Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.
– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 13 called for the successful completion of the goal of basically clearing all UXO-contaminated land nationwide to a depth of 0.5 metres by 2045, coinciding with the nation’s centenary.
The leader, who also heads the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-War Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences, made the call while chairing a conference reviewing the implementation of the National Action Programme on UXO Remediation for 2010–2025 (Programme 504) and setting out priorities and tasks for the next phase. Read full story
– National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man hosted separate receptions in Hanoi on January 13 for Cambodian Ambassador Chea Kimtha, US Ambassador Marc Knapper, and Philippine Ambassador Meynardo L.B. Montealegre, who came to bid farewell to the top legislator at the end of their tenures in Vietnam.
Receiving Cambodian Ambassador Chea Kimtha, Chairman Man congratulated Cambodia on the important achievements it has recorded in recent years, which have helped enhance the country's position in the region and the world. He also praised Chea Kimtha for successfully fulfilling her duties in Vietnam, contributing to the comprehensive development of the traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia. Read full story
– Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh had a meeting with Singaporean Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on January 13 as part of his working trip to the city-state.
Binh conveyed the warm greetings from leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam to Lee, and expressed appreciation for the significant and enduring contributions made over many years by late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong to strengthening and deepening Vietnam–Singapore relations, as well as to Vietnam’s economic development, notably the strong expansion of the Vietnam–Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) network. Read full story
– A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong paid a visit to Cambodia from January 12-13, during which they held meetings with senior Cambodian officials to discuss measures to enhance substantive and effective cooperation between the two countries.
On January 13, Cuong had a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul during which the Vietnamese official highly valued bilateral trade cooperation, noting that two-way trade reached 11.33 billion USD in 2025. Read full story
– US Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper on January 13 received Vietnam’s Friendship Order for his contributions to consolidating and strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries during his tenure in Vietnam.
The honour was presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, on behalf of State President Luong Cuong, at a ceremony in Hanoi. Read full story
– Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh on January 13 chaired a meeting of the State Steering Committee for Tourism, calling for new policies to remove institutional barriers hindering tourism development in 2026.
Reiterating the sector’s target of serving 25 million international visitors and 150 million domestic holidaymakers this year, Chinh highlighted the importance of a fundamental shift from a “recovery mindset” to one focused on growth, competitiveness and sustainability. Read full story
– Standard Chartered has maintained a positive view of Vietnam’s economic outlook in 2026, although its growth forecast remains more cautious than the Government’s ambitious 10% target.
Entering 2026, Standard Chartered expects Vietnam to sustain its growth momentum, while warning that greater caution is needed amid existing risks. Read full story./.
