The first APEC Senior Officials’ Meetingand related meetings successfully wrapped up in Nha Trang city after two weeks of sitting – a good start for the APEC Year 2017 in Vietnam.

 Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, head of the Vietnam Mission to the UN, called on countries to continue providing resources for development at the ECOSOC’s development cooperation forum.

 Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Saturday (Mar. 4) visited the palace of the former Vietnamese king in the ancient capital of Hue.

 The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and its chapter in the northern province of Bac Ninh organised a friendship spring tour in the locality on March 4.

 A high-ranking delegation from the Lao National Assembly (NA) led by its Chairwoman Pany Yathotou will pay an official visit to Vietnam from March 5-10.

The UN and the UNDP have contributed to boosting sustainable growth in Vietnam via assistance in poverty alleviation, HIV/AIDS control, child protection, disease prevention and climate change response.

The first APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1) and related meetings have successfully concluded with positive outcomes, laying a foundation for the next events from now to the year-end, said a high-ranking diplomat.

 President Tran Dai Quang and his wife on March 3 visited Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at their hotel to say good-bye to the Japanese royal couple before they leave Hanoi to visit Hue.

 Two Vietnamese individuals from Thua Thien Hue were awarded with the French Government’s Order of Academic Palms for their role in promoting cultural and education ties between the province and France.

Vietnam wants to strengthen its friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Spain, an important member of the EU, said President Tran Dai Quang at a reception for outgoing Spanish Ambassador to Vietnam Alfonso Tena Garcia.

 A string of new policies on certificates of land use rights, casino business activities for Vietnamese residents, horse and greyhound racing and international football betting, and government guarantee come into force in March.

 Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung has announced that state agencies in the city will work on Saturday mornings starting from March 10.

 Hanoi authorities started providing transport subsidies to officials at eight departments and offices instead of state-owned cars from March 1.

Established in 1989, APEC has now become the region’s largest economic cooperation mechanism with 21 economies which together account for 39 percent of the world’s population, 59 percent of the world’s GDP and 48 percent of the global trade.

 Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Nguyen Duc Chung held a working session in Hanoi on March 2 with Sugi Ryotaro, the Vietnam-Japan Special Ambassador, discussing natural calamity prevention and firefighting.

 Japan affirmed that ASEAN remains a big priority in its foreign policy at the 32nd ASEAN-Japan Forum held in Banda Seri Begawan, Brunei, on March 1-2.

 Senior officials from APEC member economies have highly evaluated and reaffirmed their support for the theme and priorities proposed by the host country Vietnam for APEC Year 2017.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received the Chairman and CEO of Aéroports de Paris (ADP), Augustin de Romanet, on March 2.

 Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on March 2 visited the Museum of Biology of the Vietnam National University in Hanoi where specimens of white goby fish and Onagadori chicken, gifts from the Japanese Royal Family, are preserved.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in Hanoi on March 2, describing their visit to Vietnam as a significant and memorable landmark in bilateral ties.