Hanoi (VNA)🌺 – The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.

– Party General Secretary To Lam on January 12 received a high-ranking delegation from the Lao Ministry of Public Security led by General Vilay Lakhamphong, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Public Security.

Lam affirmed that the visit contributes to realising the two countries’ high-level agreement on defence and security cooperation, and further deepening their special solidarity. Read full story

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 12 chaired the second meeting of the central steering committee for the eradication of temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide to assess the work in 2024 and put forward tasks for this year.

Since the first meeting of the central steering committee on November 10, 2024, the country has completed and handed over more than 44,000 houses and is currently constructing 34,200 units. Approximately 240,000 houses need to be completed by the end of 2025, requiring extra efforts of all levels and sectors. Read full story

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has highlighted the importance of rearranging officials, civil servants and public employees and enhancing their quality while streamlining the organisational apparatus.

Chairing the ninth meeting of the Government Steering Committee for reviewing the implementation of Resolution 18-NQ/TW of the 12th Party Central Committee, which seeks to streamline the political system for greater efficiency and effectiveness on January 11, PM Chinh, who is head of the committee, stressed the need to effectively conduct ideological work and ensure appropriate regimes and policies for those affected by the restructuring to maintain solidarity and unity within agencies. He also noted the importance of retaining and attracting talented, capable, and reputable individuals. Read full story

– National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man visited and presented gifts to armed forces, policy beneficiaries, poor households, ethnic minorities, and workers living in difficult circumstances in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang on January 12, ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

In 2024, the province achieved and exceeded all 18 key targets. Its economic growth reached 8.76%, and domestic revenue amounted to over 7 trillion VND (275.9 million USD). Social welfare, care for policy beneficiaries, those who rendered service to the nation, and impoverished households were effectively implemented. The poverty rate was reduced to 1.48%. Read full story

– The Government apparatus in the 2021-2026 tenure, after restructured and streamlined, will feature 14 ministries and three ministry-level agencies, a reduction of five; and five Government-affiliated agencies, down by three, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Specifically, 14 ministries are the Ministry of National Defence; the Ministry of Public Security; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Industry and Trade; the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Education and Training; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Construction; the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment; the Ministry of Science and Technology; the Ministry of Home Affairs; and the Ministry of Ethnic Minority and Religious Affairs. Read full story

– Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang and Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Public Security Minister General Vilay Lakhamphong on January 12 co-chaired a conference in Hanoi to review the implementation of the two ministries’ cooperation plan in 2024.

Under the close direction of both ministries' leaders, the police forces of Vietnam and Laos successfully fulfilled their duties in ensuring national security and social order. The two sides effectively organised and implemented the outcomes of the 14th Vietnam-Laos Security Cooperation Conference, addressing many crucial issues relevant to maintaining security and order in each country. Read full story

– Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), visited the Cuban delegation to the UN on the occasion of New Year 2025 and the 66th National Liberation Day of Cuba (January 1, 1959-2025) in New York on January 11.

During the visit, Giang congratulated the Cuban delegation and discussed with its head Ambassador Ernesto Guzman about the Vietnam-Cuba relations, and their cooperation at the UN. Read full story

– Vietnam and the UK have identified trade and investment cooperation as an important pillar of their Strategic Partnership and will step up measures to ramp up economic cooperation in the coming time.

This was agreed during a recent London meeting between Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Do Minh Hung and Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade Douglas Alexander. Read full story

– The Vietnamese insurance market is gradually experiencing a positive recovery, with total premium revenue showing growth again.

Deputy Minister of Finance Le Tan Can said that the insurance market is increasingly affirming its role in supporting social security policies, providing financial protection for investors, promoting international economic integration, and implementing urgent national programmes and tasks. Read full story

– The central banks of Vietnam and Laos have recently launched a bilateral retail payment service using QR codes, enabling seamless cross-border transactions between the two countries.

The launching ceremony took place within the 47th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee in Vientiane, with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone attending. Read full story

– A book entitled “Guangxi Narrative on China-Vietnam Friendship” has been launched in Nanning, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.

This book, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam and the Vietnam-China Humanity Exchange Year, underscores Guangxi's special role in the traditional friendship between China and Vietnam. It also offers cultural resources and academic support to deepen China-Vietnam cultural exchanges, contributing to the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future. Read full story./.