☕ Afternoon briefing on March 13

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on March 13

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

- Party General Secretary To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on March 13 toured the Pansir Panjang Container Terminal - one of Southeast Asia’s most cutting-edge container port to study Singapore’s seaport infrastructure development as part of the ongoing official visit to the city state.

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Party General Secretary To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation tour the Pansir Panjang Container Terminal on March 13. (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese leader praised the port’s accomplishments, emphasising that sea transport and port system have a crucial role to play in ensuring Vietnam’s trade targets. Read full story

- State President Luong Cuong chaired a working session on March 13 with representatives from the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and related agencies to set key tasks for the coming period.

The President highlighted the heavy workload ahead, particularly preparations for major national and Party events and the implementation of Politburo and Party Central Committee resolutions on streamlining the organisational apparatus for greater efficiency. He stressed the need for close coordination, swift action, and high-quality execution once decisions are made. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has stressed that the draft socio-economic report for the 14th Party Congress must adopt a strategic, forward-looking approach that transcends conventional limits.

During the fourth session of the Congress' Socio-Economic Subcommittee on March 13, the Prime Minister said the draft must align with the Political Report and other key documents, incorporating guidance from Party General Secretary To Lam. Read full story

- National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man has reminded the south-central province of Binh Dinh to be bold, fair, and objective in re-organising administrative system, stressing that this is a tough task.

Chairing a meeting with the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board on March 13 to discuss a draft inspection report on the board, the top legislator hailed the initial results in the locality’s organisational restructuring. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long hosted a reception in Hanoi on March 13 for Takebe Tsutomu, Special Advisor of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, during which they agreed to continue developing the Vietnam-Japan University (VJU) – an iconic project for the two countries’ ties.

Long thanked Takebe for his contributions and dedication to promoting the Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation. Read full story

- Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang on March 12 affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to the friendship, traditional relations, as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia.

Hosting Deputy Governor of Russia's Kaluga region V.V. Potemkin in Hanoi, Hang said Vietnam hopes to maintain and strengthen cooperation with Russia in various fields, viewing Russia as a loyal and trustworthy friend. Read full story

- Vietnam's Vitad Group and Israel's Ginosar Agro on March 12 signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement to accelerate the adoption of advanced Israeli technology in crop development across Vietnam.

Ginosar Agro, renowned for its innovative agricultural solutions, excels in enhancing product quality, boosting productivity, and maximising investment returns. With expertise in tissue culture technology, the company produces millions of top-tier seedlings annually for the global market. Read full story

- About 1,700 tourists, 85% of whom are Japanese, aboard a chartered cruise ship are scheduled to visit Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh on April 30.

This will mark the first-ever such journey organised by Peace Boat, a renowned Japanese cruise tour operator. Read full story

- The music video (MV) "Bac Bling" by singer Hoa Minzy has made the keyword "Bac Ninh" among most searched travel destinations since early this month.

The MV inspires many people to go and get firsthand experience destinations featured in the MV. It also helps to prove that music videos that tap into cultural values can serve not only as entertainment products but also as effective tools and channels for tourism promotion. Read full story./.

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