Vietnam, Laos continue joint work in ethnic affairs

Vietnam and Laos have agreed to continue personnel training in ethnic affairs and experience sharing for 2016.

Vietnam and Laos have agreed to continue personnel training in ethnic affairs and experience sharing for 2016.

During their talks in Vientiane on September 28, Deputy Minister and deputy head of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs Phan Van Hung and Vice President of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Central Committee Vongchan Phomsavat reviewed the outcomes of bilateral cooperation for 2011-2015, saying that Vietnam opened a number of personnel training courses for the LFNC.

During the period, the two sides signed a cooperation agreement for 2012-2020, under which they committed to raising public awareness of ethnic-related laws and policies, building and implementing ethnic policies, continuing scientific research, cultural exchanges, education-training and personnel training.

They also aligned socio-economic development schemes with ethnic affairs, especially poverty reduction in ethnic groups in border areas.

Next year, the two sides will promote policymaking for socio-economic development along the 2.000km borderline.

As crimes involving human trafficking, drug and free migration along border areas have spawned in recent years, they consented to carrying on with educational campaigns in ethnic groups.

The Vietnamese side pledged to direct localities bordering Laos devise suitable socio-economic development plans.-VNA

VNA

See more

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam’s achievements in population management spotlighted

Vietnam still faces challenges in meeting its population and development goals. These include a rapidly declining birth rate (in 2024, the fertility rate dropped to just 1.91 children per woman) and a rapidly ageing population. Vietnam is among the fastest ageing countries, due to the low birth rate. The imbalance in the sex ratio at birth remains high, and teenage pregnancies are on the rise.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pham Thanh Ha chairs the press conference. (Photo: VNA)

Nine newly adopted laws made public

These laws address key areas, including education, employment, taxation, advertising, energy efficiency, and the use of state capital in enterprises.

The Hanoi People’s Court on July 11 issues verdicts for 41 defendants in a major corruption case involving real estate firm Phuc Son Group JSC and senior former provincial officials. (Photo: VNA)

Phuc Son Group Chairman sentenced to 30 years in prison in major corruption trial

Nguyen Van Hau, Chairman and CEO of Phuc Son Group, was charged with giving bribes and violating bidding and accounting regulations, causing serious consequences. He received a combined jail sentence of 30 years - 14 years for bribery, nine years for the bidding violation, and seven years for accounting irregularities.

Peruvian gastronomy week underway in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Peruvian gastronomy week held in Hanoi

Following its debut in Bangkok, the Hanoi edition features a variety of traditional Peruvian dishes prepared by Peruvian chefs currently working across Asia.

Capella Hanoi is the only Vietnamese hotel featured in the “Top 15 City Hotels in Asia.” (Source: Sun Group)

Capella Hanoi ranked among the world’s best hotels in 2025

The world-renowned travel magazine Travel + Leisure has just announced the results of its World’s Best Awards 2025, in which Capella Hanoi proudly stands as the only representative from Hanoi, Vietnam to be honoured in both the “Top 100 Hotels in the World” and the “Top 15 City Hotels in Asia.”

The agreement signing ceremony in Hanoi on July 10 (Photo: VNA)

Agreement inked to empower people with disabilities through digital skill training

As part of the initiative “Million-view startup – supporting 20 million Vietnamese youths in start-up,” jointly carried out by SYS Vietnam, TikTok Vietnam, and Nhan Dan Newspaper, this initiative demonstrates efforts and a strong commitment to empowering and ensuring equal opportunities for those who continue to face barriers in accessing information, education, and employment.

General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vu Viet Trang hosts a reception for Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei in Hanoi on July 10, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam News Agency, Chinese embassy discuss boosting collaboration

Highlighting the growing ties between Vietnam and China across politics, defence, security, economy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, Vietnam News Agency General Director Vu Viet Trang said the close collaboration between media outlets plays an important role in strengthening bilateral relations.

Matt Jackson, Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

Population ordinance amendment a milestone for human rights in Vietnam: UNFPA official

Granting couples and individuals the right to decide when to have children, how many to have, and the spacing between births, in line with their health, living conditions, work, study, and caregiving capacities, is fully aligned with the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), to which Vietnam is a committed signatory, said the UNFPA Country Representative in Vietnam.

VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang speaks at the roundtable. (Photo: VNA)

Roundtable gathers opinions to better promote Vietnam’s image in new era

As Vietnam is entering a new phase of development with the aspiration to become a strong nation with influence and a solid position in the region and the world, building and defining the national image is not solely the responsibility of the media sector, but an integral part of every component of the country’s overall development strategy, Trang said.

At the working session between VTV journalists and the Cuban Institute of Information and Social Communication. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Cuba to expand media cooperation

The short documentary on a Vietnamese rice cultivation project in Cuba.is scheduled to air on VTV1 in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2, 1945 – 2025).

Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA)

Ministry of Home Affairs to apply KPIs in public employee evaluation

The Ministry of Home Affairs will accelerate reforms under the theme “breakthrough momentum,” focusing on institutional improvement and resource mobilization. It aims to submit 27 decrees and 17 circulars to the Government, focusing on ministerial structure, staffing, payroll, social insurance, and policies for surplus personnel.