☀️ Morning digest on January 6

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

☀️ Morning digest on January 6

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

- State President Luong Cuong on January 5 signed a decision approving cash gifts for people with meritorious service to the revolution on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2026, with two levels set at 600,000 VND (nearly 23 USD) and 300,000 VND per person.

Under Decision No. 01/QD-CTN, the gift level of 600,000 VND will be presented to individuals who participated in revolutionary activities before January 1, 1945 and are receiving monthly allowances; those engaging in revolutionary activities from January 1, 1945 until the August Revolution of 1945 and are receiving monthly allowances; Heroic Vietnamese Mothers receiving monthly preferential allowances; Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces and Labour Heroes during the resistance wars who are receiving monthly allowances. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on Russian conglomerate AFK Sistema to enhance partnerships with Vietnamese firms, turning high-level bilateral agreements into concrete outcomes during a reception in Hanoi on January 5 for its founder Vladimir Petrovich Evtushenkov.

PM Chinh emphasised that Vietnam deeply values its long-standing friendship with Russia and is committed to strengthening it. He commended AFK Sistema’s swift growth and its collaboration with leading Vietnamese groups and enterprises to enhance broad cooperation, following the direction set by Party General Secretary To Lam during his May 2025 visit to Russia. These initiatives, he noted, are effectively driving the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership toward more practical outcomes and greater influence. Read full story

- An exhibition titled “National Assembly of Vietnam – 80 Years of Construction and Development” opened at the National Library of Vietnam in Hanoi on January 5 to mark the 80th anniversary of the first general election (January 6, 1946 – 2026).

The exhibition features more than 800 valuable documents selected from a wide range of archival sources, presenting a vivid historical journey charting the National Assembly’s 80-year process of doi moi (renewal), development and service to the nation and its people. Read full story

- Vietnam’s economy maintained strong growth in 2025 despite facing severe natural disasters and a volatile global environment, with gross domestic product (GDP) estimated to have increased 8.02% year on year, meeting targets set by the National Assembly and the Government, according to Nguyen Thi Huong, Director General of the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance.

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on January 5 to release socio-economic statistics for the fourth quarter and the whole of 2025, Huong said the results demonstrated the high determination of the whole political system, effectiveness of timely and decisive direction by the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, sectors and localities, alongside the resilience and efforts of the business community and the public. Read full story

- Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Vietnam continued to show resilience in 2025, with total newly registered capital reaching 38.42 billion USD, up 0.5% year-on-year, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance.

The figures were released at a press conference on January 5, announcing Vietnam’s socio-economic statistics for the fourth quarter and the whole of 2025. Notably, disbursed FDI reached an estimated 27.62 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 9% and the highest level recorded over the past five years. Read full story

- Vietnam’s aquatic product exports staged a remarkable finish in 2025, setting a new record with turnover reaching 11.34 billion USD, despite facing reciprocal tariffs and the risk of unusually high anti-dumping duties on shrimp, and increasingly stringent technical barriers.

In December alone, shrimp exports reached nearly 336 million USD, up 3.1% from November, while tra fish exports levelled off at just over 182 million USD. Notably, exports of molluscs recorded a dramatic year-on-year surge of 296% in December to around 2 million USD. By contrast, tuna exports fell sharply in the final month of the year, plunging 33.3% to 57 million USD, while exports of other fish species declined 8% to 156.5 million USD. Read full story

- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Saigon Hi-Tech Park Management Board and tech companies Saolatek, Real-time Robotics Vietnam, and Di Dong Viet, has kicked off a pilot programme using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for delivery services.

The pilot is to be conducted under a flight permit issued by the Operations Department under the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, valid from January 1 to December 31, 2026, and fully complies with regulations on flight management, aviation safety, national defence, security and social order. Read full story./.

VNA

See more

Assaf Talgam, a historian and a journalist of Zo HaDerekh, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Israel. (Photo: VNA)

CPV's leadership - central factor shaping Vietnam’s enduring stability, impressive achievements: Israeli historian

Talgam said that from a comparative and historical perspective, the CPV’s leadership has been the central factor underpinning the country’s enduring political stability and impressive development trajectory. In a world marked by rapid and unpredictable changes, few political organisations have been able to maintain continuity of leadership while simultaneously adapting their governance approach as effectively as the CPV.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents Certificates of merit from the Government’s Party Committee to individuals with outstanding achievements. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister outlines five specific strategies for Government’s Party Committee

PM Chinh noted that the Government’s Party Committee exercised comprehensive leadership over the Government's operations, proactively and effectively responded to emerging issues, with a particular focus on socio-economic development. As a result, 2025 witnessed high economic growth, sustained macroeconomic stability and ensured major balances.

Politburo member, Standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu attends the rehearsal. (Photo: VNA)

Security forces stage rehearsal for 14th National Party Congress

The People’s Public Security forces have been praised for their core role in closely working with the army and relevant ministries and agencies, with success in thwarting hostile plots at an early stage, drastically combating fake news and disinformation surrounding the 14th National Party Congress.

Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung (L), member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Deputy Minister of Public Security, and General Vilay Lakhamfong, Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Minister of Public Security congratulates Lao officials following succesful 12th National Party Congress

Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hungconveyed the warmest congratulations of the Central Public Security Party Committee, the Ministry of Public Security leadership, and the Vietnamese People’s Public Security Forces to Lakhamfong and other Lao public security leaders on the congress’s success and their election to key leadership positions for the new term.

A session of the National Assembly Standing Committee. (Photo: VNA)

NA Standing Committee's key work agenda for 2026 approved

A major focus will be preparations for the election of deputies to the 16th NA and to People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term. The NASC will coordinate with the National Election Council, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, and relevant agencies and organisations to continue implementing the election plan, organise oversight of the electoral process, and carry out its duties and powers as prescribed.

Party General Secretary To Lam receives US Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper in Hanoi on January 9, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Party leader receives outgoing US Ambassador

Vietnam always values its relationship with the US and looks forward to continuing close cooperation with the US government to deepen bilateral relations based on mutual respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions, contributing positively to peace, stability, cooperation, and development regionally and globally.