Category: Sports

Buenos Aires: The Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina on December 22 organised an event to promote Vietnamese culture and cuisine, wrapping up a series of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Argentina.

The event saw the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MERCOSUR-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce (MACC), ambassadors of ASEAN countries, Japan, Uruguay and the Republic of Korea, the Argentine Council of International Relations (CARI) and the Argentina-Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV).

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Duong Quoc Thanh emphasised that 2023 is a pivotal year in cooperation, solidarity, and friendship between Vietnam and Argentina as the two countries celebrate 50-year diplomatic relations (October 25, 1973 – 2023) and 13 years of the Comprehensive Partnership. Many meaningful and diverse political activities have been organised, especially the visit of National Assembly
Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to Argentina in April.

According to the ambassador, cultural diplomacy is a bridge that brings people closer together, and Vietnamese cuisine has been very popular with Argentinian friends for years, such as spring rolls. Besides, economic diplomacy is one of the important pillars of the relationship between the two countries, especially in the context that Vietnam and Argentina wish to launch negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency, Rodolfo Caffaro Kramer, Global President of MACC, said he will head a business delegation to Vietnam next October and is making efforts to promote FTA negotiations between MERCOSUR, of which Argentina is a founding member, and Vietnam.

He emphasised that economic and trade cooperation are important pillars in bilateral relations. In 2022, Vietnam was Argentina’s 6th largest trading partner and 5th largest export market in the world, and a key partner in Argentina’s South-So
uth cooperation in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Argentina was Vietnam’s third largest trading partner in Latin America. However, these positions are still modest compared to the two countries’ potential, so that Argentina is very interested in an FTA between MERCOSUR and Vietnam, he said.

Trade between Vietnam and Argentina is complementary. Argentina is willing to diversify products to meet Vietnam’s needs and vice versa, Vietnam has many high-quality products such as technology, textiles, and footwear, all of which are familiar products in the South American market. In the first ten months of this year, trade turnover between the two countries reached about 3 billion USD.

On this occasion, Argentinian friends were treated to Vietnamese cuisine at Green Bamboo Restaurant, a familiar address of South American diners and tourists who love Vietnamese dishes for the past 24 years./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The Vietnamese men’s national football team wrapped up the year 2023 with the first place in Southeast Asia, 15th in Asia and 94th in the world in FIFA’s latest rankings.

In Southeast Asia, Vietnam were followed by Thailand (113th in the world), Malaysia (130th), the Philippines (140th) and Indonesia (146th).

In Asia, Japan topped the rankings (17th place in the world), followed by Iran (21st), the Republic of Korea (23rd), Australia (25th), and Saudi Arabia (56th).

Argentina, the World Cup champions, topped the world rankings, followed by France, England, Belgium, Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Croatia.

According to FIFA, there are only 11 international matches in December, of which nine belonged to Oceania teams at the Pacific Games. The remainders are two friendly matches between Colombia and Venezuela/Mexico. This is the reason why there will be no significant change in the rankings for the last month of this year.

The most notable football event in January next year is th
e 2023 Asian Cup finals with the participation of 24 teams from Asia. Vietnam are drawn into Group D together with Japan, Iraq and Indonesia. The results of the matches in this regional tournament are forecast to create big changes in the world rankings, especially for Asian teams.

To prepare for the 2023 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team is expected to gather for training on December 31. Coach Philippe Troussier and his team will spend a few days practicing in the country before travelling to Qatar for training and playing a friendly match with Kyrgyzstan before the tournament./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 22 chaired the first national teleconference on the development of cultural industries in Vietnam.

Addressing the event, PM Chinh said that the Vietnamese culture is a result of thousands of years of working, creating, and undaunted struggles for national construction and protection by ethnic groups in the country, and also a result of the exchange with many civilisations in the world to unceasingly perfect itself.

The cultural industries are the sectors producing products that are imbued with artistic and creative characteristics, and could be tangible or intangible, he said, adding that cultural values and the products and services that have social and cultural meanings are exploited to gain economic benefits.

The Government leader cited the strategy on developing Vietnam’s cultural industries until 2020 with a vision to 2030 as affirming that the industries form an important part of the national economy, and that the State provides favourable conditions
for attracting maximum resources from businesses and the society to develop the cultural industries.

In particular, according to the PM, the 13th National Party Congress set the task of quickly boosting the focus-driven development of the cultural industries and services on the basis of the Vietnamese culture’s soft power. At the national conference on culture in 2021, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong outlined six major tasks, including promptly developing the cultural industries and building a healthy cultural market.

Thanks to the special attention from the Party and State along with the moves by all-level administrations, sectors, and localities, the cultural industries have gradually become important economic and service sectors. The investment of capital in these industries has promoted new strides in the cultural market, thus contributing to socio-economic development, PM Chinh remarked.

However, compared to some other sectors, the cultural industries in Vietnam have yet to fully capitalise o
n their potential and advantages, he pointed out.

To help the cultural industries soon secure fast and sustainable development and optimise potential and advantages, the PM held that it is necessary to make strong changes in terms of both awareness and action, reform the mindset, and apply breakthrough methodology so as to develop ‘creative, characteristic, unique, professional, and competitive’ cultural industries of Vietnam.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the cultural industries include cinematography, cultural tourism, performing arts, fine arts, photography, exhibition, advertising, architecture, designing, publication, fashion, radio and television broadcasting, software, entertainment games, and handicraft.

They have made considerable contributions to the economy, it said, elaborating that their production value was estimated at 1.059 quadrillion VND (44 billion USD) during 2018 – 2022.

However, the cultural industries are still facing certain difficulties such as the shor
tage of concrete and appropriate legal regulations, mechanisms and policies for their development; the lax coordination among ministries, sectors, localities, organisations, individuals, and businesses; the lack of investment focuses; and traditional cultural values remaining untapped for cultural products and services, the ministry noted./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has stressed the need for higher determination, stronger efforts and more effective actions from ministries, sectors, localities and organisations to promote the growth of cultural industries, increasing their contributions to the country’s GDP by 2030.

Addressing the first national teleconference on the development of the cultural industries in Vietnam on December 22, the Government leader highlighted the progress of industries, with contributions to the national GDP increasing to 4.4% in 2022 from 3.92% in 2021.

However, he stressed that the development of cultural industries has yet to match the potential, pointing out a number of reasons, including inefficient mechanisms and policies, inadequate investment and a lack of high quality human resources.

The PM held that the cultural industries boast great potential to grow rapidly and create new impetus for cultural development, highlighting the country’s great advantages, including beautiful and diverse natural landsc
apes and unique cultural identities of 54 ethnic groups as well as the country’s strong integration into the world.

The leader put forth six major orientations in developing the national cultural industries, stressing that the industries’ growth must contribute to building the modern Vietnamese culture with strong national identity, linking creative, cultural and art activities with production and business activities, basing on innovation, science and technology and protecting intellectual property rights.

The industries must expand in a more professional, modern, dynamic and competitive manner, with the combination of diverse sectors and areas in line with fundamental rules of the market economy and trends of the era, he stated.

The PM emphasised that the development of the cultural industries must go along with the promotion and popularisation of the image of Vietnam and its people, while cultural products must meet the creative, characteristic, professional, healthy, competitive and sustainability requi
rements, thus building national trademarks for Vietnam’s cultural products and services to join national global chains.

PM Chinh assigned specific tasks to particular ministries, sectors and localities in boosting the growth of the cultural industries, asking them to propose mechanisms and policies in the field, including those to encourage investment and public-private partnership in the industries.

The Government leader called on the business community to promote their dynamism, creativity and driving role in boosting the growth of the cultural industries and protecting and developing national cultural identity.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the cultural industries include cinematography, cultural tourism, performing arts, fine arts, photography, exhibition, advertising, architecture, designing, publication, fashion, radio and television broadcasting, software, entertainment games, and handicraft.

They have made considerable contributions to the economy, it said, elaborating
that their production value was estimated at 1.059 quadrillion VND (44 billion USD) during 2018 – 2022./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Thong Nhat islet in Hanoi has turned into colourful patchwork quilts as thousands of flowers are blossoming bright at the Hanoi Flower Land 2023 festival, which opened on December 21.

Visitors will have an opportunity to indulge themselves in the typical flamboyance of renowned flower villages such as Sa Dec in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap and Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The festival, which is held by the Thien Dieu Trading and Processing JSC and the Netherlands-Vietnam agricultural business cooperative, also features several fairy miniature areas and food stalls.

Entertainment and street art programmes are also arranged in the festival which will run until January 1, 2024./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: A ceremony took place in Hanoi on December 21 to award winners of a competition on Australia and its people, as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties.

The event was co-hosted by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HAUFO), the Hanoi chapter of Vietnam-Australia Friendship Association and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, HAUFO President Nguyen Ngoc Ky said nearly two months since its launch, the competition has received enthusiastic response from teachers and students in Hanoi, with a total of 4,315 entries from 45 secondary and high schools.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski said Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic ties in 1973, and just one year later, the first Vietnamese students arrived in Australia on scholarships. To date, over 80,000 Vietnamese students have pursued their study at educational establishments in Australia.

The competition not only helps students understand Australia, it
s people, and the Australia-Vietnam relationship but also improves their self-learning skills, reading and writing proficiency, as well as ability to use and practise English.

They answered multiple-choice questions and wrote essays demonstrating their insights into Australia and its people across different realms such as history, culture, economy, geography, education, as well as cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and Australia.

With 150 entries selected for the final round, the judging board presented three collective prizes; and 20 individual ones, including two first, three second, five third and 10 consolation prizes.

Ngo Si Lien secondary school in Hoan Kiem district secured the first prize in the collective category, while Dao Nguyen Gia Han from Ngo Si Lien secondary school and Nguyen Hong Phuc from Viet Duc high school won the first prize in the individual category./.
Source:Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: A national conference on the development of cultural industries, the first of its kind, will take place in Hanoi on December 24 in both in-person and online formats, which will be presided over by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha.

During a press conference held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) in Hanoi on December 19, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy said the event will contribute to underscoring the role, significance, and necessity of cultural industries in socio-economic development.

It is also meant to realise Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s conclusions at the 2021 National Culture Conference, the Party’s directives and resolutions on developing cultural industries that match Vietnam’s potential and advantages, making positive contributions to national development in the coming time, she added.

At the conference, the ministry will report on the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Vie
tnamese Cultural Industries until 2020, with a vision to 2030, focusing on reviewing the achievements and the development of each sector within the cultural industries.

Representatives from ministries, agencies, localities, associations, scientists, and relevant businesses will share success models and innovative approaches, identify obstacles and challenges, and propose directions, solutions, mechanisms, and policies to overcome difficulties and develop cultural industries between now and 2030 and subsequent periods.

The conference also serves as a forum for stakeholders to join hands to transform cultural industries into an economic pillar of the country. Relevant units will focus on supporting the provision of products and services with strong development potential, carrying significant Vietnamese value and the ability to promote Vietnamese culture globally.

Based on the results of the conference, the Government and the PM will assign specific tasks to each ministry, sector, and localities; as well as i
ssue solutions, mechanisms and policies for the effort./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency