Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang on March 12 affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to the friendship, traditional relations, as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia.
Hosting Deputy Governor of Russia's Kaluga region V.V. Potemkin in Hanoi, Hang said Vietnam hopes to maintain and strengthen cooperation with Russia in various fields, viewing Russia as a loyal and trustworthy friend.
She hailed the results of cooperation between localities of the two countries, emphasising that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports the enhancement of collaboration between Vietnamese localities and agencies and Kaluga, as well as that between Vietnamese enterprises and Russian businesses in general and those from Kaluga in particular, in the areas where the region has strengths such as high-tech agriculture, science, nuclear energy, aerospace, and education.
Hang thanked Kaluga authorities for facilitating the operation of Vietnamese enterprises in the region. She also affirmed Vietnam's readiness to create conditions for Kaluga businesses to invest and operate in the country.
For his part, Potemkin praised the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and Russia, expressing the desire that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue supporting potential projects and initiatives to promote the relations between the two countries, as well as between Vietnam and Kaluga.
He said many Vietnamese students are among the most outstanding graduates in the nuclear science field in Kaluga, which is a pride in the educational cooperation between Vietnam and Russia.
Highlighting 2025 as a very important year for both countries with major anniversaries, host and guest agreed to closely coordinate to organise celebrations./.

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☀️ Morning digest on March 13
The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

Party chief, spouse attend concert at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse attended a special concert at the Concert Hall of the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) on the evening of March 12 (local time).

Vietnamese Party leader meets with Singaporean Parliament Speaker
Vietnam highly values and seeks to develop its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore in a profound and comprehensive manner, said Party General Secretary To Lam while meeting with Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Seah Kian Peng on March 12.

PM urges EIB to provide Vietnam with new-generation ODA loans
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed the bank and Vietnam sign a new-generation official development assistance (ODA) agreement with a larger financial scale, more preferential interest rates, simpler procedures, and less stringent conditions.

Vietnamese, Singaporean leaders highlight complementary strengths
Party General Secretary To Lam touched upon major directions and specific measures to implement the newly-established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at a meeting with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on March 12.

Party leader meets former Singaporean Prime Minister
Party General Secretary To Lam and former PM of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong discussed ways to further deepen bilateral relations in this new phase of development, in line with the freshly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This includes enhancing collaboration between the two ruling parties by promoting delegation exchanges and sharing experience in governance and national development.

Singaporean minister looks to sci-tech, workforce training cooperation with Vietnam
Party General Secretary To Lam recommended that Singapore share its expertise with Vietnam in smart urban management, advanced technology, and startup support, while connecting Vietnamese enterprises with markets in the region and the world.

Quang Ngai asked to strive for GRDP growth rate of 10% in 2025
National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man said Quang Ngai province has ample room to grow further with such advantages as a well-connected transportation system and strong potential for marine economy, tourism, fisheries, and industry.

Lebanon wishes to promote multi-faceted cooperation with Vietnam
Vietnam is ready to collaborate with Lebanon to establish effective bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt and Lebanon Nguyen Huy Dung.

Party chief highlights Vietnam-Singapore cooperation opportunities in science, technology
Party General Secretary To Lam delivered a policy speech on Vietnam’s science, technology, innovation and digital transformation policy in a new era, and opportunities for bilateral cooperation, at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of Singapore on March 12.

☕ Afternoon briefing on March 12
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Vietnamese, Singaporean leaders brief media on outcomes of talks
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Vietnam, Singapore issue joint statement on establishment of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
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Vietnam, Singapore agree to upgrade bilateral ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
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Vietnam proposes key priorities for advancing gender equality
Sharing Vietnam’s achievements, Thanh noted that women account for nearly one-third of Vietnam’s National Assembly members; 40% of Vietnam’s STEM workforce is female; 26.5% of businesses in the country are owned by women; women account for 68.5% of the country’s labour force, surpassing the global average of 48.7% and 14.4% of Vietnam’s peacekeepers are women, higher than the UN average of 10.2%.

Singaporean leader hosts welcome ceremony for Vietnamese Party chief
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Party chief’s visit creates motivation for Vietnam – Singapore all-around cooperation
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Party chief offers flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh in Singapore
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Singaporean orchid hybrid named in honour of Vietnamese Party chief, his spouse
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