☕ Afternoon briefing on October 23

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

- Following a successful official visit to Finland, Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived in Sofia on October 22 (local time), beginning a three-day official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of President Rumen Radev.

Bulgaria, one of the first nations to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1950, has maintained a close friendship nurtured by generations of leaders and people of the two countries. This visit, the first by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam since Bulgaria transitioned to a new political system in 1990, coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Read full story

- State President Luong Cuong on October 23 inspected a rehearsal in preparation for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (known as Hanoi Convention) signing ceremony and high-level conference, which will take place at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi from October 25-26.

President Cuong affirmed that this is an especially important event, with profound political, diplomatic, and national significance. It marks the first time a global multilateral convention in a field of great international interest is associated with the name of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Read full story

- Politburo member and State President Luong Cuong, together with Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, attended at the award ceremony of the fifth national political essay contest on safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundations in Hanoi on October 22 and presented the A prizes to the winners.

The contest was jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA), the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, the Central Theory Council, the Vietnam Journalists Association, the Communist Review, Nhan Dan Newspaper, and Vietnam Television. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the steering committee for key national railway projects, chaired the fourth meeting of the committee in Hanoi on October 23.

Opening the meeting, which drew the online participation of 18 provinces and cities traversed by the railway projects, the PM highlighted that railway development is among the focuses stated in the 13th National Party Congress’ resolution, noting the Politburo issued Conclusion 49-KL/TW, which sets the direction for Vietnam's railway transport through 2030, with a vision for 2045. Read full story

- A delegation from the National Assembly (NA) led by Le Tan Toi, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for National Defence, Security and External Relations, are attending the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-151) and related meetings in Switzerland from October 19 to 23.

Addressing the general debate, Toi highlighted the complex challenges the world is facing, stressing that protecting humanitarian norms means safeguarding human dignity, the most sacred value of humankind. This is not only a legal obligation but also a moral responsibility shared by the entire international community. Read full story

- The Traffic Police Division under the Hanoi Department of Public Security on October 22 launched a general plan to ensure smooth traffic during the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention), scheduled for October 25–26 in the capital.

Colonel Tran Dinh Nghia, head of the division, said this is the first time Vietnam has been chosen by the UN to host the opening for signature of a global convention. The event not only affirms Vietnam’s growing pretige and stature on the international arena but is also an opportunity for Hanoi to showcase the image of a safe, civilised, and friendly capital. Read full story

- Photo Hanoi’25, an international photography biennale, is set to take place in the capital throughout November, gathering over 170 visual artists, photographers, curators, and experts from 21 countries.

At a press briefing on the event on October 22, Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Bach Lien Huong said Photo Hanoi’25 continues the success of a photography project jointly organised by the Hanoi People’s Committee, the French Embassy, and various cultural and artistic partners in 2021 and 2023. Read full story./.

VNA