☀ Morning digest on May 20

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

– President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he hopes to see more cooperation projects between Vietnam and Singapore while hosting visiting Speaker of the Singaporean Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin in Hanoi on May 19.

Bilateral trade is growing positively, with more and more Singaporean-invested projects in Vietnam, Phuc said, considering the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) model a symbol of economic collaboration between the nations. Read full story

– President Nguyen Xuan Phuc presented the Ho Chi Minh Awards in Science and Technology to 49 authors involved in two outstanding projects in the field of military-defence. The projects have been developed by the Military Telecommunications & Industry Corporation (Viettel). They have been recognised internationally, comprising two inventions receiving international patents, eight others patented in Vietnam and 15 reports released at prestigious international scientific conferences. Read full story

– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s trip to the US to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit, and pay working visits to the US and the United Nations (UN) from May 11-17 has produced a lot of important results, both multilaterally and bilaterally, contributing to promoting the relations between ASEAN and the US, Vietnam and the UN, and Vietnam and the US, and affirming the country's position and prestige in the international arena. 

During his stay in the US, PM Chinh engaged in more than 60 activities in Washington D.C, Boston, New York and San Francisco. He attended and delivered a speech at the sessions of the ASEAN - US Special Summit, and met with leaders of several ASEAN countries such as the Prime Ministers of Laos, Cambodia and Singapore, and the President of Indonesia. Read full story

– Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue received Michael Arthur, Senior Vice President of Boeing and President of Boeing International, in Hanoi on May 19. Lauding the aviation group’s activities in Vietnam and sharing its COVID-19-induced difficulties, Hue expressed his belief in Boeing’s post-pandemic recovery, particularly in Southeast Asia and Vietnam. Read full story

– Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou left Ho Chi Minh City on May 19, concluding her five-day official visit to Vietnam. During her stay in Vietnam, President Sakellaropoulou paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum, laid a wreath at the Heroic Martyrs’ Monument, held talks with President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, paid a courtesy visit to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, met with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, witnessed the signing of important documents, and joined a tea party chaired by Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan. Read full story

- Vietnam's Trade Counsellor in Russia Duong Hoang Minh has proposed the Russian Government consider exempting visas for Vietnamese tourists for 15 days, in the context that it has exempted visas for visitors from Laos and Thailand for 30 days.

Speaking at the third Saint Petersburg-Vietnam Tourism Forum, which was held in a hybrid format on May 17 within the framework of "Vietnamese days in Saint Petersburg", Minh said that Vietnam always creates the most favourable conditions for Russian tourists such as offering a 15-day visa exemption for those to Vietnam and 30 days for those on direct flights to its Phu Quoc island. Read full story

- The southern province of Kien Giang is calling for investment in 55 projects meant to cope with climate change and prevent natural disasters and coastal and riverine erosion. The newly approved projects include 14 in transportation, 15 in agriculture and irrigation, 20 in water supply, two in water drainage, three in wastewater treatment, and one in solid waste treatment. Read full story/.