☕ Afternoon briefing on April 17

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam, together with his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, attended the launch ceremony of the Vietnam–China Border People’s Festival 2026 on April 17 in Nanning city of Guangxi as part of his state visit to China.

Themed “Strengthening a solid social foundation, enhancing unity and cooperation for shared development,” the event is co-organised by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the People’s Government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with the participation of central and local representatives, border residents, and youth from both countries. Read full story

- Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on April 17 tasked the Government Office and the Government Portal with regularly disclosing information on the status and progress of task implementation by ministries and agencies, with a view to enhancing transparency and accountability.

The PM chaired a working session with leaders of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, and the Government Inspectorate to review task implementation since the beginning of 2026, outline priorities for the period ahead, and address proposals and recommendations from the agencies concerned. Read full story

- Vietnam was among countries with outstanding achievements in human capital development under the Human Capital Index Plus (HCI+) 2026 honoured at a ceremony held at World Bank Group headquarters on April 16, within the framework of the Spring Meetings of the WB and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung, on behalf of Vietnam, received the recognition as one of the top-performing countries in the HCI+ among peers at similar income levels, alongside Jamaica, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan and Rwanda. Read full story

- Fuel distributors in the central province of Ha Tinh are entering the final stage of preparations to roll out E10 biofuel, completing upgrades to infrastructure and supply systems to ensure a smooth market transition without disruptions.

Following the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 09/CT-TTg dated March 19, 2026 on accelerating energy efficiency, energy transition and the adoption of cleaner transport fuels, the E10 rollout has been brought forward to April—two months ahead of schedule. In response, local petroleum businesses have proactively invested in storage facilities and blending technologies. Read full story

- A solemn incense offering ceremony was held on April 17 (the first day of the third lunar month of 2026) at the Hung Kings Temple historical relic site in Hy Cuong commune, Phu Tho province, marking the opening of the Hung Kings Commemoration Festival and the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week 2026.

The Hung Kings Temple complex, located atop Nghia Linh mountain in Hy Cuong commune, is the sacred centre dedicated to the Hung Kings – the legendary founders of the Vietnamese nation. Read full story

- The exhibition “Coi nguon – Origine” by Vietnamese-origin painter Van Guillemin opened on April 16 at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum in Hanoi, offering visitors a contemplative artistic experience.

Running until April 26, the exhibition features a collection of paintings that reflect a subtle fusion of European artistic spirit and Eastern emotional depth, reinterpreted through the lens of a French–Vietnamese cultural identity. Rather than presenting fixed narratives, the works evoke multiple layers of meaning, inviting viewers to explore personal reflections through shifting spaces between memory and the present. Read full story./.

VNA