Vietnam News Today (Jul. 22): Vietnam Makes Responsible Contributions to ASEAN

The total number of doses of Covid-19 vaccines injected in Vietnam hit 241,023,060. Photo: VNA

Covid-19: national caseload rises to 10,764,986 on July 21

The national caseload of Covid-19 reached 10,764,986 on July 21 with 1,292 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.

A total 4,999 Covid-19 patients were given the all clear on the day, bringing the number of recoveries so far to 9,837,645. There are 44 patients in serious conditions needing breathing support, cited VNA.

No death from Covid-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours. The total fatalities stood at 43,091.

On July 20, 553,320 doses of vaccines were administered, raising the total number of doses of Covid-19 vaccines injected to 241,023,060 .

At an online conference on disease prevention and vaccination work held by the Health Ministry on July 21, Deputy Director of the HCM City Pasteur Institute Nguyen Vu Thuong reported that sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 are accounting for an increasing ratio of Covid-19 cases. He warned that preventive measures should be intensified, including accelerating the vaccination of booster shots and promoting mask wearing, otherwise the cases would increase.

Vietnam places great importance on strategic partnership with Japan

Truong Thi Mai, a member of the politburo, secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, and head of its Organization Commission, has affirmed the country’s recognition of the great importance of fostering a strong strategic partnership with Japan.

During a reception held on July 21 in Hanoi for Maeda Tadashi, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Mai, who is also president of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians Group, noted the extensive strategic partnership between both sides. Indeed, she was pleased to assess that the close ties contribute to the peace and prosperity of Asia, which is developing in a strong, substantive, and effective manner across multiple fields, according to VOV.

Truong Thi Mai, Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and head of its Organization Commission (R) receives Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Maeda Tadashi. Photo: VNA

Mai went on to thank Japan for its effective co-operation and support for Vietnamese national construction and development, including Covid-19 prevention and control efforts.

The nation is carrying out the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, thereby striving to achieve the goal of becoming a developed country by the middle of the 21st century and is consistently affirming the consistent implementation of a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, and friendship. This is in addition to pushing forward co-operation, development, multilateralization, and diversification of relations, Mai told her guest.

She hailed JBIC for consistently being active in its support and accelerating the implementation of many Japanese investment projects in the country, including important and large-scale infrastructure projects in the fields of electric energy, as well as Vietnamese oil and gas.

Mai went on to suggest that JBIC continue to promote the dialogue mechanism between JBIC and Vietnamese agencies, thereby bolstering its co-operative relations with Vietnamese Government agencies, including contributing ideas to fine-tuning public-private partnership (PPP) policies.

She requested that JBIC propose feasible projects under the PPP model, while studying and expanding loans for Vietnamese businesses or joint ventures between Japanese and Vietnamese firms in a bid to co-operate and invest in the Southeast Asian nation.

Tadashi congratulated the Vietnamese side on its achievements over the years, highly appreciating its pandemic containment efforts, as well as socio-economic development and recovery.

He also thanked the Vietnamese Party and State for creating favourable conditions in which foreign organisations and businesses, including JBIC and Japanese enterprises, can invest and smoothly conduct business in Vietnam.

Tadashi informed his host about the results of JBIC's activities in the country and some major contents of JBIC's co-operation in the nation moving forward, expressing her wish to continue making practical contributions to fostering the extensive strategic partnership in the future.

Vietnam makes responsible contributions to ASEAN: deputy spokesperson

Since joining ASEAN, Vietnam has increasingly proved itself to be a responsible and active member of the group as well as the international community, said Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang.

At the ministry’s regular press conference on July 21, Hang reviewed the 27-year journey since Vietnam became an official member of ASEAN on July 28, 1995, affirming that Vietnam's admission to the bloc marked an important milestone in the country's extensive regional and international integration.

Illustrative image. Photo: VNA

Vietnam has promoted extensive integration in politics, economy, diplomacy and all other aspects of life with other countries and organisations around the world, she said.

Vietnam and other member countries have actively built the ASEAN Community from politics, economy, culture and society, while especially giving priority to strengthening ASEAN connectivity, reported VNA.

During the process, Vietnam and other ASEAN members have expanded relations with many partners around the world, Hang said, adding that more and more countries worldwide want to become partners of ASEAN.

Petrol prices continue to drop sharply following latest adjustments

Petrol prices fell further from 3 p.m. on July 21 after the latest review conducted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance.

The most-recent change has seen the price of E5 RON92 bio-fuel fall by VND2,710 to be sold at a maximum of VND25,070 per litre, whilst that of RON95 was also down VND3,600 to VND26,070 per liter.

Photo: VOV

Diesel 0.05S and kerosene are now to be sold at no more than VND24,850 and VND25,240 per liter, drops of VND1,740 and VND1,100, respectively, cited VOV.

Elsewhere, the price of Mazut 180CST was cut by VND2,380 to a price of VND16,540 per kilogram.

The two ministries decided to make use of the petrol price stabilization fund at a rate of VND950 per litre for E5 RON 92 and RON 95 each, VND550 per litre for diesel, VND700 per liter for kerosene, and VND950 per kilogram for Mazut.

This represents the third price fall following seven hikes.

The two ministries adjust domestic petrol and oil retail prices every 10 days to ensure that they are on a par with global market fluctuations.

Vietnam potential tourism market of Cambodia

Vietnam is Cambodia's huge and promising tourism market, with the highest percentage of foreign arrivals in the country, Under-Secretary of State at the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism Thok Sokkhom has said.

He made the statement at the Cambodian Tourism Roadshow held by the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism in coordination with the People’s Committee of Can Tho city on July 20. It aims to promote the potential of Cambodia's tourism and strengthen cooperation between the two countries' tourism sectors.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy general director of the Vietnam Administration of Tourism, speaks at the event. Photo: VNA

Entitled “Visit Cambodia next – Safe, warm, clean and Green Tourism Destination”, the program is part of activities aiming to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia's diplomatic relations.

The official said the program will open many opportunities for tourism enterprises of the two countries to meet, exchange and share ideas to promote the development of tourism activities between Vietnam and Cambodia.

He also appreciated Vietnam’s efforts in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic, thereby creating favourable conditions for tourism activities to recover and flourish, NDO reported.

Addressing the event, Ha Van Sieu, deputy general director of the Vietnam Administration of Tourism, said Vietnam and Cambodia have completely opened up international tourism at all border gates by land, air and sea after two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two countries have recognized each other's vaccine passports. Many cooperation and tourism promotion activities within the bilateral and multilateral framework have been effectively implemented, attracting the attention of tourism agencies and associations of the two sides, he said.

Sieu said he was confident that tourism promotion activities between Cambodia and Vietnam will reap success.

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