Leaders’ activities

On January 5, leaders of Vietnam offered condolences to the Vatican on the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a message of condolences to Pope Francis while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended condolences to the Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

On January 4, at the Presidential Palace, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Ambassador of Romania Cristina Romila on the occasion of the two countries celebrating the 73^rd anniversary of diplomatic relations (1950-2023). The President hailed Romania for actively supporting and promoting the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) as well as its soon ratification of the EVIPA.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Ambassador of Romania Cristina Romila. (Photo: VNA)

On January 6, receiving outgoing Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia Chay Navuth, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh appreciated the Ambassador’s contributions to the two countries’ relations, especially in the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 in celebration of the 55^th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties; and congratulated him on being appointed as Deputy Secretary of State of Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received outgoing Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia Chay Navuth.(Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese Prime Minister affirmed the Party and State’s consistent policy of attaching great importance and giving high priority to consolidating and strengthening the two nations’ good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive and sustainable cooperation, for the benefits of the two peoples, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Bilateral activities

On the occasion of the 51^st anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India (January 7, 1972 - January 7, 2023), Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai affirmed that, after more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations, with the foundation cultivated by generations of leaders and people from the two countries, the Vietnam-India relationship has made very good progress on the basis of the closeness in cultural and civilized values ​​and similarities in strategic interests.

Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai speaks at the Vietnam-India Tourism Promotion Forum, December 14, 2022. (Photo: WVR/Lan Anh)

On January 6, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet received Director General of the Economic Department Kingphokeo Phommahaxay, under Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos, on the occasion of the working visit of the delegation of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Vietnam from January 3-6, 2023 in coordination for implementing economic diplomacy in the new period.

On January 6, at the headquarters of the Permanent Representative Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), on behalf of the Governments of Vietnam and the Bahamas, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UN, and Ambassador Stan Oduma Smith, Permanent Representative of Bahamas to the UN, signed the Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Bahamas.

Accordingly, Vietnam and the Bahamas agreed to set up diplomatic representation at the ambassadorial level under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The same day, the joint communiqué was sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for circulation and announcement to UN member states.

Vietnam and Bahamas established diplomatic relations: Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang (R), Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, and his Bahamian counterpart Stan Oduma Smith exchange the signed joint communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations on January 6. (Photo: Vietnamese Permanent Mission to UN)

On January 5, at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Hang and Director General of the Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos Kingphokeo Phommaxay co-chaired the seminar on sharing work experience in implementing economic diplomacy between the two Foreign Ministries of Vietnam and Laos in 2023, with the participation of representatives of relevant departments of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.

Other activities

On January 5, receiving the President of the Paracel-Spratly Club in Poland, Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Pham Quang Hieu highly appreciated the Club's activities in strengthening community solidarity, spreading love for Vietnam's East sea and islands among Vietnamese communities in Poland and European countries.

On January 6, in Hanoi, the Vietnam-Australia Innovation Network (NIC AU) in collaboration with the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and the Vietnamese Student Association in Australia hosted a workshop titled "2023 Smart agriculture in Vietnam" with the theme Building Smart agricultural chain "From farm to table". The objective of the workshop is to create a networking forum for leading businesses and experts in developing and promoting smart agriculture initiatives, focus on the construction of a smart agricultural production and distribution chain that meets three criteria: comprehensiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. In addition, this is a chance for professionals to discuss challenges and solutions related to the production and growth of smart agriculture in Vietnam.

On January 5 and 6, in Quang Binh, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) in coordination with the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province and with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam held a workshop on the "Masterplan on Sustainable Exploitation and Use of Coastal Resources from 2021 to 2030, with a Vision to 2045”. The objective of the Master plan is to sustainably develop the coastal zone based on improving the efficiency of management and exploitation and use rising; improve livelihoods and living standards of coastal communities in association with conservation and development of natural, ecological and cultural values; maintaining social order and ensuring national defense and security.

On January 6, with the World and Vietnam Report, Singapore Ambassador Jaya Ratnam shared his thought on great significance of Tet for the many in both Singapore and Vietnam, stressed : "Spring is time of renewal, family reunion, thanksgiving and planning for future".

The Tet gatherings programme in Washington D.C. on January 6 (US time). (Source: VOV)

Last week, celebrating the coming Lunar New Year (Tet), many Vietnamese Representative Missions abroad organized the Homeland Spring program (Xuan Que Huong) with the participation of a large number of overseas Vietnamese and international friends.