Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Australia seek to reduce carbon emission

A workshop on using clean and renewable energy to reduce carbon emission was held in Hanoi on June 30.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Vietnamese Association of Intellectuals and Experts in Australia (VASEA), the Australian’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and University of Technology Sydney (UTS). It aimed to share challenges in reducing carbon emission, ensuring energy security and strengthening future collaboration in innovation ecosystems between scientists and institutions of the two countries.

Speaking at the event, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski highlighted the Australian Government's activities to reduce carbon and support Vietnam to promote the development of an innovative startup ecosystem and accelerate technology transfer in this regard.

He said that this is a chance for Australian and Vietnamese businesses to cooperate with each other. In the context that the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology is developing rapidly, clean energy and digital transformation have brought many cooperative opportunities for businesses of the two countries, cited VNA.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy emphasised that theme of the workshop is very meaningful as , Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the COP26 which took place in Glasgow, Scotland, said Vietnam would adopt drastic measures to reduce emissions with its own resources and support of the international community to meet the target of net-zero emission by 2050. Thus, he said, it is necessary for the sci-tech sector to work together to research, connect and learn from Australia's experience in technology transfer, and promote efficient energy transition, contributing to reducing carbon emission in the near future.

Presentations at the event focused on carbon reduction issues and goals, especially carbon-related electricity.

Australia used to strongly produce electricity from coal, but it had to shift to other resources and Vietnam is also gradually working towards this goal.

Like Vietnam, Australia has also committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, therefore the partnership between Vietnam and Australia, along with technology transformation, is expected to contribute to stronger promotion of energy transition to cut carbon emissions in the coming time.

Seminar marks 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in Russia

The Ho Chi Minh Institute under St Petersburg University organised an international workshop on June 30 as part of efforts to mark the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in Russia.

Upon addressing the hybrid event, Vladimir Mazyrin, director of the Centre for Vietnamese and ASEAN Studies at the Russian Academy of Science, recalled the late President’s 10-year stay in Europe. He added that the knowledge he gained contributed to the success of the Vietnamese August Revolution and building a state of democracy and independence, according to VOV.

Nguyen Ai Quoc (pseudonym of President Ho Chi Minh)(left, first row) and some delegates to the 5th Congress of the Communist International in Moscow, Russia, from June 17 to July 8, 1924. (File photo of VNA)

Nguyen Anh Tuan, second secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, noted that the country and the former Soviet Union, now Russia, have always stood side by side, recording numerous achievements in developing their time-honoured friendship, as well as in the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Participating Russian and Vietnamese scholars shared the view that President Ho Chi Minh creatively applied Marxism-Leninism to successfully lead the Vietnamese national liberation revolution and contribute to the bilateral relationship between both sides.

Vietnam welcomes nearly 5.6 million international visitors in H1

Vietnam welcomed nearly 5.6 million international visitors in the first half of this year, accounting for 66% of the figure the country recorded in 2019 before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Vietnam National Authority of Tourism – the new name of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism from July 1.

Regarding the level of recovery compared to before the pandemic, five markets saw growth including Cambodia (338%), India (236%), Laos (117%), Thailand (108.4%), and Singapore (107.4%), VNA reported.

Vietnam welcomes nearly 5.6 million international visitors in the first half of this year. (Photo: VNA)

Two markets with the growth close to their 2019 levels were the US (95%) and Australia (92%). In addition, the number of visitors to Vietnam from the Republic of Korea (RoK), the UK, Germany, and France all increased positively. However, the Chinese market only recovered 22.4% because China reopened group tours to Vietnam from March 15 this year.

The RoK remained the largest market of the Vietnamese tourism in the first half of 2023 with 1.6 million tourist arrivals, accounting for 28% of total international visitors to Vietnam. It was followed by China and the US.

Among the top ten markets of Vietnam tourism, four were in Northeast Asia - the RoK, China, Taiwan (China) and Japan, and three in Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Australia and India ranked ninth and tenth.

The UK, France, and Germany were the three biggest markets for Vietnam tourism in Europe. In addition, Vietnam attracted 62,000 Russian tourists in the reviewed period.

In 2023, Vietnam aims to welcome 110 million tourists including 8 million international visitors. The country expects to earn about 650 trillion VND (27.56 billion USD) from tourism.

Foreign media suggests trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam

Experiencing the hustle and bustle of Thailand’s Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam, then witnessing the Khmer culture and history with a trip to Siem Reap of Cambodia, is a good suggestion for an action-packed trip to the region.

According to Filipino online news website Rappler, tourists can book a flight from Manila to Thailand or Vietnam before traveling from one to the other.

This itinerary assumes that travelers will start their trip in the Thai capital of Bangkok, with tourists then able to spend the first two days touring around famous attractions.

The Thai city boasts plenty of shopping centres, markets, cafes, museums, temples, parks, and other attractions which can fill a travelers’ day, it wrote.

The Filipino media outlet also recommends visitors head to Ho Chi Minh City as the final destination on the itinerary. (Photo: Rappler)

Siem Reap of Cambodia is the next destination to enjoy on the fourth, fifth, and sixth days. The area boasts famous temples such as Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and the Royal Palace, all of which are in an impressive complex that is the seat and residence of the royal family of Cambodia, with these being unmissable places during the trip.

The Filipino media outlet also recommends visitors head to Ho Chi Minh City as the final destination on the itinerary which falls on the seventh, eighth, and ninth days.

It is suggested that visitors spend half a day learning more about the Cu Chi Tunnels, with half-day excursions usually costing around VND400,000, depending on inclusions.

After returning to the southern city, travelers should visit some of its most famous landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon Opera House, City Hall, and the Post Office. These buildings are all leftovers of France’s architectural influence on the country, Rappler noted.

If having one more full day, tourists can visit the War Remnants Museum and the Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Palace, it added.

Vietnam and Australia cooperate in United Nations peacekeeping

On 30 June 2023, 63 peacekeepers from the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) depart Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City on an ADF C-17A Globemaster bound for South Sudan. This same aircraft will return to Hanoi, Vietnam on 03 July 2023 with VPA Peacekeepers who have been operating the Level 2 Field Hospital providing medical support to the UN Mission in South Sudan for over a year. In addition to the Peacekeepers, the ADF will also transport over 20 tons of stores, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to South Sudan to support the operation of the hospital.

A farewell ceremony for peacekeepers from the fifth rotation of the Level Two Field Hospital and the second rotation of the Engineering Company was held at Tan Son Nhat Airport on 29 June 2023.

This ceremony was hosted by President Vo Van Thuong and attended by Deputy Minister for National Defence and Chief of General Staff Nguyen Tan Cuong, Deputy Minister for National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, cited WVR.

Australia and Vietnam share a growing and deepening defence relationship, working together through Peacekeeping to make an active contribution to international security. During a visit to Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations earlier this year, the Governor General of Australia, and Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force, H.E. General David Hurley, said, “Australia is very proud to be able to work hand-in-hand with Vietnam, helping you to deploy your equipment, your people, and to bring you back safely”

The Governor General’s words at Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations were played to the Vietnamese peacekeepers at the farewell ceremony in Tan Son Nhat: “Thank you, Vietnam, for the quality of the men and the women that your armed forces produce to support peacekeeping efforts around the globe. It is truly commendable that in a very short time, the quality of your service, the quality of your results, and the dedication that you have exhibited has been able to be shown to the world”.

In addition to providing strategic lift for the contingent, Australia delivers English language training for Vietnamese peacekeepers to enable them to operate their hospital effectively in the multinational UN mission. Australia also provides bespoke training for Vietnamese Peacekeepers in fields such as aeromedical evacuation, logistics and sustainment. The bilateral defence relationship also includes senior visits and dialogues, professional military and post-graduate education, military medicine cooperation and military skills exchanges.

Vietnam and Australia cooperate in United Nations peacekeeping missions: President Vo Van Thuong at farewell ceremony for Vietnamese Peacekeepers at Tan Son Nhat Airport on June 29, 2023. (Photo: Embassy of Australia in Vietnam)

The image of Vietnamese peacekeepers deploying on an Australian C-17A has become an enduring symbol of the deepening defence relationship. 2023 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Australia-Vietnam diplomatic relationship. This year, both countries look forward to elevating peacekeeping cooperation even further through the establishment of a Peacekeeping Partnership.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has transported personnel and equipment for Vietnam’s Level 2 Field Hospital in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for a fifth time since 2018.

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