☕ Afternoon briefing on March 21

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

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on France to ramp up business cooperation and investment in Vietnam’s transport sector, with a particular focus on large-scale infrastructure projects, during his reception in Hanoi on March 21 for Philippe Tabarot, French Delegate for Transport under the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot. (Photo: VNA)

At the meeting, both host and guest commended the fruitful results of bilateral transport cooperation, highlighting that Airbus has become the leading aircraft supplier to Vietnamese airlines, and the Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line’s elevated section is now in operation. Read full story

- National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Le Minh Hoan met with Mariam J. Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in Hanoi on March 21, calling on the bank to accelerate the implementation of the two sides' strategic cooperation framework, including in agriculture.

National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Le Minh Hoan (R) meets with Mariam J. Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in Hanoi on March 21. (Photo: VNA)

Hoan highlighted the close cooperation between Vietnam and the WB in recent years, expressing his belief that the two sides will continue to strengthen this good partnership in the time to come. Read full story

- Trade between Vietnam and Singapore continued its strong upward trend in early 2025, rising by 27.15% year-on-year during the first two months, according to Enterprise Singapore (ESG).

The two-month trade reached over 6.57 billion SGD (approximately 4.91 billion USD), solidifying Vietnam’s position as Singapore’s ninth largest trading partner. Read full story

- Construction officially began on the Hon La International Port, a landmark infrastructure project valued nearly 2.3 trillion VND (90 million USD), in Quang Trach district, the central province of Quang Binh on March 21, aimed to bolster socio-economic development in the locality and the region.

According to Chairman of the Hon La Port JSC Phung Van Phat, the port, spanning over 39 hectares, will not only serve the Hon La Economic Zone and industrial parks in the province but also facilitate cargo transfers with Laos, Thailand’s northeastern region, Myanmar, and economic zones in the vicinity. Read full story

- Vietnam’s leading electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PT Aribi Amartapura (Amarta), one of Indonesia's leading vehicle distributors, to accelerate the expansion of its showroom network in Indonesia.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong (third, from left), Chairwoman of Amarta Group (middle), and Former Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Pitono Purnomo (second from left) at the signing ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

Under the MoU, VinFast will leverage Amarta's extensive market expertise and 25 years of experience to establish 22 new showrooms between 2025 and 2027, focusing on major cities such as Greater Jakarta and Bandung. Of these, 11 showrooms are set to open in 2025, with the earliest expected to launch this month. Read full story

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised a ceremony in Hanoi on March 20 to mark the International Francophonie Day, honouring the French language and the Francophonie community’ shared values of coexistence, tolerance, and respect for diversity.

Speaking at the event, which brought together Vietnamese officials and international representatives, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet praised this year’s theme “I educate myself, therefore I act” while emphasising that education remains a top priority in fostering a developing and prosperous Francophonie community. Read full story

- A special gathering of Vietnamese and Chinese alumni was held in Hanoi on March 20 to celebrate 75 years of the two countries' diplomatic relations and the “Year of Vietnam – China Humanistic Exchange 2025”.

General Secretary To Lam and delegates attend the "Vietnam-China Alumni Gathering" event. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

The event, organised at the Vietnam – China Friendship Palace, was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, Vietnam Television, and the Vietnam News Agency. Read full story./.

VNA