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| The opening ceremony of the Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien and Ban (Bauhinia) Flower Festival 2024 (Photo: VNA) |
Addressing the event, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Tran Quoc Cuong underlined that Dien Bien, the home of the glorious Dien Bien Phu Victory 70 years ago, has recorded many important achievements in socio-economic development and become a friendly and attractive tourist destination.
With various cultural, sports and tourism events planned throughout the year, Dien Bien hopes to welcome more visitors from localities across the country and foreign friends, and clinch a position in the domestic and international tourism map.
For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha affirmed that the theme of the Visit Vietnam Year 2024 - Glorious Dien Bien Phu- Infinite Experiences – was built upon the heroic resonance of the victory, along with the majestic nature of the borderland region and the iconic image of the Ban flower.
Ban flower, which leaves a strong imprint in the cultural and spiritual life of the community in the northwestern region, is the symbol of eternal love, showing their dream of everlasting happiness, he noted.
He called for localities to give active response to the Visit Vietnam Year 2024, and advised Dien Bien to roll out concerted measures in planning and investment attraction to create unique tourism products in association with the development of community-based tourism to promote the cultural identity of local ethnic minority groups.
Every citizen needs to become a cultural ambassador with the responsibility to preserve and protect the environment and landscapes, as they are the source of life for today and the future, he stressed.
Following the opening ceremony was an artistic programme themed Visiting the Land of Ban Flowers, a highlight of of National Tourism Year and the Ban Flower Festival.
The spectacular programme utilised various theatrical elements such as music, dance, and stage performances, accompanied by artistic narration and multimedia presentations including video clips, 3D and 4D visual art, laser projections, and fireworks. Particularly, it incorporated the use of innovative technology like fly cameras to create novel and captivating effects for the audience.
Held from March 16 to 18, the Ban Flower Festival boasts a diverse lineup of activities, including the U Va Legend open-air show, sport competitions, exhibition of local specialties and craft village products, traditional art performances and traditional ethnic costumes showcase.
A national symposium on Dien Bien potential and advantages for sustainable tourism development and the Sparkling Ban Flower Land photo contest will also be held within the event's framework.
Japanese retailer AEON to join Vietnam International Sourcing 2024
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| Illustrative image (Source: VNA) |
As the demand for Vietnamese agricultural products and processed foods is rising, Japan’s retailer AEON TopValu will seek suppliers for its supermarket chain Aeon at the Vietnam International Sourcing 2024, which is slated for June 6-8 in Ho Chi Minh City, reported Vietnam News Agency.
In a working session with the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s European – American Market Department, General Director of Aeon TopValu Vietnam Shiotani Yuichiro said that he has a great expectation when joining the sourcing fair.
There is a great demand for Vietnamese agricultural products and processed products in the markets where Aeon is present, he said, adding through last year's event, Aeon TopValu found suppliers for its supermarket chain in China, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Along with persuading its purchasers from China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam to engage in the event, Aeon TopValu will continue joining hands with the MoIT to organise the Vietnamese Products Week in Japan in 2024, providing more chances for Vietnamese goods to break into Japan – the No.1 fastidious market in Asia, he said.
The purchasers want to seek Vietnamese producers who are able to meet Aeon’s criteria and standards to become the retailer’s sustainable suppliers not only for its supermarkets in Vietnam but also its system across the globe, according to the Aeon representative.
By 2030, AEON plans to own 30 shopping malls, department stores, and supermarkets, with the majority located in big cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and other provinces nationwide.
The event aims to promote direct linkages between Vietnamese manufacturing and exporting enterprises with foreign retail distribution networks and importers. It includes a series of workshops, seminars, business matching activities, and an exhibition called “Vietnam International Sourcing Expo”.
This is annual premier sourcing fair in Vietnam, bringing together the leading manufacturers and exporters in the country. Details on the event and activities to be held on its framework are available at vietnamsourcingexpo.vn.
Hanoi’s biggest promotion programme to start from April 30
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| Illustrative image (Source: hanoimoi.vn) |
Hanoi’s concentrated promotion programme will kick off on April 30, featuring 100 booths with promotion from 30-100%, reported Vietnam News Agency.
According to the city Department of Industry and Trade, the department said that major activities of the programme will be organised in May, July, and November, with discount of up to 100%. The programme expects the engagement of 1,000-2,000 businesses from all economic sectors.
It said that along with meeting shopping demands of locals, the programme aims to provide chances for businesses to sell their products and reduce inventories, thus promoting production and business activities, contributing to boosting the city’s socio-economic development.
In November, the programme will take place in all localities across the capital city, with about 800-1,000 venues. Various events have been planned within the programme’s framework, including a Hanoi shopping festival and Hanoi Mega Sale events.
The highlight of the programme in November is the Hanoi Midnight Sales 2024 and Black Friday events from November 29-30 with the involvement of 200 businesses, trade centres, supermarkets, and business facilities.
The programme is expected to connect supply and demand, promote domestic consumption and boost sales revenue for businesses, thus increasing the retail sales of products and revenue.
Finnish businesses keen to expand investment in Vietnamese energy sector
Finnish businesses desire to expand investment cooperation activities in the Vietnamese market across multiple fields, especially the energy sector, reported VOV News.
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| At the working session (Image source: congthuong.vn) |
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien recently held a working session with the Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam and Finnish businesses to outline orientation for ramping up cooperation in trade, industry and energy between the two countries.
At the meeting, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien hailed the fruitful bilateral cooperation along with the potential for great advantages in economic and trade relations, and welcomed Finnish businesses for actively engaging in this process as a means of promoting two-way trade growth and economic development of the two countries.
On this occasion, the Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam expressed his desire to support Finnish businesses in expanding investment cooperation activities in the Vietnamese market in a variety of areas, especially energy.
The Ambassador introduced Wärtsilä as Finland's leading enterprise in the field of energy transition, with solutions for flexible Internal. Combustion Engine (ICE) power plants that have been deployed in many places around the world.
President and CEO for Wärtsilä Corporation Håkan Agnevall introduced in detail the ICE flexible power technology that the Group owns, and briefed the Minister on the situation of cooperation with Power Generation Corporation 3 (EVN GENCO3) and expressed his desire to research, invest and deploy the ICE flexible power project in Ninh Binh province with Vietnamese partners.
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| Photo for illustration |
Also during the working session, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien highly appreciated the recent cooperation activities regarding project implementation between Wärtsilä Group and EVN GENCO3.
Vietnam is an ideal destination for foreign investors as it is among the 15 countries with the best environment for FDI attraction, and is always one of the 20 countries with the largest trade scale in the world, while annual economic growth rate is always maintained at a high level, the Minister told his guest.
Dien shared orientations for developing energy sources in Power Plan VIII to achieve Vietnam's carbon neutrality goal by 2050 and the goal of industrialization and modernization by 2030 with a vision to 2045.
He gave an overview of the process and procedures regarding foreign investors' participation in domestic energy projects.
Thereby, the Minister requested Wärtsilä Group and EVN GENCO3 to carefully research and survey, to be able to come up with a feasible plan ensuring socio-economic efficiency.
The President of Wärtsilä Corporation accepted the Minister's opinions and pledged to have a detailed study and report on the project to submit to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and competent agencies for consideration. He also affirmed his orientation and commitment to long-term investment in the Vietnamese market, while supporting Vietnam's energy transition roadmap.
Regarding broader cooperation activities between Finland and Vietnam, the Minister proposed that the Finnish Ambassador launch a broad array of specific activities to encourage more Finnish businesses to cooperate with Vietnamese counterparts in order to implement important projects in the near future, thereby contributing to the cooperation and development of the two countries.
Echoing with Dien's views, the Ambassador pledged to continue bringing major Finnish businesses to Vietnam to explore investment cooperation opportunities in the time ahead, creating a premise to further deepen Vietnam - Finland diplomacy that has gone through more than 50 years (1973 - 2024)./.