☕ Afternoon briefing on September 16

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on September 16. 

- Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh delivered a pre-recorded speech at the opening of the 19th ASEAN-China Expo (CAEXPO) and the 19th China-ASEAN Business Investment Summit (CABIS) in Nanning, the capital city of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on September 16.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh  delivers a vieo speech at the event. (Photo: VNA)

Hailing the important achievements that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have gained over the years, especially the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development. Read full story

- Vietnam Report JSC and VietNamNet online newspaper on September 15 announced the Profit500 list featuring the top 500 most profitable enterprises in Vietnam this year.

Prominent in the list are Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam), Samsung Electronics Thai Nguyen Co. Ltd., Hoa Phat Group JSC, Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel), Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank), Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) and Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank), Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB) and Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank). Read full story

- Vietnam's coffee has been shipped to more than 80 countries and territories, making the country the second biggest exporter in the world, with a market share of 14.2%.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam exported 112,531 tonnes of coffee worth 266 million USD in August, down 4% in volume but up 13% in value, reported the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Read full story

- Amid a new wave of investors arriving in Vietnam to explore its opportunities for foreign businesses, Ho Chi Minh City has strong potential to attract investment and drive innovation and sustainable growth, experts said.

HCM City is well-positioned to attract the lion’s share of the new wave of investors if it manages to mitigate a looming capacity shortage in terms of industrial land, office space, commercial real estate, and skilled labour, said Leif Schneider, Vice Chairman of the Legal Sector Committee of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has signed a decision approving a project to strengthen communications on human rights in Vietnam in the 2023-2028 period, with an aim to enhance public awareness and knowledge of human rights and give people inside and outside the country a better insight of Vietnam’s policies, efforts and achievements in protecting and promoting human rights in the country.

The project also looks to enhance Vietnam’s reputation in the field of human rights in the national, regional and global arena. Read full story

- The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has appreciated the dialogue and measures taken by Vietnam in the protection and promotion of children’s rights.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha led the Vietnamese delegation to engage in a dialogue with CRC members on Vietnam’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on September 12-13 in Geneva, Switzerland. Read full story

- Barriers and warning signs in both Vietnamese and English have been erected and police officers have been deployed to enforce the closure of the famous train street in downtown Hanoi from September 16.

Foreign tourists turned away from the entrance into the train street (located on Tran Phu Street). (Photo: VNA) 

Tourists seeking the unique sight are also turned away. Hoan Kiem district’s authorities said they will close and revoke the licences of all coffee shops lining the rail line by September 17 over safety concerns./. Read full story