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| Tra fish processed for export (Photo: VOV) |
The country shipped an estimated 3.6 billion USD worth of fishery products abroad in the first five months of this year, up 6.5% from the same time last year.
Export markets have showed signs of recovery, both in demand and prices, with fishery shipment to the US, Japan, the EU, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) posting positive growth from 5% to 26% in May.
As of the end of May, export to the US increased 13% to 635 million USD while that to Japan, the RoK, and the EU witnessed modest expansion of 3-4%.
With a view to realising the set target of 10 billion USD in fishery export revenue for the whole year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked localities to join hands with enterprises and associations to keep close tabs with the market development so as to have rational production plans.
Meanwhile, enterprises should work together to expand markets, comply with market regulations, and propose amendments to policies to facilitate exports. Besides, they are urged to capitalise on advanced technologies to reduce production costs, promote linkage, and remove technical barriers.
Vietnam clinches first gold at 2024 Asian Youth Chess Championship
Dinh Nho Kiet topped the ranking of rapid chess in the Boys U16 category, earning the first gold medal for Vietnam at the ongoing Asian Youth Chess Championship in Almaty, reported Vietnam News Agency.
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| Chess player Dinh Nho Kiet (Photo: sggp.org.vn) |
Seeded 9th, the boy finished seven rounds with the best result of 6.5 points, securing the first place, followed by his team mate Tran Ngoc Minh Duy with six points. Duy ranked second and won a silver medal.
The Vietnamese squad also gained four bronze medals in the Boys U8, Boys U10, Boys 12, and Girls U8 categories.
The championship lasts from June 9 to 21 and brings together over 640 young players of 32 teams from different countries and territories competing in age groups ranging from U8 to U18. It features the three categories of rapid chess, blitz chess, and standard chess for both genders.
Vietnam has 48 contenders, covering all age groups and categories. This tournament has attracted seven international grandmasters, none of whom are Vietnamese.
Vietnam seeks to improve livelihoods to end child labour
To reduce child labour, Vietnam has perfected the legal framework to protect children's rights and prevent this problem, and carried out various measures to improve people’s livelihoods, reported Vietnam News Agency.
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| Children in difficult circumstances participate in a forum to listen to children's voices with the theme "Preventing and minimising child labour" (Photo: VNA) |
A national report on child labour conducted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) in 2020 showed that there were more than 1 million children involved in labour activities, mainly in agriculture, construction and services.
Children forced to work early are concentrated in rural and mountainous areas in the northern, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta regions, where economic conditions are less developed and access to education is limited. According to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam, the rate of child labour in rural areas is nearly 4 times higher than in urban areas.
Experts said that there are many reasons why children have to work early, with the main reason being poverty. A report by the MOLISA shows that 70% of working children come from poor or near-poor families. The second reason is that some children cannot continue to go to school because they have to help their families make a living. According to UNICEF data, more than 20% of working children do not go to school or have to drop out of school early.
Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the MOLISA Department of Children’s Affairs, assessed that over the past decade, Vietnam has gained remarkable achievements in addressing child labour, establishing a solid legal framework to better suit international standards and implementing a number of programmes to reduce child labour at the central and local levels.
The Government has signed and ratified international conventions on children's rights and child labour combat. These include the International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s Convention on Minimum Age (C138) and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (C182). In addition, several national programmes to prevent and reduce child labour for the 2021 – 2025 period, with a vision to 2030 are being implemented to minimise this situation, including support of education and vocational training to improve living conditions for poor families.
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| Children living in difficult circumstances study at Thien An charity school (Photo: VNA) |
Every year, thousands of poor students, students in difficult circumstances, and orphans are given scholarships and tuition support to help them have the opportunity to continue studying. In 2023, the National Fund for Vietnamese Children granted 13,877 scholarships worth 9.4 billion VND (nearly 370,000 USD), and assisted 17,800 children living in difficult circumstances with a total cost of more than 20 billion VND.
According to experts, international cooperation is one of the most effective measures to help solve the main cause of the increase in child labour: poverty. International projects have focused on supporting the livelihoods of vulnerable families, helping children participate in labour appropriately and safely in accordance with laws.
For example, the Technical Support for Enhancing the National Capacity to Prevent and Reduce Child Labour in Viet Nam (ENHANCE) project, implemented in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta province of An Giang since 2015, has brought about positive results.
After more than eight years, nearly 6,000 children have been supported with education and vocational training and nearly 550 children have received non-educational support such as health insurance. Some 1,600 households have received assistance to improve their livelihoods.
Experts assessed that over the past three decades, Vietnam has seen a lot of achievements in poverty reduction. The rate of child labour is 2% lower than the Asia Pacific region’s average. The country's efforts in reducing child labour have been recognised by the international community, including a positive assessment from the ILO.
The country is working to complete the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7 towards eliminating child labour in all its forms by 2025.
Hue Festival Week 2024 attracts about 100,000 visitors
The Hue Festival Week 2024 taking place from June 7-12 in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue under the theme of "Cultural Heritage amid Integration and Development" has attracted about 100,000 visitors, Vietnam News Agency qouted a local official saying that.
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| A musical show is held at Thieu Phuong Royal Garden, Imperial City, Hue. (Photo: sggp.org.vn) |
Director of the province’s Tourism Department Nguyen Van Phuc said that the festival not only brings about opportunities for the province to attract tourists but also promotes its cultural values, landscape, and people.
A traditional dance and royal performance at Ngo Mon (Noon Gate) in the imperial capital on June 7 sparked the opening ceremony of the festival, marking one of the most successful cultural events organised in Hue city for 24 years.
The festival saw the participation of 30 art troupes from France, Belgium, Spain, Canada, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea (RoK), and Vietnam, creating a series of art performances and attractive stage space for local residents and visitors.
It also includes a food event and shows of the world famous heritage of the Hue royal court music and songs./.