☀️ Morning digest on April 23

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

☀️ Morning digest on April 23

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 To Lam on April 22 held phone talks with President of the African National Congress (ANC) and President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa affirmed that South Africa highly evaluates the brotherly solidarity and good cooperative relationship as well as the mutual support between the ANC and the CPV, a relationship that has been cultivated by leaders and the people of the two countries since the period of fighting against colonialism and continues to be consolidated and developed in the current cause of national development. Read full story

- Party General Secretary To Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, requested the Tank-Armored Corps of the Ministry of National Defence to continue enhancing its quality and combat strength toward the goal of building an elite, streamlined and strong unit, truly becoming a strong attack force of the Vietnam People’s Army.

At a working session with officers of the corps on April 22 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 - 2025), the Party leader highlighted the important role played by the unit in implementing the tasks, while praising its efforts to obtain significant achievements in recent years. Read full story

- Secretary of the Government's Party Committee and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Secretary of the National Assembly (NA)'s Party Committee and NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man co-chaired a conference between the standing boards of the two Party committees on April 22 to discuss the coming 9th session of the 15th NA.

In his remarks, NA Chairman Man said the 15th NA’s 9th session is scheduled to open on May 5, 2025, and will be divided into two phases to review and make decisions on a large number of issues, including many urgent and important matters that were recently agreed upon in principle by the Party Central Committee at its 11th meeting. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung affirmed the Government’s unwavering support for innovation, pledging to collaborate with stakeholders to foster a dynamic ecosystem at the Vietnam Innovation and Private Capital Investment Forum 2025 (VIPC Summit 2025) in Hanoi on April 22.

In his keynote speech, Dung highlighted an unprecedented wave of investment in hi-tech sectors and innovation, with artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, emerging as a strategic focus for global investors. He noted that sustainable development, green growth, and circular economy have become inevitable global trends, driving nations to prioritise innovation. Read full story

- Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane has underscored the extreme significance of the state visit to Laos by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong to the two countries' robust relations.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the visit from April 24 to 25, the Lao official stressed that the trip, to be made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and the first by Cuong as the State leader of Vietnam, will create new momentum for and substantially contribute to the great friendship between the two countries, making it develop in a deeper and more substantive and effective fashion to bring prosperity to the people of each country in the coming time. Read full story

- Veteran German journalist and historian Gerhard Feldbauer, in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Berlin on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025), shared his views on the historic significance of Vietnam’s victory and its far-reaching global impact.

Feldbauer, who served as the Hanoi-based correspondent for the German Democratic Republic’s ADN news agency from 1967 to 1970, highlighted that the ultimate success of the Ho Chi Minh campaign in April 1975 was rooted in the unyielding revolutionary will of the Vietnamese people. This resolve, he said, stemmed from a long tradition of anti-colonial resistance under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and President Ho Chi Minh. Read full story

- Vietnam always values the traditional friendship with Azerbaijan, which has been cultivated by generations of leaders from both countries, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan stressed while hosting a reception for Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev Foundation, in Hanoi on April 22.

At the event, Xuan recalled the pivotal visit to Vietnam by late President Heydar Aliyev in 1983, when he served as First Deputy Chairman of the Soviet Union Council of Ministers, as well as the official visit by President Ilham Aliyev in 2014. Read full story

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Madame Ngo Phuong Ly (R) hosts a reception for Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev Foundation, in Hanoi on April 22. (Photo: VNA)

- Madame Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary To Lam, welcomed Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev Foundation, at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi on April 22.

Ly introduced her guest to Vietnam's artistic works that reflect Vietnam’s cultural traits and history, including nine national heritage items. Among these were the 16th -century Statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokisteshvara and renowned paintings such as “Two young women and a child” (1944) by master artist To Ngoc Van and "Little Sister Thuy" (1943) by Tran Van Can, alongside traditional lacquer works and modern Vietnamese paintings rich in national identity. Read full story./.

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

NA Chairman chairs meeting on preparations for 16th NA’s first session

The 16th National Assembly’s first session will elect finalise key state leadership positions, including the State President, Prime Minister, NA Chairman, NA vice chairpersons, Deputy PMs, Cabinet members, members of the NA Standing Committee, head of the NA Council for Ethnic Affairs and heads of NA committees.

Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh (standing, left) and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin (standing, right) witness the signing of the agreement between the two governments on cooperation in building a nuclear power plant on the territory of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

PM’s Russia visit yields substantive outcomes: Deputy FM

During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Russia on March 22-25, Vietnam and Russia reached strong consensus on deepening political trust and mutual understanding, building on their long-standing traditional friendship.

Vietnamese mission staff and overseas Vietnamese in Australia visit Ship 016–Quang Trung (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese naval ship completes mission at Kakadu Exercise 2026

Ship 016–Quang Trung of Brigade 162 under Naval Region 4 departed Sydney Harbour on the morning of March 25 for home after successfully completing activities within the framework of the Exercise Kakadu Fleet Review 2026 marking the 125th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy and the multilateral naval exercise Kakadu 2026.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has wrapped up the official visit to Russia from March 22 to 25. (Photo: VNA)

PM arrives in Hanoi, concluding official visit to Russia

With the outcomes achieved and strong implementation efforts by both sides, the Vietnam – Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is expected to grow further, contributing to socio-economic development in each country as well as to peace, friendship and cooperation in the region and the world.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 25. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Prime Minister meets Russian President in Moscow

President Putin said Vietnam remains a sincere friend and an important partner of Russia in the Asia-Pacific, stressing that Russia attaches importance to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (Source: MoFA)

Vietnamese, Philippine foreign ministers hold phone talks

They agreed to further elevate cooperation across all areas, including politics, diplomacy, defence, security, economy, and people-to-people exchanges, contributing to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (July 12, 1976 – 2026).

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh (R) receives Chay Borin, Minister of Cult and Religion of Cambodia, in Hanoi on March 25 (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM receives Cambodian Minister of Cult and Religion in Hanoi

Deputy PM Mai Van Chinh welcomed Cambodian Minister of Cult and Religion Chay Borin and his entourage on their working visit to Vietnam to implement the cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Cambodia’s Ministry of Cult and Religion for the 2026–2030 period.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam (R) and Thongly Sisoulith, member of the Lao Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union at a photo exhibition held as part of the ceremony marking he 95th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in Vientiane on March 25. (Photo: VNA)

95th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union marked in Laos

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam described Vietnamese and Lao youth as the “architects” of the future of bilateral ties and called on young Vietnamese in Laos to strengthen their political awareness, pioneer digital transformation and entrepreneurship, and act as ambassadors of friendship between the two countries' people.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu pays a New Year visit to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Cambodia foster friendship, solidarity

At a meeting on March 25 at the headquarters of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces High Command, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu conveyed his best New Year wishes to General Vong Pisen and all officers and soldiers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.