National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) meets with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on December 11 (Photo: VNA) Moscow (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on December 11 as part of her official visit to the country. The visiting leader highly valued the sound development of Vietnam-Russia relations in all fields, affirming that the Vietnamese NA always supports the enhancement of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, and will work with the Vietnamese Government to remove difficulties in bilateral cooperation in a timely manner, thereby helping to intensify their connections. In the recent past, many major investment projects of the countries have been carried out, she said, noting there remains huge potential for investment partnership in such fields as developing urban infrastructure, transport infrastructure, the digital economy, and … [Read more...] about Vietnamese NA leader, Russian PM discuss multifaceted relations
How energy and work are related
US deals power up trade for balancing out deficit
Vietnam plans to purchase more products from the United States over the coming years (Photo: Le Toan) The plan of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) to buy 50 narrow-body aircraft with the total investment of over VND88 trillion ($3.83 billion) was a hot topic in the aviation industry last week when the Ministry of Transport (MoT) offered opinions on the proposal. “VNA should work on the detailed plan on annual network development so as to have a foundation to assess the feasibility with market demands, with aviation infrastructure, and with national network development policy,” the MoT said in a recent document sent to Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment. If the plan for the purchase of the A320/321 NEO and B737 MAX8/9/10 types is approved, VNA and its two units Jetstar Pacific and Vasco, which hold a market share of 51 per cent, will be strengthened with the addition of the Boeing brand to the Hanoi-based airline’s fleet. In October, the air … [Read more...] about US deals power up trade for balancing out deficit
Vietnam, South Korea to curb visa brokering
The exercise aims to prevent issuance of visas to people looking to overstay and work illegally in the country, Ambassador Park Noh-wan said. "South Korea’s five-year visa policy for Vietnam could result in people staying in South Korea illegally. The two countries are considering simplifying visa issuance processes to prevent interference from middlemen (third parties that provide visas unofficially)," Park said at a press meet. He was referring to a South Korean policy issued last year, allowing Vietnamese from Hanoi, Da Nang and HCMC to have C-3 visas, which would allow holders to stay in South Korea for up to 30 days with no restrictions on the number of visits for a period of five years. The two countries are moving towards allowing visa exemption for their citizens, he added. South Korea is one of the largest labor export markets for Vietnam. Its Yonhap News Agency reported that Vietnamese were the third largest group of foreign nationals in the country with 196,633 (8.3 … [Read more...] about Vietnam, South Korea to curb visa brokering
Tackling Vietnam’s air pollution
Adam Ward, Country Representative of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in Vietnam (left) and Kate Bronstein, Research Environmental Engineer from RTI International. Air pollution is a mixture of small particles and gases – some we can see and some we can’t. Vietnam’s major cities are gravely affected by poor air quality; indeed, Hanoi was ranked second worst for air quality in the Southeast Asian region in 2018 by Air Visual. Situation in Vietnam When we talk about air pollution, we are referring to: particulate matter 10 micrometers or less in diameter (PM10), PM2.5, black carbon, nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and volatile organic carbons (VOCs). Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City regularly exceed the safe World Health Organization (WHO) limit for air pollution such as PM2.5 and PM10. So, what is causing this poor air? This has been attributed to five main drivers, including coal power, heavy industry (such as cement … [Read more...] about Tackling Vietnam’s air pollution
An Giang calls for WB’s support in sustainable development
At the working session (Source: VNA) An Giang (VNA) – Chairman of the An Giang province People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh has called for more support from the World Bank (WB) for the locality to implement climate change adaptation and sustainable development projects. During a working session on December 12 with a delegation led by Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific at the WB Benoit Bosquet, Binh said that the six projects of the locality will concentrate on sustainable livelihood for local residents, safe agriculture development, water supply and waste water treatment, and dealing with landslides along coasts and river banks. The projects will be implemented with a total investment of around 172.63 million USD, and priority will be given to the building of a waste water collection and treatment system in Tan Chau town. Binh appreciated the WB’s support for An Giang in implementing sustainable development programmes, saying that … [Read more...] about An Giang calls for WB’s support in sustainable development