☀️ 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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The appointment decision handover ceremony is held in Hanoi on March 12. (Photo: VNA)

PM appoints new leader for Vietnam’s top science academy

PM Pham Minh Chinh asked the VAST to continue to serve as the Party and State’s strategic advisory body on science – technology in key areas such as artificial intelligence, energy, marine economy, water security, and aerospace, alongside building a national sci-tech database.

Do Thanh Hai (right), Deputy Director-General of the East Sea Institute under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, speaks at the dialogue. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, India promote maritime security cooperation through blue economy development

Through four rounds of bilateral “Track 1” Maritime Security Dialogue, the two sides have outlined priority areas of cooperation, including marine scientific research, blue economy development, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, naval and coast guard cooperation, maritime law enforcement, capacity building, and maritime connectivity.

Ha Thi Nga (right), Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, meets with V.G. Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the External Relations Committee of Saint Petersburg, in Hanoi on March 12. (Photo: mattran.org.vn)

Vietnam, Saint Petersburg step up people-to-people exchanges

The VFF will continue strengthening bilateral ties and promoting cooperation activities, while seeking closer coordination and support from Saint Petersburg to expand people-to-people exchanges in the coming period, VFF Vice President and General Secretary Ha Thi Nga has said.

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

Top legislator asked for thorough preparations for NA, People’s Council election

With only three days left before voters head to the polls on March 15, the top legislator described the election as a particularly important political event and a major national occasion that demonstrates the people’s right to exercise their democratic power by directly choosing qualified representatives to the NA and People’s Councils at all levels.

Ship 17 of Brigade 171 under Naval Region 2 of the Vietnam People’s Navy. (Photo: VNA)

Navy ship completes Milan 2026 multinational exercise in India

Over a journey covering more than 5,000 nautical miles, the ship’s officers and crew combined operational participation with extended sea training aimed at enhancing command coordination capabilities, combat readiness, mastery of weapons and technical equipment, and overall physical endurance.

An overview of the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly which opens on October 20, 2025. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

France-based expert suggests elevating parliamentary diplomacy to support national development

Inter-parliamentary cooperation should be closely aligned with the country’s development priorities, including institutional reform, trade and investment, digital transformation, green transition, energy security, high-quality human resources development and the implementation of international commitments, said Le Van Tranh, a Vietnamese doctoral researcher in law at Paris Panthéon-Assas University in France.

Residents visit polling stations in their wards to review the list of candidates for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term. (Photo: VNA)

📝OP-ED: Resolutely removing discordant voices ahead of national election day

When March 15 arrives, one will see elderly voters approaching a hundred years old making their way to the polls, young voters casting their ballots with enthusiasm, and multi-generational families going together to fulfil their civic duty. Together, these moments will create a vibrant atmosphere, resembling a national celebration.

Le Thuong, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association in the Kansai region, Japan. (Photo: VNA)

OV in Japan place high expectations on NA, People’s Council election

Le Thuong, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association in the Kansai region, said overseas Vietnamese are closely following the upcoming election, viewing it as an important opportunity to strengthen the effectiveness of governance and ensure that development policies meet the country’s evolving needs.