Vietnam News Highlights for August 3, 2023

4,600 int’l tourists arrive in Nha Trang on Asia’s largest cruise ship

Asia's largest cruise ship, Spectrum of the Seas, arrives in Nha Trang City. Photo: Trung Nhan/The Hanoi Times

The luxury cruise ship Spectrum of the Seas on August 2 brought 4,600 international tourists from France, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong (China), Thailand and Singapore to Nha Trang City in the southern province of Khanh Hoa.

Since the beginning of 2023, Khanh Hoa has welcomed ten cruise ships with more than 9,600 visitors coming ashore. Another cruise ship is expected to arrive in Nha Trang this month.

Vietnam to sell 2 million doses of swine fever vaccine to Philippines and Indonesia

Two million doses of the African swine fever vaccine will be sold to the Philippines and Indonesia by October, according to Phan Quang Minh, Director of the Department of Animal Health. The Philippines has imported 300,000 doses.

The official said the Vietnam-made vaccine is of high quality and has helped Vietnam reduce the number of infected herds by 78% year-on-year to 208 in January-July and the number of dead pigs by 82% year-on-year to 8,500.

Thai Binh builds school in Laos' Xayaboury province

Vietnam's northern province of Thai Binh on August 3 handed over a school to Lao northern province of Xayaboury, the Vietnam News Agency reported. The two-floor school covering an area of 300 square meters cost VND5 billion (US$210,000).

It will be fully operational when the new school year begins in early September. The school is among many building projects that Vietnam's localities supported Laos localities, greatly strengthening Vietnam-Laos relations in education and training.

Hoi An to become a tier 2 city by 2030

The central province of Quang Nam will develop Hoi An into a tier 2 city in 2030, according to the Provincial Party Committee. Hoi An City is designed to become a center of cultural exchange, heritage preservation, convention and festival in the province.

The city is expected to drive socio-economic growth for the central coastal region to become one of the best tourist destinations in Asia.

Freight train launched between Vietnam's Hanoi and China's Shijiazhuang

The first international freight train from China's Shijiazhuang City arrived at Hanoi's Yen Vien Station on August 2 after a 2,700-kilometer journey. The train consisted of 23 containers carrying nearly 800 tons of goods, including metal equipment, chemicals and fertilizers.

This is the first train on this route between the two countries, which will help businesses reduce transportation time and facilitate cross-border trading.

Seven commercial housing projects completed in Q2/2023

The Ministry of Construction reported that Vietnam completed the construction of seven commercial housing projects with 2,424 apartments in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023. The number of projects increased by 40% on-quarter. In Q2, there were 15 newly approved projects with 3,239 units, increasing 89% against the first quarter of 2023 and 51.72% on-year. 

Across the country, 986 projects with 413,539 units are under construction.