 We thank Bidhan Chandra Sanyal of India for the ecard. |
B: Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar of Pakistan said: “As a regular listener, I deeply appreciate the professionalism of your presenters, producers, and technical staff. The English Service program not only keeps us informed about world affairs but also enriches our knowledge through cultural, social, and educational content. On the occasion of the New Year 2026, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the entire radio station. May the coming year open new doors to achievement, innovation, and excellence for your organization, and may your voice continue to reach millions of listeners around the world with truth, hope, and understanding.”
A: Thank you very much, Malik for your warm wishes and continued support. Another New Year greeting came from Shivendu Paul of West Bengal, India. He informed us that he has received the Certificate of Participation in our 2025 contest “What do you know about Vietnam?” and has already shared it on his social media pages.
B: We’d like to note that certificates have been sent to all contest participants. Some may take longer to arrive than others, so thank you all for your patience.
A: We’re very interested in the activities of Shivendu’s Radio Listeners’ Club, which actively promotes radio listening through events such as World Radio Day on February 13, the Annual State Listeners’ Meet, Radio and DX exhibitions, a radio stall at the Murshidabad district book fair, the publication of the annual radio magazine “Betar Bhuban,” and various radio awareness programs.
B: Shivendu told us the club takes part in social and cultural activities, including blood donation camps, tree planting, and celebrations honoring national figures. In addition, they regularly record popular radio programs and share them with members through a WhatsApp group.
A: Shivendu asked us to send him some promotional items for upcoming activities like those I just mentioned. VOV will certainly consider sending some interesting items to be displayed at those events.
B: I have a message here from Mohamed Elsayed Abd Elraheim of Egypt: “Little time remains until the end of 2025 and the beginning of the New Year 2026. I’d like to express my deepest thanks and appreciation to the Voice of Vietnam for its continuous media mission, its ongoing broadcasting, and everything it has offered listeners and followers around the globe. I hope 2026 will bring further progress, more brilliance, and constant, effective communication with friends worldwide.”
A: Mohamed told us: “Next January, I’ll visit the Cairo International Book Fair. This cultural and literary event is one I make sure to attend every year. At every session of this book fair, I eagerly await the announcement of the country chosen as the Guest of Honor! I sincerely hope Vietnam will soon be the Guest of Honor at an upcoming session, allowing the fair's visitors and lovers of culture and literature to learn about Vietnam, its unique character, and its rich cultural heritage.”
B: The Cairo International Book Fair, one of the largest and oldest book fairs in the Arab world, attracts publishers and writers from dozens of countries every year. In recent editions, the fair has named a Guest of Honor country – Norway in 2024, Oman in 2025, and Qatar is scheduled for 2027.
A: Vietnam has not yet been invited to be a Guest of Honor at the Cairo International Book Fair, but Vietnamese literature has still made an appearance at the event. At the 56th fair in January 2025, Vietnamese writer, poet, and translator Kieu Bich Hau was invited to attend the event’s activities.
B: A selection of her poems was translated into Arabic by Egyptian poet and scholar Dr. Sara Hamid Hawass and published in the fair’s official poetry anthology. Hau’s works were introduced alongside poems by more than 50 renowned poets from other countries.
A: Her poems and short stories have been translated into many languages, including English, Italian, Korean, Turkish, and Chinese.
B: Once again thank you all, dear listeners, for your good wishes. We also wish you and all our friends around the world peace, happiness, and success. Here’s an email from Jayanta Chakrabarty of India, saying he tuned in to our December 14 broadcast for the latest news and events occurring in Vietnam. The reception quality on 7220 kHz was fair. He rated SINPO 44333 and said the presentation by friendly-voiced hosts made listening a pleasurable experience.
A: “As a long-time listener and well-wisher of Vietnam and its dynamic people, I was pleased to hear about the inauguration of the first LNG power plant complex in Dong Nai province, laying the foundation for a gas-fired power sector.”
B: He continued, “Through VOV, I learned that, with an investment of 1.4 billion USD, the plant will be among the most advanced and efficient in the world, producing 9 billion kWh of electricity annually. This will help Vietnam reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure its energy security. I also learned about Vietnam’s goal of achieving zero emissions by the year 2050. I wish Vietnam more success in its relentless pursuit of economic and industrial development.”
A: Thank you, Jayanta, for your thoughtful remarks and encouragement. Vietnam is pursuing industrial development in parallel with environmental protection, aiming to achieve sustainable growth while contributing to global efforts to address climate change.
A: From France, listener Raphaël Voydis said: “I know Vietnam manufactures electric cars, but what else does Vietnam produce? Some time ago, I found an old Samsung phone, and on its battery it said ‘Made in Vietnam.’ Does Vietnam actually manufacture batteries for Samsung?”
B: Thanks for the interesting question. Vietnam’s manufacturing sector goes far beyond electric vehicles. In recent years, Vietnam has become an important regional and global manufacturing hub in electronics, high-tech components, and support industries.
A: In addition to electric cars, Vietnam produces consumer electronics like tablets, TVs, and home appliances, as well as circuit boards, modules, chargers, and batteries. Other products include renewable energy equipment like solar panels and wind power components, plus textiles, footwear, machinery, and more.
B: So does Vietnam manufacture Samsung batteries? The answer is yes. Samsung has large manufacturing complexes in Vietnam, and many smartphone batteries are produced here by Samsung or its suppliers at factories in Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, and Bac Giang province. That’s why you’ll see many Samsung phone batteries labeled “Made in Vietnam.”
A: Vietnam has entered the global supply chain not only as an assembler of final products but also as a producer of batteries and components for green and high-tech industries.
B: Last but not least in today’s Letter Box, we’d like to thank other listeners for their feedback and reception reports. Richard Lemke of Canada sent us a reception report for our December 16 program on the frequency of 11885 kHz, and Bidhan Chandra Sanyal of India reported listening to our December 15 program on 9730 kHz .
A: We also received feedback from Omar Faruk of Bangladesh, who shared his appreciation for VOV’s news as well as “Digital Life”, “Discovery Vietnam”, “Culture”, “Village Life”, “Economy”, and “Letter Box”.
B: Our sincere thanks also to Amir Jameel, President of the VOV Online Visitors Club in Pakistan, and Vicentiu Gheorghe of Romania, who has been listening to VOV and actively promoting our programs in Romania for more than 20 years.
A: Once again, our heartfelt thanks to all of you. Please keep writing and keep listening. Until next time, “Goodbye from Hanoi!”