| Vietnam News Today (Aug. 6) notable headlines Vietnamese, Egyptian Presidents hold talks, agree to lift ties to Comprehensive Partnership Vietnam attends 48th Meeting of High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration Hanoi emerges as top tourist destination for National Day holiday Vietnam's ASEAN Membership: Major contributions Heavy rain brings relief to the North, intense heat persist in central region Quang Ninh tourism booms with dazzling nighttime experiences Vietnamese math team sweeps 22 awards at 2025 Asia Olympiad in Tokyo Dien Bien shares administrative management experience with Lao locality Vietnam-China rail route serves nearly 4,000 passengers in 2 months |
Vietnamese, Egyptian Presidents hold talks, agree to lift ties to Comprehensive Partnership
State President Luong Cuong and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi on August 5 issued a joint statement on upgrading Vietnam - Egypt ties to a Comprehensive Partnership.
The upgrade of the bilateral relationship came as the two leaders held a tête-à-tête and official talks in Cairo as part of President Cuong’s state visit to Egypt.
At the talks, President El-Sisi affirmed that this visit marks an important milestone, opening up a new phase of cooperation between the two countries after more than 60 years since Egypt and Vietnam established diplomatic relations.
Expressing his profound admiration for late President Ho Chi Minh and praising Vietnam’s heroic history and remarkable development achievements under the wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, he stressed that Egypt always values and wishes to further strengthen the traditional, close-knit friendship with Vietnam.
President Cuong affirmed the importance Vietnam has attached to the bilateral relationship, which has been nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh, late President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and generations of leaders and people of both nations.
The two leaders exchanged views on each country’s socio-economic development situation and welcomed the positive progress in the Vietnam – Egypt relations, affirming their determination to create breakthroughs in bilateral cooperation across all fields.
On that basis, and in line with the level of the bilateral ties, meeting the aspirations of the two nations' peoples, and with the shared desire to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in each region and globally, both sides agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership, according to VNA.
 |
| State President Luong Cuong (L) and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi chair a joint press conference following their talks (Photo: VNA) |
The two leaders agreed that Vietnam and Egypt will continue to support each other and maintain close collaboration. They also consented to deepen political trust and implement breakthrough measures to strengthen trade and investment cooperation.
The two Presidents also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation into new areas such as innovation, science and technology, green transition, and digital transformation. At the same time, they agreed to continue improving the bilateral legal frameworks to serve as a solid foundation for comprehensive collaboration between the two countries.
To promote balanced and mutually beneficial trade, President Cuong stated that Vietnam agreed to open its market to certain products of Egyptian interest and proposed the African country facilitate access for Vietnamese goods to its market. Relevant agencies of both countries will soon carry out procedures in accordance with international practices to implement this policy. President El-Sisi said Egypt, with its strategic position at the intersection of three continents and its extensive network of free trade agreements, stands ready to serve as a gateway for Vietnamese businesses and goods to access the Middle Eastern and African markets.
He also agreed to discuss the potential establishment of new bilateral trade cooperation frameworks to help boost future trade turnover.
The two sides consented to establish a working group to explore the feasibility of negotiating a Vietnam – Egypt free trade agreement. They also pledged to strengthen cooperation in education and people-to-people exchanges, and boost tourism promotion.
President Cuong expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s Arabic language scholarships for Vietnamese students and suggested expanding collaboration and student exchanges in emerging fields such as halal, agriculture, and international relations.
He also called for experience-sharing and support in preserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural heritage, museum management, and sustainable tourism development.
On this occasion, President Cuong called on Egypt to support the Vietnamese community there, enabling them to contribute to Egypt’s development and the bilateral ties.
Regarding regional and international issues of shared concern, President Cuong commended Egypt’s role as a mediator in seeking solutions to regional conflicts.
President El-Sisi also welcomed Vietnam’s stance on the just cause of the Palestinian people and agreed that promoting a two-state solution is vital for achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.
For the East Sea issue, the two leaders affirmed support for resolving disputes through peaceful means, based on the respect for international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to ensure peace, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight.
They also emphasized the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter, and agreed to enhance coordination, consultation, and mutual support at multilateral forums, for the interests of the two countries’ people, as well as for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world at large.
President Cuong invited President El-Sisi to visit Vietnam at an early date, and the Egyptian leader accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Following their talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several key cooperation documents, covering economy and local development.
As part of President Cuong’s state visit, the two defense ministries also signed a Letter of Intent on defense cooperation, along with a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Egypt’s Liaison Agency with International Organizations.
Senior officials and business leaders from both sides also held working sessions, reaching a range of agreements in the fields of finance, agricultural trade, and oil and gas.
 |
| Delegates pose for a group photo at the event (Photo: moit.gov.vn) |
Vietnam attends 48th Meeting of High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration
A Vietnamese delegation attended the 48th Meeting of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (48th HLTF-EI), which concluded in Malaysia on August 5, with key recommendations on ASEAN economic integration to be submitted to the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for mid-September 2025.
The two-day event brought together representatives from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Secretariat, and Timor-Leste, which participated as an observer.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Multilateral Trade Policy Department, the meeting focused on recent global and regional economic developments, including updates from the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force's meetings.
Delegates reviewed the implementation of Malaysia’s 2025 Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs), progress in performing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2025 Blueprint, and outcomes of the 15th Meeting of the Working Group for the AEC Strategic Plan Post-2025.
Proposals to streamline the AEC’s meeting schedule, assessments of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) within the region, future strategies to address them, and potential cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) were also touched upon.
On the sidelines of the event, ASEAN member states exchanged views with a representative from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on recent regional and global developments and their implications for ASEAN. Delegates also reviewed a study by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on the proposed ASEAN Framework for Integrated Semiconductor Supply Chains (AFISS).
At the meeting, ASEAN countries noted a regional economic growth rate of 4.8% in 2024, with a projected rate of 4.2% for 2025. Total goods trade reached 3.8 trillion USD, with intra-ASEAN trade accounting for the largest share at 21.4%, followed by trade with China (20.1%), the US (11.8%), and the EU (7.6%), cited VNA.
The ASEAN member states reaffirmed the bloc’s central role in regional economic and trade cooperation, acknowledged progress in economic integration, and discussed future directions for deepening intra-regional trade and investment.
Vietnam acknowledged the meeting’s assessments of current global and regional economic conditions and reiterated its commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core.
In light of ongoing challenges, Vietnam emphasized the need for ASEAN to strengthen its regional position and resilience through deeper economic integration and enhanced relations with external partners. This includes maximizing the benefits of existing agreements such as the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); pursuing initiatives like an ASEAN–CPTPP dialogue; expanding partnerships with new actors; and building capacity in emerging areas such as digital transformation, green transition, and the semiconductor industry.
Vietnam also expressed its support for Malaysia’s 2025 economic cooperation priorities under its ASEAN Chairmanship and pledged continued collaboration to achieve the set goals, contributing to the overall success of ASEAN Year 2025. The country also announced plans to host the 16th Meeting of the Working Group for AEC Strategic Plan Post-2025 in Hoi An of Da Nang city.
On the sidelines of the event, the Vietnamese delegation held a bilateral meeting with its Philippine counterpart, led by Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry Allan B. Gepty. Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral trade and industrial cooperation and discussed initiatives to further strengthen the partnership.
Hanoi emerges as top tourist destination for National Day holiday
Travel agencies in Ho Chi Minh City have reported a surge in tour bookings ahead of the National Day (September 2) holiday, with Hanoi becoming a top choice, especially among overseas Vietnamese who are eager to witness the capital’s vibrant parade and ceremonial marches.
Big tour operators such as Saigontourist, BenThanh Tourist, Du lich Viet, and Vietluxtour confirmed that demand for holiday travel is booming, despite the ongoing peak of the 2025 summer travel season.
Doan Thi Thanh Tra, deputy general director of Saigontourist, shared that the popularity of the parade has prompted the company to revise its tour plans twice to accommodate the increasing number of bookings.
She revealed that a sharp rise in overseas Vietnamese returning from countries such as Australia, Germany, and the United States has driven much of this demand, with up to 80% of customers coming from these groups, according to VOV.
 |
| Hanoi emerges as top tourist destination for National Day holiday. |
The four-day National Day break offers travelers a variety of options, from short tours of one to three days to longer itineraries lasting four to six days.
Tran Phuong Linh of BenThanh Tourist Company outlined that the company has launched more than 30 domestic and international tourism programmes at competitive prices to meet the growing demand.
Popular routes include Hanoi–Ninh Binh–Trang An and Hanoi–Ha Long, with four-day schedules that allow tourists to enjoy two nights in the capital, a visit to iconic northern destinations, and a free day to soak in Hanoi’s autumn charm and join in the National Day festivities.
Linh also advised travelers to book hotel accommodations and flights early, as prices are expected to soar and availability may become scarce closer to the holiday.
According to Pham Anh Vu, deputy general director of Du lich Viet, prices for flights and hotels along the Ho Chi Minh City–Hanoi route have already tripled in some cases, and many hotels in the capital are fully booked.
The demand for traveling to Hanoi to watch the parade is very high, causing many hotels to be fully booked early, and tourists therefore need to book hotels and air tickets as soon as possible, he stressed.
Along with positive signals from the domestic market, some travel firms noted a shift in international travel patterns. Unrest near the Thai and Cambodian borders has led many travelers to cancel or delay trips to these countries. Instead, destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan (China), the Republic of Korea, and Japan are drawing more attention due to simplified entry procedures and affordable prices.
Vietnam's ASEAN Membership: Major contributions
Australian professor Carlyle Thayer highlights major contributions of Vietnam since joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 28, 1995.
First, Vietnam promoted the admission of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (CLM), thus meeting the original ASEAN goal of including all countries in Southeast Asia. Vietnam became a firm advocate of narrowing the development gap between the new CLM + Vietnam members and ASEAN's original members.
Second, when Vietnam assumed the role of ASEAN Chair for the first time at the Sixth ASEAN Summit in 1998 it secured the endorsement of a six-year Hanoi Plan of Action to implement ASEAN Vision 2020.
Third, when Vietnam served as ASEAN Chair for the second time in 2010, it successfully expanded membership on the East Asia Summit to include the United States and Russian Federation and hosted the first meeting of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus.
 |
| Australian professor Carlyle Thayer. |
Fourth, as ASEAN Chair for the third time in 2020, Vietnam made an outstanding contribution to ASEAN's development during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnam pioneered virtual meetings of ASEAN officials and Vietnam was proactive in lobbying the major powers for access to COVID vaccines.
Benefits as ASEAN Member States
Upon joining ASEAN, Vietnam became a member of the ASEAN Free Trade Area and the country gained considerable experience in multilateral economic cooperation as ASEAN negotiated free trade agreements with Australia-New Zealand, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, said professor Carlyle Thayer.
Vietnam also participated in ASEAN's three-pillar community-building program – Economic Community, Political-Security Community and Socio-Cultural Community. In sum, Vietnam learned and adopted best practices in multilateral economic cooperation.
Given the increasingly complex regional and global geopolitics, Vietnam has to play a more proactive role to safeguard multilateralism and a rules-based global trading system as a member of ASEAN.
He suggested Vietnam should give greater attention to reducing barriers to trade, creating resilient supply chains and developing new markets with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership. In other words, Vietnam must promote "extended multilateralism."
Collectively, ASEAN needs to strengthen its commitment to the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific by enhancing its comprehensive strategic partnerships with Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
ASEAN needs to convince each of its partners that they have more to gain by working with ASEAN rather than acting unilaterally. Three areas should be given priority attention: creating a stable tariff regime, reviving the East Asia Summit as a leaders' led forum, and negotiating an effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
Vietnam can contribute by leveraging all of its thirty-five comprehensive, strategic and comprehensive strategic partnerships to support ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, said Carlyle Thayer.
Heavy rain brings relief to the North, intense heat persist in central region
Starting August 5, thunderstorms are expected to develop in northern mountainous and midland areas and gradually spread to the Red River Delta, while the central region remains gripped by intense heat, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
In recent days, Northern Vietnam has been under the influence of a western low-pressure heat system, driving temperatures to 37–39°C. Some areas, including Hanoi, recorded highs of 40–41°C.
While heat continues in the Northern Delta on August 5, it is expected to ease slightly, with temperatures ranging from 35–36°C in most places, ahead of an incoming cooling rain, cited VOV.
 |
| Heavy rain brings relief to the North after scorching days due to the western low-pressure heat system. |
Early on August 5, some northern mountainous and midland areas already saw heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. The region is expected to remain mostly cloudy with scattered showers, leading into widespread heavy rain from the evening of August 5 through August 7.
From the afternoon of August 5 through the morning of August 7, total rainfall in the mountainous and midland areas is forecast to reach 60–120mm, with isolated locations possibly exceeding 250mm.
After enduring days of extreme heat, northern provinces should be on alert for severe weather conditions including lightning, whirlwinds, hail, and strong gusts. Torrential rain may lead to flooding in low-lying urban areas, flash floods in small rivers and streams, and landslides on steep terrain.
Meanwhile, from August 5–6, central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Da Nang, as well as the eastern areas of Quang Ngai to Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa, will continue to face hot to extremely hot conditions. Daytime temperatures are expected to range from 36–38°C, with some places exceeding 38°C. Relative humidity will drop to 50–55%. This heatwave is likely to persist in the coming days.
Authorities also caution that the perceived outdoor temperature may feel 2–4°C higher than forecasted, especially in areas with heat-retaining surfaces like asphalt and concrete.
 | Vietnam News Today (Aug. 2): MoU highlights Japan-Vietnam cooperation in research and disease control Vietnam News Today (Aug. 2): Vietnam - a driving force in ASEAN’s progress; Hanoi ranks among world’s top 13 cities for unforgettable cuisine; EVFTA boosts ... |
 | Vietnam News Today (Aug. 3): Vietnamese, Singaporean Businesses Boost Digital Connectivity Vietnam News Today (Aug. 3): Vietnamese, Singaporean businesses boost digital connectivity; Open visa policy – key to winning global tourism race; 2025 Vietnam–RoK Festival showcases ... |
