☀️Morning digest on April 8

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by Vietnam News Agency.

– President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited the Khmer Theravada Buddhist Academy in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho's O Mon district on April 7 to extend greetings to dignitaries at the academy and the Khmer community on the occasion of Chol Chnam Thmay, the traditional Khmer New Year festival. The President was welcomed by Most Venerable Dao Nhu, Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) and head of the academy, and a large number of Khmer Theravada Buddhist dignitaries and followers in the city. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Government always creates optimal conditions for operations of foreign investors in the country, including RMIT University, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on April 7 while receiving President of the Australian university Prof Alec Cameron and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie. At the event, the PM said that the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership has been thriving across all fields, including education-training. Read full story

– Cyber safety and security is a global issue that needs a global approach, and as the issue affects all people, the approach should also take into consideration the interest of all people, stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh while chairing the first meeting of the National Steering Committee on Cyber Security and Safety in Hanoi on April 7. At the meeting, participants looked back at the cyber security and safety situation so far and gave opinions on orientations of work in the field for 2022. A number of strategic matters regarding national cyber security and safety were also tabled for discussion. Read full story

– Vietnam has full legal grounds and historical evidence to prove its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes in accordance with international law as stated in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, stated Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang. Hang made the statement at the Foreign Ministry's regular press conference in Hanoi on April 7 in response to questions related to information on China’s complete militarisation of some islands in the East Sea. Read full story

- Vietnam has reached agreement on the mutual recognition of vaccine passports with 19 countries as of April 7, said deputy spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Pham Thu Hang at the ministry’s regular press conference. According to her, the countries are Japan, the US, the UK, Australia, India, Belarus, Cambodia, the Philippines, Palestine, the Maldives, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Turkey, Singapore, Saint Lucia, the Republic of Korea, Iran and Malaysia.  Read full story

– The Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka, Japan, has requested a prompt investigation into the death of a Vietnamese woman in Osaka city's Yodogawa district, said Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang at the ministry's regular press briefing on April 7. Hang said that on April 4, local police found a body allegedly of a Vietnamese woman at an apartment in Yodogawa. Forensic results showed that the victim was killed at about 9 am on April 3. Read full story

– Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of Vietnam ASEAN SOM, attended the 29th ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue which was held virtually on April 7. The Vietnamese Ambassador underscored that people are central to the efforts being made in the COVID-19 fight and recovery towards sustainable development. He said ASEAN and New Zealand should continue to give high priority to COVID-19 response coordination, and guarantee vaccine and medicine access. Read full story

– The central city of Da Nang on April 7 announced “Enjoy Danang” – a programme to attract more tourist to the popular coastal tourist destination in 2022. The programme aims to promote the image of Da Nang and its efforts to overcome difficulties due to COVID-19 to continue to be a safe, friendly and hospitable destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Read full story./.