Vietnam and Israel complete negotiations on VIFTA on April 2, 2023 after seven years. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam-Israel relations develop continuously over past three decades: Ambassador

Looking back on the 30-year journey of diplomatic relations, Vietnam and Israel, with mutual respect and trust, have achieved prideworthy cooperation achievements in the fields of politics, economy, trade and investment, making the two nations become each other's leading partner in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

The statement was made by Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung in his interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Tel Aviv, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties (July 12, 1993-2023).

Trung said that over the past three decades, the Vietnam-Israel relationship has experienced important development milestones. In 1993, Israel opened its embassy in Hanoi, and in 2009, Vietnam inaugurated its embassy in Tel Aviv. The moves did not only mark a dramatic change in political relations, but also haold great significance in promoting bilateral cooperation in other fields.

The two sides have maintained and stepped up the exchange of all-level delegations since 1996, and are preparing for an Israel visit by a Vietnamese high-ranking leader on the occasion of the 30th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties.

The two countries signed many cooperation agreements in different fields, including the Framework Agreement on Economic, Scientific, Technical, Agricultural and Trade Cooperation (1996); the Financial Cooperation Protocol (2007), the Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic passports (2009), the agreement on double taxation avoidance and prevention of tax evasion on income and property taxes, and the Air Transport Agreement (2020). They are also aiming to sign the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA) as they have just completed negotiations on this deal after seven years.

Israel currently ranks third in the list of Vietnam's export markets in West Asia and is Vietnam's fifth largest trading partner, with two-way trade hitting 2.2 billion USD last year, cited VNA.

Cooperation activities in the fields of science and technology, smart agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges have also been held, contributing to consolidating and developing the bilateral friendship and cooperation, promoting mutual understanding, as well as providing learning opportunities and increasing travel frequency for their people.

In the coming time, the Vietnamese Embassy will exert efforts to organise activities in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, considering it a chance to continue popularising the positive image of Vietnam and people in the Middle East country.

The image of a friendly Vietnam will be the most sustainable foundation for the bilateral political and economic relations to continue developing to new heights, Trung said.

It will also continue to accompany people, businesses and localities in economic diplomacy activities; and promote efforts to create new breakthroughs in simplifying immigration procedures and travel routes between the two countries to facilitate the travel of investors, businessmen, and tourists.

The diplomat considered science and technology as a priority and one of pillars in bilateral cooperation in the coming time, especially in areas related to new economic trends and in line with Vietnam’s development strategy, including sustainable development, digital transformation, green economy, and circular economy.

Vietnam vows to effectively implement SEANWFZ Plan of Action

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son has reaffirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment and resolve to effectively implement the Plan of Action of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), while addressing a SEANWFZ Commission meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 11.

Son emphasized the need to enhance the role of the treaty amid the current complicated context, and said Vietnam would work alongside ASEAN to encourage countries that possess nuclear weapons to join the SEANWFZ Protocol.

The participating ministers once again affirmed the political will of signatories to the treaty by maintaining the objective of SEANWFZ, as well as consultations and dialogues for a nuclear weapon free Southeast Asia.

They approved a document on joint initiatives of cooperation between ASEAN and the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL), contributing to enhancing the value of the SEANWFZ Treaty and promoting joint efforts against nuclear proliferation and disarmament.

Later the delegates attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ interface with representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), according to VOV.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attends a SEANWFZ Commission meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 11. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

They shared the view that promoting and ensuring human rights is the cross-cutting goal of the process of building the ASEAN Community.

The ministers emphasized that AICHR, with its assigned roles and tasks, needs to improve operational efficiency, and strengthen consultations and inter-sectoral dialogues to achieve workable solutions, for the best interests of the people and in line with the general interest of the entire region.

In his remarks, Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested that AICHR maintain a gradual approach in line with the interests of the countries, and deploy cooperation activities with partners in accordance with principles of ASEAN.

The two meetings are the first among a series of meetings that are taking place on the sidelines of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM 57) getting underway in Jakarta, Indonesia, from July 11-14.

Trang An planned to become attractive tourist site in the world

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 10 issued a decision on approving the task of formulating a planning project to preserve and restore the special national landscape site of Trang An - Tam Coc - Bich Dong in the northern province of Ninh Binh, with the aim of turning the complex into one of the most attractive tourism sites of Vietnam and the world.

The planning project covers 9,663 ha of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex which was designated as a dual UNESCO World Heritage site for its natural and cultural values in 2014.

The work aims to preserve outstanding global values of the heritage, realize strategies and development orientations of the province, and fulfill Vietnam's commitment to UNESCO in conserving and promoting heritage values; conserving heritage in harmonious combination with sustainable development, cited VNA.

Trang An planned to become attractive tourism site in the world. (Photo: VNA)

In addition, the planning will zone off the area for relic protection, determine functions and ratio of land use for different areas, arrange technical infrastructure system suitable to stages of conservation and promotion of the value of the complex while promoting investment resources as well as role of the community in conservation, embellishment and promotion of heritage values.

Accordingly, the planning project will include research, survey, determine visions, goals and principles; forecast and determine development targets; develop landscape architecture and tourism promotion orientations, among others.

Optimistic signs for Vietnamese aviation market by year-end

The domestic aviation market is set to continue to grow in the second half of 2023, while the international market is expected to recover at a faster rate than the initial months of the year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

The latest CAAV statistics show the total number of passengers during the first half of the year stood at an estimated 34.7 million, up 49.6% year on year.

Of the figure, international passengers hit 14.7 million, representing a five-fold rise, while domestic travelers reached 20 million, marking a drop of 3.4% year on year.

Vietnamese airlines are currently operating more than 650 flights a day on 66 routes connecting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang with 19 other airports nationwide.

At present, some 52 foreign airlines and five Vietnamese airlines are exploiting the international air routes.

Some markets including Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia have recorded high growth of between 10% and 30% compared to the pre-pandemic period, while other markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and especially India have all witnessed a fast recovery, cited VOV.

Photo: VOV

However, CAAV director Dinh Viet Thang pointed out that some traditional markets such as China, Hong Kong (China), Macau (China), and the Republic of Korea have seen a slower recovery rate.

The domestic aviation market is projected to continue thriving by between 7% and 10% ahead in the remainder of the year, while the international aviation market will bounce back at a faster rate than that recorded earlier this year, Thang said.

The air transport market is anticipated to reach approximately 76.3 million passengers this year, he added.

However, the aviation market still faces a number of difficulties such as the tightened spending of domestic tourists, the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict, the devaluation of the Japanese Yen, and China's policies to encourage domestic tourists.

These factors will reduce the flow of foreign visitors to Vietnam, Thang noted.

Vietnamese carriers prepare to broadcast 5G to the masses

The Military Industry-Telecoms Group (Viettel) said it will broadcast 5G services on a large scale in the third quarter of this year.

Viettel reportedly achieved VND81 trillion (US$) revenue, equivalent to 101.2 percent of its six-month plan.

Its profit reached VND24.1 trillion, or approximately 102 percent of the plan, and paid VND21.6 trillion to the State budget.

Viettel has actively shifted 2G and 3G subscribers to 4G, bringing the ratio of 4G subscribers to nearly 78 percent. It has also tested 5G services in 55 provinces and cities.

Viettel noted that it is on schedule to complete the mass 5G rollout. It has completed the construction of 282 stations, of which 265 are fully deployed.

Viettel is currently testing 5G capacity and is expected to broadcast to a wide area in the third quarter of this year, VNS reported.

A 5G signal booster was installed by the military telecommunications group Viettel in Ha Noi. Photo: vnreview.vn

VNPT, a major competitor of the military's own telecoms company, had a total consolidated revenue estimated at VND26.32 trillion ($1.1 billion), of which the parent company's revenue is VND18.6 trillion ($782 million) equaling 47.1 percent of the year's plan.

VNPT's consolidated profit before tax was estimated at VND2.2 trillion ($92 million) in the first six months of this year, of which the parent company's pre-tax profit reached VND1.38 trillion ($58 million), equaling 49.7 percent of the year plan.

MobiFone, another major player in the telecoms industry, saw revenue estimated at VND13.5 trillion ($568 million) in the first six months of this year, reaching 89.3 percent of the same period last year.

Its profit before tax was VND1.56 trillion ($65 million), with contributions to the State budget estimated at VND1.35 trillion ($56 million).

However, the two carriers have not given information about their 5G development plans for the last six months of the year.

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