Vietnam News Today (Feb. 11): Vietnamese Prime Minister Begins Brunei Visit

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Crown Prince of Brunei Al-Muhtadee Billah at the welcoming ceremony (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Prime Minister begins Brunei visit

A high-ranking Vietnamese Government delegation led by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh left Singapore on February 10 afternoon for Bandar Seri Begawan, beginning an official visit to Brunei.

The visit has been made at the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

The Crown Prince of Brunei Al – Muhtadee Billah and his spouse welcomed Chinh and his entourage at the airport. They also invited the Vietnamese PM to review the guard of honour.

After that the PM visited the Vietnamese Embassy where he met with embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Brunei.

On February 11 the Prime Minister is scheduled to call at National University of Brunei, hold talks with the Sultan and meet members of the Royal Family.

He will then witness the signing of cooperation documents between Vietnam and Brunei, and meet with some of Brunei’s leading energy enterprises, cited VOV.

This is Chinh’s first official visit to Brunei in his capacity as head of the Government after the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The visit is of special significance as it takes place at a time when the Vietnam – Brunei relations are developing positively. The two countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations last year.

Brunei is Chinh’s second stopover during his Southeast Asian tour which also includes Singapore. While stay in Singapore from February 8-10, Chinh held talks with Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong, witnessed the signing of various cooperation documents, and attended the Vietnam – Singapore business forum.

Ministry to send 76 servicemen to help Turkey overcome quake consequences

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence will send 76 servicemen to Turkey by February 12 night to assist the country in recovery efforts following the devastating earthquake.

At a conference in Hanoi on February 10, Maj. Gen. Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue and Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue, was assigned to assume the role of Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) forces in humanitarian and relief operations in Turkey.

The ministry also asked the General Department of Logistics to prepare 10 tonnes of dried food for the Turkish people.

Dispatched servicemen ready for the mission in Turkey. (Photo: VNA)

Chief of the VPA General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong said as there is no direct flight service between Vietnam and Turkey, units concerned are working with the Turkish Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey to arrange a flight carrying the Vietnamese servicemen to the country.

On the occasion, Cuong urged the dispatched servicemen to stay disciplined, actively overcome difficulties and accomplish tasks assigned by the Party, State and army, to leave a good impression on the Turkish authorities and people as well as international friends.

The quake was the most devastating disaster to shake Turkey since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake. As of February 10, last week’s earthquake claimed 21,000 lives, leaving thousands more injured, and destroyed thousands of houses. Local authorities have declared a state of emergency that requires urgent search and rescue missions, according to VNA.

As one of the world’s most active earthquake zones, Turkey experienced several strong earthquakes in the past, including the one with a magnitude of 7.4 in 1999 that was the most severe in decades, resulting in over 17,000 fatalities. The most recent 7-magnitude earthquake occurred in October 2022 in Aegean, causing 114 deaths and over 1,000 injured.

Vietnam to host ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on February 10 presided over a meeting examining preparations for the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians to be hosted by the National Assembly of Vietnam this year.

Hue noted the conference is the key multilateral foreign affairs event of the National Assembly of Vietnam in 2023.

An overview of the meeting examining preparations for the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians.

Following the success of the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly and the 41st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly – 41, the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians will be an opportunity for Vietnam and the National Assembly of Vietnam to further, promote its internationally, he said.

According to the chairman, the conference aims to strengthen young parliamentarians’ role and young people’s engagement in parliamentary activities, and to make recommendations to the IPU in order to build a network of young parliamentarians, enhance capacity building, and expand young people’s approach to issues of mutual concern.

He suggested organizing an exhibition of Vietnam’s One Commune, One Product (OCOP) products on the sidelines of the event to attract the participation of businesses, reported VOV.

It was reported the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly of Vietnam has held an online meeting with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretariat to discuss the organization of the conference, including the time, location, topics, main contents of the agenda and logistic work.

The Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians was established as part of the IPU in 2013. It has been held annually since 2014.

Vietnam to have 30 airports by 2030: draft planning

Vietnam will have a total of 30 airports by 2030 including 14 serving international flights, according to a draft plan that the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has submitted to the Ministry of Transport recently.

The 14 airports serving only domestic flights are Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Sa Pa, Na San, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Phan Thiet, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, and Con Dao.

Two military airports – Thanh Son and Bien Hoa – will be converted to use for both military and civil purposes, cited VNA.

The draft plan still keeps the Hai Phong International Airport project which was approved in the Prime Minister’s Decision No 640/QD-TTg dated April 28, 2011.

By 2050, Vietnam expects to have 33 airports including 14 international airports – Van Don, Hai Phong, Noi Bai, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Phu Bai, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho and Phu Quoc. There will also be 19 domestic airports, including Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Sa Pa, Cao Bang, Na San, Cat Bi, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Phan Thiet, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Con Dao, Bien Hoa, Thanh Son and the second airport in the southeast, south region of Hanoi.

Nhập mPlanes are seen at Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi. (Photo: VNA)

CAAV will continue to study, survey, and evaluate the possibility of converting some existing military airports into dual-use facilities including Yen Bai airport in Yen Bai province, and Gia Lam airport in Hanoi. The conversion will be reported to the Prime Minister for consideration when all necessary conditions are met.

In particular, this draft plan reflects CAAV’s openness to the new civil airports.

The agency proposes to continue studying, surveying and evaluating the possibility of building airports in provinces that are located in key positions in defense and security and with potential for tourism development but have no military airport. These include Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Ha Tinh, Kon Tum, Quang Ngai, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Dak Nong and Tay Ninh.

The Transport Engineering Design Incorporated (TEDI) – consultant for the national airport development planning – proposes that the capacity of Long Thanh airport by 2030 is 25 million passengers per year. The capacity of Long Thanh Airport would then increase to 100 million passengers by 2050. The Tan Son Nhat airport is to have a maximum capacity of 50 million passengers yearly.

Bien Hoa airport is expected to handle 5 million passengers yearly by 2030, and up to 10 million passengers by 2050.

Da Lat to conduct pilot project to boost night-time economy

The flower city of Da Lat in the central highland province of Lam Dong on February announced that it will implement a pilot program on developing night-time economy in the 2022-2023 period.

The project will include constructions, such as a water music fountain located at the Da Lat City’s Flower Garden, a 900-meter long food street on Tran Le and Hoang Van Thu roads. Visitors will enjoy variety of nighttime activities on main streets of Ba Thang Hai, Truong Cong Dinh, Tang Bat Ho, Nguyen Chi Thanh and Lam Vien Square.

The resort town will develop another walking street on Tran Quoc Toan street, a section between Dinh Tien Hoang and Tran Quoc Toan roads with a total length of 1,600 meters in the 2023-2030 period, SGGP reported.

Da Lat night market.

According to Vice Director of the Lam Dong Province Management Board of Traffic Projects, Vo Ngoc Minh Phat, the expansion project of Prenn Pass will include two new bridges and four scenic rest stops.

On February 6, the provincial authorities closed Prenn Pass and banned vehicles from travelling at both ends of the pass to kick off the upgrade and expansion project that is expected to be completed in one year.