☕ Afternoon briefing on May 8

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
☕ Afternoon briefing on May 8 ảnh 1
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is abrief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- The Vietnamese delegation to the upcoming42nd ASEAN Summit led by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will contribute manyimportant ideas to promote ASEAN cooperation and contribute to the overallsuccess of the summit slated for May 9-11 in Indonesia, according to AmbassadorNguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN.
The ambassador said PM Chinh will engage in manymultilateral cooperation activities and actively contribute specific ideas tothe bloc’s joint efforts to build the ASEAN Community until 2025, and the ASEANCommunity Vision from 2024 to 2034. Read full story

– Since joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) in 1995, Vietnam has made important, productive and positivecontributions to the groupings, stated ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency(VNA)’s correspondents in Jakarta ahead of the 42nd ASEAN Summit, the ASEANSecretary-General said that he has learnt about Vietnam’s fast transformationand outstanding development achievements in recent years.Read full story
☕ Afternoon briefing on May 8 ảnh 2Vietnamese passport (Photo: VNA)
- The Government’s National Public ServicePortal has by now integrated services to facilitate people in issuing new andexchanging chip-based passports, and receiving them via post.
The move aims to provide more convenience tocitizens and promote the transparency of public administration.Read full story

– Pasaxon (The People), the official newspaper of the LaoPeople's Revolutionary Party, on May 8 ran an article under the title of “69thanniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory”, highlighting the role of the victory inthe special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam.
The article affirmed that the Dien Bien Phuvictory was one of the pinnacle battles, the most comprehensive test, and thefiercest battle between the Vietnam People's Army and the French invaders withthe intervention and support of the American imperialists.Read full story

– The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment isplanning a number of activities in response to the International Day forBiological Diversity (May 22).
In particular, a ceremony will be held to mark theDay. Other activities will include a workshop on the coordination of actions toimplement the Kunming - Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, planting treesand releasing wild animals at the Ba Be National Park in Bac Kan province,along with painting and photo exhibitions on nature and biodiversityconservation.Read full story

– The northern region is facing a high risk of seriouselectricity shortage this summer due to rising demands and low output ofhydropower plants as a result of unfavourable weather conditions, according tothe Vietnam Electricity (EVN).
In a report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade,the EVN underlined that the water level of reservoirs in the northern region inthe first four months of this year was equivalent to 70-90% of the average inmany years. Similar situation was also seen in many other reservoirs in thecentral and southern region.Read full story
☕ Afternoon briefing on May 8 ảnh 3The rare turtles are released back into the ocean (Photo: VNA)

– An endangered turtle weighing about 80 kg with a length of 1.2m and a width of 0.8 m was caught in the net of fishermen and released back tothe sea in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on May 5.
Earlier, in the morning of the same day, while on patrol in thewaters of Bai Dong area, Tho Chau commune, a working group of Bai Dong BorderGuard Station under Tho Chau Border Guard Station discovered the animal./.Read full story
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An overview of the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Czech Republic step up parliamentary cooperation, people-to-people exchanges

Ha Thi Nga, member of the Party Central Committee and Vice President and Secretary-General of the VFF Central Committee, expressed her wish for the VFF and its counterpart bodies under the Czech Chamber of Deputies to step up exchanges of experience in legislative work, receiving and addressing voters’ petitions, supervision and social governance.

President of the Lao NA Sonexay Siphandone (right) presents a souvenir to the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association (VLFA) at the meeting in Hanoi on November 2, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Top Lao legislator backs friendship activities ahead of 2027 milestones

Lao NA Sonexay Siphandone, who is on official Vietnam visit, urged the Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam friendship associations to keep coordinating closely and step up messaging on the two countries’ great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion, especially around the treaty’s 50th anniversary.

President of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man speaks at the eighth session of the NA Standing Committee on November 2, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Top legislator asks for harnessing people’s power to curb crime

The top legislator stressed that to curb drug-related offences and other crimes, it is vital to leverage the collective strength of the entire people, describing every citizen as a soldier, every family as a battleground, and every locality as a fortress.

At the meeting between Nguyen Thanh Nghi, member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee, and head of the committee’s Commission for Policy and Strategy and Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, in Beijing on November 2. (Photo: VNA)

CPV delegation pays working visit to China

The two sides discussed measures to further enhance the effectiveness of cooperation, focusing on increasing delegation exchanges, strengthening training and capacity-building for officials, establishing regular research coordination channels, and organising thematic seminars and online discussions.

Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang welcomes Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, India promote law enforcement cooperation

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security called on India’s National Security Council to continue urging Indian law enforcement agencies to negotiate and sign cooperation documents with the ministry, including a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation in personnel training and capacity building and a draft agreement on cooperation in combating transnational crime between the Vietnamese ministry and the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.

President of the Lao National Assembly Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse, Vandara Siphandone, arrive at Noi Bai International Airport on November 2, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Lao NA President begins official visit to Vietnam

In an interview on the visit and bilateral cooperation, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam said that, from a strategic perspective, the visit is important in further translating the concept of “strategic cohesion” into concrete action and making it a guiding principle underpinning Vietnam-Laos relations.

Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan addresses a discussion on the bill during the 16th National Assembly’s second session November 2 (Photo: VNA)

FDI attraction requires outcome-based support policies: minister

According to the minister, the draft law is being revised against the backdrop of projected total social investment demand for 2026-2030 being 2.21 times that of the 2021-2025 period. Disbursed foreign direct investment (FDI) alone needs to reach an average of 30-40 billion USD annually, six to seven times the level recorded in the previous period.

At the 7th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee. (Photo: VNA)

NA Standing Committee to review 35 draft laws, resolutions at 8th session

In addition, the Standing Committee is expected to consider and adopt five draft resolutions concerning the allocation of inspection-related recovered funds to strengthen inspection agencies; the functions and organisational structure of the National Assembly's Council of Ethnic Affairs and committees; salary and allowance scales for State officials and judicial personnel; policies and working conditions for People's Council deputies; and approval of the National Assembly's Digital Architecture Framework version 2.0.

National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man (R) and President of the Lao National Assembly Sonexay Siphandone in Hanoi on April 16, 2025 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese, Lao legislatures strengthen strategic ties

The official visit by Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse will provide an opportunity for the two sides to discuss strategic measures to further deepen bilateral relations in the next phase. The visit will also reaffirm their determination to develop the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos in a more substantive and sustainable manner, for the benefit of the two countries' people.