☕ Afternoon briefing on February 6 hinh anh 1
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung has highlighted the significance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s coming official visit to the city state, the first among many events to be held in both countries to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership.

PM Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam are paying an official visit to Singapore from February 8 to 10. Read full story

- Two-way trade revenue between Vietnam and Laos in 2022 grew 24% from the previous year to reach some 1.7 billion USD, beyond expectations of their leaders at the 44th meeting of the Vietnam – Laos Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation earlier last year. Read full story

- Jeju Air Co., the biggest low-cost carrier of the Republic of Korea, said on February 6 that it will resume many routes to Vietnam in April after three years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The carrier plans to restore services on the routes from Incheon to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on April 20, Yonhap news agency said, citing the company's statement. Read full story

- VinaCapital Ventures, a technology-focused venture capital fund of the Ho Chi Minh City-based VinaCaptial Group, has announced an investment of 1 million USD into Koina, an agritech startup founded in Vietnam.

The investment from VinaCapital Ventures is part of Koina’s seed fundraising round. Read full story

- Ho Chi Minh City recorded a year-on-year rise of 5.7% in total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue in January, according to its Department of Industry and Trade.

Retail sales approximated 56.89 trillion VND (2.4 billion USD), accounting for 62.8% of the total and increasing 4.6% month on month. Read full story

- Ho Chi Minh City, the largest economic hub in southern Vietnam, needs from 280,000-300,000 or 300,000-320,000 more jobs in 2023, depending on economic growths of the globe and several major countries.

In the first quarter, the figures will be 72,000-79,000 or 79,000-87,000, according to the Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information (FALMI). Read full story

- Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet has called on other ASEAN member countries to support and cooperate with each other in tourism development.

Speaking at a press conference on the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2023 in Indonesia on February 5, the official said apart from traditional markets that have experienced difficulties, ASEAN should seek new ones and adjust some policies relating to aviation connection and visas. Read full story

- Many units of Vietnam were named in categories of the ASEAN Tourism Awards at a ceremony held as part of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2023, which wrapped up in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 5. Read full story

- The Maritime Administration of Vung Tau in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau said on February 5 night that it has been actively coordinating with competent agencies in implementing measures to support a Panama-flagged car carrier which caught fire off the Vung Tau coast. Read full story

- The annual Nguyen Tieu Festival on the 15th of lunar January in Hoi An, central Quang Nam province, has been recognised as a National Intangible Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The festival celebrates the full moon of the first lunar month of the year. Read full story./.
VNA