Day: April 11, 2023

The Vietnamese boxing team is gearing up for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 32 in Cambodia next month with the nation’s hopes pinned on Nguyen Thi Tam, who recently won silver at the World Boxing Championship.

The team will jet off for Thailand on April 16 for a rigorous three-week training camp ahead of the region’s biggest sports event.

“The training programme in Thailand will help the Vietnamese boxers to have the best mentality before competing,” said Vu Duc Thinh, head of the boxing section of the National Sports Administration and general secretary of the Vietnamese Boxing Federation. “We want to have the best preparation for the regional event.”

The team consist of eight male and three female boxers, including stars Nguyen Thi Tam and Nguyen Van Duong.

At the Games 31 held in Vietnam last year, the Vietnamese boxing team won three gold medals thanks to Tam (51kg), Vuong Thi Vy (57kg), and Tran Thi Linh (60kg).

However, after analysing their opponents this year, Vietnam has set a target of one gold medal at the Games 32, focusing on the ‘golden girl’ Tam.

Tam has just won a silver medal in the World Boxing Championship and is a double SEA Games champion. She will step up from 51kg to fight in the 54kg category this year.

Coach Nguyen Nhu Cuong said: “At the Games 32, boxing had 17 weight classes (12 for men and 5 for women), but the host country restricted the content of registration for the competition for other countries. Cambodia also dropped the 51 kg weight class that Am won gold medals in two consecutive SEA Games. Therefore, Tam will have to compete in the 54kg class.”

Thinh said that increasing the weight class from 51kg to 54kg is challenging for Tam.

“Usually, boxers walk around at a weight above the class they will compete in. Tâm has to do the reverse process to gain 4kg. It greatly influences her because the opponents will have better physical strength and fighting power because they have been a long accumulation process”.

Tam is racing against time to train and adjust her diet to achieve the best weight and body shape, but the 29-year-old from Thai Binh province isn’t lacking motivation.

“For me, competing in a new weight class is also an opportunity and motivation for me to try harder and perfect more in tactical techniques towards the goal of defending the SEA Games gold medal,” Tam said.

In addition to the goal of winning another SEA Games gold medal, Tam is also invested in bigger international tournaments.

“In addition to the regional Games, Tam also has a key investment for the Asian Games in September in China with the determination to win a ticket to the Paris Olympics 2024,” Thinh said.

“We plan to send Tam to a long-term training session in countries with developed boxing movements to realise the above important goal.”

Meanwhile, boxer Duong missed the SEA Games 31 as he was infected with COVID-19. After a year, he has trained thoroughly to return to show his true ability. He is also one of the hopes of medals of Vietnamese men’s boxing in Cambodia.

Both Duong and Tam attended the Tokyo Olympics in Japan in 2021./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officials of Vietnam, is visiting the Lao PDR in response to the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President Thongloun Sisoulith.

(KPL) Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officials of Vietnam, is visiting the Lao PDR in response to the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President Thongloun Sisoulith.

Scheduled for Apr 10-11, the visit aims to enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.

A welcome ceremony in honour of the visiting Vietnamese president was held at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane on Monday’s morning by President Thongloun.

A bilateral meeting between the two top leaders was held right after the welcome ceremony. Expressing a warm welcome to his Vietnamese counterpart, President Thongloun appreciated the Vietnamese President for his appointment to the post and for choosing the Lao PDR as his first oversea visit, noting that the visit demonstrates the importance the Vietnamese Party and government have attached to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.

President congratulated the achievements in national development Vietnam has made over the past years, which have allowed Vietnam to enjoy political stability, high economic growth and Vietnamese people to live a better life. Meanwhile Vietnam’s role and reputation has been rising in the regional and international arena.

Both sides briefed each other about the socio-economic development in their respective countries, and shared a common point of view that the political relations between the two countries have continued to be stable and increasingly closely knit bringing about high mutual trust between the two neighbours.

cooperation on national defense, public security, external affairs, economy, trade, investment, technology, culture, and education has been increasingly promoted and bringing concrete benefits to peoples of the two countries.

Both sides highly valued the achievements of the bilateral meeting between Lao and Vietnamese prime ministers and the 45th session of the Laos-Vietnam Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation in January where both sides noted that the two countries have made joint efforts in facilitating investment, trade and transport between the two countries and recorded greater-than-expected achievements with bilateral trade reaching US$ 1.7 billion in 2022, a rise of 10% year on year.

As for February, the bilateral trade between the two countries reached 145 million US dollars, an increase of 36% year on year.

There are 239 projects of Vietnamese investment with a total capital of 5.36 billion US dollars, making Vietnam the third largest investor in the Lao PDR.

Both sides also discussed cooperation directions for years to come and agreed to continue to implement the agreements reached by senior leaders of the two countries, especially the results of the meeting between the two Politburos and the agreements of the Laos-Vietnam Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation.

Both sides noted that the grant funding from the Vietnamese government have been used effectively in various areas.

Notably, in 2022, the two countries celebrated two historic days including the 60th anniversary of diplomatic tiesand the 45th anniversary of the signing of Laos-Vietnam Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.

Both sides expressed their commitment to nurturing, protecting and deepening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam which is blossoming and at the top level.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation on politics, attach attention to coordination on strategic issues, and promote visit exchange and meeting between senior leaders of the Parties, governments and mass organizations.

They agreed to continue to improve the effectiveness of their joint mechanisms including the meeting between the two Politburos, the meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation; further coordinate on preparation for the 10th Laos-Vietnam Party Seminar; and promote the education of the traditional solidarity among civil servants and people, especially among the youth of the two countries.

President Thongloun expressed on behalf of the Party, government and people of the Lao PDR sincere gratitude to the fraternal Party, government and people of Vietnam for their great, priceless, prompt and effective support and assistance to Laos for its national liberation cause in the past and its national protection and development in current times.

This includes the Vietnam-funded construction and upgrading of President Ho Chi Minh memorial in Khammuan, Laos-Vietnam Model Vocational Secondary School Project in Khammuan, Xaysomboun Provincial Sergeant School Project, Nam Long Irrigation Upgrade and Renovation Project in Sobbao, Huaphan, and the construction of Boun Neua District Secondary School in Phongsaly.

Since 2010, more than 14,600 Lao students have graduated from Vietnam. Meanwhile more than 14,000 Lao students are studying in the neighbouring country.

The Vietnamese President affirmed that Vietnam will do its utmost to help the Lao PDR chair ASEAN in 2024 and invited the Lao leader to pay an official visit to Vietnam at his convenience.

The Lao and Vietnamese leaders also witnessed the signing of two documents: a Memorandum of Understanding on Technology and Innovation Cooperation between the Ministry of Technology and Telecommunications of Laos and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam and the Memorandum of Understanding on Science Cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam.

On the same day, the Vietnamese President and his delegation also placed a wreath at Monument of Unknown Soldiers in Vientiane to pay respect to the heroes who scarified for the nation and people during wartime.

Source: Lao News Agency

A delegation of Ho Chi Minh City led by Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu on April 11 visited the Lao Consulate General in the city on the occasion of the country’s traditional New Year festival (Bunpimay).

On behalf of the municipal leaders and people, Hieu extended the best wishes to Consul General Phimpha Keomixay and the Consulate General’s staff.

He expressed his delight at the fine development of the relations between Vietnam and Laos, and between his city and Lao localities, adding that the ongoing official visit to Laos by President Vo Van Thuong – the first foreign trip in his position as the State leader – demonstrates the priority Vietnam gives to its great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos.

Ho Chi Minh City is always willing and makes the best efforts to continue strengthening its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Lao localities, he added.

Thanking the Vietnamese Government and people for their support, Phimpha Keomixay pledged that she will do her utmost to further consolidate the two countries’ relations./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang visited religious and belief organisations in the northern border province of Lang Son on the occasion of Easter 2023.

At the Lang Son – Cao Bang Diocese and My Son Parish in Lang Son city, Quang extended his greetings to local Catholic priests and followers.

He affirmed that the Party, State and Government always pay great attention to, respect and ensure human rights, including the right to freedom of belief and religion; and create favourable conditions for religious organisations to operate in accordance with the Constitution and laws.

The strong development of Lang Son province has been actively and responsibly contributed by Catholic compatriots, he stressed.

Quang expressed his hope that in the coming time, Lang Son leaders, people of all ethnic groups and Catholic compatriots will maintain solidarity, well observe the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws, and promote the cultural and historical traditions and the national great solidarity.

Bishop Chau Ngoc Tri of the diocese thanked leaders of the Party, State, Government, socio-political organisations and local authorities for always paying attention and creating favourable conditions for cultural and religious activities of Catholics in the locality.

On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister also visited the Bac Son Evangelical Church in Bac Son district./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Vo Van Thuong visited former Party General Secretaries and Presidents Choummaly Sayasone and Bounnhang Vorachith, and former Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong on April 11, within the framework of his official visit to Laos.

Thuong conveyed New Year (Bunpimay) wishes from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to the former Lao leaders.

He thanked them for their great contributions to the two countries’ special solidarity as well as their support for the comprehensive development of the bilateral friendship and collaboration.

Appreciating the great achievements that the Lao Party, State and people have gained in recent years, the Vietnamese leader expressed his belief that under the sound leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, Laos will soon overcome difficulties and develop further. The former Lao leaders showed their delight at the fine development of the two countries’ relations in all fields, and thanked for the valuable support and assistance from the Vietnamese side.

They proposed the two countries continue sharing experience, nurturing the special friendship, and improving the efficiency of the implementation of signed agreements.

They also stressed the need to maintain the dissemination and education work on the bilateral relations for the two peoples, especially younger generations. The same day, President Thuong laid a wreath at President Kaysone Phomvihane’s Monument./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency