☀️ Morning digest on April 3

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

☀️ Morning digest on April 3


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

- Party General Secretary To Lam reaffirmed that Vietnam always considers Russia one of its top priority partners in its foreign policy while receiving Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko in Hanoi on April 2.

to-lam-1.jpg
Party General Secretary To Lam (R) receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam wishes to maintain their good traditional relationship, thereby meeting the interests of both nations, and contributing to peace, cooperation, and development in the regions and the world, Lam stated. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the second meeting of the National Steering Committee for building the private economic sector development project (Steering Committee) on April 2 to review the implementation of tasks, focusing on discussing and giving opinions on the project to submit to the Politburo.

The PM, who is also head of the Steering Committee, stated that the development of the private economic sector holds an important significance to the nation’s growth, especially in the new era. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Bill Winters, Chief Executive of Standard Chartered in Hanoi on April 2 evening, asking the group’s support for Vietnam in establishing international financial centres, obtaining green finance, and developing the private sector.

Expressing gratitude to Standard Chartered for its active role as the sole advisor to the Vietnamese Government since 2012 on improving the nation’s credit rating, the PM praised the bank for supporting Vietnamese ministries and agencies in implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in Vietnam, as well as for working with the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) to help the country achieve its sustainable development goals. Standard Chartered has signed cooperation agreements, providing over 8 billion USD in financing to Vietnamese businesses and partners. Read full story

- Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tran Thanh Man visited the TUMO Centre for Creative Technologies – a free-of-charge educational centre that helps young people in Armenia learn and enhance their skills by their own, during his official visit to the West Asian nation on April 2.

Man and the NA delegation were introduced to the centre, where training programmes are conducted through self-learning, workshops, and project experiments with 14 learning targets. Through a unique blend of exploration, self-study, practical workshops, and expert-led labs, young people develop practical skills in areas ranging from programming and robotics to music, graphic design, and others. Read full story

- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, along with representatives of leading Belgian businesses, visited Quang Ninh on on April 2, showing the northern province continues to be a destination chosen by many investors from Belgium as well as the European Union (EU).

1-vna-belgian-king-queen-in-quang-ninh.jpg
King Philippe of Belgium speaks at the working session in Quang Ninh on April 2 (Photo: VNA)

King Philippe said he is impressed by Quang Ninh’s socio-economic achievements, and recognised its great advantages and strong potential that provide cooperation opportunities for European nations, particularly Belgium. Read full story

- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and a high-level delegation from the European country engaged in a series of activities in the northern port city of Hai Phong on April 2, as part of their ongoing state visit to Vietnam.

king-and-queen-of-belgium-in-hai-phong-vna.jpg
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium at a meeting with Hai Phong authorities (Photo: VNA)

Hosting the royal guests, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Tung highlighted the flourishing friendship and cooperation between the city and the Belgian Embassy, as well as Belgian organisations and enterprises. He noted that the Dinh Vu Industrial Zone Joint Stock Company is the first and largest collaborative project between a consortium of Belgian companies and Hai Phong. This project has played a significant role in enhancing industrial infrastructure and attracting investment to the city, serving as a symbol of successful cooperation between Belgium and Vietnam, particularly with Hai Phong. Read full story

- Vice Chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee Hoang Nam on April 2 received US Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper, as part of the latter’s working visit to the north central province, one of the country’s most heavily war-impacted localities.

At the meeting, Nam expressed gratitude to the US government for its support for Vietnam in addressing war legacies, particularly through funding bomb and mine clearance programmes in Quang Tri. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia and the Vietnam-Cambodia Business Association (VCBA) jointly hosted a business dialogue on April 2, aiming to enhance Vietnamese business and investment activities in the Cambodian market.

The annual event attracted around 150 delegates, including Vietnamese businesses and Vietnamese-origin companies operating in Cambodia across various sectors such as finance, banking, insurance, telecommunications, agriculture, construction, interior design, food services, transportation, logistics, trade, healthcare, and tourism. Read full story

- Vietnam’s seafood exports staged a remarkable recovery in the first quarter, reaching a total value of 2.45 billion USD, up 26% year-on-year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Shrimp and tra fish remained the key drivers of growth. By the end of Q1, shrimp exports totalled 931.6 million USD, a sharp increase of 35.7% compared to the same period last year. This surge was largely attributed to robust demand from major markets such as China, the US, and the EU. Meanwhile, tra fish exports contributed 465 million USD, an annual rise of 13%. Read full story

- The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in collaboration with the Cuban Embassy in Hanoi, and the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, held the Vietnam-Cuba Business Forum in Hanoi on April 2.

Addressing the event, Cuban Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes affirmed that Cuba will always stand alongside the Vietnamese Government and business community in their efforts to achieve the challenging target socio-economic goals. Read full story

- A national-level celebration and a military-civilian parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025) will begin at 6:30 am on April 30 along Le Duan street and key city routes in Ho Chi Minh City.

According a master plan freshly issued by the municipal People's Committee, the events will be broadcast live on national and local television channels. Read full story

- A total of 4,755 traffic accidents occurred nationwide in the first quarter of this year, resulting in 2,598 deaths and 3,198 injuries, according to the Office of National Traffic Safety Committee.

Compared to the same period last year, the number of accidents, fatalities, and injuries declined by 27.8%, 1.9%, and 38.3%, respectively./. Read full story

VNA

See more

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.