National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man (right) and his Côte d’Ivoire counterpart Patrick Achi in Hanoi on August 23 (Photo:VNA)

Parliamentary cooperation a pillar of Vietnam - Côte d’Ivoire ties

National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man held talks with his Côte d’Ivoire counterpart Patrick Achi in Hanoi on August 23, following an official welcome ceremony at the National Assembly building.

The talks took place in an open and cordial atmosphere, with NA President Man expressing his pleasure that Achi had chosen Vietnam as one of his first destinations in Asia since taking office in January, and just four months after their meeting on the sidelines of the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Türkiye in April.

He affirmed that General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam attaches great importance to and wishes to further promote sound cooperation between Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire.

Emphasising the role of the Côte d’Ivoire NA in promoting stability and socio-economic development and the country’s leading position in West Africa, NA President Man said modern parliaments not only perform legislative and oversight functions but also serve as bridges among peoples, promoting peace, justice and sustainable development.

The top Vietnamese legislator briefed the Côte d’Ivoire NA President and delegation on Vietnam’s major achievements of historic significance after 40 years of Doi Moi (renewal), key outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, and major orientations for the 16th-tenure National Assembly. He highlighted lawmaking efforts to create the best possible conditions for economic development and contribute to the goal of double-digit growth.

Welcoming the first Côte d’Ivoire parliamentary delegation led by a Vice President of the NA to Vietnam to study and exchange experience shortly after Achi’s visit, NA President Man proposed that the two sides regard parliamentary cooperation as a pillar and an important foundation of bilateral ties. He called for effective implementation of the cooperation MoU between the two legislatures, early establishment of friendship parliamentarians’ groups in each country, and stronger sharing of legislative and oversight experience.

The top Vietnamese legislator noted positive developments in bilateral ties, making Côte d’Ivoire Vietnam’s largest African trading partner in 2025, with two-way trade reaching nearly 2 billion USD.

He proposed that the two legislatures strengthen coordination in promoting and overseeing the negotiation, signing and implementation of key agreements, including a framework cooperation agreement between the two Governments, a double taxation avoidance agreement, and an agreement on the promotion and protection of investments.

For his part, Achi congratulated Vietnam on the achievements made during four decades of Doi Moi. He expressed confidence that Vietnam would successfully achieve its development goals for 2030 and 2045.

Impressed by Vietnam’s remarkable development achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Achi said Vietnam’s success was an inspiration for African countries, adding that its development model could provide a path for Côte d’Ivoire in its own nation-building and development process.

He expressed his wish for Vietnam to share experience in lawmaking, economic development, particularly agriculture and fisheries, technical and vocational training, public financial management, innovation, and parliamentary reform.

The two sides agreed to increase information exchanges and keep each other updated on new policies and regulations, particularly those related to imports and exports and foreign investment attraction.

NA President Man suggested that the two parliaments help create a transparent and stable business environment, facilitate bilateral trade and diversify import and export products, aiming to raise two-way trade to 3-5 billion USD in the coming period.

Regarding multilateral cooperation, the two leaders agreed to enhance consultations and continue supporting each other at international forums, particularly the IPU and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF).

NA President Man also called on Côte d’Ivoire to support Vietnam in strengthening substantive relations with the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Vietnam, in turn, stands ready to serve as a bridge for Côte d’Ivoire to enhance ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states, he added.

Achi took the occasion to invite the top Vietnamese legislator to visit Côte d’Ivoire in 2027, together with Vietnamese ministers, officials and a business delegation, to promote specific economic cooperation projects. NA President Man accepted the invitation and tasked relevant agencies of the two countries with making arrangements.

Following the talks, the two leaders visited and examined digital transformation tools used in legislative activities at the National Assembly building. Achi once again expressed his impression of the Vietnamese legislature’s digital transformation capabilities and achievements.

Vietnam, Chile deepen political ties, strengthen mutual trust

Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna is paying an official visit to Vietnam from August 23-25 at the invitation of Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung.

Welcoming Minister Mackenna to Vietnam, Minister Trung spoke highly of the visit, saying that it demonstrates the Chilean Government’s determination to advance the Vietnam-Chile Comprehensive Partnership as the two countries celebrate the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations (March 25, 1971 – 2026).

He affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening ties with Chile, the first country in South America to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, and a key partner of Vietnam in Latin America, according to VNA.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung holds talks with Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna on August 23 (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnam-Chile Comprehensive Partnership has continued to develop positively, particularly in economic and trade cooperation. Chile is Vietnam’s third-largest export market in Latin America, while Vietnam is Chile’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, he noted.

Trung expressed his hope that the two sides would further deepen political ties, strengthen mutual trust and expand substantive cooperation in areas of shared interest on the basis of mutual benefit and development, while complementing and supporting each other in the new context.

He proposed that the two foreign ministries continue to play their coordinating role in bilateral relations, focusing on such areas as increasing exchanges of delegations at all levels; strengthening ties between the two parliaments, political parties and socio-political organizations, considering these an important foundation for consolidating and developing bilateral relations; and working to organise the eighth political consultation between the two countries’ foreign ministries and the sixth meeting of the Free Trade Council at an early date.

The two sides agreed to promote business connectivity and expand cooperation and investment in areas with significant potential, including mining, green transition, the digital economy, banking and finance, culture and education, science and technology, and security and defence. They also agreed to advance new cooperation agreements to create a stronger legal framework for enhancing the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries.

Minister Mackenna, for his part, affirmed that the Chilean Government attaches great importance to and wishes to strengthen ties with Vietnam as part of its policy towards the Asia-Pacific region, particularly as the two countries have signed a bilateral free trade agreement and are both members of APEC and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), with shared interests across many areas.

Mackenna agreed with Vietnam’s proposals and affirmed that the Chilean Foreign Ministry would continue to work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to make bilateral relations more substantive and effective.

He expressed his hope that the two sides would further strengthen economic, trade and investment ties, particularly amid the current global volatility, facilitate market access for each other’s agricultural products, and expand cooperation in technology, renewable energy and critical strategic minerals.

Regarding regional and international issues of shared concern, the two ministers agreed to strengthen coordination at international organizations and multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations.

Minister Mackenna took this opportunity to invite Minister Trung to pay an official visit to Chile in the near future. Minister Trung accepted the invitation with pleasure and proposed that the two sides continue discussions through diplomatic channels to agree on a suitable time for the visit.

As part of his visit, Minister Mackenna is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and meet with representatives of several Vietnamese businesses.

Vietnam, Canada move to upgrade ties and deepen practical cooperation

Vietnam and Canada are stepping up high-level exchanges and expanding cooperation in trade, supply chains, science and technology, education and security as they work toward an early upgrade of their Comprehensive Partnership.

The planned steps were discussed during a phone call on August 22 between Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

Trung said Vietnam places importance on its relationship with Canada and values the country’s role and voice in regional and international affairs.

Vietnam is ready to work with Canada to deepen practical cooperation and move toward an early upgrade of the Comprehensive Partnership, in line with the level of political trust, cooperation potential and interests of the two peoples, he told his Canadian counterpart, cited VOV.

He called for more exchanges at different levels and through various channels, with priority given to high-level visits to help translate the leaders’ shared goal of advancing bilateral ties into concrete steps.

Linking the two economies, supply chains

Alongside political and diplomatic engagement, Vietnam proposed deeper economic and supply-chain links between Vietnam, ASEAN, Canada and North America.

The two countries have room to expand cooperation as both seek to diversify markets and strengthen connections with regional production and supply networks.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung during his phone call with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. (Photo: MOFA)

Trung also called for broader cooperation in science and technology, innovation, security, defence, education and high-quality human resources, while continuing coordination at regional and international forums.

The proposals build on recent exchanges, including a July 21 phone call between Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and a meeting between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the Philippines on July 22.

Canada sees Vietnam as an important ASEAN partner

Minister Anand said Vietnam is an important Canadian partner in ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

She shared Trung’s view on strengthening coordination, promoting high-level visits and taking bilateral ties to a higher level.

She also agreed that the two sides should expand cooperation in areas of complementary strengths and needs, while encouraging ministries, local authorities and businesses to strengthen connections and propose concrete projects and initiatives.

The two foreign ministers agreed to maintain regular exchanges between their ministries, helping strengthen coordination and make bilateral cooperation more substantive and effective.

By combining efforts to strengthen high-level exchanges with closer economic and supply-chain links, Vietnam and Canada are laying the groundwork for an early upgrade of their bilateral framework and a broader phase of practical cooperation.

Vietnam's tourism industry shifts focus from visitor numbers to spending

Vietnam is shifting tourism growth from attracting more visitors to generating greater value from each trip, with a focus on higher spending, longer stays, green development, technology application and cultural experiences.

The country aims to welcome 45-50 million international visitors and 160 million domestic tourists by 2030, Do Cam Tho, head of the Planning and Finance Division at the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at HORECFEX Vietnam 2026, a major hospitality and tourism forum.

​She said 2026-27 would be a pivotal period in shifting tourism development from expansion in scale to deeper value creation.

Vietnam welcomed 21.2 million international visitors and 137 million domestic tourists in 2025, with total tourism revenue estimated at around VND1 quadrillion (US$38.1 billion).

In the first seven months of 2026, the country received nearly 13.92 million foreign tourists, up 13.8% year on year, while domestic visitors numbered about 98 million, with tourism revenue of VND675 trillion, reported VOV.

Cruise tourists arrive in Quang Ninh aboard the Adora Magic City cruise ship (Photo: VNA)

International visitors currently spend an average of US$1,200-1,400 per trip in Vietnam, while domestic tourists about VND2.4-2.6 million (US$92-99).

About 70% of foreign visitors come from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan (China), while markets with higher spending power, including the Middle East, Northern Europe, North America and Australia, still account for relatively small shares.

Tourism is receiving greater attention as Vietnam seeks to achieve rapid national development and make tourism a spearhead economic sector, Tho was quoted by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper as saying.

​A draft resolution on developing tourism into a key economic sector in the new era is awaiting approval by competent authorities. Accordingly, tourism development would follow an integrated ecosystem model, helping drive other sectors such as agriculture and culture, while focusing on value rather than visitor numbers.

Under the proposed approach, Vietnam targets total tourism revenue of US$80-90 billion by 2030. The country is expected to have about 1.5 million accommodation rooms and tourism is projected to create around 5.8 million direct and indirect jobs.

Among three development scenarios for 2030, the most ambitious targets annual international visitor growth of 15-18%. Achieving it will require institutional reforms, development of the night-time economy, diversification of high-end markets and measures to increase visitor spending.

VNAT said Vietnam will continue to consolidate Northeast Asian and ASEAN markets while expanding into Europe, North America, Australia and other markets with high spending capacity and longer stays.

India, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Russia and Muslim markets have been identified as areas with significant growth potential.

For domestic tourism, the focus will shift from boosting visitor numbers to encouraging higher spending, with an emphasis on two- to three-day weekend getaways, high-end Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, family vacations and night-time tourism.

Key products will include sea and island tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, ecotourism and urban tourism, alongside higher-value segments such as wellness, MICE, golf and shopping tourism.

The shift requires hotels to go beyond accommodation services and become more deeply integrated into the broader destination experience ecosystem.

Storm Narra stalls off Vietnam, raising threat of 600mm rainfall

Tropical Storm Narra is crawling across the Gulf of Tonkin and repeatedly changing direction, threatening northern Vietnam with days of rain and localized totals exceeding 600mm.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), a tropical depression over the northern Gulf of Tonkin strengthened into Vietnam’s fourth storm of the year on the evening of August 21.

The storm has the international name Narra, contributed by the Philippines. Narra is a hardwood tree and the national tree of the Philippines.

By 7 a.m. on August 22, the storm’s center was at approximately 21.3 degrees north latitude and 108.2 degrees east longitude, over waters off Quang Ninh and Hai Phong and about 140km north-northeast of Bach Long Vi.

Maximum sustained winds near its center reached Level 8, or 62-74km/h, with gusts at Level 10. The storm was moving west at around 5km/h.

Narra’s effects were already being felt along Vietnam’s northern coast. Bach Long Vi in Hai Phong recorded Level 8 winds with Level 9 gusts, while Co To in Quang Ninh experienced Level 6 winds and Level 9 gusts. Mong Cai station in Quang Ninh recorded Level 7 winds, while Phu Lien station in Hai Phong reported Level 6 winds with Level 7 gusts.

What makes Narra particularly unusual is how slowly and erratically it is moving.

From the night of August 21 into the morning of August 22, the storm traveled at only around 3-5km/h, initially moving north before turning west. Forecasts indicate that it will continue at roughly the same sluggish pace over the coming days while repeatedly changing direction.

From August 22 into the morning of August 23, the storm is forecast to move mainly south-southwest before turning southeast and then east-northeast, while maintaining Level 8 winds and Level 10 gusts.

After entering waters off Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, it is expected to move back into the Gulf of Tonkin within 24 hours and linger there for another two to three days.

Mai Van Khiem, Director of the NCHMF, said the storm is moving slowly because the steering currents surrounding it are weak, leaving the system without a clear force pushing it in one direction.

As a result, Narra is effectively wandering around the Gulf of Tonkin, moving back and forth and at times nearly becoming stationary.

The unusual pattern could keep weather conditions at sea and along the coast highly unpredictable while prolonging heavy rainfall across northern Vietnam, particularly the Northeast. It also increases the risk of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.

Forecasts indicate that Narra could continue changing direction through August 25 while maintaining winds of around Level 8 and gusts at Level 10.

Over the following 72-120 hours, the storm may turn north-northeast, continue moving at just 3-5km/h and gradually weaken into a tropical depression.

Heavy rain spreads across northern Vietnam

Nguyen Van Huong, head of the Weather Forecasting Department at the NCHMF, said forecasting models indicate that the heaviest rainfall will initially be concentrated in the Northeast before tending to spread southward toward Thanh Hoa and the northern part of north-central Vietnam.

Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Lang Son, eastern Bac Ninh and coastal areas of Hung Yen and Ninh Binh could experience heavy to extremely heavy rain.

The mountainous areas of Cao Bang, Lang Son and Quang Ninh face the risk of localized extreme rainfall, accompanied by heightened threats of flash floods and landslides.

In north-central Vietnam, rainfall could also concentrate in Nghe An and Ha Tinh.

Tran Tuan Kien, Deputy Director of the Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology, Environment and Sea, also identified Cao Bang, Lang Son, mountainous Quang Ninh and parts of north-central Vietnam, particularly Nghe An and Ha Tinh, as areas requiring close attention, VNN reported.

Forecast map showing the track and intensity of Tropical Storm Narra at 5 a.m. on August 22, 2026. Source: NCHMF

From August 22 through the night of August 24, the Northeast, southern Phu Tho and Thanh Hoa are forecast to receive 100-200mm of rain, with localized totals exceeding 400mm.

Quang Ninh and Hai Phong face considerably heavier rainfall of 250-350mm, with isolated areas receiving more than 600mm. Lang Son and Bac Ninh are forecast to receive 200-300mm, with localized totals exceeding 500mm.

Rain could continue beyond the night of August 24.

Meteorological authorities warned that prolonged downpours could inundate urban areas, industrial zones and low-lying locations while raising water levels in small rivers and streams.

Mountainous areas face growing risks of flash floods and landslides, while thunderstorms, tornadoes and powerful wind gusts are also possible under the influence of the storm’s circulation.

Dangerous seas, Quang Ninh suspends vessel permits

Across the Gulf of Tonkin, including Bach Long Vi, Van Don, Co To, Cat Hai and Hon Dau Island, winds are forecast at Level 6-7, increasing to Level 8 near the storm’s center with Level 10 gusts.

Waves could reach 2-4 meters, producing rough seas.

The dangerous conditions could capsize, sink or damage fishing boats, cargo vessels, tourist boats and other craft. Aquaculture cages, vessel anchorages and coastal infrastructure are also at risk, while fishing, maritime transport and tourism activities could be disrupted.

Coastal areas of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong are forecast to experience Level 6-7 winds with gusts reaching Level 8-9.

In response, Quang Ninh’s Department of Agriculture and Environment announced on August 22 that it had temporarily suspended permits for vessels to head out to sea.

Relevant agencies and coastal authorities were instructed to stop issuing permits for vessels that do not meet safety requirements and to consider allowing vessels already offshore to return to safe shelters.

Permits for sightseeing and overnight stays at sea were also temporarily suspended.

The restrictions took effect at 7 a.m. on August 22 and will remain in place until the final storm bulletin is issued.

More storms could develop over the next month

Narra comes as forecasters warn that weather conditions could remain complicated in the weeks ahead.

According to the NCHMF’s climate outlook for August 21 to September 20, tropical storm and tropical depression activity in the East Sea is expected to remain broadly in line with the long-term average.

Historical averages for the period are around 2.4 storms or tropical depressions in the East Sea, with about 1.1 making landfall in Vietnam.

That means roughly two to three storms or tropical depressions could develop over the next month, with one potentially making landfall in Vietnam.

Rainfall across northern Vietnam and the region from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri is forecast to be around 10-30% above the long-term average.

Widespread heavy rain during the period is expected to be concentrated mainly in the North and the area from Thanh Hoa to Hue.

Authorities have warned that storms, tropical depressions and severe thunderstorms could cause flooding, flash floods and landslides, disrupting transport, production and daily life.

At sea, vessels also need to remain alert to strong winds and high waves associated with thunderstorms, the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones.

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