At the international seminar on achievements, difficulties and challenges facing ASEAN’s integration (Photo: VNA) Moscow (VNA) – Russian experts have highly valued the role and strategic position of ASEAN in the region and in the world, particularly given recent global fluctuations. They made the comment at an international seminar on achievements, difficulties and challenges facing the bloc’s integration held Moscow on May 25 and 26. The event, co-organised by two academies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, gathered representatives of ASEAN embassies and 40 Russian and international experts. The hybrid event saw 30 presentations in five working sessions, whose topics revolved around ASEAN’s external relations policy, relations with strategic partners, experience in regional integration, and sustainable development. Participants analysed ASEAN ’s roles and stances on building a regional security structure; and development orientations in digitisation, … [Read more...] about Russian scholars praise ASEAN’s role, position
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US stocks rally again as China premier warns on Covid-hit economy
US stocks rally again as China premier warns on Covid-hit economy, illustration photo source: freepik.com After a positive session in Europe, the S&P 500 finished Thursday's session up two percent, positioning the broad-based US index to potentially snap a seven-week losing streak depending on Friday's session. "The market was very oversold, and way overdue to bounce," Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investment said shortly before the market closed. "And what's happening now, the market is bouncing pretty strong." Stock markets have taken a beating this year as central banks have begun to raise interest rates in order to curb the highest consumer price rises in decades. But US stocks pushed higher on Wednesday after investors took a positive view of the Federal Reserve minutes, which raised hopes that while the central bank would move aggressively to lift interest rates, it might be able to halt additional rate hikes as soon as this summer if inflation recedes. Wall Street kept … [Read more...] about US stocks rally again as China premier warns on Covid-hit economy
NA deputies debate draft Law on Implementation of Democracy at Grassroots Level
Citizen reception in An Bien district, Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) on May 27 discussed a report on the draft Law on Implementation of Democracy at Grassroots Level in their ongoing third session. According to Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra , the bill comprises seven chapters and 74 articles, adding many new contents to existing regulations in the field, including those on the implementation of democracy in agencies. Tra said that in the compilation of the bill, there have been different opinions on regulations on the realisation of democracy in enterprises that need further discussion at the NA. Following the Government’s opinion, the bill gives one chapter on the implementation of democracy in companies, she added. Delivering a verification report on the bill, Chairman of the NA Law Committee Hoang Thanh Tung underlined that the committee agrees with the necessity of the law. Tung said … [Read more...] about NA deputies debate draft Law on Implementation of Democracy at Grassroots Level
☕ Afternoon briefing on May 27
Hanoi, (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on May 27. – Deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) on May 27 discussed a report on the draft Law on Implementation of Democracy at Grassroots Level in their ongoing third session. According to Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra, the bill comprises seven chapters and 74 articles, adding many new contents to existing regulations in the field, including those on the implementation of democracy in agencies. Read full story – Upholding Vietnam’s peace-loving tradition and implementing the Party and State’s policy, over the past years, the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) has sent officers and soldiers to participate in the United Nations (UN)’ peacekeeping missions, which has been supported by local people and appreciated by the UN and the international community. The spirit of dedication and responsibility of Vietnamese soldiers has helped spread the image of the … [Read more...] about ☕ Afternoon briefing on May 27
Vietnam’s long-term credit rating upgraded to “BB+”: S&P
S&P forecast Vietnam’s GDP will grow 6.9% in 2022 before settling closer to its long-term trend of growing 6.5%-7% from 2023 onward. S&P Global Ratings on May 26 raised its long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Vietnam to 'BB+' from 'BB'. S&P expects Vietnam's economy to continue its upward trend. Source: S&P The rating agency also affirmed the country’s short-term rating at ‘B’ with a stable outlook. “The stable outlook reflects our expectations that over the next 12-24 months, Vietnam's economy will continue to recover from the challenges posed by the pandemic over the past two years. This will support the external position and rein in fiscal deficits,” it noted. S&P added it could raise the ratings if Vietnam's institutional settings improve considerably, in ways that augment policy predictability and transparency. Such favorable changes in the policy environment could bolster investor confidence in the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s long-term credit rating upgraded to “BB+”: S&P
HCMC Party Chief visits families of late senior leaders of Laos
The city Party chief spent much time talking and commemorating the two late leaders who made great contributions to the national liberation revolution of Laos and the special friendship between the Parties, States and people of the two nations throughout history. Late Prime Minister Sisavath Keobounphanh had joined in the revolutionary activity very early, in 1947, as a soldier of the Northwestern Propaganda Volunteer Armed-Force Team. In 1950, he joined the Indochinese Communist Party (PCI) and then held many key positions in the Laos Party and State. Meanwhile, late NA President Samane Vignaket had also participated in the revolutionary activity very early. From 1935 to 1945, he joined the revolutionary forces for national liberation in Laos and was appointed to important positions of the Party and State, including Member of the Politburo, President of the Laos National Assembly, Minister of Education and Sports, Head of the Organization Commission of Lao People’s Revolutionary … [Read more...] about HCMC Party Chief visits families of late senior leaders of Laos
Millions of travelers book tours for summer vacation
People and tourists choose to buy tours at the Hong Ngoc Ha travel booth during Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2022 Specifically, national carriers Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and the Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO) have prepared to supply more than 7.1 million seats during the peak summer season from June 1 to August 15, an increase of 10 percent compared to the same period before the Covid-19 epidemic. On average, during the peak summer season, these airlines will operate 430 domestic flights, especially those to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. With international routes, Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines provide over 852,000 seats, equivalent to more than 3,600 flights, only 40 percent of the number in 2019 because international travel demand has not recovered as before. Vietravel Airlines also said that the demand for travel and tourism will increase, so it has planned to increase the number of aircraft and frequency of flights to the Central … [Read more...] about Millions of travelers book tours for summer vacation
Vietnamese offices elected to SIAP and CSAM
The elections were conducted within the framework of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)’s 78th session held in Bangkok from May 23 to 27. Vietnam is among the three and five countries with highest votes at CSAM and SIAP, respectively. The election of the General Statistics Office and VIAEP to the Governing Councils of SIAP and CSAM demonstrated ESCAP member countries’ high appreciation of Vietnam's contribution as well as its role and position in ESCAP. The participation of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and the Vietnamese delegation at the 78th Session of ESCAP on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of ESCAP's establishment (1947-2022) and 45 years of Vietnam's joining in the United Nations (1977-2022) showed the country's commitment and strong support for ESCAP's activities in a bid to promote sustainable development in the region. That was an important factor for countries to decide to support Vietnam. … [Read more...] about Vietnamese offices elected to SIAP and CSAM
Vietnam, Israel convene fourth political consultation
The conference was held via videoconference on May 26 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Political Director Alon Bar co-chaired the fourth political consultation conference between the two ministries via videoconference on May 26. Viet and Bar briefed each other on the political and socio-economic situation in their respective countries, and highly valued the positive progresses in the all-round cooperation between Vietnam and Israel over the years, especially in politics, diplomacy, economy, science-technology, and startup. Viet welcomed the organisation of the fourth consultation conference, describing it as an effective mechanism for reviewing and enhancing the effectiveness of the cooperation between the two countries. He affirmed that Vietnam highly values and hopes to promote multifaceted ties with Israel , and thanked the Israeli Government and businesses for assisting … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Israel convene fourth political consultation
Asian markets track Wall St higher, tech fuels Hong Kong rally
Asian markets track Wall St higher, tech fuels Hong Kong rally- illustration photo source: freepik.com The positive mood put the region on course to end the week on a healthy note, and came after Federal Reserve minutes indicated the US central bank could take a breather in hiking interest rates if inflation shows signs of easing later in the year. Still, confidence on trading floors remains at a premium owing to a range of crises including soaring prices, tighter monetary policy, China's Covid-19 lockdowns and the war in Ukraine. Investors were in a buying mood Friday as Hong Kong jumped more than two percent, with market heavyweight Alibaba piling on more than 11 percent and search engine Baidu advancing 15 percent. The two firms posted better-than-expected sales growth in the January-March quarter, soothing fears about the impact of Covid and inflation on their bottom lines. Hong Kong's tech index jumped nearly three percent, with other giants also enjoying buying … [Read more...] about Asian markets track Wall St higher, tech fuels Hong Kong rally