Vietnam has made an important contribution to the operation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), through some initiatives aimed at addressing challenges and issues in the bloc, such as responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerating the negotiation process for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) or advocating the five-point consensus on Myanmar.

President Vo Van Thuong arrived in Hanoi on July 29 morning, concluding his State visit to Italy and his visit to the Vatican at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis, respectively, from July 25-29.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hailed efforts and resolve by labourers as well as their willingness to join hands with the Government and the State in national construction and development while addressing a labourers’ forum in Hanoi on July 28.

President Vo Van Thuong, his spouse and entourage met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, in the Vatican on July 27 afternoon (local time) to discuss Vietnam-Vatican ties and the Catholic situation in Vietnam.

President Vo Van Thuong, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam visited the Vatican on July 27 (local time) at the invitation of Pope Francis.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang’s visit to Egypt from July 25-27 has been a success, with significant, substantial and comprehensive outcomes, opening up a new period in bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc.

On the occasion of the visit by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, H.E. Vo Van Thuong, to the Vatican on July 27, 2023, on the basis of the 10th Session of the Joint Working Group between Vietnam and the Holy See on March 31, 2023 in the Vatican, and with the desire to continue advancing bilateral relations, the two sides officially announce that the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Holy See concluded the “Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam”.

Visiting Florence, capital of Italy’s Tuscany region on July 28 (local time), President Vo Van Thuong held separate working sessions with President of Tuscany Eugenio Giani and Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella hosted an official farewell ceremony for President Vo Van Thuong, his spouse and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation in Rome on July 28.

The Party Central Committee’s Politburo and Secretariat on July 28 imposed disciplinary measures on the Standing Boards of the Party Committee of Thanh Hoa in the 2010-2015 and 2015-2020 tenures, and a number of the central province’s former leaders for violating the Party’s regulations and State laws.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue chaired a labourers' forum in Hanoi on July 28, which brought together about 500 trade union officials and members, and labourers.

Ho Chi Minh City hopes to continue expanding cooperation with Singapore in fields with high added values such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy, innovation, new energy, education, healthcare, and youth exchanges, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai said at a ceremony held in the city on July 28 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Singapore diplomatic relations.

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

Twenty-eight years since officially joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 28, 1995, Vietnam's membership has left a profound mark with her positive contributions to the bloc’s common development, laying the foundation for the establishment of an ASEAN community with political unity, economic integration, and social responsibility sharing.

The Vietnam – Canada Bilateral Defence Consultation 2023 took place on July 27, co-chaired by the Director of the Foreign Relations Department under Ministry of National Defence Major General Vu Thanh Van and Assistant Deputy Minister of Canada’s Department of National Defence Peter Hammerschmidt.

Within the framework of his State visit to Italy, President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse attended a state banquet hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter on July 26 evening (local time).

The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

Representatives of two capital cities of Hanoi and Cairo on July 27 signed a friendship and cooperation agreement in the witness of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, on his official visit to Egypt.

President Vo Van Thuong on July 27 held separate meetings with General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party Mauro Alboresi, Vice President of the Italian Democratic Party Chiara Gribaudo, and General Secretary of the Italian Communist Refoundation Party Maurizio Acerbo, as part of his State-level visit to the European nation.

President Vo Van Thuong laid a wreath at the Altare della Patria, also known as the National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II, in Rome, Italy on July 27 morning (local time).