☕ Afternoon briefing on October 21

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

- Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly were welcomed at a ceremony hosted by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and his spouse at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on October 21 morning (local time).

Following the welcome ceremony, President Stubb and his spouse invited General Secretary Lam and his spouse to the signing room, where the Vietnamese leader left a message in the guestbook, expressing his delight at visiting Finland, a nation known for its creativity, cultural richness, and compassion. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception for Governor of Gunma prefecture Yamamoto Ichita in Hanoi on October 21, calling on the Japanese locality to expand investment in Vietnam.

At the event, both sides expressed satisfaction with the robust development of the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which continues to yield tangible results built on growing political trust. Japan remains Vietnam's leading economic partner, ranking as the top partner in official development assistance and labour cooperation, the third-largest investor, and the fourth-largest trading and tourism partner. Read full story

- Vietnam fully supports the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, viewing it not merely as a project but as a strategic mandate—one capable of significantly reducing human suffering and economic losses, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to Geneva, told the Vietnam News Agency.

Speaking on the sidelines of the extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress, which opened in Geneva on October 20, the ambassador said Vietnam stands ready to accelerate the national rollout of the EW4All roadmap in close coordination with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the broader United Nations system. The country calls on all partners—governments, development agencies, and the private sector—to mobilise the resources and political will needed to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected by early warning systems. Read full story

- The international forum “Connecting the Europrean Tech Business Offer with Vietnam’s Digital Future” was held in Ho Chi Minh City on October 21 to promote digital transformation through technologies, investment, and sustainable partnerships.

Organised by D4D Hub in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global), and the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, the event gathered representatives of European diplomatic missions in Vietnam, leaders of Vietnamese ministries and agencies, and tech enterprises of the two sides. Read full story

- The Vietnam Symposium in Banking and Finance (VSBF 2025) is set to take place in Hanoi from October 23 to 25, bringing together experts, scholars, and policymakers to share research and discuss key issues in banking, finance, and macroeconomics.

This year’s symposium will feature 16 sessions, including four plenary discussions, one roundtable, and 11 parallel sessions presenting 31 selected research papers. Notable topics include cross-border knowledge sharing, international supply chains, and the innovation ecosystem; ESG controversies and the seven sins of banking; and a policy roundtable on the rise of shadow banking and financial stability. Read full story

- The LI-NING Vietnam International Series 2025 kicked off in Ninh Binh province on October 21, bringing together nearly 300 athletes.

This year’s competition gathers athletes from 19 countries and territories, namely Australia, Canada, the US, Germany, the Cook Islands, Indonesia, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, the UAE, Venezuela, and host Vietnam. Read full story./.

VNA