Politics

☀️ Morning digest on May 13

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

☀️ Morning digest on May 13

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 had talks with President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk on May 12, stating that Vietnam views Belarus as an important partner in the region and wishes their relationship will develop unceasingly for the sake of both peoples.

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The talks between Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk on May 12, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Welcoming Lam on the first trip by a CPV General Secretary to Belarus in 11 years, Lukashenko described the decades-long friendship between Belarus and Vietnam as a precious asset nurtured by generations of both countries’ leaders. He said he believes the General Secretary’s state visit will create a new impulse for the countries to enhance cooperation in multiple areas in the time to come. Read full story

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko have signed a joint statement officially establishing a strategic partnership between Vietnam and Belarus, during the Vietnamese leader’s state visit on May 11–12.

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Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam (left) and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed a joint statement on the establishment of the two countries’ strategic partnership on May 12, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

According to the statement, the Vietnam – Belarus relationship is founded on shared interests and adherence to the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. These principles include respect for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all nations as well as of each country’s political system, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, mutual respect for national interests, and a commitment to peace, security, cooperation, and development. Read full story

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam held separate meetings in Minsk on May 12 (local time) with Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly (Upper House) Natalya Kochanova, Chairman of the House of Representatives of NA (Lower House) Igor Sergeyenko, and leaders of the Communist Party and Belaya Rus Party.

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Party General Secretary To Lam (centre), Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Natalya Kochanova (L) and Chairman of the House of Representatives of NA Igor Sergeyenko (R) (Photo: VNA)

Belarusian parliamentary leaders congratulated General Secretary Lam on being awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples by President Alexander Lukashenko, in recognition of his major contributions to the Vietnam-Belarus relationship. They described the visit by the Vietnamese Party chief as historic, highlighting that the agreements signed during the trip pave the way for a new chapter in bilateral ties. Read full story

- Vietnam always values traditional friendship and all-around cooperation with Sweden, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa during a reception in Hanoi on May 12.

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PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa on May 12. (Photo: VNA)

PM Chinh recalled the profound milestones in bilateral relations, highlighting the heartfelt support of the Swedish people, recently reflected through the documentary "Victoria Vietnam", gifted by Sweden on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s national reunification. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long on May 12 received Pham Duc Trung Kien, President and Co- Founder of The Vietnam Foundation (VNF), a US-based non-profit educational organisation operating in Vietnam with the mission of improving the quality of life for Vietnamese people through education.

Kien informed the official on the foundation’s implementation of a number of free educational initiatives, including the Vietnam Open Educational Resources (VOER) programme, support for the visually impaired through audiobook libraries, scholarship schemes for students, and the free online learning platform Khan Academy Vietnam (KAV). Read full story

- A photography exhibition titled “Countries and People of ASEAN” opened at the Nghe An provincial Museum on May 12, as part of activities celebrating the 2025 Sen (Lotus) Village Festival.

Jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Nghe An provincial People’s Committee, the exhibition features over 200 artistic photos by photographers from all 10 ASEAN member states. They offer vivid perspectives on the landscapes, people, cultures, economies, societies, customs, and daily lives across the ASEAN region. They also highlight cooperative and exchange activities among the member nations./. Read full story

#To Lam #Aleksandr Lukashenko #Natalya Kochanova #Igor Sergeyenko #Pham Minh Chinh
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