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Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held up the agreement with New Zealand during the first New Zealand – Việt Nam Agricultural Dialogue. — Photo from the New Zealand Embassy in Việt Nam

HÀ NỘI — New Zealand and Việt Nam on Wednesday added a new link to their flourishing agriculture relationship by signing an Agriculture Cooperation Arrangement at the first New Zealand – Việt Nam Agricultural Dialogue.

The dialogue was held virtually by Chief Executive of the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, Ray Smith, and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Lê Quốc Doanh.

At the dialogue, the two sides voiced their commitment to the two countries’ deepening agriculture and trade relationship.

Smith and Doanh affirmed that the Strategic Partnership, which was jointly announced by Prime Ministers in July last year, has created a solid foundation for increasing bilateral agricultural cooperation and connections between the two countries.

Speaking at the dialogue, Smith emphasised that this is a valuable opportunity to consider what both sides can do together as they build resilience and vitality back into their agriculture economies following COVID-19.

The Agriculture Cooperation Arrangement will enable both sides to advance their key agricultural interests in enhancing bilateral trade, reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, promoting food safety, utilising agriculture research and technology, and in rural development.

Speaking at the ceremony, Doanh said that agriculture was critical to the economic wellbeing of our countries.

Both nations were strong agriculture producers and exporters, with complementary products, he said, adding that the establishment of the New Zealand – Việt Nam Agricultural Dialogue and the signing of the Agriculture Cooperation Arrangement would boost their connections, cooperation and two-way trade, in line with what the two Prime Ministers highlighted during last years’ Strategic Partnership dialogue.

The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries is already supporting agriculture cooperation with MARD with activities in plant health, veterinary epidemiology and electronic certification. These activities complement New Zealand’s ongoing development programme, which has a number of agriculture projects including the premium fruit development project in Tiền Giang, the rural dam safety project in Central Việt Nam, and the safe vegetables project in Bình Định.

Smith said that New Zealand has developed one of the most efficient agriculture sectors in the world, with a reputation for cutting-edge research and technology, robust and safe agricultural practices, and delicious and high-quality products.

He expressed his hope that the newly signed cooperation arrangement will help build value and expand investment opportunities between the two countries:

“We recognise that increased trade is not just about exporting more products, it’s about an exchange of knowledge, expertise, technology, services, and investment. This two-way exchange benefits both of us,” he said.

He said New Zealand also looked forward to doing more to assist MARD’s greenhouse gas inventory capability through the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

The two leaders confirmed their shared commitment to finalising new fruit access for each other this year so consumers can enjoy New Zealand strawberries and squash in Việt Nam and Việt Nam’s limes and pomelos in New Zealand.

Việt Nam is New Zealands’s 14th largest trading partner, with two-way trade valued at NZD$2 billion, at year-end September 2020. While COVID-19 has posed some challenges, Việt Nam remains a promising market for New Zealand and vice versa due to robust demand for key agricultural products. — VNS

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on Tuesday applauded Vietnam’s achievements in its fight against COVID-19 while also stressing a high likelihood of future pathogen emergence in the country.

Dam’s statements were made during his chairmanship of a meeting of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

During the meeting, Nguyen Dac Vinh, deputy chief of the Party Central Committee’s Office, pointed out that early detection is key to successful epidemic prevention efforts, as seen from the quelling of recent outbreaks at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and in Hai Phong at the end of January.

Vinh also emphasized the importance of tactical medical screenings to identify transmission sources and contain the pathogen.

He noted that the Ministry of Health should reflect on its contact tracing programs and identify optimal isolation plans in order to inform efforts in other provinces.

The upcoming COVID-19 inoculation plan should be rolled out in sync with other epidemic prevention efforts, he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Dam pointed out that Vietnam ranked 173rd in the world in terms of patient tallies and 213th on the ratio of COVID-19 cases to population, an impressive achievement considering the relatively low cost that the country spent on COVID-19 prevention.

“With all due humility, it can be said that Vietnam is ranked one of the most successful countries in the world when it comes to COVID-19 prevention,” he said.

“For that reason, we must stay loyal to the principles and strategies that were employed in the early days.”

According to Dam, those strategies involve five steps: prevention, detection, isolation, eradication, and treatment, all of which have been maintained through different phases of the epidemic.

Large-scale testing

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son asked that Hai Duong Province, the country’s current COVID-19 epicenter, continue its large-scale COVID-19 testing for workers in industrial zones, which involves determining optimal sample sizes and the demographic for medical screening.

Do Xuan Tuyen, another Deputy Minister of Health, also noted that testing in Hai Duong should only be rolled out at factories at high risk of transmission instead of being mandated at all plants.

Eradication out of reach

After hearing the reports of attending officials, Deputy Prime Minister Dam commended Hai Duong’s contribution to the nationwide effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Since the outbreak in the province, only three cases of transmission have been detected outside the isolated areas or quarantine wards, all of whom completed contact tracing to help curb further transmission.

The deputy PM has asked Hai Duong to keep up contact tracing and mass medical screenings in the community as instructed by the Ministry of Health.

“Currently, a real-time PCR test costs as much as two jabs,” Dam stated.

“A circumstance where factories must test all of their workers before they are allowed to resume operations should be avoided, as it is not only costly but also enkindles skepticism about the test results.”

Additionally, busy locations such as beverage stalls near industrial parks, hospitals, bus stations, and wet markets should be closely monitored.

Dam also underlined the necessity of Hai Duong’s vigilant stance against the epidemic even after the isolation mandate is lifted, as Vietnam’s dense population, long border, and demand for foreign experts will continue underpin risks of future outbreaks.

“No one can be sure that Vietnam is completely freed from the pathogen,” Dam warned.

“We must stay vigilant.”

A total of 820 local cases have been detected in 13 provinces and cities since since January 28, when the Ministry of Health confirmed the first community-based infections after Vietnam had gone almost two months without local transmission.

The current outbreak is considered the most serious wave to have struck Vietnam after the first-ever COVID-19 patient was recorded in the country on January 23, 2020.

Hai Duong Province is the hardest-hit locale, with 636 cases logged in this round of infections.

The national tally stood at 2,412 coronavirus cases, including 1,513 domestic infections, as of Wednesday night, with 1,790 recoveries and 35 virus-related deaths, according to the Ministry of Health’s data.

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Under the pilot plan, the city would organize pedestrianized spaces around Hau River Park and Ninh Kieu Wharf, its top tourist attractions, as well as develop night markets combined with pedestrian streets.

In addition, bars and restaurants in Ninh Kieu District would be allowed to stay open until 2 a.m. while some tour services taking visitors to watch dawn on Hau River or visit Cai Rang floating market can operate overnight.

Outdoor activities would be held on weekend nights.

Currently, shopping and entertainment services are only allowed to operate from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at night markets in Ninh Kieu District.

After one to two years of piloting, Can Tho will implement night-time services across many parts of the city in an effort to bolster its tourism sector and boost socio-economic development.

Can Tho, with an estimated population of 1.61 million, is one of Vietnam’s five centrally-managed cities, alongside Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong and Da Nang,

It is not the only locality in Vietnam that has been boosting night-time economy development.

In July 2020, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved a master plan for night-time economy development in the country, allowing major cities like Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang as well as other tourist destinations like Hoi An, Hue, Da Lat and Phu Quoc to pilot night-time services from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In September, authorities in Hanoi sought feedback for a pilot scheme to allow recreational establishments in the Hoan Kiem area to stay open past midnight.

Under the scheme, catering, entertainment and shopping services in Hoan Kiem District, the busiest area in the capital, would be allowed to operate overnight every day while outdoor activities, historical relics and heritage sites would remain open until midnight.

Last December, Khanh Hoa authorities said they were working on a plan to develop the central province’s night-time economy centered around the famous beach town of Nha Trang.

Quang Ninh, home to world famous Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam, is also planning to offer entertainment, cultural and shopping services late into the night.