☕ Afternoon briefing on February 23

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

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a cabinet monthly meeting on law-building in Hanoi on February 23, during which participants discussed and gave opinions to building seven laws and draft laws.

They are the Capital Law (revised), Law on People's air defence, Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of Law on Property Auction, Law on management and use of defense works and military zones, Housing Law (revised), Law on Real Estate Business (revised), and Telecommunications Law (revised). Read full story

- Acting President Vo Thi Anh Xuan on February 23 met with doctors and officials of the health sector on the occasion of the 68th Vietnamese Doctors' Day (February 27, 1955 - 2023).

Extending her best wishes and profound gratitude to doctors, officials and staff of the health sector nationwide, Xuan affirmed that the Party and State always pay attention to and invest in the sector, especially in institutional building with the recent promulgation of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment. Read full story

- A ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK on February 22 to announce the Vietnam-UK Friendship Year 2023: the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties. Read full story

- It has been two weeks since the devastating earthquake on February 6, and there have yet to be reports of Vietnamese casualties in Turkey, Vietnamese Ambassador to Turkey Do Son Hai said on February 22.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, he said the embassy has coordinated closely and effectively with local authorities, representatives of the Vietnamese community, and rescue teams to stay updated with the situation of Vietnamese citizens affected by the earthquake. Read full story

- Vietnam has made an urgent appeal to the parties concerned in the Ukraine conflict for ending hostilities, avoiding acts of escalating tensions, and resuming dialogue to seek comprehensive, satisfactory, and durable peaceful solutions to differences.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, attended the UN General Assembly’s emergency special session on Ukraine on February 22, one year since the conflict broke out. Read full story

- The distribution systems of foreign retailers have become an effective and sustainable export channel, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will continue to support domestic firms to make the most of this channel, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai.

Speaking at a conference in Hanoi on February 22 to seek ways to speed up the implementation of a project to promote Vietnamese businesses’ direct participation in foreign distribution channels until 2030, Hai said that since the first phase of the project was conducted in 2015, Vietnamese products have reached millions of consumers across the world through the networks. Read full story

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade has passed the National Programme on Trade Promotion and the National Brand Programme in 2023 with nearly 300 trade promotion events to be held this year in Vietnam and abroad.

According to the ministry, this year, trade promotion is identified as one of the important and effective solutions to support Vietnamese businesses to develop production and the domestic market, and boost exports. Read full story

- The Vinh Xuong international land and waterway border gate, located on the borderline with Cambodia, was officially opened in Vinh Xuong commune of Tan Chau town, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, on February 23.

The new facility was formed basing on the merger of the Vinh Xuong international land border gate with the Vinh Xuong international waterway border gate. Read full story

- A seminar on the sustainable management of tourist destinations was held on February 23 in Binh Thuan as one of the first activities opening the Visit Vietnam Year 2023 hosted by the south central province. Read full story

- Vietnam’s 28 coastal localities are continuing to strengthen the efforts they have taken in the recent five years to prevent and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing at a hope to put an end to all related violations by the end of March this year.

Right from the beginning of this year, the south-central province of Ninh Thuan has rolled out drastic measures to popularise legal regulations on IUU fishing prevention and control among the local fishermen, securing safety during their operations at sea. Read full story

- The management board of the project “Hue – A city to Reduce Plastics in Central Vietnam” and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation on February 23 launched a contest to seek initiatives to reduce plastic waste in Hue city.

Hoang Ngoc Tuong Van, a representative of the project, said that as Hue is striving to become a smart city, the technology factor, especially that in waste management, will be an important key to turn the locality into a plastic-reducing city. Read full story

- In 2023, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) will focus on working with Vietnamese associations, foreign diplomatic missions, and trade and investment representative offices to enhance support for Vietnamese digital technology enterprises in global digital cooperation, MIC Deputy Minister Phan Tam told a conference on February 23.

The conference “Vietnamese digital companies going global: Global digital cooperation – Trusted partners in building the digital world” was the start of this effort, Tam stressed. Read full story

- Despite his turbulent life, 18-year-old Tran Nam Long has already created a distinct impression through his paintings of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, fascinating viewers for the vividness and breathtaking beauty of his artworks.

This talent possesses a special destiny, Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported. After contracting severe pneumonia and being forced to take high doses of antibiotics, Long was left permanently deaf. In addition, he was also diagnosed with autism with hyperactivity. The boy also suffers physical problems, including congenital muscle paralysis in both legs which makes walking extremely difficult. Read full story

- The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is calling for votes for the country in the 2023 World Travel Awards, which turn 30 this year.

The voting, at www.worldtravelawards.com, for the Asian and Oceania regions has been opened and will last through July 23, the VNAT said on February 22. Read full story./.