☕ Afternoon briefing on August 11

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung highlighted his country's readiness to accompany Vietnam on the latter's next stages of development during talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam in Seoul on August 11.

Welcoming the General Secretary – the first foreign guest since the RoK established its new administration, President Lee affirmed that his country always views Vietnam a key partner in the implementation of its foreign policy in the region. Read full story

- Lieut. Gen. Vongsone Inpanphim, Deputy Minister of Defence, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People’s Army (LPA), and his spouse are paying an official visit to Vietnam from August 10 - 14, at the invitation of General Trinh Van Quyet, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).

At their talks, following a welcome ceremony on August 11, the two sides exchanged views on the global and regional situation as well as on the current state of each country’s armed forces. Read full story

- The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on August 11 reviewed a report on the supervision over the enforcement of policies and laws related to the development and use of human resources, especially high-quality manpower, to meet socio-economic development needs.

The report noted that Vietnam’s workforce has largely kept pace with national socio-economic development goals. Human resources and high-quality manpower have improved in both quantity and quality, with a more appropriate structure and improved capabilities, skills, and productivity. Employment and income indicators have also shown positive trends, it said. Read full story

- The Ministry of Science and Technology has recently called on Vietnamese enterprises, agencies, and organisations to apply for the ASEAN Digital Awards (ADA) 2026.

This is a prestigious regional competition held annually under the auspices and presentation of the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting. Read full story

- Vietnam’s property mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is moving away from takeover battles driven by financial clout, as experts point to a new phase shaped by partnerships, legal expertise, risk management and long-term vision.

This year, the market is undergoing a clear shift in investor composition. Once dominated by domestic firms leveraging land reserves and capital strength, it is now witnessing the rise of foreign investors who are stepping up in both scale and strategy. The result is a more selective playing field, where efficiency and shared value take precedence over “big fish eats small fish” dynamics. Read full story

- Vietnamese bananas are becoming increasingly common in Japanese grocery stores as the long-standing dominance of imports from the Philippines begins to decline, Nikkei Asia reported.

Japanese trade statistics show that imports of Vietnamese bananas reached 33,000 tonnes in 2024 — almost 14 times higher than in 2019, raising Vietnam’s market share in Japan from just 0.2% to 3.2%. In July alone, exports of Vietnamese bananas to the Tokyo region more than doubled compared to the same period last year. Read full story

- Bai Dinh Pagoda in the northern province of Ninh Binh has been bestowed with TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award as an outstanding destination uniquely marked with a special green tick, the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism said on August 10.

Bai Dinh, nestled within the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex – a UNESCO cultural and natural heritage site, is the only in the list to be granted the green-tick status, indicating the site's remarkable credibility among international visitors. Read full story./.

VNA