Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 12

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 12

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

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Kim Min-seok attended a Vietnam - RoK Economic Forum in Seoul on August 12 as part of the former’s state visit to the Northeast Asian country.

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Kim Min-seok attend a Vietnam - RoK Economic Forum in Seoul on August 12. (Photo: VNA)

The forum, jointly organised by the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, the RoK’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), and the Vietnamese Embassy there, attracted the participation of representatives from more than 400 leading enterprises of both countries. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 12 urged Vietnam and Japan to establish a joint working group this month to coordinate efforts to address issues arising in reality, ensuring harmonious benefits and shared risks.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (centre, front) poses for a photo with Vietnamese officials and representatives of Japanese enterprises on August 12. (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at his meeting with Japanese enterprises operating in Vietnam – the second of its kind this year, PM Chinh stressed that if there are any issues going beyond the scope of existing regulations, they should be promptly submitted to competent authorities for appropriate and definitive resolution, avoiding prolonged delays. Lessons should also be drawn for ongoing and future projects. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a dispatch urging an acceleration of coastal road projects to meet national socio-economic development demands and the expectations of coastal communities.

Under Official Dispatch No. 131/CD-TTg dated August 11, 2025, the PM directed localities to treat the timely completion of the coastal road network as a key political task, allocating lawful resources to ensure progress. The goal should be reflected in the Resolutions of provincial Party congresses for the 2025–2030 term. Read full story

- Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Hugh Jeffrey, Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Policy, and Industry at the Australian Department of Defence, co-chaired the 8th Vietnam – Australia Defence Policy Dialogue in Hanoi on August 12.

Chien highlighted the active and effective development of bilateral defence ties since the 7th edition of the dialogue in March 2024, in line with the Vietnam - Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Read full story

- Large-scale projects invested by Korean investors in strategic sectors such as semiconductors and energy are poised to give a strong boost to foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Vietnam, creating momentum to attract more high-value projects from global investors.

FDI inflows into Vietnam has remained vibrant despite the global investment slowdown caused by geopolitical uncertainties and US tariff policies. Read full story

- The 20th annual conference of the Asia Cruise Services Network (ACSN) took place on August 11 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The event brought together delegates from 13 countries and territories, including the Maldives, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Myanmar, China and Vietnam. This marked the second time the event had been hosted in Vietnam on a rotational basis./. Read full story

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