State news headlines

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (middle) giving a speech after a plenary cabinet session regarding the Financial Note and the 2023 Draft State Budget at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on August 8. (Photo: ANTARA) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia n Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani has said that the country's state budget for 2022 is better than the previous year. This is reflected in the financial debt and budget deficit which are projected at below 4% of the gross domestic product ( GDP ) by the end of this year, she said at a government meeting on the state budget on August 11. Mulyani said she expects the budget deficit can be at 3.9% of GDP compared to the previous forecast of 4.5%. state budget that is beginning to improve./. VNA … [Read more...] about Indonesia’s state budget in 2022 exceeds expectations

Vietnamese and Polish businesses exchange cooperation opportunities at a networking event on Thursday in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam appreciates Poland’s continued support in pushing for the EU’s early ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and removal of the EC’s “yellow card” warning against Viet Nam’s fishing industry. Speaking at a networking event on Thursday, Nguyen Huu Nam, deputy director of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in HCM City, said these developments would help expand Viet Nam-Poland trade and investment relations. The European Parliament (EP) recently passed a report on its Indo-Pacific strategy in the area of trade and investment, stressing the importance of the EU’s free trade agreements with partners in the region. The report called on EU members to ratify the EVIPA so that it can take effect early and create optimal conditions for promoting the EU’s investment in the region and Viet Nam. … [Read more...] about Viet Nam, Poland to expand trade and investment ties

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 12 decided to reduce death penalties to life sentences for 21 prisoners, including two foreigners. The decision was made in line with the 2013 Constitution and following proposals by the Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy and Chairman of the Presidential Office. Amnesty is a major policy of the Party and State, manifesting the fine tradition of the nation in strictly handling those who violate the law while offering clemency and humanitarian treatment to prisoners who reform and wish to return to society as useful citizens. The consideration of granting amnesty to foreigners on the basis of fairness and transparency has also helped the international community better understand the policies of the Vietnamese Party and State./. … [Read more...] about President reduces death penalties to life sentences for 21 prisoners

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto (Photo: republika.co.id) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia ’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced on August 11 that the government is preparing to stop allocating the budget for COVID-19 handling and national economic recovery ( PC-PEN ) from the end of this year. According to him, based on Law No. 2 of 2020 concerning State Finance and Financial System Stability for COVID-19 Handling Efforts, the state budget deficit has been allowed to exceed 3 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP) for three years till 2022 The government will not allocate a budget for COVID-19 handling and national economic recovery, but this does not mean that it will not continue its programmes in the health and social protection sectors, the minister clarified, adding that the fund will entirely be returned to each sector like before the COVID-19 broke out. Earlier, Finance Minister Sri … [Read more...] about Indonesia announces end of pandemic handling fund

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by Vietnam News Agency. – The 14th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee wrapped up in Hanoi on August 11 after two and a half days of sitting. NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said the meeting had completed all tasks as scheduled. Read full story – Standing members of the steering committee in charge of a project to draft a strategy for building and completing a law-governed socialist state of Vietnam by 2030, with a vision to 2045, held a meeting with the Central Theoretical Council in Hanoi on August 11. Members of the council showed their support for the draft strategy, which they said has been prepared in a methodological, democratic and scientific manner that guarantees the Party’s comprehensive and absolute leadership, firmly maintains the socialist orientation, and doesn’t include loopholes for hostile forces to take advantage of to sabotage the Party, State or regime. Read full story … [Read more...] about ☀️ Morning digest August 12

An old architecture work in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Department of Construction, Planning and Architecture of Hanoi has announced a plan to preserve 92 unique architectural works in the city. This will include 30 works managed by the municipal administration, 50 State-managed architectures, and 12 built before 1954. Under the plan, relevant agencies will be responsible for planning conservation and embellishment of architectural works; and building projects for managing, evaluating and verifying the quality of those to submit to the municipal People's Committee. The municipal administration will continue to guide the districts to maintain, renovate and repair a number of old architectural works built before 1954. According to the municipal People’s Committee, Hanoi has 1,216 works that are being managed in accordance with regulations on managing and using architectural works built before 1954 in the city./. VNA … [Read more...] about 92 old architecture works in Hanoi to be conserved

A tea field in the midland province of Thai Nguyen. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) — Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has just signed Resolution 96/NQ-CP on the Government's action plan for socio-economic development and ensuring national defence and security in the northern midland and mountainous regions by 2030. Under the action plan, the Government set specific targets for socio-economic development for the regions. The Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth in the period of 2021-2030 will reach 8-9% per year, and by 2030, the economic scale of the region will reach about 21 trillion VND (90.5 billion USD), of which agriculture, forestry and fishery will account for 12-13%, industry and construction 45-46%, and services 37-38%. The GRDP per capita will be 140 million VND (6,000 USD) per year (at the current price), and the total state budget revenue will reach about 190 trillion VND (8.1 billion USD). The urbanisation rate is about 40%, and 80% … [Read more...] about Pushing economic development in northern midland, mountainous regions

An unidentified highly toxic substance in the Oder river, which runs through Poland and Germany, appears to be the cause of a mass die-off of fish, the German state of Brandenburg's environment ministry said. An analysis of river water taken this week showed evidence of "synthetic chemical substances, very probably also with toxic effects for vertebrates," the ministry said on Thursday, adding that it remained unclear how the substance entered the water. According to local broadcaster rbb, the state laboratory found high levels of mercury in the water samples. The head of Poland's national water management authority told private broadcaster Polsat News that the presence of mercury in the water had yet to be confirmed, however. "At the moment, these are press reports. We have no confirmation regarding mercury in the Oder," Przemyslaw Daca, the head of Polish Waters, said. The ministry in Brandenburg, the state surrounding Berlin, said it had not yet been possible to assess … [Read more...] about Mass fish die-off in German-Polish river blamed on unknown toxic substance

Vietnam is willing to hold trade talks with the United States to timely solve arising problems regarding a U.S. anti-circumvention investigation into steel pipe products imported from the Southeast Asian country. Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the statement at a regular press briefing in Hanoi on Thursday following reports that the U.S. officially initiated an investigation into the case. Hang affirmed that the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive partnership has witnessed progress in all fields in recent times, including in economy, trade, and investment. Vietnam is the leading trade partner of the U.S. in Southeast Asia, while the U.S. is the second-largest trade partner of Vietnam, with two-way trade turnover exceeding US$110 billion in 2021. “Vietnam advocates promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation with the U.S. on the basis of freedom, fairness, and mutual benefits in accordance with bilateral agreements and … [Read more...] about Vietnam ready for talks with US on tax evasion investigation into Vietnamese steel pipes