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Prime Minister Le Minh Hung holds phone talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong on April 16. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Prime Minister holds phone talks with Singaporean counterpart

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on April 16 held phone talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong who expressed his desire to work closely with the Vietnamese PM to advance the Vietnam–Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a more substantive and effective manner.

PM Hung noted that Vietnam is preparing new policies to attract greater foreign investment, including from Singapore. He called Singapore’s support in developing international financial centers in Vietnam, as well as expanding and upgrading next-generation Vietnam–Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) in tandem with high technology transfer.

Agreeing with these proposals, PM Wong affirmed Singapore’s high regard for its relationship with Vietnam and readiness to implement agreed cooperation areas. He highlighted the importance of enhancing high-level exchanges and cooperation in economy, defense-security and other fields, contributing to regional peace, stability and development.

The Singaporean leader announced plans to increase the number of VSIP projects in Vietnam to 30 in 2026, marking the 30th anniversary of the initiative’s presence in the country. He also pledged continued support for Vietnam in human resource development, particularly strategic-level officials, through new training agreements and the expansion of the Singapore Cooperation Program to localities across Vietnam.

PM Wong expressed his confidence in the continued strong growth of the bilateral ties and called for breakthroughs in new areas such as carbon credit exchange and food security cooperation, cited VNA.

Both leaders agreed to further strengthen political trust, promote high-level exchanges and maintain effective cooperation mechanisms, including the annual meeting between the two PMs. They also agreed to soon launch a strategic dialogue mechanism between the two ruling parties in 2026 and enhance cooperation in ensuring energy security.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitments to prioritising resources for the effective implementation of the 2025–2030 Action Program on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They also discussed the possibility of signing an intergovernmental agreement on cross-border trade in low-carbon electricity, creating a legal framework for offshore wind power exports from Vietnam to Singapore.

Amid a complex international landscape, PM Hung proposed strengthening ASEAN cooperation and close coordination in 2027, when Singapore will chair ASEAN and Vietnam will host APEC. He also called for deeper cooperation in defense-security, combating transnational crime, and support for the development and governance of Vietnam’s National Data Center, High-Performance Computing Center and AI initiatives, as well as for advancing negotiations on an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

On this occasion, PM Wong extended his invitation to PM Hung to pay an official visit to Singapore.

Vietnam-Turkey cooperation creates impetus for each country’s development

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and a high-level Vietnamese delegation attended a policy dialogue on Vietnam-Turkey cooperation on April 16 (local time) during a working trip to attend IPU-152 in Turkey.

In his speech, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Man said the event is not only an important occasion for businesses of the two countries to meet and explore opportunities for cooperation in investment and trade, but also a vivid symbol of nearly 50 years of traditional friendship, built by generations of leaders and people of both countries on trust, sharing and sincere sentiments.

Introducing Vietnam’s development to businesses, he pointed to three strengths: over the years, Vietnam has gradually affirmed its position as a stable, friendly and safe country; an attractive investment destination; and a dynamic manufacturing hub with a high level of economic integration.

Vietnam’s economic size in 2025 is estimated at about US$514 billion, ranking 32nd in the world and fourth in ASEAN. The country is among the world’s top 15 developing economies in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), with total accumulated FDI reaching around US$530 billion, including more than US$38.4 billion in registered capital in 2025, when the country continued to be a stable and sustainable destination for international investment flows.

The investment environment has become increasingly attractive and competitive. In terms of the legal framework, in 2025 alone, the National Assembly passed a number of important laws, contributing to a marked improvement in the investment and business environment, focusing on simplifying administrative procedures, enhancing transparency, protecting investors’ rights and promoting innovation, creating a more favorable and competitive business climate.

Vietnam’s position and credibility on the international stage have continued to improve. With an independent, self-reliant and multilateral foreign policy, the nation has built an image as a reliable and responsible partner in the international community, helping expand export markets and creating favorable conditions to attract investment, technology and knowledge from around the world.

The NA leader affirmed that these results are primarily due to Vietnam’s ability to maintain a stable political and social environment, which builds confidence among businesses and investors, according to VOV.

NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks at the policy dialogue on Vietnam-Turkey cooperation.

“In the new stage of development, we aim to make Vietnam one of the highly competitive centers for manufacturing, services and innovation in Asia; a strategic partner, an important and reliable link in regional and global supply chains. Vietnam will participate at a higher position in the value chain, and will produce, innovate, design and master technologies,” he said.

He also noted that Vietnam and Turkey share a good traditional friendship built on mutual respect, mutual benefit and a shared orientation towards sustainable development. However, the scale and results of current cooperation have yet to match the potential and strengths of both sides, with bilateral trade reaching only about US$2 billion.

Parliaments urged to play role in improving legal framework

The Vietnamese top legislator outlined several directions for the time ahead, including continuing to consolidating political trust through increased exchanges of high-level delegations, including parliamentary cooperation, and maintaining regular dialogue and policy consultation mechanisms to create a solid foundation for comprehensive cooperation.

Both sides should further promote cooperation in trade, investment and tourism, seeing these as key pillars of bilateral relations. They should work to raise bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner, while offering more favorable conditions for businesses to access markets, expand investment and participate more deeply in global value chains.

Vietnam and Turkey can expand cooperation in areas where they have complementary strengths, such as processing and manufacturing industries, textiles and garments, leather and footwear, high-tech agriculture, tourism, energy, transport infrastructure and logistics, as well as strategic new areas including digital transformation, innovation, the green economy, the circular economy and renewable energy.

In particular, Man emphasized that the development of transport corridors and stronger supply chain connectivity between the two regions is an important driver for enhancing competitiveness and ensuring long-term sustainable development.

He also highlighted the role of parliaments in improving the legal framework, supervising the implementation of cooperation commitments and creating a stable, transparent and favorable business environment. Vietnam’s National Assembly will continue to work alongside the Government to fine-tune institutions and support cooperation between the two countries.

He expressed confidence that, with strong political determination, close coordination among legislative and executive bodies and the dynamism of the business communities, Vietnam-Turkey relations will enter a new phase of deeper, more substantive and effective development, giving impetus to each country’s development and contributing to peace, stability and development in both regions and globally.

At the dialogue, a representative of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK) said that amid growing global uncertainties, maintaining international cooperation is increasingly important. In this context, Turkey and Vietnam are both dynamic and fast-growing economies, and their bilateral relations are developing strongly, extending beyond economic ties to political and strategic dimensions.

The representative said Turkey sees many opportunities for cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as energy, defence, infrastructure development, tourism, technology and particularly the halal industry, helping take bilateral ties to a new level and expand cooperation across all fields.

Vietnam has become one of the leading destinations for Turkish investors, with more than 40 Turkish enterprises currently operating in the country.

This shows growing interest from Turkish investors as well as strong potential to expand two-way investment. The presence of investors and business representatives at the dialogue is expected to create further opportunities for deeper cooperation between the two countries.

China's Nanning steps up all-around cooperation with Vietnamese localities

Nanning, the capital of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, continues to serve as a dynamic development hub in southern China and an important hub for cooperation with ASEAN, including Vietnam as a key partner.

In recent years, Nanning has achieved notable socio-economic results, maintaining stable growth and shifting its economic structure towards modernisation, with high-quality services and advanced technology industries playing a leading role.

The city is also pushing up an innovation-based development strategy, with a highlight being the establishment of the China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Innovation Cooperation Center.

The center is designed to become a regional platform for cooperation in research and development (R&D), AI applications, technology transfer and high-quality human resources training. Through this center, Nanning enhances connections among enterprises, research institutes and universities in China and ASEAN member states, including Vietnam, contributing to the formation of a regionally connected innovation ecosystem.

Alongside technological development, Nanning continues to play its role as a gateway connecting China and ASEAN through multilateral cooperation mechanisms, international forums and large-scale trade fairs. Cooperation with Vietnam is becoming more substantive.

Nanning maintains friendly and close cooperative relations with several Vietnamese localities, including Hai Phong, Bac Ninh and Bac Giang. Vietnam is also one of the city’s leading trading partners, with trade turnover accounting for a large share of Nanning’s total trade with ASEAN. Bilateral cooperation continues to expand into areas such as investment, logistics, agriculture, high technology and tourism.

One example is Nanning Yucai School, which trained many generations of Vietnamese students during the resistance period, making important contributions to Vietnam’s revolutionary cause.

In addition, sites associated with the activities of President Ho Chi Minh in Nanning have been preserved and have become places for traditional education, attracting many Vietnamese delegations, pupils and students for visits and study. These sites are not only of historical value but also are vivid symbols of Vietnam-China friendship over time.

People-to-people exchanges, delegation visits, and cooperation in education and training between Nanning and Vietnamese localities are maintained regularly, contributing to strengthening the social foundation of bilateral relations.

Speaking to the media in China, Li Qiaoping said she is “full of confidence and expectations” about the future of Vietnam-China relations as well as cooperation between Guangxi and Vietnam.

According to Li Qiaoping, both sides should continue to strengthen the guiding role of high-level leaders, enhance political trust and maintain the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and accelerate the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future in a more substantive manner.

At the same time, she laid stress on the need to make use of geographical advantages and promote practical cooperation in economic and trade activities, logistics, cross-border industries, modern agriculture and tourism, while shifting from a “border-gate economy” to an “industry- and value chain-based economy” to improve the quality of cooperation.

In emerging fields, she said there is still strong potential for cooperation between Guangxi and Vietnam, particularly in cross-border healthcare, hydrology, meteorology, education and training, and science and technology. Among these, cooperation in education and human resources training is considered strategic, including strengthening language training, expanding joint training programs, promoting joint research and developing vocational education.

Artificial intelligence and the digital economy are seen as breakthrough areas for cooperation. The two sides can bolster cooperation in language AI, machine translation, digital education, high-tech workforce training, as well as smart city models, digital logistics and cross-border e-commerce, reported VOV.

A workspace at the China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Innovation Cooperation Center (Photo: VNA)

In digital trade, she said the model combining short videos or livestreaming with e-commerce is opening up significant prospects. Using digital platforms together with increasingly improved logistics systems in border areas will help promote two-way goods flows between China and Vietnam, while reducing language barriers through AI applications.

Li Qiaoping also expressed hope that youth exchanges will continue to be strengthened, contributing to preserving and promoting the tradition of Vietnam-China friendship across generations.

With its favorable geographical location, improving infrastructure and an innovation-based development direction, Nanning is expected to continue playing a central role in promoting China–ASEAN cooperation, while serving as an important bridge contributing to deeper comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China in the new period.

Hai Phong - Strategic connectivity anchor in Vietnam–China cooperation

In the first quarter of 2026, two-way trade between Hai Phong and China maintained strong momentum, with imports topping 2 billion USD, up 48.26% year-on-year, and exports surpassing 467 million USD, up nearly 57%.

The growing cooperation between the northern port city of Hai Phong and various Chinese localities, covering trade, infrastructure, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges, is building a well-rounded partnership and strengthening the city’s position as a key gateway in Vietnam–China relations.

Recent outcomes underscore Hai Phong’s growing position as a key node in bilateral connectivity, opening up fresh development opportunities. In 2025, its imports from China exceeded 7.6 billion USD, dominated by electrical equipment and components, machinery, plastics, steel, and optical and medical instruments. Meanwhile, its exports to China reached over 1.7 billion USD, led by electronics, mechanical products, footwear, garments and toys. In the first quarter of 2026, two-way trade maintained strong momentum, with imports topping 2 billion USD, up 48.26% year-on-year, and exports surpassing 467 million USD, up nearly 57%.

In the period, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into the city reached 716 million USD, an increase of 38.7% year-on-year. Of the total, investment from China, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and the mainland, was 322.48 million USD.

A notable milestone was the mid-February 2025 launch of a new shipping service linking Beibu Gulf Port (Guangxi, China), Hai Phong Port and Kolkata Port (India). The route marks a strategic step in regional maritime connectivity, enhancing trade links among Vietnam, China and India, cited VNA.

Hai Phong Port (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Bringing into full play its advantage as the only northern locality with all five modes of transport, along with a modern deep-sea port system and an international airport, Hai Phong is promoting both “hard connectivity” through transport and logistics infrastructure, and “soft connectivity” via smart customs and digital logistics to facilitate cross-border trade.

Beyond commerce, the city has intensified investment promotion and regularly participated in the China–ASEAN Expo in Guangxi, showcasing its signature products, investment policies and tourism assets, including Lan Ha Bay.

In February 2026, at the 17th Joint Working Committee Meeting between five Vietnamese localities - Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang and Hai Phong - and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Nanning, Hai Phong joined the mechanism as an official member, marking a turning point for deeper cooperation.

According to Director of the Hai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs Tran Thi Quynh Trang, the city has established partnerships with major Chinese localities such as Tianjin, Nanning, Ningbo, Shenzhen and Foshan. Cooperation has expanded across education, personnel training, transport, healthcare and notably artificial intelligence (AI).

Since 2025, the two sides have organized 21 exchange delegations, including high-level visits. Educational cooperation has been strengthened through student exchanges and scholarship programs, while training initiatives in AI are equipping officials with skills aligned to digital transformation.

Cultural and tourism exchanges, including festivals and charter flights between Nanning and Hai Phong, have boosted connectivity. Vibrant people-to-people activities continue to deepen mutual understanding and ties.

With comprehensive cooperation across a variety of sectors, Hai Phong is emerging not only as an investment destination but also as a dynamic hub for multi-sector collaboration, contributing to the strengthening of Vietnam–China relations in a new phase.

Stormy pattern to dominate northern weather through late April

Northern Vietnam is expected to experience three consecutive waves of thunderstorms from the night of April 16 through April 25, as a shift in weather patterns follows a prolonged period of heat.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of April 15, a weak cold air mass continues to move southward, compressing a low-pressure trough located around 24-26 degrees north latitude.

From the night of April 16 to 17, under the combined influence of this cold air and wind convergence at around 1,500 meters, most northern provinces - excluding Lai Chau and Dien Bien - along with Thanh Hoa, are forecast to see light to moderate rain, with scattered thunderstorms. Rainfall is expected to range between 20-40mm, with localized areas exceeding 100mm. From April 17, temperatures across the north are set to ease, bringing cooler conditions.

In the Central Highlands, scattered showers and thunderstorms are also expected during the late afternoon and evening of April 15, with rainfall between 10-20mm and some areas exceeding 50mm. These storms may be accompanied by dangerous phenomena such as tornado-like gusts, lightning, hail, and strong winds.

Two more waves of rain expected

From April 17 to 25, meteorologists predict two additional widespread rainfall events across northern Vietnam. While daytime conditions may still include sunshine, showers and thunderstorms are likely to develop mainly in the late afternoon and at night.

The first wave is expected between the evenings of April 18 and 20, followed by a second from April 22 to 24. Both periods carry the risk of moderate to heavy rain, along with the potential for strong storms and damaging winds.

In the north-central region, scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast during evenings and nights, while daytime conditions remain sunny, with some areas continuing to experience heat. Similar rain patterns may occur during April 18-20 and again from April 22-24, with localized heavy rainfall possible.

Meanwhile, from Nghe An to Dak Lak, heatwaves are expected to persist, with some areas experiencing extreme temperatures. Showers and thunderstorms may still occur in the evenings and at night, VNN reported.

Northern Vietnam is set to face three consecutive waves of thunderstorms, bringing a prolonged spell of cooler weather. Photo illustration: Hoang Minh

From April 17 onward, areas from Hue to Da Nang, as well as eastern parts of provinces from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak, are forecast to see continued heat, with some locations facing severe conditions.

Other regions are expected to have isolated showers and thunderstorms in the evenings and at night. The Central Highlands may experience more frequent scattered storms during this time, while daytime conditions remain sunny, with localized heat.

Meteorological experts note that this period marks a seasonal transition across northern Vietnam, the Central Highlands, and southern regions. As a result, people are urged to remain vigilant against hazardous weather phenomena associated with post-heat thunderstorms, including lightning, hail, and strong gusts.

During thunderstorms, residents are advised to limit outdoor activities unless absolutely necessary to reduce risks from lightning strikes, falling trees, collapsing billboards, and strong winds. Those already outdoors should seek safe shelter promptly and avoid standing under large trees, near power poles, or in open areas.

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