Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
- Vietnam stands ready to work alongside Denmark to link Denmark’s strengths with Vietnam’s potential and development opportunities, jointly pursuing lasting peace, sustainable development and green prosperity, said General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam.
He made the statement while attending a friendship concert celebrating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Denmark (1971–2026) and hosting a reception in Copenhagen on the evening of October 20 (local time) as part of his state visit to Denmark. Read full story
- More than five decades after establishing diplomatic relations in 1973, Vietnam and Belgium have continuously strengthened their friendship and expanded cooperation across various fields. As an active supporter of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Belgium remains an important partner in helping Vietnamese goods access the European market.
Against a backdrop of considerable untapped potential, the official visit to Belgium by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam is expected to provide fresh impetus for cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, innovation, high-quality human resources training, logistics and green growth. Read full story
- Prime Minister Le Minh Hung stressed on October 21 that the ultimate goal of amendments to several healthcare-related laws is to eliminate unnecessary intermediaries and ensure that patients and hospitals can access medicines and medical equipment at reasonable prices.
Speaking during a group discussion on the draft Law on amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on Children, the Law on People with Disabilities, the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the Law on Pharmacy, the Law on the Elderly, and the Law on Health Insurance as part of the second session of the 16th National Assembly (NA), PM Hung said the Government urgently submitted the proposed amendments to address loopholes in legal regulations and implementation practices that have driven up costs. Read full story
- Vietnam is officially assuming the chair of the APEC Finance Ministers' Process at the closing ceremony of the 33rd APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting (FMM 2026) on October 21, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The two-day meeting, held in Hong Kong (China) as part of APEC 2026, saw Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan deliver a key address on Vietnam’s macroeconomic situation and outlook, as well as policy directions to maintain macroeconomic stability and lay the groundwork for the country’s double-digit growth target in 2027. Read full story
- Vietnam and the World Bank Group (WBG) have agreed to strengthen cooperation in preparation for APEC 2027, with a focus on policy priorities, support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and technical assistance.
The agreement was reach during Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan’s October 20 working session with a WBG delegation led by Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer, on the sidelines of the 2026 APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting in Hong Kong (China). Read full story
- Vietnam has two representatives in Condé Nast Traveler’s list of the 20 best train trips in the world for 2026, highlighting the growing appeal of railway tourism in the country.
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) said the US travel magazine ranked the heritage train journey between Hue and Da Nang at 10th and The Vietage by Anantara at 14th. Read full story
- Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung chaired a meeting with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on October 21 to agree on an indicator and methodology for measuring the digital economy’s contribution to GDP.
The digital economy is a strategic priority for Vietnam, which aims to raise its share of GDP to at least 30% by 2030, in line with the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation and national digital transformation, according to the MOST. Read full story
- Vietnam’s stock market will pursue six strategic directions to improve its legal framework, modernise trading infrastructure, diversify products and broaden its investor base following its status upgrade by FTSE Russell to secondary emerging market, according to Hoang Van Thu, Vice Chairman of the State Securities Commission (SSC).
Addressing a seminar marking 30 years of Vietnam’s securities industry, organised by the Economics – Finance Magazine under the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in Hanoi on October 21, Thu said the market has progressively strengthened its legal framework, organisational structure and infrastructure, while diversifying products and expanding its investor base to enhance its capital-mobilisation capacity./. Read full story
