came to present their credentials. At his meeting with Ambassador Al-sabbagh, President Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to enhance the traditional friendship with Kuwait, one of the leading economic … [Read more...] about ☀️ Morning digest August 11

The Institute for Studies of Society, Economy, and Environment (iSEE), in collaboration with Vietnam-based LGBT+ rights group ICS Center, re-launched the LGBTI+ campaign Toi Dong Y (I Do) 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday in the hope of garnering social support for same-sex marriage in Vietnam. Under the theme Hon nhan khong khuon mau (Marriage without model), the campaign will host activities from August to September with the aim of boosting public support for same-sex marriage in Vietnam. The first iteration of the campaign was held in 2013 and was considered a resounding success, culminating in the abolishment of Vietnam’s ban on same-sex marriage in 2014 – a landmark event owed, in part, to a 12,000-signature petition submitted by Toi Dong Y to Vietnam’s National Assembly. Vietnam neither prohibits nor recognizes same-sex marriage now. In addition to hosting discussions at ten universities across the country about gender equality, publishing the first book … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s LGBTI+ campaign to support same-sex marriage reboots after nearly a decade

The Grand Ho Tram Strip on Friday announced its ongoing series of entertainment events set against the breathtaking backdrop of The Fountains of Ho Tram. Dubbed Ho Tram Sound Waves, the concert series will see Toc Tien, My Tam and Issac 365 take to Vietnam’s most spectacular stage. Bubbling with energy, pop sensation Toc Tien will be first to grace the six-storey water stage, following the incredible reception that Phuong Vy Idol and Son Tung M-TP received when they inaugurated the Fountains at a VIP event in July. All Sound Waves events will be free to the general public. Speaking at a staff rally earlier this week, Toc Tien said: “I’m honored to be teaming up with TGHTS not once but twice in the same month! It’s even more of a pleasure to be the opening act for such an extraordinary line up of Vietnam’s top artists and of course, I’m positive my colleagues in show business will be just as excited as I am to be a part of this unique project..” “The Fountains of Ho Tram … [Read more...] about The Grand Ho Tram Strip launches fountain-side Sound Waves concert series