☕ Afternoon briefing on March 14

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
☕ Afternoon briefing on March 14 ảnh 1
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue chaired the opening ceremony of the NA Standing Committee’s 31st session in Hanoi on March 14.

In his opening remarks, Hue said that during the three-and-a-half-day session, the NA Standing Committee will discuss seven draft laws before submitting them to the legislature’s seventh plenary session for consideration and approval. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 14 chaired a conference launching this year’s monetary policy-related tasks to tackle production and business obstacles, facilitate growth, and maintain macro-economic stability. Read full story

- Vietnam regards the US as a strategically important partner, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan affirmed at a meeting with President Pro Tempore of the US Senate Patty Murray on March 13 in Washington, D.C.

Xuan told Murray that Vietnam hopes for bilateral engagement to actively implement the countries’ new bilateral relations framework as well as agreements reached during President Joe Biden's visit to Vietnam in September last year, bringing practical benefits to their peoples. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha received Canadian Ambassador for Climate Change Catherine Stewart and Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil in Hanoi on March 14.

Discussing the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to which Canada is also a member, Ha said that Vietnam has issued the National Power Development Plan in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 (PDP VIII) to develop renewable energy to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Read full story

- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Frano Matusic on March 12 co-chaired a political consultation between the two foreign ministries, aiming to review bilateral cooperation and seek ways to promote relations in the coming time, as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Hang affirmed that Vietnam always wants to strengthen traditional friendship with countries in the Balkans, of which Croatia is a priority, and congratulated Croatia on becoming an official member of the Eurozone and the Schengen Area, which contributes to enhancing its position and role in the European Union (EU) as well as in the international arena. Read full story

- The protection of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities abroad has been carried out effectively and obtained many important results, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

In a report submitted to National Assembly (NA) deputies ahead of the NA Standing Committee’s 31st session, he said that since 2022, international travel and Vietnamese citizens’ movement to other countries have fully recovered. People’s working, studying, and travel demand has been growing fast. Read full story

- Vietnam has remained a high human development country through the difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and human development continues to be a focus of the country’s development strategy, UNDP Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi said, as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced its new report on late March 13.

The 2023/24 Human Development Report (HDR), titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarized world”, shows that Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) value for 2022 is 0.726, positioning it at 107 out of the 193 countries and territories. Read full story

- A ceremony took place at the Gac Ma memorial site in Cam Lam district, the central province of Khanh Hoa, on March 14 to commemorate the 64 officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy who fell down defending Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa, and mark the 36th anniversary of their battle (March 14, 1988 – 2024).

At the event, the provincial administration and labour federation, representatives from military units stationed in Naval Zone 4, veterans, and families of the martyrs paid tribute to and laid wreaths in memory of the group. Read full story

- The construction of the T3 passenger terminal at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City is set to finish two months ahead of schedule, aiming to be completed in time for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025).

According to Le Khac Hong, the head of the project management board, in order to shorten the schedule and bring the project to completion by April 30 next year, the investor and contractors are determined to intensify manpower, machinery, equipment, and construction efforts. Read full story

- A ceremony marking the anniversary of Hung Kings - the legendary founders of the nation - and the Culture and Tourism Week of Ancestral Land will be held from April 9-18 in the northern province of Phu Tho with various activities.

Traditional rituals will be conducted at the temples dedicated to Lac Long Quan and Au Co in the Hung Kings Temple relic site to express gratitude to the ones who laid the foundation of the country, and incense and flower offering to Hung Kings in various localities. Read full story

- New records have continuously been set in the prices of coffee in Central Highlands localities recently, now standing at over 90,000 VND (3.65 USD) per kilo.

On March 13, they ranged from 91,000-92,000 VND per kilo, which doubled those in the same period last year, and rose 30% over late 2023. Read full story./.
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