Vietnam news in brief - November 19

Walloon Parliament President proposes Vietnam-Belgium Joint Committee

André Frédéric, President of the Parliament of Wallonia, Belgium, has called on Vietnam and Belgium to set up a joint committee to discuss their common concerns. Meeting with Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man at the end of November 17 (local time), André said the two countries could strengthen cooperation in various activities related to education, health and the environment in the next two years.

For his part, Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man reaffirmed Vietnam's policy of considering Belgium as one of the most important partners in the EU, and Vietnam expects to further develop the partnership with the European nation in all fields.

Approval of Dien Bien tourism year plan

Dien Bien Phu Museum. Photo: dienbientv.vn

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has approved the plan to organize the National Tourism Year for the northern mountain province of Dien Bien, one of the activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory in 1954 on May 7, 2024.

Accordingly, in November and December 2023, various activities will be held in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for next year's celebration, including a military parade, workshops to discuss the victory, photo exhibitions, art performances, and a business forum.

Vietnam wins first gold medal at Wushu World Championship

Vietnamese wushu athlete Dang Tran Phuong Nhi won the first gold medal for Vietnam at the 16th World Wushu Championship held in Texas, US, on November 18 (local time). Vietnam has now bagged one gold and one silver medal at the championship.

The World Wushu Tournament is underway from November 16 to 20, bringing together about 800 athletes from around the world.

First Vietnamese film introduced to South African audience

Mat Biec (Dreamy Eyes) is the first Vietnamese film to be screened for South African audiences. The film, directed by Victor Vu, will be shown at the ASEAN Film Festival 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The festival is an initiative of the ASEAN Committee in Pretoria. It runs from November 17 to 19 (local time) and aims to introduce the people and cultural values of ASEAN nations to the people of South Africa.

Haiphong launches six trade programs for islands and remote areas this year

Islands in the northern port city of Haiphong launched six trade programs and built a trade promotion center from January to October, said Nguyen Van Thanh, director of the city's Department of Industry and Trade, on Nov. 18. The director reported that each program attracted more than 30 companies selling goods worth VND1.5-2.5 billion (US$61,800-103,000).

In 2021-2025, total retail and service sales in Haiphong's islands and remote areas are expected to grow by 9-11% per year.

Vietnam's renewable energy output

Vietnam accounted for 70% of ASEAN's total solar and wind power output in 2022, according to a report by UK-based energy think tank Ember for the period 2015-2022. The report, released on November 16, found that ASEAN's wind and solar power production grew from 4.2 TWh in 2015 to 50 TWh in 2022. In Vietnam, the introduction of a feed-in tariff policy in 2017 is seen as the main driver of growth.

According to Ember, Vietnam is one of the three countries with the greatest potential for wind power development, along with Myanmar and Thailand.

First Film Production Attraction Index launched in Vietnam

The Vietnam Film Development Association (VDFA) has introduced the Production Attraction Index (PAI) to assess the readiness and interest of provinces and cities to host filmmakers. The assessment is based on five criteria, namely financial aid, provision of information, local support, legal assistance, and availability of local infrastructure.

According to the VDFA, Phu Yen Province has the highest PAI score, followed by Hanoi, Thua Thien Hue Province, Danang and Cantho.