2018 was a successful year for the wood industry, with the export of wood products earning the country over 8.9 billion USD (not including non-wood forestry products), up 14.5 percent from the previous year.

Head of the NA’s Committee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau is leading a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 2019 Parliamentary Hearing – Emerging Challenges to Multilateralism between the IPU and the UN, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) said on February 21 that 19 wild animals of rare and threatened species were rescued from illegal traders and trappers, and subsequently released back into nature in January.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Two Vietnamese accordion players have won the first-place prize at the China ASEAN International Accordion Competition in the 18 to 35 group, which recently concluded in Nanning City, Guangxi.

 VietNamNet Bridge – State employees will get eight days off for two public holidays in April, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The National Youth Karate Championship this year will begin in Lam Dong Province on May 28, the National Sports Administration has announced.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Book boxes along the streets of Germany and the sight of people reading while on the subways in Belgium greatly impressed Vietnamese PhD student Nguyen Tuan Nam during his time in Europe.

In 2018, the number of electric bikes that Vietnam exported to the EU increased significantly. At the same time, the EC conducted an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation against Chinese electric bike imports.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A peach blossom festival is taking place at Dong Van stone plateau in Meo Vac district of the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang.

Vietnam and South Sudan signed a joint communiqué on establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries at the headquarters of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam and Argentina have issued a joint statement on the occasion of the state visit to Vietnam by Argentine President Mauricio Macri and his spouse from February 19-21. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested all localities and sectors to continue simplifying administrative procedures while chairing a conference of the Government’s Steering Committee for Administrative Reform

 In the early days of spring, Hanoi features a romantic beauty, when the yellow and red colours of the leaves are dyed brilliantly in a familiar corner. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Preparations for the upcoming second summit between the US and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are on schedule, earning appreciation from the two countries, 

 Vietnam’s fast-growing ecommerce has exposed shortcomings in the current legislation, posing challenges for both government agencies and users, Cong Thuong newspaper, run by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, reported. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – The central localities of Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding to clarify their responsibility for conserving the heritage gate Hai Van Quan, 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Companies expanding production and building new factories in the southeastern provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai are in need of thousands of new workers.

 Vietnam is having golden opportunities to lure foreign investors in the wake of the new trade deal adoption, but the government should streamline regulatory conditions further for the investment inflow to leverage the chances, expert suggested.

VietNamNet Bridge - A national energy center will open in the Mekong Delta as more and more power plants are being built there.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Vietnam has pledged to help the country control the spread of African swine fever (ASF), that recently broke out in the northern provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen.