☕ Afternoon briefing on March 31

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 on March 31 asked the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) to carry forward its leading role among credit institutions while addressing a meeting celebrating the 60th anniversary of the State-owned lender in Hanoi on March 31.

PM Pham Minh Chinh presents the Labour Hero title to Vietcombank. (Photo: VNA) 

Pointing to the complex, unpredictable global situation, the PM asked the State Bank and the banking sector to continue implementing cautious and flexible monetary policies, in concerted coordination with suitable fiscal policies and clear focuses in order to maintain the macro-economic stability, control inflation, spur growth and ensure major economic balances. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang hosted a reception for Kim Myoung-kyu, Vice President of LG Display Co Ltd, a subsidiary of LG Group of the Republic of Korea (RoK), on March 31 in Hanoi.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang (R) and  Kim Myoung-kyu, Vice President of LG Display Co Ltd. (Photo: VNA)

During the meeting, Quang suggested the RoK firm expand its investment in Hai Phong and other Vietnamese localities and build a research & development centre in Vietnam. Read full story

- Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception for Liu Ning, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in Hanoi on March 30, discussing a wide range of issues to boost ties between the two sides.

During the session, the host proposed that the two sides promote existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and programmes, expand friendship exchange between the people along the shared border, and effectively implement legal documents regarding land border and related agreements. Read full story

- Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi co-chaired the fifth political consultation between the two ministries to discuss orientations to promote the bilateral Strategic Partnership in the coming time.

The two sides expressed their delight that the consultation was held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic ties, and the 10th founding anniversary of the Strategic Partnership. Read full story

- Minister Counselor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, has called for a comprehensive and all-society approach to sustainable waste management.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly’s session on zero waste – breakthrough solution to sustainable development goals (SDGs) on March 30, Thoa said sustainable waste management plays a crucial role in achieving the SDGs, especially Goal No.12 on sustainable production and consumption and Goal No.13 on climate change response. Read full story

- Vietnam is one of the most potential markets in the Asia-Pacific region for shoppertainment - a trend that combines online shopping with entertainment, according to a report named “Shoppertainment: APAC’s Trillion-Dollar Opportunity” by the US-based Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and TikTok.

Illustrative image (Source: baodautu.vn)

The report shows that the shoppertainment opportunity in the region is projected to expand to a market value of over 1 trillion USD by 2025, doubling from the 500 billion USD value last year. Read full story

- The United Overseas Bank (UOB) has lowered its 2023 economic growth forecast for Vietnam from 6.6% to 6% due to a low base in the first quarter (Q1) of this year.

In the latest economic growth in Q1/2023 report of Vietnam, the bank said that the country's GDP growth in the period only increased 3.32% year on year, a sharp fall from 5.92% in Q4/2022.Read full story

- The Government has agreed to propose to the National Assembly some new policies relating to the immigration, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, including one on a visa extension to 90 days.

Do Van Thuc, Deputy Director of Dat Viet Tour Company, said his trans-national tours are favoured by many international tourists, adding that such tours offer six days in the north and another six days in the central region./. Read full story