Vietnam news in brief - November 26

Ha Giang Province opens new tours to tap in local culture, history

Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetary in Ha Giang Province. Photo: Lao Dong Newspaper

The northern mountainous province of Ha Giang has launched two new tourism products to connect visitors with its local cultural and historical sites. One of the two tours is named “Wow – Ha Giang”, taking tourists to Quang Binh and Bac Quang districts, famous for tea and orange farms, unique landscapes and cultural values.

The other one, named “Journey to the Land of Memories” takes visitors to Vi Xuyen District. Visitors will enjoy the stories of the land's history and pay tribute to the Vi Xuyen National Martyrs’ Cemetery, where the soldiers that sacrificed to defend the national sovereignty.

Vietnamese value promotion program organized in Milan, Italy

The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy has initiated a program to promote Vietnamese culture to the people and visitors in Milan. The program aims to introduce the values and images of Vietnam to the Italians and help develop Vietnam and Italy’s sustainable tourism relations.

According to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang, Vietnam’s localities and Milan should have direct flights to facilitate better travel for the people of the two nations.

Vietnam Day in Japan scheduled in November end

The Vietnam Day in Japan festival is slated for November 30, marking the return of the event in Japan since its first edition in 2013. The event is among serial activities to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations.

The festival will feature numerous activities such as folk singing and dancing, storytelling, photo exhibitions, and cultural experiences. Visitors and participants will be able to try on traditional Vietnamese costumes and taste the art of Japanese tea making.

Heavy rains, floods, landslides forecast in central coastal provinces

Heavy rains are forecasted to occur between November 25 and November 27 in the central coastal provinces of Quang Tri to Khanh Hoa, with rainfall reaching 300mm. With heavy rains, the central coastal provinces will see water levels rise, which may cause possible floods and landslides.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has asked provincial and local authorities of the said provinces to prepare measures to respond to floods and landslides to prevent losses in lives and properties.

Vietnamese player defends world championship in Chinese chess

Vietnamese chess player Lai Ly Huynh retained the Chinese World Speed Chess Championship 2023 in the US on the night of November 25 (local time). The Vietnamese player beat his opponents from China, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China), Canada and the US to top the tournament with 15 points.

The 1990-born Chinese chess player Lai Ly Huynh has won five national championships and has reached the international level. Huynh is considered the best Vietnamese player in Chinese chess sport.

HoREA suggests to develop the official Vietnamese cryptocurrency

The Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association (HoREA) has proposed that the Government issue a sandbox to test a cryptocurrency for Vietnamese dong to meet the demand for the use of virtual and encrypted currencies in the country.

There are three types of encrypted currencies: fiat-backed cryptocurrency, virtual money, and cryptocurrency. Of the three, the association argued that the fiat-backed cryptocurrency is suitable to represent the Vietnamese dong on the international finance market because it is often developed by the Government and the central bank.

Vietnamese students win ASEAN cyber shield hacking contest

Students from the Vietnam National University HCMC’s University of Information and Technology and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology have won the first positions in their groups during the ASEAN Cyber Shield Hacking Contest 2023. The two teams received a prize of US$20,000 each for their wins.

The ASEAN Cyber Shield Hacking Contest 2023 is held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from November 21 to November 24, gathering 37 teams from 10 countries in the region. The teams are divided into two groups, one for all contestants and the other for students only.