Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong arrives at Beijing International Airport. (Photo: VNA)

Leaders’ activities

On October 30, at the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of China Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese high-ranking delegation left Hanoi for an official visit to China from October 30 to November 1.

The leader was seen off at the airport by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and other Party and State leading officials. Prominent among entourage were Vo Van Thuong, Politburo member and Permanent member of the Secretariat; Truong Thi Mai, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of its Organisation Commission; General To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security; General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member and Minister of National Defence; and Le Minh Khai, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister.

From October 24-26, at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, President of the Cambodian Senate Samdech Say Chhum led a high-ranking delegation of the Cambodian Senate to pay an official visit to Vietnam. The President of the Cambodian Senate paid courtesy call to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc; had a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; held talks with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue holds talks with Cambodian Senate President Samdech Say Chhum. (Photo: VNA)

On October 26, receiving outgoing Qatar Ambassador Mohamed Ismail Al-Emadi, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the Ambassador's contributions over the past 6 years, and affirmed that Vietnam treasures its multifaceted cooperation with Qatar.

On October 26, at the Presidential Palace, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received the Ambassadors of El Salvador, India and South Korea to present their credentials.

On October 25, on the occasion of Mr. Rishi Sunak's appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a congratulatory message.

On October 25, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi for Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security General Vilay Lakhamphong, who had been in Vietnam to attend a conference reviewing the 2022 cooperation plan and the bilateral ministerial-level meeting between the two Ministries of Public Security over collaboration in drug prevention and control. The host and guest shared a view that Party, State and Government leaders of the two countries have always paid attention to maintaining and strengthening the relationship between the two Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos, including public security forces

On October 25, at the invitation of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent an important message to the 2022 World Biology Summit from Oct. 25-26/2022 in Seoul, Korea with the theme "The Future of Vaccines and Biomedicine". Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for solidarity and the sharing of resources to study and produce vaccines and build an advanced bio-medical industry.

On October 30, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent his condolences to President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and bereaved families of a stampede in Seoul’s Yongsan district.

Bilateral activities

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai, ongoing official visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to China holds a significant meaning in further promoting and deepening the ties between the two countries, reinforcing the political trust between the two Parties, and contributing to bringing the bilateral relations to a new development period.

On this occasion, Ambassador Nguyen Van Tho, former Deputy Foreign Minister, former Ambassador of Vietnam to China made comments on the importance of the visit and expectations for the development of Vietnam-China relations.

On October 30, ahead of the visit to Vietnam by the Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik and Princess Mary Elizabeth from October 31 to November 3, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz highlighted the purpose of the visit and special feelings of the Crown Prince of Denmark towards Vietnam.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Algeria (October 28, 1962-2022), Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Boubazine Abdelhamid said in an interview highlighting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in Asia and Africa. Vietnam and Algeria have enjoyed sound traditional friendship over the past six decades. Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam also stressed the need for both sides to renovate and update the legal framework for bilateral partnership to boost trade and investment ties. Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Nguyen Thanh Vinh wrote an article reviewing outstanding achievements in the relations between the two countries. On October 29, the Vietnamese Embassy in Algeria hosted a ceremony in Algiers to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On October 28, Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi received leaders of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association and the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association to discuss cooperation plans between the two sides in the coming time.

On October 26, receiving Mr. Mun Yeong Hun, Deputy Mayor of Gwangju City (Korea), Permanent Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam always attached great importance to and will actively support connection between the two countries in general and between Gwangju city and Vietnamese localities in particular. At the same time, he suggested that Gwangju city continue to pay attention to supporting the Vietnamese community living, studying and working in the city and surrounding areas.

On October 25, Senator Patrick Leahy, President Pro Tempore of the US Senate, and his spouse called at the Vietnamese Embassy. ​​At the meeting, Ambassador of Vietnam to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung expressed hope that Senator Leahy continued to support and contribute to the development of Vietnam-US relations, including cooperation in overcoming the consequences of war, and at the same time help connecting and building a network of friendly parliamentarians with Vietnam, who can continue the Senator's work in the United States Congress. Senator Patrick Leahy has pledged to further contribute to the Vietnam-US relationship even when he retires.

Senator pledges more contributions to Vietnam-US relations: Senator Patrick Leahy, President Pro Tempore of the US Senate, and Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung. (Photo: WVR)

On October 24, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu held an online talks with Namibian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jenelly Matundu. The two sides recognized that the potential for cooperation between the two countries was still very large; affirming the determination to further increase bilateral trade turnover through maximum facilitation for each country's strong products to penetrate each other's markets; encourage enterprises to seek investment and business cooperation opportunities in each country.

Last week, Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai presented his Credentials Letter to Indian President Droupadi Murmu; Timor-Leste's Ambassador to Indonesia, Ta Van Thong, presented the Letter of Credentials to Timor-Leste President José Ramos Horta.

Multilateral activities

On October 28, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had an open discussion on the Middle East situation, including the Palestinian issue, with the participation of representatives of 46 countries and the European Union and Arab League. Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the United Nations, continued to affirm Vietnam’s consistent stance on the Palestinian issue.

On October 27, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent representative of Vietnam to the UN, as Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly, participated in moderating the plenary session of the 77th UN General Assembly to discuss the operation of the International Court of Justice. Vietnam joined with other countries at a plenary session to share their view on the important role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in handling international disputes peacefully. Vietnam and several other countries, including Vanuatu, proposed the initiative of asking for the court’s consultancy regarding nations’ obligations when faced by the climate change issue.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, stressed that climate change posed a serious challenge to the international community and threatened the lives of people in coastal countries and small island nations. The Vietnamese diplomat therefore called for stronger actions in this regard, outlining that the responsibility and obligations of countries should be identified in accordance with relevant international conventions, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Vietnam promotes principles of international law and obligation to protect environment in relation to armed conflicts. In the photo, Assistant Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu represented Vietnam to attend and speak at the session. (Photo: WVR)

On October 26, the Committee on International Legal Affairs (6th Committee) of the 77th United Nations General Assembly held a plenary session on the topic of the Report of the International Law Commission with the participation of nearly 70 countries and international organizations. Assistant Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu represented Vietnam to attend and speak at the session. Vietnam highlighted basic principles of international law and the obligation of protecting the environment in relation to armed conflicts. Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu said the seven basic principles of the UN Charter and the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the UN Charter should be included in the list of mandatory norms.

On October 27, under the authorization of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of ASEAN SOM, led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the special meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Indonesia.

Citizen protection

On October 30, immediately upon receiving information of a serious accident in Itaewon, Seoul that left at least 150 people dead and many others injured, the Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea proactively and urgently worked with the authorities. local capacity, send officials directly to the scene, contact the focal points of the Vietnamese community to understand the situation, find out information of Vietnamese citizens in distress in the incident.

On October 28, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a ceremony to announce the decision of the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the establishment and promulgation of the Regulation on the operation of the Steering Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the protection of Vietnamese citizens in Vietnam and concurrently held the first meeting of the Steering Committee.

From October 26 afternoon to October 27 noon, the border guard received about 800 migrant Vietnamese labourers in Cambodia returned to Vietnam through Moc Bai border gate in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh. These are the victims of the scam to trick them into Cambodia to find "high-paying easy jobs" and forced to work in fraudulent establishments. According to the Commander of the Border Guard Command of Tay Ninh, Colonel Le Hong Vuong, the large number of returnees forced the border guard force to work round the clock to handle procedures. Most the labourers do not have proper identification cards, so the border guards at Moc Bai border gate and Tay Ninh authorities have to verify their identity before allowing them to return their home province.

Responding to reporters' questions about the incident that about 100 Vietnamese tourists lost contact when entering Korea through Yangyang airport, Gangwon province, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said the Vietnamese Embassy in Korea actively contacted the Korean authorities to verify and find out information about the case. The Embassy will continue to closely monitor the case, keep in contact with Korean authorities to update information, assist in finding citizens, and ready to implement necessary citizen protection measures.

Other activities

On October 25, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Public Security held an official welcome ceremony for a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Ministry of Public Security led by General Vilay Lakhamphong, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security of Laos. General To Lam, Politburo member, Minister of Public Security of Vietnam presided over the welcome ceremony and co-chairing a conference reviewing the implementation of the 2022 cooperation plan and outlining another for 2023 between the two Ministries of Public Security.

According to Minister of Public Security To Lam, the two sides should accelerate the implementation of international treaties and agreements to which both are members. The two Ministries need to instruct public security forces at units and localities to implement agreements reached by the Vietnamese and Lao governments regarding border areas in order to ensure security and order and build a common borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, he added.