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Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son holds talks in Hanoi on August 25 with his Chilean counterpart Alberto Van Klaveren. (Photo: VNA)

Foreign Minister holds talks with Chilean counterpart

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son held talks in Hanoi on August 25 with his Chilean counterpart Alberto Van Klaveren, who is on an official visit to Vietnam from August 25 - 27.

At the talks, the two ministers informed each other about the situation in each country, exchanged directions and measures to strengthen the Vietnam - Chile comprehensive partnership, and discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern.

FM Son affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the traditional friendship with Chile, the first country in South America to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam on March 25, 1971.

He expressed his delight at the development of the comprehensive partnership, especially the bilateral economic and trade relations with trade exceeding 2 billion USD.

Chile continues to be Vietnam's 4th largest trading partner in Latin America and Vietnam continues to be Chile's biggest trading partner in ASEAN, cited VNA.

Son said Vietnam wishes to deepen relations with Chile in the fields of politics-diplomacy, economics-trade-investment, culture, education, science-technology, security-defense and people-to-people exchange, and backs Chile's steps to strengthen relations with ASEAN and the East Asia - Pacific region.

For his part, Van Klaveren expressed his pleasure to return to Vietnam as Foreign Minister of Chile. He expressed his admiration for the important achievements Vietnam has gained in its Doi Moi (renewal) process, national construction and development, and international integration.

He affirmed that the Chilean Government wishes to strengthen relations with Vietnam in its general policy towards the Asia-Pacific region, especially when Vietnam and Chile are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (2014-2024) and both recently became members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Chile wants to coordinate with Vietnam to beef up relations between the Pacific Alliance, which consists of Chile, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, and ASEAN.

The two sides discussed and agreed on a number of measures to further deepen the relationship between the two countries in the coming time, including coordinating to arrange and prepare high-level visits, effectively promoting the mechanisms of political consultation and the Vietnam-Chile free trade council, coordinating to remove obstacles in bilateral relations and facilitating market access for products of both sides.

They reviewed and agreed to promote and negotiate a number of cooperation agreements in the fields of trade, customs, agriculture, defense, security and law enforcement. The two ministers contested to maintain coordination and mutual support at international organizations and multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations.

Regarding international and regional issues of mutual concern, the two ministers also agreed to maintain coordination and support each other at international organization and multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations.

Discussing international and regional shared concern, they concurred that international disputes should be settled by peaceful measures on the basis of respect for international law, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.

Argentina, Vietnam boost political trust

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by Nguyen Trong Nghia, a Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee, paid a working visit to Argentina from August 21 to 24 with a view to consolidating political trust and create a foundation to continue stepping up cooperation between the two nations.

During the visit, Nghia, who is also the head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, held talks with Acting General Secretary of the Communist Party of Argentina Jorge Kreyness, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Uruguay Juan Castillo, and head of the international relations department of the Justicialist Party Jorge Taiana.

He also met with Vice Chairwoman of the Education Committee of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies Blanca Inés Osuna, Chairwoman of the Argentina-Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa, representatives of the Argentina-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group, and leaders of Buenos Aires province, according to VOV.

Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia holds talks with Acting General Secretary of the Communist Party of Argentina Jorge Kreyness.

During the meetings, Nghia showed his thanks for the solidarity, friendship and support of Latin American people, especially those of Argentina and Uruguay, in the past struggle for liberation and national reunification, as well as national building and safeguarding at present.

Nghia hailed achievements Vietnam has recorded after nearly four decades of carrying out the Doi Moi (renewal) process, affirming that the country continues to pursue its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of international relations, and attaches importance to developing traditional friendly and cooperative relations with neighboring countries, major countries and traditional countries, including Latin American nations.

Leaders of political parties and organizations from Argentina and Uruguay congratulated Vietnam on the success that the nation has reaped in the renewal process, as well as in the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, especially in socio-economic development.

The delegation also attended a conference on President Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam-Latin America relations, laid a wreath at the monument dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh in Buenos Aires, and visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina.

Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago recognized as World Geological Heritage

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) has recognized Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago in the northern province of Quang Ninh and neighboring Hai Phong City as a world geological heritage site, Associate Professor Dr Tran Tan Van, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), said on August 25.

According to Van, who has participated in compiling two world heritage dossiers related to outstanding global geological values, and directly prepared documents for the recognition of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago by the IUGS, the site, together with 99 others in 53 countries in world, is included on the IUGS's world geological heritage list thanks to the outstanding global values of geological history and karst geomorphology.

The IUGS is scheduled to announce a list of 100 newly-recognized geological heritage sites at the 37th International Geological Congress 2024 in Busan Republic of Korea, from August 25 to 31.

Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago includes all stages of the marine submergence of tropical karst as well as three main types of caves - ancient marine frog-jaw caves, ancient karst caves and frog-jaw caves. The Ha Long Bay represents the later stages of the marine subduction while the Cat Ba Archipelago adds important geological values to the heritage through its patterns of the terrestrial and intertidal stages.

In 1994, Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a world natural heritage site with outstanding universal aesthetic value. In 2000, Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage site for the second time with outstanding universal geological and geomorphological value.

On September 16, 2023, at the 45th Session of the World Natural Heritage Committee, the UNESCO recognized Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago as the first Vietnamese inter-provincial site as a world natural heritage site, reported VNA.

Ha long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh. (Photo: VNA)

The recognition of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago as an international geological heritage by the IUGS affirms the value of this heritage.

The appearance of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago and its unique and famous geological and geomorphological values today are the result of a regional tectonic movement that lasted more than 500 million years.

Ho Chi Minh City to set off fireworks on National Day

Fireworks will light up the sky of Ho Chi Minh City on September 2 to mark the 79th anniversary of the National Day (September 2, 1945-September 2, 2024).

Accordingly, high-altitude fireworks will be displayed at the Saigon River tunnel while low-altitude fireworks at Dam Sen cultural park from 9:00 PM to 9:15 PM on September 2, cited VGP.

Photo: VGP

In addition, art programs, including a boat race on the Saigon River and a special music gala on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. will be held on the same day.

A photo exhibition, organized by the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is underway from August 16 to September 6, featuring the history of the southern city and its development achievements in many fields.

Main streets around the southern metropolis will be colorfully decorated in celebration of National Day.

Vietnam's National Day holiday this year will take place from August 31 to September 3.

Da Nang tourism to be introduced in Malaysia

The Da Nang Department of Tourism will co-operate alongside 10 large enterprises to attend a program on August 27 in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia aimed at promoting local tourism.

Accordingly, the event will see the participation of 10 tourism businesses operating in the city and central region. They include Sun Group, Vinpearl, Vietnam Travelmart JSC, Viet Pilgrim Company Limited, Hoiana Resort & Golf, Visit Indochina, Wyndham Danang Golden Bay, Viet Pilgrim, Asian Companion Travel, Da Nang Dreamtrip, and Peony Edu Travel.

They will introduce a number of attractive tourism products and connect with nearly 100 major Malaysian travel companies, reported VOV.

Famous Dragon Bridge in the central city of Da Nang.

The move aims to boost Da Nang tourism to the Malaysian market, as well as creating opportunities for local tourism enterprises to seek business partners.

Most notably, within the framework of the scheme, Malaysia Airlines will announce its plan to open the Kuala Lumpur - Da Nang air route on September 24 with a frequency of seven flights per week, bringing the total number of airlines operating the air route to three with a frequency of 28 flights per week.

According to reports, Malaysia is among the top 10 international tourist markets of the central city. In the first seven months of the year, the central city welcomed 75,067 Malaysian tourists, almost reaching the level of the entirety of 2019.

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