Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, and Netherlands tighten cooperation in climate change adaptation

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha will co-chair the 8th meeting of the Vietnam-Netherlands Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management slated for June 25-27 in The Hague.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Pham Viet Anh said the meeting is part of Ha’s visit to the Netherlands.

The diplomat said that cooperation in climate change adaptation is an important content throughout the strategic cooperation between the two countries, which is vital for Vietnam in the process of overcoming the challenges of nature in the coming decades.

During Ha’s visit to the Netherlands, he is expected to have meetings with the country’s leaders, visit the Port of Rotterdam and the Global Centre for Climate Change Adaptation, work with the Netherlands International Investment Agency, and attend the Netherlands - Vietnam business talks about sand mining, sea reclamation, and adaptation to climate change.

He will also attend the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam and announce the opening of a photo exhibition about Vietnam which kicks off a series of celebration activities, cited VNA.

Regarding bilateral cooperation in climate change adaptation, Anh said that Vietnam and the Netherlands share similarities when it comes to the challenges of nature and change climate.

Mutual understanding and common points of view on many major global issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and green transition are important factors for the two countries to increasingly tighten cooperation and mutual development, he said.

The two countries have had successful and effective cooperation programs and projects. Through two frameworks of strategic partnership cooperation on the response to climate change and water management and development of sustainable agriculture and food security, the Netherlands has helped Vietnam to develop a sustainable development plan for Mekong Delta which solve major issues including those relating to flood control, aquaculture production, dyke/dam network monitoring system, and regional restructuring and linkage.

In addition to projects on construction and planning, the two countries also have cooperation projects on undergraduate and postgraduate education and training in the field of climate change adaptation, such as the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP).

National Assembly agrees to extend e-visa validity to 90 days

Lawmakers on June 24 approved the Government’s proposals to increase the validity of electronic visas for foreigners to 90 days from the current 30 days.

During their visa validity, foreigners can enter and exit Vietnam multiple times, without having to go through new visa procedures.

The Government has been assigned to decide on the list of countries and territories, and the list of international border gates allowing foreigners to enter and exit by e-visas.

Foreigners visit Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, the first university in Vietnam, in Hanoi capital.

The National Assembly also allowed citizens of countries that are unilaterally exempted from visas by Vietnam to be granted temporary residence for 45 days as opposed to the current 15-day regulations and be considered for visa issuance and temporary residence extension according to regulations.

The proposals were included in amendments and supplements to the Law on exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens and the Law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, which were approved by the lawmakers at the fifth National Assembly session on June 23.

Under the current law, a foreigner can apply for an e-visa which is valid for a single entry and up to 30 days. It also allows citizens of 80 countries and territories applying for an e-visa to enter Vietnam, according to VOV.

As of 2023, citizens of 25 countries can travel to Vietnam without having to apply for a visa, with visitors allowed to stay between 14 and 30 days on average. Meanwhile, some other countries in Southeast Asia such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand allow citizens from 158, 166, 169, 157 and 70 countries and territories, respectively, to enjoy their visa exemption policy when entering their territories.

The National Defense and Security Committee of the National Assembly that oversees the bill said the current regulations have yet to meet the needs of foreign tourists and investors in Vietnam.

The extension of the e-visa validity is said to create favorable conditions for foreigners when they enter and exit the country, contributing to reducing administrative procedures and saving time and costs. It will meet the needs of international travelers and foreigners entering Vietnam to explore business and investment opportunities.

The new amendments and supplements will take effect as from August 15, 2023.

Vietnamese cuisine popularised in the Netherlands

Spouses of the Vietnamese Ambassador and other diplomats together with female diplomats of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands have hosted a program to popularise the Vietnamese culture and cuisine to ASEAN and international friends within the framework of the activities of the ASEAN Women Group in the Netherlands (ALC).

The monthly event aims to contribute to enhancing mutual understanding, friendship, and solidarity among the embassies of ASEAN countries in the Netherlands.

Attending the event, Mayelinne de Lara, representative of The Diplomat Magazine of the Netherlands and the EU, said she feels more deeply the special relationship between ASEAN countries and diplomatic families in the ASEAN community in the Netherlands, reported VNA.

Spouses of Vietnamese diplomats and female diplomats of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands at the event (Photo: VNA)

She proposed an idea of organising a common cultural event of embassies of ASEAN countries and many other foreign embassies in the Netherlands in the coming time to popularise the unique culture and cuisine of ASEAN countries in general and of Vietnam in particular to the Dutch people.

Participants at the event had a taste of Vietnamese food and participated a spring roll making competition.

Vietnam condemns terrorism in all forms, says ambassador to UN

Vietnam condemns terrorism in all forms, says Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, during the June 22-23 debate on the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in New York.

Giang said terrorism continues to be a serious threat to peace, stability and development on a global scale. He affirmed that the adoption of the document by consensus represents a unified and strong message of the international community that does not accept terrorism in any form.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations.

With regard to counterterrorism measures, the Vietnamese diplomat called for a comprehensive approach to be adopted, not only in the traditional areas of security and law enforcement, but also in efforts to address the root causes and catalysts for the formation and development of extremism, violence and terrorism.

He also emphasized the importance of international cooperation, the sharing of information and experiences, and the enhancement of capacity building, as well as the broad participation of all social strata, including companies providing information technology services, in counter-terrorism.

He briefed participants on the June 11 shooting in Vietnam’s Dak Lak province, noting that this was an act of terror that had been deliberately planned, targeting the headquarters of state agencies, officials and civilians, cited VOV.

The police had arrested 84 suspects and seized documents, guns, explosives and other exhibits proving the assailants had been aided and abetted by organisations and individuals abroad, even by those illegally entering Vietnam from abroad to direct the terrorist attack.

The Vietnamese ambassador requested that relevant countries and international organizations support and cooperate with Vietnam in investigating the case as well as preventing similar cases in the future.

Three growth scenarios for Vietnam's economic growth in 2023

The Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR) under the University of Economics and Business outlined three growth scenarios for Vietnam's economic growth in 2023.

In its Vietnam Economic Annual Report 2023 'Linking and developing businesses towards an autonomous economy' released on June 22, the Institute said that in the first scenario, the GDP growth rate will reach 6.5 percent. In this scenario, the average annual consumer price index (CPI) is about 4. percent. According to VEPR, this scenario is less likely to happen, but possible when the world economy develops positively if China opens up its economy.

In the second scenario, the country’s GDP growth rate in 2023 is only 5.5 percent, the average annual CPI is about 3.5 percent. This scenario is also less likely to happen unless geopolitical conflicts in the world become more complicated. In the base scenario, the GDP growth rate is 6 percent, equivalent to an average CPI of about 4 percent. This scenario is lower than the Government's GDP growth target of 0.5 percent and is more likely to happen.

According to studies, the driving forces of economic growth have declined sharply. Economic growth in the first quarter was only 3.32 percent, the lowest level under normal conditions since 1990.

A corner of HCMC.

In the first 5 months of the year, export turnover decreased by 11.6 percent while import turnover also decreased by 18.4 percent over the same period in 2022. Industry and construction sectors decelerated sharply from the third quarter of 2022. Purchasing Managers' index - a measure of the prevailing direction of economic trends in manufacturing - continued to decline in the first 5 months of 2023, falling far below the average level of 50 points.

Noticeably, in the first 5 months of the year, the number of enterprises withdrawing from the market was nearly 93 percent of the total number of newly-established ones. This is an unprecedentedly high rate.

A very large number of businesses, including the leading ones in their fields, are facing difficulties, said Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cung, former director of the Central Institute for Economic Management. According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cung, the capital demand of the business sector is very low although the State Bank has reduced the operating interest rate. Firms failed in capital absorption indicating that they are not strong enough.

Many exisiting objective factors can’t be changed except the business environment and reforming administrative procedures. The government should improve the business environment and reform administrative procedures to help businesses, SGGP reported.

Worse, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s survey shows that, in 2022, up to 71.7 percent of businesses agreed that corruption when dealing with business procedures is popular while only 57.4 percent of businesses agreed this in 2021.

Experts recommend that the Government should have its own resolution on improving the business environment and enhancing competitiveness and improving the enforcement efficiency of the government apparatus. Furthermore, the government should focus on reforming administrative procedures to reduce trouble following businesses’ complaints. According to a survey conducted by VCCI at the end of 2022, businesses often complained about taxes/fees payment, land procedures, site clearance, social insurance, fire protection and construction.

In addition, the interdisciplinary administrative procedure also needs reform under the government’s direction. Moreover, inspectors should not pay more visits to businesses but strictly monitor import and export goods.

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