Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (Photo: AFP/VNA) Singapore - Singapore is committed to cooperating closely with Vietnam so that both countries can emerge stronger post-pandemic, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said ahead of his trip to Vietnam to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) High Level Policy Dialogue from June 20-23. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Singapore, the minister noted that Singapore and Vietnam have a close Strategic Partnership anchored by strong political and economic relations, warm people-to-people ties, and wide-ranging cooperation. He described the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks in seven locations across Vietnam as icons of the two countries’ excellent economic collaboration. The minister went on to say that the two countries also work closely in many regional and multilateral fora including ASEAN and the UN, and share a common interest in promoting a free, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system. He stressed that despite the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, trade and investment ties between Singapore and Vietnam remain strong, calling attention to the fact that Singapore was Vietnam’s largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in 2020 and also the first quarter of 2021. “We have supported each other during this difficult time, including by exchanging donations of medical supplies and working together to keep regional supply chains open. Both countries are also fully committed to vaccine multilateralism, as well as the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines. We have also collaborated closely with Vietnam during Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council in 2020 and 2021,” Balakrishnan said. According to him, as the two countries prepare to reopen their borders, they can consider how to gradually and safely resume travel between Vietnam and Singapore. “I believe …
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For Sanofi, environmental protection is part of business
For Sanofi, environmental protection is part of business The Saigon Times Nguyen Thi Luong Phong (L), a representative of Sanofi Vietnam, donates VND1.3 billion to a representative of Vietnam Red Cross Society - PHOTO: SANOFI VIETNAM For a better life, apart from improving economic performance, Sanofi Vietnam has always attended to societal and environmental issues to create values for the community. By integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) into the core of its operations, the drug firm has enacted numerous pro-society initiatives and environmental protection programs to change lives. “As a multinational pharmaceutical company and a drugmaker in Vietnam for over 60 years, Sanofi Vietnam is striving to fulfill its long-term commitment to social responsibility,” says Emin Turan, country director of Sanofi Vietnam and Cambodia. “On the path to generating positive impacts on the society, the drugmaker has been mobilizing its capacity, ability and human resources to minimize environmental footprint of its production and business activities,” Turan added. Reducing the environmental footprint In an effort to minimize negative impacts from raw materials and wastes on the health of people and the environment during its operations, Sanofi Vietnam is constantly redesigning and renewing its products and services to create a healthy society. Its pharmaceutical plant in Thu Duc City in HCMC is launching a series of programs to reduce its waste by recycling or reusing the plastic and paper waste in a safe and sustainable manner. Through its program to eliminate plastic waste that was kick-started years ago, the firm targets to reduce the use of plastics at the factory to zero by 2022. Last year, the company managed to cut 14 tons of plastics in its production. In addition, the factory made a reduction of 470 tons of carton paper used for packaging in 2020 while carrying out the “Carton Reduction” program, and recycled 30 tons of plastic …
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The return of the bicycle
The return of the bicycle By Nguyen An Nam Bicycles have returned during the time of Covid-19 - PHOTO: THANH HOA Bicycles now suit well the diverse demand of urbanites during the time of the pandemic, speeding up changes in lifestyles and cultural practices. Needless to say, it is impossible for the bike to replace other transport means as long as life becomes normal again. However, as far as the benefits a bike can do to physical and mental health are concerned, the return of the bike is so meaningful right at this moment. Before the outbreak of Covid-19 in Vietnam, Mr. Tan’s wife gave birth to the couple’s second child. Mr. Tan then took a driving test. He had to repeat it three times to get the driver’s license. The whole family went together to car showrooms to buy a Mazda 3. But hardly had he driven the brand-new car for only a few months while still unfamiliar with the streets in Saigon being on the wheel than the city experienced social distancing, one time after another. The car therefore had to sit in the garage. Swimming pools, gyms and yoga classes were closed. Having to be confined to his house for a while, Mr. Tan began to feel restless and frustrated. His son, too, was about to face the problem of obesity and became much more nasty because of psychological distress. So, he led the kid to a bike shop to take home two bikes at reasonable prices. The pandemic-time bicycles On the first days after they had got their new bikes, the father and his son woke up early and rode their bikes around his house. The distance was about five kilometers. Afterwards, the little boy had become used to being early to rise. The two went for longer distances to new routes. Now, on the weekend, they were able to travel up to 30 kilometers. One day, they rode their bikes to Can Gio District, some 50 kilometers from downtown HCMC. Mr. Tan noticed that both the physical and mental health of him and his kid had significantly improved since the buy of …