A man gets vaccinated against Covid-19. Photo: VNA

819 new Covid-19 cases recorded on November 3

The national Covid-19 caseload rose to 11,504,910 with 819 new cases recorded on November 3, according to the Ministry of Health.

With 244 patients given the all clear during the day, the number of recoveries rose to 10,604,186.

Meanwhile, there are 56 patients needing breathing support, cited VNA.

No death from Covid-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours. The total fatalities stood at 43,165.

As of the end of November 2, the total number of doses of Covid-19 vaccines injected was 262,147,864 with 65,750 doses administered on November 2.

PM to visit to Cambodia, attend ASEAN Summits

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 8 to November 9, and attend the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related meetings from November 10 to November 13.

This information was released by Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a regular press briefing held on November 3 in Hanoi.

This marks the first official visit to Cambodia made by Pham Minh Chinh in the role of Vietnamese Prime Minister, as well as the first visit made by a senior Vietnamese leader to Cambodia during the Vietnam - Cambodia friendship year.

“The visit takes places in the context that the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, and long-term sustainable comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia continue to grow steadily. The two sides have coordinated to organize a series of activities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Two-way trade turnover during the past nine months of 2022 reached US$8.45 billion, up 16.7% on- year," Hang said.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Photo:VNA

Within the framework of the visit, PM Chinh is set to hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart Prime Minister Hun Sen before the pair attend and deliver a speech at the Vietnam - Cambodia Trade Investment Promotion Forum.

Furthermore, he is scheduled to meet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, president of the Senate Say Chum, chairman of the National Assembly, Heng Samrin, and some other senior leaders.

This also marks the first time PM Chinh has directly attended ASEAN summits and between the bloc and its partners, according to VOV.

These high-level meetings mark the resumption of direct exchanges and dialogues held between leaders after more than a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This will be a prime opportunity for leaders of various countries to come together and discuss efforts to develop the ASEAN Community, reinforce solidarity and ASEAN's centrality, review and outline orientations for the relationship between the bloc and its partners, and compare notes on strategic issues of both the region and the wider world.

PM Chinh is expected to attend more than 20 activities and hold meetings with leaders of countries, as well as international organisations, to discuss issues of shared concern.

“As an active and responsible member of ASEAN, Vietnam will work closely with the host country Cambodia as well as other ASEAN members to ensure that the meetings take place successfully and achieve substantive results as a contribution to strengthening solidarity and central role of ASEAN, promoting mutually beneficial relations between ASEAN and its partners, harmoniously handling the problems faced by ASEAN, thus accelerating the process of building a peaceful and stable ASEAN Community in Southeast Asia in particular, and in the Asia-Pacific in general," the spokesperson added.

Vietnam commits to ASEAN solidarity

Vietnam will coordinate closely with host Cambodia and other ASEAN members and partners at the upcoming 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related summits to help consolidate the bloc’s solidarity and centrality, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said on November 3.

Addressing the ministry’s regular press briefing, Hang noted that at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister and Chair of ASEAN 2022 Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related summits in Phnom Penh from November 10 to 13.

The Vietnamese PM is scheduled to participate in around 20 events with many important meetings where he will join other leaders in discussing major issues such as the ASEAN Community building, the bloc’s external relations and centrality, along with international and regional issues of shared concern.

He will meet with leaders of the grouping's partners to discuss issues related to ASEAN and Vietnam’s relations with the partners, reported VNA.

Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang at the Foreign Ministry’s press briefing on November 3. Photo: VNA)

As an active and responsible member of ASEAN, Vietnam will work closely with host Cambodia, as well as other ASEAN members and other countries, to ensure the meetings are successful and produce substantive outcomes to help consolidate the bloc’s solidarity, unanimity and centrality; enhance mutually beneficial relations between ASEAN and partners; and harmoniously and balancedly resolve issues facing ASEAN to contribute to the ASEAN Community for the sake of peace and stability in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific at large, the spokeswoman said.

With regard to the Myanmar situation, she emphasized that Myanmar is a neighboring country in the region and also a member of ASEAN. Vietnam always hopes the situation in Myanmar will be stabilized early to facilitate national construction and development for the sake of the Myanmar people, and to contribute to the building of a united, self-reliant, and strong ASEAN Community.

In that spirit, Vietnam supports and is ready to contribute to ASEAN’s efforts to help Myanmar overcome the current crisis, especially through the effective implementation of the Five-Point Consensus with priority given to ending violence and promoting dialogue and reconciliation among the parties concerned for the sake of the Myanmar people, the solidarity and integrity of ASEAN, and regional peace, stability and cooperation.

ASEAN’s assistance for Myanmar should be carried out step by step, concertedly, balancedly, and transparently. The bloc should also be the core force gathering and coordinating international efforts to support Myanmar, according to the spokesperson.

Vietnam, Czech Republic to boost cooperation in fight against crimes

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and legal enforcement agencies of the Czech Republic have been working closely together to fight crimes, especially trans-national, hi-tech, drug, and human trafficking crimes while taking measures to protect citizens of each country, said Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam.

During a reception in Hanoi on November 2 for the newly-appointed Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam Hynek Kmonicek, Lam suggested both sides continue facilitating visits at all levels, update information and share experience in combating organized, trans-national, hi-tech and human trafficking crimes.

Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam (right) and the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam, Hynek Kmonicek, at the reception. Photo: VNA

He proposed preventing any individual or organization from taking advantage of one country to sabotage the other; jointly ensuring security and safety of investment, trade, labor, study and tourism activities of the two nations' people; guaranteeing legitimate rights and interests of citizens and representative offices of one country in the territory of the other, and cooperating to ensure security for visiting high-ranking delegations.

Lam suggested the ambassador discuss with the Czech Republic’s relevant agencies the possibility of negotiating a bilateral extradition agreement and signing a new agreement on judicial assistance in criminal and civil affairs in replace of the one signed in 1984, cited WVR.

He called for attention to coordination in fields where both nations have strengths like national defense, manufacturing, energy, mining, health care and agriculture, thus making the most of advantage brought about by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

The minister expressed his belief that the diplomat will serve as a bridge to raise mutual understanding and promote cooperation in promising areas, particularly in security and order, and those within the framework of signed agreements.

Kmonicek, for his part, spoke highly of the traditional and fine friendship between the Czech Republic and Vietnam.

The ambassador pledged that in his capacity, he will do his best to reinforce the bilateral relationship, including ties in security and order.

LEGO begins construction on US$1 billion factory in Binh Duong

LEGO Group of Denmark officially commenced construction of a children's toy factory in the southern Binh Duong province, with the site receiving investment of more than US$1 billion.

Covering a total area of ​​44 hectares, this represents the largest investment project by Danish investors in Vietnam, as well as being the group’s sixth factory of the LEGO Group worldwide.

The project in Binh Duong is among the most sustainable LEGO factory in the world in terms of design and construction. Notably, the factory will run by solar energy.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and visiting Danish Crown Prince Frederik attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a new factory of the LEGO Group, Binh Duong province, November 3, 2022. Photo: VGP

Along with the use of rooftop solar panels, the factory also boasts a solar farm built on neighbouring areas which can meet the annual electricity demand.

The factory also makes use of state-of-the-art energy-efficient production equipment and is built to the minimum level of LEED Gold, a globally recognized green building certification.

Upon addressing the event, Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of LEGO Group, attributed LEGO’s selection of the country as an investment destination to the strong commitments made by the Vietnamese Government in terms of sustainable development, international integration, and a highly-skilled local workforce.

With regard to the selection of Binh Duong as the location for the factory, he pointed out that LEGO had conducted a thorough search of many locations and decided to choose Binh Duong due to its ever-improving infrastructure which can develop solar power sources for the factory moving forward.

He underscored the importance of the sixth global factory in Binh Duong - LEGO's first carbon-neutral factory, which will help the firm to bring learning methods through play to more children and create long-lasting growth in the Asia-Pacific region, VOV reported.

The factory will also enable LEGO to swiftly adapt to changes in consumer demand, emphasized Niels B. Christiansen at the groundbreaking ceremony.

In accordance to LEGO's plan, the factory will be put into operation by 2024.

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