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 has stressed that developing traditional medicine is not only about preserving the heritage left by previous generations, but also about turning it into a resource for national development and better public healthcare in the new era.
Addressing a working session with the Party Committee of the Ministry of Health on Vietnamese traditional medicine in Hanoi on May 20, he called for new mindset, vision and approaches to create a historic transformation for Vietnamese traditional medicine. He underscored that developing traditional medicine does not mean returning to outdated and manual practices, but inheriting and promoting traditional values on the foundation of modern science and technology so that traditional medicine becomes a part of the national medicine and a resource for national development. Read full story
– Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on May 20 had a phone conversation with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, where both leaders agreed to boost economic, trade, and investment cooperation, aiming to increase bilateral trade turnover to 3 billion USD.
PM Hung praised New Zealand’s strong performance in maintaining macroeconomic stability and ensuring social welfare, and expressed high appreciation for PM Luxon’s key role in strengthening bilateral ties, especially in elevating the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in February 2025. Read full story
– PM Le Minh Hung hosted a reception for the UK's Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew in Hanoi on May 20, affirming that Vietnam always attaches great importance to ties with the UK.
He highly valued the positive contributions made by Frew and the British Embassy in promoting bilateral ties, particularly the upgrade of Vietnam – UK relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lam’s official visit to the UK in October 2025. Read full story
– PM Le Minh Hung on May 20 hosted a reception for Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Vietnam Ri Sung Guk.
PM Hung congratulated the DPRK on the successful organisation of the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly. He expressed his confidence that under the leadership of the WPK headed by General Secretary and President of State Affairs Kim Jong Un, the DPRK Government and people will successfully fulfil the strategic goals set forth at the 9th Congress. Read full story
– PM Le Minh Hung has affirmed that in his new position, he will contribute to the constant enhancement of the special friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba, commensurate with their potential and political trust.
At a reception for Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes in Hanoi on May 20, the Prime Minister expressed his hope that the two sides will continue strengthening the special Vietnam – Cuba relationship in the coming time. He proposed that both sides closely coordinate in implementing agreements reached by the two countries' senior leaders, and promote exchanges of delegations at all levels and sustainable cooperation. Read full story
– National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man had a working session with permanent members of the NA Committee for Deputy Affairs on May 20, during which he called on the committee to perform more substantive and more professional deputy affairs work in 2026 and the 2026–2031 tenure.
He asked the committee to provide advice “earlier, deeper and more firmly,” while ensuring procedures are “clearer, leaner and more accountable,” personnel work “stricter and more transparent,” and digital transformation more closely integrated into core operations serving management, consultation, supervision and decision-making. Read full story
– Fitch Ratings has given a positive assessment of Vietnam’s economic fundamentals, highlighting the country’s macroeconomic stability and resilience amid continuing global uncertainty.
Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong recently held a working session with a delegation of Fitch Ratings experts as part of the agency’s 2026 sovereign credit rating assessment programme for Vietnam. Read full story
– Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) still have ample room to strengthen supply chain connectivity in key industries such as electronics, semiconductors and food processing, experts said at the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City – RoK investment cooperation and business networking forum held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 20.
The event was jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC), and the Vietnam Trade Office under the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK. Read full story./.
