☀️ Morning digest on February 19

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

☀️ Morning digest on February 19

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 February 18 received Chen Gang, member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chairman of the Regional People's Congress Standing Committee.

Chen is visiting Vietnam to attend a New Year meeting for the secretaries of the Party committees of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces and China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as the 16th session of their Joint Working Committee, which will be held in Ha Long city of Quang Ninh from February 19–22. Read full story

- The 15th National Assembly (NA) voted to elect two new NA Vice Chairmen and two new Deputy Prime Ministers at its ongoing ninth extraordinary sessions in Hanoi on February 18.

Accordingly, Le Minh Hoan and Vu Hong Thanh were elected as NA Vice Chairmen, while Mai Van Chinh and Nguyen Chi Dung as Deputy Prime Ministers. Read full story

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From left: State President Luong Cuong (3nd) and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (2nd) congratulate the new Deputy PMs Mai Van Chinh (1st) and Nguyen Chi Dung. (Photo: VNA)

- State President Luong Cuong on February 18 presided over a ceremony to announce and hand over the presidential decisions appointing two deputy prime ministers and four ministers serving the 2021-2026 term.

Accordingly, Mai Van Chinh and Nguyen Chi Dung have been appointed as Deputy PMs; Tran Hong Minh as Minister of Construction; Nguyen Manh Hung as Minister of Science and Technology; Do Duc Duy as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; and Dao Ngoc Dung as Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a conference on February 18 to implement the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s resolutions on the structure of the Government and to assign tasks to freshly appointed cabinet members for the 2021-2026 term.

Earlier the same day, during its 9th extraordinary session, the NA passed Resolution No. 176/2025/QH15 on the Government's organisational structure and Resolution No. 177/2025/QH15 on the number of cabinet members, both for its current term. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 18 received Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, who is on an official visit to Vietnam from February 18-20.

PM Chinh affirmed that the visit will further strengthen the special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Chen Gang, member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in Hanoi on February 18, reaffirming the strengthened ties between Vietnam and the Chinese locality.

Chen, who is also Chairman of the Regional People's Congress Standing Committee, is visiting Vietnam to attend a New Year meeting between the Party secretaries of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces, and China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Read full story

- The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee approved a resolution on the specific tasks, powers, and organisational structure of the legislature’s Council for Ethnic Affairs and committees at a session on February 18.

The resolution, which comprises six chapters and 26 articles, stipulates that for the committee formed through the merger of two committees, it will essentially inherit and retain the tasks of the original committees prior to the restructuring. Adjustments will be made to certain areas and tasks between some agencies to ensure balance and harmony among them.

Additionally, a comprehensive review of the responsibilities and management areas of the agencies will be conducted to ensure there are no gaps or overlaps in their fields and tasks. Read full story

- There remains an ample room for Vietnam and Armenia to strengthen their relations in all areas, especially in economy and trade, in order to meet the development needs and goals, and aspirations of their people, according to Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang.

Receiving Armenian Ambassador to Vietnam Suren Baghdasaryan on February 18, Hang spoke highly of the positive developments in the bilateral relations across all areas in recent times, reflected through frequent exchanges and meetings at various levels, with the most recent being the official visit to Vietnam by National Assembly President Alen Simonyan in November 2024, as well as close and effective coordination at multilateral forums and international organisations./. Read full story

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) welcomes Austrian Ambassador to Vietnam Philipp Agathonos in Hanoi on March 26 evening. (Photo: VNA)

PM welcomes newly-appointed Austrian Ambassador to Vietnam

PM Chinh congratulated Agathonos on assuming his new task in Vietnam, and expressed his belief that with many years of experience working in diplomacy, the Ambassador will actively contribute to consolidating and strengthening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Austria.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (L) witness the exchange of the cooperation agreement between the Vietnam-Singapore Friendship Association and the Singapore International Foundation. (Photo: VNA)

Singaporean PM concludes official visit to Vietnam

Hosting the Singaporean PM, the Vietnamese leaders emphasised the significance of Wong’s official visit, describing it as a key milestone - the first high-level exchange following the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lam’s official visit to Singapore.

A fierce forest fire in Andong in North Kyungsang province of the RoK on March 25, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam offers sympathy over severe wildfires in RoK

Vietnamese leaders on March 26 sent messages of sympathy to the Republic of Korea (RoK) following severe wildfires in the country’s southeastern regions, which caused significant loss of life and property, and environmental damage.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) welcomes Singaporean PM Lawrence Wong. (Photo: VNA)

National Assembly Chairman receives Singaporean PM

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Singapore to assist the Vietnamese NA in building its legislative agenda with a focus on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and streamlining the administrative system through digitalisation while ensuring benefits for officials.

mbassador Tran Duc Binh, Director of the ASEAN Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam strengthens efforts to advance women, peace, and security agenda

The diplomat underscored the significance and importance of the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1325 on WPS, adopted in 2000, and its related resolutions. He stressed the need to ensure women’s participation and gender incorporation in every stage of the peace process.

State President Luong Cuong addresses the ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

Militia must develop into well-structured, high-quality force: State President

President Cuong highlighted the Militia and Self-Defence Force's 90-year journey, from a grassroots paramilitary group to an essential component of the Vietnam People’s Armed Forces. It has always excellently completed its tasks, making great contributions to the cause of national liberation and reunification in the past and the process of Fatherland building and safeguarding.

Pedro da Oliviera, General Secretary of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Association. (Photo: VNA)

President Ho Chi Minh lays foundation for Vietnam-Brazil relations: Brazilian official

Oliviera expressed his confidence that the Brazilian President’s visit would significantly enhance trade and diplomatic ties between Brazil and Vietnam – a highly dynamic economy. In 2024, bilateral trade reached 7.7 billion USD, up 14% year-on-year. Semiconductor manufacturing and aerospace are promising sectors for the two sides’ future cooperation, the official noted.

State President Luong Cuong (R) shakes hands with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam treasures relations with Singapore: State President

State President Luong Cuong held a meeting with visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence in Hanoi on March 26, underlining that Vietnam values its relations with Singapore, and hopes for the effective and substantive implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership to further strengthen bilateral ties in the coming time.

☕ Afternoon briefing on March 26

☕ Afternoon briefing on March 26

The talks between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his visiting Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, Vietnamese airlines' ban of power banks on their flights, and Vietnam's emphatic victory over Laos at their 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match are among news highlights on March 26.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) shakes hands with his Sngaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong in Hanoi on March 26. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister holds talks with visiting Singaporean counterpart

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong agreed on decisive and timely measures for enhancing political trust and creating new breakthroughs for the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership, during their talks in Hanoi on March 26.

☀️ Morning digest on March 26

☀️ Morning digest on March 26

The meeting of standing members of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong starting an official visit to Vietnam, and the signing of an MoU on consumer protection between Vietnam and the UK are among news highlights on March 25 evening.