☀️ Morning digest on May 8

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

☀️ Morning digest on May 8

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

- Vietnam regards Azerbaijan as an important partner in the region and hopes for stronger ties with the country in the time ahead, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at their talks in Baku on May 7 afternoon (local time).

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam (left) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. (Photo: VNA)

At the talks, which took place following an official welcome for the Vietnamese leader the same day, President Aliyev warmly welcomed the Party chief, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation on their state visit to Azerbaijan — the first by a General Secretary of the CPV to Azerbaijan since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992. Read full story

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev witnessed the signing of important cooperation documents between Vietnam and Azerbaijan and later addressed the media following their talks in Baku on May 7 (local time).

The documents reflected a broad and deepening partnership across multiple sectors. The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the energy sector. The two Ministries of Defence exchanged a letter of intent outlining commitments to enhance bilateral defence cooperation. The Ministries of Justice agreed on a cooperation programme for the 2025–2027 period. Read full story

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam gave separate receptions in Astana on May 7 for leaders of the Kusto Group and national investment of fund of Kazakhstan as part of his state visit to the central Asian nation.

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Party General Secretary To Lam (R) and Nurlan Zhakupov, Chairman of the Management Board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC – Kazakhstan’s national investment fund (Photo: VNA)

At a reception for Chairman of the Coteccons Construction JSC, Kusto Group, Bolat Duisenov, the Party chief highly valued the group’s experience in the fields of construction, real estate, transportation and logistics, consumer goods, as well as its deep understanding of Vietnam’s business environment and national development strategies, while highlighting its contributions to the development of both Vietnam and the Republic of Kazakhstan in recent times. Read full story

- Vietnam treasures its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US and sincerely hopes that the bilateral relationship will continue to maintain its positive momentum to become increasingly substantive, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on May 7.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Chair of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission Reva Price in Hanoi on May 7. (Photo: VNA)

Receiving a delegation from the US Congress’s US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) led by its Chair Reva Price, PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam remains committed to a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, openness, and multilateralism and diversification of relations, along with its "Four No’s" defence policy. Read full story

- Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh stressed the urgent need to concretise and institutionalise the Party’s policies outlined in Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on developing the private economic sector, while chairing a Government meeting on the matter on May 7.

The event between permanent Government members, ministries, and sectors discussed the drafting of a National Assembly (NA) resolution and a Government action plan for implementing Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW, dated May 4, 2025. Read full story

- Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, who leads the Government’s negotiation delegation on reciprocal trade agreement with the US, met with US Ambassador Marc E. Knapper in Hanoi on May 7 to advance ongoing negotiations addressing bilateral economic and trade matters.

Dien affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to fostering bilateral ties, urging the US to further promote the sides’ comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. He called for the development of their trade relations in a balanced, long-term, and sustainable manner, in full compliance with Vietnam’s international commitments and without affecting its relationships with other partners. Read full story

- Vietnam attaches importance to its relations with the US – one of its biggest trading partners, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Quang Phuong told a visiting delegation from the US Congress’s US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) led by its Chair Reva Price on May 7.

Phuong hailed the delegation's visit amid the 30th anniversary of the two countries' relations, affirming that Vietnam appreciates the US’s support for a strong, independent, resilient, and prosperous Vietnam. Read full story

- Businesses, organisations, and individuals in Ho Chi Minh City are seeking to recruit more than 10,000 workers across a wide range of professions, according to Nguyen Van Hanh Thuc, Director of the HCM City Employment Service Centre.

Among the available positions, over 2,800 are for unskilled labour such as seasonal staff and delivery workers. More than 1,300 vacancies are in the manufacturing, assembly, and processing industries; over 1,100 in security services; more than 1,000 in the hospitality, restaurant, and tourism sectors; over 1,400 others in sales and business; and more than 1,500 positions in other sectors. Read full story

- Vietnam Airlines has adjusted flight routes and operational plans for flights between Vietnam and Europe to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, given the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s announcement of the temporary closure of its airspace starting from 2:55am on May 7 (Vietnam time).

- Specifically, on May 7, several flights have been rerouted to avoid Pakistani airspace, including VN36 and VN37 between Hanoi and Frankfurt (Germany); VN30 and VN31 between Ho Chi Minh City and Frankfurt; VN10 and VN11 between Ho Chi Minh City and Paris (France); VN18 and VN19 between Hanoi and Paris; and VN50 from London (the UK) to Ho Chi Minh City. Read full story

- Vietnamese firms invested a total of 309.3 million USD abroad in the first four months of 2025, nearly tripling the figure from the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office.

This includes over 269 million USD poured into 43 new projects, nearly three times higher than the same period last year and an additional 40 million USD injected into 12 existing projects, 69 times higher than the amount recorded in the corresponding period of 2024./. Read full story

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Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Phan Minh Giang (left) and his spouse pose for a photo with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grahame Morton at the celebration ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

50 years of Vietnam-New Zealand diplomatic ties marked in Wellington

Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Lawmakers urge stronger incentives to boost railway sector

Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.

Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs suspended from duty

According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the national conference on the organisation of the high school graduation examination on June 18. (Photo: VNA)

Administrative restructuring must not disrupt high school graduation exam: PM

Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.

☕ Afternoon briefing on June 18

☕ Afternoon briefing on June 18

The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.

Lieutenant General Pham The Tung, Deputy Minister of Public Security of Vietnam (L) and Deputy Director of Indonesia's National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Andhika Chrisnayudhanto (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Indonesia strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation

Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.

At the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly (Photo: VNA)

Lawmakers pass revised law on product quality

The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.

Legislators will discuss the revised Railway Law on June 18. (Photo: VNA)

Lawmakers discuss more socio-economic, legislative issues

Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.

☀️ Morning digest on June 18

☀️ Morning digest on June 18

Vietnamese localities' readiness to implement the two-tier local administration model, the evacuation of 18 Vietnamese citizens from Iran, Petrovietnam's 11th ranking in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 are among news highlights on June 17 evening.

An apartment building on Tel Aviv’s Levy Eshkol street damaged by missile strike on June 16 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese advised to leave Israel via land border crossings

The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel has advised Vietnamese people living there to proactively prepare and seek ways to leave the country via land border crossings, especially toward Jordan or Egypt, when security and safety conditions allow.