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Participants pose for a group photo at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Thailand, Vietnam strengthen ties through people-to-people diplomacy

The 13th joint meeting between the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association (VTFA) and the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association (TVFA) was recently held in the eastern province of Chonburi, Thailand with a view to boosting bilateral ties through people-to-people diplomacy.

The annual meeting is designed to assess the outcomes of cooperation since the previous meeting, and outline long-term cooperation orientations and specific collaborative activities between the two associations in the time ahead.

In his speech, TVFA President Sanan Angubolkul showed his sympathy over losses and difficulties caused by super Typhoon Yagi to many Vietnamese localities. He affirmed that people-to-people diplomacy will contribute to reinforcing the bilateral relations between Vietnam and Thailand, and making the relationship between the two associations an exemplary model of people-to-people diplomacy.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh, President of the VTFA, expressed his elation at the positive development of the bilateral relations across multiple aspects such trade, tourism and culture, especially the inauguration of the first Vietnamese street in Thailand and the establishment of two centers for Vietnam studies at Royal Udon Thani University in Udon Thani province and the College of Asian Scholars in Khon Kaen.

He thanked leaders and people of Thailand for their sympathy towards the difficulties Vietnam are encountering due to Typhoon Yagi. He also extended his condolences and solidarity to Thailand and its people for the damage caused by severe floods currently affecting several north and northeast provinces.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung thanked leaders of the two associations for launching a broad array of practical and effective people-to-people diplomatic activities for the prosperous development of both nations, affirming that the embassy will continue to support activities of the two associations in the coming time, especially in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations, cited VOV.

The two sides consented to intensify several collaborative activities, including donating an ultrasound machine to Nam Dan district's medical center in the central province of Nghe An of Vietnam; cooperating in human resources training; a ceremony to commemorate the 135th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh held by the Association of Thai-Vietnamese in Nakhon Phanom province; setting up twin relationship between the two nations' localities; and holding the 14th joint meeting of the two associations in Vietnam next year.

As part of their working trip, the VTFA delegation attended a seminar on connectivity strategy between Vietnam and Thailand. Highlighting the importance of carrying out this strategy, the Thai side affirmed that it will prioritize resources and optimize existing advantages between the two countries, particularly the special people-to-people bond, to connect the Vietnam-Thailand sustainable development strategy for the prosperous development of both countries and the region.

More assistance delivered to typhoon, and flood victims

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA), people nationwide, and overseas Vietnamese (OV) have continued supporting recovery efforts by residents in the northern areas hit by Typhoon Yagi.

On September 14, a delegation of the VNA’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union chapter and Communications Development Centre visited and delivered aid to flood victims in Phu Tho province.

In Ha Hoa district, one of the worst-hit districts, the delegation presented 300 gift packages, mainly essential goods, and a large number of textbooks and school supplies worth nearly 200 million VND (8,100 USD) in total to residents in seriously flooded communes.

Initial statistics show that two people have died while one has been injured in Ha Hoa. Meanwhile, over 4,300 households have had to evacuate due to flooding and landslides. Damage to education, transport, irrigation infrastructure, and agriculture is considerable.

Losses caused by Typhoon Yagi here are estimated at more than 143 billion VND.

On September 13 - 14, the Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the southernmost province of Ca Mau held two fundraising programs to support storm-hit people in the northern region. A total of 145.3 million VND was donated at these events.

Ca Mau has also donated 6.7 billion VND sourced from the local budget to the Central Relief Mobilization Committee as well as nine localities hit hard by the storm and flooding.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam in Geneva and the Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland held events on September 13 to call for donations to the affected people.

In Laos, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Pakse city of Champasak province, the General Association of Vietnamese People in Laos, and the Vietnamese People Association in Vientiane have also organized similar activities to raise support for storm victims in the homeland along with the northern Lao provinces affected by Yagi, according to VNA.

Representatives of the VNA's Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union chapter and Communications Development Centre deliver relief to residents in Ha Hoa district, Phu Tho province, on September 14. (Photo: VNA)

As of September 14 noon, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Pakse had raised 188 million LAK (8,500 USD), the General Association of Vietnamese People in Laos 175 million LAK, and the Vietnamese People Association in Vientiane over 100 million LAK.

On September 13, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan held a teleconference on the fundraising where representatives of Vietnamese people’s associations in the country reported that many organizations in the community have actively responded to the campaign.

Via the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnamese community in Kansai donated 202 million VND while the Vietnamese People Association in Saitama gave 200 million VND in aid. The Union of Vietnamese Associations in Japan has also called for donations from the OV community across the Northeast Asian nation, collecting 512,000 JPY (3,600 USD) so far.

Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful in the East Sea in 30 years and in the Vietnamese mainland in 70 years, caused heavy human and property losses.

As of 6am on September 15, the storm and its accompanying downpours, flooding, and landslides had left 348 dead or missing and injured 1,921 others. They damaged over 230 houses, more than 190,000ha of rice, nearly 48,000ha of other crops, 32,000ha of fruit trees, along with 3,269 aquatic cages. More than 2.6 million poultry and livestock were also killed.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment estimated material losses at about 40 trillion VND (over 1.6 billion USD).

Vietnamese Language Festival held in Russia

The Vietnamese Language Festival 2024, the fourth of its kind, was held in Russia’s Ulyanovsk City — the hometown of leader V.I. Lenin — on September 14.

The event was organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia in collaboration with the Russian-Vietnamese cooperation promotion organizations in Russia.

As a part of activities in response to the “Day for Honoring Vietnamese Language in Vietnamese Communities Abroad” project, the event aims to promote cultural and educational activities along with cooperation in the field of studies and teaching Vietnamese in Russia and teaching Russian and studying Russian culture in Vietnam, according to NDO.

The "Hello Vietnam" dance was performed by children of the community in Ulyanovsk. (Photo: Xuan Hung)

In the letter sent to the 2024 Vietnamese Language Festival, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi stated that this is a meaningful activity, not only in developing the Vietnamese language but also in contributing to raising awareness of national culture in overseas Vietnamese community and among international friends.

This becomes even more important in educating the young generation, who will be the bridge in the friendly relationship between Vietnam and Russia in the future.

The ambassador believes that the participation of Vietnamese children in the program will create positive emotions and inspire interest in learning about the Vietnamese language and culture. This will not only help them be proud of their national origin but also create a solid foundation for friendly and sustainable relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

Emphasizing the importance of the Vietnamese language and culture to Vietnamese people working, living and studying in Ulyanovsk, Trinh Van Que, Chairman of the Vietnamese People Association in Ulyanovsk Province, affirmed that the Vietnamese Language Festival is an opportunity for second and third-generation children of the Vietnamese community to better understand their roots, thereby creating the premise and motivation for them to always turn towards their homeland.

At the event, Dr Nguyen Thuy Anh, Head of the "Reading with Children" Club, shared very useful information about the interestingness of Vietnamese, guiding Vietnamese and Russian children to participate in games using the Vietnamese language, thereby helping children acquire the motivation to learn and research the Vietnamese language.

Increasing presence of Vietnamese goods, traders in RoK benefit both sides: minister

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (RoK) Vu Ho joined the RoK’s Minister of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Startups Oh Young-joo and German Ambassador Wilfried Schmidt in a visit to Kyungdong, a traditional market in downtown Seoul, on September 13.

Kyungdong is the largest general and herbal medicine market in the RoK. Many Vietnamese people are also doing business here.

During the tour, held one day ahead of the Chuseok (mid-autumn) holiday – the largest festival in the RoK, Minister Oh introduced the traditional market model of her country and events held during the holiday, VNA reported.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vu Ho (second from right), the RoK’s Minister of SMEs and Startups Oh Young-joo (centre), and other guests during their visit to the Kyungdong market in Seul on September 13. (Photo: VNA)

She said that this year, the national consumption festival, called the September Donghaeng Festival, is held abroad for the first time to introduce outstanding products of Korean SMEs. It opened in Hanoi in late August.

The official expressed her hope that cooperation efforts by Vietnam and Germany, which are important economic partners of the RoK, will help promote economic development in the three countries in the future.

The RoK is stepping up the export of Made-in-Korea products to foreign markets, including Vietnam.

Oh told the Vietnam News Agency that the increasing presence of Vietnamese goods in the RoK as well as Vietnamese traders in local traditional markets is good for both sides. Therefore, authorities of the RoK are working hard to promote this.

The Government of the RoK is also actively coordinating to handle procedures so that livestock products from Vietnam can enter its market, she noted, adding that the two sides recently completed procedures for importing Vietnamese pomelo.

However, the import of seafood, livestock, vegetables, and fruit needs to comply with stringent quarantine regulations, so policy cooperation is necessary for more quality products of Vietnam to access the Korean market, the minister said.

Mekong Delta region contributes roughly 31% to agricultural sector’s GDP

Statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade show that the Mekong Delta region is contributing about 31% to the GDP of the entire agricultural sector, with roughly 50% of rice output, 95% of rice exports, 65% of aquaculture and exploitation output, 60% of fish exports and approximately 70% of all type of fruits.

The Mekong Delta region possesses export items worth over US$1 billion such as rice, seafood, and fruit.

Despite its strengths, the region's economy is considered to have not developed on par with its potential when facing numerous challenges such as climate change, water resource depletion, and saltwater intrusion, cited VOV.

The Mekong Delta region contributes about 31% to GDP of the entire agricultural sector.

Therefore, it is very necessary to properly assess potential and challenges and devise appropriate development solutions to contribute to the goal of developing the Mekong Delta into a region with a fairly developed level compared to the whole country.

It is estimated that this year the total rice export volume of the country will remain above 8 million tons, of which the Mekong Delta alone will contribute about 7.6 million tons.

Emphasizing brand building, deep participation in the distribution network and global value chain, and developing export markets for the Mekong Delta's key products, Tran Quoc Toan, deputy head of the Import-Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that the region's exports are still primarily based on prices without investment in value enhancement. Some products have been invested in deep processing but have not yet met the EU market's standards.

In addition, businesses' investments in brand building and agricultural logistics infrastructure have not received due attention, which has also affected the promotion of the region's strengths.

According to Toan, in the coming time, the Mekong Delta region will continue to have ample room for development in rice, fruit and vegetables, and seafood if the region pays attention to investing in infrastructure, applying science and technology in production and processing to have high-quality products, and meet requirements of export markets.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade stressed that for the Mekong Delta region to develop in alignment with its full potential, one of the important solutions is to promote regional connectivity in trade promotion and imports and exports in order to optimize resources of localities in the region to serve sustainable development.

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