On August 7, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue spoke at the first plenary session of the AIPA-44, in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo: VNA)

Leaders’ activities

On August 12, in Hanoi, President Vo Van Thuong met with 56 international and Vietnamese scientists attending the international scientific conference "Windows on the Universe" that recently took place in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province. It was organised by Vietnam's International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE), the "Rencontres du Vietnam" Assocation, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee. President Vo Van Thuong highly appreciated the contributions of the "Rencontres du Vietnam" Association (Meeting Vietnam), especially Prof. Tran Thanh Van, Prof. Le Kim Ngoc as well as scientists from the Association, to the development of science and education in Vietnam over the past 30 years.

President Vo Van Thuong and international and Vietnamese scientists attending the international scientific conference "Windows on the Universe" take a group photo at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on August 12, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

On August 8, President Vo Van Thuong conveyed a message to the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-44), applauding the strong development and practical contributions of AIPA to the construction of a united and cohesive ASEAN community. He expressed his hope that AIPA will continue to support ASEAN in promoting multilateral connections, upholding the respect for law, and making positive contributions to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.

On August 9, on the occasion of the 58th National Day of Singapore (August 9, 1965 - 2023), President Vo Van Thuong sent a letter of congratulations to Singaporean President Halimah Yacob. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended congratulations to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue extended congratulations to Speaker of the Parliament Seah Kian Peng. On the occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also sent a letter of congratulations to Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.

On August 9, receiving Robert Ford, Abbott's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested US healthcare giant Abbott expand its investment and upgrade the quality of its pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in Vietnam, thus helping promote the domestic pharmaceutical industry. Prime Minister Chinh affirmed that Vietnamese Government always listens to opinions raised by enterprises, including those from the US, and creates optimal conditions for them to expand operations, especially in digital transformation, digital economy, manufacturing and processing, health care, high-tech, and high-quality personnel training.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Robert Ford, Abbott's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. (Photo: VNA)

On August 11, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue and a high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam successfully concluded an official visit to Indonesia, attended the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-44), an paid official visit to Iran from August 8-10. During the visits, NA Chairman and Vietnamese delegation have engaged in 60 activities, including talks and meetings with high-ranking leaders of Indonesia and Iran, attendance at various cultural, economic, and diplomatic events.

On August 8, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue arrived in Tehran, beginning his official visit to Iran at an invitation of Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

As part of his visit to Iran, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held talks and had joint press conference with Speaker of the Iranian Islamic Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf; had meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran; meetings with President of the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association (IVFA) Seyed Kamal Sajjadi, Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Abbas Aliabadi; visited and delivered a speech “Vietnam - Iran cooperation for peace and development” at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS); visited Iran House of Innovation and Technology (IHIT); received Hossein Selahvarzi, President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), along with several Iranian businesses in the fields of construction materials and pharmaceuticals.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue attended a number of cultural, economic and foreign affairs activities, including the Vietnam Culture Week, Forum on policies and laws to promote economic, trade and investment ties between Vietnam and Iran, visited the ancient capital of Isfahan, a leading economic and cultural hub of Iran, received General Governor of Isfahan province Reza Mortazavi. NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue also met staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Iran.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on August 8, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Activities of the Foreign Minister

On August 9, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son received new Sri Lankan Ambassador to Vietnam Sajeewa Umanga Mendis. The Minister highly appreciated Vietnam-Sri Lanka good traditional friendship, requested Ambassador Sajeewa Umanga Mendis to closely coordinate with relevant agencies of both sides to find measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation, commensurate with the potentials and strengths of the two countries.

On the same day, receiving outgoing Bangladeshi Ambassador to Vietnam Samina Naz, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son highly appreciated the Ambassador's positive contributions in promoting friendly cooperation between the two countries as well as between the two Foreign Ministries, especially contributing to bringing the two countries' trade turnover to 1.5 billion USD in 2022 and coordinating to organize meaningful activities to celebrate 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Bangladesh (1973-2023).

On August 8, at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son chaired the ASEAN Flag raising ceremony on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of its founding (August 8, 1967 - 2023) and 28 years of Vietnam’s accession to the Association (July 28, 1995 - 2023). Ambassadors, representatives of ASEAN Embassies, its partners in Hanoi, representatives of Vietnamese ministries, and Hanoi People's Committee attended the ceremony.

A group photo of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and other ASEAN delegates. (Photo: WVR/Quang Hoa)

Foreign Minister Son emphasised that since its establishment, ASEAN has constantly grown, gradually becoming a central force in all regional processes, demonstrating the vision of a community living in peace, stability, and prosperous development. The image of Southeast Asia of solidarity, harmony, and flexibility has been spreading in the region and around the world.

Also on this occasion, in an article titled “ASEAN: Epicentrum of peace, cooperation, development” on the World and Vietnam Report, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that, since its birth (August 8, 1967), ASEAN has gradually asserted its position, being the pillar of peace, an epicentrum of growth and a nucleus of dialogue and cooperation in the region.

The Foreign Minister cited Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as saying that Vietnam is committed to wholeheartedly caring for the sustainability of the common ASEAN home, and the grouping’s cooperation and connectivity is a top priority and a strategic choice of the nation. Vietnam pledges to work with other member countries to realise an aspiration for a strongly transforming ASEAN, which is truly the epicentre of peace, cooperation and development, added the Foreign Minister.

On August 8, meeting with Mr. Mark Kent, Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Network, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son appreciated many extensive cooperation outcomes of the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership. It has a lot of room for further development, among which are the positive impacts of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he said.

Bilateral activities

On August 11, NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong said the Vietnamese delegation, led by NA Chairman Hue, made substantive contributions to AIPA-44, held in Indonesia, helping promote cooperation among member parliaments. The official visits to Indonesia and Iran were new milestones in Vietnam’s relations with the two countries. During the trip, NA Chairman Hue signed two cooperation agreements of the Vietnamese NA with the People’s Representative Council of Indonesia and the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran. The signing of the deals was critically important, paving the way for new cooperation activities in the time to come, according to Cuong.

From August 9-10, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, Secretary General of the Steering Committee for Vietnam - China Bilateral Cooperation and Head of the government-level negotiation delegation on border and territorial issues between the two countries, paid a working visit to Beijing. During the trip, Vu had meeting with Chinese Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary General of the Steering Committee for China - Vietnam Bilateral Cooperation Nong Rong, and Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency Luo Zhaohui. He called on the Chinese side to create conditions for the early establishment of Vietnam’s trade promotion offices in Chengdu city of Sichuan province and Haikou city of Hainan province. Deputy Minister Vu asked China to provide favourable conditions for Vietnam to open a consulate general in Chongqing early.

From August 9-11, in Da Nang city, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the US Embassy organized a training course on modern communication skills and external information for spokespeople, officials and employees. The training course was organized at the initiative of the Foreign Ministry of the two countries on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership (2013-2023).

On August 7, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet and his Indonesian counterpart Abdul Kadir Jailani discussed orientations to step up cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries in order to well implement high-level agreements during their working session in Jakarta. The meeting took place within the framework of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s official visit to Indonesia and attendance at the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-44) from August 4-8, 2023.

The two sides agreed to continue all-level delegation exchanges, and quickly coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to review the implementation of the action programme materialising the strategic partnership for the 2019-2023 period, and soon outline another for 2024-2028, aiming to elevate the relationship to a new height.

On August 7, in Jakarta, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet and his Indonesian counterpart Abdul Kadir Jailani discussed orientations to step up cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries. (Photo: VNA)

On August 5, speaking at the 51st meeting of the Russian Veterans Association who worked in Vietnam during the war years, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi affirmed that on the basis of friendly relations, with tradition and solidarity cultivated over many generations, the relationship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation continues to develop well, despite challenges and difficulties in the international arena. The Vietnamese people are good friend of Russia, continuing to maintain friendly relations with Russia for peace, stability and development in the world.

In an interview to the World and Vietnam Report, Vietnamese Ambassador to Iran Luong Quoc Huy said National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s visit to Iran from August 8-10 reflects the importance that the Vietnamese Party, NA, and Government attach to the friendship and cooperation with Iran. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Iran diplomatic relations, (August 4, 1973 - 2023), the two countries are promoting multilateral diplomacy and international integration, with the focus on economic diplomacy.

On August 10, in a series of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Egypt (1963-2023), Ambassador Nguyen Huy Dung gave an interview to Egyptian TV channel Sada Elbalad, reviewing strong development of the bilateral relations from the early years of the twentieth century and the 60-year journey of the Vietnam-Egypt relationship.

Multilateral activities

On the occasion of the 56th anniversary of ASEAN's founding (August 8, 1967 - 2023), ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn assessed ASEAN's achievements over more than 5 decades and at the same time emphasized Vietnam's role in efforts to connect and build the Community.

On August 8, ceremonies to mark the 56th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (August 8, 1967 - 2023) were held by the Heads of Vietnamese Representative Missions abroad, along with the Ambassadors, Heads of Delegations of ASEAN countries.

Other activities

From August 7-10, a delegation of the National Assembly (NA)’s Council for Ethnic Affairs, led by its Vice Chairman Nguyen Lam Thanh, paid a working visit to Brazil. The delegation had working sessions with President of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Marcio Honaiser; President of the Commission on Human Rights, Minorities and Racial Equality of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies Luizianne Lins; and Secretary for International Relations of the Federal District Government Paco Brito. They also met with some officials of Sao Paulo during their stay there. At these meetings, Thanh, who is also President of the Vietnam-Brazil Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, stressed that his visit aims to promote cooperation between the Vietnamese NA Council for Ethnic Affairs and the Brazilian Commission on Human Rights, Minorities and Racial Equality in the matters regarding rights and interests of vulnerable ethnic minority communities. He used this occasion to convey invitations to Brazilian parliamentarians to attend the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians slated for September in Hanoi.

From August 8-10, a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairwoman of its Commission for Mass Mobilisation, paid a working visit to Laos at the invitation of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee. he delegation paid courtesy visits to General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. It also held talks with President of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune.

President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith (R) receives Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairwoman of its Commission for Mass Mobilisation. (Photo: VNA)

During the meetings, the Vietnamese officials congratulated Laos on its great and significant achievements after over 36 years of renewal, expressing their belief that under the leadership by the LPRP, the administration by the government, and the supervision by the National Assembly, the Lao people will continue to reap new and greater achievements.