What you need to know in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Vietnam is asking China to honor the agreement signed in 2000 that outlines the borders of the territorial sea, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelf in the Gulf of Tonkin, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

It is also reminding China of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as emphasized by Pham Thu Hang, spokeswoman for the Vietnamese foreign ministry, during a regular press conference in Hanoi on Thursday. She was responding to questions from reporters about China's recent announcement of straight baselines in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Society

-- A total of 3,754 people had to undergo rabies vaccinations due to bites from dogs or cats in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam in January, according to the provincial Center for Disease Control.

-- Vietnam is verifying reports that two Vietnamese were fatally shot by police in Malaysia when they were stealing jewelry there on March 11, Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.

-- Southern Vietnam is expected to experience hot weather on Friday, while the northern region will face continuous rainfall and humidity throughout the day, according to weather forecasters.

-- Eighty percent of young people in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, feel that safety features on dating apps are very important when it comes to their online dating experience, according to a survey conducted by Tinder.

Business

-- About 300,000 Vietnamese, aged 21 to 97, entered an authorized casino on Phu Quoc Island, off Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam, from 2019 to 2023, Ho Duc Phoc, Minister of Finance, said in a report sent to National Assembly deputies in preparation for a hearing on March 18. They spent VND242 billion (US$9.8 million) buying tickets to the casino.

-- Ho Chi Minh City leaders organized a meeting with 16 foreign business associations and 27 prominent companies operating in the city. In an exchange with the business community, Phan Van Mai, chairman of the municipal People's Committee, stated that immediately after this meeting, the city would promptly establish a task force to address the difficulties and obstacles faced by foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises.

World News

-- "South Korean researchers have grown beef cells in rice grains in what they say is a major step towards achieving a sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly source of protein that could replace farmed cattle for meat," Reuters reported.

-- "Industry ministers from the Group of Seven major democracies agreed on Thursday to align rules on the development of artificial intelligence and to secure supply chains in key sectors such as semiconductors," Reuters cited the Italian presidency as saying.

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