☀️ Morning digest on May 19

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

☀️ Morning digest on May 19

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

- Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on May 18 called on Dong Nai city to create a new growth model enabling the southern economic powerhouse to move beyond the limitations of a traditional industrial centre.

The direction was given during a working session between the top leader and the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee on the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and key development tasks for the coming period. Read full story

- Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on May 18 received Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko at the Government headquarters in Hanoi.

PM Hung appreciated the positive development of the Vietnam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in recent years, particularly the regular maintenance of high-level exchanges and contacts, the promotion of bilateral cooperation, and efforts by both sides to maximise existing achievements and continue to shape major mutually beneficial cooperation orientations across all fields. Read full story

- Vietnam always values strengthening and expanding relations with its traditional friends in Europe, including Croatia, said Prime Minister Le Minh Hung while receiving Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman in Hanoi on May 18.

Welcoming Minister Gordan Grlić Radman and a delegation of leading Croatian enterprises accompanying him, the Government leader noted that the visit holds important significance in promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Croatia in a more substantive and effective manner. Read full story

- Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man on May 18 chaired a working session with the NA Office on key tasks for 2026 and operational orientations for the 2026–2031 term.

The NA Chairman acknowledged that despite an exceptionally heavy workload involving many new, complex and unprecedented tasks, the office has effectively fulfilled its advisory role, coordination and support for the activities of the National Assembly. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc on May 18 signed a decision on the establishment of a Government delegation for international economic and trade negotiations.

The delegation is tasked with assisting the Prime Minister in directing ministries, sectors and localities in the negotiation, signing, coordination of ratification and approval, as well as implementation of international treaties and agreements on economic and trade matters involving the Vietnamese State and Government. Its mandate covers multilateral, bilateral and regional agreements, along with other international cooperation mechanisms. Read full story

- The VinFuture Prize Council announced on May 18 that following the close of nominations for the 2026 season, the global sci-tech award has received 1,819 nominations from around the world, alongside a network of more than 17,000 nominating partners from 117 countries and territories.

This year’s nominations span a wide range of essential fields, including medicine and health care (38.4%), environment and earth sciences (17%), energy, transportation and construction (15%), food and agriculture (10.6%), and other areas of science and technology (19%). Read full story

- The Da Nang Museum, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut and the Max Planck Society, on May 18 officially opened the science exhibition "Universe. Human. Intelligence." (UMI), introducing advanced German scientific research to the Vietnamese public.

The event marks International Museum Day and Vietnam Science and Technology Day, both fall on May 18. Read full story./.

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Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang (R) and US Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam wants to boost stronger economic, trade ties with US: Minister

Quang said the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and relevant agencies are willing to work closely with the US side to address existing challenges, advance substantive and mutually beneficial cooperation, and ensure balanced interests for businesses and citizens of both countries.

Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau Le Duc Hanh and representatives of Vietnamese agencies in Hong Kong offer flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the Tai Kwun heritage site. (Photo: VNA)

Historic relic sites in Hong Kong inspire national pride among overseas Vietnamese

In addition to Tai Kwun, Hong Kong is home to several other historic landmarks linked to President Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary activities in the early 20th century, including Sung Wong Toi Park, where a stone from Sung Wong Toi Hill marks the site where he convened the conference leading to the establishment of the CPV. House No. 186 Tam Kung also served as one of his secret residences before his arrest.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman hold talks in Hanoi on May 19, 2026. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Vietnam always treasures bilateral relations with Croatia: FM

Welcoming the first-ever visit to Vietnam by a Croatian foreign minister since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1994, Trung described the trip as a strong signal of Croatia’s commitment to expanding multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam. He affirmed that Vietnam always treasures relations with traditional friends, with Croatia regarded as one of its priority partners in the Balkan region.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang (R) receives Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman. (Photo: VGP)

Vietnam, Croatia seek to enhance defence cooperation

Affirming that Vietnam always values its traditional friendship with countries in the Balkan region, with Croatia regarded as one of its priority partners, Giang spoke highly of bilateral collaboration achievements in politics-diplomacy, economy, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) presents the first-class Labour Order to NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Doan Anh on May 19. (Photo: VNA)

NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Doan Anh awarded first-class Labour Order

On behalf of Party and State leaders, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man presented the noble reward to Anh, describing him as a well-trained official who has matured through practical experience and held many important leadership positions within the Party, State, military and local administrations.

Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang (right) and Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman at their meeting in Hanoi on May 19 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Croatia seek stronger law enforcement cooperation

In recent years, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) and Croatian partners have carried out various practical cooperation activities, including the signing of a cooperation agreement on fire prevention, firefighting, search and rescue as well as coordination in verifying criminal information at the request of the Croatian INTERPOL Office.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh review the guard of honour of the Vietnam People's Army at the welcome ceremony for the latter in Hanoi on May 19, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Indian Defence Minister pays official visit to Vietnam

Following the ceremony, the two sides held talks during which the Vietnamese minister emphasised the significance of the visit as the two countries celebrate the 10th anniversary of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and recently upgraded ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership under the spirit of “Shared Vision, Strategic Convergence and Substantive Cooperation,” during the state visit to India by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam from May 5-8.

Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Phan Minh Giang congratulates NZMAM 2026 on its great success. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam supports first Model ASEAN Meeting in New Zealand

As the coordinator for ASEAN-New Zealand relations for the 2024-2027 period, Vietnam remains committed to closely coordinating with New Zealand and ASEAN member states to further deepen the newly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, bringing more practical benefits to people and contributing more effectively to peace, stability, prosperity and sustainable development for both sides and the wider region.

The meeting between Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet and leader of the Alcomet factory. (Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria)

Vietnam, Bulgaria expand cooperation between key localities

Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet noted that the Vietnam – Bulgaria Strategic Partnership has opened up fresh opportunities for cooperation in logistics, maritime transport, port operations, information technology, education and coastal tourism.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (first, right) presents the National Assembly’s resolution on the establishment of Dong Nai city to local officials at the ceremony on May 18, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

City status marks great turning point for Dong Nai: top leader

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam noted that the new status requires a new development vision; a larger development space demands stronger governance capacity; and greater pride must be transformed into a greater sense of responsibility toward the people and the nation.