Vigilance must be enhanced against variant Omicron: PM
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 10 requested increased vigilance as the COVID-19 pandemic continues developing complicatedly, with the appearance of the new and more contagious variant Omicron in many countries around the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at online meeting between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with the steering committees of 63 provinces and cities (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 10 requestedincreased vigilance as the COVID-19 pandemic continues developingcomplicatedly, with the appearance of the new and more contagious variantOmicron in many countries around the world.
Speaking at an online meeting between the National SteeringCommittee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with the steering committees of63 provinces and cities, PM Chinh, who is head of the national steeringcommittee, required extra efforts to reduce the numbers of new cases, severecases, and fatalities.
He asked localities to continue implementing the Government’sResolution 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 on safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic. No locality is allowed to issueregulations contrary to those by the upper level, he stressed.
Highlighting the need to provide sufficient vaccines andtreatment drugs, the Government leader urged boosting the study and transfer ofproduction technologies at home with safety and efficiency ensured and people’slives put first and above all.
At the meeting, members of the national and local steeringcommittees focused their discussion on the situation and causes of the complicated developmentsof the pandemic in the past time, vaccineallocation and vaccination process, as well as the demand for and ability torespond to treatment drugs.
They also exchanged views on measures to restoresocio-economic activities, and maintain production and business./.
Amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of new variants, Vietnam will continue stepping up vaccine diplomacy in the near future to meet vaccination demand in the country next year, said Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.
Vietnam recorded 13,840 cases of COVID-19 in 61 localities during 24 hours from 4pm December 8 to 4pm December 9, including 11 imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.
Vietnamese authorities and representative agencies abroad have worked closely with domestic and foreign airlines to conduct over 800 flights carrying home nearly 200,000 Vietnamese citizens from over 60 countries and territories, amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.
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 Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at online meeting between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with the steering committees of 63 provinces and cities (Photo: VNA) 
