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Nearly 100 foreign correspondents to cover Vietnam Party Congress online

Due to COVID-19 nearly 100 foreign correspondents have registered to virtually make coverage of the upcoming 13th congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, as reported by VOV.

The information was revealed by Le Manh Hung, deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, and head of the Press Centre of the upcoming Party Congress.

“This is the first time in history of the Party congresses, correspondents of foreign media agencies will give coverage of the event online due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hung told reporters at a press briefing at the press centre on January 18.

“We have invited 32 correspondents from 17 Party-run media agencies overseas, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have invited 67 correspondents from foreign media agencies to cover the event.”

Hung also added that as many as 474 reporters from 191 local media agencies and publications have registered to provide widespread coverage of the congress.

According to the director, preparations for the press centre have been basically completed. The centre has put forth specific programmes and scenarios to facilitate the operation of reporters.

PM demands strengthening air pollution control as air quality worsens

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has demanded subordinate levels strengthen air pollution control as air quality in many localities, particularly Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City has worsened.

Particularly, the Government chief tasked ministries and localities to immediately review and evaluate the implementation of regulations on dust and emission control right in the first half of 2021.

He asked for promptly enhancing air quality monitoring capacity to ensure that air will be monitored nationwide by 2025.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was tasked to review and report to the Prime Minister a roadmap for application of national emission standards for road motor vehicles in the fourth quarter this year.

The main causes to air pollution in Viet Nam come from exhaust of transport means, construction activities, industrial production, and low rate of trees in urban areas.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VNA)

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the most concerning air pollutant in Viet Nam. Another problem is dust from commercial and residential construction sites. Thousands of construction sites filled with trucks that are heavily loaded with sand and cement create perpetual dust storms.

In a bid to reduce air pollution, Prime Minister Phuc signed Decision No. 985a/QD-TTg in 2016 approving the National action plan on air quality management by 2020 with the vision to 2025.

The Decision outlines activities – including determining and keep an eye on pollution sources and monitoring air quality at all levels – which will inform actions towards air quality improvement, according to VGP.

Implementation of 2011 Party Platform produces important developments in theory, practice

The 13th National Party Congress will review the 2011-2020 implementation of the Political Platform (supplemented in 2011) and the socio-economic development strategy for 2011-2020, said Associate Professor Nguyen Viet Thong, Secretary General of the Central Theoretical Council, according to VNA.

According to Thong, the 10-year implementation of the Political Platform which was supplemented and developed in 2011 has resulted in the development in terms of both theory and reality.

It could be affirmed that the Platform remains a flag of ideology, combat and great national unity to build a strong country with rich people and equitable, democratic and civilized society, Thong said.

Former head of the Institute of Philosophy Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Chuan, who joined the drafting process of documents for the 7th National Party Congress, including the 1991 Platform on national construction in the period of transition to socialism, said that the 13th National Party Congress will make new contributions.

(Photo: VNA)

The 13th Congress will look at many issues regarding the country, the world, as well as the path Vietnam is taking to narrow the development gap with developed countries and maintain the socialist orientation.

He said documents to be submitted to the 13th Congress have summed up 45 years since the national liberation, and expressed his belief that the Platform will be implemented in the best manner.

Costa Rican man among two new COVID-19 cases

A Costa Rican man was among two latest COVID-19 cases confirmed Monday, raising the patient tally to 1,539.

Specifically, patient 1538 is a 28-year-old man in My Tho city of the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang.

He flew from the U.S. to the Republic of Korea and then took flight VN431 to the central city of Da Nang on January 13.

The patient is being treated at the Da Nang Hospital for Lung Diseases.

A nurse and a patient at a quarantine center for Covid-19 suspects and patients at Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam, February 5, 2020 (Photo: VNE)

Patient 1539 is a 59-year-old Costa Rican man who flew from the United Arab Emirates to Ha Noi on January 16 on flight KE394.

He is being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ha Noi’s Dong Anh District.

The same day, 22 patients were declared free of COVID-19, taking the total recoveries to 1,402.

So far, Viet Nam reported 35 COVID-19 fatalities, including 31 in Da Nang and three in Quang Nam Province, VFP said.

Four Vietnamese authors awarded Inoue Yasushi Prize

The third Inoue Yasushi Awards by the Japan Foundation and Inoue Yasushi Memorial Foundation honoured four Vietnamese authors on January 18 for their thesis on novels by Japanese writers.

In the researcher category, first prize went to Chau Hong Thao who produced an excellent thesis about two novels written by Haruki Murakami and Kazuo Ishiguro.

Second prize was awarded to local researcher Nguyen Huu Minh for his thesis on a novel written by Natsume Soseki, while Nguyen Anh Tuan received third prize for a thesis on a poem by Manyoshu.

In the student category, Nguyen Chi Anh claimed fourth prize for his thesis that compared the poetry of female poets Kokinshu and Manyoshu, according to VOV.

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