PM chairs conference on social housing development
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a conference on August 1 to discuss measures to expand social housing facilities for workers and low-income earners.
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhchaired a conference on August 1 to discuss measures to expand social housing facilitiesfor workers and low-income earners.
He underlined that the Party andState have designed various housing policies at a hope to give better care for workersand low-income earners.
Currently, 7.8 million sq.m of social houses have been underconstruction, he noted, but pointing that the figure has yet to meet the goaland it has satisfied only part of people’s demands. The requirement for more housesfor workers and low-income earners is urgent, he stressed.
The Government leader expressed his hope that through the conference,leaders of ministries, sectors, localities and construction businesses will clarifyshortcomings and difficulties during the social housing development, finding the reasons and giving solutions.
According to Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, todate, 301 social housing projects in urban areas have been completed with about 155,800 apartments. Meanwhile, 401 other projects with about454,360 apartments that have total area of about 22.71 million sq.m areunderway.
Nghi said that social housing development is facing various difficulties in legal regulations, including the investment,selling-purchase procedures, price determination as well asincentives for investors.
The official underscored that the development of houses forworkers is one of the important parts of socio-economic development, meetingworkers’ demands for affordable houses.
The ministry aims to complete all projects that have beenlaunched and those with investment procedures being finalised by 2025, andcontinue to conduct new ones, he said, highlighting the goal to finish theconstruction of 1 million social apartments for workers in industrial parks./.
State-owned Viglacera Corporation on February 8 broke ground on a 250-ha industrial park and a 2,000-unit housing project for factory workers and experts in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
Two 12-storey dormitories for factory workers are under development in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, capable of accommodating more than 1,000 people.
Social housing projects that developers were hesitant to invest in due to capped profit suddenly gained traction as giant developers recently announced plans to step into the segment.
Ho Chi Minh City expects to build about 35,000 social housing units with 2.5 million square metres of floor space in 2021-2025, and nearly 58,000 units with a floor space of 4.08 million square metres by 2030.
Hanoi is advancing green transportation as part of its sustainability goals but faces challenges like limited charging infrastructure, inconsistent regulations, and high electric vehicle costs.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
An overview of the conference (Photo: VNA) 
