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Typhoon Yagi has caused the serious flooding in some northern localities. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, China unite to tackle Red River flooding after Typhoon Yagi

Amidst the serious flooding in some northern localities under the impact of super typhoon Yagi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has swiftly sought close cooperation with China in flood prevention.

On September 9, top officials of the ministry met with the Chargé d'Affaires a.i of the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi, urging concerted action.

Concurrently, representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in China and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming worked with China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Yunnan province's Foreign Affairs Office to ask for support measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the Red River basin.

Vietnamese representative agencies in China have sent diplomatic notes to ask the Chinese side to closely regulate the water flows from the upper reaches of the Red River and instruct relevant agencies to reduce or halt water discharge at upstream hydropower dams and provide timely notifications about the time, duration and volume of any planned water releases, cited VNA.

According to latest reports from the representative agencies, the Chinese authorities informed them on September 10 morning that two hydropower plants upstream the Red River have no immediate plans for flood discharges. The plants have suspended operation to contain floodwaters and store water.

The Chinese side is coordinating the actions of relevant ministries and agencies for effective cooperation with Vietnam.

Vietnamese representative agencies in China, following instructions of the Government and the MoF, will maintain close communication with local authorities. They will provide regular updates on the flood situation in Chinese localities that could affect Vietnam and work with Chinese authorities to promote measures to minimize water flows from upstream to downstream areas, thereby reducing flood damage in northern Vietnam's river basins.

Also on September 9, the Chinese authorities alerted Vietnam about three large, unidentified ships that had their moorings broken and were drifting toward Vietnam on the Red River.

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming promptly notified relevant agencies and localities, leading to swift response measures. As of September 10, both sides successfully brought all three ships under control, averting potential damage to transport infrastructure.

Vietnam and US sign new joint vision statement on defense cooperation

Vietnam and the United States have signed a new joint vision statement on defense cooperation during Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang’s ongoing visit to the US from September 6-11.

During their talks in the Pentagon on September 9, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomed Giang’s visit, and said the upgrade of US-Vietnam relationship to the comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023 provides a solid foundation for the future of bilateral relations in general and for defense cooperation between the two countries in particular.

“It's been nearly a year since President Biden's historic visit to Vietnam, when our leaders elevated US-Vietnam relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Today we'll build on that momentum by signing a new joint vision statement which charts how our countries will deepen our defense cooperation in the years ahead,” said Austin.

He emphasized the importance of cooperation in addressing war legacy issues, and affirmed the US Government and the Department of Defense would continue to collaborate and support Vietnam in this area.

“A key part of our cooperation is overcoming the legacies of war, and we remain committed to the fullest extent possible accounting for those lost during the war, and we appreciate Vietnam's long standing support to help bring home missing US service members,” noted the Secretary.

Giang for his part expressed his pleasure at making an official visit to the US a year after the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development, towards 30 years of diplomatic relations in 2025.

He affirmed that Vietnam is keen to enhance cooperation with the US based on the legitimate interests of both sides, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the wider world, according to VOV.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang sign the new joint vision statement on defense cooperation between the US and Vietnam.

During the talks, both sides agreed that bilateral defense cooperation has reaped practical results in various areas, including delegation exchanges, dialogue and consultation, war legacy issues, the search for US military personnel missing in action (MIA), training, military medicine, United Nations peacekeeping, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief.

He appreciated US support in addressing war legacy issues, exemplified by the increased funding for the dioxin remediation project at Bien Hoa Airbase and support for people with disabilities affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam. The US has also provided records and various memorabilia related to Vietnamese soldiers who went missing or were killed during the war. Additionally, Vietnam has closely coordinated with the US to effectively implement joint MIA search activities.

Regarding future cooperation, both sides agreed to promote high-level exchanges and meetings, and to maintain existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms to enhance mutual understanding and trust, as well as to identify areas of cooperation that align with the needs and capabilities of each side.

They emphasized the importance of furthering cooperation in addressing war legacy issues, with a primary focus on accelerating the remediation of dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa Airbase, dealing with unexploded ordnance, and providing information, documents, and support for equipment and DNA testing technology to assist in the search for and recovery of Vietnamese soldiers missing in action.

Both sides also vowed to further deepen cooperation in areas such as United Nations peacekeeping, training, military medicine, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, and mutual support at regional and international multilateral forums, such as the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), while respecting ASEAN’s central role and consensus principle.

They expressed their belief that cooperative ties between the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and the Department of Defense of the United States would continue to develop for the benefit of each country, and for the peace, stability, and shared development in the region and the rest of the world, contributing to the comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development between the two countries.

On this occasion, Giang once again extended a formal invitation to Austin, the leaders of the US Department of Defense, and US defense industry firms to attend the second International Defense Expo, scheduled to be held in Hanoi in December 2024.

After signing the new joint vision statement on defense cooperation, Giang and Austin also exchanged several war memorabilia and information related to Vietnamese soldiers and US military personnel missing in action during the war.

Earlier on the same day, the Vietnam Military Medical Academy and the US Uniformed Services University signed a letter of intent for military medical cooperation.

Vietnam, Russia intensify construction cooperation

Vietnamese Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi held a working session with Russian Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Faizullin in Moscow on September 10, as part of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s ongoing official visit to Russia.

Faizullin highlighted the growth of Russia's construction sector and its expanding needs for foreign experts, saying he is ready to discuss in detail with Vietnam in this matter.

Nghi said he is impressed by Moscow's modern, well-structured and well-planned infrastructure. Reflecting on the successful cooperation between the two ministries since the signing of a memorandum of understanding five years ago, the official said the potential for further collaboration remains vast and untapped.

He presented several proposals to deepen this partnership, including strengthening joint work in construction management and housing policy; Russia's support in developing and refining Vietnam's construction standards, regulations and norms; research on new construction materials; scientific research and application in fire safety for buildings; training, scientific research, production, and testing of energy-efficient materials; construction workforce; and encouraging joint investments by construction enterprises in both countries, VNA reported.

Vietnamese Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi (R) and Russian Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Faizullin at their meeting in Moscow on September 10. (Photo: VNA)

Regarding labor supply, Nghi suggested detailed discussions and the renewal of the five-year cooperation document between the two ministries to better align with current demands.

Nghi extended an invitation to Faizullin and his delegation to visit Vietnam in the near future.

Faizullin fully agreed with Nghi's proposals and reaffirmed Russia's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam.

Nisshin Seifun of Japan keen to expand operations in Vietnam

Nisshin Seifun Group, a leading Japanese food processing company, has unveiled its plan to expand operations in the Vietnamese market by selling ready-made pasta sauce and flour for the first time in the country.

The group revealed plans to ramp up its ambition to conquer the Vietnamese food market with the aim of selling up to two million dishes this year.

With a strong distribution channel expansion strategy, Nisshin's products are due to hit the shelves of major supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City soon before expanding to other provinces and cities around the country.

The company is also considering the construction of additional factories in Vietnam to meet the rising demand for consumption, while also affirming its position as a global food giant in the country, according to VOV.

Photo: VOV

Takahiko Iwahashi, president and CEO of Nisshin Seifun Welna, emphasised that Vietnam is a strategic market, especially in terms of the processed food segment.

Boasting a population of 100 million coupled with impressive GDP growth, along with home cooking habits, he expressed his belief that Vietnam will emerge as one of the group's most important growth markets moving forward.

Nisshin has been in the Vietnamese market for more than a decade with two large factories in Dong Nai which specialize in producing ready-mixed flour products for export.

These plants have investment capital of about US$14.8 million and an annual capacity of 9,000 tonnes, to meet both domestic and export demand.

Nisshin has been selling processed products in Vietnam this year, marking an important step towards penetrating deeply into this market.

Northern Vietnam faces continued rain & flooding, sunshine expected by mid-September

The weather forecast for Northern Vietnam over the next 10 days (September 10-19) predicts continued heavy rain and rising floodwaters, particularly in the early part of the period.

According to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, rain will ease, and temperatures will begin to rise from September 12-13, bringing a much-needed break in the weather.

From September 10-11, Northern Vietnam will experience heavy rain, with some areas receiving very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Starting from September 12, rain will decrease, with scattered showers and occasional thunderstorms expected until September 19.

Central Vietnam will also experience sunny weather today (September 10), with scattered rain and thunderstorms in the evening and night. Particularly in Nghe An and Ha Tinh, moderate to heavy rain is expected. From September 11-19, the region will experience mostly sunny days, with isolated rain and thunderstorms in the evenings.

In the Central Highlands and Southern Vietnam, scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast, with localized heavy rain expected during the afternoons and evenings.

On September 10, northern mountainous and midland regions, including Lao Cai and Yen Bai, are predicted to receive 40-80mm of rain, with some areas seeing over 150mm. Rainfall levels will remain high on September 11, with 30-60mm of rain expected, and some areas could see over 120mm.

The Red River Delta, along with Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An, will also face heavy rain through the night of September 10, with rainfall between 50-120mm and some areas exceeding 300mm. Rain will continue into September 11 with similar intensity, cited VNN.

Hanoi experienced rain throughout the night on September 9, leading to severe flooding on many streets. Photo: Dinh Hieu

Meanwhile, Hanoi will see moderate to heavy rain through September 12, with scattered thunderstorms. From September 13-19, occasional showers and thunderstorms are expected, particularly in the evenings, while the days will see reduced cloud cover and sunshine. Daytime temperatures are forecast to rise to 31-33°C, with nighttime lows of 23-26°C.

The meteorological agency has warned of potential flash floods, landslides, and strong winds during thunderstorms, which could lead to flooding in low-lying areas. Rivers across Northern Vietnam are swelling, with the water levels of several major rivers surpassing historical highs.

At 7am on September 10, water levels on the Thao River in Yen Bai had reached 35.32 meters, surpassing the historical flood level from 1968 by 1.1 meters. Water levels on the Cau River at Dap Cau were recorded at 6.12 meters, and on the Thuong River at Phu Lang Thuong, levels reached 6.65 meters, both near the third-level flood warning.

In the next 12-24 hours, water levels are expected to continue rising in several rivers, including the Red River in Hanoi, where floodwaters are predicted to reach the second warning level.

On the night of September 9, Hanoi’s Mayor Tran Sy Thanh issued an urgent directive instructing city authorities to prepare for large-scale floods on major rivers, prioritizing flood response measures to protect residents and infrastructure.

As Northern Vietnam continues to face heavy rain and potential flooding, authorities urge residents in flood-prone areas to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders where necessary.

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