Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation will pay official visits to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam from February 8 to 11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday. The visits will be made at the invitations of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, respectively. This will be PM Chinh’s first visits to these two countries after assuming his prime minister position, and a visit by a Vietnamese prime minister to Singapore after five years and to Brunei Darussalam after 15 years. The visit to Singapore will be paid on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership. The two sides had many high-ranking delegation exchange activities last year, including Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Singapore in February and Singaporean President Halimah … [Read more...] about Vietnamese PM to pay official visits to Singapore, Brunei
Cambodia for visit
Cambodia eyes more bilateral free trade agreements
Illustrative image (Photo: xinhua/VNA) Phnom Penh (VNA) – The Cambodia n Government has been pushing for the establishment of more bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with main trade partners in order to expand export markets for its products. The country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth said that the United Arab Emirates, India, Japan, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Canada, and American Latin countries are in the plan for bilateral FTA negotiations. Speaking at the Ministry of Commerce’s recent annual meeting, Aun Pornmoniroth asked the ministry to continue boosting the export of goods and service to the existing markets and expanding new markets. The ministry has to conduct extensive consultations with stakeholders on the benefits from the bilateral trade agreements, he added. Currently, Cambodia has two bilateral FTAs with China and the Republic of Korea, which came into force in January and December 2022, … [Read more...] about Cambodia eyes more bilateral free trade agreements
PM Chinh’s Singapore visit to pave way for digital technology, green transition cooperation: expert
Illustrative image (Source: vneconomy.vn) Singapore (VNA) – The upcoming visit to Singapore by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to open up important orientations for the bilateral ties, especially in digital technology and green transition, an expert has said. PM Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam will pay an official visit to Singapore from February 8 to 10. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Associate Professor Vu Minh Khuong from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said the visit holds great significance. It takes place in the context of the two countries getting out of the COVID-19 pandemic with the hope for stronger growth, he explained, noting that their cooperation opportunities abound. The world is experiencing complex changes, and this prompts the two countries to conduct more regular and in-depth exchanges to reach common perceptions in order to sail through the challenges and tighten their … [Read more...] about PM Chinh’s Singapore visit to pave way for digital technology, green transition cooperation: expert
Prime Minister’s visit reflects special ties between Vietnam, Singapore: ambassador
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam are paying an official visit to Singapore from February 8 to 10. Dung said the trip follows the mutual visits by the heads of the two states in 2022, reflecting the special mutual political trust and relations between the countries. Looking back upon achievements in bilateral relations, he said over the last 50 years, especially since the establishment of the strategic partnership 10 years ago, the two countries have enjoyed strong cooperation across the board, from politics, diplomacy, defense, and security to people-to-people exchange. Singapore currently ranks first among Southeast Asian investors and second among global ones in Vietnam. Among the large number of its projects in Vietnam, 11 Vietnam - Singapore industry parks (VSIPs) with total investment of over USD 11 billion nationwide are providing jobs for more than 300,000 people. During the coming trip, he noted, the two Prime … [Read more...] about Prime Minister’s visit reflects special ties between Vietnam, Singapore: ambassador
HCM City, Phnom Penh look to strengthen relations
At the event. (Photo:hcmcpv.org.vn) Phnom Penh (VNA) – Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen on December 17 held talks with Governor of Phnom Penh Khuong Sreng, during which both officials emphasised the importance of continuing to strengthen the good cooperative relationship between the two cities. HCM City in particular, will pour investment in Cambodia and the capital of Phnom Penh while committing to support them to speed up investment procedures. Cambodia n relationship. The official suggested the two localities enhance their closer coordination to support businesses in accessing market and explore investment opportunities. VNA … [Read more...] about HCM City, Phnom Penh look to strengthen relations
Ambassador promotes cooperation between France’s Saintes and Vietnamese localities
At a meeting with Saintes Mayor Bruno Drapron, the city's department of commerce and trade, representatives from Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and the local farmers’ association, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang highlighted cooperation potentials between the two countries’ localities in various fields such as agriculture, sustainable tourism development, railway, seaport and technical infrastructure. For his part, the mayor said that the city will study how to transfer skills and technology to Vietnamese partners and acquire experiences and technique from the Vietnamese side, as well as work together with the Vietnamese side to strengthen cooperation between the localities of the two countries in the time ahead. During his trip, the ambassador visited Chadignac vocational school which has cooperated with Vietnam’s Thang Long Gifted School in Da Lat (the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong) in French language teaching, the first step towards bigger projects. The ambassador and his … [Read more...] about Ambassador promotes cooperation between France’s Saintes and Vietnamese localities
Hanoi looks to tighten cooperation with Japanese locality
As of the Kanagawa Festival in Hanoi, its latest holding last year has left good imprints on the locals and Vietnamese people. Hanoi will continue tightening relationships with Japanese localities including Kanagawa, focusing on the development of economic and cultural exchange, educational cooperation, and manpower training, among others. Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Doan Toan stressed the idea when receiving Governor of Kanagawa prefecture Yuji Kuroiwa on November 11. The meeting also saw the attendance of Umeda Kunio, Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam. At the meeting, the two sides discussed the organization of the Kanagawa Festival in Hanoi this year and the orientations of cooperation between the Vietnamese and Japanese localities in the coming time. According to Hanoi’s deput mayor, the city is currently on a very strong development momentum, to which many Japan – Vietnam cooperation projects have contributed a great deal. Deputy … [Read more...] about Hanoi looks to tighten cooperation with Japanese locality
Tourism – a source of growth in Vietnam for 2023: HSBC
Foreign tourists visit Vietnam (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Despite near-term trade headwinds, tourism has emerged as a source of growth for Vietnam to mitigate the challenges ahead in 2023, according to the “Vietnam at a glance” report released by HSBC on February 6. The report stressed that January’s data showed Vietnam continues to face difficulties in trade and the inflationary pressure of increasing prices. However, in spite of slowing trade, there are still pockets of resilience in Vietnam’s economy, and tourism will be a key one in 2023. Following its re-opening last March, Vietnam’s domestic tourism has been soaring, easily surpassing its 2022 target of 60 million to over 100 million tourists. Meanwhile, international tourism, which previously accounted for 60% of tourism receipts, saw a tepid recovery post COVID-19, with tourist arrivals reaching 3.6 million, only 20% of 2019’s level. But there are good reasons to expect a more meaningful recovery, in … [Read more...] about Tourism – a source of growth in Vietnam for 2023: HSBC
Biggest spring blood donation festival kicks off
The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) and Hanoi Youth Association for Blood Donation on February 6 kicked off the Xuan Hong (Red Spring) Festival – the biggest annual blood donation campaign of the season. People join the Xuan Hong (Red Spring) Festival – the biggest annual blood donation campaign of the season staring on February 6. (Photo: VNA) The one-week event themed “Donating blood in spring, multiplying happiness” expects to receive about 8,000 blood units. Donors can visit one of the seven venues in Hanoi, including the institute, Agricultural General Hospital, No26 Luong Ngoc Quyen in Hoan Kiem district, No10, Hamlet 122, Lang Street in Dong Da district, No78 Ngueyn Truong To in Ba Dinh district and No132 Quan Nhan district in Thanh Xuan district and People's Committee headquarter of Trau Quy Town in Gia Lam district. NIHBT Director Nguyen Thanh Ha said that this year, thanks to the community's efforts, … [Read more...] about Biggest spring blood donation festival kicks off
☕ Afternoon briefing on February 6
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency. - Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung has highlighted the significance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s coming official visit to the city state, the first among many events to be held in both countries to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership. PM Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam are paying an official visit to Singapore from February 8 to 10. Read full story - Two-way trade revenue between Vietnam and Laos in 2022 grew 24% from the previous year to reach some 1.7 billion USD, beyond expectations of their leaders at the 44th meeting of the Vietnam – Laos Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation earlier last year. Read full story - Jeju Air Co., the biggest low-cost carrier of the Republic of Korea, said on February 6 that it will resume many routes to Vietnam … [Read more...] about ☕ Afternoon briefing on February 6