Experts and policymakers agreed that the rule of law and respect for international law are central principles in handling the South China Sea (known as East Sea in Vietnam) issue at an international conference that began on July 6 in Hanoi.

Ceremonies were held in Bangkok on November 4 evening to wrap up the 35th ASEAN Summit and related summits and hand over the ASEAN chairmanship for 2020 to Vietnam.

General Director of the Vietnam News Agency Nguyen Duc Loi on November 8 highlighted the need to win public trust in the fight against fake news while addressing the 17th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agency (OANA) held in the Republic of Korea (RoK) from November 6-9.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told a regular cabinet meeting in Hanoi on November 5 that positive results of the economy in October and the past 10 months create an important foundation for new production capacity and sustainable growth.

State-owned enterprises must strive to reform and become innovation centers in today's modern economy, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a conference discussing measures to improve Vietnam’s SOEs’ management and performance on October 16 in Hanoi.

The National Assembly Standing Committee spent the whole day discussing reports evaluating the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and State budget in 2019 during the ongoing 38th session in Hanoi on October 15.

A draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam was among several bills tabled for discussion on October 29, the 7th working day of the 8th session of the National Assembly.

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan received a delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) led by its Chairman Bernd Lange in Hanoi on October 30.

A Vietnamese delegation led by Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy has been active in discussions on social development, the advancement of women, children’s rights, drug control and crime prevention during a meeting of the UN Third Committee which is underway in New York.

The National Assembly Standing Committee concluded its 38th session on October 17 with the adoption of a resolution on adjustments to the law making program in 2019.

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue visited Cameroon on November 1 and 2, part of his working trip to Africa.

The 8th session of the 14th National Assembly opened in Hanoi on November 21.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on October 28 had a meeting with Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith, who is on a Vietnam visit to attend the ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the Traditional Day of Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Experts in Laos.

Vietnam and the EU have signed an agreement on the establishment of a framework for Vietnam’s participation in crisis management activities of the EU.

Vietnam will declare a national digital strategy this year to set up a digital economy and society, said Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung at a cybersecurity conference on April 17 in Hanoi.

Vietnam and Romania are each other’s important partner as said a joint statement issued at the end of the official visit to Romania from April 14-16 made by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the invitation of Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Sunday held talks in Bucharest with his host Romanian PM Viorica Dancila during his official visit to the European country from April 14-16.

In the first quarter of 2019, Vietnam recorded positive economic achievements despite a range of difficulties both in and outside the country, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a Government cabinet meeting in Hanoi on April 2. The country’s GDP growth was estimated at 6.79 percent, while the macroeconomy was stabilized and foreign currency reserves were on the rise.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Ardeshir Larijani on April 8 on the sidelines of the 140th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Doha, Qatar.

Vietnam and the Netherlands have issued a joint statement on the official visit to Vietnam by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on April 9 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.