Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - HSBC experts have predicted that Vietnam's economy will continue to gain traction, despite a less rosy external picture. According to the bank, Vietnam saw a year-on-year increase of 17% in exports in the first six months of 2022, but it will be hard for overseas shipments to meet expectations in the last half of the year. In its "Vietnam at a glance" report released on August 17, the bank said that after impressive export growth in the first half of 2022, a slower-than-expected pace was recorded at the start of the second half. The main cause is a growth slowdown in the electronics industry, especially mobile phones. Samsung's second-quarter results show that demand for consumer electronics is weakening, affecting the smartphone, TV, and other segments. While textile, garment and footwear exports rose sharply, by 30% from a year earlier, the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association forecast the amount ordered … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s economy continues to gain traction: HSBC
Slow energy release foods
PM’s visit reflects special ties between Vietnam, Singapore: ambassador
PM Pham Minh Chinh (L) and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong meet on the sidelines of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November 2022. (Photo: VNA) Singapore (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung has highlighted the significance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s coming official visit to the city state, the first among many events to be held in both countries to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership. PM Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam are paying an official visit to Singapore from February 8 to 10. Dung said the trip follows the mutual visits by the heads of the two states in 2022, reflecting the special mutual political trust and relations between the countries. Looking back on achievements in bilateral relations, he said over the last 50 years, especially since the establishment of the strategic … [Read more...] about PM’s visit reflects special ties between Vietnam, Singapore: ambassador
Foreign Minister meets Cambodian, Philippine, Malaysian counterparts
During their meeting, FM Son and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn were pleased with the fruitful developments of the bilateral relationship in recent times, and agreed to continue promoting the exchange of high-level visits via all channels, enhancing people-to-people exchange; maintaining and optimizing the effectiveness of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms; fostering economic connections; strengthening cooperation between localities, especially those that share borders; and exerting effort to speed up tourism recovery. They also agreed to accelerate negotiations towards completing the remaining 16% of the land border demarcation and marker planting in order to build a common borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development between the two nations; and closely coordinate at regional and international forums as well as sub-regional mechanisms, and support each other's candidacy to multilateral organizations. Sokhonn … [Read more...] about Foreign Minister meets Cambodian, Philippine, Malaysian counterparts
Wrongful accusation, arrest destroys man’s life
Cuong lives alone in a small house spanning just 10 square meters, nestled deep within an alley of HCMC’s District 6. He has been living this way for several years in the house that a relative gave him. As he adjusted his tattered sleeves, the 66-year-old man brought out a box of personal items, documents and old newspapers. The documents and evidence were about a criminal case in which four police officers falsely accused Cuong and his two brothers-in-law of a crime they did not commit 38 years earlier. But even until today, that tarnish on his name remains. He has yet to to be given an apology and he has not received any compensation. "These papers were given to me by people at the time. I'm illiterate, but I know what these papers say by heart," Cuong said. "The police officers who made the false accusations have been put on trial, my two brothers have died, and I have yet to receive an apology." On February 28, 1985, Cuong, along with Ha Van Duoc and Tran Duc An, were … [Read more...] about Wrongful accusation, arrest destroys man’s life
Ancient town’s full moon festival named intangible heritage
The annual Nguyên Tiêu Festival on the 15th of lunar January in Hội An has been recognised as a National Intangible Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Lanterns are used to decorate Hôi An every full moon. The tourism hub also lights up lanterns on weekends. — VNS Photo Công Thành The festival celebrates the full moon of the first lunar month of the year. The city’s Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation confirmed the certificate was handed over on February 5, marking the fifth national intangible heritage after Thanh Châu bird's nest, Thanh Hà Pottery village, carpentry of Kim Bồng village and Trà Quế vegetable garden. The centre said the festival was a major event in a series of cultural and ritual activities among local people held during the first lunar month. Local people often prepare for the festival from the seventh day of the month with ancestor worship and praying for peace at the communal houses of Cẩm Phô, … [Read more...] about Ancient town’s full moon festival named intangible heritage
Viet Nam leads Southeast Asia in wooden furniture exports to Australia
Producing wooden furniture for export at Trieu Phu Loc Furniture Co., Ltd, Tan Uyen Town, Binh Duong Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Wooden furniture exports from Southeast Asian markets to Australia grew sharply in the past year, with Viet Nam leading the way on US$205.6 million, up 26.4 per cent year-on-year. Following Viet Nam is Malaysia with $101.9 million and Indonesia with $61.7 million. The proportion of wooden furniture imports from these three markets accounted for 22.9 per cent of the total value of wooden furniture imports into Australia. The Import-Export Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, quoted statistics from the General Department of Customs saying that the export value of wooden office furniture reached $28.4 million in December, a year-on-year decline of 28.6 per cent. The export value of wooden office furniture reached $370.3 million last year, down 15.9 per cent over the same period in 2021. In the structure of wooden furniture exports last year, … [Read more...] about Viet Nam leads Southeast Asia in wooden furniture exports to Australia
Central bank forecast to keep policy interest rate unchanged in Q1 2023
Headquarters of the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV). After the Fed’s decision to raise its benchmark interest rate by only 25 basis points last week, analysts forecast the SBV may adopt a wait-and-see approach until the end of the first quarter of this year before making the next interest rate hike. — Photo sbv.gov.vn The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) might not increase its policy interest rate in the first quarter of 2023 after the US Federal Reserve (Fed) raised its rate by only 25 basis points last week while the Vietnamese dong has strengthened against the US dollar, analysts forecast. According to analysts from financial data provider FiinGroup, the dong has strengthened by about 5 per cent against the dollar since the beginning of December 2022 as the Fed has slowed rate hikes and China has reopened. After the Fed’s decision last week, the analysts forecast the SBV may adopt a wait-and-see approach until the end of the first quarter of this year before making the next … [Read more...] about Central bank forecast to keep policy interest rate unchanged in Q1 2023
Oil prices edge higher as IEA’s Birol talks up China demand outlook
Brent crude futures crawled up 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $80.10 a barrel at 0022 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 15 cents, also 0.2% higher, to $73.54 a barrel. Last Friday, WTI and Brent slid 3% after strong U.S. jobs data raised concerns that the Federal Reserve would keep raising interest rates, which in turn boosted the dollar. While recession fears dominated the market last week, on Sunday International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol highlighted that China's recovery remains a key driver for oil prices. The IEA expects half of global oil demand growth this year will come from China, where Birol said jet fuel demand was surging. He said depending on how strong that recovery is, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, together called OPEC+, may have to reassess their decision to cut output by 2 million barrels per day through 2023. "If demand goes up very strongly, if the Chinese economy … [Read more...] about Oil prices edge higher as IEA’s Birol talks up China demand outlook
Thailand’s philosophy promoted in Vietnam
The philosophy that widely adopted in Vietnam demonstrates the close relationship between the two nations which are now leading trade partners of each other in ASEAN. Thailand and Vietnam have as close relationship that has been strengthened through different fields, including some initiated by late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura delivers a speech at the ceremony held in Hanoi on Dec 2. Photos: Minh Nguyen The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) is the typical model found throughout Thailand and widely adopted in Vietnam. According to Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura, SEP is a guideline cultivated by the late King that emphasizes how individuals and communities should establish strong basic economic foundations, through the core principles of moderation, reasonableness, and resilience, in order to ensure sustainable growth. Today, the SEP Project in Vietnam’s Northern Province of Thai Nguyen aims to … [Read more...] about Thailand’s philosophy promoted in Vietnam
Collaborating with AI
ChatGPT's potentials are exciting, but we also hear about its potential impacts on our lives, especially in our work life, namely it can displace white-color workers. It is both exciting and unnerving at the same time. As a writer, I want OpenAI's AI to help me with my writing. I rely on GPT-3, a generative AI model that assist writers in their writing using prompts. This essay is a collaboration between GPT-3 and me. I am describing the process that I used it step by step, and how one can take advantage of it to engage in the creative writing process. The first step is to set up an account on OpenAI to use GPT-3. There are two ways to write with GPT-3. The first way is to use OpenAI's Playground user interface. The second way, and a more technical way is to use OpenAI's Application Programming Interface. Since I can also code, I used the second method because it allows for more control in prompt design. Once the pipeline is ready, I start writing, one sentence at a time. I … [Read more...] about Collaborating with AI