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EVFTA submitted to NA for ratification

(Photo: Vietnam Plus)

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh presented the State President’s proposal to the National Assembly for ratifying the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) at the opening sitting of the 14th National Assembly’s ninth session on May 20, according to VNA.

Signed in Hanoi on June 30, 2019, the EVFTA consists of 17 chapters, eight annexes, two protocols, two memoranda of understanding, and four joint statements. With its level of commitment, the deal is considered a comprehensive and high-quality agreement that guarantees the balance of interests between Vietnam and the EU and matches WTO regulations.

Vice President Thinh said that in terms of politics, national security, and diplomatic strategy, the deal reflects the strong determination of both sides to strengthen bilateral ties, thereby helping to develop relations in a more intensive and substantive manner.

Together with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the ratification and implementation of the EVFTA would affirm Vietnam’s commitments to the international free trade system, help promote negotiations of FTAs with other important partners, and mark an important stage in the country’s comprehensive and intensive international integration, she said.

ASEAN’s efforts against COVID-19 lauded

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has coped with COVID-19 quite well with Vietnam serving as the ASEAN Chair 2020, heard an online seminar held by the Centre for International Law (CIL) under the National University of Singapore on May 20, VNA reported.

Scholars and officials shared the view that apart from the pandemic combat, the grouping has made outstanding performance in balancing relations with its major partners.

(Photo: Vietnam Plus)

Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tao Thi Thanh Huong said Vietnam, in its capacity as the ASEAN Chair 2020, and other ASEAN member countries have taken prompt actions and closely coordinated and cooperated with each other, and with their partners in the fight against the pandemic.

It is the close coordination that has helped the countries contain the spread of the COVID-19, and ensure food security and safety, she stressed, adding it must be maintained in the post-pandemic recovery period and the implementation of the grouping’s goals.

Participating scholars also lauded Vietnam’s achievements in the pandemic combat, especially its prompt and drastic response.

Da Nang proposes to offer free tickets for tourists

The tourism industry based in the coastal city of Da Nang has put forward a range of tourism stimulus packages including exemptions for visitors to tourist attractions across the city, such as the Ngu Hanh Son landscape site, also known as the Marble Mountains, and museums for three months as part of a range of activities aimed at stimulating domestic tourism, VOV reported.

The Golden Bridge in Da Nang, Vietnam (Photo: Chic Vacation)

The proposal was originally made during a recent meeting held between members of the provincial Tourism Department as they devised plans to stimulate the domestic tourism industry in the post-pandemic period following the novel coronavirus.

With the added boost from tourism stimulus packages, the coastal city is expected to attract approximately 2.4 million visitors during the second half of the year, with total tourism revenue climbing to over VND9 trillion.

Vietnam gears up to export fresh lychee to Japan year-e

The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested that Japanese authorities move to seek solutions to facilitate the export of fresh lychee to the Far East country during this year’s harvest season, said Minister Tran Tuan Anh during a recent meeting held alongside Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio.

During the function, Minister Tran Tuan Anh expressed a desire for relevant Japanese agencies to be flexible when taking measures to recognise the nation’s lychee fumigation facilities and to facilitate the export of the first batch of fresh lychee to Japan later on this year.

(Photo: VNS)

The move comes following the Far East nation being unable to send their experts to the country in order to inspect and recognise the disinfection treatment system of fresh lychees that were set to be exported as a result of the impact of the recent novel coronavirus pandemic.

Minister Tuan Anh also extended his thanks to Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu along with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kajiyama Hiroshi for their close co-ordination with Vietnam in stepping up cooperation among ASEAN, Japan and India, in addition to devising flexible initiatives so as to speed up the negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), as reported by VOV.

Kovalevskaia Awards 2019 delivered to excellent Vietnamese female scientists

The central office of Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) yesterday held the Kovalevskaia Awards 2019 ceremony in Hanoi for individuals and groups of prominent Vietnamese female scientists.

SGGP news reported that Kovalevskaia Awards 2019 for the outstanding team was given to the group of female scientists working in the Influenza Laboratory of the Virology Department (the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology) thanks to their research on minimizing negative effects of influenza epidemics.

(Photo: Communist Party of Vietnam)

Associate Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Thu Ha, Head of the Institute of Forestry Research and Development (a member of Thai Nguyen University) won the title of the outstanding individual. She is well-known for her study on mass propagating 12 valuable medicine plants of Vietnam, which has been issued a protective certificate by the Government.

On this occasion, the organization board of Kovalevskaia Awards, Vietnam Association for Promoting Education, Vietnam Association for Intellectual Women delivered 5 scholarships to female students with excellent learning results.

Similarly, the central office of VWU presented 30 scholarships to female students suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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