☀️ Morning digest January 15

The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.
☀️ Morning digest January 15 ảnh 1

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Indonesian PresidentJoko Widodo co-chaired a high-level business dialogue in Hanoi on January 13morning as part of the latter’s state visit to Vietnam.

☀️ Morning digest January 15 ảnh 2Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. (Photo: VNA)

At their meeting one day earlier, the two leadersshared the view that economic and trade ties remain a bright spot in bilateralrelations, with two-way trade reaching 13 billion USD in the first 11 months of2023, and expected to soon hit 15 billion USD, and even 18 billion USD by 2028. Read full story

- Indonesian President Joko Widodo left the northernport city of Hai Phong at noon on January 13, concluding his three-day statevisit to Vietnam.

☀️ Morning digest January 15 ảnh 3Indonesian President Joko Widodo (L) and his Vietnamese counterpart Vo Van Thuong. (Photo: VNA)

The leader was seen off at Cat Bi InternationalAirport in Hai Phong by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, ViceChairman of the Hai Phong municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Tho,Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong, and Indonesian Ambassador toVietnam Denny Abdi, among others. Read full story

- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang hasgranted an interview to the press highlighting the significance of PrimeMinister Pham Minh Chinh's upcoming trip to Davos, Switzerland to attend the54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF-54) and his officialvisits to Hungary and Romania from January 16-23.

☀️ Morning digest January 15 ảnh 4Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang (Photo: VNA)

Hang said the WEF-54, themed "Rebuilding Trust", willtake place from January 15-19, marking the largest gathering since the onset ofthe COVID-19 pandemic. With nearly 100 senior leaders from countries andinternational organisations, around 3,000 executives from global corporationsand businesses, this year's meeting will stand out as the world’s largest eventto share ideas, engage in compelling discussions on the prospects of the worldeconomy, explore new trends, and envision global development. Read full story

- Swiss experts are optimistic about the success of PrimeMinister Pham Minh Chinh’s upcoming working trip to attend the 54th AnnualMeeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF-54) in Davos, Switzerland from January16, saying that it is an opportunity for Vietnam to assert its contributionsand role at multilateral forums.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) in Bern, former DeputyPrime Minister of Germany and first Honorary Consul of Vietnam in SwitzerlandPhilipp Rösler said Vietnam has made significant contributions to multilateralforums in recent years. Read full story

- The Swiss-Viet Economic Forum (SVEF) made its debut at aceremony held on January 12 in Zurich city, aiming to foster collaboration,innovation, and sustainable growth between Vietnamese and Swiss enterprises.

SVEF Chairman Philipp Rösler said the forum’starget is to create a platform that not only helps improve mutual understandingbut also promotes deep interactions and innovation partnership between Vietnamand Switzerland. It is not only a venue for individuals and businesses of the twocountries to gather but also a place to incubate ideas, collaboration andtransformational projects, thereby helping to bring mutual benefits to the twocountries, he added. Read full story

- Swiss journalist Guy Mettan has highlighted Vietnam’s “bamboodiplomacy” and “Make in Vietnam” chip production efforts in an articlepublished on online newspaper bonpourlatete.com on January 12.

The article was released ahead of Vietnamese Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh’s attendance at the 54th Annual Meeting of the World EconomicForum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. Read full story

- Vietnam's tourism industry has set a targetto welcome 17-18 million foreign visitors in 2024, approaching the pre-pandemicrecord in 2019 when COVID-19 had yet to disrupt global travel.

In 2023, the figure hit 12.6 million,surpassing the initial target by 57% and achieving the adjusted goal of 12-13million. The number of domestic travelers, meanwhile, stood at 108 million, up6% compared to the set target. Tourism activities generated about 678 trillionVND (27.85 billion USD) in revenue, 4.3% higher than the yearly plan. Read full story

- Athletes Ha Minh Thanh, Phan Xuan Chuyen and Vu TienNam  on January 14 joined the 25m standard pistol event, the finalcompetition for Vietnamese shooters at the 2024 Asian Shooting Championships inJakarta.

As a result, Thanh amassed 566 points, while Chuyen and Namcontributed 562 and 551 points, respectively, resulting in a team total of1,679 points and securing a silver medal. This marks the second silver for thistrio in the team event and also the second for the Vietnamese delegation at thetournament./. Read full story

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Vice President of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Hong Dien (right) receives Bok Gi-wang, vice head of the Korean National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee in Hanoi on October 30, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, RoK step up economic, parliamentary cooperation

Speaking highly of the RoK's experience in railway development, NA Vice President Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed its businesses' interest in Vietnam’s railway projects and encouraged their participation as partners, investors or contractors in line with Vietnamese law.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (right) receives Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan Elchin Amirbayov Hanoi on October 30, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Top leader receives Azerbaijani presidential envoy

Welcoming the Azerbaijani envoy to Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader affirmed that Vietnam treasures the friendship, valuable support and assistance extended by the State and people of Azerbaijan to Vietnam during its past struggle for national independence, as well as its current process of national construction and development.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo (Photo published by VNA)

Vietnam sends condolences on passing of former Japanese PM Fukuda Yasuo

In the message, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung extended his deepest condolences and expressed profound appreciation for Mr. Fukuda’s special affection for and valuable support to Vietnam and its people, as well as his contributions to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Japan.

A view of Ho Chi MInh City (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City’s 100-year master plan gets the green light

Under the overall development model, the megacity will comprise five growth poles, namely international financial services at the centre; innovation in the East; industry, high technology and logistics in the North; seaports, free trade, international logistics and energy in the South; and urban development, education and healthcare in the West.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau writes in the condolence book. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM pays tribute to former Japanese PM Fukuda Yasuo

The State and people of Vietnam are deeply saddened by the passing of Japan's former Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, a great and close friend of Vietnam. On behalf of the Government and people of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Tien Chau extended the deepest condolences to the Government and people of Japan, as well as his family.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam speaks at the meeting with female NA deputies in Hanoi on October 29. (Photo: VNA)

Top leader calls on female NA deputies to help shape national development policies

Top leader To Lam called on female NA deputies to contribute proactively to lawmaking from the earliest stages, ensuring that policies are grounded in practical evidence, constitutional, consistent and enforceable. They should identify shortcomings before laws are adopted, put forward initiatives in the common interest, maintain their independent judgement and uphold integrity to prevent group interests from distorting policymaking.