Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong (R) welcomes First Officer of the Hungarian National Assembly Marta Matrai in Hanoi on April 16. (Photo: quochoi.vn)

Vietnam and Hungary review effectiveness of cooperation agreements

Leaders of the National Assembly of Vietnam and the National Assembly of Hungary discussed the role of the legislature in supreme supervision of bilateral cooperation agreements signed between the two countries, during a working session in Hanoi on April 16.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong and the Hungarian delegation was headed by First Officer of the Hungarian legislature Marta Matrai.

The two sides affirmed that parliamentary cooperation plays an important role in bilateral relations, and that the cooperation agreement between the two legislatures signed in June 2022 is an important basis for the two sides to promote parliamentary cooperation, contributing to enhancing political trust and mutual understanding between two countries.

They exchanged information and shared experience regarding the role and supervisory functions of their legislatures, the signing and implementation of international treaties as well as international agreements signed between Vietnam and Hungary. They also pointed out a number of shortcomings in monitoring the implementation of international cooperation agreements in each country.

Currently, Vietnam and Hungary have 48 international treaties in effect, an international treaty awaiting approval and 49 international agreements in effect, cited VOV.

The treaties signed by the two states and governments cover various fields such as visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders; investment encouragement and protection, double taxation avoidance, tax evasion prevention, and cooperation in quarantine and plant protection. They also span cooperation in science - technology, science and engineering, finance, culture, education, state management, agriculture, and justice, among others.

The agreements signed by the two legislatures, ministries, sectors and localities focus on cooperation in fields such as parliamentary diplomacy, agriculture, tourism, postal, radio broadcasting, information and communication technology, sports, education, and health.

During the working session, Marta Matrai suggested that the two countries enhance the monitoring of the implementation of bilateral agreements, to help improve the effectiveness of these agreements.

Welcoming the guest’s proposal, Phuong suggested that the two legislatures assign their Foreign Affairs Committees to review the signed documents, select key issues to be monitored, and then report the results to the National Assembly leadership.

Prime Minister receives Apple CEO

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received visiting CEO of Apple Tim Cook in Hanoi on April 16, who he once met in the US in September 2022.

The Government leader said the growing Vietnam-US relations, which have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation across all fields, particularly science-technology, innovation, high-quality human resource training, semiconductors, and digital transformation.

He suggested that the Silicon Valley giant voice support calling for the US’s early recognition of Vietnam's market economy and removal of the Southeast Asian nation from its high-tech export restriction list.

The PM affirmed that Vietnam creates all favorable conditions, accompanies, and supports enterprises, including foreign-invested ones, to operate effectively and sustainably in the country, according to VNA.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and visiting CEO of Apple Tim Cook in Hanoi on April 16 (Photo: VNA)

Appreciating Apple's significant contribution to Vietnam's development, Chinh expressed his wish for the conglomerate to expand investment cooperation with Vietnam, helping the country participate more deeply in its domestic and global production, supply, and value chains based on the spirit of harmonious interests and shared risks.

The Vietnamese Government is ready to cooperate with Apple to establish a task force facilitating such expansion, the leader said, with his guest expressing the company’s willingness to participate.

Chinh went on suggesting Apple enhance support and advice to Vietnam in sci-tech development and innovation, promote cooperation and linkage with innovation centers and software parks in Vietnam, and offer scholarships for Vietnamese students in IT, programming, electronics, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI). He called upon the tech giant to assist Vietnam in training high-quality engineers, including 50,000 ones for the semiconductor industry.

Impressed by Vietnam's development process and the presence of Apple products in the country, Cook told his host that there is still significant room for cooperation between the sides, and better results can be achieved in the future.

With two legal entities in Vietnam, over 70 manufacturing partners producing original equipment, 40 distribution partners, and over 5,000 authorized stores, Apple has provided jobs for about 200,000 workers.

Apple hopes to further strengthen investment activities in the country, particularly in developing high-tech products and applications, said the CEO.

He noted Apple is ready to cooperate with Vietnam in energy transition toward net-zero emissions by 2050, and to participate in exporting Vietnamese cultural values to the world through its products and applications on the App Store.

Vietnam named among 10 best places for solo female travelers in Asia

12Go, a Singapore-based online travel agency, has announced a list of the 10 best places for solo female travelers to visit in Asia this year, with Vietnam ranking sixth overall.

For women traveling solo, Vietnam offers a vibrant experience. Indeed, major urban hubs such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang have a lot to see, such as bustling markets, temples mixed with serene nature, and much more, VOV reported.

Vietnam is among best places in Asia for solo female travelers in 2024. (Photo: congluan.vn)

With a well-trodden tourist route stretching from the capital of Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh in the south, the country boasts a range of mountains, beaches, and islands, as well as some of the region’s best cuisine, 12Go reported.

Elsewhere, Thailand tops the list with places like Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Chiang Rai being great cultural destinations. This is followed by Cambodia which boasts top destinations such as Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and Siem Reap.

Rounding off the top three is Indonesia, where destinations such as the Gili Islands, Bali, and Sanur offer unique beach holidays.

The others to make the top 10 include the Philippines, Laos, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Malaysia.

This list is based on internal ticket data collected by 12Go. To determine the best destinations in Asia, the company analyzed tickets sold over the past six months for women traveling solo.

Vietnam Coast Guard, French navy's ship hold joint exercise

The Vietnam Coast Guard Region 2 High Command and frigate Vendémiaire of the French Navy held a joint maritime exercise on April 15.

During the training session, the two sides exchanged experience on anti-smuggling at sea and information sharing, fire prevention and control, maritime safety, anti-pollution measures and sea search and rescue operations.

This is the first time the Vietnam Coast Guard force has joined a training exercise at sea with the French ship’s crew, cited VNA.

A working delegation of the Coast Guard Region 2 High Command, and officers and sailors of frigate Vendemiaire exchange experiences on anti-smuggling at sea. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Frigate Vendémiaire of the French Navy docked at Tien Sa port, Da Nang, on April 11, beginning a five-day visit to the central city.

During their stay, the crew members paid a courtesy visit to leaders of the city and took part in a volleyball competition with the High Command of Navy Region 3. Besides, they visited renowned landscapes in Da Nang, Hue and Quang Nam.

Departing from Noumea in New Caledonia on February 29, Vendémiaire has performed several maritime patrol missions with several ASEAN countries and Australia.

The frigate measures 93 meters in length and accommodates a crew of approximately 100 along with a Dauphin-type helicopter.

Vietnam gains achievements in promoting human rights

Vietnam's National Report under the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism highlights the nation’s development achievements in various sectors.

The report was announced at an international press conference that took place in Ha Noi on April 15.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet said, among the 241 recommendations accepted in the third cycle, Vietnam has successfully fulfilled 209, accounting for 86.7 percent; partially met 30 others, or 12.4 percent. Two others are slated for fulfillment at an appropriate time.

From 2019-November 2023, the nation continued its efforts to build a rule-of-law state with the adoption of 44 laws, many of them are significant in terms of human and civil rights.

The country also joined the International Labor Organization (ILO)'s Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention No.98 and ILO's Abolition of Forced Labor Convention No. 105, cited VGP.

Press conference launching Viet Nam's National Report under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, Ha Noi, April 15, 2024. Photo: VNA

Vietnam also engaged in negotiations and formally joined the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).

Since 2009, its GDP per capita has increased by 25 percent while the poverty rate has been decreasing by 1.5 percent annually. Health insurance coverage has risen from over 81 percent in 2016 to 92 percent in 2022.

The rate of households using clean water has reached 98.3 percent, up nearly 1 percentage point compared to 2018.

As of September 2023, there were 78 million Internet users in Vietnam, which marked a 21 percent growth from 2019. The number of mobile broadband subscriptions reached 86.6 million, up 38 percent from 2019.

About 72,000 associations are actively operating in Vietnam, playing a significant role in addressing key socio-economic issues.

UPR is one of the most important mechanisms of the UNHRC. Its role is to review the human rights situation in all UN member states and thereby foster the full enforcement of their human rights obligations based on the principles of dialogue, equal cooperation, objectivity and transparency.

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