At the signing ceremony (Source: tienphong.vn)

Vietnam, RoK extend duration of youth exchange cooperation pact

Hoang Quoc Long, head of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ youth affairs department, and Lee In-hyuk, Director-General of the Korean Foundation (KF) ASEAN Culture House, signed an extension of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in youth-related experience sharing and exchanges in Hanoi on December 14.

Accordingly, the duration of the pact, signed on December 25, 2019, has been adjusted to last until December 31, 2027, instead of the end of 2024 as previously. Other terms remain in effect.

Long stated that this modification is crucial, providing a legal basis for both parties to actively and effectively continue conducting the cooperation program. The signing ceremony is of great significance, demonstrating the efforts and responsibilities in maintaining and developing their sustainable cooperative relationship, cited VNA.

He requested the KF to further support and create conditions for Vietnamese delegations to visit and work in the Republic of Korea (RoK), ensuring the objectives that program set forth.

In response, Lee hoped that by its new due date, the memorandum will be further extended and that the ministry will continue organizing delegations of young leaders and intellectuals to the RoK in the near future.

Due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the three years of 2020, 2021, and 2022, both sides were unable to implement the memorandum. In 2023, they finally organized the first delegation exchange of young leaders and intellectuals in accordance with their commitment.

Vietnam values comprehensive partnership with Venezuela

Phan Dinh Trac, chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs, hosted a reception on December 14 for Venezuelan Agriculture and Land Minister Wilmar Castro Soteldo, who is currently visiting the nation for the first International Rice Festival 2023.

During the course of their meeting, Trac affirmed the country’s unwavering policy attaching importance to the traditional solidarity with the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and the comprehensive partnership that exists with the Latin American nation. He said that the Vietnamese side is willing to share experiences and create favorable conditions for expanding agricultural co-operation between the two nations, VOV reported.

Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs Phan Dinh Trac (R) welcomes Venezuelan Agriculture and Land Minister Wilmar Castro Soteldo. (Photo: VNA)

He added that the Venezuelan guest’s working visit is a practical activity aimed at promptly realizing the consensus of high-ranking leaders of the two parties and two countries, thereby further fostering the joint comprehensive partnership, especially in strategic cooperation fields such as agriculture.

He greatly valued a range of practical measures agreed upon by the two countries’ agriculture ministers aimed at resuming and speeding up agricultural cooperation programs, as well as the signing of co-operation agreements in wet rice production which the Vietnamese side has strength and experience in, with both sides having a high demand for collaboration.

For his part, Minister Soteldo, who is also a member of the PSUV’s national political council, expressed his admiration of the important achievements the country has recorded across its Doi Moi (renewal) process, as well as several miracle achievements of the Vietnamese agriculture sector in particular.

He went on to call Vietnamese agriculture one of the largest rice producers in the world at ensuring food security.

Vietnam has shared experience and co-operation models, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in agricultural development and processing of agricultural products, especially rice, coffee, and seafood, he added.

First Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange takes place

The first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange was held on December 14 in the tri-border area that comprises Ngoc Hoi district in Vietnam’s Central Highland province of Kon Tum, Laos’ Attapeu province, and Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province as well as in Kon Tum city.

Minister of National defense of Vietnam General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National defense of Laos General Chansamone Chanyalath, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National defense of Cambodia General Tea Seiha co-chaired the event.

At the tri-border area, Minister Giang chaired the welcoming ceremony for the defense Ministers of Laos and Cambodia. They together saluted, painted sovereignty markers, and witnessed the participation of the three countries’ border guard forces in a joint patrol and inspection of the border markers in the tri-border area. The ministers also planted friendship trees and visited and presented gifts to the Be Van Dan primary school in Ngoc Hoi district.

Later, the annual meeting between the defense ministers of the three countries took place in Kon Tum city. On the occasion, several defense cooperation documents between the three countries were signed.

The three ministers agreed that over the past time, the defense ministries of the three countries have coordinated closely and effectively to implement the common perception of the three countries' senior leaders on military and defense cooperation, according to VNA.

Front, from right: Minister of National Defense of Vietnam General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Laos General Chansamone Chanyalath, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Cambodia General Tea Seiha stand in front of the border marker at the border T-junction of the three countries on December 14 (Photo: VNA)

Their coordination has generated practical results, particularly the maintenance of the annual meeting between the three ministers of defense – a mechanism established in 2012. In addition, the three countries' militaries conducted joint rescue exercises in Laos in 2022, and held a joint military medical exercise to respond to non-traditional security challenges within the framework of the exchange this year.

The ministers affirmed that, with the joint efforts of the three countries, the recent border situation has stayed stable, and the border lines and the system of border markers have been well protected. Security and order in border areas are ensured, arising incidents have been promptly detected and handled well. The lives of people in border areas have been improved while socio-economic development has been combined with ensuring security and defense.

The ministers agreed to focus cooperation in the time ahead on strengthening political trust, effectively utilizing available cooperative mechanisms, diversifying joint activities, especially those among their border guard forces and border military zones.

They concurred to continue supporting each other at international and regional multilateral forums, and affirmed the joint resolve of the defense ministries and armed forces of the three countries to stay united and continue to actively contribute to the central role of ASEAN as well as ASEAN's common stance on regional security issues.

Minister Giang noted that the first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange will contribute to promoting political trust and cooperation among the armies of the three countries in general and substantive collaboration among their border guard forces in particular, as well as economic development and people-to-people exchange in border areas.

The defense Ministers of Laos and Cambodia reiterated their firm commitment to strengthening the traditional friendship and good neighborliness among the three countries.

On this occasion, Minister Giang invited Minister Chansamone Chanyalath and Minister Tea Seiha to attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam People's Army and the second Vietnam International defense Expo 2024 that is slated for December 2024 in Hanoi.

Vietnam and Thailand drawn together at 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup finals

An official draw held at the headquarters of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Malaysia on December 14 sent Vietnam into the same group with Thailand in the final round of the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup.

According to the draw, Vietnam will play Myanmar, China, and hosts Thailand in Group A.

Group B consists of Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Australia.

Kyrgyzstan have been drawn in Group C alongside strong rivals such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Tajikistan.

Elsewhere, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Afghanistan have been placed in Group D, cited VOV.

Photo: VOV

The tournament will be held from April 17 to April 28, 2024, in Thailand, with the four semi-finalists winning the right to compete in the global version of the tournament as the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup finals serve as the qualifying round of the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

The Vietnamese team has played in two Futsal World Cups before, in 2016 and 2020, reaching the knockout-stage in both tournaments. At the most recent Futsal World Cup, they ended their campaign in the round of 16.

Air ticket costs for Tet flights rise, carriers rush to lease aircrafts

Air tickets for the main routes during the Tet holiday are selling out, while airfares have been increasing. Air carriers are rushing to lease aircraft and increase transport capacity.

The airfares for 2024 Tet flights quoted by air carriers on December 11 continued to be high, while tickets for some routes are sold out. Many passengers are worried that they won’t be able to book tickets to return to their hometown this Tet holiday, while others have to rethink their travel plans, or book train tickets to save money.

The tickets for Vietnam Airlines’ flights available from February 8 to February 14, 2024, or the fifth day of the New Lunar Year, are surprisingly high. Passengers now can book tickets for Vietnam Airlines’ HCM City - Hanoi flights departing at night or early in the morning and though departure time is unfavorable, they still have to pay VND5.8 million for return tickets. If they want a more favorable departure time, they will have to pay VND7.2 million.

The good news is that there is still a high number of seats for passengers, because HCM City - Hanoi is the busiest route and air carriers provide many flights between the two largest cities, not only on Tet holiday but also on ordinary days. However, the bad news is that they have to pay one and a half or double the usual price.

Tickets for flights from HCM City to Vinh City (Nghe An) and Thanh Hoa are not easy to find. Passengers can only get tickets with departure at night. Economy tickets have sold out, and there are only business class tickets available.

An airfare of nearly VND7 million is now quoted for HCM City – Hai Phong flights, while there are only some Vietnam Airlines’ seats on HCM City – Van Don route on February 6, 8, 10, priced at VND6.75-8.238 million.

There are no more tickets for HCM City – Quy Nhon flights on peak days, December 6-8, but there are still some seats left on Vietnam Airlines’ and Bamboo Airways’ flights on February 9, priced at VND2.4 million.

The tickets for return flights after Tet, on February 13-16, 2024 are running out. Only several tickets are available at the high price of VND4.5 million.

Tickets are running out and getting more expensive day by day, especially flights from HCM City to Quy Nhon, Vinh, Thanh Hoa and Chu Lai (Quang Ngai).

Mai Thu Hong in Binh Thanh district, HCM City, estimated that her family of four members will have to pay VND 24-25 million to fly to Hanoi and VND 16 million if they take the SE8 train. She decided to buy train tickets, but the tickets were also out. Finally, the family will have to go by car, which will take far more time.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), travel demand always increases sharply on Tet days and favorable hours, so air tickets have become more expensive.

However, the watchdog agency said that the airfares quoted by airlines are not higher than the ceiling levels, and that the airfares for 2024 Tet flights are equal to those in 2023 Tet.

The problem is that high air travel demand is only seen in departure flights, while return flights don’t have that many passengers. Therefore, air carriers have to set high airfares to cover expenses of empty return flights, VNN reported.

Photo: VNN

The reports from air carriers show that booked seats on flights from HCM City to northern cities/provinces have accounted for 40-50 percent, while the figure is just 10 percent on flights back from northern cities/provinces to HCM City.

Another reason behind the high airfares this year, according to airlines, is the decrease in the number of airplanes. Only Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have kept their fleets stable, while Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines and Pacific Airlines all have scaled down their fleets.

Bamboo Airways, which is undergoing restructuring, for example, has reduced the number of airplanes from 30 to 15 (as of the end of October), while Pacific Airlines now has eight and Vietravel three airplanes.

In order to provide more flights during Tet days, Bamboo Airways has signed a contract on leasing two Airbus A320/A321, which will help increase transport capacity by 20 percent.

The air carrier has mostly increased the frequency of flights on key routes of Hanoi-HCM City, HCM City/Hanoi – Da Nang, and HCM City - Vinh/Thanh Hoa/Hai Phong.

Vietnam Airlines Group has announced that it will provide 550 flights with more than 100,000 seats. As such, 2.1 million seats will be available for 10,700 flights during Tet days, from January 25 to February 24.

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