![☀️ Morning digest August 20](https://imagev3-lang.vietnamplus.vn/w1000/Uploaded/2024/nokvvn/2024_05_04/ca-phe-sang-01-7535.jpg.webp)
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.
- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President of Vietnam To Lam held talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing on August 19.
![An overview of the talks (Photo: VNA) talks.jpg](https://imagev3-lang.vietnamplus.vn/w1000/Uploaded/2024/nokvvn/2024_08_20/talks-9678.jpg.webp)
Welcoming Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Party and State on a state visit to China, Xi congratulated his guest on being elected as General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and President of Vietnam. Read full story
- China consistently considers its relationship with Vietnam a priority in its policy of neighborhood diplomacy, said Chinese Premier Li Qiang at a meeting with visiting Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam in Beijing on August 19.
![Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam (L) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang (Photo: VNA) President.jpg](https://imagev3-lang.vietnamplus.vn/w1000/Uploaded/2024/nokvvn/2024_08_20/president-6226.jpg.webp)
Welcoming Lam on his first state visit to China, which is also his first overseas trip in his new role as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Li said that the visit reflects the high importance and top priority that the Vietnamese Party and State place on the bilateral relationship. Read full story
- Vietnam considers the strengthening of cooperation and friendship with China a consistent policy, a strategic choice, and a top priority in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, said Party General Secretary and President To Lam.
![Party General Secretary and President To Lam (L) and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Zhao Leji. (Photo: VNA) to-lam.jpg](https://imagev3-lang.vietnamplus.vn/w1000/Uploaded/2024/nokvvn/2024_08_20/to-lam-5351.jpg.webp)
During a meeting in Beijing on August 19 with member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Zhao Leji, Lam affirmed that leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State commit to inheriting and upholding the political legacy of late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.Read full story
- Party General Secretary and President To Lam met with Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, in Beijing on August 19.
![At the meeting (Photo : VNA) china.jpg](https://imagev3-lang.vietnamplus.vn/w1000/Uploaded/2024/nokvvn/2024_08_20/china-5999.jpg.webp)
Lam once again extended heartfelt gratitude to Wang for his role as the Special Representative of Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping during the funeral for late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. This gesture, he said, reflected the profound respect and regard of the Chinese Party, Government and people for the Vietnam-China relationship and the late Vietnamese leader. Read full story
- Vietnam and China will step up collaboration in social affairs and people’s livelihoods under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Luo Zhaohui on August 19.
The signing took place as part of the ongoing state visit to China by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam and his spouse. Read full story
- Vietnam and China have been tightening their economic and trade ties over the recent years, reflecting a strong vitality, said the International Business Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
An article published by the daily said in the first half of this year, durian remained Vietnam's strongest export to China, of them over 90% fresh. Another Vietnamese fruit ready to penetrate the Chinese market is fresh coconut. The two countries have agreed to finalize the signing of a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for fresh Vietnamese coconut exports to China. Read full story
- Vietnam is in a special position to lead artificial intelligence (AI) innovation in Southeast Asia, said Nguyen Duc Toan, Country Director of Google Cloud, at the GenAI Summit 2024, which opened in Ho Chi Minh City on August 19.
To make Vietnam a global AI hub, there must be a concerted effort among universities, businesses, and the government to build a robust AI ecosystem, he said, adding this collaboration is crucial as Vietnam is projected to need 100,000 additional AI professionals over the next five years to meet growing market demand./.Read full story