President pays pre-Christmas visit to Hue Archdiocese
President Vo Van Thuong on December 14 visited the Archdiocese of Hue in central province of Thua Thien-Hue on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas and New Year.
President Vo Van Thuong (third, left) presents a gift to Archbishop Nguyen Chi Linh. (Photo: VNA)
Thua Thien - Hue (VNA) – President VoVan Thuong on December 14 visited the Archdiocese of Hue in central province ofThua Thien-Hue on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas and New Year.
The President wished Archbishop Nguyen Chi Linh, Catholicdignitaries and followers there a merry Christmas and happy New Year.
He briefed them on the country’s situation in 2023,and attributed such socio-economic achievements to contributions by theCatholic community, saying they have responded to patriotic emulation movementslaunched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other organisations and played an activerole in local production.
The Party and the State are always consistent intheir policy of respecting and ensuring people's right to freedom of belief andreligion, and pay attention to perfecting regulations and institutions towardsreligious communities, he affirmed.
Highlighting the great national solidarity as a valuable tradition of Vietnam, a strategic policy of the Party, and a rootof national strength, Thuong called for solidarity among Vietnamese, both religiousand non-religious, and at home and abroad, and between Vietnamese andpeace-loving people worldwide in order to create an environment of peace anddevelopment for the nation.
President Vo Van Thuong pays a pre-Christmas visit to the Hue Archdiocese. (Photo: VNA)
The President noted his hope that Archbishop Linh willcontinue to encourage the Catholic community in Hue to lead a good secular andreligious life to make more contributions to national construction.
For his part, Archbishop Linh spoke highly of overseas trips byPresident Thuong in the year, saying they have significantly contributed toraising Vietnam’s position in the international arena.
Recalling Thuong’s trip to the Vatican in July,where he met with Pope Francis, he said it has opened up a new page full ofoptimism and prospects for the relations between Vietnam and the Vatican.
The Archbishop also expressed his hope for furthersupport from agencies for activities of the Archdiocese in the time ahead./.
Pope Francis, head of the Holy See, wished the leaders and people of Vietnam a merry Christmas and a happy New Year while meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung at the Christmas Mass recently held in St. Peter's Basilica.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), on November 27 visited and presented gifts to a number of Vietnamese intellectuals in Connecticut state of the US on the occasion of Christmas and New Year.
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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.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
President Vo Van Thuong (third, left) presents a gift to Archbishop Nguyen Chi Linh. (Photo: VNA) 
President Vo Van Thuong pays a pre-Christmas visit to the Hue Archdiocese. (Photo: VNA) 
