☀️ Morning digest August 12

The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.

☀️ Morning digest August 12

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting on Ho Chi Minh City’s socio-economic development and implementation of the National Assembly’s Resolution 98 on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for the city’s development on August 10 in the southern metropolis.

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PM Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting on Ho Chi Minh City’s socio-economic development and the implementation of the National Assembly’s Resolution 98 on August 10. (Photo: VNA)

According to the report, the city’s GRDP in the first half of the year soared by an estimated 6.46% over the same period last year, the highest since 2020, contributing 19.65% to the nation’s growth rate. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the fourth meeting of the Coordinating Council for the Southeastern Region in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10, sketching out ways for fueling regional development.

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The fourth meeting of the Coordinating Council for the Southeastern Region takes place in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10. (Photo: VNA)

During the first seven months of 2024, the southeastern region recorded fair growth but still fell short of expectations for it as a key and leading economic region of the whole country. Its economic growth stood at 5.58% during the period, lower than the national average and only higher than that of the Central Highlands, the council reported. Read full story

- National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man on August 10 demanded communications about the arrangement of district- and communal-level administrative units be stepped up to ensure the best possible results.

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NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man (front, second from right) and delegates to the conference announcing the NA Standing Committee’s Resolution 1104/NQ-UBTVQH15 in Nam Dinh province on August 10. (Photo: VNA)

He made the request while attending a conference announcing the NA Standing Committee’s Resolution 1104/NQ-UBTVQH15 on the arrangement of district- and communal-level administrative units for 2023 - 2025 in the northern province of Nam Dinh, which is one of the first three localities nationwide to carry out the task in the period. Read full story

- A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) led by Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh had meetings with Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Speaker of the Legislative Council Abdul Rahman Taib in Bandar Seri Begawan on August 10.

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The meeting between NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh and Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Bandar Seri Begawan on August 10. (Photo: VNA)

The Sultan and the Speaker of the Legislative Council offered deep condolences on the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong. They also extended congratulations on President To Lam’s election as Party General Secretary. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has stressed the need to further perfect, manage, and operate the vessel monitoring system (VMS) smoothly and effectively, according to a notice newly issued by the Government’s Office.

The official called it a key task from now to the end of this year to have the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood lifted, according to the August 10 document on his conclusions at a recent meeting on the implementation of solutions to untangle the knots in the system. Read full story

- Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan attended the 16th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting and related meetings held in Vientiane from August 7-9.

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Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan ( fifth, from left) is with her counterparts from other ASEAN countries at the 16th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting and related meetings held in Vientiane from August 7-9. (Photo: VNA)

Together with the Health Ministers of other ASEAN countries, Minister Lan attended and addressed sessions on building ASEAN health priorities after 2025. Read full story

- As Vietnam’s chip-semiconductor industry sees bright opportunities to thrive, human resources training is identified as a top priority.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), the workforce demand for information technology (IT) and digital industry in Vietnam is estimated at 150,000 engineers per year. Read full story

- Vietnam earned 4.29 billion USD from exporting textile and garment products in July, up 12.4% from the same period last year.

This is also the first month in the year the sector’s exports have exceeded the 4 billion USD mark, the highest figure since August, 2022. Read full story

- Combating trafficking in person and supporting victims of human trafficking are among the key tasks that Vietnam and countries around the world are prioritising and actively implementing, including perfecting relevant legal systems.

Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Van Trinh, Deputy Head of Division 5 of the Criminal Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, said they are enacting the Law on Human Trafficking Prevention and Control and related laws. Vietnam is one of the earliest countries that signed on to the UN’s conventions and protocols, and memoranda of understanding (MoU) of ASEAN and regional countries, as well as cooperation agreements with relevant countries. Read full story

- Sky-watchers in Vietnam have a chance to see the Perseid meteor shower on the night of August 12 and early morning of August 13, according to Vietnam Astronomy and Cosmology Association (VACA).

In 2024, the Perseid meteor shower is active between July 17 and August 24, with the number of meteors increasing every night until it reaches a peak in mid-August, after which it will tail off. This year the peak falls on the night of the 12th and before dawn on August 13./. Read full story

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The appointment decision handover ceremony is held in Hanoi on March 12. (Photo: VNA)

PM appoints new leader for Vietnam’s top science academy

PM Pham Minh Chinh asked the VAST to continue to serve as the Party and State’s strategic advisory body on science – technology in key areas such as artificial intelligence, energy, marine economy, water security, and aerospace, alongside building a national sci-tech database.

Do Thanh Hai (right), Deputy Director-General of the East Sea Institute under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, speaks at the dialogue. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, India promote maritime security cooperation through blue economy development

Through four rounds of bilateral “Track 1” Maritime Security Dialogue, the two sides have outlined priority areas of cooperation, including marine scientific research, blue economy development, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, naval and coast guard cooperation, maritime law enforcement, capacity building, and maritime connectivity.

Ha Thi Nga (right), Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, meets with V.G. Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the External Relations Committee of Saint Petersburg, in Hanoi on March 12. (Photo: mattran.org.vn)

Vietnam, Saint Petersburg step up people-to-people exchanges

The VFF will continue strengthening bilateral ties and promoting cooperation activities, while seeking closer coordination and support from Saint Petersburg to expand people-to-people exchanges in the coming period, VFF Vice President and General Secretary Ha Thi Nga has said.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Top legislator asked for thorough preparations for NA, People’s Council election

With only three days left before voters head to the polls on March 15, the top legislator described the election as a particularly important political event and a major national occasion that demonstrates the people’s right to exercise their democratic power by directly choosing qualified representatives to the NA and People’s Councils at all levels.

Ship 17 of Brigade 171 under Naval Region 2 of the Vietnam People’s Navy. (Photo: VNA)

Navy ship completes Milan 2026 multinational exercise in India

Over a journey covering more than 5,000 nautical miles, the ship’s officers and crew combined operational participation with extended sea training aimed at enhancing command coordination capabilities, combat readiness, mastery of weapons and technical equipment, and overall physical endurance.

An overview of the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly which opens on October 20, 2025. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

France-based expert suggests elevating parliamentary diplomacy to support national development

Inter-parliamentary cooperation should be closely aligned with the country’s development priorities, including institutional reform, trade and investment, digital transformation, green transition, energy security, high-quality human resources development and the implementation of international commitments, said Le Van Tranh, a Vietnamese doctoral researcher in law at Paris Panthéon-Assas University in France.

Residents visit polling stations in their wards to review the list of candidates for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term. (Photo: VNA)

📝OP-ED: Resolutely removing discordant voices ahead of national election day

When March 15 arrives, one will see elderly voters approaching a hundred years old making their way to the polls, young voters casting their ballots with enthusiasm, and multi-generational families going together to fulfil their civic duty. Together, these moments will create a vibrant atmosphere, resembling a national celebration.

Le Thuong, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association in the Kansai region, Japan. (Photo: VNA)

OV in Japan place high expectations on NA, People’s Council election

Le Thuong, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association in the Kansai region, said overseas Vietnamese are closely following the upcoming election, viewing it as an important opportunity to strengthen the effectiveness of governance and ensure that development policies meet the country’s evolving needs.