Politics

☕️ Afternoon briefing on February 23

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
☕️ Afternoon briefing on February 23 ảnh 1
Hanoi, (VNA) – The following is a brief review ofthe day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- The upcoming State visit to Singapore byPresident Nguyen Xuan Phuc is hoped to lift the bilateral relationship to a newheight in the context of several new-generation free trade agreements to whichboth are members taking effective.

The visit, slated for February 24-26 under aninvitation of President Halimah Yacob, is the first foreign trip of PresidentPhuc in 2022, and the first by a head of state to Singapore since the onset ofthe COVID-19 pandemic. Read full story
☕️ Afternoon briefing on February 23 ảnh 2The meeting between President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry in Hanoi on February 23 (Photo: VNA)
- President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry in Hanoi on February 23, asking his guest to work for continued support of the US Government for Vietnam in this important regard.

Kerry said the US can help Vietnam during the transition to clean energy, especially solar energy, and that it has many ideas, financial sources, and manpower to help the Southeast Asian nation with the climate change issue. His country can also assist Vietnam in carrying out digital transformation to serve socio-economic development, he added. Read full story

☕️ Afternoon briefing on February 23 ảnh 3President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan in Hanoi on June 21, 2021 (Photo: VNA)
- Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan has granted an interview to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of a State visit by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Singapore, slated for February 24-26. 

Evaluating the achievements in the bilateral relationship, Minister Balakrishnan said Singapore-Vietnam ties have grown from strength to strength since they first established diplomatic relations in 1973. Read full story

- Two-way trade between Vietnam and India in 2021 surpassed13 billion USD for the first time, up 36.5 percent compared to the previousyear.

The Vietnam Trade Office in India cited data fromthe General Department of Vietnam Customs as saying that Vietnamexported 6.25 billion USD worth of goods in the year, up 20 percentyear-on-year; while India’s figure 6.95 billion USD, up 56 percent. Read full story

- Vietnam reported a trade deficit of3.91 billion USD in the first 15 days of February as exportsdecreased, the General Department of Customs has announced. 

In the first half of February, Vietnam exported8.75 billion USD worth of goods while its imports hit 12.66 billion USD. Thatbrought the country's total trade value since the beginning of theyear to 81.68 billion USD. During the period, the country also saw a tradedeficit of over 2.5 billion USD. Read full story

☕️ Afternoon briefing on February 23 ảnh 4Children receive temperature check when arriving at school in HCM City (Photo: VNA)
- New COVID-19 infections have been on the rise inHo Chi Minh City in recent days, and Omicron is currently the dominant varianthere, according to the city’s centre for disease control (HCDC).

The southern hub recorded 1,356 new infections and334 cases of hospitalisation on February 22, both higher than the previousdays, but the numbers of severe cases and deaths are still low. Read full story

- Military Hospital 175 under the Ministry of National Defence,in coordination with Ho Chi Minh Television Station, on February 22 organised aspecial art programme to honour army doctors who were on the frontline in thefight against the COVID-19 pandemic and those who joined UN peacekeepingmissions in South Sudan. Read full story

- Vietnam sets a target of topping the medal tally at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), which it is going to host this year, said Deputy Director of the National Sports Administration (NSA) Tran Duc Phan.

SEA Games 31 will run in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring localities. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events, attracting around 10,000 participants. Read full story

☕️ Afternoon briefing on February 23 ảnh 5A corner of Hoi An ancient town (Photo: VNA)

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Quang Nam People’s Committee co-hosted a virtual press conference introducing the Visit Vietnam Year – Quang Nam 2022 on February 23.

The event, themed “Quang Nam – A green destination,” features 192 events, including 10 national-level ones, 62 organised by Quang Nam, and 120 others by 40 centrally run cities and provinces. Read full story./.

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Party General Secretary To Lam (L) meets with Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Seah Kian Peng (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Party leader meets with Singaporean Parliament Speaker

Vietnam highly values and seeks to develop its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore in a profound and comprehensive manner, said Party General Secretary To Lam while meeting with Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Seah Kian Peng on March 12.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) welcomes Vice-President of the European Investment Bank Nicola Beer (Photo: VNA)

PM urges EIB to provide Vietnam with new-generation ODA loans

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed the bank and Vietnam sign a new-generation official development assistance (ODA) agreement with a larger financial scale, more preferential interest rates, simpler procedures, and less stringent conditions.

Party General Secretary To Lam (R) meets former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Photo: VNA)

Party leader meets former Singaporean Prime Minister

Party General Secretary To Lam and former PM of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong discussed ways to further deepen bilateral relations in this new phase of development, in line with the freshly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This includes enhancing collaboration between the two ruling parties by promoting delegation exchanges and sharing experience in governance and national development.

☕ Afternoon briefing on March 12

☕ Afternoon briefing on March 12

The elevation of the Vietnam – Singapore relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the opening of the AI-Semiconductor Conference, and the WB’s project for Vietnam’s economic growth are some of news highlights on March 12.

This year’s session brings together representatives from nearly 200 UN member states and observers, dozens of international organisations, and more than 200 non-governmental organisations. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam proposes key priorities for advancing gender equality

Sharing Vietnam’s achievements, Thanh noted that women account for nearly one-third of Vietnam’s National Assembly members; 40% of Vietnam’s STEM workforce is female; 26.5% of businesses in the country are owned by women; women account for 68.5% of the country’s labour force, surpassing the global average of 48.7% and 14.4% of Vietnam’s peacekeepers are women, higher than the UN average of 10.2%.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam (first) and Singaporean Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong review the Guard of Honour of Singapore at the welcome ceremony on March 12. (Photo: VNA)

Singaporean leader hosts welcome ceremony for Vietnamese Party chief

This is the first visit to Singapore by Lam in his position as the CPV General Secretary, marking a new milestone in the bilateral relations, and demonstrating Vietnam’s special attention to elevating relations with Singapore to new heights, in line with Vietnam’s foreign policy.

Party General Secretary To Lam (4th from left), his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation visit the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in the Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM), Singapore. (Photo: VNA)

Party chief offers flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh in Singapore

The Party chief, his spouse and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation observed a minute of silence to commemorate the great contributions of beloved Uncle Ho to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, expressing their deep gratitude for his selfless sacrifice for the people and the country, and vowing to continue to strive, study and follow President Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba and Jamaica Le Quang Long (R) presents his credentials to Governor-General of Jamaica Patrick Allen on March 11. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam seeks stronger ties with Jamaica

The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam highly values its friendly relations with Jamaica. He proposed practical measures to strengthen bilateral ties, including increasing the exchange of delegations at various levels, enhancing coordination in multilateral forums, and expanding collaboration in key areas such as economy and climate change.