Vietnam News Today (Sep. 6): Vietnam Considers Airport Closures Due to Super Typhoon Yagi Impact
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National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Russia: strategic partners & true friends

Russia's Multipolar World magazine has highlighted the significance of the upcoming visit to the country by Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man. In a recent article by Pavel Vinodurov, the magazine noted that although Man had visited Russia multiple times, this trip is the first since he took office as the NA Chairman last May.

During his earlier meeting in Hanoi with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Man expressed his views on strengthening the bilateral legislative ties, saying Vietnam always treasures the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia. Vietnamese people always keep in mind the wholehearted support of the former Soviet Union and present Russia, according to the article.

The article highlighted the joint statement signed by Presidents Putin and To Lam, which also touched upon the expansion of the legislative ties.

It held that Man's visit is a step forward in consolidating the comprehensive relations and expanding political and economic ties between Russia and countries in the Asia-Pacific.

The article stressed Vietnam’s growing international influence and reputation following its successful implementation of goals set at the 13th National Party Congress. Recent discussions at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, attended by academics from Vietnam, Russia, and other nations, also looked into cooperation between the two countries.

It cited Man as saying that Vietnam is resolved to promote its relations across spheres, for common interests, and for peace and stability in the world.

The journalist also pointed to growing tourism and education exchange, and defense cooperation as key areas of partnership, saying over 3,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in Russia, and the defense ties remain strong, reflecting the trust and stability in the relationship.

Vietnam-Sweden Business Forum 2024 opens

The Vietnam-Sweden Business Forum 2024 was held in celebration of 55 years of bilateral diplomatic relations by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, and FPT Corporation in Stockholm on September 6.

Themed "Digital Transformation, Energy Transition, and Innovation: Cooperation for a Sustainable Future," the event aimed to facilitate collaboration between Vietnamese and Swedish businesses in various sectors.

Attendees included Vietnamese Ambassador to Sweden Tran Van Tuan, Director General of Trade Policy at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Camilla Mellander, and Le Khac Nam, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong city People's Committee, alongside representatives from both countries' enterprises.

Over the past five decades, the two countries have maintained strong, mutually beneficial ties across politics, economy, science, and culture. In particular, bilateral trade and investment have grown significantly, however, there remains ample potential for further cooperation in high-tech sectors such as digital transformation and energy transition.

Ambassador Tuan highlighted that Vietnam’s economy is increasingly driven by digitalisation, with the digital economy contributing 16.5% to GDP in 2023. He noted that both nations could greatly benefit from Sweden’s expertise in technology and innovation, according to VOV.

Photo: VOV

The forum featured discussions on opportunities and challenges in areas such as digital transformation, energy transition, and innovation.

Participants agreed that through close cooperation, Vietnam and Sweden can become leaders in the digital and green economies, setting examples for sustainable development.

During the event, several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed, including one between Vietnam's Trade Office and Business Sweden, aiming to enhance trade promotion and business cooperation between the two countries.

Additionally, Hai Phong's Department of Industry and Trade signed an MoU with the Port of Gothenburg to expand logistics cooperation.

Super typhoon Yagi kills four, injures 78

Super typhoon Yagi killed four people and injured 78 others after slamming into northern localities on September 7 afternoon, according to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (DDMA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Specifically, three fatalities and 58 injured people were recorded in Quang Ninh province while one death in Hai Duong province.

The storm, the third to enter the East Sea this year, caused widespread power outages in Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, and Hai Duong. Many houses were damaged or had their roofs blown off, and thousands of trees were uprooted in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Hai Duong, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, and Bac Giang, cited VNA.

A fallen tree in Hanoi's Long Bien district, crushing a car parked on the side of the road. (Photo: VNA)

After making landfall in the Quang Ninh-Hai Phong area, typhoon Yagi brought strong winds and heavy rain. The strongest winds near the storm's center reached levels 11-12 (103-133 km per hour), with gusts hitting level 15.

Several areas recorded significant rainfall, such as Co To island of Quang Ninh (127mm); Cat Ba district, Hai Phong city (198mm); and Tien Hai district, Thai Binh province (208mm). In Hanoi, heavy rain and strong winds began around 3pm on September 7.

To ensure human and property safety, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Official Dispatch No. 88/CĐ-TTg on September 6 directing ministries, sectors, and localities to focus on responding to typhoon Yagi and the subsequent flooding.

During a working session on September 7 morning with the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, and related agencies, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha urged ministries and relevant agencies to heighten their vigilance, exert efforts, and take measures to in response to the typhoon. He emphasized the need to prioritize the safety of people and property.

Vietnamese legislature supports strong cooperation with Guinea-Bissau

The National Assembly of Vietnam welcomes and supports the signing of many important cooperation documents between Vietnam and Guinea-Bissau in fields of politics, diplomacy and agriculture, creating a favourable legal framework to promote the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man was speaking while receiving visiting President Umario Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau in Hanoi on September 7.

He congratulated Guinea-Bissau on its recent socio-economic development achievements, maintaining an economic growth rate of 4.2% in 2022 and 2023 and estimated 5% in 2024, to build Guinea-Bissau into a peaceful and prosperous country with an increasingly important role and position in West Africa and the continent.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) shaking hands with visiting President Umario Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau ahead of their meeting in Hanoi on September 7.

The Party, National Assembly and Government of Vietnam always attach importance to and wish to further strengthen the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with traditional friends in Africa, including Guinea-Bissau, he told his guest.

According to Man, Vietnam is one of Guinea-Bissau’s major export markets, but their two-way trade turnover is not commensurate with the potential and aspirations of the two countries. He therefore suggested that the two sides strengthen economic and trade cooperation by promoting the import and export of goods that the two countries have strengths and demand for, such as rice, cashew nuts, textile materials, footwear, agriculture, aquaculture and seafood, while expanding cooperation into other potential areas such as agriculture, aquaculture and seafood processing, health care, education and training, and marine economy.

He suggested that the two countries’ parliaments enhance cooperation and further promote the role of parliamentary diplomacy in fostering bilateral relations, through increasing visit exchanges to share experience in lawmaking, supervision and decision-making.

The National Assembly Chairman hoped that the two sides would increase coordination at international parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Francophone Parliamentary Union (APF) to support each other on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

The National Assembly of Vietnam is ready to study the possibility of developing and promoting relations with the Pan-African Parliament and the Economic Community of West African States Parliament, VOV reported.

He asked the guest to extend his invitation to visit Vietnam to the President of the National People’s Assembly of Guinea Bissau.

President Umario Sissoco Embalo expressed his admiration for the country and people of Vietnam, serving as an inspiration and an example for Guinea-Bissau during the struggle for national liberation in the past and national development at present. He thanked Vietnam for supporting Guinea-Bissau, even during the struggle for national independence.

He briefed his host on the results of his September 6 talks with Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam, during which the two sides signed a number of cooperation documents.

Guinea-Bissau desires to take the bilateral cooperation relationship to a new height, so that the two countries and two peoples can come closer together and cooperate more closely, stressed the president.

Inbound tourism soars by 46% in 8 months

Vietnam welcomed nearly 11.4 million international holiday-makers in the first eight months of this year, up 46 percent year-on-year and 1 percent compared to the same period in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported.

Of them, arrivals by air account for 84.7 per cent (9.7 million), 13.8 per cent by road (1.6 million) and 1.5 per cent by sea (165,600).

In August alone, the country lured nearly 1.43 million foreign arrivals, an increase of 18 over the same period last year.

In January-August, Asia remained Vietnam's largest tourist source market with over 9 million arrivals, a year-on-year increase of 51 percent.

Arrivals from the EU and Oceania continued to grow steadily, respectively up 42.7 percent (over 1.3 million visitors) and 25.4 percent (346,500 visitors).

The number of tourists from Africa grew by 95.5 percent to 34,200, from the Americas up by 7.8 percent to 674,300, cited VGP.

South Korea and China maintained their status as Vietnam's largest sources of tourists with over 3 million (making up 26 percent) and 2.4 million (accounting for 21 percent), respectively.

It was followed by Taiwan with 850,000; the U.S. 529,000; Japan 461,000; Australia 315,000; Malaysia 313,000; India 312,000; Cambodia 295,000 and Thailand 274,000.

Favorable visa policies and attractive tourism stimulus programs in many localities were attributed to the rising number of foreign visitors to Vietnam, according to the GSO.

Vietnam has introduced its visa policy since August 15, 2023, helping the local tourism industry to gradually recover from the staggering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, it has applied electronic visas (e-visa) to citizens of all countries and territories, and increased the temporary residence period from 30 to 90 days, with multiple entries and exits. It has also increased the temporary stay period of citizens from 13 countries with unilateral visa exemption to 45 days.

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