☕ Afternoon briefing on May 4

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
☕ Afternoon briefing on May 4 ảnh 1

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

- State President Vo Van Thuong's participation of thecoronation of King Charles III of the UK from May 4 to 6 shows Vietnam’srespect and support for the Royal Family and the Government of the UK as wellas the two countries’ strategic partnership, a diplomat has said.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, VietnameseAmbassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long said President Thuong’s working trip isa high-level diplomatic activity of great importance that affirms Vietnam’sstature and role in the region and the world. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Luxembourgcounterpart Xavier Bettel held talks in Hanoi on May 4, affirming both sides’wish and determination to lift bilateral relations to a new development stagethat is more substantive and effective.

PM Chinh stated Vietnam treasures the friendshipand multifaceted cooperation with Luxembourg and that his guest’s officialvisit from May 3 to 5 holds great significance, especially as the two countriesare celebrating the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and thisis the first by a Luxembourg Government leader in over 20 years. Read full story

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 4 ảnh 2Vice President of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan (L) meets with President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on May 3. (Photo: VNA)

- Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan underlined theimportance Vietnam attaches to its relations with the United Arab Emirates(UAE), during a meeting with President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan on May 3 morning.

The meeting, following a welcome ceremony for theVice President of Vietnam, was also joined by Vice President of the UAE SheikhMansour bin Zayed. Read full story

- Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan received Director-General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM) Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi on May 4 as part of her working trip to the UAE to attend the 2023 Global Summit of Women and some bilateral activities.

Speaking highly of the position and reputation of WAM - one of the leading news agencies in the Middle East, Xuan hailed the fresh signing of a professional cooperation agreement between WAM and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), which, she said, is an important milestone in the cooperation between the two news agencies, especially on the occasion of Vietnam and the UAE celebrating the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties (August 1, 1993 - 2023). Read full story

- Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binhvisited the Netherlands from May 2-3, aiming to enhance relations betweenVietnam and relevant organisations and agencies.

During the visit, Binh and his entourage alsolearned about some issues in judicial reform in service of amendments to theLaw on the Organisation of People’s Courts, and the compilation of a law onjustice for juveniles. Read full story

- In a world riddled with uncertainties and strategiccomplexities, trust plays a critical role in conflict prevention and solution,and is the bedrock for a multilateral system that can achieve and sustainpeace, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to theUnited Nations, told the UN Security Council’s open debate on “Futureproofingtrust for sustaining peace” on May 3.

Stressing that trust cannot be coerced ormanufactured but rests on the principles of fairness and equality, Giang calledon all actors in international relations, especially the major powers, to actin good faith and uphold their responsibility, while fully considering thelegitimate interests of all parties and stakeholders. Read full story

- The Government has proposed the National Assembly (NA) toconsider a 2% reduction in the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and servicessubject to a 10% VAT during its coming meeting stated to start on May 22.

The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice were asked tocomplete the proposed draft resolution. Read full story

- Vietnam’s export-import valuein the first four months of this year was estimated at 210.79 billion USD, down13.6% year-on-year, with a trade surplus of 6.35 billion USD, the GeneralStatistics Office (GSO) reported.

In April alone, the import-export turnover stoodat 53.57 billion USD, representing decreases of 7.7% from the previous month,and 18.8% from the same period last year. Read full story

- A Vietnamese military delegation led by Rear Admiral NguyenDinh Hung, Deputy Commander of the Vietnam People's Navy, attended theInternational Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) Asia 2023 that opened at theChangi Exhibition Centre of Singapore on May 3.

The three-day exhibition drew 47 delegations frommore than 40 countries in the region and the world, and 250 enterprises from 25nations, showing the latest technologies in the fields of defence andnavigation. Read full story

☕ Afternoon briefing on May 4 ảnh 3Total revenue from the tourists was estimated at 24 trillion VND (over 1.02 billion USD), up 9% compared with the same period last year. (Photo: VNA)

- Vietnam welcomed more than 300,000 foreign visitors andserved 7 million domestic tourists during the five-day holidays of Hung KingsCommemoration Day, Reunification Day and International Workers’ Day from April29 to May 3, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Total revenue from the tourists was estimated at24 trillion VND (over 1.02 billion USD), up 9% compared with the same periodlast year./. Read full story

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At the ceremony marking the handover of duties at the Party Central Committee’s Office on February 7 (Photo: VNA)

Party Central Committee’s Office welcomes new chief

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the committee’s Inspection Commission Nguyen Duy Ngoc on February 7 handed over the duties of the Chief of the committee’s Office to Secretary of the Party Central Committee Le Hoai Trung.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) and Thai Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya. (Photo: VNA)

PM welcomes new ambassadors of Pakistan, Thailand

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted separate receptions in Hanoi on February 7 for Pakistani Ambassador Kohdayar Marri and Thai Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya, who recently took up their diplomatic posts in Vietnam.

Vietnamese President Luong Cuong (R) and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at their meeting in Hanoi on November 25, 2024 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Bulgaria enjoy thriving ties through more than seven decades

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Delegates attend banquet to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and DPRK (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

75th anniversary of Vietnam-DPRK diplomatic relations marked in Hanoi

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said the Vietnam-DPRK traditional friendship, nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung, has overcome historical challenges and been continuously strengthened by generations of Vietnamese and DPRK leaders.

Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien (R) receives Colonel S. Muthukrishnan, Indian Defence Attaché in Vietnam, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Hanoi on February 6. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Vietnam, India enhance defence cooperation

The Deputy Minister suggested that both nations focus on implementing the exchange of delegations, especially high-level ones, and maintaining existing cooperation mechanisms, particularly in training programmes and defence industry collaboration.