At a press conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Việt Nam on Thursday, spokesperson Lê Thị Thu Hằng addressed the Chinese film "Wang Bai’s Army", a film about the border conflict between the two nations in the 1980s. 

Spokesperson Hằng said that Vietnamese authorities have taken note of the controversial production.

“Việt Nam’s consistent policy on historical issues is to put aside the past, look into the future, and look at things in a correct and objective way,” Hằng said.

She also said Việt Nam wants the two countries to continue "practical activities to enhance understanding between people, contributing to the friendship, cooperation and development among the countries of the world. 

“We ask the Chinese side to strictly implement the common perception of the two countries’ senior leaders on promoting friendly and objective propaganda, and consolidating social relations that are favourable for the development of relations between the two countries,” she said./.

 Viet Nam looks forward to enhancing international cooperation in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended virtually the 15^th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) quadrennial ministerial conference on October 6.

At the Conference, minister Bui emphasized three reasons why UNCTAD has made a very important point this year: i) digitalization and innovation have brought about profound transformation on how the world interacts and cooperates; ii) the inequality among and across nations is deepened not just in sharing the benefits from globalization but also in the resilience and capacities to recover from crisis; and iii) global challenges, notably climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic unveil an unprecedented global health, economic and social crisis that hurts all countries.

The Vietnamese minister highly appreciated the theme of UNCTAD 15: “From Inequality and Vulnerability to Prosperity for All”, commenting that the theme reiterated UNCTAD’s commitment to ensure trade and development work for all and in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.

As the world is looking at a future of development, where green trade and digital trade should be incorporated within trade policy-making; where global efforts should be accelerated towards a model that is more resilient to shocks, sustainable and ultimately more inclusive, Bui shared his thoughts in to contribute to formulate global policy responses and to set UNCTAD’s priorities for the next four years.

The thoughts mentioned that multilateralism and international coordination should be further strengthened to contain Covid-19 worldwide, advance full global recovery, enhance adaptability to the new normal and lay a development foundation resistant to future global shocks. It is also mentioned that the future of development should not only be economically resilient, but also environmentally sound and socially inclusive and that UNCTAD needs to accelerate global cooperation in leveraging the potentials of innovation and digitalization to foster new impetus for a sustainable development and innovation-driven growth.

Bui closed his statement by affirming that i) Viet Nam’s most important and urgent task is containing the pandemic and accelerating socio-economic recovery as its vision is placing people’s well-being at the heart of the country’s policy making process; and ii) Viet Nam looks forward to enhancing international cooperation in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation in order to attain our socio-economic development goals as well as to join the global community in nurturing peace, stability, development and prosperity for all.

Virtually held between Barbados and Geneva from 3 to 7 October 2021, with pre-conference events running online throughout the year, starting from April 2021, the 15^th session of UNCTAD quadrennial ministerial conference comes at a time when there is a need to reignite a spirit of optimism and collaboration globally, not only to solve the twin challenges of inequality and vulnerability but to ensure trade thrives and is a driver of development.

The Conference, which is under the theme of “From Inequality and Vulnerability to Prosperity for All”, aims to make an urgent call for action to avoid global failure. As COVID-19 pandemic has shown more than ever a clear gap between the rich world and developing nations, the conference has also been considered as an important opportunity to change course and move from rhetoric to action.

UNCTAD is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964. Its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland, and it has offices in New York and Addis Ababa.

UNCTAD is part of the UN Secretariat, reporting to the UN General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council but has its own membership, leadership, and budget. UNCTAD is also part of the United Nations Development Group./.

  It is not uncommon for a water-centric research, policy or development organization or network to declare its long-term vision of the “water-secure world”. It reads nicely and feels great.

And it is intuitive and logical to perceive that a water-secure world is the one where “water security” is ensured. In every country.

The concept of “water security” has emerged on the global stage primarily over the last two decades. Its shortest and most elegant definition says water security is a “tolerable level of water-related risk to society.”

A conceptual framework of water security based on a more comprehensive definition encompasses various needs and conditions that should be taken into account — water for drinking, economic activity, ecosystems, hazard resilience, governance, transboundary cooperation, financing, and political stability.

Hence water security is not just about how much natural water a country has, although this matters a lot, but also how well the resource is managed.

Water security is considered a unifying concept that can help coordinate efforts towards a common goal. This common goal, however, remains unclear. Absolute water security simply does not and will never exist anywhere.

The devil, as usual, is in the details: how do you define “tolerable”, adequate”, “acceptable” — and other adjectives and variables that reflect the uncertainty normally associated with water security measures?

Perhaps the most advanced initiative to measure water security, started almost a decade ago with regular updates, is the Asian Water Development Outlook. It largely follows the principles of the water security conceptual framework noted above and employs over 50 indices to rate various aspects of it.

The most recent Outlook (2020) suggests that New Zealand, Japan and Australia are the most water secure nations in Asia-Pacific region, while Afghanistan is the most water insecure.

This is hardly surprising: the more developed a country is, the more effective its water management, the higher its water security ranking, even if the country’s water resources are limited.

Also, such regionally focused assessments compare a limited selection of countries and essentially reflect relative “status” rather than how close or far the countries are from achieving some global standards or milestones.

The uncertainty surrounding water security measures therefore prevails. All this has implications for development.

An obvious one is that the water-secure world we envision is either a mirage or a “nirvana concept.” The first is deceiving, the second unachievable. Either way, the focus created by imprecision is on movement, not on result, and conveniently excuses not knowing where we are going.

It may be argued, for example, that water security underpins, albeit implicitly, the global development Agenda 2030, including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 (entirely dedicated to water) and other water-related targets scattered through the SDG continuum.

Yet, similarly to water security itself, such SDG targets are either left “strategically vague” or simply undefined. Only SDG targets 6.1: universal (i.e. 100% in every country) water supply; 6.2: universal (i.e. 100% in every country) sanitation; and 6.3: halving (i.e. 50%, without country specifics) the proportion of untreated wastewater globally are explicitly quantitative.

Unclear, though, is whether their achievement by 2030 was politically or scientifically motivated. (The role of science, or lack thereof, in global water development is another debate).

From this standpoint, it is not surprising that the water-related SDGs set in 2015 have clearly turned out to be over-ambitious; indeed, it was conceded, even before the pandemic hit, that SDG6, for example, is off-track.

Going forward it may be more practical to define and quantify some globally acceptable water security standards — e.g. evolving, functional, optimal, or similar categories.

A country’s water status can then be seen in a context of these standards, and that, in turn, can help define action plans with a visible target.

Furthermore, the visibility horizons should be immediate short-term — five years or less — so that accountability is not passed to succeeding generations of experts, policymakers and politicians.

Water security standards need to relate directly to the number, type and scale of problems. To move from one standard to another, problems need to be eradicated, not just mitigated.

The “movement” towards nirvana water security may then become at least well-structured. Achievements and remaining gaps should be easier to see and articulate. And water science could finally play a central, practical role in the process.

Going even further, a water security philosophy may not even be necessary at all if we simply focus on solving — i.e. eradicating well-known water problems in a process designed with short steps and clearly measurable results, which should be realized in every generation.

Sadly, looking back at the last 50 years, it is hard to see a single global or regional water problem that has been, indeed, eradicated. And, accordingly, not a single country can currently boast that it is, indeed, water secure.

So much for a water-secure world.

               Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieut. Gen. Luong Tam Quang at the conference

Vietnam backs ASEAN countries’ viewpoint on promoting the development of the ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy for 2021-2025 to unify a vision, awareness and common actions of the bloc on cybersecurity issues, said Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieut. Gen. Luong Tam Quang.

Quang made the statement as part of his speech at the 6th ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC)’s plenary session which took place virtually and in in-person form in Singapore on October 6.

He also highlighted Vietnam’s support for the building of regional legal frameworks to facilitate international cooperation in the field.

Vietnam proposed ASEAN member states strengthen cooperation for capacity improvement in protecting the critical information infrastructure (CII); establish a mechanism and develop a joint and long-term training cooperation plan in the bloc with the support of its dialogue partner countries towards building a resilient cyberspace in ASEAN; and organise a legal forum on cybersecurity in ASEAN to exchange experiences in building and completing related policies and laws.

ASEAN countries should work together in implementing programmes and campaigns to raise awareness on cybersecurity and safe Internet skills for Internet users, the official added.

At the conference, ASEAN ministers discussed enhancing regional cooperation in cyberspace in the context of the new normal condition, with a focus on identifying areas of collaboration between bloc members and ASEAN dialogue partners.

In a presidential statement adopted at the event, they recognised the importance of protecting the CII from cyber threats in order to ensure a safe and secure cyberspace in the region./.

Chairman of Can Tho's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Nguyen Trung Nhan at Munirangsay pagoda.

A delegation of officials of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho visited and presented gifts to religious dignitaries in local Khmer worship establishments on October 6 on the occasion of the Khmer ethnic group's traditional Sene Dolta Festival.

They extended greetings to the Patriotic United Buddhist Association of Can Tho city at Munirangsay pagoda, Most Venerable Tran Sone at Pitukhosarangsay pagoda and Most Venerable Ly Hung in An Cu ward, Ninh Kieu district.

A day earlier, the official also visited Venerable Dao Nhu at Pothisomron pagoda in O Mon district and the Khmer Theravada Buddhist Academy.

During the visits, Chairman of the city's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Nguyen Trung Nhan conveyed his best wishes to Most Venerables, Venerables, monks and nuns, prestigious persons in the community and local Khmer people on the occasion.

He wished that they would continue cooperating with the city to perform the Party and State’s policies and guidelines, as well as urge Buddhist followers to actively join in socio-economic development in the “new normal”.

Nhan added that the committee is ready to receive public feedback to build Can Tho into a better city./.

                                                             At a meeting of the UN

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN has underlined that it is necessary to enhance global solidarity, promote the production and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine at a reasonable cost in a timely and universal manner across the world.

He made the statement during a deliberation of the Third Committee - Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Issues of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) chaired by Ambassador Mohamed Siad Doualeh (Djibouti), which will run from September 30 to November 19, within the 76th session of the UNGA.

Quy took the occasion to express Vietnam’s gratitude to partners, international organisations and people of countries worldwide for their support to Vietnam's fight against COVID-19.

To recover better and leave no one behind, he laid stress on a need for transitional leadership and strong political will, stating that recovery policies must ensure sustainability and inclusion.

Short-, mid- and long-term measures need to place people at the centre, with a focus on poverty reduction and hunger elimination, education and healthcare provision for all, he added.

The Ambassador affirmed that human rights protection is for all countries’ interest and the promotion and protection of human rights should be based on constructive approach and dialogues.
In addition to not intervening in internal affairs, countries should respect territorial integrity and political independence in line with principles of the UN Charter and international law, as well as respect historical, social and cultural conditions, along with the context of nations' development.

Civil rights and political, economic, social and cultural rights or those for development must be treated as equal.

The Ambassador reiterated that promoting and protecting human rights are of top priority, an ultimate goal and momentum for Vietnam’s sustainable development.

He touched on Vietnam' achievements in the fields in recent times, as well as the country’s commitments to engaging in dialogues and cooperation with UN bodies, special rapporteurs and independent experts of the UN Human Rights Council, in order to protect and promote human rights.

Participating countries said that they encounter obstacles in socio-economic development and vaccine access, especially African nations.

Furthermore, they expressed their concern about difficulties facing women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities, together with those of ethnic groups and immigrants./.

 

Despite serious impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign investments in Vietnam in the first nine months of 2021 rose, showing investors' trust and optimism about the country’s socio-economic recovery and development in the coming time, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc has said.

This also affirms that Vietnam continues to be a safe, attractive and potential destination for foreign investors, Ngoc told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

As of September, the nation had 34,141 valid investment projects, with a combined capital of 403.19 billion USD.

However, the pandemic is negatively affecting production and business activities of enterprises, including foreign-invested ones, and making it difficult for foreign investors to explore investment and business opportunities in Vietnam.

Acknowledging this fact, over the past time, the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, sectors and localities have made efforts and taken drastic measures for the highest goal of effective pandemic prevention and control, and effective support for production and business of enterprises.

The business community, including FDI enterprises, has joined hands with the Government and local authorities in supporting people in the fight against COVID-19, thus demonstrating the spirit of overcoming difficulties, adapting to the new situation, maintaining production, and creating jobs for labourers. This shows the confidence of foreign investors in Vietnam’s business environment and the effectiveness of solutions taken by the Government and the Prime Minister.

The FDI business community has appreciated the Government's response to the pandemic, expressed optimism about Vietnam's economic recovery, and committed to continuing to invest and do long-term business in Vietnam.

Ngoc also pointed out several difficulties facing enterprises, including labour shortage, entry restrictions and long-term quarantine, selective investment attraction policy, decreases in global foreign investment inflows, and increasing competitiveness in attracting foreign investment among countries.

To make FDI enterprises feel secure, the Government has made recommendations to the Party or submitted to the National Assembly and the National Assembly Standing Committee to promulgate many important policies. The Government has also issued a number of decrees and thematic resolutions on land rent exemption and reduction and on support for enterprises, cooperatives and business households, as well as workers and employers.

According to Ngoc, besides negative impacts, the pandemic is also an opportunity for Vietnam to continue perfecting its institutions, improving governance capacity, and the business and investment environment./.

 

 

The contest "Cyber S – Generation S: Safety and equality in cyberspace" opened on October 4 to raise public awareness, especially among young people and content creators on social media, about safety and gender equality in cyberspace amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-hosted by the UN Women Vietnam, the Centre for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS) and the CEDLink, the event will last till November with a training course on gender equality and safety in cyberspace for students and content creators, guidance for them to build and carry out their own projects, and join the competition with awards worth over 70 million VND (3,000 USD).

Speaking at the event, Vu Phuong Ly, an expert from the UN Women, said amid the pandemic, online schooling and working have become popular but still posed risks for users, especially women and girls. Therefore, improving public awareness of safety and gender equality in cyberspace has become urgent and necessary.

CSDS Director Don Tuan Phuong expressed his hope that the event will afford contestants a chance to share initiatives to build gender-sensitive contents and end gender violence online.

According to the Forbes magazine, the pandemic has pushed up the use of the Internet globally by 50-70 percent. Women and girls are vulnerable to online violence, including sexual abuse, physical threats, tracking and stealing personal information and photos./.