☕ Afternoon briefing on May 27

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 27

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

- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) need to work together to shape a new-generation model of inter-regional cooperation, based on sincerity, substance, comprehensiveness, cohesion, and greater effectiveness, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at the second ASEAN-GCC Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the second ASEAN-GCC Summit. (Photo: VNA)

This move will generate strong momentum for development cooperation, enhance the harmonisation of interests between the two sides, and contribute to peace, stability, and shared prosperity in both regions and the world, he stressed. Read full story

- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam on May 27 on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur.

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Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) meets with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam in Kuala Lumpur on May 27. (Photo: VNA)

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah opened the meeting by extending his deepest condolences to the Vietnamese State, Government and people over the passing of former State President Tran Duc Luong. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with his Timor-Leste counterpart Xanana Gusmao in Kuala Lumpur on May 27, within the framework of his official visit to Malaysia and his attendance at the 46th ASEAN Summit and related Summits.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with his Timor-Leste counterpart Xanana Gusmao. (Photo: VNA)

During the meeting, PM Chinh congratulated Timor-Leste on receiving unanimous support from ASEAN leaders for its admission as a new member of the bloc at the 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled for October. Read full story

- French President Emmanuel Macron on May 27 delivered a keynote speech at a meeting with Vietnamese students and young intellectuals at the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) – a flagship institution founded under bilateral agreements signed between the Vietnamese and French governments in 2009 and 2018.

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French President Emmanuel Macron talks to Vietnamese students and young intellectuals at the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) on May 27. (Photo: VNA)

The French President, who is paying a state visit to Vietnam from 25-27, underlined the central role of education in the France–Vietnam partnership, which he described as one of the most enduring pillars of bilateral cooperation. Read full story

- Vietnamese industrial conglomerate Truong Hai Group Corporation (Truong Hai Group) has submitted a formal proposal to the Prime Minister to invest more than 1.56 trillion VND (some 61.35 billion USD) in the country’s high-speed railway linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

As part of the proposal, it suggested that land clearance should be treated as a separate, state-led project and therefore excluded from the overall investment cost of the railway scheme. Read full story

- Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) and French pharmaceutical group Sanofi on May 26 exchanged an agreement to initiate the transfer of Sanofi’s technology for vaccine production at VNVC’s vaccine and biologicals plant.

The partnership marks a significant milestone in enhancing bilateral cooperation in key sectors amid globalisation, especially in healthcare. It also represents a strategic step for Vietnam’s health sector to expand international collaboration in high-tech science, aiming to reinforce national health security and boost its preparedness for future disease outbreaks. Read full story

- Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has welcomed Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea’s wish to join the ASEAN as member states.

“We support Timor-Leste’s becoming a full ASEAN member as soon as possible—if possible, this year,” he said at the plenary session of the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 26, as quoted by Indonesia's national news agency Antara. Read full story

- Thailand recorded 53,563 COVID-19 cases with five deaths from May 18 to 24, according the Department of Disease Control under the Thai Ministry of Public Health.

Of the total cases, 2,827 were inpatients and 50,736 were outpatients. The largest group of patients was aged 30–39 (10,740 cases), followed by those aged 20–29 (9,527), 60 and over (8,107), and young children aged up to four years (4,117)./. Read full story

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Ambassador Do Hung Viet, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN, hands over the Vietnamese translation of the “Pact for the Future” to President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese version of “Pact for the Future” presented at UN high-level event

The "Pact for the Future", adopted by world leaders at the Summit of the Future on September 22, 2024 in New York, outlines a shared vision and directions for cooperation across key areas to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforce the multilateral system, and enhance the role and effectiveness of the UN.

Do Duc Duy is relieved of duties as NA deputy. (Photo: VNA)

Do Duc Duy relieved of duties as NA deputy

The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee convened a meeting on July 19 to decide on relieving Do Duc Duy, member of the Lao Cai province’s NA delegation, from his position as NA deputy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hands over decision assigning Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment. (Photo: VNA)

PM hands over decision assigning acting minister of agriculture and environment

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 19 presided over a ceremony to hand over a decision to assign Tran Duc Thang,member of the Party Central Committee and Standing Deputy Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate, to take up duties at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, serving as Acting Minister.

Party General Secretary To Lam speaks at the closing ceremony of the 12th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee in Hanoi on July 19. (Photo: VNA)

Speech by Party chief at closing session of Party Central Committee’s 12th plenum

With revolutionary spirit and determination for continued renewal, the Party Central Committee decided to integrate the contents of three documents, including the political report, the socio-economic report, and the report on Party building, into a single consistent, unified, and synchronous political report to submit to the 14th National Party Congress.

At the closing session of the 12th plenary meeting of the 13th Central Party Committee. (Photo: VNA)

13th Party Central Committee wraps up 12th plenum

Party General Secretary To Lam asked the entire Party, people, and armed forces to remain steadfast in their faith, fuelled by the aspiration for development and the determination to drive forward comprehensive reform towards building a peaceful, developed, powerful, prosperous, and happy Vietnam.

Standing Deputy Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate Tran Duc Thang is assigned as acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment. (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

PM assigns acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a decision assigning Tran Duc Thang, a member of the Party Central Committee and Standing Deputy Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate, as acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang (R) receives Ambassador of Switzerland to Vietnam Thomas Gass on July 18. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy FM works with diplomats of Morocco, Switzerland, Senegal

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang said he hopes National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man's upcoming trip will achieve substantive results, especially in trade, investment, agriculture, sustainable development, and innovation, and create a premise to deepen bilateral relations between Vietnam and the three countries.

☕ Afternoon briefing on July 18

☕ Afternoon briefing on July 18

The 12th session of the 13th Party Central Committee, the ninth political consultation between the Vietnamese and Cambodian foreign ministries, and the 2025 Vietnam-Laos Trade Fair are among news highlights on July 18.

Party General Secretary To Lam speaks at the 12th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee in Hanoi on July 18. (Photo: VNA)

Party chief orders setting general goals, strategic breakthroughs in 2025-2030 term

In his opening speech, the Party chief highlighted the significance of the event, saying that the convening of the conference nearly three months earlier than the schedule demonstrates the proactive, urgent, and highly responsible spirit of the entire Party in comprehensively and thoroughly preparing the contents to be presented at the 14th National Party Congress.

Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. (Photo: VNA)

National Committee for APEC 2027 established

The National Committee for APEC 2027 is tasked with assisting the PM in considering, directing, and coordinating the performance of tasks related to the preparation for and organisation of APEC conferences and related activities in 2027.

The 12th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee opened in Hanoi on the morning of July 18 (Photo: VNA)

Party Central Committee convenes 12th plenum

This plenum will focus discussions on three major groups of issues - preparations for the 14th National Party Congress; the development of a political and legal foundation for continued reform in the coming years; and personnel work.