☕ Afternoon briefing on August 17

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on August 17.
☕ Afternoon briefing on August 17 ảnh 1
Hanoi, (VNA) – The following is a brief review of theday’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on August 17.

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed theimportance of developing high-quality human resources for agriculture, whileattending an innovation event and job fair of the Vietnam National Universityof Agriculture (VNUA) in Hanoi on August 17.

The Government leader andothers visited an exhibition of scientific and technological models andproducts by the VNUA’s businesses and partners. Read full story

– Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on August 17asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) to review theoperation of household businesses in the tourism sector affected by theCOVID-19. The ministry should coordinate with core travel firms to formkey routes connecting localities, the official said at a meeting of the StateSteering Committee for Tourism in Hanoi which assessed the implementation oftourism recovery solutions.Read full story

– A delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) led byDeputy Chief of the General Staff of the VPA Sen. Lieut. Gen. Ngo Minh Tien attendedthe 10th Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS-10) that opened inRussia on August 16.

Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang also sent apre-recorded speech to the second session of the conference, calling the MCISan important multilateral forum for countries to exchange views on strategicissues directly relating to regional and international security, thus helpingpromote dialogues and enhance cooperation between countries, for peace,stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world as well.Read full story

– Vice National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai had aworking session in Hanoi on August 16 with a delegation from the World Bank(WB) led by Danny Leipziger, Managing Director of the Growth Dialogue. Leipziger,who is also the WB Vice President, pointed to three major difficulties Vietnamis facing when developing the National Master Planning - the harmonisation andintegration of planning and relevant legal documents, the ensuring of financialsupply for the work, and planning implementation.Read full story

- Apple is in talks to make Apple Watches and MacBooks inVietnam for the first time as the US tech giant looks to diversify productionaway from China, Nikkei Asia reported. According to the newspaper, Applesuppliers Luxshare Precision Industry and Foxconn have started test productionof the Apple Watch in northern Vietnam with the aim of producing the deviceoutside of China. Read full story

– Vietnam has weathered the pandemic storm through acombination of strong yet flexible state leadership that won the confidence andtrust of citizens, rapid and nimble response, and innovative use of technology,James Borton of the School of Advanced International Studies under JohnsHopkins University wrote in AsiaGlobal Online.

According to the expert,in early 2020 when the COVID-19 broke out, few expected Vietnam, a country withalmost 100 million citizens and recognised as one of the youngest andfastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, to emerge as a successful modelfor pandemic preparedness and response.Read full story

– Vietnam’s visa policy should be more open to lureinternational tourists, insiders have said. Although the country has offered unilateral visa exemption and e-visas,the policy is not competitive enough as the 15-day visa exemption has yet tosatisfy the need of visitors from such markets as Europe, North America andAustralia, who often stay from three to four weeks in Vietnam, according to theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST).Read full story

– Plastic People is the only Vietnamese innovator in the Top5 of the Plastic Waste to Value Southeast Asia Challenge to tackle plasticwaste mismanagement in the region. The challenge was jointly launched byThe Incubation Network, in partnership with the Global Plastic ActionPartnership, UpLink by the World Economic Forum, and the Alliance to EndPlastic Waste, aiming to accelerate innovative solutions that are focusedon plastic recycling and upcycling in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, andVietnam.Read full story/.
VNA

See more

Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Minh Nguyet (middle) poses for a photo with delegates at the event. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam assumes rotating chairmanship of ASEAN Committee in Argentina

In addition to official ASEAN activities, such as the ASEAN event at the Argentine Parliament, the Vietnamese Embassy will host cultural and social exchanges, including ASEAN Family Day, sports competitions, and culinary and cultural events. These activities seek to foster mutual understanding and uphold the traditional solidarity among ASEAN nations in Buenos Aires.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh at the meeting with Touggourt Governor Othmane Abdelaziz (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam boosts cooperation with Algerian localities

During the visit to these provinces, the delegation met with both provincial governors and head of local departments, organised market research discussions, and explored cooperation and investment opportunities in politics, economics, trade, tourism and cultural exchange.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung pays a working trip to Guangdong province’s Shenzhen city on March 18 and 19. (Photo: VGP)

Deputy PM explores economic development experience in Shenzhen city

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung highlighted Vietnam's ambitious goals to become an upper-middle income country by 2030 and a high-income developed nation by 2045, requiring the country to overcome challenges, particularly achieving double-digit growth rates through digital transformation, scientific-technological advancement, and developing the private economic sector as the most important driver.

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation Nguyen Trong Nghia (right) shakes hands with Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei at their meeting on March 19. (Photo: VNA)

Senior Party official receives Chinese ambassador

While highlighted the history of Vietnam-China relations, Nghia stated that the Vietnamese Party and State always consider strengthening relations with China a strategic choice and a top priority in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, and diversification of international relations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (second, left) holds talks with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Szijjarto Peter. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Hungary look for stronger multifaceted cooperation

Vietnam and Hungary will closely coordinate to fully tap opportunities brought about by the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) while facilitating the entry of their agricultural and aquatic products into each other’s markets.

Officials at the conference on digital NA and AI application in the NA’s digital transformation held by the NA Office on March 19 (Photo: VNA)

Science, technology key to building modern, effective parliament: NA Chairman

Speaking at a conference on digital NA and AI application in the NA’s digital transformation held by the NA Office on March 19, the top legislator highlighted the event's significance, demonstrating the NA's determination to advance the application of state-of-the-art technologies to enhance its operational effectiveness and meet the country's development requirements in the new era – the era of the nation’s rise.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs Government monthly law-making session on March 19 (Photo: VNA)

PM presides over Government monthly law-making session

In his opening remarks, the PM emphasised that institutions are a driving force and resource for development, and they can also be both a 'bottleneck of bottlenecks' and a 'breakthrough of breakthroughs'. Therefore, investing in the building and perfection of laws is investing in development, and a well-executed lawmaking process will create opportunities for growth.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien meets with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Thailand hold 6th defence policy dialogue

Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Defence Gen. Sanitchanog Sangkachantra co-chaired the 6th Vietnam-Thailand Defence Policy Dialogue in Bangkok on March 18, reaffirming their dedication to advancing bilateral defence cooperation in alignment with their Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung met with the Zhejiang provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Zhejiang Federation of Industry and Commerce. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM pays working visit to China’s Zhejiang province

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung affirmed the positive growth of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and community with a shared future that carries strategic significance as well as the importance of the 2025 Year of Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchange programme.

An overview of the meeting between National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai and representatives from the Standing Committee on Finance under the Indian Lok Sabha (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam seeks to enhance financial, cultural collaboration with India

Both sides also exchanged experience on digital transformation in the operations of the parliament, aiming to build a digital parliament; and agreed to prioritise the allocation of resources and personnel to implement signed cooperation projects between the two legislative bodies.