☕ Afternoon briefing on January 16

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 on January 16 visited and presented gifts to local armed forces, policy beneficiary families, revolutionary beneficiaries and the needy in the northern province of Cao Bang on the threshold of the Lunar New Year (Tet), the most important and longest festival of Vietnamese people in a year.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with workers, trade union members and ethnic minority community in Ta Lung town of Quang Hoa district. (Photo: VNA)

In Quang Hoa district, PM Chinh presented 200 sets of Tet gifts to policy beneficiary families, people who rendered services to the nation, poor households as well as needy members of trade unions.Read full story

- Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue on January 16 visited and presented gifts to social policy beneficiaries, poor households, and disadvantaged labourers and soldiers in Bat Xat district in the northern border province of Lao Cai, ahead of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival - the most important and longest of Vietnamese in a year.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue presents gifts to social policy beneficiaries, poor households, and disadvantaged labourers and soldiers in Bat Xat district in the northern border province of Lao Cai. (Photo: VNA)

The leader used this occasion to briefed on the country’s economic development, state budget collection and external affairs, and recalled the official visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong from October 30 to November 1, 2022. Read full story

- “Vietnam’s recovery from COVID-19 is quite admirable,” Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre told Vietnam News Agency in an interview on the occasion of the traditional Lunar New Year 2023.

According to the ambassador, thanks to Vietnamese government’s decisive vaccination campaign, people in Vietnam were able to safely transition and eventually regain their pre-pandemic routine. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy has hosted a press conference to announce the Vietnam-Italy Year 2023 and the celebration plan for the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (March 23, 1973) and 10 years of the strategic partnership between the two countries (January 2013-2023).

The January 14 press conference saw the attendance of Italian Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi, President of the City Council of Rome Svetlana Celli, among other Italian officials. Read full story

- As Vietnam and Japan mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will work harder to contribute to Vietnam’s development via official development assistance (ODA).

Chief Representative of the JICA Vietnam Office Shimizu Akira grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency. (Photo: VNA)

So said Chief Representative of the JICA Vietnam Office Shimizu Akira in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency. Read full story

- The export turnover of wood and wood products is expected to set a record high of 18 billion USD in 2023, with wood pellets and woodchips forecast to enter the one-billion USD club.

President of the Vietnam Timber & Forest Products Association (Viforest) Do Xuan Lap said that the figure will represent a growth rate of 7-9%. Read full story

- Insurance companies will have the chance to earn higher profits in 2023 thanks to a continual interest rate hike trend.

It is feasible for insurers to continually increase profits this year as the majority of their investment portfolios are bank savings and government bonds, whose interest rates are forecast to remain at high levels in the year. Read full story

- The Ministry of Health (MoH) has warned of the potential risk of COVID-19 outbreaks due to the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

According to the ministry, the COVID-19 pandemic has been still under control when the daily number of new cases stands at double digits. For two consecutive weeks, Vietnam has not recorded COVID-19 related fatality. Among the severe patients being treated, there is no case requiring mechanical ventilation. Read full story

- Head coach of the national men's football team of Vietnam Park Hang-seo has said he is confident his team can win in the AFF Cup final second leg on Thailand's ground on January 16 evening, like they did in the past.

At the press conference (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at a press conference on January 15 afternoon, the head coach updated the latest preparations for the match on January 16, saying that some people are worried because of the result in the first leg, and it’s true that Vietnam is at a disadvantage./. Read full story