☀️ Morning digest on May 15

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

☀️ Morning digest on May 15

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

- Party General Secretary To Lam has asked for a broad reform of the education system in Hanoi, prioritising STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, foreign languages, digital skills, and modern technology, noting that intellectual training must be integrated with cultural, ethical, aesthetic, and health education to shape well-rounded individuals.

Meeting with teachers and students of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted and Cau Giay Secondary School on May 14 afternoon, Lam stressed that the Party aims to build a modern and world-class education system rooted in Vietnamese cultural identity, thus nurturing a young generation that excels intellectually, thrives physically, embraces national values, and is capable of competing globally to elevate Vietnam’s position in the international arena. Read full story

- The National Assembly (NA)’s Standing Committee on May 14 afternoon deliberated on a draft resolution aimed at unleashing the potential of the private sector, with NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man underscoring the State’s support in legal frameworks, digital transformation, and innovation for the sector’s growth.

According to the Government's proposal, the draft resolution seeks to institutionalise the Politburo's Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on private economic development, expected to create a new lever and foundation for the sector’s production capacity. The main focus areas that the Government recommended comprised improving the business climate, easing access to land and production sites, providing financial, credit, and public procurement support, facilitating innovation, digital transformation, and workforce development, and promoting the formation of medium and large-sized enterprises. Read full story

- National Assembly deputies heard a report and a verification report on a draft Law on Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations at the 15th legislature’s ongoing 9th session on May 14.

Accordingly, Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang, on behalf of the Prime Minister, presented the report on the draft law, stating that it consists of four chapters and 26 articles, aiming to promptly and fully institutionalise the Party’s guidelines, the Constitution, the State’s policies and laws, as well as international treaties to which Vietnam is a party, regarding participation in UN peacekeeping operations. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Government pledged to create an open and transparent investment environment, accelerate administrative reforms, promote smart governance, streamline the state apparatus, and reduce intermediaries to make it easier for foreign enterprises, including those from the Republic of Korea (RoK), to invest and do stable and long-term business in Vietnam.

The statement was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son when addressing the event "Meet Korea 2025" co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the RoK in Vietnam in the northern province of Hung Yen on May 14. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc has called on international credit rating agency S&P Global Ratings to continue offering objective, comprehensive, and accurate assessments that closely reflect the realities of Vietnam’s financial market.

The Deputy PM made the request during a working session in Hanoi on May 14 with a visiting delegation from S&P, led by Senior Director Kim Eng Tan. Read full story

- President Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary career has become a symbol, igniting the aspirations and faith in the struggle for independence, freedom, peace, democracy, and social progress of the people across the globe, according to Thai scholar Songrit Pongern.

In a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the 135th birth anniversary of the Vietnamese revolutionary leader (May 19, 1890-2025), Songrit recalled the stories about President Ho Chi Minh from his school days when Vietnam’s resistance war was still in its fiercest stage. This urged him to study and research more deeply about the great Vietnamese leader's life and career when he entered Thammasat University. Read full story./.

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

NA Chairman chairs meeting on preparations for 16th NA’s first session

The 16th National Assembly’s first session will elect finalise key state leadership positions, including the State President, Prime Minister, NA Chairman, NA vice chairpersons, Deputy PMs, Cabinet members, members of the NA Standing Committee, head of the NA Council for Ethnic Affairs and heads of NA committees.

Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh (standing, left) and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin (standing, right) witness the signing of the agreement between the two governments on cooperation in building a nuclear power plant on the territory of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

PM’s Russia visit yields substantive outcomes: Deputy FM

During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Russia on March 22-25, Vietnam and Russia reached strong consensus on deepening political trust and mutual understanding, building on their long-standing traditional friendship.

Vietnamese mission staff and overseas Vietnamese in Australia visit Ship 016–Quang Trung (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese naval ship completes mission at Kakadu Exercise 2026

Ship 016–Quang Trung of Brigade 162 under Naval Region 4 departed Sydney Harbour on the morning of March 25 for home after successfully completing activities within the framework of the Exercise Kakadu Fleet Review 2026 marking the 125th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy and the multilateral naval exercise Kakadu 2026.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has wrapped up the official visit to Russia from March 22 to 25. (Photo: VNA)

PM arrives in Hanoi, concluding official visit to Russia

With the outcomes achieved and strong implementation efforts by both sides, the Vietnam – Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is expected to grow further, contributing to socio-economic development in each country as well as to peace, friendship and cooperation in the region and the world.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 25. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Prime Minister meets Russian President in Moscow

President Putin said Vietnam remains a sincere friend and an important partner of Russia in the Asia-Pacific, stressing that Russia attaches importance to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (Source: MoFA)

Vietnamese, Philippine foreign ministers hold phone talks

They agreed to further elevate cooperation across all areas, including politics, diplomacy, defence, security, economy, and people-to-people exchanges, contributing to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (July 12, 1976 – 2026).

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh (R) receives Chay Borin, Minister of Cult and Religion of Cambodia, in Hanoi on March 25 (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM receives Cambodian Minister of Cult and Religion in Hanoi

Deputy PM Mai Van Chinh welcomed Cambodian Minister of Cult and Religion Chay Borin and his entourage on their working visit to Vietnam to implement the cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Cambodia’s Ministry of Cult and Religion for the 2026–2030 period.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam (R) and Thongly Sisoulith, member of the Lao Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union at a photo exhibition held as part of the ceremony marking he 95th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in Vientiane on March 25. (Photo: VNA)

95th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union marked in Laos

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam described Vietnamese and Lao youth as the “architects” of the future of bilateral ties and called on young Vietnamese in Laos to strengthen their political awareness, pioneer digital transformation and entrepreneurship, and act as ambassadors of friendship between the two countries' people.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu pays a New Year visit to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Cambodia foster friendship, solidarity

At a meeting on March 25 at the headquarters of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces High Command, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu conveyed his best New Year wishes to General Vong Pisen and all officers and soldiers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with Russian Railways CEO Oleg Belozyorov (Photo: VNA)

PM works with leading Russian infrastructure enterprises

At the meeting with AFK Sistema Chairman Vladimir Petrovich Evtushenkov and the group’s executives, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hailed the corporation’s proactive engagement with major Vietnamese enterprises to promote cooperation programmes in recent times.