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Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Southeast Asian students value rare role as World Games volunteers
Vietnamese student Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa (centre) chats with classmates at Chengdu University on July 24, 2025. – Xinhua photo CHENGDU (Aug 15): In a classroom on the summer campus of Chengdu University, student volunteers from around the world were receiving training in essential skills and protocols for their roles at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Chengdu University has contributed more than 580 student volunteers – including four international students – to the Chengdu World Games, which is slated for Aug 7 to 17. Among them is 23-year-old Vietnamese student Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, a first-year graduate arts student who served as a translator in the Athletes' Village. 'As an international student, it's a great honor,' Hoa said. 'It's a chance to contribute while also deepening my understanding of Chinese society and becoming part of it.' Hoa's interest in China began in childhood through classic TV dramas such as Journey to the West, which sparked her fascination with Chinese culture. When it came time for university, she chose China's Chengdu University over a local institution in Vietnam. Hoa (centre) chats with classmates. – Xinhua photo In her five years in Chengdu, Hoa has progressed academically and found a sense of home. Fluent in Mandarin and passionate about art, she has traveled widely in China, using her paintbrush to capture landscapes and traditions. 'These five years have been the most precious part of my life,' she said. 'China is vibrant and culturally rich, and Chengdu is a city that feels truly warm. The lifestyle is comfortable, and the food is irresistible.' 'I'm especially excited to meet athletes from different countries and regions,' she said of the Chengdu World Games. 'If I get the chance to help my own country's team, I'll be even more thrilled. I want them to feel support and kindness, even far from home.' Students like Hoa are more than volunteers – they are cultural ambassadors helping to connect China with the world. 'I've always dreamed of taking part in international events and becoming a global citizen,' said Sysanhouth Thidasavan, a student from Laos. 'When I saw the volunteer recruitment notice, I knew I had to be part of it.' Ong poses for a photo with the torch after participating in the torch relay for the 12th World Games in Chengdu on July 26, 2025. – Xinhua photo Ong Xinning, a 21-year-old sophomore from Malaysia, arrived in Chengdu two years ago, drawn by the city's cultural heritage and modern vitality. She is also volunteering for the Games. Ong likes to make short videos and share her life in China online. One recent project in Meishan featured an intangible cultural heritage craftsman weaving a 99-meter-long bamboo dragon – a video that received widespread praise on social media. The project also earned Ong the honor of being selected as the 44th torchbearer in the World Games flame relay. Her family in Malaysia watched the livestream and sent her congratulatory messages. 'It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life,' she said. 'I've watched many international sports events online, but being part of it is totally different.' 'This summer, I'll continue using my camera to tell more Chinese stories,' Ong said. 'Carrying the torch isn't just a ceremonial act. It's about passing on the spirit of unity, friendship, and cultural exchange.' – Xinhua Asian students Chengdu University China World Games volunteers Xinhua
Qatar Tribune
19-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Vietnam cracks down on fake goods as United States tariffs loom
Agencies Since the United States accused Vietnam of being a hub for counterfeit goods, Tran Le Chi has found it increasingly hard to track down her favorite fake Chanel T-shirts, Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags. As Vietnam's government tries to head off President Donald Trump's threatened 46 percent tariff, it has launched a crackdown on fake products - in part to show responsiveness to US concerns. Now there are streets filled with shuttered shops in Hanoi and rows of closed stalls at Saigon Square shopping mall, a major clothing market in Ho Chi Minh City - the kind of places Chi used to go to buy her latest gear. 'The clothes help me look trendy,' Chi told AFP. 'Why would I care if they are fake or not?' Chi - a betting agent for an illegal game known as lo-de, where punters predict the last two lotto numbers of the standard daily draw - said she had never paid more than $40 per 'designer' item. 'Only the super-rich people can afford the real ones,' she added. 'They're not for people like us.' Communist-run Vietnam is a manufacturing powerhouse that produces clothing and footwear for international brands, with the United States its number-one export market in the first five months of 2025. But it also has a thriving market for counterfeit goods. In a report published by the US Trade Representative in January, Saigon Square shopping mall was flagged as a major market for the sale of fake luxury items including handbags, wallets, jewelry and watches. The report noted government efforts to stamp out the trade, but said 'low penalties have had little deterrent effect' and 'counterfeit products remain rampant'. Shop owner Hoa, a pseudonym to protect her identity, said almost all of the fake Nike, Lacoste and North Face products she sells in her shop in Hanoi's old quarter are from China - but tagged with a 'Made in Vietnam' label to make them seem authentic. She insists that all her customers know what they're getting. 'My clients are those who cannot afford authentic products,' Hoa said. 'I've never cheated anyone.' Hanoi and Washington are in the thick of trade talks, with Vietnam doing everything it can to avoid the crushing 46 percent tariff that could come into force in early July. Vietnam's trade ministry ordered authorities in April to tighten control over the origin of goods after the Trump administration accused the country of facilitating Chinese exports to the United States and allowing Beijing to get around tariffs. The public security ministry also said there would be a three-month-long crackdown - until mid-August - on counterfeit goods. Nguyen Thanh Nam, deputy head of the agency for domestic market surveillance and development, said last week that in the first five months of the year, more than 7,000 cases of counterfeit products worth more than $8 million had been discovered. He added that 1,000 fake Rolex watches had been seized from Saigon Square shopping mall. Mounds of vitamins, cosmetics and sweets - seemingly also counterfeits - have appeared at waste grounds outside cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, while fake electronics including Marshall speakers and smartwatches have been confiscated.
Kuwait Times
19-06-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Vietnam cracks down on fake goods as US tariffs loom
HANOI: Since the United States accused Vietnam of being a hub for counterfeit goods, Tran Le Chi has found it increasingly hard to track down her favorite fake Chanel T-shirts, Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags. As Vietnam's government tries to head off President Donald Trump's threatened 46 percent tariff, it has launched a crackdown on fake products - in part to show responsiveness to US concerns. Now there are streets filled with shuttered shops in Hanoi and rows of closed stalls at Saigon Square shopping mall, a major clothing market in Ho Chi Minh City - the kind of places Chi used to go to buy her latest gear. 'The clothes help me look trendy,' Chi told AFP. 'Why would I care if they are fake or not?' Chi - a betting agent for an illegal game known as lo-de, where punters predict the last two lotto numbers of the standard daily draw - said she had never paid more than $40 per 'designer' item. 'Only the super-rich people can afford the real ones,' she added. 'They're not for people like us.' Communist-run Vietnam is a manufacturing powerhouse that produces clothing and footwear for international brands, with the United States its number-one export market in the first five months of 2025. But it also has a thriving market for counterfeit goods. In a report published by the US Trade Representative in January, Saigon Square shopping mall was flagged as a major market for the sale of fake luxury items including handbags, wallets, jewelry and watches. The report noted government efforts to stamp out the trade, but said 'low penalties have had little deterrent effect' and 'counterfeit products remain rampant'. Shop owner Hoa, a pseudonym to protect her identity, said almost all of the fake Nike, Lacoste and North Face products she sells in her shop in Hanoi's old quarter are from China - but tagged with a 'Made in Vietnam' label to make them seem authentic. She insists that all her customers know what they're getting. 'My clients are those who cannot afford authentic products,' Hoa said. 'I've never cheated anyone.' Rolex watches, Marshall speakers Hanoi and Washington are in the thick of trade talks, with Vietnam doing everything it can to avoid the crushing 46 percent tariff that could come into force in early July. Vietnam's trade ministry ordered authorities in April to tighten control over the origin of goods after the Trump administration accused the country of facilitating Chinese exports to the United States and allowing Beijing to get around tariffs. The public security ministry also said there would be a three-month-long crackdown - until mid-August - on counterfeit goods. Nguyen Thanh Nam, deputy head of the agency for domestic market surveillance and development, said last week that in the first five months of the year, more than 7,000 cases of counterfeit products worth more than $8 million had been discovered. He added that 1,000 fake Rolex watches had been seized from Saigon Square shopping mall. Mounds of vitamins, cosmetics and sweets - seemingly also counterfeits - have appeared at waste grounds outside cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, while fake electronics including Marshall speakers and smartwatches have been confiscated. Police have not specified the origin of the goods, but Vietnam was Southeast Asia's biggest buyer of Chinese products in 2024, with a bill of $161.9 billion. Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said that although there were other aims of the drive, including improving Vietnam's business environment and formalizing the retail sector, 'the campaign plays a role in Vietnam's strategy to appease the US'. 'The effort partly reflects Vietnam's intent to show responsiveness to US concerns,' he said. But for Hoa, her livelihood is on the line. Her shop has been closed for almost two weeks and she has no idea how to restart the business. 'I have sold these sorts of clothes for a decade and experienced no problem at all. Now they crack down on us, it's hard to figure out how I continue,' she said.- AFP
Fashion Network
19-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Made in Vietnam: Hanoi cracks down on fake goods as US tariffs loom
Home › News › Industry Download Print Since the United States accused Vietnam of being a hub for counterfeit goods, Tran Le Chi has found it increasingly hard to track down her favourite fake Chanel T-shirts, Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags. AFP As Vietnam's government tries to head off President Donald Trump's threatened 46 percent tariff, it has launched a crackdown on fake products -- in part to show responsiveness to US concerns. Now there are streets filled with shuttered shops in Hanoi and rows of closed stalls at Saigon Square shopping mall, a major clothing market in Ho Chi Minh City -- the kind of places Chi used to go to buy her latest gear. "The clothes help me look trendy," Chi told AFP. "Why would I care if they are fake or not?"Chi -- a betting agent for an illegal game known as lo-de, where punters predict the last two lotto numbers of the standard daily draw -- said she had never paid more than $40 per "designer" item. "Only the super-rich people can afford the real ones," she added. "They're not for people like us." Communist-run Vietnam is a manufacturing powerhouse that produces clothing and footwear for international brands, with the United States its number-one export market in the first five months of it also has a thriving market for counterfeit a report published by the US Trade Representative in January, Saigon Square shopping mall was flagged as a major market for the sale of fake luxury items including handbags, wallets, jewellery and report noted government efforts to stamp out the trade, but said "low penalties have had little deterrent effect" and "counterfeit products remain rampant". Shop owner Hoa, a pseudonym to protect her identity, said almost all of the fake Nike, Lacoste and North Face products she sells in her shop in Hanoi's old quarter are from China -- but tagged with a "Made in Vietnam" label to make them seem authentic. She insists that all her customers know what they're getting."My clients are those who cannot afford authentic products," Hoa said. "I've never cheated anyone."Hanoi and Washington are in the thick of trade talks, with Vietnam doing everything it can to avoid the crushing 46 percent tariff that could come into force in early trade ministry ordered authorities in April to tighten control over the origin of goods after the Trump administration accused the country of facilitating Chinese exports to the United States and allowing Beijing to get around public security ministry also said there would be a three-month-long crackdown -- until mid-August -- on counterfeit Thanh Nam, deputy head of the agency for domestic market surveillance and development, said last week that in the first five months of the year, more than 7,000 cases of counterfeit products worth more than $8 million had been discovered. He added that 1,000 fake Rolex watches had been seized from Saigon Square shopping mall. Mounds of vitamins, cosmetics and sweets -- seemingly also counterfeits -- have appeared at waste grounds outside cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, while fake electronics including Marshall speakers and smartwatches have been confiscated. Police have not specified the origin of the goods, but Vietnam was Southeast Asia's biggest buyer of Chinese products in 2024, with a bill of $161.9 billion. Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said that although there were other aims of the drive, including improving Vietnam's business environment and formalising the retail sector, "the campaign plays a role in Vietnam's strategy to appease the US"."The effort partly reflects Vietnam's intent to show responsiveness to US concerns," he for Hoa, her livelihood is on the line. Her shop has been closed for almost two weeks and she has no idea how to restart the business. "I have sold these sorts of clothes for a decade and experienced no problem at all. Now they crack down on us, it's hard to figure out how I continue," she said. Copyright © 2025 AFP. All rights reserved. All information displayed in this section (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the contents of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presses. Fashion Jobs : CHANEL GUCCI LOUIS VUITTON
Fashion Network
18-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Made in Vietnam: Hanoi cracks down on fake goods as US tariffs loom
Since the United States accused Vietnam of being a hub for counterfeit goods, Tran Le Chi has found it increasingly hard to track down her favourite fake Chanel T-shirts, Gucci sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags. As Vietnam's government tries to head off President Donald Trump 's threatened 46 percent tariff, it has launched a crackdown on fake products -- in part to show responsiveness to US concerns. Now there are streets filled with shuttered shops in Hanoi and rows of closed stalls at Saigon Square shopping mall, a major clothing market in Ho Chi Minh City -- the kind of places Chi used to go to buy her latest gear. "The clothes help me look trendy," Chi told AFP. "Why would I care if they are fake or not?" Chi -- a betting agent for an illegal game known as lo-de, where punters predict the last two lotto numbers of the standard daily draw -- said she had never paid more than $40 per "designer" item. " Only the super-rich people can afford the real ones," she added. "They're not for people like us." Communist-run Vietnam is a manufacturing powerhouse that produces clothing and footwear for international brands, with the United States its number-one export market in the first five months of 2025. But it also has a thriving market for counterfeit goods. In a report published by the US Trade Representative in January, Saigon Square shopping mall was flagged as a major market for the sale of fake luxury items including handbags, wallets, jewellery and watches. The report noted government efforts to stamp out the trade, but said "low penalties have had little deterrent effect" and "counterfeit products remain rampant". Shop owner Hoa, a pseudonym to protect her identity, said almost all of the fake Nike, Lacoste and North Face products she sells in her shop in Hanoi's old quarter are from China -- but tagged with a "Made in Vietnam" label to make them seem authentic. She insists that all her customers know what they're getting. "My clients are those who cannot afford authentic products," Hoa said. "I've never cheated anyone." Hanoi and Washington are in the thick of trade talks, with Vietnam doing everything it can to avoid the crushing 46 percent tariff that could come into force in early July. Vietnam's trade ministry ordered authorities in April to tighten control over the origin of goods after the Trump administration accused the country of facilitating Chinese exports to the United States and allowing Beijing to get around tariffs. The public security ministry also said there would be a three-month-long crackdown -- until mid-August -- on counterfeit goods. Nguyen Thanh Nam, deputy head of the agency for domestic market surveillance and development, said last week that in the first five months of the year, more than 7,000 cases of counterfeit products worth more than $8 million had been discovered. He added that 1,000 fake Rolex watches had been seized from Saigon Square shopping mall. Mounds of vitamins, cosmetics and sweets -- seemingly also counterfeits -- have appeared at waste grounds outside cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, while fake electronics including Marshall speakers and smartwatches have been confiscated. Police have not specified the origin of the goods, but Vietnam was Southeast Asia's biggest buyer of Chinese products in 2024, with a bill of $161.9 billion. Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said that although there were other aims of the drive, including improving Vietnam's business environment and formalising the retail sector, "the campaign plays a role in Vietnam's strategy to appease the US". "The effort partly reflects Vietnam's intent to show responsiveness to US concerns," he said. But for Hoa, her livelihood is on the line. Her shop has been closed for almost two weeks and she has no idea how to restart the business. "I have sold these sorts of clothes for a decade and experienced no problem at all. Now they crack down on us, it's hard to figure out how I continue," she said.
