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The Hanoitimes - Hanoi hopes trade link will support its export-driven economy while London is trying to secure trade deals ahead of the transition period after Brexit. Vietnam and the UK have agreed refresh and strengthen their strategic partnership and set the framework for forging ahead in the next decade. Vietnam and the UK look to forge ahead the partnership in the next decade. Photo: MOFA The two sides adopted a joint declaration at a meeting between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on September 30 during the British diplomat’s visit to Hanoi, the first by a European politician to Vietnam since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The declaration, which marks a milestone of 10 years of the Vietnam-UK Strategic Partnership, outlines the UK and Vietnam’s commitment to further strengthening the bilateral partnership. It includes (1) deepening bilateral trade and investment, and pursuing more open trade through global and regional economic integration; (2) co-operating to support sustainable economic growth, and to combat the urgent challenges presented by climate change; (3) working together on shared security challenges through peace-keeping operations, military healthcare and training and maritime security; (4) enhancing ties in education, vocational training, higher education, particularly in the field of science and technology; (5) enhancing bilateral cooperation in defense and security and to combat serious and organized crime; (6) promoting people-to-people links, equal rights, including promoting gender equality and tackling modern slavery; and (7) committing to a closer coordination through multilateral fora, including the United Nations and within the framework of ASEAN. Trade deal dominates the visit To prepare for partnership in the next 10 years, the two sides highlighted the importance of a bilateral trade agreement that dominates …

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Many hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter area are for sale due to big losses resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. An owner of a hotel chain in Hanoi’s Old Quarters area said that this was the biggest loss for his business to date. Since being affected by the pandemic, his firm has had to suffer losses of around VND10 billion (USD434,782). The room price discount of a hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Room occupancy rates have plummeted due to Covid-19, in some cases to zero percent, compared to 70-90% previously, he added. At present, his hotel often receives a small number of visitors at weekends, he noted. Meanwhile, another hotel owner Le Xuan Vinh sold his entire eight-hotel chain, sacking 200 staff. He has to pay VND150 million (USD6,521) for each hotel per month in operating costs. So far this year, he has lost VND20 billion amid the tourism slump, Vinh said, noting if the situation does not improve, he would have to look at other business areas. One of his difficulties was getting banking loans. "We wanted to use our land use rights certificate as the collateral for the loans, but were refused as his business is in the tourism sector,” Vinh said. A 302-square metre hotel on Hang Bong Street which has 12 floors with 90 rooms is being put up for sale for VND510 billion (USD22.17 million); while a 200-square metre hotel on Hang Dau Street is being offered for sale at VND210 billion. Vu Van Thanh, head of the Hotel Management Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said that the room coverage of hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarters is less than 10%, a record low. The VNAT has proposed measures to help ease difficulties for tourism service providers. In the first eight months of this year, Vietnam served only 3.8 million international visitors, down 66.6% on-year, the record low for many years. By August 31, up to 950 tourism accommodation facilities in Hanoi had suspended their operations, making 16,000 people …

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The Hanoitimes - The old yellow-painting apartment buildings in Hanoi, apart from their own charms and characteristics, has also contributed to the development of the city. Apart from Turtle Tower, Hoan Kiem Lake, or One Pillar Pagoda – the eternal symbols of Hanoi , old yellow-painted apartment buildings with caged balconies characterize the post-war Hanoi. They are a part to the landscape of the capital both yesterday and today. The old apartment building inside Hanoi University in Thanh Xuan district., Hanoi. Photo: Dinh Quyen. Built in the 1960s-1980s in the four central districts of Hanoi, old apartment buildings, usually with five storeys, remarked the first stage of the construction of the new socialist country, becoming not only a witness of history and architecture of a period but also a symbol of neighborhood and community culture and life. As those buildings were firstly given to state cadres, residents here were not only neighbors but also co-workers and even friends. Many generations have lived in those buildings and everyone knows each other as well as each other’s family members. In addition, as they share several parts in the building such as the gate, the balcony, the hall, the playground, the garden, among others, their relationship is close. The Kim Lien old apartment building in Dong Da district., Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Anh Tuan. To many people born during the 1960-1980s, these buildings reminisce their childhood . It was where they chased and played games with other kids next door along the hall and the playground every day. When they grew up, the narrow stair could be a romantic dating place at night. To women, it was unforgettable days washing dishes and clothes under the public tap with others, drying them on the balcony, or preparing a big pot to together cook banh chung (traditional rice cake) in the public space in front of the building on the occasion of Tet (Lunar New Year …

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