☀ Morning digest December 8 hinh anh 1
Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong highlighted the significance of Vietnam-Laos special relationship during a reception in Hanoi on December 7 for Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Laos Chansamone Chanyalath.

Speaking highly of the traditional cooperation between the two armies and the outcomes of the talks between the two defence ministers, the Party chief asked the two defence ministries to build on their past achievements, fulfill assigned political tasks, and effectively carry out the Protocol and cooperation plan.Read full story

- President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Hanoi on December 7, saying his guest’s official visit will give new impetus to friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

President Phuc congratulated Nigeria on its socio-economic development achievements and growing role in its region and the world, affirming that Vietnam always attaches importance to its friendship and multifaceted ties with Nigeria and views the latter as a priority partner in Africa.Read full story

☀ Morning digest December 8 hinh anh 2NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue meets with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Wellington on December 6 (Photo: VNA)
- Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and a high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly (NA) arrived home at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on late December 7, wrapping up their successful official visits to Australia and New Zealand.

The visits from November 30 to December 6 were made at the invitation of Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Milton Dick, President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines, and Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Adrian Rurawhe.Read full story   

- President of the French Senate Gérard Larcher has said his upcoming visit to Vietnam demonstrates France’s close relations with the Southeast Asian nation as well as France’s confidence in their bilateral cooperation and friendship.

Larcher made the statement in an interview granted to Vietnam New Agency ahead of his trip, from December 8-9, which will be the first visit to Vietnam by a French Senate President since 2008.Read full story

-  The Vietnamese Party and State attach importance to consolidating ties with Cuba, affirmed Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong.

Receiving Divisional General Víctor Rojo Ramos, head of the Political Directorate of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) in Hanoi on December 7, Thuong welcomed his December 1-12 visit, which coincides with the 66th anniversary of the Landing of Granma Yacht and the founding anniversary of the FAR and the 62nd anniversary of Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic ties.Read full story

- Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has expressed his belief that relations between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will continue to flourish across all fields to the benefit of both peoples following President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s recently concluded State visit.

In an interview granted to the media on December 7, Minister Son described the visit from December 4 to 6 as highly successful.Read full story

-  Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to ASEAN Ambassador Igor Driesmans has hailed Vietnam as not only a major bilateral partner but also an important partner of the EU in cooperation with ASEAN.

Talking with a Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondent in Indonesia on December 7 ahead of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visits to Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium for the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit marking the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-EU ties from December 9-15, Driesmans also heralded Vietnam as a Southeast Asian nation that the EU has a solid relationship with and the EU-Vietnam cooperation framework is now robust. Read full story

- Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Ho emphasised the importance of maintaining ASEAN’s centrality in the region as well as in maritime cooperation while addressing the 12th ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF) and the 10th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) on December 6-7. The forums took place in Manila under the chair of the Philippines.Read full story
 
☀ Morning digest December 8 hinh anh 3Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
- A working delegation led by World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships Mari Pangestu paid a fact-finding trip to the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on December 7 to check on the Can Tho City Development and Resilience Project.

According to the city’s ODA project management board, the project costs over 9.1 trillion VND (395.6 million USD) and is scheduled for completion in June 2024, aiming to protect the city centre (Ninh Kieu and Binh Thuy districts) from the risk of flooding while improving connectivity with newly developed urban areas and key traffic infrastructure./.Read full story
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