Vietnam news in brief - September 20

Dalat sets a record by preparing 100 delicious dishes with artichokes

One of 100 dishes with Dalat artichoke. Photo: Tuoi Tre Newspaper

A record of "100 Delicious Dishes from Dalat Artichokes" was set by the Professional Chefs Association of the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Lam Dong at a cooking competition held in Dalat City on September 19 to promote the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. This event is part of the celebration of the 130th anniversary of the founding of Dalat City, where chefs from various provinces used different parts of artichokes to create 150 dishes.

English boy band Westlife to perform in Vietnam 

Legendary English boy band Westlife announced on September 19 that they will return to Vietnam for their "Wild Dreams" tour. The boy band will perform at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City on November 22. Tickets will go on sale on September 26.

The band was formed in 1998 with five original members. The boyband first came to Vietnam in 2011 and performed at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi. Its singers later traveled to Vietnam individually in 2014 and 2017.

Vietnamese technology firm to invest $30 million in the US

Rikkeisoft, one of Vietnam's largest private technology companies specializing in digital transformation and technology solutions, announced an investment of $30 million in the US market by 2026 at the "Vietnam-US Business Forum on Cooperation in Technology and Innovation" held in Texas, US, on September 18 in the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegations from both countries.

Vietnam's GDP projected to hit 4.9% in 2023: OECD

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) forecasts that Vietnam's economic growth will reach 4.9% in 2023 and 5.9% in 2024. This forecast is higher than the average growth rate of ASEAN, which is expected to be 4.2% in 2023 and 4.7% in 2024, said Alexander BÖHMER, head of the OECD's Southeast Asia Global Relations Division, at the Vietnam Economic-Social Forum 2023 on September 19. He praised Vietnam's resilience to external shocks.

Vietnam committed to aviation safety: Deputy Prime Minister

The Vietnamese Government is committed to ensuring the long-term safety of the aviation sector, said Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on September 19. He said the Government will follow and update new developments in global aviation to have immediate responses.

According to Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang, four major problems for Vietnam's aviation sector are infrastructure development, human resources, environmental protection, and risk management.

HCM City to start charging for road and pavement use from 2024

Starting in 2024, the city will begin charging for the use of streets and sidewalks.  Photo: Tieu Thuy/ The Hanoi Times

Starting January 1, 2024, organizations and individuals using sidewalks and roads in Ho Chi Minh City will pay fees ranging from VND180,000 to VND350,000 per square meter per month. The collected amount will be sent to the State budget. The city's Department of Transportation will be temporarily in charge of collecting fees on roads under its jurisdiction, while district-level People's Committees will temporarily collect fees for the use of sidewalks and roads.

Quang Ngai implements digital transformation in ethnic minority and mountainous areas

Authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai issued a plan on September 19 to implement digital transformation and information technology applications to provide access to information on science and technology, promote local products, and improve the application and use of IT to support socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. The province is among those that have established community digital technology teams in all its villages and hamlets.

First dong-denominated bond package launched in Vietnam

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced on September 19 the first Vietnamese dong-denominated sustainable bond investment package worth VND3.5 trillion (US$150 million). IFC will finance the bonds issued by BIM Land JSC and its subsidiary Thanh Xuan JSC.

With the support of the package, the companies will build a residential community and hotel complex in Vinh Phuc Province, implement water and energy efficiency solutions, and reduce carbon emissions.

Vietnam football team debuts at Asiad 19 with win over Mongolia

Vietnam beat Mongolia 4-2 in their first match at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games (ASIAD 19) on September 19. According to head coach Hoang Anh Tuan, the team's performance was not good enough as the players were still asleep during the match and made many mistakes.

After the first round, Vietnam tops Group B with 3 points, while Iran and Saudi Arabia are second and third after their draws, and Mongolia is fourth. Vietnam will play Iran tomorrow (September 21).