Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago recognised as World Geological Heritage
The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) has recognised Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago in the northern province of Quang Ninh and neighbouring Hai Phong City as a world geological heritage site, Associate Professor Dr Tran Tan Van, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), said on August 25.
Ha long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) has recognised Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago in the northern province of Quang Ninh and neighbouring Hai Phong City as a world geological heritage site, Associate Professor Dr Tran Tan Van, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Geosciencesꦚ and Mineral Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), said on August 25.
According to Van, who has participated in compiling two world heritage dossiers related to outstanding global geological values, and directly prepared documents for the regonistion of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago by the IUGS, the site, together with 99 others in 53 countries in world, is included on the IUGS's world geological heritage list thanks to the outstanding global values of geological history and karst geomorphology.
The IUGS is scheduled to announced a list of 100 newly-recognised geological heritage sites at the 37th International Geological Congress 2024 in Busan Republic of Korea, from August 25 to 31.
Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago includes all stages of the marine submergence of tropical karst as well as three main types of caves - ancient marine frog-jaw caves, ancient karst caves and frog-jaw caves. The Ha Long Bay represents the later stages of the marine subduction while the Cat Ba Archipelago adds important geological values to the heritage through its patterns of the terrestrial and intertidal stages.
In 1994, Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a world natural heritage site with outstanding universal aesthetic value. In 2000, Ha Long Bay was recognised by UNESCO as a world natural heritage site for the second time with outstanding universal geological and geomorphological value.
On September 16, 2023, at the 45th Session of the World Natural Heritage Committee, the UNESCO recognised Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago as the first Vietnamese inter-provincial site as as a world natural heritage site.
The recognition of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago as an international geological heritage by the IUGS affirms the value of this heritage.
The appearance of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago and its unique and famous geological and geomorphological values today are the result of a regional tectonic movement that lasted more than 500 million years./.
UNESCO announced the addition of a Vietnamese location to its list of world natural heritage sites at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 16. The Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is Vietnam’s first inter-provincial UNESCO-listed world heritage site.
During the first six months of 2024, Ha Long bay, a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage Site, has seen a bustling influx of foreign visitors that outnumbers domestic holiday-makers.
The course aims to promote knowledge exchange between scientific and educational schools from different countries, while deepening participants’ expertise in modern technology and technical education. It comprises two main specialisations of electronics-automation and nuclear technology.
ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu laid stress on the significance of the Hanoi Convention, particularly to the Asia – Pacific, to handling legal gaps in international cooperation against rapidly increasing global cybercrime.
The week features a rich lineup of activities, including a plenary conference on blockchain and AI development, thematic seminars on future technology trends and investment visions, applications of blockchain and AI in business, the Super Vietnam PitchFest, as well as forums for blockchain and AI.
