| Vietnam News Today (May 19) notable headlines Prime Minister receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Vietnam treasures ties with Croatia: PM RoK trade delegation promotes cooperation with Vietnam and Malaysia Vietnam among top destinations for Russian and Korean travelers in 2026 Northern Vietnam braces for more torrential rain and thunderstorms Israel’s President considers Vietnam increasingly important partner in Southeast Asia Bilingual school promotes President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example among younger generations in Laos President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday celebrated abroad PM highlights science-technology as key to national development |
 |
| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (R) receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (Photo: VNA) |
Prime Minister receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on May 18 received Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko at the Government headquarters in Hanoi.
PM Hung appreciated the positive development of the Vietnam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in recent years, particularly the regular maintenance of high-level exchanges and contacts, the promotion of bilateral cooperation, and efforts by both sides to maximise existing achievements and continue to shape major mutually beneficial cooperation orientations across all fields.
Recognising the efforts made by Ambassador Bezdetko and the Russian Embassy in Vietnam, the Prime Minister suggested the ambassador continue to work closely with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and agencies to effectively implement high-level agreements and further deepen the Vietnam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Gennady Bezdetko congratulated the Vietnamese Government leader on being entrusted with the important post, affirming that Russia always attaches importance to its traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, which it considers one of its leading partners in the Asia-Pacific region.
He informed the PM of positive progress in bilateral cooperation and highlighted areas with significant untapped potential for further collaboration. He affirmed that the Russian side, as well as he personally, stands ready to coordinate closely with Vietnamese ministries, localities and businesses to concretise cooperation orientations agreed upon by high-ranking leaders of the two countries, and promote substantive collaboration in both traditional and emerging sectors, particularly energy security, green transition, and science and technology.
Host and guest exchanged views and agreed on major directions and measures to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, including politics and diplomacy, trade and investment, energy and oil and gas, science and technology, education and training, culture and tourism.
They also agreed to coordinate activities marking the 35th anniversary of ASEAN–Russia relations. PM Hung reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for strengthening ASEAN–Russia Strategic Partnership and promoting dialogue and substantive collaboration in areas of shared interest such as trade, energy, science and technology, education, connectivity and responses to non-traditional security challenges, thereby contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
On the occasion, PM Hung sent his regards to Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Mikhail Mishustin and other Russian leaders, and expressed appreciation for the warm sentiments and sincere congratulations extended by Russian leaders and people to the Party, State and people of Vietnam, as well as to himself personally.
Vietnam treasures ties with Croatia: PM
Vietnam always values strengthening and expanding relations with its traditional friends in Europe, including Croatia, said Prime Minister Le Minh Hung while receiving Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman in Hanoi on May 18.
Welcoming Minister Gordan Grlić Radman and a delegation of leading Croatian enterprises accompanying him, the Government leader noted that the visit holds important significance in promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Croatia in a more substantive and effective manner.
Congratulating Croatia on its recent socio-economic achievements, particularly its successful accession to the Eurozone and the Schengen Area in 2023, he highly appreciated Croatia’s growing role and position within the European Union and the Central and Eastern European region.
The PM suggested that the two sides enhance exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially at high level, while promoting cooperation among ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses of both countries. These efforts, he said, would deepen political trust and create new momentum for bilateral cooperation.
Based on the sound relations and vast cooperation potential between the two countries, PM Hung called for more substantive progress in economic, trade, and investment cooperation.
The two sides should strive to double bilateral trade turnover from the current level of 161 million USD; study the establishment of a Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation to create a long-term, stable, and effective framework for collaboration; and encourage Croatian businesses to invest in areas where Croatia has strengths and Vietnam has demand, including seaports, logistics, renewable energy, tourism, science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, and climate change response, he said.
He also urged Croatia to continue its active voice within the EU, hastening the remaining member states to soon ratify the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), thereby contributing to breakthroughs in trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in general, and between Vietnam and Croatia in particular. He also expressed his hope that Croatia would support the European Commission’s early removal of the “yellow card” imposed on Vietnamese seafood exports, in recognition of Vietnam’s serious and determined efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, according to VNA.
 |
| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung receives Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman in Hanoi on May 18. Photo: VNA |
For his part, Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said he was delighted and honoured to make his first official visit to Vietnam as Croatia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister on the occasion of the 136th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, whom he described as “a symbol of humanity’s dignity and conscience.”
Congratulating Vietnam on its remarkable achievements in socio-economic development, foreign affairs, and international integration, he affirmed that Croatia highly values its traditional friendship with Vietnam and recognized Vietnam’s important role in maintaining and strengthening peace, security, and cooperation in the region.
Noting that Vietnam is one of Croatia’s most important partners in Southeast Asia, the minister expressed his wish for the two countries to further enhance substantive and effective cooperation, particularly in the fields of economy, trade, investment, defense-security, science and technology, education and training, energy, seaports, tourism, logistics, and business connectivity.
He expressed strong appreciation and full agreement with the cooperation orientations proposed by Prime Minister Hung, affirming Croatia’s readiness to work closely with Vietnam to effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms, increase delegation exchanges, promote political consultations, support business connectivity, and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
He also highly appreciated Vietnam’s increasingly important role in the Asia-Pacific region, within ASEAN, and in global supply chains. He reaffirmed Croatia’s support for strengthening Vietnam–EU relations, including the effective implementation of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and encouraging the remaining EU member states to ratify EVIPA and expand cooperation in new areas aligned with the priorities of the Vietnam–EU Strategic Partnership.
He also expressed his hope that the two sides would continue coordinating closely at multilateral forums, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
RoK trade delegation promotes cooperation with Vietnam and Malaysia
The ASEAN-Korea Center and the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) announced on May 18 that they will jointly organize a trade promotion delegation to Vietnam and Malaysia to expand economic cooperation between the Republic of Korea (RoK) and ASEAN.
According to the organizers, the Korean delegation is expected to hold exchanges involving 20 companies in the food and consumer goods sectors and more than 60 local businesses during events taking place in Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City from May 18 to 20.
The program will include business forums, business matching sessions between companies and factory visits. The initiative aims to provide Korean companies with information on import-export trends in the ASEAN region and local market trends, while creating opportunities to learn about the latest industry trends and technologies.
A key focus of the program is expanding networks with relevant industry partners in ASEAN member states and identifying potential strategic partners, reported VOV.
 |
| The Vietnam-RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has seen strong development (Illustration photo: dangcongsan.vn) |
According to the schedule, the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum is expected to take place on May 20 at the New World Saigon Hotel.
Representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance, the municipal Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency are expected to share information on investment trends, trade policies and the implementation of the Vietnam-Korea Free Trade Agreement.
The Korean delegation will also visit food and technology companies to learn more about integrated supply chain models and Vietnam’s foreign investment attraction policies, particularly those of Ho Chi Minh City, as part of broader strategies to develop global trade centers and support businesses in diversifying export markets.
Vietnam among top destinations for Russian and Korean travelers in 2026
Vietnam has emerged as one of the leading overseas destinations for travelers from the Republic of Korea and Russia in the first quarter of 2026, according to newly released tourism statistics from both markets.
A report by Yanolja, the RoK’s first private research institute for the travel & tourism industry, showed that outbound travel by Koreans reached a record high in the first quarter of 2026, with 8.331 million overseas trips recorded - the highest quarterly figure ever reported.
Japan was the most popular destination among Korean travelers, attracting 3.058 million. Vietnam ranked second with 1.326 million arrivals, followed by China with 811,000 travelers, cited VOV.
 |
| Russian tourists are welcomed at Da Nang International Airport (Photo: Huong Thuy) |
Amid rising travel costs, Korean tourists are increasingly favoring nearby destinations and showing stronger interest in more budget-conscious travel options, the report noted.
Meanwhile, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported that the number of trips made by Russian tourists to the world’s top 25 travel destinations rose by around 16% year on year in the first quarter of 2026.
Based on total outbound trips during the period, the 10 most popular destinations among Russian travelers were Thailand, China, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
Among them, Vietnam stood out as one of the fastest-growing destinations, with visitor numbers in the first quarter of 2026 nearly tripling compared with the same period last year.
The sharp increase was partly attributed to a low comparison base in the first quarter of 2025, when charter flights from Russia to Vietnam only resumed in March last year. In addition, many Russian travelers reportedly shifted their travel plans to Vietnam following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East in late February 2026.
Northern Vietnam braces for more torrential rain and thunderstorms
Forecasters warned that northern Vietnam is likely to experience more days of severe weather, including heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and hail.
Torrential rain causes localized flooding
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, on May 17, scattered showers and thunderstorms affected the northeastern region, areas stretching from Hue to Lam Dong, and southern Vietnam, with some locations experiencing extremely heavy rainfall that triggered localized flooding.
Intense rainfall concentrated during the morning and early afternoon pushed precipitation levels sharply higher between 7am and 3pm.
Hong Ha in Quang Ninh recorded 220mm of rainfall, while Thuy Nguyen in Hai Phong received 160.4mm.
Tien Hung in Hung Yen measured 145.2mm, and Cam Nhan in Lao Cai recorded 89.2mm.
Authorities said heavy rain caused widespread flooding in central areas of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with water entering residential homes.
Forecasters said scattered showers and thunderstorms would continue across the northwestern region on Sunday evening and overnight, bringing rainfall of 15-30mm, with isolated areas expected to exceed 90mm.
The northeastern region is forecast to see moderate to heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms, with rainfall ranging from 20-40mm and isolated areas surpassing 100mm, VNN reported.
 |
| Photo: VNN |
Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa through Hue and the south-central coastal region are also expected to experience scattered showers and thunderstorms, with some areas receiving more than 90mm of rain.
The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam are forecast to continue seeing scattered thunderstorms with rainfall between 10-30mm, while isolated locations could record more than 90mm.
Meteorologists warned residents to remain alert for tornadoes, lightning, hail and strong winds accompanying thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms expected nationwide
Weather experts said the unstable conditions are being driven by a low-pressure trough stretching northwest to southeast across northern Vietnam and the central East Sea.
Over the next two days, thunderstorms are expected to persist nationwide.
The northeastern region is forecast to maintain widespread rain and scattered thunderstorms, with isolated areas facing torrential downpours.
The northwestern region is also expected to experience scattered showers and thunderstorms, with localized heavy rain.
In central Vietnam, coastal provinces are likely to see isolated rainfall during the day, while showers and thunderstorms are expected to intensify during the late afternoon and evening.
The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam are also forecast to continue experiencing scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and night, with isolated heavy rain.
Heatwave expected after storms
Looking further ahead, meteorologists said widespread heat is likely to return to northern and central Vietnam from May 19 to May 27 once the current storm system weakens.
In northern Vietnam, moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast to continue from May 19 to May 21, with some areas likely to see extremely heavy rainfall.
Rainfall is expected to gradually decrease on May 22, although isolated heavy downpours may still occur.
Forecasters noted that from May 23, widespread heat is highly likely to return across northern Vietnam, including Hanoi.
During the same period, Thanh Hoa to Da Nang and eastern areas from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak are forecast to experience scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms between May 18 and May 20.
Localized heat is expected to develop again from around May 21, before expanding into a broader heatwave from May 22 to May 23.
Southern Vietnam and other regions are expected to continue seeing scattered showers and thunderstorms, especially during the late afternoon and evening, with isolated heavy rainfall.
Meteorologists warned that intense rainfall occurring within short periods could trigger urban flooding and landslides in mountainous areas.
Residents were also advised to avoid outdoor activities during severe thunderstorms, as lightning, hail and strong winds could pose serious risks to life and property.
 | Vietnam News Today (May 14): Vietnam, Singapore Trade Unions Strengthen Cooperation in Workforce Development Vietnam News Today (May 14): Vietnam, Laos ink 2026–2030 culture-tourism cooperation plan; Vietnam, Singapore trade unions strengthen cooperation in workforce development; Australia reaffirms development commitment ... |
 | Vietnam News Today (May 16): Vietnam Remains ASEAN Growth Leader in 2026 Despite Global Headwinds Vietnam News Today (May 16): Vietnam proposes key cooperation orientations at BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting; Vietnam, Cambodia boost supply chain connectivity; Vietnam remains ASEAN growth ... |
