Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on October 16

The 18th Hanoi Party Congress, Hai Phong's establishment of a free trade zone, and Apple's selection of Vietnam as the main production base for an entirely new product category are among news highlights on October 16.

☕ Afternoon briefing on October 16

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

– Party General Secretary To Lam has stressed the importance of placing "time-honoured culture- identity - creativity" at the centre of all development strategies for Hanoi, serving as strong internal resources, forming the backbone for the capital city’s mettle, intellectual strength, thus laying the foundation for the city to affirm its leading role in the new era.

Addressing the 18th Hanoi Party Congress for the 2025-2030 tenure on October 16, the Party chief underlined that the congress offers an opportunity for self-reflection, establishing new goals, and creating momentum for the capital’s development in a new era. Read full story

– Vietnam attaches importance to and wishes to enhance friendly and cooperative relations with Saint Kitts and Nevis across multiple fields, Le Quang Long, Vietnam’s Ambassador to Cuba and Saint Kitts and Nevis, affirmed while presenting his credentials to Governor-General Dame Marcella Liburd on October 15 in Basseterre.

The diplomat also conveyed the greetings and congratulations from State President Luong Cuong to the Governor-General and people of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Read full story

– The Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has approved Vietnam’s initiative proposing that the United Nations (UN) consider declaring the International Decade on Culture for Sustainable Development, with priority on the 2027–2036 period, as soon as possible.

The adoption was made on October 15 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris during the organisation’s 222nd Executive Board session. Read full story

– Authorities of Hai Phong city on October 16 announced the establishment of a Free Trade Zone (FTZ), making it a new growth engine in line with the Politburo’s Resolution 45, which charts the city’s development through 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The FTZ aims to emerge as a globally and regionally competitive hub for manufacturing, logistics, trade, services, high technology, and finance. It’s all about innovation, digital transformation, and going green to keep things sustainable. Read full story

– Apple is taking an unprecedented step by choosing Vietnam as the main production base for an entirely new product category – ranging from AI-integrated home security cameras and smart home control displays to motion-interactive desktop robots.

For years, Vietnam has been the production hub for Apple's well-established product lines, such as AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and HomePod. The move to produce a brand-new product range in the country right from the early stages reflects a strategic shift in the tech giant’s global manufacturing allocation. Read full story

– The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) held a seminar in Hanoi on October 15 to discuss the establishment of a gold exchange.

SBV Deputy Governor Pham Tien Dung presided over the event, saying this is an important step to develop a legal framework and an operating mechanism for ensuring the pilot phase is carried out cautiously, safely, transparently, and effectively, contributing to the stabilisation of the gold market and the macro-economy as a whole. Read full story

– A joint emergency response drill for cross-border infectious diseases was held in Jiangcheng county, Pu'er city, China’s Yunnan province from October 14 to 15 as part of the Vietnam-China-Laos Cross-Border Infectious Disease Emergency Response Drill 2025.

The drill was attended by 241 delegates and health experts from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health and provincial health agencies, Laos' Ministry of Health, the China Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local emergency health response teams from Yunnan. Read full story

– The Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Tam Coc - Bich Dong, and Bai Dinh Pagoda in the northern province of Ninh Binh are basking in glory after snagging top honours in TripAdvisor’s 2025 Travellers’ Choice Awards, the provincial Tourism Department reported on October 15.

The recognition marks a major milestone for Ninh Binh, underscoring its push to bolster global tourism profile, weave sustainable development with a deepening engagement in the international travel ecosystem. Read full story./.

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