PM hosts Vietnam-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Development Association delegation
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for representatives from the Vietnam-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Development Association (VASEAN) in Hanoi on March 18.
Speaking at the meeting, PM Phuc noted that Vietnam has signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), opening massive space for cooperation. Meanwhile, the country has ensured a stable macroeconomic situation and the people’s living conditions, he said, adding that the country’s higher position, stable socio-economic situation and people’s solidarity are all good conditions for businesses.
The PM stressed the significance of promoting ties with ASEAN countries, especially in economy, asserting that this greatly depends on the dynamism of businesses. Last year, Vietnam successfully hosted the ASEAN Summit, he said, adding that cooperation opportunities with the association remain abundant. The PM also showed his hope that VASEAN members will help connect Vietnam and partners in ASEAN region and the rest of the world.
Vietnamese-funded new National Assembly Building handed over to Laos
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Vietnamese-funded new National Assembly Building handed over to Laos (Photo: VNA)
A ceremony was held in Vientiane on March 20 to hand over the new National Assembly Building to the Lao legislature, as a gift from the Vietnamese Party, State and people.
The Lao NA Building, constructed at a cost of over US$111 million, will be the venue for meetings of the Lao NA and important ceremonies. It will also serve cultural tours and research trips of the people, students and tourists.
The building is a meaningful gift and a symbol of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Vietnam maintains positive outlook for economic recovery in 2021: WB
The rapid suppression of the new COVID-19 outbreak in late January 2021 has helped maintain Vietnam’s positive outlook for economic recovery this year, the World Bank (WB) has said.
In its latest Vietnam Macro Monitoring report, the WB said, looking ahead, special attention should be paid to how the COVID-19 vaccinations will be rolled out domestically and globally as they will impact the pace of Vietnam’s economic growth. Further fiscal and monetary policy interventions may be required to support recovery of private demand.
According to the WB, the Vietnamese government quickly introduced strict but targeted measures to suppress this new outbreak of COVID-19 in Hai Duong, the epicentre, including during the Tet holidays.
As a result, the number of new cases started decreasing, and restrictions were partly eased in the second half of the month.
Moody's upgrades unsecured ratings of 15 Vietnamese banks
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Transactions at a branch of Vietcombank (Photo: VNA)
Moody's Investors Service has affirmed the long-term local and foreign currency deposit ratings and senior unsecured ratings of 15 Vietnamese banks at Ba3 positive.
At the same time, Moody's also revised the outlook for the long-term local and foreign currency deposit and issuer ratings of five banks to positive from negative, four banks to positive from stable, and six banks to stable from negative.
The rating actions followed Moody's affirmation of Vietnam's Ba3 issuer rating and the change in the outlook to positive from negative.
The 15 banks are An Binh Bank, ACB, HDBank, Vietcombank, BIDV, Lien Viet Post Bank, MB, OCB, SeABank, TPBank, Agribank, VIB, VietinBank, VPBank and Techcombank.
Vietnam jumps four places to rank 79th in World Happiness Report 2021
Vietnam has moved up four places to rank 79th in the United Nations-sponsored World Happiness Report 2021, which was released on March 19.
The country has even surpassed China, ranked 84th, and other Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia (81st) and Myanmar (126th) in the report.
The World Happiness Report 2021 focuses on the effects of COVID-19 and how people all over the world have fared.
Top five countries in the happiness ranking are dominated by European nations, comprising Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and the Netherlands. New Zealand is the only country outside Europe to be included in the top ten, claiming the ninth position.
Vietnamese photographer award at international contest
Nhung Thien Than Tay Nguyen (The Angels of the Central Highlands) by Ninh Manh Thang.
A photo by Vietnamese photographer Ninh Manh Thang has won a gold medal in the child category of the Three Country Grand Circuit 2020 international photo contest.
The black-and-white photo, entitled Nhung Thien Than Tay Nguyen (The Angels of the Central Highlands), depicts children in the Central Highlands of Vietnam under the protecting arms of a village chief. It was taken in 2020. The theme behind the image is to send a message on the need to protect children to secure a brighter future, the photographer revealed.
The Three Country Grand Circuit 2020 photo contest was organised by Ireland, Montenegro and Serbia and sponsored by the Photographic Society of America (PSA). This year's contest, the sixth of its kind, was open to both amateur and professional photographers worldwide and consists of 12 sections, all of which are digital.
Statue of Pushkin unveiled in Hanoi
A 2.1-metre-tall bronze statue of famous Russian poet Alexandre Sergeievich Pushkin has been unveiled at Hoa Binh Park in Hanoi’s Bac Tu Liem District by the municipal People’s Committee and the Embassy of Russia in Vietnam.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Patrushev Nikolai Platonovich said that the statue manifests the determination of Vietnam and Russia to further deepen the coordination and cooperation between the two sides.
Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vasilievich Vnukov, for his part, said the 1.5-tonne statue is a present from the Russian Writers’ Association to the government and people of Hanoi, following an initiative implemented by the Embassy of Russia since 2016. The unveiling ceremony demonstrates the strong friendship between the two countries, he said.
IT museum inaugurated in Quang Trung Software Park
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Visitors at the Quang Trung Software Park IT Museum (Photo: VNA)
The Quang Trung Software Park in Ho Chi Minh City has inaugurated a museum to exhibit the IT products and solutions created there over the past two decades.
Covering 220 square metres and built at a cost of VND5 billion (US$217,000), the museum features pictures and other objects related to the 20-year development of the software park.
It will also be a place to introduce and demonstrate new technological solutions developed by firms based in the software park. Those on display include a monitoring and operation system of the park, solutions for digital transformation, and solutions and applications in education, healthcare and life, among others.
The museum also has a special section for visitors to experience new technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality, robotics, 3D printing, and big data.
