Australian Ambassador to ASEAN Tiffany Mc Donald ( left) with ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn (Photo: ASEAN Secretariat)

Vietnamese ties with Australia are stronger than ever

The bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Australia is stronger than ever, particularly in line with commitments to closer cooperation on regional and global issues.

This affirmation was made by Australian Ambassador to ASEAN Tiffany McDonald in a recent interview given to a VOV correspondent.

The close co-operation between both sides complements ASEAN-Australia collaboration and vice versa. Together with the bloc, the two sides are working towards results that will ultimately enhance the stability, security, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, the Australian diplomat stated.

According to Ambassador McDonald, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's recent visit to Australia is of significance in many ways. The celebration of 50 years of joint ties in 2023 is viewed as an opportunity for the two countries to continue strengthening their bilateral relationship.

The Ambassador also emphasized the importance of the announcement to upgrade relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between the two nations.

This important achievement affirms that the bilateral relationship is stronger than ever with commitments to closer cooperation on regional and global issues; expanding linkages on climate, the environment, energy, and digital transformation; along with building on established cooperation in the fields of defense, security, and economics,

Another key outcome includes a new Peacekeeping Partnership Agreement to strengthen Australian support for Vietnamese peacekeeping efforts, cited VOV.

This is a great example of how Indo-Pacific partners can work together to support global peace and security, as well as deepen cooperation in agriculture, education, science, and navigation.

Regarding the Vietnamese role in ASEAN, Ambassador McDonald highly appreciated the close ties with Vietnam in the region and through ASEAN, with the region being at the heart of Australia's Indo-Pacific commitments.

During the ASEAN chairmanship year of Vietnam in 2020, the nation achieved many successes such as the Hanoi Declaration. This was a particularly difficult time for the region and the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ambassador also said that energy transition and climate change are top priorities for the bilateral and ASEAN-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative also supports the ASEAN Integration Initiative, which particularly benefits the Vietnamese side and other new members of the regional bloc.

The recent ASEAN-Australia Special Summit also included the topic of climate and clean energy, discussing ways in which to support joint efforts in the renewable energy transition.

Australian Prime Minister Albanese announced a clean energy package, thereby creating greater opportunities for Australia and ASEAN to cooperate, including Vietnam.

The Ambassador emphasized that Australia understands that compared to "going alone", working together with Southeast Asian partners will be able to reap more achievements and working with ASEAN member states is necessary to build alignment for common goals and interests.

Vietnam, Belgium promote cooperation on physical training, sports

Dang Ha Viet, Director of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training (GDSPT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on March 19 held a working session with Alain Goudsmet, Chairman of Mentally Fit Global of Belgium to discuss cooperation in the field of physical training and sports.

Earlier, Belgium expressed the wish to work with the GDSPT in implementing a project on building a mental training network in Vietnamese sports, aiming to further promote collaboration between the two countries in this field on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties (March 22, 1973 - March 22, 2023), according to VNA.

An overview of the working session (Photo courtesy of General Department of Sports and Physical Training)

Goudsmet said that after meeting with coaches and members of some football and basketball teams to understand the operations of sports teams in Vietnam, he noticed that most Vietnamese teams do not have a mental coach, although they know that it is extremely important. He added that the achievements of the Belgian football team is attributable to the great contribution of mental coaches.

According to Viet, the GDSPT and specialized agencies are very interested in mental training, elaborating that Vietnamese sports is aiming to build a contingent of mental coaches.

He acknowledged the importance of the project and assigned related sections in the general department to coordinate with Mentally Fit Global to set forth a specific roadmap on the implementation of the project.

The first phase of the project is expected to be launched in May this year.

International cruise ships dock at Tien Sa port in Da Nang

Cruise ship Zuiderdam docked at Tien Sa port in the central coastal city of Da Nang on March 19, with the vessel carrying more than 700 tourists of various nationalities onboard.

The ship’s one-day stay allowed foreign travelers to visit popular tourist attractions throughout Da Nang, including the Marble Mountains, the Cham Sculpture Museum, Han market, as well as taking a city tour around Linh Ung pagoda and My Khe beach.

Foreign tourists take a city tour around Da Nang. (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

On March 20, Da Nang continued to welcome cruise liner Resorts World One, with the vessel bringing over 2,000 tourists of American, British, French, Australian, and Canadian nationality to the central city.

The Da Nang Department of Tourism and other localities such as Son Tra, Hai Chau, Ngu Hanh Son, and Hoa Vang have all arranged forces in order to maintain security in a bid to ensure that foreign tourists enjoy a safe tour and have exciting experiences during their stay in the area.

Last year witnessed the central coastal city receive 22 international cruise liners with 18,000 arrivals on board. This figure is expected to rise to 45 ships and 40,000 foreigners over the course of this year, double compared to last year.

Vietnam a typical ASEAN trading partner of Mercosur: Argentinian expert

Some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have become important trade partners of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), and Vietnam is a typical example, an Argentinian expert has said.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Ezequiel Ramoneda, Coordinator of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CESEA) at the Institute of International Relations of the National University of La Plata of Argentina, said trade relations between Mercosur and ASEAN have enjoyed the great progress over the last 15 years.

Over recent years, Vietnam has emerged as an important trade partner of not only Argentina but also the entire Mercosur, which he attributed to Vietnam’s dynamic integration into the world as well as efforts to expand its export markets in Mercosur and Argentina, VNA reported.

Ezequiel Ramoneda, Coordinator of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at the Institute of International Relations of the National University of La Plata of Argentina, grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency. (Photo: VNA)

Ramoneda, who is also a member of the Mercosur - ASEAN Chamber of Commerce (MACC), held that with its crucial geographical location in East Asia and the Asia-Pacific, Vietnam will serve as an important gateway for Argentina and other Mercosur members, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Uruguay, to enter Southeast Asian markets.

Though Vietnam’s trade turnover with Mercosur in general and Argentina in particular has grown considerably in the recent past, there remains much cooperation potential, and it is necessary to diversify exports and imports. The South American trade bloc needs more information about strong products of Vietnam besides farm produce, especially industrial products, and vice versa, he continued.

The expert also confirmed that MACC is planning to organize a business delegation to Vietnam in the latter half of this year to foster economic, trade, and investment partnerships.

Trade between Vietnam and Argentina reached US$3.45 billion in 2023. Vietnam is currently the sixth largest trade partner of Argentina, which in turn ranks third among trade partners of Vietnam in Latin America, statistics show.

About political relations, he underlined the importance of maintaining traditional cooperation between Vietnam and Mercosur countries. In 2023, Vietnam respectively celebrated the 50th and 30th anniversaries of its diplomatic ties with Argentina and Uruguay with visits to these countries by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. This year, it is marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 17 years of the comprehensive partnership with Brazil.

He perceived that the two sides are now in the prime of political dialogue, aside from effective trade ties, so it is necessary to enhance the connectivity between Vietnam and Mercosur, as well as the relations between Mercosur and ASEAN.

With regard to initiatives within the Forum for East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), Ramoneda, who is also Vice Chairman of the Argentina - Vietnam Culture Institute, spoke highly of Vietnam’s proposal to establish a network of cities of culture and its appeal for promoting FEALAC’s activities after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He voiced his hope that an Argentina - Vietnam friendship association will be set up in the near future.

Two days off for two public holidays in April

Vietnamese people shall have two days off in April this year as there are two public holidays.

These public holidays are the commemoration day of Hung Kings on April 18 (or March 10 of the third lunar month), the Reunification Day (April 30).

The Reunification day falls on Tuesday and it will be followed by the Labor Day (May 1).

Vietnam has six annual public holidays on the New Year Day, the commemoration day of the Hung Kings, Reunification Day, the Labor Day (May 1), the National Day (September 2), the traditional Lunar New Year Day, with total break off from 12-14 days.

If a public holiday falls on a weekend, there will be compensatory days off, according to current legislation.

A ceremony marking the anniversary of Hung Kings - the legendary founders of Vietnam.

People working overtime or night shifts during the holiday get at least 300 percent of their wage. Foreigners in Vietnam get two extra days off: their own traditional new year and National Day holidays.

Legend has it that Lac Long Quan (real name Sung Lam, son of Kinh Duong Vuong and Than Long Nu) married Au Co (the fairy daughter of De Lai). Au Co then gave birth to a pouch filled with 100 eggs, which later hatched into a hundred sons. However, soon thereafter, the couple separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coast with 50 of the children, while Au Co went to the highlands with the rest.

Their eldest son was made king, who named the country Van Lang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (modern-day Viet Tri city in Phu Tho province), beginning the 18 generations of the Hung Kings.

The kings chose Nghia Linh mountain, the highest in the region, to perform rituals devoted to rice and sun deities to pray for healthy crops.

To honor their great contributions, a complex of temples dedicated to them was built on the mountain, and the 10th day of the third lunar month, VGP reported.

The National Reunification Day (April 30) is a national public holiday, commemorating the liberation of the South and national reunification in 1975.

May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, is celebrated in over 80 countries across the world including Vietnam.

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