Politics

☀️ Morning digest on August 14

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

☀️ Morning digest on August 14

​

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

- The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s top priority is to ensure that every mechanism, policy, and management action supports macroeconomic stability, major economic balances, and resilience, while maintaining a sound and transparent market-based banking system, said Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

u.jpg
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung speaks at the working session. (Photo: VNA)

Chairing a working session with the SBV and credit organisations in Hanoi on August 13, PM Hung said the Government views the monetary and banking system as the economic lifeblood, with a pivotal role in maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and fueling rapid, sustainable growth. Read full story

- The state visit to New Zealand by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam has attracted considerable attention from the local media.

thu-tuong1.jpg
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (L) and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (Photo: VNA)

Reports, articles and assessments published on August 12-13 highlighted that Vietnam-New Zealand relations are shifting strongly from high-level political commitments to concrete cooperation programmes, with a focus on trade, investment, education, agriculture, science and technology, defence and security, and climate change response. Read full story

- The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee will hold its fifth session in three phases, the NA Office said on August 13.

The first phase will run alongside the first phase of the 16th NA’s first extraordinary session. The second is set for August 14 and 17 and the third for August 27 and 28. NA President Tran Thanh Man will deliver opening remarks, while Vice Presidents will rotate in chairing the session. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has ordered the completion of a comprehensive database covering fallen soldiers, their graves, cemeteries and records by the end of this year.

Tra, who is also head of the National Steering Committee for the Search, Collection and Identification of Martyrs’ Remains, made the request at a meeting in Hanoi on August 13 to review the 500-day campaign and set urgent tasks for the coming time. Read full story

- Nearly 120 contestants for the 73rd Miss World pageant were announced at a press conference in the northern port city of Hai Phong on August 13.

w-1.jpg
Miss World 2026 contestants perform in Vietnam's long traditional dresses and conical hats. (Photo: VNA)

Chairwoman and CEO of the Miss World Organisation Julia Morley CBE and Miss World 2021 Karolina Bielawska attended the event, among others. Read full story

- The Hong Kong International Food Expo PRO 2026 (HKTDC Food Expo PRO 2026) opened in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) on August 13, drawing more than 1,850 exhibitors from over 30 countries and territories.

The Vietnamese Consulate General and Vietnam Trade Office in Hong Kong teamed up with several companies to run a joint pavilion featuring coffee, bird’s nest, dried fruits, rice and rice-based products, aiming to introduce Vietnamese farm goods to Hong Kong consumers and foreign partners. Read full story

- The Da Nang International Logistics Forum 2026 opened on August 13, bringing together nearly 600 representatives of ministries, agencies, localities, international organisations, businesses, researcher institutes and universities to chart a more connected, digital and sustainable logistics future.

Co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Da Nang People’s Committee, the forum put modern logistics, strategic infrastructure, digital transformation, green growth and international connectivity at the centre of discussions. Read full story

- The Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI), a member of Vietnam National Industry-Energy Group (Petrovietnam), and Beicip Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd. (Beicip-Franlab Asia) have joined forces to advance research and technology in oil and gas exploration and production.

The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 13, laying the groundwork for closer technical cooperation in a range of strategic areas. Read full story

- Vietnam is driving growth among ASEAN’s “Fabulous Five” economies, along with Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines – thanks to its robust manufacturing, expanding workforce, and rising consumer incomes, according to Shan Saeed, chief economist at Asian proptech group Juwai IQI in Malaysia.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency reporters, Saeed said the economic performance of the five countries in the second quarter of 2026 was noteworthy, with Vietnam’s economy growing 8.39% year-on-year, bringing first-half growth to 8.18%./. Read full story

​

VNA
#morning digest
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

☀️ Morning digest on August 13

☀️ Morning digest on August 13

Party General Secretary and President To Lam's meeting with Vietnamese Embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in New Zealand, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's receptions for the Singaporean and Israeli ambassadors, and the 8th Vietnam–Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting are among news highlights on August 12 evening.

See more

At the NA Standing Committee's session on August 4. (Photo: VNA)

National Assembly Standing Committee to look into 25 draft laws, resolutions

The committee will take up 25 draft laws and resolutions, including the revised Penal Code, the revised Law on Organisation of Criminal Investigation Agencies, and the review of the draft law amending Article 6 and Appendix IV on conditional business sectors and lines under the Law on Investment, among others.

ASEAN ambassadors in Beijing and the Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre pose for a group photo. (Photo:VNA)

Vietnam underscores ASEAN unity, centrality

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh highlighted ASEAN’s ability to listen to one another, respect diversity, manage differences and build consensus as among the key lessons underpinning the bloc’s strength and enabling it to move forward together.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (L) and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader’s New Zealand visit draws media attention

Reports, articles and assessments published on August 12-13 highlighted that Vietnam-New Zealand relations are shifting strongly from high-level political commitments to concrete cooperation programmes, with a focus on trade, investment, education, agriculture, science and technology, defence and security, and climate change response.

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 13

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 13

Activities during Party General Secretary and President To Lam's state visit to New Zealand, a ceremony marking the 100th birth anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Quang Tri, and a series of expos opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre are among news highlights on August 13.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam leaves Auckland on August 13 evening (local time), concluding a state visit to New Zealand. (Photo: VNA)

Party General Secretary, President To Lam concludes state visit to New Zealand

At the meetings during the visit, the two sides agreed to further strengthen political trust and advance bilateral relations comprehensively by stepping up high-level and all-level exchanges through Party, State, parliamentary and people-to-people channels, thereby making more effective use of existing policy dialogue mechanisms.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of Vietnam To Lam (R) meets with Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee in Auckland on August 13 (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader meets with New Zealand House Speaker

Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee welcomed the state visit by the Vietnamese leader and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, stressing that it will further deepen the Vietnam–New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across various fields, ushering bilateral ties into a new, more profound, substantive and effective phase.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon witness the exchange of cooperation agreements between the two countries on August 13, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam - New Zealand joint statement

Vietnam and New Zealand have issued a joint statement on the occasion of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam’s state visit to New Zealand from August 12-13.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (left) and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at their talks in Auckland on August 13 (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader holds talks with New Zealand Prime Minister

Welcoming General Secretary and President Lam and the Vietnamese delegation, New Zealand PM Luxon said the visit marked an important milestone in strengthening bilateral ties after more than half a century. He affirmed Vietnam is an important partner of New Zealand and expressed his impression at the Southeast Asian country’s remarkable achievements, including its strong economic growth.

Delegates at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, US enhance cooperation in education - training

Affirming that Vietnam regards the US as one of its top strategic partners, Vice President of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh said Vietnam wishes to further advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US in a substantive and in-depth manner on the basis of respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political systems.