Day: May 29, 2023

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Agro-forestry-aquatic product exports drop 11% in five months

Agro-forestry-aquatic product exports were estimated at 20.26 billion USD in the first five months of 2023, down 11.1% year on year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Meanwhile, the country’s imports also dropped 8.7% to 13.15 billion USD, resulting in a five-month trade surplus of 3.55 billion USD, falling 21.1% from a year earlier.

In May alone, exports stood at 4.85 billion USD, down 3.5% from the same period last year, statistics showed.

The MARD said shipments to major markets such as China, Japan, and other Asian countries are gradually regaining growth. However, due to global economic uncertainties, high inflation in some developed countries, and tightened monetary policy in some big markets like the US and EU, businesses are seeing difficulties in seeking and fulfilling orders.

Of the five-month export revenue, farm produce brought home 10.3 billion USD, up 9.9%; animal products 190 million USD, up 34.5%; aquatic products 3.47 billion USD, down 25.9%; and forestry products 5.52 billion USD, down 26.8%.

Many products recorded higher export values than in the same period last year, including rice up 49%, fruits and vegetables up 39%, cashew nuts up 5.5%, meat and by-products up 59%, and coffee up 0.2%. Meanwhile, some products witnessed declines such as rubber down 24%, tea down 19%, peppercorn down 10%, cassava, and related products down 14.3%, tra fish down 40.7%, shrimp down 34.4%, and timber and wood products down 27.3%.

Vietnam posted growth only in exports to Asia, up 2.3%. In contrast, shipments to others decreased, including the Americas down 34.6%, Europe down 13.2%, Africa down 5.6%, and Oceania down 28%.

China, the US, and Japan remain the biggest markets of agro-forestry-aquatic products from Vietnam during the five months. Exports to China accounted for 20.4% of the total, rising 2.9% year on year; the US 19.8%, down 35.2%; and Japan 7.8%, down 1.2%, the MARD noted./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Vietnamese students win prize at Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023

A team of Vietnamese students won the third prize in the Cloud Track category of the Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023 Global Final held in China’s Shenzhen city, the Ministry of Information and Communications announced on May 29.

The team members included Nguyen Quoc Hung from the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT), Tran Duc Lam and Vu Quang Hai from FPT University, under the guidance of Dr. Tran Tien Cong of the PTIT.

The final round saw the competition of 148 teams from 36 countries and territories. Meanwhile, the qualifying round of this year’s competition drew the participation of more than 120,000 students from over 2,000 universities in 74 countries and territories around the world.

As a key project of the Seeds for the Future 2.0 initiative of Huawei – China’s leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, the Huawei ICT Competition aims to provide a platform for global college students to compete and communicate with each other in the ICT field.

As of the end of 2022, Huawei has cooperated with 2,200 universities to build Huawei ICT Academies, helping to train more than 200,000 students each year. Since its initial launch in 2015, more than 580,000 students from 85 countries and regions around the world have participated in the competition./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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298 schools in Region 6 shift to alternative mode due to Betty

Some 298 public schools in selected provinces and municipalities in Western Visayas (Region 6) have shifted to an alternative delivery mode (ADM) of learning as a precautionary measure against the possible effects of Typhoon Betty-enhanced monsoon rains this week. ‘We are in close coordination with the local government units to ensure the safety of the learners and personnel as well. We adhere to their recommendation,’ said Department of Education (DepEd) Western Visayas information officer Hernani Escullar Jr. in an interview on Monday. He said that the local government units are the ones calling the shots since no typhoon signal had been hoisted over Western Visayas. Otherwise, Department Order 37, series of 2022, containing the guidelines on the cancellation of in-person classes will prevail if the occurrence of natural calamities falls within its provisions, he said. DepEd data showed that 47 schools in Antique have shifted to ADM, 48 in Iloilo, and 203 in Negros Occidental. The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, in an advisory released on Monday, said that the enhanced southwest monsoon rains are expected to result in flooding and rain-induced landslides, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to the hazards and are experiencing considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days. ‘Considering these developments, the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property. Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials,’ said Civil Defense officer-in-charge and RDRRMC chairperson Ma. Aletha Nogra in an advisory.

Source: Philippines News Agency

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Panama warns increase of migrant children

According to media reports, nowadays, the situation of illegal child migrants passing through Panama’s dangerous Darien jungle on their way to the United States is even more alarming.

Statistics of the National Migration Service (SNM) quoted by La Prensa newspaper show that 101,000 children have used this route in the last five years.

The underages sometimes enter this dangerous strip of jungle on the border with Colombia alone, according to these reports.

The latest case of this type was reported on May 20 by the SNM, when a minor was abandoned during the crossing. In this regard, the director of the Secretariat of Childhood, Adolescence and Family, Graciela Mauad, stressed that when minors arrive in Darien, they require psychosocial support and medical attention to treat gastrointestinal diseases, fever, wounds and dehydration.

Source: Lao News Agency

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Laos, China celebrate 5th anniversary of International Mountain Tourism Day

(KPL) On May 29, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in cooperation with the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (China) held an event to celebrate the 5th anniversary of International Mountain Tourism Day and related meetings.

Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Ounthouang Khaophanh, Executive Secretary General of International Mountain Tourism Alliance Mr Fu Yingchun, and representatives of relevant sectors attended the event.

Today, the world tourism industry is recovering constantly following the impact of Covid-19. The opening of high speed railway connecting Laos and China constitutes an important potential that facilitates cross border transport. It allows tourists to have more travel options for visiting Laos and China,” said Mr. Ounthouang Khaophan.

The Vice Minister expressed thanks to the International Mountain Tourism Alliance for choosing Laos as the host of the event, noting that this will help promote tourism industry in Laos as the country is preparing for launching Visit Laos Year 2024 and its resumption of ASEAN chairmanship in 2024.

The event also featured an exhibition of mountain tourism activities, handicrafts and other Lao tourism products, as well as a conference on the promotion of Asia mountain tourism which was attended by speakers and experts from public and business sector, and international organizations.

Source: Lao News Agency

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Alert increases in El Salvador for the Chaparrastique volcano

The Chaparrastique volcano increased its activity and threatens to increase degassing, ash expulsion and seismicity, the Salvadoran authorities of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Marn) warned.

The volcano emitted more gases and ashes through its central crater, Marn report stated.

Due to this situation, the Civil Protection authorities redoubled the alert levels and recommended the population to keep the security perimeter of two kilometers away from the elevation.

The ash expelled by the volcano reached some municipalities of San Miguel and San Jorge, the authority said when indicating that they are in communication with the municipal commissions of San Jorge, Chinameca, and San Juan Rafael oriente and the communal commissions.

Source: Lao News Agency