Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 22

The Government’s law-building session for May, the conclusion of the second round of negotiations on a reciprocal trade agreement between Vietnam and the US, and Vietnam's participation in SEMICON Southeast Asia 2025 are among news highlights on May 22.

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 22

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

– There has been a mindset shift in law-making from a State control, where matters not explicitly regulated were often prohibited, to one of facilitation and service, aiming to support both citizens and businesses, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh while the Government’s law-building session for May on May 22.

The PM reaffirmed that the building and perfection of the legal and institutional system is one of the three strategic breakthroughs identified by the Party and State. Read full story

– PM Pham Minh Chinh has just approved a list of members of the Steering Committee for Regional and International Financial Centres in Vietnam.

Under the Decision No. 981/QD-TT dated May 20, PM Chinh will serve as Head of the Steering Committee. Read full story

– Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang concluded a two-day working trip to Sweden on May 21, aimed at advancing bilateral ties across a wide range of areas.

deputy-fms-visit-seeks-to-deepen-ties-with-sweden.jpg
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (R) and Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dag Hartelius (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

While in Sweden, Hang held working sessions with Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dag Hartelius, Director General for Trade Policy Camilla Melander, Director General for Global Affairs Mikael Lindvall, and head of the Swedish Parliament’s International Department Anna-Karin Hedström. Read full story

– The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is a comprehensive legal framework governing all activities at sea, and all policies, regulations, and conduct of countries at sea must comply with international law, particularly the UN Charter and UNCLOS, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, has emphasised.

Addressing an open debate of the UN Security Council on strengthening maritime security through international cooperation for global stability, Ambassador Giang urged all countries to fully adhere to their obligations under the convention, respect the sovereignty, interests, and legitimate economic activities of coastal states, and settle disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law. Read full story

– Vietnam and the US made positive progress during the second round of negotiations on a reciprocal trade agreement, held in Washington D.C. from May 19 to 22.

Throughout the three-day talks, negotiations were conducted in a spirit of goodwill, straightforwardness, and respect for each other’s institutional frameworks. The two sides sought to harmonise and balance interests in conformity with international commitments, with the development level of each country taken into account. Read full story

– The Vietnamese Trade Office in India, in coordination with relevant partners, hosted an online seminar on May 21 to strengthen trade and investment ties in the wood and furniture industry between the two countries.

Nearly 100 Vietnamese and Indian businesses, along with representatives from industry associations and trade promotion agencies, joined the event to explore partnerships and expand bilateral trade. Read full story

– Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen concluded a six-day visit to Cuba on May 22, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in healthcare, particularly in biopharmaceuticals.

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The working session between the Vietnamese delegation and the Cuban Ministry of Health (Photo: VNA)

During a working session with Cuban Deputy Minister of Health Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández, Tuyen highlighted decades of productive cooperation, including the exchange of medical experts, medical staff training, technology transfer, joint research, and epidemic prevention. Read full story

– Vietnam is taking another step toward deeper integration into the global semiconductor supply chain through its active participation in SEMICON Southeast Asia (SEA) 2025, held from May 20-22 in Singapore.

Notably, this year marks Vietnam’s debut with a national pavilion at the exhibition, aiming to promote the country’s image and foster investment and technology partnerships. Read full story

– “Happy Vietnam 2025”, an annual photography and video award, was launched in Hanoi on May 22 with a view to showcasing the country’s achievements in human rights protection.

The initiative is jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, and Vietnam Television. Read full story

– The VinFuture Prize, a global science and technology award, concluded its nomination round for its fifth season, receiving 1,705 applications from around the world, the organising board said on May 22.

Notably, the number of official nominating partners has seen exceptional growth, reaching 14,772, more than a twelvefold increase from the 1,200 recorded in the inaugural season, and a 60% jump from 2024. Read full story./.

VNA
#law building #reciprocal trade agreement #SEMICON Southeast Asia 2025 #Sweden #VinFuture Prize #UNCLOS
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