The Human Rights Watch’s remarks on the situation in Vietnam in 2010 are totally wrong, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry has said.

The newly elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Nguyen Phu Trong has received more congratulatory messages from around the world.

On January 27, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan and Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai paid Tet visits to the northern province of Bac Ninh and the southcentral province of Ninh Thuan respectively.

Indonesian Minister of Defence Purnomo Yusgiantoro has praised Vietnam’s role as ASEAN Chair in 2010 for the successful organisation of ASEAN Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and ASEAN related meetings.  

The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group on January 27 held a conference to review its 2010 activities and implement tasks for 2011 in the presence of President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Vietnam protests against China’s act of providing Map World service on January 18 and requests China to remove the incorrect data immediately.

Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong extended his best wishes to staff of the NA Office during his pre-Tet visit on January 26.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Russia hosted a meeting between Vietnamese and Russian business circles and pressmen on January 25.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Cuong and British Ambassador to Vietnam, Dr. Antony Stokes have signed the Vietnam-UK 2011 Action Plan which sets out a wide range of new initiatives on all seven pillars of the partnership.

On January 26, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sounthne Sayachak presented the Lao National Orders to leaders and former leaders of the Vietnam National Assembly (NA).

The 17th Council Meeting and the 15th session of the Consultative Group for the International Mekong River Commission (MRC) were held in HCM City on January 26.

Party, State and Government leaders paid Tet visits to officials and workers and presented gifts to poor people across the country.

The Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh visited the Friendship Village in Hanoi , run by the Vietnam War Veterans Association (VWVA) on January 25 on the threshold of the Lunar New Year festival (Tet). 

Vietnam introduced to the public a book detailing its land border with China for the first time in Hanoi on January 25.

The Central Commission for Information and Education held a meeting with reporters from southern cities and provinces in Ho Chi Minh City on January 25 to review the results of the 11th National Party Congress.

To Huy Rua, Politburo member and Head of the Central Commission for Communication and Education, visited and extended Tet (Lunar New Year) wishes to some prominent intellectuals in Hanoi on January 25.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved an agreement between the governments of Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to waive visas for diplomatic, official or special passport holders from the two countries.

A Russian passenger of Vietnam Airlines was slightly injured after a bomb attack at Domodedovo international airport in Moscow, on January 24, delaying the flight from Russia to Vietnam. 

A meeting was held in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang on January 25 to celebrate 81st anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and welcome the Lunar New Year festival.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet on January 25 sent a message of condolences to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff over great losses in lives and property caused by the devastating flood in Rio de Janeiro. 

Vietnam vehemently protests the barbarous act and believes that perpetrators will be dully punished.

Can Tho City should focus on human resources development and better implement social welfare programmes.

A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly led by Nguyen Van Son, Head of the NA’s Committee for External Relations, is attending the 19th annual meeting Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in Mongolia starting on January 23.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong paid a New Year visit to the northern province of Yen Bai party committee, administration and people on January 24.

Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom province pledged to promote cooperation in all fields with Vietnam’s central provinces.

The elections of the 13th National Assembly (NA) and People's Councils at all levels for the 2011-2016 term will be added up and held at the same time.

The State Audit will give priority to the audit of state budget and investment projects with capital sources from state budget and ODA, according to the agency’s conference held on January 24 to review its work in 2010 and set targets for the new year.

A delegation of foreign diplomats paid a working visit to the Ho Dynasty Citadel, a national heritage site of Vietnam, in the northern central province of Thanh Hoa on January 22-23.

A Government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan started a four-day tour of Magdeburg and Frankfurt, Germany on January 23.

The sixth North East Business Summit was concluded in Mumbai, India on January 22 with the participation of more than 1,000 delegates including Indian ministers, officials and ambassadors from South Asian and ASEAN nations.