Vietnam news in brief - January 12
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Investigation underway into 14 people found in refrigerated container
The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and the Honorary Consulate Office of Vietnam in Dublin, Ireland, have contacted Irish authorities to inquire about the case in which three of 14 illegal migrants were found in a refrigerated shipping container at the Irish port of Rosslare earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on January 11.
Vietnamese agencies and local authorities are working to identify the victims, and measures to protect citizens will be taken if necessary, the ministry said.
Khanh Hoa to host International Light Festival in 2024
| Drone teams from China, Vietnam, India, and South Korea will take part in the 2024 Khanh Hoa International Light Festival. Photo: Trung Nhan/The Hanoi Times |
The Khanh Hoa International Light Festival will be held in the coastal city of Nha Trang from June 29 to July 20. It will feature exciting drone light performances from four teams, including Vietnam, China, India, and South Korea. With an expected attendance of 50,000 spectators and 2,000 guests, the event aims to promote Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa tourism.
Unexploded ordnance found Quang Tri
An unexploded ordnance (UXO) vault has been found underground in Gio My Commune, Gio Linh District, central coastal province of Quang Tri, the Norwegian People's Aid/RENEW (NPA/RENEW) project reported on January 11. The vault contains a total of 80 unexploded war remnants. Highly dangerous items were destroyed on-site, while others were transported to a safer location for destruction.
Among localities affected by UXO, Quang Tri has been impacted the most, with over 82% of its surface being contaminated. Up to 1.2% of its people are UXO victims, with children making up 31% of the total. As many as 18% of Vietnam's land is contaminated by bombs and mines.
New Tops Market supermarket opens in Hanoi
| The Tops Market ParkCity supermarket will offer customers more than 14,000 products. Photo: Central Retail Vietnam |
On January 11, Central Retail Vietnam inaugurated the Tops Market ParkCity supermarket at The LINC shopping center in Ha Dong District. This is the first newly designed Tops Market supermarket in the North, which guarantees three criteria: variety of fresh and imported food, clear origin and reliability. The supermarket will offer more than 14,000 products, meeting the above requirements.
Grade A office vacancy rate reaches 20% nationwide
Both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have seen an increase in vacancy rates compared to 2022 due to an oversupply of office space and global economic difficulties.
The vacancy rate for Grade A offices in Hanoi is over 20%, an increase of 5.3% compared to 2022, CBRE reported, whereas the rate in Ho Chi Minh City is close to 20%, up 12.5% year-on-year. The Grade B segment experiences rising vacancy rates in both cities. CBRE predicts that 2023 will be the year with the highest office supply since 2019. Hanoi has recorded 132,000 square meters of newly built space, concentrated in the Ba Dinh - Dong Da area and the western part of the city.
Bac Ninh's hi-tech waste-to-energy plant inaugurated
The inauguration ceremony of a hi-tech waste-to-energy plant was held on January 11 in Ngu Thai Commune, Thuan Thanh City, northern province of Bac Ninh. After two years of construction, the plant, with a daily waste processing capacity of 500 tons, is expected to start commercial operation in the second quarter of 2024. The initial investment for the project is approximately $58 million.
Vietnam's rice exports to set a record of nearly US$4.7 billion in 2023
By the end of 2023, Vietnam exported over 8.13 million tons of rice worth US$4.7 billion, up 14.4% in volume and 35.3% in value, setting a new record in the history of Vietnam's rice industry.
