Afternoon briefing

☕ Afternoon briefing on July 22

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on July 22

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

- With his practical experience through two terms as Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), the 11th and 12th tenures, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong gave comprehensive and objective instructions on the organisation and activities of the legislature, and had close directions related to innovation so that it can becomes more perfect.

The leader devoted a lot of enthusiasm and attention to the activities of the NA in his lifetime. Read full story

- Domestic and international media agencies these days are running stories on the passing and career of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who also left meaningful experiences and lessons for the journalists exclusively assigned to cover his activities.

In her article, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Su, who used to do the work during the time Trong served as the National Assembly (NA) Chairman and later the Party General Secretary, recounted that she was one of those who covered the leader’s visits to all the 63 provinces and cities nationwide as well as many countries around the world. Read full story

- Leaders of communist and left-wing parties around the world have expressed admiration and highlighted the great contributions of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Vietnam’s development.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged ministries, agencies, and localities to implement key tasks and solutions to boost growth, curb inflation, and stabilise macro-economy in July and the third quarter of 2024. Read full story

In his July 21 official dispatch to ministers, heads of ministry-level and Government agencies, and Chairpersons of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, the Government leader highlighted that under the leadership of the Party and with the support of the National Assembly, the resolute and effective direction and management by the Government and the Prime Minister, concerted efforts by ministries, sectors, and localities, and the support from enterprises and the people, as well as the assistance from international friends, Vietnam’s socio-economic situation in the first six months of this year showed clear signs of recovery, with month-on-month and quarter-on-quarter improvements. Read full story

- Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Vietnam Shantanu Chakraborty has expressed his impression of the Southeast Asian nation’s economic growth of 6.4% in the first half of this year.

The growth was mainly driven by strong trade recovery, where export grew by 14.5% and import by 17% over last year, he told the Vietnam News Agency. However, he said, the domestic segment remained sluggish. Read full story

- As of July, the total number of aircraft of Vietnamese airlines receiving air operator certificate (AOC) stood at 195, a drop of 36 compared to the same period last year, statistic from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Of which, the number of commercial aircraft utilised by the airlines was 167, a year-on-year decline of 51.

Last year, the ratio of operating aircraft among those with AOC reached 94.4%. However, this rate drops to 85.6% this year due to the recall of engines. Read full story

- Lotte Rental Co., a major car rental firm in the Republic of Korea (RoK), on July 22 announced that it will enter Vietnam's individual long-term car rental market in the second half of this year.

The company expects its vehicle operation scale to expand to 10,000 units by 2028 as it enters the Business to Customer (B2C) long-term car rental market. Read full story

- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who is also Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA), has met representatives of the Vietnamese community in France and attended a ceremony to launch an event honouring the Vietnamese language in Paris.

At the July 20 meeting, Hang lauded contributions by Vietnamese in the European country to the homeland over the past time, and briefed them on national socio-economic development. Read full story./.

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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (L) pays a courtesy call on Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Laos strengthen cooperation on overseas community affairs

The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in overseas Vietnamese and overseas Lao affairs for the 2026–2030 period, providing a framework for future collaboration. Laos will send a delegation to Vietnam to study preparations for the World Conference of Overseas Vietnamese, scheduled for December 2026.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Pham Thi Thu Huong meets with representatives of the Patras Chamber of Commerce. (Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese Embassy in Greece)

Vietnam seeks stronger ties with Greece’s Patras

Mayor Kostas Peletidis said Patras is ready to work with the Vietnamese Embassy to promote the country as well as its culture and people through local cultural events and festivals, including the Patras Carnival, one of Greece’s largest annual festivals, the mayor remarked.

Nearly 1,000 students and lecturers from universities and colleges across Can Tho city attend the event at Can Tho University on July 15, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Philippines strengthen people-to-people friendship

Shirley Nuevo, Acting Consul General of the Philippines in Ho Chi Minh City, said the past 50 years have demonstrated how the two countries and their peoples have grown together as friends, trusted partners and close neighbours within the ASEAN family.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung addresses the working session with the Standing Board of the Tuyen Quang Party Committee in Vi Xuyen commune on July 15, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

PM urges Tuyen Quang to accelerate measures to achieve double-digit growth

The PM chaired a working session on July 15 with the Standing Board of the Tuyen Quang Party Committee on socio-economic development, the double-digit growth target, public investment disbursement, the operation of the two-tier local government model, implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 57, and measures to address local challenges.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang (right), who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, and EU Ambassador to ASEAN Sujiro Seam at their meeting in Hanoi (Photo published by VNA)

Vietnam pledges continued contributions to ASEAN-EU ties: Deputy FM

Deputy FM Dang Hoang Giang, who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, spoke highly of the positive progress in the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership, noting that the EU has become one of ASEAN's most reliable partners and has provided substantial support for the ASEAN Community-building process.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (R) receives Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Tshering Sherpa in Hanoi on July 15. (Photo: VNA)

Foreign Minister receives Indian Ambassador

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said Vietnamese authorities are expediting investigations into the cause of the recent speedboat accident and will strictly address any violations while strengthening safety regulations to prevent similar incidents.

Nguyen Van Tho (R), Permanent Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council and Chairman of the municipal Vietnam–US Friendship Association, presents flowers to Melissa A. Brown, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, at the get-together marking the 250th anniversary of the US’s Independence Day in the city on July 15, 2026. (Photo: Xuan Khu/VNA)

People-to-people friendship forms key foundation of Vietnam–US ties: diplomat

Vietnam and the US have established a comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political systems. By putting the past behind, looking towards the future, building on common interests, and managing differences properly, they have advanced relations for the benefit of both peoples.