☕ Afternoon briefing on December 19

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

☕ Afternoon briefing on December 19

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

– Party General Secretary To Lam on December 19 asked the Party Central Committee's Office to strictly uphold regulations and procedures, ensuring the protection of state secrets, and preventing corruption, wastefulness, and other negative phenomena in every agency and unit, becoming an exemplary agency of the Party in all areas.

Addressing the office’s conference to review its performance in 2024 and sketch out tasks for 2025, the Party chief acknowledged and commended the efforts, dedication, and achievements of the office, emphasising that its activities have importantly contributed to this year’s overall accomplishments of the Party, armed forces, and people. Read full story

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh laid stress on the significance of the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024 that carries the message of peace, cooperation and development while attending the event’s opening held in Hanoi on December 19.

The four-day event, spanning a total area of over 100,000 sq.m with both indoor and outdoor exhibition zones at Gia Lam Airport, draws more than 200 domestic and foreign exhibitors from 30 countries and territories worldwide, including China, France, India, Israel, the UK and the US. Read full story

– National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man on December 19 stressed the need to step up dissemination to create consensus and unity in the process of rearranging and streamlining public employee positions.

Addressing a conference to review coordination work between the Party Delegation to the NA and the Party Committee of the NA Office, Man highlighted the importance of the training work, and ensuring that the policies and benefits for officials, party members, civil servants, public employees, and workers are implemented in accordance with regulations. Read full story

– An awards ceremony for the Vietnam National Quality Awards and Asia-Pacific Awards for 2021-2023 was held in Hanoi on December 18, announcing 133 winners of the prestigious national awards and two others of the regional awards.

To date, 2,163 organisations and enterprises have been recognised with the National Quality Awards. Read full story

– The Hanoi city Police Investigation Agency on December 19 morning announced its decision to launch legal proceedings against a 51-year-old man to investigate and handle his act of setting fire to a café, which resulted in 11 fatalities in Bac Tu Liem district at night on December 18.

The man, residing in Dai Mach commune, Dong Anh district, was accused of murder. The suspect had two prior convictions for robbery and theft. Read full story

– Vietnam held the Philippines to a dramatic 1-1 draw in their ASEAN Cup group stage match which took place in the Philippines on December 18.

With this result, Vietnam remain on course for the semi-finals, though their qualification is not yet guaranteed. Only a home defeat by two or more goals against fourth-place Myanmar would eliminate them from the competition. Read full story

– Vietnam's total import-export turnover reached 745 billion USD as of December 14, marking a robust 15.3% growth compared to the same period in 2023, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Export revenues amounted to 384 billion USD, a nearly 14.5% increase, while imports value rose by 16.3% to approximately 361 billion USD. The trade surplus stood at 23.4 billion USD, down from 25.71 billion USD during the same period last year. Read full story

– The ASEAN Professional Engineer Registration Council of Vietnam under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) held a ceremony in Hanoi on December 18 to honour and award ASEAN Professional Engineer certificates to 77 Vietnamese engineers.

To date, Vietnam has had 716 engineers recognised ASEAN professional engineers, most of them work in the fields of electricity, information technology, automation, and construction. Read full story./.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the virtual summit on climate action. (Photo: VNA)

PM attends virtual summit on climate action

To effectively deal with these challenges, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highlighted the need for a new global-scale, comprehensive and inclusive mindset and approach; and for higher determination, stronger efforts, and more drastic actions, with breakthrough solutions and more effective implementation.

Party General Secretary To Lam (R) receives Daniel Rosen, CEO of Rosen Partners (Photo: VNA)

Party leader receives Rosen Partners CEO

Assessing that Vietnam and the US are two economies with complementary advantages, the Party chief said Vietnam has an abundant workforce with a strong desire to contribute to and strive for progress, and rich natural resources, and places great emphasis on capital, technology, and high-tech products from the US.

Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, receives Major General Akaash Johar, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department under India’s Ministry of Defence.

Vietnam, India deepen practical defence ties

At the reception, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to the traditional friendship between two countries as well as the two armies, saying India has always been a close, reliable, and trusted partner of Vietnam.

Memorial service for Pope Francis at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 21, 2025.(Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Front leader extends condolences on passing of Pope Francis

The VFF Central Committee's Presidium expressed confidence that inspired by Pope Francis' legacy of kindness, humility, and tireless efforts for peace, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam and the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics would continue guiding the clergy and faithful to follow the Pope’s teachings of unity and service.

The Vietnamese peacekeeping force departs from Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) to carry out their mission at the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam treasures ties with Australia: Deputy Defence Minister

General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence suggested Vietnam and Australia continue to effectively implement their agreed cooperation agenda, with a focus on increasing delegation exchanges and dialogue mechanisms, expanding training, especially in English language and military specialties for Vietnamese personnel and strengthening peacekeeping collaboration.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong witness the exchange of cooperative documents between Vietnamese and Singaporean enterprises in Hanoi on March 26. (Photo: VNA)

Singaporean delegation seeks to deepen ties with Hai Phong city

Singapore considers Hai Phong a crucial partner, especially in port development and investment, Ambassador Jaya Ratnam said, spotlighting the Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) as a standout example of successful investment collaboration.

Prof. Dr. Cheng Hanping, Director of the Vietnam Research Centre at Zhejiang University of Technology. (Photo: VNA)

Party’s leadership forges Vietnam’s April 30 victory: Chinese scholar

Vietnam currently holds a prominent position and influence in the international politics arena, demonstrating successful political and economic transformation over the past 50 years and reflect the enduring vitality of the Doi moi (renewal) policy. Accordingly, from one of the least developed countries, Vietnam has become a country with a strong economy and improved people’s living conditions.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Embassy in Laos celebrates national reunification anniversary

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam recalled that half a century ago, under the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Spring General Offensive and Uprising 1975, with its peak being the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, secured a resounding and glorious victory.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (middle) addresses the session. (Photo: VNA)

NA Standing Committee discusses continued VAT reduction

The Government proposed a two-percentage-point reduction in VAT - from 10% to 8% - on goods and services currently subject to the 10% rate. This excludes certain sectors such as telecommunications, finance, banking, securities, insurance, real estate, metals, mineral products (excluding coal), and goods and services subject to special consumption tax (excluding petrol). The proposed timeframe for the reduction is from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026.