The agreements are signed at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition 2023 mô (Photo: tnst.com.my) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia's Defence Ministry announced on May 26 that it has signed 43 agreements worth 10.1 billion RM (2.2 billion USD) with partner during this year’s 16th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition ( LIMA ). They include the purchase of 18 FA-50 light attack aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and four units of Sikorsky's Black Hawk helicopters to be leased from Malaysian firm Aerotree Defence and Services, the ministry said in a statement. KAI, the Republic of Korea's sole warplane manufacturer, won a bid to supply the jets to Malaysia for about 920 million USD. The acquisitions come as Malaysia looks to upgrade or replace several aging military assets. The Government allocated 17.7 billion RM for the defence ministry under this year's budget, a 10% increase from its funding in 2022. The Royal … [Read more...] about Malaysia signs important deals at LIMA 2023
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International solidarity in Bambari
For Major Nguyen Van Hien, who is a member of the Bambari Operation Team, and his colleagues, it is the sincere support and sharing of international friends that have motivated them to overcome all difficulties and hardships to complete missions entrusted by the Party, State, and military. Recalling his first days in Bambari, a town in Ouaka of the Central African Republic, Major Hien said that although he had been well-prepared before being deployed to the area, he was still shocked at the harsh weather conditions which is filled with red soil and gravels. Dozens of families live in small cottages. On the way to the central area of Ouaka, he did not see any sign of medical, education, electricity, and water systems. Everything was far beyond the imagination of the Vietnamese blue beret soldier. Difficulties piled up when food and necessities transported by air from Vietnam could not reach the Central African Republic due to the complicated security situation. Meanwhile, local food … [Read more...] about International solidarity in Bambari
ASEAN, Chinese senior officials meet on DOC implementation
Earlier, ASEAN member countries convened a meeting to coordinate their stances. Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam, led a Vietnamese delegation to the meetings. Myanmar, the coordinator of ASEAN - China ties, and China co-chaired the 20th SOM-DOC which took place after nearly two years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the meeting, delegates reaffirmed the value and importance of DOC in the region. They highly appreciated the positive results in the DOC implementation over the past time. They highlighted the effective implementation of specific cooperation activities in marine environment protection, marine scientific research, humane and fair treatment of fishermen, search and rescue operations at sea. They also noted activities in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the DOC in 2022. The delegates showed their concerns about the complex developments in the East Sea (South China Sea) which erode trust, increase tensions, and affect … [Read more...] about ASEAN, Chinese senior officials meet on DOC implementation
Top-to-bottom changes needed to save Mekong Delta from erosion
The 78-year-old farmer’s "used-to" means around 10 years ago. "The river was healthy and gentle, now it’s like a starving person who keeps eating into the bank." Erosion has occurred regularly along both the Hau and the Tien rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong, and many smaller river branches in the Mekong Delta. A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam and the Department of Natural Disasters Prevention at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that by the end of 2021, the Mekong Delta had 621 major erosion areas that stretched for a total of around 610 km. Around 500 ha of land in the delta is lost to erosion every year, the report estimated. Erosion in the delta is not new, it’s just getting more serious. While climate change can be blamed as a natural cause, there are many man-made causes, from the construction of hydropower dams upstream along the Mekong, to the destruction of mangrove forests and sand mining. Nearly 40 million tons of … [Read more...] about Top-to-bottom changes needed to save Mekong Delta from erosion