On February 9, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung chaired the 45th session of the Central Council for Emulation and Reward, reviewing its work in 2011 and devising key tasks for 2012.

The two State Presidents have affirmed their determination to strengthen the ties of time-honoured friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Fernando Dias dos Santos, Vice President of Angola, will pay an official visit to Vietnam from February 12-16 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Thi Doan, the Foreign Ministry announced on February 9.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh on February 8 met with Vietnamese Embassy staff and representatives of Vietnamese agencies in Washington DC.

Vietnam and Malaysia have agreed to maintain current mechanism of bilateral cooperation and devise measures to lift bilateral trade to US$10 billion.

On February 8, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Brazilian ambassador Joao de Mendonca Lima Neto who paid a farewell visit before ending his term in Vietnam, and the US Export-Import Bank (Eximbank) President Fred Hochberg.

On February 8, the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission and the Party Central Office held a gathering for retired Party and State senior cadres with the participation of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

State President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Laos aims to further promote mutual trust between the two countries' seinor leaders and affirm Vietnam’s determination to bring bilateral ties to a new height.

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Office led by its head Tran Quoc Vuong is on a working visit to Laos from February 7-12.

China wants to strengthen the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership with Vietnam in a healthy and stable manner, says Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Weimin.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has urged the northern province of Ha Nam to make a breakthrough by applying scientific and technological achievements to improve the efficiency of production, business and environmental protection.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Vietnamese Communist Party Le Hong Anh held a working session on February 7 with key cadres from the Central Commission for Communication and Education.

Brunei and Vietnam should make greater efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in the future, said Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

The central coastal province of Quang Nam on February 7 celebrated its 15th anniversary with State President Truong Tan Sang and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in attendance.

The State Audit Office of Vietnam is willing to boost cooperation with its Myanmar counterpart, says National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

The Asia/Pacific Group of Money Laundering (APG) will support Vietnam in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh will make a working visit to the US from February 7-18.

Vietnam and Thailand have agreed to accelerate the implementation of their reached agreements and bring two-way trade to more than US$7 billion in 2012.

On February 6, State President Truong Tan Sang reviewed the socio-economic situation and a programme to build new rural areas in Dai Loc district of the central province of Quang Nam.

State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan highlighted Hung Yen’s great potential and advantages for speeding up its socio-economic development.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh will pay official visits to these countries from February 6-9.

President Truong Tan Sang on February 5 received 81 international poets who were in Hanoi to attend the first Asia-Pacific Poetry Festival.

Keeping inflation at a single digit is one of the urgent tasks to help the country maintain a reasonable growth of around 6 percent for the whole year.

On February 5, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung joined an investment promotion conference in the central province of Nghe An along with nearly 400 leaders, economic managers, researchers and local and foreign entrepreneurs.

Nam Dinh needs to tap into its available potential to ensure sustainable economic development, said State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan during her working visit to the northern province on February 5.

Thai Binh should promote democracy and closely work with the State to create new steps of development aiming to improve local people’s living standards, said State President Truong Tan Sang.

Since the US ended its embargo against Vietnam on February 3, 1994, and normalized relations a year later, the bilateral relationship between the two countries has developed in all fields for the benefit of both sides.

The central province of Ha Tinh has fulfilled its assigned tasks for 2011, says Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Security and social order were maintained during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival and the number of traffic accidents, injuries and fatalities decreased.

The Party and State always considers culture as the spiritual foundation of the society, which can boost national socio-economic development, says President Truong Tan Sang.