Ninh Binh: The Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Association (VCFA) held the third meeting of its Central Committee in the fifth tenure (2021 – 2026) in northern Ninh Binh province on January 6 to review its performance in 2023 and launch tasks for this year.

The event was presided over by VCFA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh, who is also member of the National Assembly Standing Committee, head of the board for deputies’ affairs at the Standing Committee, and Vice Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission.

In his welcome remarks, Chairman of the Ninh Binh People’s Committee Pham Quang Ngoc said as an active member of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, the VCFA has made substantial contributions to the enhancement of the Vietnam – Cambodia traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation. Its practical people-to-people diplomatic activities have helped promote mutual trust and understanding between the two peoples, thereby contributing to regional peace and stability, multif
aceted cooperation, and socio-economic development in both countries.

Looking back on last year’s performance, participants shared the view that 2023 was the first year the Vietnam – Cambodia and Cambodia – Vietnam friendship associations carried out the memorandum of understanding on the coordination of their activities during 2022 – 2027.

Many practical events, delegation exchanges, meetings, and friendship exchanges were held. Improvements were recorded in the communications and education about the two countries’ traditional friendship among members and people of all social strata, especially the young. The number of Cambodian students in Vietnam sponsored by the VCFA in the 2023 – 2024 academic year surpassed the target.

VCFA chapters at all levels carried out a number of charitable activities, participants noted, adding that they raised billions of VND for assisting Khmer and low-income people in rural and border areas, thus helping ensure social security and reduce poverty in disadvantaged areas and
strengthen the two countries’ friendship, solidarity, and all-round cooperation.

For 2024, the VCFA will continue developing its chapters at all levels, diversify forms of sponsorship for Cambodian students, and step up friendship exchanges along with charitable and community activities. It will also increase communications about the two countries’ relations and assistance for disadvantaged members./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Tokyo: The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan on January 6 held an online meeting with Vietnamese associations to discuss coordination to support Vietnamese people affected by the earthquake that hit central Japan recently.

The meeting saw the participation of the Consuls General of Vietnam in Osaka and Fukuoka, Vietnamese associations in localities such as Gunma, Chiba, Niigata, Hokkaido, Fukushima, Nagasaki, and the Vietnamese Business Association in Japan, Vietnamese Intellectual Association in Japan, Vietnamese Buddhist Association in Japan, and representatives of volunteer groups in Fukui and Toyama.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said that the earthquake on January 1 caused severe consequences in Ishikawa prefecture, central Japan, leaving residents there in a difficult situation.

He said after the earthquake, some Vietnamese volunteers were active in supporting and providing essential supplies to the Vietnamese affected by the earthquake.

According to him, the support work must be implemen
ted quickly and transparently and in the long term. In the next two to three days, activities should focus on providing food, water, and shelter.

Nguyen Hong Son, Chairman of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Japan, said that more than 5,000 Vietnamese people are living in Ishikawa province, of which about 600 are working in companies in the Noto peninsula area that was hard hit by the earthquake in Ishikawa prefecture.

A report from the Ishikawa authority said there has been no casualties among the Vietnamese community there recorded due to the earthquake.

Son called for support for the Vietnamese community there as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, a representative from the Vietnamese association in Saitama prefecture proposed establishing an formation board to swiftly provide information on those who need support.

The association is ready to implement a support package of about 2 million JPY (more than 13,800 USD) for the reconstruction and purchase of new microwave ovens and refrigerators to replace
those damaged by the earthquake./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

COTABATO CITY: Anti-narcotics agents arrested Friday night a police officer and his female accomplice during a PHP4 million ‘shabu’ drug sting operation in front of a food chain here.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) identified the arrested suspects as Staff Sgt. Mujeeb Bitayo Sepi of the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Police Station in Maguindanao del Norte, and his companion, Farida Alim Alfonso.

‘The suspects agreed to sell the prohibited stuff to an undercover PDEA agent at 7 p.m. along Quezon Avenue in this city,’ Gil Cesario P. Castro, PDEA-BARMM director, said in a statement Saturday.

Joint PDEA agents, city police operatives, and 5th Marine Battalion Landing Team troopers arrested the duo after the handover of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP4 million, packed in 12 huge plastic sachets.

The arresting team also seized a pistol and mobile phones from the suspects.

Detained at the PDEA custodial facility, the su
spects were awaiting the filing of formal charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Friday’s drug bust was the second huge operation on prohibited drugs by PDEA-BARMM since Dec. 29 when agents seized 500 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP3.4 million from a big-time drug peddler in Panamao, Sulu.

PDEA identified the suspect as Reximar Muhammad, 30, of Patikul, Sulu.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Thai Binh: The spouses of the Vietnamese and Lao Prime Ministers, Le Thi Bich Tran and Vandara Siphandone, visited and gave gifts to children with difficult circumstances at SOS Children’s Village Thai Binh in the northern province of Thai Binh on January 6 afternoon, within the framework of the official visit to Vietnam by Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone from January 6-7.

According to Director of SOS Children’s Village Thai Binh Nguyen Van Tan, established in 2013, the village provides disadvantaged children with family-based care with favourable conditions for their full development. From December 22, 2013 to December 2023, the facility nursed and provided support for 218 children. Currently, it is taking care of 136 kids.

On the same day, the two ladies visited a tussore silk weaving village in Nam Cao commune, Kien Xuong district. In Nam Cao commune, they visited an over-100-year-old house with the typical style in the North and a weaving cooperative, watched artisans’ silk spinning performance, and listened
to Cheo (classical opera) singing while enjoying green tea and ‘cay’ cake – a specialty of the province. They also experienced silk spinning with local artisans.

The weaving profession in the commune is more than 400 years old and has been listed as national intangible cultural heritage. Currently, about 200 households in the village are being still involved in the traditional profession. The village’s silk products are being exported to countries, including Laos, Thailand, and Europe./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The Prime Minister has approved a project on consolidating apparatus organisation, and improving state management and law enforcement capacity in digital transformation from central to local levels by 2025, with a vision to 2030.

Under the project, a digital transformation network from the central to the grassroots levels will be formed with the participation of State agencies at all levels, organisations, businesses and people with an aim to mobilise the maximum resources of society.

By 2025, all ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies, and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities will strengthen their specialised informaiton technology units to accelerate the implementation of new tasks and solutions for digital transformation.

All organisations and individuals in the digital transformation network will have access and master digital platforms and toolkits that are selected for consistent use across the country.

By 2030, the digital transformation network will
be completed, effectively operate, be closely linked and synchronously coordinate in implementing tasks and solutions of the national digital transformation.

Besides, all staff who perform digital transformation tasks from central to local levels will be trained annually to improve their capacity, meeting the requirements of state management and law enforcement on digital transformation in accordance with their job title and position standards./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency