☕ Afternoon briefing on March 19

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

- Security forces of Vietnam and Laos sought ways to strengthen their cooperation at their annual conference held in Vientiane on March 19.

At the14th Vietnam - Laos Security Cooperation Conference in Vientiane, Laos. (Photo: VNA)

The 14th Vietnam - Laos Security Cooperation Conference was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang and his Lao counterpart Kongthong Phongvichit. Read full story

- Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on March 18 appreciated Vietnam’s active contributions to the organisation, especially the outcomes of the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) held in Abu Dhabi from February 26 to March 2.

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung (L) presents the Vietnamese State President’s credentials to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. (Photo: VNA)

Receiving Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, who came to submit the Vietnamese State President’s credentials, she suggested Vietnam continue to contribute to unfinished contents, including trying to bring Package 1 of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies into effect before June and participating in promoting negotiations on Package 2, thus contributing to the UN Millennium Goals on sustainable development. Read full story

- Canada is committed to supporting and promoting sustainable development and resilience in the region and Vietnam, said its Climate Change Ambassador Catherine Stewart.

Talking to Vietnam News Agency during her recent visit to the Southeast Asian nation, Stewart said the two countries have over 50 years of diplomatic relations. Over the more than 30 years of its development assistance, Canada has provided over 1.8 billion USD in development assistance for Vietnam to help ease poverty and inequality, empower women and girls, and address climate change. Read full story

- Vietnam's GDP in the first quarter of 2024 will grow by around 5.5% as predicted, according to experts and think-tanks.

Singapore’s United Overseas Bank (UOB) has based its assessment of the macroeconomic indicators in the first two months of 2024, concluding that Vietnam’s economic recovery is heading in the right direction. Read full story

- The Vietnamese trade office in the US had a working session with Secretary of the Department of Commerce of Maryland state Kevin Anderson on March 18, seeking cooperation opportunities between Vietnam and the US state.

The Vietnamese trade office in the US has a working session with the Department of Commerce of Maryland state on March 18. (Photo: VNA)

At the event, Anderson said Maryland is interested in cooperation in the areas of trade, agriculture, education, logistics, tourism, and investment in smart phone production. Read full story

- The Petrovietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC), a subsidiary company of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam), is deeply engaging in domestic and international offshore wind power projects thanks to its rich experience, strong resources and highly qualified personnel.

According to PTSC General Director Le Manh Cuong, the firm is capable of providing transformer station and base manufacturing services for offshore wind power projects, and its capacity can meet international partners’ demand. Read full story

- Foreign arrivals have been on track for a full recovery since Vietnam opened its border two years ago on the back of a favourable visa policy, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said at the National Assembly’s Q&A session on March 18.

The tourism sector has seen robust growth from the European market, he said, elaborating markets with sound recovery in 2023 included Spain (91%), Germany (88%), the UK (80%), and France (75%)./. Read full story