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Congratulations on Zimbabwe Independence Day AT A GLANCE %

MYANMAR CRISIS DEP PM & FM CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh effectively use existing coopera-
Minh attended a virtual Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on tion mechanisms and tools,
March 2, during which he noted that escalating violence and tensions including coordinating with
that have caused human losses in recent days in Myanmar have global organizations and mech-
affected peace and stability not only in that country but also in the anisms such as the United
region as a whole. He called on all parties to restrain and avoid Nations, to help Myanmar quickly
violent activities, ensure people’s safety, and organize peaceful dialogue stabilize the situation in the interests of its people and nation, for
to quickly bring the situation back to normal. Mr. Minh also recom- peace and stability in the region, and for solidarity and the prestige
mended that ASEAN coordinate closely, promote its role, and of ASEAN.

DISH 2ND ON CNN LIST “PHO BO”
Vietnam’s “pho bo” (beef noodle to CNN, beef and “pho” remains the most beloved version in Vietnam,
soup) has ranked second among with options including original raw beef, a mix of raw and cooked
the world’s 20 best soups in a beef, brisket, and tendon. The CNN list also includes France’s Bouil-
list compiled by CNN, the State- labaisse, Spain’s Gazpacho, China’s Lanzhou beef noodle soup, and
run Vietnam News Agency Thailand’s Tom yum goong. It also included “pho” in a 2018 list of
reported on March 7. According the 50 tastiest dishes on earth after polling its Facebook readers.

PHONG NHA - KE BANG NATIONAL PARK ON TRIPADVISOR LIST

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO-recognized global quoted TripAdvisor as report-
heritage site in central Quang Binh province, has been ranked 15th ing. Established in 2000, Phong
among the world’s 25 best national parks by TripAdvisor and was the Nha - Ke Bang is frequently
only one in Southeast Asia to appear on the list, which took into referred to as the “Kingdom of
account the quality and number of traveler reviews and ratings Caves” for the magnificent spec-
published on its website over a 12-month period, according to a imens it hosts. The 900 sq km
report from the Vietnam News Agency on March 15. The karst national park, which UNESCO labeled a global heritage site in 2003,
formation has evolved since the Paleozoic some 400 million years is home to over 300 caves and grottoes that date back 400 million
ago, and is the oldest major karst area in Asia, the news agency years.

LOCAL SCIENTISTS CLONE PIGS ANIMAL CLONING

Vietnamese scientists have for Cong Thieu, said the outstanding achievement has opened up new
the first time successfully cloned research opportunities to apply animal cloning technology in breeding,
pigs using the somatic cells of preserving rare and valuable animals as well as creating livestock
ear tissue, with four healthy pigs resistant to disease and the impacts of climate change, adding that it
born on March 10. The National could also help to create cloned pigs for organ transplants in the
Institute of Animal Sciences future. Somatic cell nuclear transfer technology was successfully
launched a project to study the cloning of pigs by somatic cell nuclear carried out for the first time in 1996 in the UK, where scientists
transfer technology in July 2017. Director of the Institute, Dr. Pham created “Dolly” the sheep.

WB REPORT VIETNAM’S RECOVERY ONE OF THE BEST GDP GROWTH, SELECTED ECONOMIES
Index, 2019-Q4=100 Source: World Bank
The World Bank (WB) organized an online briefing on March 26 for Covid-19, Vietnam will 110 Indonesia Malaysia Vietnam
the release of the “Uneven Recovery - the World Bank’s April 2021 have more space to 105 Philippines Thailand
Economic Update for East Asia and the Pacific (EAP)” report, with develop a suitable vacci- 100
WB Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Aaditya nation strategy for its large 95
Mattoo, as the main speaker. Experts from the WB identified the population. WB also pre- 90
reasons for the uneven recovery among developing economies in dicted that in the near 85
EAP, with Vietnam and China the best-performing countries. He future, public debt and fis- 80
mentioned Vietnam as “having one of the most optimistic projections” cal deficits will grow, 75
and being “one of the few countries to have made progress during restraining government 2019-Q4 2020-Q1 2020-Q2 2020-Q3 2020-Q4
2020”, with a V-shape recovery path where the country’s post-Covid- spending. However, Viet-
19 output surpassed that of the pre-pandemic period. Experts also nam is expected to grow strongly, by 6.6 per cent, while the rest of
noted that thanks to its quick and effective response to eliminate EAP is expected to grow by only 4.4 per cent.

APRIL 2021 | VIETNAM ECONOMIC TIMES | 5