Vietnam news today (January 11): Salt-making named a national treasure
	Vietnam News Today (January 10): Shrimp exporters bring home 3.85 billion USD in 2020
	Vietnam news today (January 9): Procuracy sector urged to pay more heed to new corruption cases

Vietnam to further promote foreign relations in 2021

Vietnam will continue to develop stable, sustainable and substantial relations with neighbouring countries, major powers, important partners, and traditional friends in 2021, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has said.

To realize the task, the diplomatic sector will continue to effectively implement the Party’s foreign policy by bringing into full play its key pillars of economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy coupled with overseas Vietnamese affairs, Minh told a conference in Hanoi on January 11 to review the Foreign Ministry’s performance in 2020 and outline orientations in 2021.

Alongside promoting multilateral diplomacy, he said the sector will closely monitor and persist in the ongoing fight to firmly defend the sovereignty over national sea and islands, and legitimate interests of the country in the East Sea, while timely addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

Minh reminded the sector to effectively implement overseas Vietnamese affairs, including citizen protection and communications, as well as promote cultural and people-to-people diplomacy.

The conference agreed that despite the rapid and complicated developments of the regional and global geopolitical landscape, Vietnam’s diplomatic sector rationally addressed challenges, seized opportunities, and made important gains in 2020, VOV reported.

Top leader congratulates newly-elected General Secretary of Workers' Party of Korea

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President Nguyen Phu Trong has sent a message of congratulations to newly-elected General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea Kim Jong Un. ​

Kim Jong Un was elected as the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea at its 8th national congress which took place from January 5-10.

The Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee also cabled a congratulatory message to the 8th National Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, as reported by VNA.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) welcomes the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, at a banquet on March 1, 2019 (Photo: VNA)

NA Standing Committee opens 52nd sitting

The National Assembly (NA)’s Standing Committee convened the 52nd session on November 11 under the chair of NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

In her opening remarks, Ngan said that the first sitting of 2021 will focus discussions on preparations for the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure.

Several draft reports on the work of the State President, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuracy, and the State Audit of Vietnam during their term of office in 2016-2021 will also be tabled for consideration.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan speaks at the session (Photo: VNA)

The NA Standing Committee is expected to debate a number of proposals, including the change of investment form for several components in the Eastern North-South Expressway project from 2017-2020, the financial settlement solution for the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group when paying for the price subsidy in the product consumption of the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC as committed by the Government.

It will also hear Government reports on the enforcement of Item 22, Article 4 of the Law on Public Investment, and make a decision on the administrative boundary adjustment of several commune-level administrative units in Dak Nong, Binh Dinh, Bac Ninh and Hoa Binh provinces, according to VNA.

Polish expert becomes latest case of COVID-19 in VN

A Polish man was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on Monday, raising the patient tally to 1,515.

As reported by VGP, the man, aged 57, flew from Qatar to Ho Chi Minh City on January 9 on flight QR970.

He is being treated at the city’s Cu Chi field hospital.

Of the patient tally, 1,361 have recovered and exited hospitals while 35 others have been reported dead.

Due to the detection of new COVID-19 variants in various countries, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered subordinate levels to minimize inbound flights until the Lunar New Year holiday.

All inbound flights, if any, must be agreed upon by four ministries, namely the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Transport, before reporting to the Government chief for consideration and decision, the Government chief emphasized.

A Vietnamese medical staff (Photo: RMIT University)

Longest road tunnel in Southeast Asia opens to traffic

The Hai Van Tunnel 2 in central Viet Nam opened to traffic on November 11 after more than four years of construction.

The 6.29 km tunnel connecting Thua Thien-Hue Province with central city of Da Nang is the longest road tunnel in Southeast Asia and helps reduce traffic pressure on Hai Van Road Tunnel 1.

The new two-lane tunnel runs alongside Tunnel 1 on National Highway 1A as part of Hai Van Pass, which rises 500 meters above sea.

The inauguration ceremony of Hai Van Tunnel 2 (Photo: VG)

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the new tunnel, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said this is a major and complicated project but Vietnamese investors and contractors have showcased in full their competence and technical prowess.

The new tunnel will contribute to promoting socio-economic development in the central region and connectivity between the region and the surrounding areas, especially the Central Highlands, VGP said.

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