A cartridge showing a positive test result for COVID-19. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam closely monitors disease situation amid global COVID-19 reemergence

The Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine on January 16 asked localities nationwide to keep a close watch on the disease situation in the face of complex developments of infectious diseases, especially respiratory ones, around the world.

In December 2023, nearly 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 were reported worldwide while the number of hospitalized cases surged 42% from the previous month. New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus have continuously changed, and sub-variant JN.1 is spreading rapidly around the globe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The US, China, and some European countries have recorded the re-emergence of COVID-19 infections as well as the transmission of other respiratory illnesses like seasonal flu and respiratory syncytial virus.

In Vietnam, the northern region is now in the transitional period between winter and spring, when cold and dry weather is alternated with wet weather, triggering infectious diseases, especially respiratory ones. Meanwhile, the numbers of cases suffering from other infectious diseases like dengue fever, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and some others which have already had vaccines have also been on the rise in many places, the department pointed out.

It warned that the coming Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays and spring festive season, when trading and travel demand surges, along with abnormal weather changes are favorable conditions for diseases to spread, particularly among children with weak immunity and the elderly with comorbidities, who are more vulnerable to infectious diseases.

Given this, the Department of Preventive Medicine asked provincial-level departments of health to propose their provinces and cities’ administrations soon issue plans on infectious disease prevention and control for 2024. They were also told to engage all local sectors and socio-political organizations in the work, especially during Tet, cited VNA.

In particular, local health departments were demanded to order grassroots health units like disease control centers and preventive medicine bodies to keep a close watch on the disease situation and the increase in infections of respiratory illnesses and severe cases of viral pneumonia.

They need to maintain constant monitoring to detect infections early so as to make timely response, control transmission, and minimize severe cases and deaths, the Department of Preventive Medicine added, requesting the expanded programme on immunization be properly maintained.

Vietnam’s AI readiness index fifth in ASEAN, 59th globally

Achieving an overall score of 54.48 out of 100, Vietnam ranked fifth among ASEAN countries and 59th globally in the 2023 Government Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Index.

The annual index report released by the UK’s Oxford Insights in collaboration with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) aims to measure the preparedness of governments to implement AI in the delivery of public services to their citizens.

Accordingly, Oxford Insights ranked a total of 193 countries, up from 181 in the previous year’s iteration.

The index calculation is based on 39 factors across 10 dimensions, which make up three pillars - the government, the technology sector, and data and infrastructure.

The 10 dimensions include vision, governance and ethics, digital capacity, adaptability, maturity, innovation capacity, human capital, infrastructure, data availability, and data representativeness, according to VOV.

Vietnam ranks fifth among ASEAN countries in the 2023 Government Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Index.

The United States led the index overall with 84.80 points, largely thanks to being unmatched in the technology sector.

Second place went to Singapore with 81.97 points, which was followed by the UK, Finland, and Canada, in that order.

The rankings saw East Asia, which includes 17 countries, earn 51.41 points to rank fourth out of nine, surpassing South and Central Asia, and the Pacific

In 2021, the Vietnamese Government issued a national strategy on the research, development, and application of AI up to 2030 with a view to gradually turning the country into an innovation and AI hub in ASEAN and around the world.

Vietnam aims to be among four leading countries in ASEAN and 50 globally in terms of AI research, development, and application by 2030. It will strive to build 10 prestigious AI trademarks in the region; and develop three major national data and high-performance computing centers.

After two years of implementation, the country has achieved significant results with a number of AI products used in all sectors nationwide.

Vietnam eyes improvement in global tourism development rankings

Vietnam has set a target to climb at least two places in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) by 2025.

Under a recently-issued resolution on tasks and measures to improve the business climate and national competitive capacity, the Government expects to move up at least five positions in the Prioritisation of Travel and Tourism index and three in the Tourist Service Infrastructure index in 2024.

According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to realize the set goals, the tourism sector should pay due attention to preservation work, investment in air infrastructure, and stabilization of tourism service prices.

Besides, focus will be placed on improving the environmental sustainability, tourist service infrastructure, health and hygiene indexes, while breakthroughs should be made to the Prioritisation of Travel and Tourism index to better the sector’s competitive edge and meet the development requirements of this spearhead economic sector.

The sector suggested the Government continue issuing policies to facilitate tourism development, including the establishment of tourism promotion offices in foreign countries, extension of unilateral visa exemption, and simplification of immigration procedures, VNA reported.

The poetic landscape in Huu Lung district of northern Lang Son province. The locality has been a hotspot of community tourism over the past time. (Photo: VNA)

A report from the WEF showed that Vietnam’s tourism climbed eight places in the TTDI between 2019 and 2021, making it one of the three biggest improvers in the world.

Vietnam experienced the greatest score improvement, rising by 4.7% to leap from 60th to 52nd on the overall index. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia also had great improvements in the ranking, with an increase of 3.4% to the 32nd place and 2.3% to the 33rd place, respectively, the report said.

The improved rankings resulted from its achievements in COVID-19 prevention, measures of safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic, and continuous efforts to develop safe tourism.

Vietnam keen to explore more free trade advantages

Inspired by recovering goods export activities since the remaining months of 2023, the Vietnamese government will expand markets to boost shipments this year and beyond.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) last week reported that Vietnam’s export landscape has been on an uptrend since last year’s Q3.

The on-year export turnover in 2023 is estimated to stand at $355.5 billion, down 4.4 per cent on-year. However, the figure for December is estimated to reach US$32.91 billion, up 13.1 per cent on-year, with Vietnamese exporters earning US$9.44 billion – up 18.5 per cent and foreign companies fetching US$23.47 billion – up 11.1 per cent.

In Q4, the on-year export value is estimated to sit at US$96.5 billion, up 8.8 per cent on-year. The figure in Q3 was US$94.6 billion, down slightly 1.2 per cent on-year, and an average of US$82.2 in Q1 and Q2.

Fuelled by this uptrend, the MoIT has set a target that in 2024, the total export turnover will increase 6 percent on-year, meaning a figure of US$376.8 billion – with a trade surplus of US$15 billion.

In 2023, the economy recorded a trade surplus of up to US$28 billion, meaning Vietnam has achieved such an achievement for eight years in a row.

“Export activities have begun to see recovery signals since the remaining months of 2023. In 2024, together with the effective exploitation of existing free trade agreements (FTAs), the conclusion of negotiations of and implementation of deals with new markets such as Israel and the United Arab Emirates will provide more opportunities for us to boost trade and investment of Vietnam,” said the MoIT.

At present, the ministry is completing dossiers to submit to the government for approving the Vietnam-Israel FTA. Both nations will promulgate action programmes with concrete schemes on tariff reduction and removal under roadmaps.

The agreement aims to remove obstructions to most trade activities and to promote bilateral trade between Vietnam and Israel. Impediments can be in the form of tariffs, import quotas, other non-tariff barriers such as technical standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary standards, VIR reported.

“What is more, the fine political relationship strengthened and upgraded with major partners such as China, the US, and the EU will lay a firm foundation for amplifying Vietnam’s economic, trade, and investment ties,” the MoIT said.

The Vietnamese government in 2024 will continue seeking more opportunities for Vietnamese exports. It will boost the negotiations and signing of FTAs and deals on trade connectivity with new potential partners such as the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) to diversify markets and supply chains.

During an official visit to Brazil last October, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that an FTA between Vietnam and Mercosur would “lead to breakthroughs in economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, bringing substantial benefits to businesses and peoples of both sides”.

The Vietnamese leader also proposed that Vietnam and Mercosur – which comprises Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay – would soon begin negotiations on the FTA.

The government will also continue supporting enterprises to take advantage of commitments in FTAs through providing consultancy on rules of origin and certificates.

Vietnam will also ensure the speed of negotiations on upgrading the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, the ASEAN-Canada FTA, and a deal between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association based on a principle of ensuring Vietnam’s benefits.

The MoIT will also combine with other ministries to study possibilities to negotiate FTAs with other potential partners such as Qatar, Turkey, South Africa, and Nigeria.

Fine arts contest honors Vietnamese cultural heritage

With 839 works by 494 painters from 55 provinces and cities around the country, the contest themed “Vietnamese cultural heritage through fine arts” featured many high-quality works with unique creativity, attracting the attention of many viewers.

The Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association held a ceremony at Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on January 16 to present awards to artists with outstanding works and open an exhibition titled “Vietnamese cultural heritages through fine arts”.

The contest was launched in May 2023 for fine art lovers, young artists, and students from universities and colleges specializing in fine arts and cultural and art schools nationwide, as well as Vietnamese students abroad.

Painter Lai Lam Tung is honored with the Award of Excellence. Photo: NDO

The contest also offered an opportunity for young artists to learn about and express their love for cultural heritages through their ideas and creativity, thus contributing to preserving and honoring the nation's valuable heritages and spreading the love for heritages among young generations, NDO reported.

The organizing board presented awards to 30 outstanding works including one Award of Excellence, one first prize, two second prizes, four third prizes, and 22 consolation prizes.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Do Van Tru, Chairman of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, said most of the works have closely followed the contest’s theme and reflect the beauty, diversity, and uniqueness of the cultural heritages.

The works were also created in different materials, including oil, lacquer, prints, synthetic materials, and wood carving, he added.

Associate Professor. Dr. Do Van Tru also said that the contest is expected to be held biennially. The next edition will take place in 2025, with the same mechanisms, structure, and prize value.

According to painter Le Huy Tiep, the submitted works covered very diverse themes, expressing both tangible and intangible forms of cultural heritage.

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