New Vietnamese ambassador in Japan appointed

President Vo Van Thuong, on April 18, appointed Pham Quang Hieu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, as Vietnam's ambassador to Japan and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The 48-year-old diplomat pledged to do his best to promote Vietnam-Japan relations during his tenure, especially in infrastructure investment and high-tech development, digital and green transformation, and local-to-local cooperation. Japan is one of Vietnam's most important strategic partners regarding official development assistance (ODA), trade, and investment. The country is Vietnam's fourth largest trading partner, with bilateral trade value reaching US$40 billion in 2022.

Australian trade and tourism minister wants lower airfares

Vietnam Airlines aircraft at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

Australian Minister of Trade and Tourism Don Farrell, on April 18, urged Vietnamese airlines to cut airfares and increase the number of flights between Vietnam and Australia. He expected the number of travelers and passengers between the two nations to return to the pre-pandemic level.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, about 520,000 passengers traveled between the two countries each year for tours and family visits. Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Bamboo Airways are exploring direct flights to and from Australia. The aviation industry is expected to boost good circulation, and businesspeople travel between the two nations.

Vietnam to host global conference on sustainable food system

The One Planet Network's Fourth Global Conference of the Sustainable Food Systems Program (SFS Program) will take place on April 24-27. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the United Nations SFS Program, the event is expected to attract around 300 delegates.

The global conference will be an opportunity to showcase Vietnam to the world as a transparent, responsible, and sustainable food producer. Discussions will focus on the food industry's difficulties and challenges and solutions to transform the food system. The event is expected to reveal typical models of food system transformation developed by other nations and international initiatives.

Vietnam Digital Awards 2023 to focus on unlocking data potential

The Vietnam Digital Awards 2023, focusing on unlocking data potential, was launched by the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA) on April 18. The sixth edition of the awards will recognize outstanding products and solutions in data generation, connectivity, and usage and recognize organizations and enterprises that have successfully completed their digital transformation phase.

Award entries must be submitted online at the organizer's website, www.vda.com.vn, by June 30. The awards ceremony will be held in October. In the previous five editions, about 350 organizations, enterprises, and nonprofit entities have participated in the awards, showcasing a range of potential products, services, and solutions in digital transformation.

Japan donates medical equipment to Vietnam's four central hospitals

Vietnam's four central hospitals received the first batch of medical equipment donated by the Japanese Government on April 18. The beneficiaries include three in Hanoi (Central Lung Hospital, National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, National Hospital for Tropical Diseases) and Da Nang C Hospital.

The donation is part of the Japanese government's non-refundable assistance of over JPY 1.9 billion (approximately US$14.2 million) to support Vietnam's response to infectious diseases in the country. The equipment is expected to help improve the overall quality of medical examination and treatment, according to Sasaki Shohei, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam.