Vietnam news in brief - May 25

Drone contest to be held in Nha Trang in mid-June

A drone light show in Hanoi in early February. Photo: Duy Khanh/The Hanoi Times

Four teams from South Korea, China, France, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will participate in a drone light competition in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, on July 13 and 20. The teams will compete on the two nights using 1,000 drones each to tell the stories of Nha Trang.

Along the Nha Trang Sea Travel Festival 2024, the drone and light show is the key event organized by the central coastal city to promote local tourism.

AI technologies improve tuberculosis testing and treatment

AI solutions can detect the signs of tuberculosis based on physical wounds, allowing doctors to conduct specific tests to find the bacteria, Nguyen Binh Hoa, Deputy Director of the National Lung Hospital, said at a scientific conference on May 24. Vietnam had more than 106,000 tuberculosis patients in 2023, up 2.2% year-on-year and 34% from 2021.  

Visa extends partnerships with local e-wallet operators

With the expansion of the partnership between multinational payment card company Visa and local e-wallet operators Momo, VNPay, and ZaloPay, customers will be able to link their e-wallets to Visa accounts to make purchases in Vietnam, supporting the development of a cashless society.

The number of e-wallet users in Vietnam is expected to grow 40% year-on-year to 50 million by the end of 2024. According to Visa, 88% of Vietnamese shoppers preferred non-cash payment methods in 2023.

Vietnam Sea and Island Festival 2024 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province suspended

The Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provincial People's Committee decided on May 24 to suspend the Vietnam Sea and Island Festival just before its opening night, which was scheduled for May 25. According to sources, the event was suspended because the provincial government and sponsors had not reached an agreement on cooperation.

Prior to the official opening, several side activities had been held as part of the festival since May 23, including a yoga group performance and a food expo.

Conference promotes Korean tourism to Vietnamese

Vietnamese travelers in Seoul. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times

The Korea Night Tourism 2024 conference, hosted by the Korea Tourism Organization on May 24, allows companies from both countries to discuss potential cooperation. 

In January-April 2024, Korea welcomed 167,000 Vietnamese travelers, up 33% on-year, while 1.6 million Koreans arrived in Vietnam during the same time, up 50% on-year.

Africa Day celebrated in Hanoi

A ceremony was held on May 24 to commemorate Africa Day (May 25, 1963) at the Government Guest House, attended by African diplomats in Hanoi. According to Nguyen Minh Vu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Africa Day is an important event highlighting the relentless efforts of African nations in the struggle for their freedom, independence, and sovereignty. With the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Africa would soon become the new economic hub of the world.

Vietnamese martyrs’ belongings returned to their families

The US Mission in Vietnam and the US Department of Defense on May 24 handed over four sets of personal belongings of fallen Vietnamese soldiers who are believed to have fought in what is now the Cu Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City during the war 50 years ago.

The items included diaries, letters, identification cards, and manuals kept by US soldiers since that time. The items were then delivered to the families of the fallen.

Vietnam's labor output per capita rises 

Vietnam's labor output rose 3.6% year-on-year to about VND199.3 million ($7,825) per worker in 2023, and the figure increased 4.8% year-on-year to nearly VND188 million ($7,380) in 2022, according to the General Statistics Office.