Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last weekend by the Vietnam News Agency.
- Vietnam will make every effort to ensure that the APEC Year 2027 is even more successful than its two previous hostings, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated while chairing the inauguration ceremony of the National Committee for APEC 2027, held in Hanoi on July 28 evening.
Since joining APEC in 1998, Vietnam has actively and proactively contributed to the forum, and is one of the few members to have successfully hosted the APEC Year twice, in 2006 and 2017. APEC 2027 will be held in Phu Quoc special zone, the southern province of An Giang, under the theme "Connecting, building inclusive and resilient economies". Read full story
- The two-tier local administration system has initially operated in a stable and smooth manner, shifting from a management role to one of service provision and development facilitation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed while addressing a conference reviewing one month of running this system on July 28.
According to the PM, public administrative services have been maintained continuously and without interruption, earning recognition and high appreciation from both citizens and businesses. Political security and social order and safety have been firmly upheld. Direction and governance from the central to local levels have been unified and proved effective. Administrative procedures continue to be streamlined, and the decentralisation and delegation of authority have been further promoted. Read full story
- Vietnam hopes Swiss authorities and experts will share their experience and offer practical recommendations for Vietnam in building, managing, and operating international financial centres, said National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man.
Addressing a seminar on the development and operation of international financial centres in Switzerland on July 28 morning (local time), the top legislator noted that while international financial centre is a long-established model in Switzerland, it remains a new concept for Vietnam, so the country needs experience from countries like Switzerland in this field. Read full story
- Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man met with Anjuska Marija Weil, President of the Switzerland–Vietnam Friendship Association (SVFA), in Geneva on July 28, within the framework of his working trip to the Central European country.
NA Chairman Man emphasised that Vietnam’s current success is partly thanks to the support and assistance of international friends, including Anjuska Marija Weil, who has served as President of the SVFA for over 30 years. She has been a key figure in the association’s activities and has visited Vietnam more than 20 times. Read full story
- National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his spouse Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga on July 28 (local time) visited the family of Jacques Savary in Switzerland’s Vevey, who has made substantial contributions to the healthcare sector and communities in Vietnam’s Can Tho city.
The activity forms part of the top legislator’s ongoing trip to the Central European country. Read full story
- Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised a reception in Hanoi on July 28 to mark the 30th anniversary of its accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the bloc's 58th founding anniversary.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son presided over the event, which brought together ambassadors, heads of international organisations, and senior Vietnamese officials. Read full story
- Vietnam will be one of seven host nations of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, alongside Bhutan, China, India, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar, according to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).
The qualifying round will take place from November 22 to 30, with the participation of 38 teams, divided into seven groups: three of six teams and four of five teams. The top team in each group will earn a spot in the final. Read full story
- A baby elephant has been spotted in the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area in Da Nang, marking a significant milestone in the preservation of Vietnam’s endangered Asian elephant population.
The discovery was made through images captured by a camera trap system installed in the conservation area managed by the Da Nang Special-Use Forest Management Board. The calf, estimated to be nearly one year old, was born in the Na Lau area of the conservation area. Footage recorded on July 8 shows the baby elephant moving nimbly alongside its mother, who closely guarded the young animal. Read full story
