Afternoon briefing on February 1

Hanoi: The following is a brief review of the day's events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency. - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 1 chaired the Government's regular meeting to review the socio-economic situation in January, the allocation and disbursement of public investment, and the implementation of national target programmes. At the meeting, the leader called for elaborating Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's recent article titted 'Proud and confident under the Party's glorious flag, determined to build a Vietnam more prosperous, powerful, civilised and heroic with a fine and long-lasting culture' penned on the occasion of the 94th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh demanded renewing current growth drivers and optimising new ones while chairing the Government's regular meeting on February 1. The meeting reviewed the socio-economic situation in January, the allocation and disbursement of public investment, and the impleme ntation of the three national target programmes. - Brazilian President Lula da Silva affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner of his country while receiving Vietnamese Ambassador Bui Van Nghi, who came to present his credentials in Brasilia on January 31. Expressing his admiration for the achievements Vietnam have obtained over the past years, the host leader lauded the development of bilateral relations and asked the two countries to enhance cooperation in multiple spheres, including politics - diplomacy, economy - trade, agriculture, and science - technology. - Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son is in Brussels for the 24th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) and the third EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EU-IPMF) as well as a visit to Belgium from January 30 to February 3. Vietnamese Ambassdor to Belgium and head of the Vietnam Mission to the EU Nguyen Van Thao said that the EU-IPMF gathers nearly 70 delegations from EU member countries and more than 40 countries in the Indo-Pacific region , as well as representatives from a number of international organisations. - Winners of the eighth National Press Awards on Party Building, the Bua Liem Vang (Golden Hammer and Sickle) Awards 2023, will be announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on late February 1. The Party Building magazine, the standing agency of this year's awards, said the organising board had received 2,216 entries, up 184 against the previous one. Six A, 12 B, 18 C and 30 consolation prizes will be named at the awarding ceremony. - Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung has visited Italy's Campania region and its capital city of Naples, aiming to promote Vietnam's comprehensive cooperation with the Italian localities. At his meetings with Campania President Vincenzo De Luca, Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi and Prefect of Naples Michele di Bari, Hung briefed the host on major cooperation activities of the embassy and Italian partners in Naples. - The number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in the first month of 2024 reached over 1.5 mi llion, the highest ever recorded for a month since the country fully reopened all tourism activities in March 2022, according to Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT). The figure represented an increase of 10.3% compared to previous month and a 73.6% hike compared to the same period last year. - One of the world's leading online travel platforms, Booking.com, has announced Da Lat - the city resort in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong - as the most-searched destination in Vietnam for the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday. According to its list of the ten most-searched destinations for tourists during the Tet holiday based on searches and bookings from February 8-14 (the 29th day of the 12th lunar month to the 5th day of the first lunar month), announced on January 31, booking.com said Da Lat, Nha Trang and Da Nang are the three destinations most searched thanks to the harmonious combination of majestic natural landscapes, romantic beaches and special cultures. - A new oceanside, multimedia and m ulti-sensory show, created by an award-winning French producer, amazed a full house at the official premiere on January 26 in Sunset Town on Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang. The sold-out performance is another feather in the cap for Sunset Town, which has become 'the Pearl Island's' premier destination thanks to the recently opened "Kiss Bridge", an iconic landmark, and VUI-Fest Bazaar, a new vibrant and contemporary night market concept./. Source: Vietnam News Agency