☕ Afternoon briefing on June 13

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on June 13

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

- Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of people with disabilities (PwD) when he attended the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18) held from June 10-12 at the UN headquarters in New York.

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Nguyen said that the commitment was demonstrated through its promulgated policies and legal documents, including the 2010 Law on Persons with Disabilities and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2014. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has freshly signed a decision approving a project on adjustments to the Ho Chi Minh City Master Plan until 2040, with a vision to 2060.

Accordingly, by 2060, the southern metropolis will establish itself as a global, civilised, modern, and compassionate city whose development level is comparable to that of large cities worldwide. It will become an economic, financial, and service hub of Asia, a growth powerhouse, and a development impulse for the South and Vietnam as a whole. It is expected to have high living standards and quality, along with well developed economy and culture while serving as a destination of international financial institutions and corporations. Read full story

- Journalist and scholar Gaston Fiorda from the East Asian centre under Argentina’s Gino Germani Research Institute has described Vietnam as an important destination within ASEAN at a recent scientific workshop recently held in the South American country.

In his presentation, the scholar laid stress on the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), particularly Party General Secretary To Lam, in driving state apparatus streamlining while accelerating science-techology development, digital transformation, international integration, and private sector growth. Read full story

- Miyake Kazuhisa, former chief representative of Kyodo News in Vietnam, has recently shared his insightful perspectives on the remarkable evolution of Vietnamese journalism, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press Day (June 21).

Talking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents in Japan, Miyake, who served two terms as Kyodo’s bureau chief in Hanoi, reflected on the stark contrast between the two periods. Read full story

- Wutip, the first storm arising in the East Sea so far this year, has caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage in central localities, prompting them to take urgent response measures.

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Landslides on a section of the Ho Chi Minh Road in Quang Tri province (Photo: VNA)

In Quang Tri, thousands have been urgently evacuated as authorities race to protect lives and minimise further losses. Read full story

- The High-level People's Court in Hanoi held an appeal hearing to review the appeals of 11 defendants involved in the second phase of the "repatriation flight" case during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among those appealing are Tran Tung, former Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Thai Nguyen province; Nguyen Van Van, former Deputy Director of Quang Nam province’s Department of Health; Le Ngoc Tuong, former Deputy Director of Quang Nam province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; along with several other defendants from companies and businesses linked to the case. Read full story

- In preparation for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2027, Phu Quoc island city in the southern province of Kien Giang is actively raising public awareness and encouraging community involvement in building a green, clean, beautiful, and civilised city so as to shape the image of “Every Phu Quoc resident serves as a tourism ambassador.”

Hosting this important event is expected to offer a chance for the city to build a long-term development foundation in terms of infrastructure, management mindset, investment attraction, and urban planning. Read full story

- The Ministry of Construction officially granted an air transport licence to Sun Phu Quoc Company Limited (Sun PhuQuoc Airways), an airline brand invested in and developed by Vietnamese conglomerage Sun Group.

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A graphic image of a new terminal of Phu Quoc International Airport (Photo: CPG Consultants)

Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) has been licensed to operate under a traditional full-service business model with high-quality standards, while also incorporating a charter flight model. With Phu Quoc as its central hub, Sun PhuQuoc Airways aims to connect Vietnam’s island paradise with major domestic economic and tourism centers such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and other key cities. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel has advised Vietnamese citizens to strictly follow safety and security regulations issued by local authorities, minimise inter-city travel, and stay close to shelters when possible.

The recommendation follows the issuance of nationwide emergency security guidelines by Israel’s Home Front Command on June 13 amid the heightened risk of a large-scale missile attack from the east, as Israel continues its military campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities. Read full story

- The Central Executive Board of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Sangha held a ceremony on June 13 at An Hoa Tu Pagoda in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the sect’s founding (1939–2025).

Hoa Hao Buddhism was founded by Huynh Phu So on the 18th day of the fifth lunar month in 1939, which falls on June 13 this year./. Read full story

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An overview of the ASEAN foreign ministers' interface with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Vietnam promotes comprehensive approach to human rights in ASEAN

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son commended the AICHR’s contributions over the past 15 years and expressed confidence in its continued role in advancing the realisation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and other regional cooperation strategies.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper (Photo: VNA)

US Ambassador highlights pillars of US - Vietnam cooperation

Knapper described the Joint Statement on the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2023, signed by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Joe Biden, as a "historic achievement", with both sides valuing collaboration in high technology, particularly semiconductors.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva welcomes Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. (Photo: VNA)

PM’s Brazil visit deepens Vietnam’s ties with traditional partners

PM Pham Minh Chinh ’s July 4–8 trip to Brazil aimed to further implement Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations. It conveyed Vietnam’s image as a trusted partner in the international community, adding new dimensions to strategic partnerships and opening a new chapter of cooperation that meets the needs and interests of both countries, especially in a time of complex global developments.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the expanded BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 7 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, China agree to beef up cooperation in various fields

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasised that the Party and State of Vietnam highly valued the diverse and substantive outcomes of recent high-level exchanges, which have helped advance the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ali Bin Al Sayegh in Rio de Janeiro on July 7 (Photo: VNA)

PM holds vibrant activities on BRICS Summit sidelines

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held separate meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ali Bin Al Sayegh in Rio de Janeiro on July 7 (local time) as part of his Brazil visit for the expanded BRICS Summit.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with President of Uruguay on the sidelines of the expanded BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 7 (local time). (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister meets President of Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed the two sides soon negotiate and sign an agreement on investment promotion and protection, an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, and an agreement on cooperation in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) has a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 7 (local time) on the sidelines of the expanded BRICS Summit 2025. (Photo: VNA)

PM meets with Indonesian President on BRICS Summit sidelines

PM Chinh proposed that the two countries jointly develop an action plan to implement the comprehensive strategic partnership for the 2025–2030 period, while promoting cooperation in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, and emerging sectors such as digital economy, green transition and energy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font in Rio de Janeiro on July 7 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam promotes multifaceted cooperation with Chile

Vietnam treasures and promotes multifaceted cooperation with Chile, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during his meeting with Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font on the sidelines of the expanded BRICS summit on July 7 (local time).

Devastating flash floods strike Kerr county, Texas on July 5. (Photo: US Coast Guard/VNA)

Vietnamese leaders extend sympathies over Texas flash floods

Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 7 sent messages of sympathy to US President Donald Trump upon receiving news of the devastating flash floods that struck Kerr county, Texas, on July 4.

At the press conference to announce the State President’s decision on amnesty for the second round in 2025 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam announces amnesty decision for 2nd round in 2025

Over the years, the State has conducted multiple rounds, benefiting hundreds of thousands of prisoners who qualified for amnesty due to good conduct, learning, and working, allowing them to reintegrate into the community and society.

At the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform's second session in Hanoi on July 7 (Photo: VNA)

Central steering committee for judicial reform holds second session

Committee members voiced support for a project on studying the establishment of a public lawyer mechanism in the socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam. They said such research will help meet the practical need of protecting State interests, as government agencies and state-owned enterprises are facing growing legal risks related to foreign investment and trade, as well as civil, administrative, financial, asset, and land-related relationships.