☀️ Morning digest April 12

The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.
☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 1
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi onApril 11 for outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio who came to bidfarewell at the end of his tenure in Vietnam.

☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 2PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio. (Photo: VNA)
Both sides expressed their delight at the strong, comprehensiveand substantive development of Vietnam-Japan ties during the ambassador’stenure in Vietnam. Japan has remained one of Vietnam's top economic partners,being the leading ODA provider, the second largest investor and labour partner,the third biggest tourism partner, and the fourth largest trade partner. Read full story

- Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh received the new Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam, Pavlin Todorov, inHanoi on April 11, affirming Vietnam’s appreciation of and wishes to enhancethe two nations’ traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation.

☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 3Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and the new Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam, Pavlin Todorov, at their meeting in Hanoi on April 11. (Photo: VNA)
The Government leader suggested that Bulgaria callon the remaining EU member states to ratify the EU-Vietnam InvestmentProtection Agreement (EVIPA) and advocate the removal of the EuropeanCommission's "yellow card" warning imposed on Vietnam regardingillegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. Read full story

- Chairman of theNational Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue received Wang Ning, member of the CommunistParty of China Central Committee, Secretary of the Yunnan provincial PartyCommittee, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the provincial People'sCongress, in Kunming city on April 11, as part of the Vietnamese leader'sofficial visit to China.
☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 4Secretary of the Yunnan provincial Party Committee Wang Ning (R) welcomes NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. (Photo: VNA)
Hue and Wang expressed their delight at andpositively evaluated the development of relations between the two Parties andcountries over the past time. Read full story

- Minister of NationalDefence General Phan Van Giang and his Chinese counterpart Senior LieutenantGeneral Dong Jun co-chaired activities within the eighth Vietnam-China borderdefence friendship exchange which opened in Vietnam’s Lao Cai province on April11.

☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 5Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang (L) and his Chinese counterpart Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun at the welcome ceremony held for the latter. (Photo: VNA)
The ministers painted border marker No. 102,planted a friendship tree at the Lao Cai International Border Gate, andattended the inauguration ceremony for a Vietnam-China friendship culturalhouse in Ban Phiet commune, Bao Thang district. Read full story

- Minister ofForeign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn aspart of his official visit to Thailand from April 10-12, where he is alsoco-chairing the 5th Meeting of the Vietnam - Thailand Joint Commission forBilateral Cooperation (JCBC).
☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 6Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (centre, left) and Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin at their meeting in Bangkok. (Photo: VNA)
Son congratulated Thailand on the achievements ithas made during the post-COVID-19 recovery period, believing that the countrywill continue reaping further successes in building itself into a prosperousnation that plays an active role in the region and the world. Read full story

- Vietnamese Ministerof Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister ofForeign Affairs Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara co-chaired the 5th Meeting of theVietnam - Thailand Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Bangkokon April 11, as part of the former’s official visit to Thailand from April10-12.
☀️ Morning digest April 12 ảnh 7Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (L) and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara at the joint press conference after the 5th Meeting of the Vietnam - Thailand Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Bangkok on April 11. (Photo: VNA)
The meeting undertook a comprehensive review ofthe bilateral cooperation over the past time, set forth directions to deepencollaboration in all spheres and discussed preparations for the upcomingofficial visit to Vietnam by the Thai Prime Minister as guest of PM Pham MinhChinh, during which the two PM will co-chair the 4th joint cabinet meeting. Read full story

- Relations between Vietnam and the Vatican have seen manypositive developments, thanks to high-level visits and interactions betweentheir leaders, negotiations of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group, andparticularly the elevation of their relationship to the level of Resident PapalRepresentative in Vietnam since July 2023, according to Deputy Spokesperson ofthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet. 

At the ministry’s regular press briefing in Hanoi on April11, Viet noted that Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretaryfor Relations with States and International Organisations, visited Vietnam fromApril 9 to 11. Read full story

- The report of theUnited Nations (UN) agencies in Vietnam under the 4th cycle of the UniversalPeriodic Review (UPR) mechanism contains many inaccurate and unverifiedcontents, along with many assessments that are unobjective, unbalanced, and donot accurately and fully reflect the situation, efforts and achievements ofVietnam in protecting and promoting human rights, said Deputy Spokesman of theMinistry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet.

At the ministry’s regular press conference inHanoi on April 11, Viet expressed disappointment at the report despite the UNagencies’ full presence in Vietnam and their long and comprehensive cooperationwith various Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities. Read full story

- Truong My Lan,Chairwoman of property developer Van Thinh Phat Group, was sentenced to deathat the first-instance trial in Ho Chi Minh City on April 11.

Lan was sentenced to death for"embezzlement", 20 years behind bar for "giving bribes"under the 2015 Penal Code, and another 20 years for "violating regulationson banking operations and other activities related to banking activities"under the 1999 Penal Code. The cumulative sentence is the death penalty./. Read full story

VNA

See more

Toshiro Nishizawa, a Senior Fellow at Graduate School of Public Policy under the University of Tokyo in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondent in Japan (Photo: VNA)

Top leader’s visit to deepen Vietnam-Japan strategic cooperation: expert

The upcoming visit to Japan by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam is expected to give fresh impetus to the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting the strategic priorities of both countries, according to a Japanese expert.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

WTO hails Vietnam’s 20-year journey since accession

Joining the WTO was a strategic choice for Vietnam, closely associated with its Doi Moi (Renewal) process, opening-up policy and international economic integration. Over the past two decades, international economic integration has become a driving force for institutional reforms, trade expansion, foreign investment attraction and enhancement of the country's international standing.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (third, left) and other delegates at the political consultation (Photo: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Vietnam, Spain seek to deepen Strategic Partnership

Vietnam asked Spain to continue voicing its support for and urging the European Commission (EC) to swiftly lift the IUU “yellow card” imposed on Vietnamese seafood, while actively encouraging EU member states to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) at an early date.

Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Top leader's official visit to Japan carries three major strategic implications: Deputy FM

The visit, the first to Japan by the leader in his new capacity and the first visit to Japan by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 11 years, will first set the overall strategic direction for bilateral relations in the new period, enabling leaders of the two countries to identify long-term cooperation orientations and priority areas that meet the development needs of both sides.

A performance at the 2026 Cultural and Artistic Exchange Programme for the Spring Border Festival between Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Honghe (China) (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)

Party directive calls for strengthening people-to-people diplomacy

People-to-people diplomacy is a key, regular task of the entire political system and people. People’s organisations, citizens, businesses, entrepreneurs, intellectuals, artists and overseas Vietnamese are at its centre and are the principal actors and direct participants in implementation, according to a new directive of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat.

Nguyen Truong Nhat Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council and President of the city's Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, speaks at the gathering. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City seeks to strengthen cooperation with Russian localities

The Russian October Revolution laid the foundation for the longstanding friendship between Vietnam and Russia. Despite ups and downs of history, the traditional Vietnam-Russia friendship has been strengthened and nurtured by generations, with bilateral ties elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

An overview of the 14th Vietnam–US Defence Policy Dialogue. (Photo: VNA)

14th Vietnam–US Defence Policy Dialogue held in Washington DC

Deputy Minister of National Defence Nguyen Truong Thang called for greater sharing of information, documents and memorabilia concerning Vietnamese servicemen killed or missing in action, as well as support in strengthening DNA identification capacity to accelerate Vietnam's 500-day campaign to intensify the search for, collection and identification of the remains of fallen soldiers.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Vu Duy Long presents a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh to Abdelkrim Benmbarek, Secretary-General of Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN). (Photo: VNA)

Algeria holds a special place in Vietnamese hearts: Ambassador

The elevation of Vietnam–Algeria ties to a Strategic Partnership in November 2025 reflects strong political trust and the determination to usher bilateral cooperation into a new phase. The immediate priority is to translate this framework into concrete programmes and projects, particularly in defence, security, the economy, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, science and technology, said Ambassador Vu Duy Long.