Economic

A ceremony was held in Vientiane on March 20 to hand over the new National Assembly Building to the Lao legislature, which is a gift from the Vietnamese Party, State and people.

A scientific seminar was held in Dong Ha city in the central province of Quang Tri on March 19 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the victory of the Road 9 - Southern Laos campaign.

Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) has maintained the Government of Vietnam's long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings at Ba3 and changed the outlook to positive from negative.

Representatives from the Vietnam-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Development Association (VASEAN) have asked for stronger support from the Government and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc for the business community to overcome difficulties brought about by COVID-19 pandemic and recover and expand production, during a meeting with the PM in Hanoi on March 18.

Administrative reform has been thoroughly implemented at all levels and helped save more than 18 million working days each year, equivalent to over 6.3 trillion VND (274.32 million USD) of social expenditure, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has said.

National Assembly Chairwoman and head of the National Election Council Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a working session with the Steering Committee for Elections of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on March 16.

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.

Vietnam has been striving to improve its legal framework and policies on science and technology in order to boost productivity and economic competitiveness and make innovation a driver of growth.

A draft report on the work of the 14th National Assembly was at the centre of attention at the NA Standing Committee’s meeting on March 15, which highlighted the contribution of the legislature to the overall success of the country in the past tenure.

Vietnam is running for election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in the 2023-2025 tenure with a hope to contribute more to the world’s joint efforts to promote and protect human rights.

Nghe An province should work harder to attract major and strategic projects, thus creating remarkable changes, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told local key officials at a working session on March 14.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for international development partners, organisations and sponsors in Can Tho city on March 13 on the sidelines of the third Conference on Climate Resilient and Sustainable Development of Mekong River Delta of Vietnam.

Apparel, pharmaceuticals, supporting industries, and renewable energy count among the new driving forces for growth in Vietnam-India trade ties, Bui Trung Thuong, Chief of the Vietnam Trade Office in India, told a recent business forum in the Indian city of Chandigarh.

Many international organizations have forecast robust economic recovery for Vietnam in 2021.

The 54th session of the 14th National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee is slated for March 15 in Hanoi, with personnel matters high on the agenda.

Vietnam’s economy will grow 6.5 percent each year over the course of the next 10 years as the Government diversifies export markets and improves infrastructure, according to market researchers Fitch Solutions.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh held a virtual discussion on March 10 with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta, during which they agreed to promote the role of the two foreign ministries in bolstering cooperation between Vietnam and New Zealand.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 10 held talks via videoconference with his counterparts from Cambodia, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith.