Tác giả: Đào Thu Hằng
I'm from Hanoi, Viet Nam.
I'm an author of Dot Chuoi Non (dotchuoinon.com/author/hangbelu/), a blog on Positive thinking, founded by Dr. Tran Dinh Hoanh, an attorney in Washington DC.
I'm a co-founder of Conversations on Vietnam Development - cvdvn.net, a virtual think tank. I am a co-founder of two companies in Viet Nam working on children education services. I advise companies on STEAM education, English language education for children and students in Vietnam.
I'm studying the Buddha's teaching and the teaching of Jesus. I practice mindful living including meditation.
I hold a PhD on Sustainable Energy Systems from University of Lisbon and Aalto University.
I graduated from Hanoi University of Technology on Environmental Engineering. I obtained a Master degree of the same major from Stanford University and Nanyang Technological University.
My English-language blog at: hangbelu.wordpress/.
I play table tennis as a hobby.
Who gets to have nuclear weapons and why?
Jul 30, 2025 #AJStartHere #CubanMissileCrisis #IsraelIranTensions
Israel and the US – both nuclear-armed states – recently attacked Iran. They said it was to prevent Iran getting a nuclear weapon, something Iran denies it’s trying to do.
What determines which countries can, and can’t, have nuclear weapons? And are we seeing a new nuclear race?
Chapters:
01:09 – How the Cuban Missile Crisis led to a new nuclear order.
01:58 – The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the nine nuclear-armed states.
04:49 – The key factors that affect a country’s calculation on nukes.
05:47 – Security: do nuclear weapons make a country more, or less, safe?
07:22 – The US nuclear umbrella – can it still be trusted?
08:10 – Do nuclear weapons enhance a country’s status?
09:40 – What’s going on with Iran?
14:32 – Who gets to police the global nuclear order?
14:52 – How the nine nuclear-armed states are increasing their spending on nukes.
Chống giả mạo sinh học (biopiracy) cho nông sản Việt: Nhìn từ cuộc chiến pháp lý của Ấn Độ
vneconomy.vn LS.Lê Quang Vinh (*) 12/07/2021,
Giả mạo sinh học trong nông nghiệp được các nhà khoa học định nghĩa là hiện tượng ăn cắp tri thức truyền thống, đa dạng sinh học và nguồn gen thuộc về cộng đồng bản địa ở lãnh thổ A để xác lập quyền độc quyền hợp pháp dưới dạng sáng chế (pa-tăng) ở lãnh thổ B với chủ ý lấy tên gốc ban đầu của giống cây trồng đã biết.
Chống giả mạo sinh học vì thế được xem là cuộc chiến cam go mà nông sản Việt có thể sẽ phải đối mặt trong thời gian tới.
MẠO DANH THƯƠNG HIỆU NÔNG SẢN ĐẾN MẠO DANH SINH HỌC
Năm 2018, bà con nông dân ở huyện đảo Lý Sơn đã phải lên tiếng bày tỏ quan ngại sâu sắc về việc nhiều tiểu thương, doanh nghiệp mạo danh tỏi Lý Sơn. Điều này được xem là “ảnh hưởng nghiêm trọng” đến danh tiếng đặc sản nổi tiếng của Lý Sơn, một loại tỏi có hương vị cay dịu nhẹ chứ không cay nồng như các loại tỏi khác được trồng ở 3 xã An Bình, An Hải và An Vĩnh thuộc huyện đảo Lý Sơn, tỉnh Quảng Ngãi. Vì thế, sau rất nhiều nỗ lực, ngày 29/6/2020, tỏi Lý Sơn chính thức được bảo hộ dưới hình thức chỉ dẫn địa lý theo Quyết định 2421/QĐ-SHTT của Cục trưởng Cục Sở hữu trí tuệ.
What is biopiracy? And how a new UN treaty tries to get rid of it
Biopiracy: How companies are buying up nature
Medicines and cosmetics use substances derived from nature. But Bioprospecting can turn into biopiracy. More and more companies are patenting natural ingredients making billions. It can come at a cost to the environment and traditional communities living in biodiversity-rich regions.
A new UN treaty tries to get rid of it
Tiếp tục đọc “What is biopiracy? And how a new UN treaty tries to get rid of it”
Dark fleet tankers: Estonia’s case study warning for Southeast Asia
The increasing number of false-flagged and stateless tankers is reshaping maritime security challenges across the world’s sea lanes.
There are tankers that exploit gaps in international law by fraudulently registering under flags of convenience or assuming false identities to avoid enforcement. Indeed, approximately 100+ false-flagged tankers now operate with limited scrutiny in critical regions like the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, bringing new impetus to the questions for coastal states: do they have the legal right to act, and should they exercise that right?
Estonia’s recent boarding of the tanker Kiwala has put these questions in the spotlight. Acting within its territorial sea, the Estonian Navy relied on the powers granted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to intervene when a vessel’s passage is no longer ‘innocent’. The vessel was known to be operating under a false flag — a clear violation of international shipping norms.
Tiếp tục đọc “Dark fleet tankers: Estonia’s case study warning for Southeast Asia”
Mekong: The River That Feeds 70 Million People – Now in Danger
What happens when the river that feeds 70 million people is pushed to the brink?
The Mekong River runs over 5,000 km and across 6 countries: China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, where it ends with its famous delta.
For hundreds of years, it has provided shelter, food, and all kinds of natural resources to over 60 million people who lived in harmony with the generous mother of all rivers. However, with the rapid growth that South East Asia is experiencing, as witnessed by the ever-increasing constructions and economic development projects, the fragile balance of communities living by and from its waters is at stake.
Facing a threat as well as an opportunity, the future of the Mekong lies in the diversity of its cultures and the beauty of its landscapes, shaped both by the river and its inhabitants.
00:00 – Introduction: Mother of All Rivers
01:33 – Laos: Boatmakers & River Traditions
06:57 – Prosperity and Struggles Along the Mekong
08:33 – Food, Insects & Rice: Life by the River
15:49 – Giant Fish and Ancient Conflicts
22:36 – Cambodia: The Mekong and Tonle Sap Lake
29:35 – Cambodia’s Dependence on the River
35:28 – Vietnam’s Mekong Delta: Nine Dragons of Asia
43:19 – Floating Markets & Rice Harvests
46:09 – Shrimp Farms and Environmental Challenges
50:55 – The Mekong’s Fragile Future
Infrastructure as Strategy: How Vietnam Rewires Indochina through Ports and Roads
fulcrum.sg Published 13 Feb 2026 Hoang Thi Ha
Vietnam is often portrayed as losing influence in Laos and Cambodia to China. But the construction of key infrastructure gives Hanoi some measure of agency.
Vietnam is often portrayed as steadily losing its traditional influence in neighbouring Laos and Cambodia to China. Such assessments overlook an emerging dimension of Hanoi’s statecraft: by building critical infrastructure along its southwestern coast and granting Laos maritime access, Hanoi is transforming its coastline into strategic leverage to counter regional power shifts and consolidate its geopolitical footprint.
Laos – the only country having “special relations” with Vietnam, rooted in shared revolutionary history and deep political trust – has long relied on overland routes to Thailand and the Chinese-built Kunming-Vientiane high-speed train. This has improved connectivity across its mountainous terrain and boosted trade with China, but saddled Vientiane with heavy debts.
Vietnam offers a cheaper alternative: providing direct maritime access to help Laos overcome its landlocked geography. Since 2001, Vung Ang Port in Ha Tinh province — the nearest major port to the Vietnam-Laos border — has been developed with three berths, granting Laos not just access but substantive control. Through the Lao-Viet International Port Company, the Lao government has expanded its stake from 20 per cent to 60 per cent, securing management rights and development priority over the port.
With a designed throughput exceeding 6.5 million tonnes per year, Vung Ang is becoming an important maritime outlet for Laos, handling its minerals exports and other bulk commodities, as well as cargo from northeastern Thailand. The 585km Vientiane-Vung Ang corridor is approximately 200km shorter than the route via Bangkok to Thailand’s Laem Chabang port, saving transport time and logistics costs. Both countries are discussing upgrades to rail and road connectivity along this axis, including the proposed Vientiane-Vung Ang railway and Vientiane-Hanoi expressway.
Tiếp tục đọc “Infrastructure as Strategy: How Vietnam Rewires Indochina through Ports and Roads”
Europe’s youth have more realistic view of China
chinadaily.com By Kerry Brown,Zhang Li and Ivona Rajevac | China Daily | Updated: 2026-02-09 07:32
Editor’s note: The Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences released a survey report in Beijing on Feb 4 examining European youth’s perceptions of China and China-EU relations. The report is based on a large-scale survey of nearly 20,000 respondents conducted across 36 European countries. Scholars and policy experts discussed the findings at the briefing. Below are excerpts of the remarks by three of the experts.
Opening their eyes to the real China
Europe stands at a critical juncture in evaluating its stance toward China, especially as the global geopolitical landscape grows increasingly complex in 2026. The survey findings reveal a nuanced mosaic of attitudes. Young Europeans, in particular, are engaging with China not merely through an ideological lens but by examining its tangible economic, technological and social footprint. This growing sophistication reflects both the accessibility of information through digital platforms and the lived realities of globalization, where China’s influence touches supply chains, consumer goods, education and technology.
The perception of China as a significant player in global technology is gaining traction. For European youth, understanding China is no longer a simple matter of curiosity; it is increasingly about engaging with a country that is transforming before their eyes. Long-held notions of China as a technologically backward or peripheral actor are rapidly fading. China’s investments in research and development now far exceed those of the United Kingdom, many European countries, and even the European Union in aggregate. In the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, China is set to strengthen its capabilities in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and other critical sectors.
Tiếp tục đọc “Europe’s youth have more realistic view of China”
The 10 Worst and best U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions Ever until 2016 – According to Historians
From violent westward expansion to interwar isolationism to ruinous military interventions, discover which U.S. foreign policy decisions left the most tarnished legacies.
From securing America’s sovereignty to expanding its continental reach to creating the post-World War II institutions that ushered in unprecedented peace and prosperity, discover which U.S. foreign policy decisions left the most positive legacies.
List of 10 Worst Policy Decisions
Chinese organized crime networks moved $16 billion in crypto in 2025. Southeast Asia has become a base for these networks as China tightens enforcement.
CNBC.com Published Sun, Feb 1 2026
Key Points
- Chinese-language crypto networks moved $16.1 billion in illicit funds, about 20% of the global crypto crime market.
- Telegram “guarantee” platforms act as key hubs linking launderers, criminals and sanctioned actors.
- Southeast Asia has become a base for these networks as China tightens enforcement.
Amber Casino and former scam center, owned by Chen Zhi, a Chinese businessman who was deported to China, is seen in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Jan. 18, 2026.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images
Chinese-language money laundering networks funneled an estimated $16.1 billion in illicit funds through cryptocurrency transactions in 2025, according to a report released Tuesday by blockchain data analysis firm Chainalysis.
These networks, known as CLMNs, accounted for roughly one-fifth of the illicit cryptocurrency ecosystem in 2025, which Chainalysis valued at over $82 billion.
The criminal networks primarily operate through various channels and chat groups on the messaging platform Telegram, where launderers advertise their services to prospective customers. These postings often include pictures showing heaps of cash and public testimonials as proof of liquidity and service quality, according to the report.
These Telegram-based channels, known as “guarantee” platforms, function as marketing hubs or informal escrow services that connect vendors with prospective clients. While the platforms do not control the underlying transactions, Chainalysis said they are the main conduits through which illicit deals are arranged.
Why tourists are choosing Vietnam, over Thailand and Cambodia in 2026
scmp.com Published: 6:00pm, 12 Feb 2026
At a time when other popular parts of Asia are struggling with dwindling tourist numbers, how is Vietnam hitting record numbers of visitors?
Vietnam has kicked off the new tourism year by shattering records. According to the national tourism authority, VNAT, almost 2.5 million international visitors arrived in January – the highest number ever recorded in a single month and an 18.5 per cent jump over the previous year.
While these figures represent an economic triumph, they also highlight a shifting geopolitical map.
Travellers are increasingly bypassing the smouldering border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia in favour of the relative stability found in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However, this new-found “stability” brings its own set of growing pains.
This surge is being driven by a diversifying demographic.
While most visitors still hail from within Asia, European arrivals are climbing significantly. VNAT credits this boom to eased visa rules – such as the 45-day visa-free stay for German citizens – alongside a rise in direct international flights and Vietnam’s growing reputation as a premier long-haul winter escape.
Tiếp tục đọc “Why tourists are choosing Vietnam, over Thailand and Cambodia in 2026”
Tổng Bí thư: TPHCM làm tốt giao thông công cộng, người dân sẽ tự bỏ xe máy
(Dân trí) – “TPHCM rất muốn hạn chế xe máy. Nếu có phương tiện công cộng nhanh, đúng giờ, kịp thời thì người dân tự động bỏ xe máy, không cần phải cấm, không cần phải hành chính, vận động”, Tổng Bí thư nói.
Tại buổi thăm, chúc Tết Đảng bộ, chính quyền, nhân dân TPHCM nhân dịp Xuân Bính Ngọ 2026 diễn ra ngày 9/2, Tổng Bí thư Tô Lâm đã phát biểu chỉ đạo gợi mở những vấn đề thành phố cần tập trung thời gian tới. Người đứng đầu Đảng đã chia sẻ về những kỳ vọng đối với đô thị đầu tàu của cả nước và những điểm nghẽn siêu đô thị cần tháo gỡ để bước vào kỷ nguyên mới.
Tổng Bí thư Tô Lâm đề nghị TPHCM tập trung tháo gỡ những điểm nghẽn lớn về thể chế, hạ tầng, nguồn nhân lực. Trong đó, địa phương cần đổi mới mô hình tăng trưởng theo chiều sâu, phát huy hiệu quả các cơ chế, chính sách đặc thù để từng bước hình thành các trung tâm tài chính, logistics, đổi mới sáng tạo tầm khu vực và quốc tế.
Tiếp tục đọc “Tổng Bí thư: TPHCM làm tốt giao thông công cộng, người dân sẽ tự bỏ xe máy”
Australia: Historic pay deal with Uber Eats and DoorDash could set minimum pay for gig economy delivery workers
abc.net.au Tuesday 25 November 2025
In short:
The Transport Workers Union has reached an agreement with Uber Eats and DoorDash for minimum safety net pay rates and other conditions for delivery drivers and riders.
The union says it is a “significant step” towards improving fairness in the gig economy.
What’s next?
The deal requires approval from the Fair Work Commission.
A historic deal could transform Australia’s gig economy, with the country’s two largest on-demand delivery platforms agreeing to minimum pay rates and providing wide-ranging improvements and protections for riders and drivers.
The agreement struck between the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and Uber Eats and DoorDash followed years of campaigning by workers and the union.
Minimum safety net pay rates would put a floor beneath what have been wildly variable earnings for delivery workers, who have often taken home far less than Australia’s minimum wage under current pay arrangements, which see them paid per delivery, not for time worked.
Top 10 Ship Building Countries In The World (Vietnam is on the list)
China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, USA, Germany, France, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Vietnam
marineinsight.com ByZahra AhmedFebruary 11, 2025
The shipbuilding industry is growing at a tremendous rate, with its market size expected to increase from USD 155.58 billion in 2025 to 203.76 billion in 2033, owing to greater container and dry bulk trade and the opening of new markets, per Straits Research. Around 85% of shipbuilding activities are concentrated in China, Japan, and South Korea, which are the top shipbuilding countries in the world.
Shipbuilding, which involves the construction of large seagoing vessels, manufacturing marine equipment, and refurbishing old vessels is a lucrative industry, propelled by the rising sea trade between countries, as the world population increases amidst rising consumer demands worldwide.
Apart from commercial vessels, naval vessels are also witnessing an increased demand with several navies like the Chinese and American, building new ships to showcase naval prowess.
In this article, we will mention the top 10 shipbuilding countries in the world, the majority of which are in Asia, Europe and the Americas, leading through their technological breakthroughs, and strategic investments in port infrastructure and ship equipment.
Tiếp tục đọc “Top 10 Ship Building Countries In The World (Vietnam is on the list)”
Thailand, the sick man of Southeast Asia?
eastasiaforum.org Published: 22 December 2025
In Brief
Thailand is confronting a convergence of economic and political pressures that threaten to lock in prolonged stagnation caused by weak growth, demographic decline and low productivity. Decades of political instability, repeated intervention by unelected ‘tutelary’ powers and the blocking of reformist forces have undermined policy continuity, discouraged investment and diverted spending away from long-term growth drivers like education and public investment. Renewed border tensions with Cambodia and looming elections now compound these structural weaknesses, leaving Thailand trapped in a cycle of political uncertainty and economic underperformance that erodes its regional standing.
With growth barely above 2 per cent, a looming demographic crisis and an immigration regime unsuited to offsetting future workforce challenges, Thailand is in urgent need of pro-growth, pro-productivity reforms and public investment despite its strained public finances. These challenges are par for the course in any rich post-industrial country — but for a middle-income country in today’s international environment, they’re all the more daunting.
CVD 