Day: July 2, 2023

The first auction for car licence plates is scheduled to take place from August 15 to 20, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Speaking to the media at the ministry’s press meeting earlier this week, Major General Le Xuan Duc, Deputy Director of the Transport Police Department, said the list of plates to be auctioned will be posted on the national auction portal at dgts.moj.gov.vn, the public security ministry’s portal at bocongan.gov.vn, and the website of the transport police department www.csgt.vn from July 15 to 20.

Public security officers have been trained with auction and supervision skills as well as prepared the necessary infrastructure for the coming auctions, Duc said.

Clarifying illegal activities

Also at the briefing, the Ministry of Public Security ordered relevant agencies and localities to clarify reports on fraudulence and asset appropriation of a group named NLG Energy Source.

If there is any sign of violation, the ministry will investigate and impose sanctions, Colonel Dinh Viet Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Homeland Security, said at the press conference.

The ministry has been informed about the activities of the group which was founded by Le Van Phuc in the US.

Phuc claimed to harness energy from space, which he then asserts he can put into the body to upgrade its frequency, activate stem cells and perfect the body and mind.

Phuc spread spiritual beliefs, including the conception of an invisible world parallel to each person’s life.

He expanded the group’s activities in Vietnam, spreading the belief that the original energy can cure all diseases.

He also took advantage of the teachings of some religions to spread out superstitious claims and attract a large number of Vietnamese people to participate.

The Ministry of Public Security has coordinated with local police to verify and impose administrative penalties on a number of people who lured others to join illegal activities, at the same time, calling on people not to believe in superstitious activities.

The Department of Homeland Security has also warned public about the return of the religious movement called “World Mission Society Church of God”, saying that people need to be alert to avoid being taken advantage of, causing consequences to themselves, their families and society.

The public security ministry has issued a warning over the “World Mission Society Church of God” many times, Colonel Dinh Viet Dung said.

The faith group has not received organisation recognition in Vietnam. Its teachings are heretical, and superstitious, and take advantage of the teachings for personal gain, contrary to the traditional culture and customs of the country, said Dung.

The group has been cracked down on with many followers leaving. However, the “World Mission Society Church of God” has come back in some localities with leaders using more tricks to evade police investigation.

In the first half of this year, 12 gatherings and 85 followers have been discovered and received fines for causing public disorder.

The Ministry of Public Security has requested the Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs to issue a notice asking the “World Mission Society Church of God” to discontinue operations in Vietnam for activities contrary to Vietnamese culture and traditions, and for violating the country’s laws.

Local authorities have been asked to curb the group’s illegal activities and call on the public to leave or not join the group.

Warning over cryptocurrency

Regarding a cryptocurrency called Pi, Le Xuan Minh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cyber Security and High Technology Crime Prevention, said the cryptocurrency links to cross-border virtual currency credit activities.

He affirmed that the department is coordinating with local police to clarify activities related to transactions and payment methods of the cryptocurrency.

“There is no business that brings such high profits with such little value. Multi-level marketing and related activities pose a lot of risks to cryptocurrency investors,” Minh said.

Slow VNEID implementation

Responding to public feedback on the slow speed of the e-identification app VNEID, a representative of the Department for Administrative Management of Social Order, said the recent number of registrations and logins is extremely high, especially during the peak hours from 7pm to 10pm. The speed also depends on the Internet connection or the user’s phone.

The department is strengthening coordination with network operators, transmission line managers and centres to increase speed to meet public demand, he said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam remained the biggest rice provider of the Philippines in the first five months of this year with turnover of 772.4 USD million, surging 31.1% year-on-year.

During January-May, the Philippines imported 1.5 million tonnes of rice from Vietnam, accounting for nearly 90% of its total imported rice, according to the Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, citing data from the Philippine Bureau of Statistics.

This was also the record level of Vietnam’s rice exports to the Philippines so far.

In the first five months, Vietnam exported 3.6 million tonnes of rice, with the Philippines accounting for 42.3% of the total.

In the last six months of the year, rice exports to the Philippines are forecast to continue to increase due to the impact of climate change and El Nino phenomenon that could severely affect domestic food production in the country of 113 million people.

According to the department, for the remaining months of 2023 and 2024, it is expected that the Philippines’ rice consumption and import demand will continue to increase. Therefore, to take advantage of the opportunity to increase exports to this market, businesses need to closely follow market developments and policies on rice trade.

Besides, businesses should actively coordinate with relevant Government agencies, ministries, branches and associations to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles arising in trade activities and participate in activities to promote exports to the Philippines./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by Politburo member and Chairman of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs Phan Dinh Trac paid a working visit to Switzerland from June 26 to July 2.

During the visit, the delegation met with and held working sessions with First Vice President of the Swiss Council of States Eva Herzog; Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan; head of the Swiss Interdepartmental Agency on Anti-Corruption Alexandra Baumann; General Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Markus Seiler; Mayor of Bern Alec von Graffenried; Co-President of the Swiss Labour Party Amanda Loset; General Secretary of the Communist Party of Switzerland Massimilano Ay; and President of the Switzerland-Vietnam Friendship Association Anjuska Weil.

Trac, who is also Secretary of the CPV Central Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena and Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform, informed the hosts about Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements over the past nearly four decades of renewal, goals and development strategies following the 13th National Party Congress. He also learned about Switzerland’s experience in combating corruption.

He thanked the Swiss Government, people, and political parties that have ties with the CPV for always supporting Vietnam’s construction and development.

The Vietnamese official suggested the two sides continue maintaining the exchange of delegations at all levels via the Party, State and people-to-people diplomatic channels in the near future.

He also proposed the swift completion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the effective implementation of the Vietnam-Switzerland cooperation programme for the 2021-2024 period, and other signed agreements. He called for stronger cooperation at global and regional forums for the benefit of the two countries’ people, thus contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s role and position in the region and the world, the Swiss leaders affirmed that Switzerland considers Vietnam a top important partner in Southeast Asia and wanted to further promote ties in different areas, especially in economy, trade, investment and global issues for the common benefit of the two countries.

They also introduced Switzerland’s anti-corruption strategy for the 2021-2024 period with specific measures and real-life experience.

Hailing Vietnam’s achievements in economic development, poverty reduction, health care and education as well as its active and responsible contributions to the international community, UNCTAD Secretary-General Grynspan promised to continue working closely with Vietnam on specific projects in the coming time.

On this occasion, Trac also met with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to Geneva, and representatives of the overseas Vietnamese community in the European country./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A Vietnamese delegation led by Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), is attending the 43rd Session of the Ministerial-level FAO Conference in Rome, Italy, from July 1-7.

The event, held biennially, is to approve the working agenda and budget of FAO for the next two years, as well as provide recommendations on food and agriculture, and consider global governance policy issues.

Addressing the opening session, Singaporean Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Co-chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water Tharman Shanmugaratnam highlighted the need to improve the effectiveness of water resource management to achieve the global goals related to poverty reduction, climate change response and global environment.

He also commended Vietnam’s successful innovations in reducing water usage in agriculture through the use of sensors and innovative irrigation practices, citing the VnSAT project as a successful model in water-saving irrigation.

The election of the new FAO Director-General for the 2023-2027 tenure will take place through a secret ballot on July 2./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency