☀️ Morning digest on October 8

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

- Panama considers Vietnam a leading important partner in Southeast Asia, and wants to further deepen comprehensive cooperation with the country, particularly in economy, trade and investment, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino told Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in Hanoi on October 7.

Welcoming President Mulino, his spouse and the high-ranking Panamanian delegation, PM Hung affirmed that the official visit marks an important milestone in bilateral relations and creates fresh momentum for the two countries to enter a new stage of development, building on their traditional friendship and solidarity since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975. Read full story

- Vietnam attaches importance to its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Panama, regarding it as a key partner in Latin America, said National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man.

Warmly welcoming President José Raúl Mulino and the high-ranking Panamanian delegation, the top legislator expressed appreciation for the support the Panamanian people have given to the Vietnamese people during their past struggle for national liberation, as well as in the cause of national defence, construction and development today. Read full story

- Vietnam has called for stronger global partnerships to support developing countries and create new momentum for sustainable development, stressing the need for an open, fair and inclusive international financial architecture.

The call was made by Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, at a general debate of the UN General Assembly’s Second Committee (Economic and Financial Committee) in New York on October 5-6. The session focused on financing for sustainable development in a changing global economic context to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra held a working session in Hanoi on October 7 with César Louis-Philip Marseille, Managing Director of VAMED Engineering GmbH of Austria and member of the Board of Directors of VAMED+WWH Group of Germany, focusing on cooperation in healthcare and the development of a medical ship model.

At the meeting, Tra acknowledged VAMED’s nearly three decades of engagement in Vietnam since 1997. During this period, the group has implemented around 158 million EUR (176.6 million USD) in ODA-funded projects, including 10 major projects that helped upgrade medical equipment at 15 military hospitals, Bach Mai Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital and Hue Central Hospital, as well as install medical waste incinerators for 25 provincial hospital clusters. Read full story

- Despite a sharp increase in the trade deficit in the first nine months of 2026, trade developments in the final months of the year, together with the target of raising exports by 15-16%, provide grounds for optimism that the trade balance will continue to improve, Deputy Director of the Agency for Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Trinh Thi Thu Hien said at a ministry press conference on October 7.

Explaining the rise in imports, Hien said a notable factor was the increased import value of electronics, computers, components and equipment. Higher global raw material prices, particularly inputs for electronics and semiconductor production, have pushed up import values, with prices of some chips and solid-state drives (SSDs) rising by 300-500%.
Businesses have also increased inventories to ensure production amid growing demand for technology products, particularly as the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has driven demand for materials and components. Some firms have doubled their inventory coverage from around six to 12 weeks, while in one case inventory value rose from 100 million USD to 700 million USD. Read full story./.

VNA