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| The project is expected to intensify trade connection; and facilitate import and export activities. (Photo: VNA) |
Covering an area of 25.1 ha, the project is estimated to have total investment of 239 billion VND (over 9.8 million USD) sourced from the State budget. It will be implemented from 2024 to 2027.
Phuoc said that the project aims to fully tap the advantages for the development of logistics, trade, and services at the border gate; promote the role of international border gates in connecting the Mekong Delta region and Cambodia's Phnom Penh capital city.
It is also expected to intensify trade connection; and facilitate import and export activities, tourism and services, and border economic development, thus creating a motivation for the locality’s socio-economic development.
The Tinh Bien International Border Gate holds a crucial position in both economic development and national security as it serves as a goods transit point between the southern provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia. The annual average imports and exports turnover through the border gate reaches hundreds of millions of US dollars and gradually increases through years, hitting 628.78 million USD in 2022, accounting for nearly 24% of the border import-export turnover of the locality.
The early establishment of a logistics centre at the Tinh Bien International Border Gate is needed for sustainable border economic development in An Giang following the province's socio-economic and trade development direction, and border economic cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, Phuoc stressed.
Sharing a 100km-long borderline with Kandal and Takeo provinces of Cambodia, An Giang is deemed to possess competitive advantages in import–export activities between the two countries through border gate pairs. The locality also serves as a gate for domestic goods to access other ASEAN countries.
100 dishes and drinks made from sweet potatoes set Vietnamese record
The making and performance of 100 dishes and drinks made from Binh Tan sweet potatoes have set a Vietnamese record at a cooking competition held within the framework of the 3rd Tourism Festival in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long on December 23 – 25, said the Vietnam News Agency.
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| The making and performance of 100 dishes and drinks made from Binh Tan sweet potatoes set a Vietnamese record. (Photo: VNA) |
The Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings)’s recognition for the dishes and drinks, which were made by 20 teams at the competition, was handed over to the team from the People’s Committee of Binh Tan district.
Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Phan Van Giau said that farmers in Binh Tan district are planting many famous sweet potato varieties in a combined area of over 10,000 ha with a yield of over 300,000 tonnes per year.
The recognition contributes to promoting the development of sweet potato cultivation associated with developing specific products of the locality, thus attracting visitors to Vinh Long, he said.
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| The dishes and drinks are made by 20 teams at the competition. (Photo: VNA) |
The contest also created a useful playground for food lovers to show their creativity in making and decorating dishes and drinks, thus introducing the values of local cuisine to domestic and foreign tourists, he added.
Products made from sweet potatoes were also exhibited and sold at the festival.
Vietnam imports nearly 3,416 CBU cars in mid-December
Vietnam spent approximately US$86.786 million on importing 3,416 completely built unit (CBU) cars in mid-December, Radio the Voice of Vietnam quoted statistics of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.
Among the vehicles imported in the first half of this month, nine-seat cars took the lead with 2,954 units worth a total of US$55.25 million.
As of December 15, the country has imported a total of 114,708 CBU cars worth US$2.74 billion, marking a decline of 48,000 units and US$900 million against the same period from last year.
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| Vietnam imports nearly 3,416 CBU cars in mid-December (Photo: VOV) |
In the first 11 months of the year regional countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and China were the biggest car suppliers to the nation. Specifically, Thailand took the lead with 50,144 units, equivalent to over US$1.07 billion.
The second position went to Indonesia with 40,474 units worth over US$574 million, while China was the third largest car supplier to the Vietnamese market during the reviewed period with 9,843 units valued at over US$360.27 million.
Most notably, the country imported 100,461 vehicles from the three markets, accounting for more than 90% of the total number of imported CBU cars of the entire nation.
Hanoi concert to welcome in 2024
The Opera House in the capital is set to host the Hanoi concert on January 1 in celebration of the New Year, Radio the Voice of Vietnam reported.
The Hanoi New Year concert will feature a performance of famous Italian soprano Angela Nisi.
She will perform several opera excerpts by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini including O mio babbino caro, Nessun dorma and Sì, mi chiamano Mimì.
This marks the second time that she has visited the nation following her first appearance at Hanoi Opera House in 2019. Winner of several international competitions, including the F. Provenzale Baroque Singing Competition (Naples, 2006) and the Ottavio Ziino Competition (Rome, 2012), Angela Nisi started her career as a lyric soprano in 2010, demonstrating equal dedication to operatic, symphonic, and chamber repertoire.
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| Italian soprano Angela Nisi will perform at the Hanoi New Year concert (Photo: VOV) |
She has collaborated with plenty of prestigious opera houses and international concert institutions, including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Teatro Regio in Turin, Hungarian State Opera in Budapest, and Teatro in Sao Paulo Brazil. She has also worked with internationally renowned conductors such as Daniel Oren, Antonio Pappano, and Donato Renzetti.
According to organisers Hanoi Television, the concert will be a classical musical event which aims to bring international masterpieces to local audiences, including “Hungarian” by Johannes Brahms and “Waves of Danube” by Iosif Ivanovici.
Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji, who has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) since 2009, is also due to conduct the concert.
The event will be held at 8 p.m. on January 1 at the Hanoi Opera House and will be aired on the channel Hanoi Television 1./.