Vietnam News Today (Nov. 5): Vietnam Attends Council of ASEAN Chief Justices Meeting in Malaysia

Illustrative photo. Source: VNA

Additional 339 Covid-19 cases were confirmed on November 4

The national Covid-19 caseload rose to 11,505,249 with 339 new cases recorded on November 4, according to the Ministry of Health.

With 195 patients given the all-clear during the day, the number of recoveries rose to 10,604,381.

Meanwhile, there are 55 patients needing breathing support, cited VNA.

No death from Covid-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours. The total fatalities stood at 43,165.

As of the end of November 3, the total number of doses of Covid-19 vaccines injected was 262,184,598 with 31,009 doses administered on November 3.

Vietnam attends the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices meeting in Malaysia

A delegation of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam led by Nguyen Hoa Binh, politburo member, secretary of the Party Central Committee, and chief justice, attended the 10th meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ) that opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 4.

In her opening address, Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, chief justice of Malaysia, noted that after 10 years of establishment, CACJ has made great strides and recorded many important achievements. She expressed hope that CACJ would further strengthen information sharing in the judicial field in the coming period, to support the bloc’s ASEAN community-building effort.

Nguyen Hoa Binh, politburo member, secretary of the Party Central Committee, and chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam, attends the 10th meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices in Malaysia. Photo: VNA

In a short interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the gathering, chief justice Nguyen Hoa Binh said the CACJ meeting discussed future cooperation issues, including the application of information technology in court operations, the delivery of documents in civil disputes, and disputes relating to children. These are issues of public interest and high expertise, said Binh.

According to the chief justice, Vietnam has over the past 10 years played host to the CACJ meeting twice and introduced a number of important initiatives. Vietnam’s proposal to recognize the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices as a political entity has been highly appreciated and prescribed in the ASEAN Charter. Other initiatives on Covid-19 control during the height of the pandemic have been acknowledged by the council, reported VOV.

Binh said that Vietnam has proactively and actively taken concrete steps to administer the courts, improve the quality of court operations, and provide judicial services to the people. Digital services, including the delivery of documents and online trials, have recorded initial successes, and they were all shared at the 10th CACJ meeting.

Vietnam likely be among Asia’s fastest growing economies next year: WSJ

Vietnam will likely be among Asia’s fastest-growing economies next year, despite a weaker currency and falling foreign reserves, according to a recent article published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

According to the author, Megha Mandavia, after the tough years of 2020 and 2021, Vietnam spent much of 2022 in the sweet spot – still-low inflation and rapid growth.

Times will get a bit tougher now, but the country is poised for fast growth next year – Natixis is forecasting 6.5%, while Capital Economics expects more than 7% – and the weakening currency may help soften the blow from weaker export demand.

Illustrative photo. Source: VNA

The article assessed that the situation could get even trickier for Vietnam if the world slides into a recession. However, thanks to investments in infrastructure, aggressive trade liberalization and relatively cheap wages, its manufacturing engine remains intact.

Vietnam also has the advantage of starting from an enviable growth position: roaring at 13.7% year on year in the third quarter of 2022 on the back of strong exports to the US.

The author noted that the country has also been partly insulated from the global surge in food prices – it is among the leading rice producers and exporters globally.

Enhancing Laos-Vietnam economic connectivity via East-West logistics corridor

More than 80 businesses from Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand gathered at an international conference in Vientiane on November 4 to discuss ways to strengthen regional links and develop East-West logistics corridors.

The gathering was co-organized by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Delegates share the view that Laos has numerous opportunities to develop into a regional transportation hub as it boasts advantages in terms of connecting goods in East Asia and West Asia, as well as the central location between China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. In addition, they said Laos has a lot of potential for developing logistics services along the East-West corridor to contribute to economic development in the Mekong sub-region, cited VOV.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Bui Van Quy, deputy general director of Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP), addresses the event. Photo: VNA

Addressing the event, Somvixay Vongthirath, deputy director of the Lao Trade Promotion Department, emphasized that logistics play an important role in promoting Laos’ trade, import-export, and services. Although Laos does not have a shipping route due to its geographical location, it receives assistance from Vietnam by connecting with Vietnamese maritime transport routes, he said.

Laos will continue to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam to develop border trades and trade services that connect to Vietnamese logistics infrastructure and services, he said.

Vongthirath welcomed the initiative to organize the conference, which he said would help promote logistics activities and increase the overall value of trade and economic connectivity between the two countries.

For his part, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Bui Van Quy, deputy general director of Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP), stressed that there are bright prospects ahead for developing logistics services that connect Laos and Vietnam through the East-West logistics corridors. He added that SNP is keen to contribute to the further development of the transport industry in Laos through its ecosystem of seaports, warehouses, and logistics services

At the event representatives from both Vietnamese and Lao enterprises also raised existing issues relating to removing hurdles and facilitating the import and export of goods throughout the region.

Representatives from Saigon Newport Corporation, the Laos International Freight Forwarders Association (LIFFA), and the Vietnam Business Association in Laos (AVILA) also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on logistic cooperation.

Vietnam, China begin joint sea patrol in waters adjacent to Tonkin Gulf’s demarcation line

The Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) on November 3 kick-started their second joint patrol in 2022 in the waters adjacent to the demarcation line in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Colonel Luong Cao Khai, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 1 leads the Vietnamese fleet. Meanwhile, the Chinese fleet is led by Huang Min, Director of the fourth Bureau’s Law Enforcement Department under the CCG, according to WVR.

During the greeting ceremony on the same day morning, the Vietnamese side congratulated the Chinese side on the success of the 20th National Party Congress, affirming that the traditional friendship between the two countries is a precious asset of the two parties, states and peoples.

Vietnam, China begin joint sea patrol: Colonel Luong Cao Khai, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 1 leads the Vietnamese fleet. Photo: https://www.qdnd.vn/via VNA

Vietnam always attaches importance to promoting the Vietnam – China cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership, Colonel Khai said, adding that this is a top priority in the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralisation, active and proactive international integration.

He highlighted the increasing cooperation between the VCG and the CCG, affirming that the joint patrol demonstrates the close cooperation of the two countries’ maritime law enforcement agencies in the Gulf of Tonkin, contributing to further strengthening their traditional friendship and jointly building the Gulf of Tonkin waters into a sea of peace, stability and respect for the law.

For his part, the Chinese officer expressed his pleasure at the maintenance and development of the joint patrol operation between the two coast guard forces, believing that the two sides will complete safely and smoothly the patrol – the fifth of such move since 2020.

During the joint patrol, the forces also conducted educational activities targeting fishing vessels operating in the area.