☕ Afternoon briefing on March 16

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on March 16.

- Vietnam'sFrigate 016 - Quang Trung has arrived back at Cam Ranh Port, completing the seaphase of the multilateral naval exercise MILAN 2022 which took place in thenorthern India city of Visakhapatnam from February 25 to March 4. Read full story

- FPTTechnology Corporation of Vietnam and the Republic of Sierra Leone onMarch 16 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation to promotedigital transformation and human resources training for the African country. Read full story

The Vietnamese delegation attended the 28th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Retreat. (Photo: VNA)

- Vietnamhas proposed that ASEAN countries agree on a pragmatic approach in negotiationsto upgrade the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) in order to generatereal added value to ASEAN businesses, during the 28th ASEAN Economic Ministers'Retreat that virtually opened on March 16. Read full story

- TheMinistry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has stepped in to help Vietnamese cashewnut exporters handle the suspected scam in Italy. Read full story

A foreign visitor conducts immigration procedures at Noi Bai airport. (Photo: VNA)

- TheMinistry of Health has officially issued the long-awaited COVID-19 protocolsfor foreign arrivals in Vietnam. The regulations state that visitorswith negative COVID tests can enjoy quarantine-free travel from the first day ofentry. Read full story

- Thedate March 15 marked not only Vietnam’s complete reopening to foreign touristsbut also the country’s official resumption of international exchange like thepre-pandemic period, with some measures taken to manage risks and ensure safetyfor all, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said at a conference on March 15. Read full story

- PrimeMinister Pham Minh Chinh has requested the Ministry of Health to directcentrally-run cities and provinces to accelerate the vaccination of the boostershot against COVID-19 for people aged 18 and above. Read full story

A Starbucks coffee shop (Photo: VNA)

- Hanoi'sauthorities have allowed dine-in food and beverage venues to operate as normal,lifting the requirement to close before 9pm which has been enforced for monthsto curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read full story

- VietnameseAmbassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam had a meeting on March 15 with Kohzo Tashima,Chairman of the Japan Football Association (JFA), who pledged to provide moretickets for Vietnamese fans to enjoy the Vietnam-Japan return leg as part ofthe World Cup 2022 qualifiers./. Read full story

VNA