Vietnam News Highlights for July 12, 2023

Vietnamese PM approves Ngu Hanh Son scenic area development plan

Ngu Hanh Son is expected to become an important destination on the Central Heritage Road. Photo: danangfantasticity.com

Vietnam's Prime Minister has approved a plan to preserve and develop the Ngu Hanh Son scenic area in the beach city of Danang to transform the area into a cultural space that will host festivals and unique entertainment events.

The decision on July 11 outlines measures to protect the national heritage site in harmony with socio-economic and tourism development. With a planned area of over one million square meters, Ngu Hanh Son and other tourist attractions in the city and surrounding areas create a diverse tourism product chain, serving as an important destination on the "Central Heritage Road". 

Vietnam ranks 74th in world food consumption

Vietnam ranks 74th out of 184 countries and territories in the world's most food-consuming table, according to research by Oxford University-based OurWorldInData. The research covering the period 1961-2020 shows that Vietnamese people consumed 3,026 kilocalories per capita per day in 2020, an increase of 57%.

The world's top 10 biggest eaters are Bahrain, the US, and Ireland, where people consume 3,850-4,012 kilocalories per capita per day.

Ministry of Health to raise medical examination fees

The National Health Authority on July 11 proposed to increase the prices of medical examination and treatment services based on a salary increase of VND1.8 million (US$76).

The suggestion includes an assessment of the impact on different groups when increasing the prices of medical examination and treatment services. 

Vietnamese national flag disappears from Google e-maps

The image of the Vietnamese national flag paved on the roof of a hall on Truong Sa Lon Island, part of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, has been invisible on Google Maps and Google Earth since July 12. The roof is said to be a red rectangle with a yellow star in the middle.

Vietnamese netizens noticed on July 10 that the Vietnamese flag was missing from Google's terrain map of Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, sparking public anger at Google over suspicions that the US tech giant had erased the flag. Google claimed on July 11 that it was a technical error and was trying to fix it.

Vietnam wins two gold medals at Int'l Mathematical Olympiad 2023

All six members of the Vietnamese team participating in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2023 have won medals, with two gold medals, ranking Vietnam sixth among the 110 countries and territories participating in the competition, behind China, the US, South Korea, Romania, and Japan, according to the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).

Power giant EVN reports US$874 million loss in 2022

State-owned power supplier Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) reported a loss of VND20.7 trillion (US$874 million) in 2022, according to the company's audited financial statements. The company made a profit of VND14.7 trillion (US$621 million) in 2021.

The company's net revenue in 2022 increased 8.6% year-on-year to VND463 trillion (US$19.5 billion). EVN blamed the loss on an increase in the cost of raw materials, a reduction in financial income, and a fourfold increase in the foreign exchange deficit.