- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered competent sides to accelerateconstruction of key transport projects in 2024 to create new development spacewhile chairing the 9th session of the Steering Committee for Key NationalTransport Projects on February 16.
The hybrid-form meeting was connected to 46 provinces and centrally-run citieswhere the projects run through.
- A delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by DeputyDirector and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Su That (Truth) National PoliticalPublishing House Vo Van Be, attended the second International Meeting ofTheoretical Publications of Left Parties and Movements, in Havana, Cuba fromFebruary 12-14.
Addressing the plenary and thematic sessions, the CPV delegation affirmed theneed to strengthen solidarity and unity amid diversity among internationalleft-wing parties and movements.
- The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on February 16 held amemorial service in Hanoi for US peace activist Merle Evelyn Ratner, a closefriend of Vietnam, who passed away earlier this month.
The event was connected with many sites in the US, with the participation ofrepresentatives from Vietnamese ministries, agencies and organisations, and theactivist’s friends.
- Export activities bustled on the first workday after the Lunar New Year (Tet)holiday on February 15 with many batches of goods departing for foreign marketssuch as the US, the EU and Australia.
In Long An international port, 15,000 tonnes of plastic beads left the port forEurope on the day. Meanwhile, two containers with about 18 tonnes of coffeebranded Meet More each were sent to Australia.
- The State Bank of Vietnam has issued a directive urging credit institutionsto accelerate credit growth from the early months of 2024, a pivotal steptoward propelling economic growth.
Accordingly, credit should be directed toward priority sectors and economicengines in line with the Government and Prime Minister's guidelines. Meanwhile,credit in potentially risky areas should be closely controlled, thus ensuringsafe and effective credit operations.
- Money sent from Asian countries made up 50.5% of the total overseasremittances to Ho Chi Minh City last year, Vietnam’s largest economic hub, amassive 143.8% spike year-on-year, according to the State Bank of Vietnam(SBV)’s branch in the city.
Inward remittances to HCM City rose 43.3% year-on-year to 9.46 billion USD in2023, a record high over the past decade and accounting for more than half ofthe national total.
- The northern border province of Quang Ninh, home to UNESCO-recognised WorldNatural Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, plans to put 62 new tourism products intooperation in 2024 to increase experiences, extend the length of stay, andpromote the spending of visitors.
Specifically, there will be 11 products in the Ha Long Bay – Bai Tu Long Bayarea, such as boat services from Ha Long to Bai Tu Long, water games, andtraditional boat race.
- Vietnam’s sweet and sour soup and clay-pot caramelised fish have respectivelyranked 11th and 44th in a list of 53 best Asian fish dishes by cuisine magazineTasteAtlas.
- Vietnam drop 11 spots to the 105th in FIFA February global ranking followingtheir poor performance at the recent AFC Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar, according tothe Vietnam Football Federation.
The 2-4 loss toJapan, 0-1 to Indonesia, and 2-3 to Iraq at the tournament saw Vietnam forfeit41 points and fall out of the top 100. ./.
VNA
