Representatives of the VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the National Research University Higher School of Economics University (HSE) sign a collaboration agreement. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Russia bolster education, training collaboration

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son is leading a delegation on a working visit to Russia from April 15-20 to bolster education and training collaboration between the two countries.

On April 16, the delegation met with officials of Russia’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education led by Deputy Minister Konstantin Mogilevskyi.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the signing of a new agreement in education and training cooperation, expansion of activities of the Puskin Institute of Russian Language (HFIRL) in Vietnam, university alliance between Vietnam and Russia and research collaboration.

The Russian side said it is considering the granting of scholarships for Vietnamese students to study science-technology and information technology in Russia, among others, cited VNA.

Deputy minister Son also informed that Vietnam will grant 75 scholarships for Russian students in 2024.

On the same day, the delegation visited some top universities in Russia, including the National Research University Higher School of Economics University (HSE) and Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI).

On the occasion, the Vietnamese delegation also held an exchange with Vietnamese students in Russia.

Petrol prices up again to exceed VND25,000 per liter in latest adjustment

The retail prices of petrol were revised up to more than VND25,000 per liter from 3pm on April 17 by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and the Ministry of Finance.

The latest price review saw E5RON92 rise by VND378 per liter to a maximum of VND24,226 per liter, while the price of RON95-III edged up by VND416 per liter to VND25,237 per liter.

In contrast, the price of diesel oil dropped by VND164 to VND21,446 per liter while kerosene was capped at no more than VND21,416 per liter, down VND178 per liter.

Meanwhile, mazut oil 180CST 3.5S was sold at VND17,206, up VND198 per kilogramme compared to the previous price adjustment a week ago, VOV reported.

Photo: VOV

The ministries decided not to use the petrol and oil price stabilization fund for this price adjustment.

Since the beginning of the year, petrol prices have undergone 16 adjustments, with 10 times up, and 6 times down.

The prices were adjusted one day earlier than scheduled as April 18 this year that is originally used by the two ministries to announce the new retail oil and petrol prices coincides with the national day that marks the death anniversary of Hung Kings believed to be the founders of the Vietnamese nation.

Foreign purchasers show interest in five product groups of Vietnam

Foreign hypermarkets, retail distributors and international buying groups registering to join the Vietnam International Sourcing 2024 have shown interest in five groups of Vietnamese products, namely foodstuff, textiles and fashion accessories; shoes, backpacks, bags and accessories; sporting goods and equipment; and household appliances and furniture.

According to the Vietnam International Sourcing 2024 organizing board, the purchasers are making detailed procurement lists of those five product groups from potential Vietnamese suppliers.

The Vietnam International Sourcing 2024, slated for June 6-8 in Ho Chi Minh City, expects 10,000 participants, including 300 international delegations from 30 countries and territories.

Ta Hoang Linh, Director of the European-American Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) said that this year, the event has drawn attention from many major distributors and purchasing businesses from all over the world, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, France, England, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Latvia, Japan, Korea China, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong (China), India, Australia, and New Zealand.

Particularly, with the rebound of the domestic textile, garment, and footwear industries, international businesses’ demand to find partners in this field in Vietnam has increased dramatically since the beginning of the year, according to VNA.

Shoppers at Big C Thang Long supermarket in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

According to the European-American Market Department, among the hundreds of international purchasing delegations expected to "land" in Vietnam in June, many have expressed their desire to find sustainable partners in the fields of textiles, garments, and footwear.

Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs show that textile and garment exports in the first quarter of 2024 reached 9.57 billion USD, up 9.1% over the same period in 2023. Meanwhile, the leather, footwear and handbag group in the first three months of this year earned export revenue of 5.69 billion USD, an increase of 10.5% compared to the same time last year.

Sporting goods and equipment, including treadmills, also attract the attention of hypermarket systems and distribution companies who are seeking domestic suppliers. This is also an industry where Vietnamese businesses have many advantages. In last year’s event, some domestic firms signed contracts to provide their products to more than 100 shops of Falabella – the biggest retailer in Latin America.

Besides, the group of household appliances and furniture, including products from wood, rubber, plastic, and handicrafts, has continued to receive increasing attention from international buyers.

For example, Mexico's Coppel Group currently needs to import up to 500,000 car tires annually. This famous retailer has also shown special interest in Vietnam's clothes, shoes, technology accessories, and household furniture.

At a recent seminar held by the MoIT for distributors, head of Walmart's new supplier development department in Vietnam Nguyen Duc Trong said that Vietnam is currently a strategic purchasing location for the firm, adding that Vietnam is among the firm’s top five suppliers in the world and the second biggest in Asia. Vietnam supplied goods worth about 7 billion USD in 2023 to the Walmart system with more than 10,500 supermarkets in 19 countries around the world.

Meanwhile, a representative from AEON said that the firm will send its purchasing delegations from Japan, China, Hong Kong (China) and Malaysia to Vietnam for the Vietnam International Sourcing 2024.

Czech Senate President values Vietnam's potential position

President of the Czech Senate Miloš Vystrčil highly valued Vietnam's economic potential and increasing position in the region at his reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Duong Hoai Nam in Prague on April 16 (local time).

He stated that the policy of developing relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam, has received due attention and was actively implemented by Czech senior leaders to meet the aspirations and need for stronger cooperation between the two countries by the European Union's Indo-Pacific Strategy.

He expressed his desire to develop bilateral parliamentary relations, emphasizing the need for coordination and mutual support at regional and multilateral inter-parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP).

Also, he agreed that there should be a document on the direction of cooperation between the two countries' parliaments in the coming time, including considering the possibility of establishing a cooperation and information exchange mechanism between their specialized agencies and the friendship parliamentarians' groups of the two countries.

Image caption: President of the Czech Senate Miloš Vystrčil (R) receives Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam. Photo: VNA

Besides, to promote cooperation in economics, trade, tourism, education and training, labor, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, the two sides need to take advantage of their senior leaders' support to soon open a direct air route between Ha Noi and Prague.

He assessed the success of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic as a model of foreign communities' capacity for rapid integration and practical contributions to the Czech Republic's socio-economic development, cited VGP.

For his part, Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam affirmed that Vietnam always wishes to further deepen its traditional friendship and cooperation with the Czech Republic towards the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1950 - 2025).

The diplomat said that maintaining delegation exchanges at all levels, incredibly high-level visits will strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, thus bringing the bilateral relations to a new height.

He noted that there remains an ample room for bilateral collaboration in the defense industry, mechanical manufacturing, mining, education - training, tourism and agriculture, proposing the Senate President help promote cooperation in specific fields such as labor, signing a cooperation agreement on education for a new period, and establishing a Vietnamese cultural center in the Czech Republic.

The Ambassador thanked the Senate and the Senate President for their support for the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

He hopes that the Czech Republic will continue to create favorable conditions for the community of nearly 100,000 Vietnamese people to integrate well and contribute positively to the host society.

Phu Day festival honors traditional folk cultural values

Thousands of visitors and pilgrims have flocked to the 2024 Phu Day Festival, which was held in the northern province of Nam Dinh from April 11-16.

The six-day festival featured numerous traditional rituals including an incense offering ceremony at the main temple (Tien Huong), recitals of Buddhist scriptures at Van Cat Temple and torchlight procession at Tien Huong temple.

In addition, a wide variety of cultural and artistic events as well as folk games were organized on the occasion, such as Chau Van (ceremonial singing), lion and dragon dances, arts performances at Cay Da Bong Temple, a ‘co nguoi’ (human chess) competition, wrestling, and tug-of-war, cited NDO.

A dragon dance performance at the 2024 Phu Day Festival (Photo: Truong Huy)

The festival is one of the unique folk cultural activities, contributing to enriching the traditional culture of the country.

The event is held annually to honor Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh, one of the four immortals in Vietnamese folklore.

The Phu Day historical and cultural relic site comprises nearly 20 pagodas, temples, and palaces. In addition to performing spiritual activities to pray for a better life, visitors to the festival had the chance to enjoy the unique architecture of this relic site, which is considered the birthplace of Chau Van.

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