Vietnam news in brief - May 13

Vietnam's costumes most favorite at fitness supermodel contest

Vietnam's traditional dresses are among the best costumes at the ongoing Miss and Mister Fitness Supermodel World 2024 in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. The costumes are inspired by To He, a traditional  Vietnamese toy made of rice powder, and Hung King, the most ancient ruler of all Vietnamese.

The contest is taking place from May 10 to May 20 at Ho May Park, Vung Tau City, with the finale slated for the night of May 18.

Vietnam’s largest cargo ship launched in Haiphong

The launching ceremony takes place in the port city of Haiphong on May 11. Photo: Ministry of Transport

The largest made-in-Vietnam freighter, with a total deadweight capacity of 65,000 tons, was launched last week in the northern port city of Haiphong. The cargo ship is nearly 200 meters long and 32.3 meters wide, with a total internal volume of more than 35,800 gross tons. The vessel is built entirely by Vietnamese engineers and workers at the Nam Trieu Ship Building Company in Haiphong.

With complete autonomy in the construction of cargo ships, Haiphong confirms itself as one of the main shipbuilding centers in Vietnam.

Measures taken to help Vietnamese in Poland cope with fire aftermath 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland are taking necessary measures to protect the rights and interests of overseas Vietnamese in Poland whose properties were destroyed in a fire last week. The Embassy is ready to issue new legal documents for these people and urges local authorities to investigate the incident.

In the early morning of May 12 (local time), a fire broke out in a shopping center in Warsaw, Poland. It destroyed 1,400 kiosks, one-third of which are owned by traders of Vietnamese origin. No casualties were reported.

Vietnam jumps to second highest crypto ownership in the world

According to cryptocurrency payment gateway Triple-A, Vietnam ranks second on the list of countries with the highest percentage of the population owning crypto in the world, with 21.2%, behind the United Arab Emirates with 30.39%. Vietnam's rapid economic digitization contributes largely to the widespread crypto adoption among its population. 

VinFast Ironman 70.3 Vietnam attracts 2,000 athletes 

French athlete Fabien Celeste wins the men's race. Photo: Sunrise Events Vietnam

The eighth VinFast Ironman 70.3 Vietnam triathlon competition was held in the central coastal city of Danang on May 12, attracting nearly 2,000 athletes from Vietnam and abroad. The competition included a 1.9km swim, 90km bike, and 21.1km run.

French athlete Fabien Celeste won the men's race for 3 hours, 56 minutes, and 9 seconds, while a Guatemalan athlete secured the women's title with a total time of 4 hours, 23 minutes, and 7 seconds.

Vietnam Import-Export Report to be announced on May 16

The Vietnam Import-Export Report 2023 will be released on May 16 in Hanoi. Launched in 2016, it's the annual publication by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), providing an overview of import-export, including a detailed analysis of import-export by product category and market. It also covers state management, policies related to import-export, and legal documents issued during the year.

Hanoi targets 95% disbursement rate of public investment

Hanoi targets a minimum disbursement rate of 95% of the public investment plan for 2024 and 2025, according to a plan recently issued by Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh. This is outlined in plan No.143/KH-UBND, which aims to accelerate the implementation of the public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period and to expedite the progress of key projects.

Vietnam set record target for cashew nut export 

In the first four months of 2024, Vietnam earned US$1.16 billion from cashew nuts, up 21.2% on year. The result enables the country to achieve a record export turnover of $4 billion for 2024, as set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The US remains Vietnam's top cashew nut export market, with a 35.3% increase in volume and a 23% increase in exports.