☀️ Morning digest on September 16

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

☀️ Morning digest on September 16


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

- Party General Secretary To Lam has urged the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continue closely coordinating with central and local agencies to proactively, cohesively, and effectively carry out foreign affairs and international integration tasks.

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Party General Secretary To Lam speaks at the working session with the Party Committees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies on September 15 (Photo: VNA)

Chairing a working session with the Party Committees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies on September 15, the Party chief asked the ministry’s Party Committee to further enhance the quality, effectiveness, and timeliness of research and advisory work for the Party and State leadership on strategically important decisions and policies. Read full story

- The national achievement exhibition highlights the profound significance of uniting national strength with that of the times and the close coordination between central and local authorities as well as between the State and the private sector, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said in his closing remarks on the evening of September 15.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivers the closing speech of the national achievement exhibition on September 15. (Photo: VNA)

The event, themed "80-year Journey of Independence – Freedom – Happiness", also underscored the combination of domestic capacity with international resources, while reflecting the Vietnamese people’s aspirations to soar higher and reach further in the new era, the leader said. Read full story

- Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang held talks with Nikolai Patrushev, Aide to the President of Russia and Chairman of the Maritime Board, in Hanoi on September 15.

Giang highlighted the significance of the Russian official’s working trip to Vietnam, saying that it helps to implement the major directions for the Vietnam – Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new phase of cooperation, as agreed by Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2025. Read full story

- The Standing Boards of the Party Committees of the National Assembly (NA) and the Government convened on September 15 to discuss the agenda of the 10th and also the final session of the 15th NA to ensure it proceeds smoothly with the highest quality and efficiency.

Co-chairing the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government's Party Committee, praised the close and effective coordination between the NA and the Government, noting that the collaboration has become increasingly smooth and efficient, with a working spirit demonstrating a very high sense of responsibility towards the people, the Party, and the State. Read full story

- Vietnam officially deposited its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies at the WTO General Council’s special session in Switzerland on September 15.

The Southeast Asian nation is one of the final four countries, alongside Brazil, Kenya, and Tonga, that contributed to “activating” this landmark agreement. Read full story

- The national exhibition themed “80-Year Journey of Independence – Freedom – Happiness” wrapped up on September 15 at the National Exposition Centre in Dong Anh commune, Hanoi.

The large-scale event, considered the most comprehensive of its kind ever held in the country, offered a vivid panorama of Vietnam’s nation-building and development since independence. Read full story

- The second Da Nang International Travel Festival, one of the largest networking events in Vietnam’s tourism industry, will take place from October 16 – 17 at the central coastal city’s Ariyana Convention Centre.

The festival is jointly organised by the Da Nang Tourism Association and HorecFex Vietnam, which specialises in hospitality, restaurants, and catering services. Around 2,000 delegates are anticipated, including representatives from more than 200 domestic travel businesses and 120 international companies from key markets such as Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, India, and Russia. Read full story

- The Bien Hoa Air Base Dioxin Remediation Project represents a key milestone in Vietnam–US cooperation to overcome the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin, fulfilling commitments in the 2023 Joint Statement on upgrading bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace and sustainable development.

Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien made the remarks while presiding over some events on September 15 at Bien Hoa Air Base in the southern province of Dong Nai, including the handover of remediated land, the groundbreaking of a thermal treatment system, and the signing of a supplementary non-refundable ODA agreement to improve the lives of people with disabilities in priority provinces./. Read full story

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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (R) and Benoit Guidée, Director of the Asia–Oceania Department at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs meet in Hanooi on December 19. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy FM meets French official

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang stressed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its relationship with France, the first European Union country with which Vietnam has established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, noting that the two sides enjoy a solid foundation and significant potential for further cooperation.

Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu speaks at the event in Hanoi on December 19 (Photo: VNA)

Senior Party official reviews preparations for 14th National Party Congress

Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu expressed his belief that relevant agencies will continue to make efforts to basically complete organisation- and service-related preparations by December 31, ensuring readiness for the final rehearsals ahead of the opening of the 14th National Party Congress.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addressing the conference of the the Ministry of Industry and Trade on December 19 (Photo: VNA)

PM urges industry, trade sector to pioneer in six key areas

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that to make a substantive contribution to national development, the industry and trade sector must also achieve double-digit growth, generate new jobs, strengthen traditional growth drivers such as export and consumption, and accelerate emerging engines of growth, including the green, digital, circular, knowledge-based and sharing economies.

State President Luong Cuong (middle) presents congratulatory flowers to the two promoted officers (Photo: VNA)

Two military officers promoted to rank of Senior Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General Do Xuan Tung, Vice Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), and Lieutenant General Do Van Banh, Political Commissar of the National Defence Academy were promoted to the rank of Senior Lieutenant General at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 19.

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (R) hosts a reception for Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam Nguyen Huy Tien. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam–Laos step up cooperation in procuracy sector

They highly valued the effective and substantive cooperation results achieved by the Supreme People’s Procuracies of Vietnam and Laos in recent years, and called on both sides to continue enhancing coordination, stepping up exchanges of delegations at all levels, sharing professional and technical experience, and maintaining and expanding training and capacity-building programmes for officials.

NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man and other leaders, former leaders at the 4th Dien Hong Awards honouring journalistic works on the NA and People’s Councils in Hanoi on December 18, 2025. (Photo: daibieunhandan.vn)

NA Chairman urges journalists to reflect legislature's strategic vision

The NA leader expressed his confidence that in 2026, journalists will continue to uphold their responsibility, report objectively and from multiple perspectives, accompany the NA in conveying its activities promptly and comprehensively, and identify shortcomings in law-making and legal enforcement to help people-elected agencies operate more effectively and efficiently.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane in Hanoi on December 18, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister calls for stronger Vietnam–Laos economic connectivity

Receiving Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane in Hanoi on December 18, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that the two sides further strengthen economic connectivity, coordinate closely and share development experience for the tangible benefit of the two peoples.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) and Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane in Hanoi on December 18 (Photo: VNA)

Top legislator receives Lao foreign minister in Hanoi

The top legislator requested that the two sides continue to work closely together to effectively implement the Vietnam-Laos Joint Statement, the intergovernmental cooperation agreement, and bilateral cooperation programmes, thereby contributing to preserving and developing the bilateral special traditional friendship.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung (R) and his Lao counterpart Thongsavanh Phomvihane at the 12th Vietnam–Laos political consultation at the foreign ministerial level in Hanoi on December 18, 2025 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese, Lao FMs co-chair 12th political consultation

During the consultation, in a spirit of special trust, the two officials reviewed recent cooperation between the two Parties, countries and foreign ministries. They also discussed future cooperation orientations and held in-depth exchanges on regional and international issues of common concern.