Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on January 5

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on January 5

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

- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) on January 5 sent a message of congratulations to the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) on its 12th National Congress.

The CPV Central Committee extends the warmest congratulations to the LPRP’s 12th National Congress, and through the congress, to all LPRP members and Lao people, the message read. Read full story

- In recent years, particularly during its 15th term, the National Assembly (NA) has shifted decisively from a “management-oriented” mindset to one focused on enabling development, said NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

tran-thanh-man.jpg
Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tran Thanh Man (Photo: VNA)

On the occasion of the 2026 New Year, the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s first general election, the elections of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, and the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, NA Chairman Man granted an interview to the Vietnam News Agency. Read full story

- The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is set to mark a milestone of special significance, ushering the country into a new stage of “strategic breakthrough” development, with science – technology, innovation, and institutional reform playing a pivotal role, according to a Chinese professor.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Beijing, Professor Qu Qiang of Minzu University of China said that considering both international and domestic backdrops, Vietnam has emerged as a country with an increasingly prominent position in Southeast Asia. With a population of around 100 million, a youthful demographic structure, rapid urbanisation, and a stable socio-political environment, it enjoys favourable conditions for medium- and long-term development. Read full story

- Cross-border freight trains departing from China’ Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to Vietnam carried a record of 37,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, surging 86% from a year earlier.

The Nanning Railway Logistics Centre said that demand for cargo rail transport between the two countries continued to rise sharply last year, with the types of transported commodities increasing from 262 to 455. Read full story

- Canada has continued to stand out as a bright spot for Vietnam’s textile and garment exports despite ongoing tariff challenges, with growth estimated at around 10% in 2025 to over 1.3 billion USD, mostly thanks to advantages from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), strong product quality, and Canada’s push to diversify supply sources.

At the international textile and apparel exhibition held in Toronto in 2025, products from two Vietnamese firms – Bao Minh Textile JSC and Viet Hong Textile Dyeing JSC – attracted considerable interest from Canadian and North American buyers. Viet Hong showcased its signature denim fabrics, while Bao Minh focused on mid- to high-end yarn and fabric products produced through a fully integrated manufacturing chain. Read full story

- With export turnover continuing to rise sharply and far exceeding initial forecasts in 2025, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable sector is expected to soon record 10 billion USD in overseas shipments if the current momentum is sustained and structural weaknesses addressed, experts said.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT), total export earnings for 2025 are estimated at 8–8.4 billion USD, up 1.3–1.4 billion USD from 2024, equivalent to growth of 18%. This is an impressive achievement amid continued volatility in global trade, indicating the improving competitiveness of Vietnamese farm produce in international markets. Read full story

- The Viettel Virtual Assistant platform, researched and developed by Viettel AI, has been named among the Top 10 Outstanding Digital Technology Products for Overseas Markets at the Make in Vietnam 2025 Awards, a representative of Viettel Group said on January 5.

The accolade recognises the mastery of core technologies by the Viettel Artificial Intelligence and Data Services Centre (Viettel AI), while reaffirming the group’s capacity to successfully deploy “Make in Vietnam” artificial intelligence solutions in international markets./. Read full story

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