☕ Afternoon briefing on May 17

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 17

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

- A ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of the Truong Son - Ho Chi Minh Trail (1959 - 2024) took place in Bo Trach district, the central province of Quang Binh, on May 17, highlighting the significance of the legendary road in the country’s resistance war against the US and today's socio-economic development.

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At the event marking the 65th anniversary of the Truong Son - Ho Chi Minh Trail (1959 - 2024) in Quang Binh province (Photo: VNA)

The event was attended by 200 delegates, including former pioneering youths and members of youth unions from the provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, and Quang Nam in the central region, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Dak Nong in the Central Highlands, and Binh Phuoc in the south, which the trail traversed. Read full story

– A high-ranking delegation from Hanoi led by Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong is paying a working visit to China from May 15-24.

At a meeting with Liu Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing and President of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee School, on May 16, Phong said that Hanoi has always paid great attention to developing friendship and cooperation with all localities of China, especially Beijing. Read full story

- TripAdvisor recently announced the world’s trending destinations, in which Ha Long Bay and Sa Pa of Vietnam are among the top five.

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel site, connecting travellers and service suppliers worldwide. With over 1 billion user reviews and ratings, it reflects almost the entire global tourism. Read full story

- The steel industry has affirmed its position by reaching the Top 12 in the world in terms of crude steel production. Not only is the production output growing rapidly, but Vietnamese steel products are also gradually becoming more diverse, according to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA).

VSA Chairman Nghiem Xuan Da said that since 2015, Vietnam's steel industry has developed into one of the leading manufacturers in ASEAN in terms of production and sale of finished steel products. In 2023, it also ranked 12th globally in crude steel production, with an output of 20 million tonnes. Read full story

– The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre said on May 17 that it has partnered with Phygital Labs to digitalise 10 artifacts of the Nguyen dynasty and bring the first Metaverse virtual gallery into life.

The antiquities include throne, palanquin and shoes (for rituals), golden branches and jade leaves (for interior décor), and xam huong game. They will be displayed at the Metaverse virtual gallery museehue.vn. Read full story

– Nhan Dan (People) newspaper has set up a stall exhibiting a wide range of books at the ongoing 19th Saint Petersburg International Book Fair in Russia.

On display at the Vietnamese stall are books on President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954) and the Vietnamese culture and people, along with works by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Read full story

– The southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau has carried out drastic measures and exerted efforts to clamp down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as an inspection team of the European Commission (EC) will visit Vietnam very soon.

The provincial People’s Committee has directed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to work closely with the Naval Region 2 Command, Coast Guard Regions 3 and 4 commands, and the fisheries surveillance force to get updated with the operation of fishing vessels, and detect, investigate and handle violations in a timely manner./.Read full story

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Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh (left) and First Secretary of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) Central Committee A Dong at their meeting in Beijing on April 12 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, China strengthen youth exchanges to deepen bilateral ties

The Vietnamese diplomat stressed that during the upcoming state visit by General Secretary and State President To Lam, the meeting between senior leaders of the two countries and youth participating in the ninth edition of “Red study tour” programme in China reflects the special attention paid by the top leaders of both Parties and countries to nurturing and educating younger generations, enabling them to carry forward the revolutionary traditions of previous generations.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Photo: VNA)

Slovak Prime Minister begins official visit to Vietnam

According to Ambassador Giang, the official visit by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico marks the first by a foreign government leader after Vietnam completed the restructuring of its state apparatus following the 14th National Party Congress, and opens up opportunities for more substantive cooperation following previous high-level visits, based on the need to strengthen collaboration and high political trust between the two sides.

Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man (L) receives Vietnam’s Honorary Consul in Torino Sandra Scagliotti (Photo: VNA)

NA leader receives Vietnam’s Honorary Consul in Torino

Expressing his special impressions upon visiting Italy, a country rich in cultural traditions and beauty that maintains a longstanding friendship with Vietnam, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man said that his visit takes place at a time when Vietnam–Italy relations are developing strongly after more than 50 years of diplomatic ties and over a decade of the Strategic Partnership framework.

General Secretary and State President Lam presents the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” to Military Region 1 (Photo: VNA)

Party, State leader asks Military Region 1 to position itself as comprehensively strong force

Party General Secretary and State President Lam, who is also Secretary of the Central Military Commission, urged Military Region 1 to continue thoroughly grasping the Party’s guidelines on national defence and military strategy in the new context, maintain a firm control of the situation, and provide timely strategic advice to prevent any unexpected developments.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attends a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Police Force for Administrative Management of Social Order on April 12 (Photo: VNA)

PM urges development of service-oriented administration

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung underscored that in the period of renewal and international integration, the force has continued to play a key role in advising and implementing major initiatives in state management of security and order. Its responsibilities have included population management, issuance and management of citizen identification, regulation of weapons and explosives, management of conditional business sectors, and the maintenance of public order.

National Assembly adopts a resolution introducing key provisions on environmental protection tax, value-added tax, and excise tax for petrol, oil and jet fuel on April 12 (Photo: VNA

NA adopts tax resolution on petrol, oil, aviation fuel

The resolution introducing key provisions on environmental protection tax, value-added tax and excise tax applicable to petrol, oil and aviation fuel passed by the National Assembly on April 12 takes effect from April 16, 2026, to June 30, 2026.

Wei Tao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Photo: VNA)

China’s Guangxi advances “three connectivity” with Vietnam

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China is stepping up cooperation with Vietnamese localities through three key pillars “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, “soft connectivity” in trade and investment, and “people-to-people connectivity” through cultural exchanges.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (left) hands over a letter from Party General Secretary and State President To Lam to Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican (Photo: VNA)

NA Chairman meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

The Party and State of Vietnam consistently create favourable conditions for the Catholic community to practice their faith while contributing to the nation, following the orientation of “living the Gospel in the heart of the nation,” said National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

A roundtable in Moscow reviews key outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

New cooperation directions drive Vietnam–Russia ties

As Russia pivots towards the Asia–Pacific and Vietnam deepens its global integration, Vietnam is increasingly viewed as a key bridge connecting Russia with Southeast Asia, a role expected to elevate the strategic value of bilateral ties and unlock new cooperation opportunities.

Permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu departs Techo Airport for home. (Photo: VNA)

Cambodia highlights significance of Party official’s visit

The official visit to Cambodia by Politburo member and Permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu has been described by Cambodian officials as carrying profound political and diplomatic significance, helping reinforce the traditional ties between the two Parties and countries.

Ambassador and Head of the Vietnamese Mission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mai Phan Dung meets with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on April 10, 2026. Photo: VNA

Vietnam strongly supports multilateral trading system

Vietnam has always been an active and responsible WTO member, fully participating in activities, discussion sessions, and side events, while regularly making statements and contributing to major negotiation dossiers, said Ambassador and Head of the Vietnamese Mission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mai Phan Dung.