☕ Afternoon briefing on December 15

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
☕ Afternoon briefing on December 15 ảnh 1
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a brief review of theday’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- The Party and State always treasure and highly value the role and position ofthe youth, considering them a big social force, a mainstay and a future ownerof the country, and one of the factors determining the success of the nationalindustrialisation, modernisation, international integration, and socialismbuilding.

The statement was made by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong whileaddressing the plenary of the 12th National Congress of the Ho Chi MinhCommunist Youth Union (HCYU) for the 2022-2027 tenure on December 15, nowunderway in Hanoi. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended a summit celebrating the 45thanniversary of the relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) and the European Union (EU), held in Brussels on December 14 (localtime).

In his remarks, the PM stressed the significance of the ASEAN-EU CommemorativeSummit, and stated that cooperation achievements have created a foundation andan impulse for the relationship. Read full story

- The British Embassy in Vietnam on December 14 officially announced a logo tocelebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the twocountries (September 11, 1973 - September 11, 2023).

The logo design contest, which was organised by the British Embassy andConsulate General in Vietnam, received 290 entries. The contest winner is NgoQuang Trung, a student in Ho Chi Minh City. Read full story

- Vietnam supports the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry(FESI) to develop its production system of footwear and sporting goods in thecountry, said Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien on December 14.

Speaking at a meeting with Vice Presidentof FESI Manuel Pauser on December 14 on the sidelines of the summitcommemorating the 45th year of the EU-ASEAN Diplomatic Relations, Dienemphasised that Vietnam has the ambition to export “made-by-Vietnam” productsrather than “made-in-Vietnam” ones. Read full story

- Vietnam’s total import-export revenue hit 700 billion USD so far this year,exceeding last year’s record of 600 billion USD, reported the GeneralStatistics Office (GSO). Read full story

- Vietnam’s tra fish (pangasius) export value is expected to hit a record highthis year, reaching 2.4 billion USD, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture andRural Development Phung Duc Tien. Read full story

- The Ministry of Transport has just approved a proposal from the VietnamMaritime Corporation (VIMC) to use Dinh Vu port to handle containers andreceive vessels up to 40,000 DWT.

The project is piloted for 6 months from December 12, 2022. Accordingly, VIMCis responsible for building facilities, port infrastructure and arrangingloading and unloading equipment to ensure that it fully meets the conditionsfor container cargo operation. Read full story

- Night flights will be doubled to meet increasing travel demand before,during, and after Lunar New Year Festival – the biggest in Vietnam and otherAsian countries, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

Normally, each day, airlines in Vietnam operate an average of 106 night flightsthat are available between 10 pm and 4 am of the following day, but the numberwill increase to 204 during the peak time of the 2023 Tet celebration, it said. Read full story

- US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) announced on December 15 that VinFast US,member of Vietnam’s largest private corporation Vingroup, has become the newestmember of the council.

USABC is the premier advocacy group and the only US-based organisationrecognised in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Charter. Read full story

- The Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe (VINEU) is determined to become anindependent organisation and pioneer in the overseas Vietnamese community inthe path of innovation in Vietnam, its President Pham Huy Hoang told Minister ofPlanning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung on December 14.

At their meeting in Brussels on the sidelines of a commemorative summit incelebration of the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations, the minister spokehighly of enthusiasm and value that the VINEU brings to the OV community andthe country. Read full story

- Vietnam is a leading country in biodiversity preservation in Asia-Pacific,Director General of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International MarcoLambertini has said.

Speaking at an event on preserving Vietnam’s natural heritage, held on thesidelines of the ongoing 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to theConvention on Biological Diversity in Canada, Lambertini noted that theSoutheast Asian nation has taken drastic actions to fulfill internationalbiodiversity commitments. Read full story

- An exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu inthe air” victory opened in Ho Chi Minh City on December 15.

On display are more than 200 photos, documents and artefacts which manifest thesmart leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh; solidarity between thearmy and the people in the 12-day battle which subsequently led to the signingof the Paris Agreement on ending the war in Vietnam. Read full story./.
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Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Pham Thi Thu Huong speaks at the ceremony marking the 136th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – 2026) in the European country on May 19, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

President Ho Chi Minh's birth anniversary commemorated in Greece

Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Thi Thu Huong described the late leader as a noble symbol of genuine patriotism harmoniously combined with proletarian internationalism. She stressed that the legacy he left behind is not only national independence, but also a rich treasure of ideology, morality, culture and lifestyle, embodying the spirit of self-reliance and resilience.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam speaks at at a working session in Hanoi on May 21, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Top leader calls for development of green, sustainable, self-reliant materials industry

Vietnam’s materials industry has recorded important progress in recent years. Sectors such as steel, cement, construction materials, basic chemicals, fertilisers, plastics, rubber, textiles and industrial wood processing have developed rapidly. Vietnam also possesses significant reserves of rare earths, bauxite, titanium, tungsten, graphite, silica sand and limestone.

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 21

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 21

A meeting of the standing board of the Central Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Vietnam's participation in the 23rd ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting, and the opening of a series of international exhibitions on the automotive industry and transport infrastructure are among news highlights on May 21.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong attends the 23rd ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting (ACDFM-23) on May 21. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Vietnam pledges to contribute more to adaptive, future-ready ASEAN

General Nguyen Tan Cuong highly valued the meeting’s theme – “Navigating Our Future, Together”, describing it as timely and reflective of ASEAN’s aspiration for solidarity, shared development and a prosperous community actively and effectively responding to present and future challenges.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam chairs the meeting of the standing board of the Central Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation in Hanoi on May 21. (Photo: VNA)

Top leader calls for strategic quantum technology development plan

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam emphasised that quantum technology is an entirely new, highly complex and rapidly evolving field closely linked to science and technology, national security, digital transformation, strategic industries and the country’s long-term competitiveness.

Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Pham Hoai Nam (second from right) and delegates cut the ribbon to open IDEB 2026 (Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia)

Vietnam attends international defence, security exhibition in Slovakia

A delegation from the Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence led by its Deputy Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Pham Hoai Nam, has paid a working visit to Slovakia and attended the International Defence and Security Exhibition (IDEB 2026) at the invitation of the Slovak Ministry of Defence.

☀️ Morning digest on May 21

☀️ Morning digest on May 21

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam's meeting with the Party Committee of the Ministry of Health to look into traditional medicine, PM Le Minh Hung's phone talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, and the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City – RoK investment cooperation and business networking forum are among news highlights on May 20 evening.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (R) hosts the UK's Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew in Hanoi on May 20 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam attaches great importance to ties with UK: PM

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung suggested that the two countries work together towards raising bilateral trade turnover to 10 billion USD in 2026 and eventually 15 billion USD through expanded market access for each other’s goods.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (right) and Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Vietnam Ri Sung Guk at their meeting on May 20 (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister receives DPRK Ambassador

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always attach importance to and wish to continuously nurture and promote the Vietnam–DPRK relationship in a more substantive and effective manner in the new development era, in line with the common aspirations of the two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (right) and Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes at their meeting on May 20 (Photo: VNA)

PM vows to deepen Vietnam-Cuba special ties

At a reception for Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes in Hanoi on May 20, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung stressed that the Party, Government and people of Vietnam always remember and treasure the solidarity and wholehearted support that the Party, Government and people of Cuba have extended to Vietnam during its past struggle for national liberation as well as the current cause of national construction and development.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has a phone conversation with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on May 20 (Photo: VNA)

PM holds phone talks with New Zealand counterpart

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung proposed six major orientations for future collaboration, including further strengthening political trust through increased delegation exchanges, high-level contacts and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and promoting more substantive defence and security cooperation through enhanced exchanges and stronger naval and maritime security capabilities.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man addresses the working session on May 20 (Photo: VNA)

NA leader urged more substantive, professional deputy affairs work

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man asked the NA Committee for Deputy Affairs to shift strongly from procedural consultation to strategic consultation, moving beyond the mindset of merely “following procedures correctly” towards policy design, process standardisation, quality control and forecasting.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam speaks at the working session in Hanoi with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Policies and Strategies and relevant agencies on assessing national development resources. (Photo: VNA)

Top leader orders decisive action to unlock idle resources for growth

Public resources must lead and activate private resources, while public investment should stimulate broader social investment. FDI, meanwhile, should move from quantity-based attraction toward quality-based absorption linked with technology transfer and stronger domestic linkages, said top leader To Lam.