Highlights of domestic events this past week

(Baonghean.vn) - The President of Ireland paid an official visit to Vietnam; the second session of the 14th National Assembly continued; the Prime Minister launched the campaign "Building Vietnamese Corporate Culture"; hundreds of drug rehabilitation trainees in Ba Ria - Vung Tau broke out of the center;... these are some of the prominent domestic events of the past week.

1. The President of Ireland pays an official visit to Vietnam.

On the morning of November 7th, a solemn official welcoming ceremony for President Michael D. Higgins and his wife was held at the Presidential Palace.

Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins and his wife are paying a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang from November 5 to 14.

On the morning of November 7th, an official welcoming ceremony for the President of Ireland will take place at the Presidential Palace. Following this, Mr. Higgins will hold talks with President Tran Dai Quang and, together with the President, address the press. In the afternoon of the same day, President Higgins will meet with the Chairwoman of the National Assembly, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

On the morning of November 8th, the president laid a wreath at the Monument to the Heroes and Martyrs and had a conversation with students at Hanoi National University. In the afternoon, he met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and paid a courtesy call on General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this high-level visit aims to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Ireland (1996-2016) and to open a new phase of development in cooperative relations between the two countries.

2 - Continuing the 2nd session of the 14th National Assembly

Members of the National Assembly pressed the button to approve the Resolution on the medium-term public investment plan for the period 2016-2020.

The National Assembly heard six presentations on: the draft Law on Technology Transfer (amended); the draft Law on Tourism (amended); the draft Law on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises; the verification report on the draft Law on Planning; the draft Resolution on piloting the issuance of electronic visas for foreigners entering Vietnam; and the draft Law amending and supplementing the List of conditional investment and business sectors and professions of the Investment Law.

The National Assembly discussed: the draft Law on Foreign Trade Management; the draft Law on the Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives, and Supporting Tools; the draft Law on Tourism (amended); the draft Law on Irrigation; the draft Resolution amending and supplementing a number of articles of Resolution No. 55/2010/QH12 on exemption and reduction of agricultural land use tax; the draft Law on Support for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises; the draft Law on Planning; the draft Law on Security Guarding; the draft Resolution on piloting the issuance of electronic visas for foreigners entering Vietnam; the draft Law amending and supplementing the List of Conditional Investment and Business Sectors of the Law on Investment...

The National Assembly has passed six resolutions: the socio-economic development plan for 2017; the economic restructuring plan for the period 2016-2020; the five-year financial plan (including objectives and orientations for mobilizing and using borrowed capital and managing public debt for the period 2016-2020); the medium-term public investment plan for the period 2016-2020; the state budget estimate for 2017; and the Resolution amending and supplementing a number of articles of Resolution No. 55/2010/QH12 on exemption and reduction of agricultural land use tax.

3 - The Prime Minister launches the "Building Vietnamese Corporate Culture" campaign.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc poses for a commemorative photo with leaders of various units.

On the evening of November 7th, at the Hanoi Grand Opera House, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and launched the campaign "Building Vietnamese Corporate Culture."

The ceremony was organized by the Vietnam Association for the Development of Corporate Culture. At the ceremony, the Organizing Committee also announced Decision No. 1846/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister designating November 10th of each year as "Vietnam Corporate Culture Day."

The establishment of "Vietnam Corporate Culture Day" aims to affirm the role and importance of corporate culture, contributing to a widespread impact on the Vietnamese business community with the determination to build a healthy business environment, uphold the rule of law, promote business ethics, social responsibility, and fair competition in the context of international integration.

4 - The 5th Congress of the Vietnam Association of Elderly People

Ms. Pham Thi Hai Chuyen was elected as the President of the Vietnam Association of the Elderly for the fifth term.

On November 9th, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Association of the Elderly solemnly opened its 5th Congress of Delegates for the 2016-2021 term.

Attending the congress were Politburo member and Head of the Central Committee's Mass Mobilization Department Truong Thi Mai, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi City Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Committee for the Elderly of Vietnam Vu Duc Dam, Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh, and representatives from the Vietnam Fatherland Front, ministries, departments, and central organizations, as well as 336 outstanding delegates representing over 8.6 million members nationwide.

On this occasion, the Head of the Central Committee's Department of Mass Mobilization congratulated the Executive Committee, the Standing Committee, and the new President of the Vietnam Association of Elderly People, term V (2016-2021), Pham Thi Hai Chuyen.

5 - Consider disciplinary action against Mr. Vu Dinh Duy

Mr. Vu Dinh Duy.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has just released information on the results of its work with the Vietnam Chemical Corporation (Vinachem) regarding personnel management at the Corporation and clarifying information related to the case of Mr. Vu Dinh Duy, a member of the Corporation's Board of Directors, who "requested leave to go abroad for medical treatment".

Mr. Duy attended 9 meetings and was absent from 8, including one meeting on June 22, 2016 (the minutes state he was on a business trip abroad), four meetings in September (the minutes state he was attending a National Defense training course for Category 1 personnel), and three meetings from October 27 to the present.

In a recent interview with the press, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong stated that the Vietnam Chemical Corporation also bears joint responsibility for the unauthorized departure of Mr. Vu Dinh Duy from Vietnam. The Vietnam Chemical Corporation also reported Mr. Vu Dinh Duy's departure from Vietnam without authorization to the Ministry of Public Security.

6 - The 3rd Vietnam-China Youth Festival

Cultural performances to welcome the festival.

After three days filled with meaningful friendship activities, the 3rd Vietnam-China Youth Festival concluded successfully.

During the three-day festival, youth delegates from both countries participated in many meaningful and practical activities aimed at fostering friendship, mutual understanding, and trust between the young generations of Vietnam and China, contributing to strengthening and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China.

With the theme "Vietnamese and Chinese Youth Join Hands to Foster Friendship," youth delegates from both countries enthusiastically participated in the main activities of the Festival held in 7 provinces and cities with the following themes: "Youth Participation in Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development" in Lang Son and Quang Ninh; "Youth Participation in Preserving Cultural Identity and Developing Tourism" in Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, and Phu Tho; and "Youth Taking the Lead in Socio-Economic Development" in Lao Cai.

7 - Hundreds of drug rehabilitation patients in Ba Ria - Vung Tau break out of the center.

Ms. Le Thi Trang Dai, Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, speaks with the trainees.

On the morning of November 9th, approximately 200 drug rehabilitation patients in Ba Ria - Vung Tau broke down rooms and fences, escaping from their facilities.

This is the third time since the beginning of the year that drug rehabilitation trainees at the center have escaped. The largest escape occurred on the night of April 13th, when over 400 trainees simultaneously broke down doors and walls to escape. Nearly 20 security guards used tear gas to try and control them, but without success. Many trainees broke into people's homes to steal clothes, and some stole vehicles from passersby to flee.

The police then set up roadblocks and conducted strict checks at public places to bring the trainees back to the center.

For several consecutive days, hundreds of drug rehabilitation patients in Dong Nai province have been breaking out of the facility and attacking police officers in an attempt to escape. The Xuan Loc District Police have initiated a criminal case for disturbing public order at the facility and arrested 23 suspects believed to be the ringleaders in the incitement.

8 - Conclusion of the investigation into the karaoke bar fire that killed 13 people.

The scene of the fire at the karaoke bar located at 68 Tran Thai Tong Street, Dich Vong Hau Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi.

Initial investigations by the police indicate that the cause of the fire was due to a welder cutting door hinges on the second floor, causing sparks and welding slag to fall onto the floor and then onto the wall, igniting the fire.

On November 1st, while construction workers were removing the doors on the second floor, Ms. Linh continued to allow customers to sing karaoke in rooms 502 and 601 from 12 noon. At 1:30 PM, Hoang Van Tuan, 23 years old, a welder (without any qualifications or professional certification) hired to work on the second floor, was cutting the door hinges when sparks and welding slag fell onto the floor and walls, causing a fire.

The Hanoi City Police Investigation Agency has issued a decision to initiate a criminal case for violating regulations on fire prevention and fighting. The Director of the Hanoi City Police has directed the Investigation Agency to coordinate with the People's Procuracy and the People's Court to reach a consensus on the assessment of evidence proving the violations of the defendants in order to decide on the indictment, investigation, prosecution, and trial in accordance with the law.

9 - Vietnam successfully produces combined measles-rubella vaccine.

A new combined measles-rubella vaccine has been successfully tested in clinical trials in Vietnam.

On November 8th, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Health approved the results of clinical trials of the measles-rubella (MR) combined vaccine produced by the Center for Research, Production of Vaccines and Medical Biological Products (POLYVAC) - a unit under the Ministry of Health.

This is the first measles-rubella combination vaccine whose production technology has been successfully transferred to Vietnam within the framework of the "Strengthening the Production Capacity of Measles-Rubella Combination Vaccines" Project supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The project was launched by the Center for Research, Production of Vaccines and Medical Biological Products in May 2013, with a total budget of approximately 700 million Japanese Yen. In March 2016, with the support of Japanese experts and the efforts of staff and workers, the combined measles-rubella vaccine underwent clinical trials and was evaluated as safe and effective for use.

10 - South Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands are working to overcome the consequences of floods and heavy rains.

Heavy rains cause flooding in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa province (Photo: VnExpress)

Following days of severe flooding caused by heavy rains, localities in the South Central and Central Highlands regions are urgently implementing measures to mitigate the consequences.

With the determination to ensure that no household goes hungry and to control the outbreak of diseases after the floods, in addition to restoring production and ensuring food, medicine, and clean water, the flood-affected localities in Gia Lai are focusing on clearing mud and debris, treating the environment, sanitation, disinfection, and disease prevention.

In Dak Lak province, four villages in the communes of Cu Pui and Hoa Tan, Krong Bong district, remain cut off by floodwaters. Following the "four on-the-spot" principle in rescue efforts, all residents in the isolated areas are still ensured access to food and supplies.

In Ninh Thuan province, in Phuoc Binh commune, Bac Ai district, the most remote mountainous commune, the recent prolonged heavy rains and floods have damaged hundreds of hectares of coffee, pomelo, and corn crops. Traffic on provincial road 707 – the only road leading to Phuoc Binh commune – is blocked, severely impacting the transportation of goods.

Peace

(Synthetic)