Vietnam News Today (Feb. 19): Guangxi, Vietnamese Localities Boost Mutually Beneficial Ties
	Vietnam News Today (Feb. 20): Vietnam, Cuba Discuss Measures to Further Beef up Bilateral Cooperation

Party General Secretary To Lam (R) hosts a reception for Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam-Cuba relationship – a model for building a more united world: Cuban FM

The 65-year diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cuba stand as an exemplary model for building a more cooperative and united world, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla stressed in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporter as part of his official trip to Vietnam from February 18-20.

The Cuban diplomat said he has brought a message of brotherhood and friendship to the Southeast Asian country, extending Lunar New Year wishes to Vietnamese families for prosperity and well-being in the Year of the Snake.

According to the minister, the Cuban people have great affection for Vietnam, with children reading about the land of Annam, as great revolutionary José Martí called it, from their early age, and they call President Ho Chi Minh “Uncle Ho”.

During his packed schedule in Hanoi, the minister held productive meetings with Vietnam's top leaders, including Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. He said the events reinforced the special and enduring relationship between the two countries, with both sides noting significant progress in joint projects and committing to accelerating cooperation across the domains of culture, science, politics, and economy, among others.

Reflecting on his previous visits to Vietnam in 1988, 2012, 2014, and 2018, Bruno Parrilla expressed his admiration for Vietnam's comprehensive development, progress in building socialism, and strong economic growth. He noted that Vietnam's development model provides important references for Cuba, particularly regarding its ambitious plans to build a developed socialist economy in the coming decades.

As with all his visits to Vietnam, he paid respects to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum. This time, he also visited the late Vietnamese leader’s house, drawing inspiration from his teachings that continue to guide Cuba's socialist development, cited VNA.

The minister emphasized that both nations can contribute to transforming the current international order, which he described as unjust, lacking solidarity, and environmentally unsustainable. The two countries can make contributions to the development of a multilateral world based on international law.

Looking ahead, Bruno Parrilla laid stress on the importance of maintaining support for each other, particularly when Cuba is facing formidable challenges, suggesting the two sides complement each other's development through their respective strengths and advantages.

The minister said it is necessary to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels and via the Party, State, Government channels as well as social organisations. He highlighted the need to nurture the fraternal relationship – a legacy of President Ho Chi Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, ensuring that future generations in both countries carry forward the sentiments of love, respect, and admiration that have characterised this special friendship for over six decades.

Foreign visitors show interest in Vietnam as searches for travel rise significantly

International visitors are showing an increasing interest in Vietnam as searches for travel to the Southeast Asian nation have increased significantly since the beginning of 2025, according to Google Destination Insights.

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism cited data from Google Destination Insights, saying international searches for tourist accommodations in Vietnam increased by 15-30% from late November 2024 to the end of January 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year.

Notably, the first half of February 2025 saw such international searches rise 30-45%.

The top markets searching for travel to Vietnam include the United States, Australia, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and Malaysia. These are also Vietnam’s key tourism markets in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.

Australia and India ranked as the second and third largest markets in terms of search volume, indicating significant potential and room for further growth.

The most searched destinations in Vietnam by international travelers include Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Da Lat, Phan Thiet, Hue, and Vung Tau, according to VOV.

Da Nang hosts a welcoming ceremony for foreign visitors at Tien Sa port in early 2025.

This surge reflects a growing trend of international tourists considering Vietnam as an attractive destination. Travel companies such as Kuoni and Thomas Cook have reported a significant increase in demand for long-haul travel, with Vietnam being one of the most popular destinations, alongside the Maldives, Thailand, Antigua, and South Africa. Kuoni reported a 14% increase in bookings compared to last year, while Thomas Cook saw a 10% rise.

Statistics show, Vietnam welcomed nearly 2.1 million international visitors in January 2025, an 18.5% increase from the previous month and a 36.9% rise compared to January 2024. This marks a new record for the country’s tourism industry that surpassed the nearly 2 million international visitors documented in January 2020.

This growth highlights the effectiveness of Vietnam’s relaxed visa policies, strategic tourism promotions, and diverse travel experiences, which continue to attract international visitors.

On January 15, the Vietnamese government issued a Resolution, granting visa exemptions under the 2025 Tourism Promotion Programme for citizens of Poland, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. This policy is expected to provide a significant boost in attracting international visitors from these three European markets to Vietnam this year.

In 2025, the local tourism industry has set an ambitious goal of attracting 22-23 million international visitors, serving 120-130 million domestic tourists, and earning approximately US$39-42 billion from tourism services.

Korean firms plan to expand investment in Vietnam

As of January 2025, investors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) have poured 92 billion USD into Vietnam, ranking first among countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation, statistics showed.

The RoK’s registered investment in Vietnam hit 1.25 billion USD in January alone, much higher than the figure of 93.46 million recorded in January last year.

SK Group, the second-largest conglomerate in the RoK, has planned to invest in three LNG-fueled power projects in Vietnam, aiming to develop a new energy hub integrating artificial intelligence development, hydrogen, logistics, eco-friendly agriculture, and innovation in the Southeast Asian nation.

In meetings with Party General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last week, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae Won said his firm is actively seeking opportunities to enhance support for and cooperation with Vietnam to promote long-term, sustainable economic growth.

SK has already invested around 3.5 billion USD in Vietnam. However, most of the sum is indirect investment, involving equity purchases worth hundreds of millions to over a billion USD in major companies such as Vingroup, Masan, Pharmacity, and Imexpharm.

The Ecovance high-tech biodegradable materials plant in the northern port city of Hai Phong is the first direct investment project of SK in Vietnam. SK is investing in the project through a subsidiary at the DEEP C Industrial Park, with a total investment of 500 million USD. The project targets the rapidly growing global biodegradable materials market.

Chey stated SK considers Vietnam a priority partner in its investment strategy in the coming time, adding the firm is eager to participate in Vietnam’s green transition, especially in energy and industry, thus contributing to the Southeast Asian nation's goal of cutting emissions to net zero by 2050.

Meanwhile, Samsung Display of the RoK has been approved to inject an additional 1.2 billion USD into its existing next-generation display manufacturing plant in the northern province of Bac Ninh. This investment aims to establish Vietnam as a key production hub for Samsung’s next-generation displays, reported VNA.

Samsung will expand its investment to new sectors in Vietnam. - Illustrative image (Photo: baodautu.vn)

In a recent meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, General Director of Samsung Vietnam Choi Joo Ho, and his successor, Na Ki Hong, stated that, in addition to its traditional investment areas, Samsung will expand its investments in Vietnam into new sectors.

Samsung has invested over 23 billion USD in Vietnam, and continues to inject billions of USD annually. With its new plans, more billion-USD projects are likely to be added to Samsung’s investment portfolio in the Southeast Asian nation.

Besides Samsung, LG has also been steadily increasing its investments in Vietnam. Last year, the Korean conglomerate poured billions of USD into the LG Display project in Hai Phong. Looking ahead, LG plans to further expand its investments in the country.

Other giants such as Hyosung, Amkor, and Hana Micron are also looking to expand their investment and business in Vietnam.

After investing 520 million USD, Amkor decided to inject an additional 1.07 billion USD into its plant in Bac Ninh, 11 years ahead of its schedule. Recent reports indicate that Amkor's plant is expected to triple its production capacity in the near future.

Vietnam and Canada discuss defense cooperation in Hanoi

Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam Hoang Xuan Chien and his Canadian counterpart Stefanie Beck reviewed defense cooperation between the two countries while co-chairing the third Vietnam-Canada Defense Policy Dialogue in Hanoi on February 20.

Senior Lieutenant General Chien congratulated Beck on her appointment as Deputy Minister of National Defense of Canada, and expressed his confidence that, in her new position, Beck would make significant contributions to further promoting the Vietnam-Canada Comprehensive Partnership in general and defense cooperation in particular, for the benefit of both countries and their militaries, as well as for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world at large.

Sen. Lieu. Gen. Chien emphasized that bilateral defense cooperation has been constantly and actively deployed by both sides in accordance with signed agreements, particularly since the second Defense Policy Dialogue in September 2023, in line with the needs and capabilities of each side and yielding concrete results, especially in the exchange of delegations at various levels.

Dialogue and consultation mechanisms have been effectively maintained. Other areas of cooperation, such as training, United Nations peacekeeping, defense industry, war aftermath mitigation, and border management, have also been actively promoted. In addition, both sides have coordinated and supported each other in international multilateral mechanisms and forums.

Moving forward, Sen. Lieu. Gen. Chien suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen cooperation and effectively implement key areas, such as maintaining meetings and delegation exchanges at all levels, sustaining the established dialogue and consultation mechanisms, enhancing training cooperation, and sharing experiences. He underscored the need for both sides to enhance cooperation in improving the capacity of Vietnam’s UN peacekeeping forces, developing the defense industry, addressing war consequences, and managing borders.

On this occasion, Chien affirmed that the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam supports Canada’s bid to join the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) based on ASEAN’s consensus.

Beck for her part appreciated the positive outcomes achieved in Vietnam-Canada defense cooperation in recent times. She hoped that bilateral defense cooperation would be further promoted in the future based on the agreed-upon areas to make it more substantive and effective.

During the event, both sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, cited VOV.

Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam Hoang Xuan Chien and his Canadian counterpart Stefanie Beck co-chair the third Vietnam-Canada Defense Policy Dialogue in Hanoi on February 20.

Sen. Lieu. Gen. Chien emphasized Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, as well as multilateralization and diversification of external relations.

Vietnam is willing to cooperate with other countries and international organizations for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, while remaining steadfast in resolving all disputes and differences through peaceful means in line with international law, he said.

Regarding the East Sea issue, he held that Vietnam’s consistent position is to comply with international customs and laws, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Vietnam also supports adherence to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and aims to expedite the conclusion and signing of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the sea (COC).

The two sides signed the minutes of the third Vietnam-Canada Defense Policy Dialogue at the end of the meeting.

Northern Vietnam prepares for harsh cold spell with rain and frost

A strong cold wave is set to impact northern and central Vietnam over the next ten days, bringing prolonged rain and bitterly cold temperatures. Experts predict severe cold spells and unseasonal showers in the south.

A series of cold waves will continue to intensify over the next ten days (February 20 – March 1), bringing widespread rain and plunging temperatures across northern and central Vietnam. The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting predicts severe cold spells in the north, with occasional heavy rainfall expected in the central and southern regions, VNN reported.

According to meteorologists, a continental high-pressure system (cold air mass) will weaken slightly before shifting eastward and transforming. However, from February 22-23, another strong cold front is expected to arrive, maintaining its intensity for several days before gradually weakening.

Northern Vietnam is set to experience a strong cold wave, with freezing temperatures and steady rain. (Photo: Minh Hien)

At higher altitudes, a westerly jet stream will continue to affect northern Vietnam, with a westward trough forming around February 25-26. Meanwhile, the subtropical high-pressure system is expected to extend westward, causing atmospheric disturbances over central Vietnam by February 25.

Harsh weather conditions expected across Vietnam

Due to these atmospheric changes, Vietnam will experience a series of significant weather fluctuations. Persistent cold rain will affect northern and central regions, while unseasonal thunderstorms are forecast for the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam.

Northern Vietnam (February 20-21): Light rain, drizzle, and fog are expected. In the northwest, only isolated showers are forecast, with mist in the early morning and sunny spells in the afternoon.

February 22-24: Scattered rain will continue across the north.

February 25-26: Showers and thunderstorms are expected, followed by a decrease in rainfall. The cold will intensify, with mountainous regions experiencing severe cold waves and possible frost.

Severe temperature drop in Lang Son

Lang Son province, one of the areas most affected by the cold snap, will see a sharp drop in temperatures beginning February 23. By February 24-25, temperatures will plunge to 8-9°C, with daytime highs struggling to reach 11-12°C.

North-central Vietnam (February 20-21): Light rain and mist in the morning.

February 22-24: Scattered rain expected.

February 25-26: Rain and thunderstorms will develop before gradually easing. Cold conditions will persist.

In central and south-central Vietnam, consistent rainfall is expected in the coming days:

February 20-21: Scattered showers.

February 22-25: Moderate to heavy rainfall, with localized downpours and thunderstorms.

Post-February 25: Rainfall will decrease.

Meanwhile, the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam will experience scattered showers and thunderstorms, with unseasonal rain likely around February 22-23.

Weather outlook for Hanoi

Hanoi will continue to experience light rain and drizzle in the coming days.

February 20-21: Overcast skies with light rain, drizzle, and fog. Cold temperatures throughout the day.

February 22-24: Persistent light rain.

February 25-26: Rain showers and thunderstorms, followed by drier conditions.

Meteorologists also forecast that in March, cold air activity will be near the historical average, with a continental high-pressure system extending eastward. This pattern will cause prolonged periods of drizzle and fog in northern Vietnam. By April 2025, cold fronts will weaken, leading to a gradual increase in temperatures.

Additionally, meteorologists predict that the hot season in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam will begin later than usual in March, with fewer scorching days compared to 2024.

Meanwhile, in northern and central Vietnam, hot spells will primarily affect the northwest and central coastal regions but are expected to be less intense than last year.

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