☕ Afternoon briefing on May 18

 

Hanoi, (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on May 18.

-President Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid tribute to fallen soldiers resting at the A1 National Cemetery in the northern border province of Dien Bien during his working trip to the province on May 17-18.

Built in 1958, the cemetery is the resting place of 645 soldiers who laid down their lives during the 56 days and nights of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954. Read full story

-National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue had a meeting with visiting Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou in Hanoi on May 18, during which the Vietnamese top legislator expressed his delight at the growing friendship and all-round partnership between the two countries.

President Sakellaropoulou agreed with the Vietnamese top legislator’s proposal to beef up bilateral trade, saying her visit aims to further promote bilateral partnership and that the bilateral double taxation avoidance agreement and maritime transportation agreement will be signed soon. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Deputy Mayor of International Affairs for Los Angeles Nina Hachigian in San Francisco on May 17 afternoon (US time) within the framework of his working trip to the US to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit.

Nina Hachigian said that the Mayor of Los Angeles wants to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam this year, and the city is looking forward to setting up a twin relationship with Hanoi, and opening more direct flights to Vietnam. Read full story

The same day, PM Chinh held a meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in San Francisco, during which he lauded overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in general and those in the US in particular for their contributions to the homeland as well as the Vietnam-US ties. Read full story

At a forum on innovation and start-ups held by Asia Society also on May 17 (local time), the Government leader said Vietnam expects for start-up collaboration with the US on issues of global concerns such as climate change, digital technology and supply chain diversification.

He also affirmed that Vietnam identifies science and technology, innovation and entrepreneurship as an important driving force for development in the new period. Read full story

The Vietnamese PM’s speech at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), delivered during his trip to the US, has drawn attention from US politicians and scholars who hailed the message that the Vietnamese leader spread in the remarks.

The speech, themed “Sincerity, trust and responsibility for a better world,” focused on how Vietnam sees the world today, the role of sincerity, trust and responsibility in a turbulent world, and what the country needs to do in order to demonstrate sincerity, and bolster trust and responsibility, for a better world. Read full story

-Urbanisation is indispensable and an important driving force for Vietnam’s rapid, sustainable socio-economic development in the time ahead, Vo Van Thuong, permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, said at a conference in Hanoi on May 18.

The conference looked into the implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW, dated January 24, 2022, on urban planning, building, management and development by 2030, with a vision towards 2045. Read full story

- The World Bank Group released the Systematic Country Diagnostic Update, entitled "How Will Vietnam Blossom? Reforming Institutions for Effective Implementation”, which emphasises that Vietnam's traditional growth model faces major challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, slowing globalisation, and the country’s increasing vulnerability to external shocks, especially climate risks.

For Vietnam to realise its aspiration for reaching high income status by 2045, the country will need to shift its economic growth model and sharply improve the government’s capacity to coordinate and implement economic policy reforms and public investments, the report says. Read full story

- Vietnam grabbed 16 gold medals on May 17 to surpass the 100 mark at the ongoing SEA Games 31 on home soil. As of May 17 evening, Vietnam earned a total of 104 golds, 63 silvers and 62 bronzes at the regional sporting event. Read full story/.