☕ Afternoon briefing on January 14

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on January 14

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

- State President Luong Cuong paid a pre-Tet (Lunar New Year) visit to the Party Organisation, administration and residents of Kien Giang on January 14, during which he praised the Mekong Delta province’s performance in 2024 with strong progress in all fields.

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State President Luong Cuong extends Tet wishes to the armed forces based in Phu Quoc island city of Kien Giang (Photo: VNA)

In 2024, despite difficulties and challenges, the provincial Party Organisation completed and exceeded 26 out of 27 targets for the year. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 14 presided over an official welcome ceremony for Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin, who is making an official visit to Vietnam on January 14-15.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin review the guard of honour of the Vietnam People's Army at the official welcome ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

The trip marks PM Mishustin’s first visit to Vietnam and the first official visit by a high-ranking foreign leader to the country in 2025. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the Red River Delta and Hanoi to play a pioneering role in propelling the nation into a new era of growth and prosperity while chairing the fifth conference of the Red River Delta Coordinating Council in Hanoi on January 14.

The event aimed to reflect on the council’s 2024 activities, outline its 2025 tasks, and announce the Hanoi Capital Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050. Read full story

- China attaches great importance to its relationship with Vietnam and is ready to work with the country to maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen political trust, promote substantial cooperation, and solidify the foundation of public support in the bilateral relationship, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Wang, who is member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks during his reception for Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu in Beijing on January 14, which saw both sides expressing their delight at the positive growth of the Vietnam-China relations in the past year.

- Vietnam's fruit and vegetable sector aims to achieve 8 billion USD in export revenue in 2025, building on significant market expansion and sound growth, according to the Vietnam Fruits and Vegetables Association (VINAFRUIT).

The sector's robust performance in 2024 with export revenue of 7.1 billion USD has set a strong foundation for this target. Vietnamese produce notably strengthened its position in key markets, rising to the second place from the third in China, while recording remarkable growth of over 30% in the US and 80% in Thailand. Read full story

- In a move to bolster cultural exchange and cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK), the former head coach of the Vietnamese national football team, Park Hang-seo, has been appointed as an honorary public relations ambassador for the southwestern province of Jeollabuk.

At the formal appointment ceremony held on January 13, Jeollabuk Governor Kim Gwan-young commended Park’s significant contributions to fostering closer ties between the two nations. He said that the former coach, who embodies the resilient spirit of Jeollabuk, has left a lasting impression on the people of both countries. Read full story

- ASEAN must strengthen its global leadership on sustainability to further enhance the its community vision 2045 agenda which is expected to be finalised during Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship this year, according to ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn.

In his opening address at the ASEAN Workshop on Sustainable Development (AWSD) 2025 on January 13, he said that partnerships with the UN and the alignment of ASEAN Community Vision 2045 with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are key examples of ASEAN’s leadership./. Read full story

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NA President Tran Thanh Man speaks at the opening session of the 16th NA's first extraordinary session. (Photo: VNA)

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The first phase ended with a five-day break from August 14-18, during which relevant agencies will urgently review, explain, and revise draft laws and resolutions. The NA is scheduled to resume the second phase from August 19-24 to vote on the legislation, with the aim of removing bottlenecks, unlocking resources and creating fresh momentum for national development.

At the NA Standing Committee's session on August 4. (Photo: VNA)

National Assembly Standing Committee to look into 25 draft laws, resolutions

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ASEAN ambassadors in Beijing and the Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre pose for a group photo. (Photo:VNA)

Vietnam underscores ASEAN unity, centrality

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (L) and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader’s New Zealand visit draws media attention

Reports, articles and assessments published on August 12-13 highlighted that Vietnam-New Zealand relations are shifting strongly from high-level political commitments to concrete cooperation programmes, with a focus on trade, investment, education, agriculture, science and technology, defence and security, and climate change response.

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 13

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 13

Activities during Party General Secretary and President To Lam's state visit to New Zealand, a ceremony marking the 100th birth anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Quang Tri, and a series of expos opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre are among news highlights on August 13.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam leaves Auckland on August 13 evening (local time), concluding a state visit to New Zealand. (Photo: VNA)

Party General Secretary, President To Lam concludes state visit to New Zealand

At the meetings during the visit, the two sides agreed to further strengthen political trust and advance bilateral relations comprehensively by stepping up high-level and all-level exchanges through Party, State, parliamentary and people-to-people channels, thereby making more effective use of existing policy dialogue mechanisms.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of Vietnam To Lam (R) meets with Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee in Auckland on August 13 (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader meets with New Zealand House Speaker

Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee welcomed the state visit by the Vietnamese leader and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, stressing that it will further deepen the Vietnam–New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across various fields, ushering bilateral ties into a new, more profound, substantive and effective phase.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon witness the exchange of cooperation agreements between the two countries on August 13, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam - New Zealand joint statement

Vietnam and New Zealand have issued a joint statement on the occasion of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam’s state visit to New Zealand from August 12-13.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (left) and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at their talks in Auckland on August 13 (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader holds talks with New Zealand Prime Minister

Welcoming General Secretary and President Lam and the Vietnamese delegation, New Zealand PM Luxon said the visit marked an important milestone in strengthening bilateral ties after more than half a century. He affirmed Vietnam is an important partner of New Zealand and expressed his impression at the Southeast Asian country’s remarkable achievements, including its strong economic growth.