A view of Thuan Phuoc Bridge spanning the Han River in Da Nang city (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – DaNang has won the Smart City Award Vietnam 2021, the second time this central cityhas been honoured with this prize.
The award, presented by theVietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) on December 18, honoursthe cities, orgnisations, and businesses considerably helping cities becomesmarter and more liveable, competitive, and sustainable. It is also intended toencourage enterprises to create advanced technological products and boostcooperation in building and developing smart cities in the country.
Da Nang also secured three specialisedprizes: the smart governance and management award (also presented to northern ThaiNguyen province and Sam Son city of central Thanh Hoa province), the smarthealthcare award, and the smart environment award.
While the smart tourism awardwas bestowed upon the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, Thai Nguyen obtainedthe attractive startup city award.
The award presentation ceremony on December 18 (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)
Truong Gia Binh, Chairman ofthe VINASA Founding Council, said smart city building is now not only thechoice of big cities but also an urgent requirement of all cities nationwide. TheCOVID-19 pandemic over the last two years has resulted in more pressure forcingcities, especially major ones, to swiftly apply technology and smartdevelopment solutions to enhance their anti-pandemic capacity, protect people’shealth, and maintain production and business activities in the new normal.
For the past nearly fiveyears, 54 of the 63 provinces and centrally-run cities have been conductingsmart city building, 30 approved smart city development programmes and plans,15 approved the architecture for IT and smart city development, and 38 set upprovincial-level intelligent operation centres.
Details about the awardwinners can be found at and ./.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years has sped up the building and development of smart cities, heard Vietnam- ASOCIO Smart City Summit 2021 that opened on November 2.
The central city of Da Nang and the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) have agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to complete the development of Da Nang into a ‘smart city' by 2025.
The Vietnam- ASOCIO Smart City Summit 2021 kicked off virtually on November 2, highlighting that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years has sped up the development of smart cities.
The northern province of Hung Yen on December 2 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in smart city development with Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) of the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Vice Chairman of Hung Yen provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hung Nam on December 13 handed over a decision on establishing a clean industrial park, and an cooperation agreement on smart city development to the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) of the Republic of Korea (RoK) in the framework of the Vietnam - Korea Business Forum.
Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) Le Quoc Minh has called for technology to be leveraged not to replace identity, but to enhance it—allowing Vietnamese journalism to reach both local and global audiences.
In recent years, with strong support from the Party and State, and building on its tradition as a heroic news agency, the VNA has not only actively participated in OANA but also proactively proposed various ideas for cooperation, helping shape a fresh image of effective media collaboration in the digital era, said VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang.
The education sector has been one of the foundations playing a vital role in deepening Vietnam – New Zealand ties, said Prof. Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Tien Giang province has addressed the housing needs of 608 poor, near-poor, and policy-beneficiary families facing housing difficulties. Of these, 370 houses were newly constructed while 238 underwent major renovations.
Dr Pham Minh Hung from the University of Economics and Business under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the fixed-term contract mechanism is a correct step, liberating the entire system from traditional constraints which have long stood in the way of innovation.
The partnership will focus on studying and recommending LRT routes that connect the city’s transport network with urban development zones, industrial parks, and TOD areas. The research will cover Thu Dau Mot city and surrounding areas, with completion scheduled before August 15, 2025.
Media must not only serve as a channel for information but also act as a vanguard in shaping public opinion, combating misinformation, upholding the Party’s ideological principles, and reinforcing unity between Vietnam and Laos.
In Vietnam, the voluntary blood donation movement was first launched on January 24, 1994. In 2008, the Prime Minister established the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation.
Currently, 20 Vietnamese citizens remain in Iran, including embassy staff and personnel. All are safe, mentally stable, and in regular contact with the embassy.
A VietnamPlus survey of 764 young people shows that 83.9% of Gen Z use smartphones to read news, only 12% use computers, and the rest access content via tablets.
GVB Startup 2025 attracted the participation of nearly 150 individuals and organisations from across Vietnam. The event seeks to promote bold and ambitious startup ideas and projects, contributing to the future of global innovation, and supporting startups through the provision of resources, networking opportunities, and market insights.
AI could not replace human judgment in verifying information and sensitive political events, and that humans remain the final gatekeepers of content, said Leonid Kovachich, head of the Asian department at Sputnik's international broadcasting division.
A veteran journalist of Argentina has praised the modern evolution of Vietnam’s press, which now serves a dual purpose: introducing Vietnam to the world while bringing global perspectives to domestic audiences.
The court announced that Quyet had submitted a written request to be tried in absentia, citing serious health issues. According to an official statement from Hospital 19/8, the defendant is suffering from multiple illnesses, experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, with doctors warning of a “very high risk of death.”
A senior Party official highlighted the VNA’s consistent role over the past eight decades, noting that it remains a mainstream, uninterrupted, timely, accurate, and authoritative source of news that helps shape public opinion, strengthen public trust, and safeguard the ideological foundation of the Party.
Dr. Kobelev, born in 1938 in Ulyanovsk, was among the first Soviet scholars to specialise in Vietnam. As a former TASS correspondent during the war in Vietnam, he worked closely with Vietnamese institutions and later helped found Russia’s Centre for Vietnamese and ASEAN Studies.
The 22 million THB (680,000 USD) hall construction is slated for completion within three years, just in time for the 2028 centennial of President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in Thailand.
Among those receiving reduced sentences were Tran Tung, former Deputy Director of the Thai Nguyen provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, whose prison term was cut to 10 years from 12, with six years for accepting bribes and four for abusing power while performing official duties.
A view of Thuan Phuoc Bridge spanning the Han River in Da Nang city (Photo: VNA) 
The award presentation ceremony on December 18 (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) 
