☕ Afternoon briefing on March 23

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
☕ Afternoon briefing on March 23 ảnh 1

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

– Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha had bilateral meetingswith many foreign leaders on the sidelines of the UN 2023 Water Conference,which is taking place in New York from March 22-24.
In a meeting with King of the NetherlandsWillem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand, Ha hailed the King's initiatives andefforts in organising and co-hosting the conference, following the first of itskind in 1977.Read full text

– The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE),in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Hoa Binh province, held anational-level ceremony in a hybrid format on March 23 in response to the WorldWater Day (March 22), the World Meteorological Day (March 23), and the EarthHour 2023.
Speaking at the event, MoNRE Deputy Minister VoTuan Nhan said that climate change is considered a serious challenge forhumanity in the 21st century with negative impacts and threats to sustainabledevelopment activities.Read full text

– The consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State inensuring people's right to freedom of belief has been enshrined in thecountry's Constitutions issued in 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992 and 2013, creatingfavourable conditions for all religions in the country.
However, hostile forces have never given up"peaceful evolution" plots, and have, in the guise of freedom ofbelief and religion, hooked up with those who hold a grudge against the regimeto distort the real situation and slander the Vietnamese Party and State aboutreligious freedom in the country.Read full text

– Vietnamese dishes including bo kho (stewed beef), bo nhung dam(beef in vinegar hot pot) and bun cha (grilled pork meatballs with vermicellinoodles) have been named among the world’s 100 best meat dishes, according toreaders’ votes of the TasteAtlas, the world’s most famous encyclopedia offlavors, traditional dishes, and authentic restaurants.
According to the website, bo kho includes ingredients such asdiced beef, carrots, lemongrass, cinnamon, chili, pepper, garlic, and shallots,all simmered in a spicy and aromatic broth. It can also be served over noodlesor bread, and it is customary to serve a variety of fresh herbs on the side.Read full text

- Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro citedItalian President Sergio Mattarella's words as saying that the relationshipbetween the two countries “strongly rooted in history” while granting aninterview to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the 50th foundinganniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (March 23, 1973 - 2023).Read full text

– There is no shortage of room for Vietnam and Mexico topromote their commercial cooperation, especially in the fields of energy,telecommunications, high-tech agriculture and high value added industry, saidexperts at a workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 23.
Aiming at such promotion, the event wasco-organised by the Investment & Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City(ITPC), the Mexican Embassy in Vietnam, and the Mexican Consulate General inthe southern metropolis.Read full text

– Vietnamese boxer Nguyen Thi Tam trounced Spanish rivalLaura Fuertes 5-0 in the women's light flyweight category to advance to thesemifinals of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi.
With this victory, Tam has at least secured abronze medal and a prize of 25,000 USD in the tournament.Read full text

– With its advantages in terms of natural landscapes, richcultural identities, customs and preserved traditional festivals, thenorthernmost province of Ha Giang has attracted attention from a large numberof travel companies and tourists, and several potential community-based touristsites have been formed.
Ha Giang province is home to 19 ethnic groupswhich have their own cultural traditions and identities.The effectivepreservation and promotion of cultural values has helped the province ingeneral and the ethnic groups in particular have a special attraction fortravelers and those who want to learn about traditional ethnic culture.Read full text/.
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General Khamtay Siphandone, former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and former President of Laos. (Photo: VNA)

Party chief to pay tribute to former Lao President in Vientiane

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam will lead a high-ranking delegation of the Party and State of Vietnam to Vientiane on April 3 to pay respects to former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and former President of Laos Khamtay Siphandone, who passed away on April 2.

Children of Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Vietnam’s Nghe An province - the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh – welcome Lao Party General Secretary and President of Laos Khamtay Siphandone during his visit to the central locality in 2002. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam extends condolences to Laos over former President Khamtay Siphanone’s passing

The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, the President, the Government, the National Assembly, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee on April 2 sent a message of condolences to their Lao counterparts over the passing of General Khamtay Siphandone, former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and former President of Laos.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the Vietnamese NA delegation visit TUMO Centre for Creative Technologies (Photo: VNA)

NA Chairman visits TUMO Centre for Creative Technologies in Armenia

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man directed the consideration of establishing similar creative technology centres in Vietnam, based on Armenia's TUBO Centre model, to create an educational environment that helps Vietnamese youth promote self-learning and enhance their skills, particularly in science and technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Bill Winters, Chief Executive of Standard Chartered in Hanoi on April 2 (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister receives Standard Chartered Group Chief Executive in Hanoi

The PM praised the Standard Chartered for supporting Vietnamese ministries and agencies in implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in Vietnam, as well as for working with the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) to help the country achieve its sustainable development goals.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Sivak (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam treasures time-honoured friendship with Belarus: PM

Vietnam and Belarus should make efforts to boost bilateral economic and trade relations, which are still modest compared to their potential and strengths, and create conditions for their businesses to enhance investment collaboration, and maintain the effectiveness of the Intergovernmental Committee, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha (L) holds talks with Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan (Photo: VNA)

Ample room remains for Vietnam-Armenia cooperation: Deputy PM

The two Deputy PMs focused on discussing several measures to promote bilateral relations, such as improving transportation connections and multi-modal transport to facilitate the movement of goods between the two countries and to Asian, European, and global markets.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium at a meeting with Hai Phong authorities (Photo: VNA)

King and Queen of Belgium visit Hai Phong

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and a high-level delegation from the European country engaged in a series of activities in the northern port city of Hai Phong on April 2, as part of their ongoing state visit to Vietnam.

Party General Secretary To Lam (R) receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (Photo: VNA)

Party leader receives Russian Ambassador

Vietnam and Russia should also identify new directions, measures, and cooperation projects in areas such as defence and security, high technology, energy, nuclear power, basic sciences, and culture and arts, said Party chief To Lam.

King Philippe of Belgium speaks at the working session in Quang Ninh on April 2 (Photo: VNA)

Belgian King, Queen visit Quang Ninh province

Belgian investors, in partnership with local stakeholders, are currently implementing three key projects in Quang Ninh, including two major industrial infrastructure developments - the Bac Tien Phong and Nam Tien Phong Industrial Parks in Quang Yen township.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the second meeting of the National Steering Committee for building the private economic sector development project (Photo: VNA)

PM urges finalising private economic sector development project

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged promoting breakthroughs in scientific and technological development, innovation, and digital transformation for rapid and sustainable growth, noting that attention should be placed on green economy, digital economy, knowledge-based economy, circular economy, and sharing economy, particularly in emerging sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things.

☕ Afternoon briefing on April 2

☕ Afternoon briefing on April 2

The 13th meeting of the Central Military Commission, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man's participation in a business forum as part of his official visit to Armenia, and Vietnam's reduction of import taxes on various goods ahead of the US government's announcement of reciprocal tariffs on other nations are among news highlights on April 2.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (L) meets with representatives of Armenian and Vietnamese firms attending the Vietnam - Armenia Business Forum in Yerevan on April 2. (Photo: VNA)

National Assembly Chairman attends Vietnam - Armenia Business Forum in Yerevan

NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stated that the Vietnamese delegation’s visit to Armenia not only aims to strengthen political and parliamentary relations, but also opens up opportunities to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation - areas in which both countries have great potential to exploit together.

Party General Secretary To Lam addresses the meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Streamlined, strong local military structure to better protect Fatherland: Party chief

The continuing re-organisation of the local military structure and the border guard force aims to enhance efficiency, reduce intermediary levels, strengthening their role as the core force in implementing the strategy of people's defence and people's war, ensuring the firm protection of national sovereignty and border security, Party General Secretary To Lam said.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia, Uzbekistan and Armenia Dang Minh Khoi. (Photo: VNA)

NA Chairman’s visits to lift ties with Armenia, Uzbekistan to new heights

The diplomat expressed his hope that the visits not only help maintain the traditional friendly relations between Vietnam and the two nations, but also create new momentum to elevate cooperation to higher levels, ensuring that it is substantial, effective, and commensurate with the political relations between Vietnam and these countries.

☀️ Morning digest on April 2

☀️ Morning digest on April 2

Belgian King Philippe's meetings with top leaders of Vietnam, the 16th session of the Vietnam-Belarus Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, and Singapore's approval of the import of selected poultry meat and egg products from Vietnam are among news highlights on April 1 evening.

NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his spouse are welcomed at Zvartnots International Airport of Yerevan on late April 1 (local time). (Photo: VNA)

NA Chairman begins official visit to Armenia

The official visit is a demonstration of Vietnam’s consistent policy of treasuring and promoting relations with the countries it has traditional friendship with, including Armenia.

President Luong Cuong and his spouse and King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium at the state banquet. (Photo: VNA)

State leader, spouse host grand banquet for Belgian King, Queen

In the past over five decades, Vietnam and Belgium have emerged as key partners across multiple fields, including politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, education, health care, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Both nations have also worked closely together at multilateral forums, particularly as members of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure.