☀️ Morning digest on December 16

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

☀️ Morning digest on December 16

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

- Party General Secretary To Lam, together with National Assembly (NA) deputies of Hung Yen province, met with voters from the northern locality's Kien Xuong, Le Loi and Quang Lich communes on December 15 to report the outcomes of the 10th session of the 15th NA and listen to their opinions and recommendations.

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Party General Secretary To Lam and NA deputies are welcomed by locals in Hung Yen on December 15, 2025 (Photo: VNA)

Voters brought up a variety of concerns, touching on education, climate change, and the prevention and response to natural disasters. They also emphasised human resource development, health care, food safety, and consumer protection, along with the need for ongoing strong efforts to fight corruption, wastefulness, and negative practices. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highlighted major principles in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity while attending a ceremony marking the 50th founding anniversary of the National Boundary Commission in Hanoi on December 15.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents the first-class Labour Order to the National Boundary Commission at the ceremony on December 15. (Photo: VNA)

He underlined the need for resolute yet flexible action to protect independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; consistent application of legal and technical instruments, bilateral agreements and international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as the foremost instruments for protecting national interests; and steadfast pursuit of cooperation and dialogue to settle differences and seek fundamental and long-term solutions to maintain peace and stability for national development. Read full story

- Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung on December 15 held phone talks with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues of shared concern.

The two ministers welcomed the positive outcomes of cooperation between their ministries in 2025, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam–Philippines Strategic Partnership.
They agreed to continue promoting efforts to elevate bilateral ties to a new height, including stepping up high-level and all-level delegation exchanges across Party, State, National Assembly and people-to-people channels. Read full story

- Vietnamese athletics continued to boost the national delegation’s medal tally at the 33rd SEA Games by winning two more gold medals on December 15 and reaffirming its role as one of Vietnam’s main gold medal sources.

Quach Thi Lan claimed gold in the women’s 400m hurdles, showcasing her experience and strong form, while Nguyen Trung Cuong dominated the men’s 3,000m steeplechase to secure another top podium finish. Vietnam also collected silver and bronze in the men’s 400m hurdles, won by Nguyen Duc Son and Le Quoc Huy, respectively. Read full story

- Two residents of Ly Son special zone in the central province of Quang Ngai received the State President's Bravery Order for their courageous rescue efforts during Typhoon Kalmaegi at a ceremony on December 15.

At the ceremony, the Quang Ngai Department of Home Affairs announced the State President's Decision No. 2360/QĐ-CTN dated December 9, 2025, awarding the Bravery Order to Phan Duy Quang from Tay An Vinh village and Le Van Sanh from Tay An Hai village. Read full story

- Vietnam welcomed its 20th millionth international tourist in a single year for the first time at the Phu Quoc International Airport in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on December 15, marking a historic milestone in the 65-year development of the country’s tourism sector.

The 20 millionth international visitor to Vietnam in 2025 was identified as Karolina Agnieszka, a Polish national. Read full story

- Vietnam has become one of the fastest and most significant improvers in governance capacity in Asia, according to the 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), unveiled at a policy dialogue in Hanoi on December 15.

The event was jointly organised by the Academy of Public Administration and Governance under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG), bringing together leaders from central and local agencies as well as international organisations. Read full story

- Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast officially inaugurated its facility in Subang, West Java on December 15, marking a defining milestone in the company's strategy to expand its global production network and deepen its long-term commitment to Indonesia.

The plant is poised to significantly strengthen VinFast's local competitiveness, accelerate localisation efforts, generate high-quality employment, and play a pivotal role in advancing the nation's electric vehicle industry. Read full story

- A Boeing 787 from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City touched down at Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai province at 3:58 pm on December 15, marking the success of the new airport’s first technical flight ahead of its official opening scheduled for December 19.

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A wide-body Boeing 787-9 aircraft operated by Vietnam Airlines lands safely at Long Thanh International Airport in a test flight on December 15. (Photo: VNA)

After landing, the aircraft, flight code VN5001, taxied slowly along the runway before entering the apron, where it was greeted with a traditional water salute from two fire tenders to welcome the first plane to land safely at the new airport./. Read full story

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Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung (right) presents Friendship Order to US Ambassador Marc Knapper (Photo: VNA)

US Ambassador awarded Friendship Order

The honour was presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, on behalf of State President Luong Cuong, at a ceremony in Hanoi. The Order is a prestigious award of the Vietnamese State bestowed upon foreign individuals and collectives for their significant contributions to fostering friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries.

Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh (L) meets with Singaporean Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on January 13. (Photo: MDDI)

Vietnam seeks stronger partnership with Singapore

The Deputy PM expressed his hope that Lee will continue to support efforts to further advance Vietnam–Singapore relations in a more practical and effective manner, as well as provide advice and share experience in developing financial centres and promoting connectivity between the two countries’ international financial centres.

Hanoi Police on January 12 holds a conference to roll out a comprehensive plan for deploying forces to ensure security and public order during the 14th National Party Congress. (Photo: the Hanoi Police)

Hanoi deploys plan to ensure absolute security for 14th Party Congress

Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Tung, Director of Hanoi Police, praised the units for their responsibility and proactive efforts in preparing the plan, personnel, and equipment. He stressed that the top priority for ensuring security and order during the 14th Party Congress is maintaining stability while strictly applying the principle of “normalcy outside, strict control inside,” and ensuring smooth traffic.

Vietnam’s foreign affairs: 40 years of historic achievements under Party's leadership

Vietnam’s foreign affairs: 40 years of historic achievements under Party's leadership

Vietnam has obtained historic achievements in foreign affairs over 40 years of "Doi moi" (renewal) under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which is set to continue to build on these successes to proactively seize opportunities and surmount challenges to further strengthen diplomatic efforts, thereby safeguarding national interests and affirming Vietnam’s role as a responsible and active member of the international community in an ever-changing world.