Vietnam always considers Belgium a partner of leading importance in the European Union (EU), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo during their talks in Brussels on December 13 (local time).

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with his Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh in Brussels on December 13, as part of his trip to Belgium to attend the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit.

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

The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee discussed two groups of issues during its 18th session, which was opened on Tuesday.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen has highlighted a need to provide all possible support for Vietnamese and Lao investors and people and facilitate their exchanges, connectivity and business activities in localities.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people appreciate its faithful relationship with fraternal Lao counterparts in the past struggle for national liberation and current national development, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived in Brussels on December 13 for the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit and an official visit to Belgium at the invitation of President of the European Council Charles Michel and Belgian PM Alexander De Croo.

Politburo member and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) Nguyen Xuan Thang hosted a reception in Hanoi on December 13 for new Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya.

Legislators have agreed to gather public opinion on the draft revised Land Law from January 3 to March 15 next year at the 18th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Port of Rotterdam on December 13 to examine the management and operation of the facility as part of his official visit to the Netherlands.

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

The 18th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee opened in Hanoi on December 13.

The nation has to date completed 82.6 per cent of recommendations from the 3rd cycle of its UPR process and is to complete the workload and launch the preparations for the building of the national report on the 4th cycle in 2023.

PM Chính highlighted the strong development of the bilateral relations in politics, economy - trade, and security – defence, saying that Việt Nam always attaches importance to and wishes to strengthen the comprehensive partnership with the Netherlands in all fields.

This is the common assessment made by European politicians, experts and entrepreneurs on the threshold of a commemorative summit to celebrate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations on December 14 in Brussels, Belgium.

Czech also calls on EU member countries to soon ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiri Kozak on December 12 affirmed that the country supports efforts to strengthen ties between Vietnam and the EU.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on December 12 held a ceremony in Hanoi to mark the International Human Rights Day and launch Vietnam’s universal periodical review (UPR) process for the fourth cycle.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 12 met Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, expressing his hope that the royal family and the queen will continue supporting efforts to boost the two countries’ relations, and its financial aid and technical transfer to Vietnam.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands Jan Anthonie Bruijn and Vera Bergkamp on December 12, as part of his official visit to the European country.