Work starts on Vietnam-Slovakia friendship building
The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-Slovakia Friendship Association’s municipal chapter on May 10 kicked off construction on the Vietnam-Slovakia friendship building in District 1.
President Tran Dai Quang (R) shakes hands with Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini during his official visit to Vietnam in November 2017 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and theVietnam-Slovakia Friendship Association’s municipal chapter on May 10 kicked offconstruction on the Vietnam-Slovakia friendship building in District 1.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, President of the union Huynh MinhThien affirmed that the project is a manifestation for the fine sentimentsbetween the two countries and their people.
Licensed by the municipal People’s Committee in 2010, the building will comprise21 storeys with around 13,700 sq.m of floor area. Its construction is expectedto be completed in two years.
Once put into use, the building will also be the headquarters of the Ho ChiMinh City Union of Friendship Organisations.
Vietnam and Slovakia established diplomatic relations in1950. Since then, the bilateral ties have developed continously, especially in trade and investment.
Trade turnover between Vietnam and Slovakia has grown 40times compared to 2004. In the first 10 months of 2017, two-way trade reachedabout 630 million USD, up 80 percent against the same period last year, makingSlovakia one of Vietnam’s most important trading partners in Central andEastern Europe.
Slovakia invested in nine projects in Vietnam with totalcapital of 247 million USD, making it 36th among 128 countries investingdirectly in Vietnam.-VNA
Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thanh Phong on November 25 received Peter Pellegrini, Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Informatization, who is paying an official visit to Vietnam from November 25-29.
Vietnam always attaches importance to consolidating and developing its relations with traditional countries, including Slovakia, Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue told his Slovak counterpart Peter Pellegrini.
Vietnam and Slovakia need to hold more trade exchanges, increase multi-channel information dissemination and encourage businesses to establish representative offices in each country, according to participants to a Vietnam-Slovakia business forum.
Ho Chi Minh City and Slovakia’s Bratislava region hold much potential to strengthen cooperation, as they share the similarity in their role in the respective country’s economic development.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
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All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
President Tran Dai Quang (R) shakes hands with Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini during his official visit to Vietnam in November 2017 (Photo: VNA) 
