News highlights for April 10, 2023

Check out the news caught today.

Tuyen Quang Province to hold 2nd international hot-air balloon festival

Tuyen Quang Province's first International Hot-Air Balloon Festival held in 2022. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

The Second International Hot-Air Balloon – 2023 will last from April 28 to May 5 in Tuyen Quang Province, offering a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy the tremendous scenes of the northern mountainous region. The festival will gather 20 hot-air balloons and pilots of various nationalities, such as Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.

Huynh Vo Hoang Son, the first runners-up of the Mister Universe Tourism 2023, and Quan Tran Gia Han, the first runners-up of the Miss Peace Vietnam 2022, will be the brand ambassador of the festival. The festival is one of the serial key events that will uphold the tourism year of Tuyen Quang Province. Other events include an exhibition of local handicrafts and craftsmanship, a kayak race, and a women’s football tournament.

Grab apologizes for wrong display of Vietnamese islands on the map

A spokesperson of the ride-hailing firm Grab Vietnam on April 9 apologized for displaying the wrong names of the islands owned by Vietnam on the East Sea (South China Sea). The company is working with its map developer to fix the problem. The company hopes the incident will not hamper its local operations in Vietnam.

As reported earlier, between the night of April 8 and the morning of April 9, some of the names of the islands on the East Sea, which belong to the sovereignty of Vietnam, were miswritten in Chinese and English, such as the Vanh Khan (Mischief) Reef and Chu Thap (Fiery Cross) Reef. The wrongdoings stirred public concerns that Grab had implied these islands belonged to China. As of 10am on April 10, the error display of Vietnamese islands has not been fixed.

Serial events to take place to advertise Vietnamese travel in overseas markets

Nearly 40 events will be held to promote Vietnamese specialties and attractive destinations to the overseas markets, promising a dynamic year for the local tourism sector, according to Nguyen Minh Hang, director of the General Economics Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To successfully organize the events, the ministry suggests the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism host international meetings to share experiences on boosting the tourism sector.

The foreign affairs ministry also plans to bolster the ties with India and Middle East nations and provide materials and publications for a better advertisement for Vietnamese embassies and overseas societies. In return, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism recommends that the two agencies boost inbound and outbound travel and promote rich Vietnamese cuisine to the international community.

Vietnam President Vo Van Thuong makes his first diplomatic trip

Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong will make his first overseas diplomatic trip as the State leader when he visits Laos from April 10-11 on the invite of Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos. President Thuong and other Vietnamese delegates will discuss key issues with the State's top officials of Laos, including President Thongloun, the Prime Minister, and the National Assembly Chairman, and meet the local Vietnamese community in Laos.

The visit would boost stronger Vietnam-Laos relations in all fields and support the implementation of the agreements between the two nations, including the Vietnam-Laos Strategic Cooperation Agreement 2021-2030 and the Vietnam-Laos Bilateral Cooperation Agreement 2021-2025, and strengthen their unity, friendship, and partnership. On April 9, the authorities of HCM City and Savannakhet Province (Laos) inaugurated a project worth VND60 billion (US$2.56 million) to renovate and reconstruct the Ho Chi Minh President Relic in the Lao locality.