Gov’t seeks ways to contain COVID-19 outbreaks, care for people during Tet
The Government convened its monthly meeting on February 2 under the chair of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, with the latest COVID-19 outbreak right ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday (Tet) among issues high on the agenda.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) speaks at the Government meeting on February 2 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Governmentconvened its monthly meeting on February 2 under the chair of Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc, with the latest COVID-19 outbreak right ahead of the LunarNew Year holiday (Tet) among issues high on the agenda.
In his opening remarks, PM Phuc said the meetingfollowed the successful organisation of the 13th National Party Congress, whichadopted many important documents of the Party, creating the foundation forfurther national development in the time ahead.
Talking about new COVID-19 outbreaks, he noted271 locally-infected cases have been recorded in 10 provinces and cities nationwidesince January 27, adding that the Government, the National Steering Committeefor COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health, and localitieshave taken concerted and drastic action to respond to the pandemic.
Although there remain certain complexdevelopments, the outbreaks have been basically brought under control, he said,asking Government members to deliberate the allocation of COVID-19 vaccine topeople right in the first quarter of 2021.
Telling officials to discuss governing measuresin the face of the new coronavirus outbreaks’ impacts on the economy, PM Phucemphasised the importance of capitalising on opportunities and creating a morefavourable environment to attract both domestic and foreign investment,particularly from tech firms like Foxconn, and encourage others such as Inteland Samsung to expand their projects.
The Government meeting in Hanoi on February 2 (Photo: VNA)
He requested the promotion of “three neweconomic spaces”: the domestic economy with a market of nearly 100 millionpeople, the international economy with a number of free trade agreementssigned, and the digital economy.
Data from the General Statistics Office (GSO)showed that the economy continued recovering in January, which can be seen mostclearly in industrial production - up 22.2 percent from a year earlier,especially over 27 percent in the processing - manufacturing industry.
Retail sales and consumer service revenue alsoincreased 3.7 percent month-on-month and 6.4 percent year-on-year to 479.9trillion VND (20.8 billion USD).
Other figures also revealed improvements in theeconomy compared to the same period last year. Trade revenue in January grew45.2 percent to about 53.9 billion USD. That included 27 billion USD inexports, up 46.7 percent, and 26.9 billion USD in imports, up 43.7 percent,resulting in a trade surplus of 100 million USD.
During its meeting, the Government looked intothe preparations for Tet, the proposed law and ordinance making programme for2022 and revisions to the law and ordinance making programme for 2021, and someother issues./.
Vietnam’s goods exports valued at 27.7 billion USD, up 0.2 percent from the previous month and 50.5 percent from the same period last year, according to the latest data unveiled by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO).
Total retail sales of goods and revenue from consumer services in January are estimated at 479.9 trillion VND (nearly 20.77 billion USD), up 3.7 percent month-on-month and 6.4 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
Authorities in Hanoi have ordered the temporary closure of online game and internet shops from February 2 early morning, as part of the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the city, according to Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung.
The just-concluded 13th National Party Congress went smoothly despite fresh COVID-19 outbreaks, bringing about confidence, and it can be viewed as an initial success, Vu Minh Khuong, an associate professor at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, told Vietnam News Agency.
Czech newspaper Halo Noviny on February 1 published an article on Vietnam’s development vision, as well as the achievements the country has recorded over the past five years.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee is scheduled to convene its 48th session on August 11-13, with August 14-15 set as a backup date, according to the NA Office.
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Brazil and Bolivia Bui Van Nghi has led an embassy delegation to attend official events marking the 200th anniversary of Bolivia’s Independence Day.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with members of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) and Vietnamese experts living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
In an interview with Korean media on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the RoK, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s strong resolve to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the RoK, with the aim of fostering greater political trust, closer strategic coordination, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation, and stronger bonds of friendship between the two countries' people.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government Party Committee, attended the 4th Party Congress of the EVN Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 tenure on August 10, directing EVN to ensure power supply to meet the country’s development demands with double-digit growth set for the coming years.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) speaks at the Government meeting on February 2 (Photo: VNA) 
The Government meeting in Hanoi on February 2 (Photo: VNA) 
