Vietnam News Today (January 21): Hanoi’s police begin task of ensuring security for National Party Congress
	Vietnam News Today (January 20): Nearly 1,600 delegates to attend 13th National Party Congress
	Vietnam News Today (January 19): Nearly 100 foreign correspondents to cover Vietnam Party Congress online

Vietnam sends congratulations to new US President

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on January 21 congratulated Joseph R. Biden Jr. on becoming the 46th President of the US, VOV reported.

In their congratulations, the Vietnamese leaders expressed their confidence that the new US President and his administration will reap plenty of new achievements for prosperous development and happiness of the US and its people, as well as go ahead with positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the world.

On the basis of Vietnam-US relations built over the last 25 years, and good sentiments of President Biden toward Vietnam, the relationship between the two nations will continue to grow and flourish in a result-oriented, effective and sustainable manner.

On the same day, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh extended congratulations to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the US on January 20 (local time).

Vietnam attends ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on January 21 led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the online ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Brunei Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof.

It was the first activity of the bloc this year to discuss orientations and priorities for 2021 as well as regional and global issues of shared concern. Representatives from participating countries congratulated Vietnam on successfully accomplishing its tenure as ASEAN Chair 2020, including leading the bloc in maintaining dialogues and timely and effective response to unprecedented challenges.

They agreed to effectively realise reached priorities, initiatives and cooperation programmes, including accelerating the building of the ASEAN Community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also expressed support to the Brunei’s theme of ASEAN Chairmanship 2021 “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”.

Speaking at the event, Minh vowed to work closely with Brunei and other ASEAN member states to fulfill the targets and priorities set for the ASEAN Year 2021, according to VNA.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh at the event (Photo: VNA)

As ASEAN Chair, Brunei proposed priorities and initiatives for ASEAN in 2021, including building a comprehensive approach to promoting multilateral cooperation, building a rules-based regional architecture, coping with contingencies and disasters, providing spiritual health care for the public, and encouraging the role and contribution of the youth to common peace and prosperity.

Participants agreed to prioritise strengthening solidarity and economic connectivity, promoting internal trade and investment, completing a comprehensive plan to tap achievements brought about by the fourth industrial revolution, and upholding multilateral mechanisms to address challenges faced by the region and the world.

PM Phuc holds phone talks with Aussie counterpart

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian counterpart Scott Morrison discuss on bilateral ties and regional and international issues of shared concerns over the phone on Thursday. PM Morrison congratulated Viet Nam on its outstanding achievements in 2020 and becoming a role model in COVID-19 pandemic control in the world.

He expressed his belief that the Southeast Asian country will successfully organize the 13^th National Party Congress.

Morrison expects both countries will upgrade the bilateral ties to strategic partnership level in 2023 on the occasion of the 50^th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Meanwhile, PM Phuc suggested both sides would soon complete talks on and sign the Viet Nam-Austria Enhance Economic Engagement Strategy (EES) and fully tap opportunities from the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in order to further foster bilateral trade.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison walk from the Presidential Palace to the Government Headquarters for their summit meeting on the morning of August 23, 2019 on the occasion of the latter's official visit to Viet Nam. Photo: VGP

He asked the Australian side to continue technical assistance for and further open up market for Vietnamese farm produce such as shrimp, star apple, longan among others while encouraging its businesses to pour investments in such fields like telecommunication, infrastructure, high-tech agriculture, finance-banking, energy, manufacturing, education and tourism.

The two PMs affirmed that the friendship, mutual understanding and trust constitute a strong driving force for both countries to further advance bilateral cooperation in an increasingly effective and extensive manner.

The pair agreed to work together to broaden and deepen the ASEAN-Australia strategic partnership, as reported by VGP.

Indian communists admire Vietnam’s achievements, says Party leader

Talking to a VOV correspondent in New Delhi, D. Raja said under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnam has effectively adapted to global changes with reasonable approaches and measures, but has persisted in its own line.

He noted the Southeast Asian nation has inspired the whole world with the fight against COVID-19, and this demonstrates that a socialist state can make an important change to public health and well-being of all people.

This is a success story of Vietnam that the Communist Party of India and Indian people admire, said Raja.

According to the official, the Communist Party of Vietnam has shown the persistence and consistency in its approach to the socialist economy despite global political and economic changes, especially toward the unipolar trend.

He hailed the important achievements that Vietnam has made in implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process over more than three decades that helped significantly improve its people’s living conditions and elevate the country’s position both regionally and globally.

The official also spoke highly of the close bond between Vietnam and India, as well as between the two countries’ Communist Parties, and wished the upcoming 13th national congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam a great success, according to VOV.

Two U.S. returnees take patient tally to 1,546

Two Vietnamese men repatriated from the U.S. were confirmed the latest cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the patient tally to 1,546.

Both of them are natives of Ho Chi Minh City and aged 54 and 66, VGP said.

(Photo: VNE)

They flew from the U.S. to the Republic of Korea and then took flight VN441 to the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on January 1.

The patients are being treated at the provincial-level General Hospital in Phu Yen Province. The same day, five more patients were declared free of the virus, raising the total recoveries to 1,411.

Viet Nam has gone 51 days without a single community infection thanks to its effective containment measures.

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