Vietnam News Today (Nov. 13): Vietnam, Solomon Islands Sign MoU to Spur Cooperation
	Vietnam News Today (Nov. 14): PM to visit Kuwait, Algeria, and Attend G20 Summit in South Africa

Vietnamese Ambassador to Kuwait Nguyen Duc Thang.

PM Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Kuwait to usher in new phase of bilateral ties: Ambassador

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Kuwait from November 16–18 is set to open up a new stage of development in bilateral relations, Vietnamese Ambassador to Kuwait Nguyen Duc Thang said.

The visit will be made at the invitation of Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. This is the first by a high-level Vietnamese leader to Kuwait in 16 years and it comes as the two countries prepare to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties in January 2026.

According to Ambassador Nguyen, the visit holds significant meaning both for bilateral cooperation and for Vietnam's broader engagement with the Middle East. It follows the Prime Minister's 2024 tours to three Gulf nations, underlining Vietnam's resolve to advance its foreign policy toward the region and to realize Resolution 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new context. Through high-level exchanges, Vietnam aims to reinforce friendly relations, strengthen political trust, expand markets, and unlock new cooperation potential with Kuwait.

As Kuwait is currently the Chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and placing greater emphasis on ties with Asian nations, including ASEAN members, the two sides are well positioned to contribute to ASEAN–GCC cooperation. Vietnam also hopes Kuwait will help push forward negotiations toward a Vietnam–GCC Free Trade Agreement starting in 2025.

During the visit, Prime Minister Pham is expected to meet with the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, hold talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart, and meet ministers and major business leaders. Both sides will review nearly five decades of cooperation, exchange views, and outline directions and practical measures to expand collaboration in the coming period. A key event will be the Prime Minister's policy speech at the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute, where he will highlight Vietnam's socio-economic progress and its priorities for deepening long-term, multifaceted cooperation with Kuwait and the wider Middle East, cited VGP.

Kuwait is the top Middle Eastern investor in Vietnam, most notably its US$3.5 billion contribution to the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex. Bilateral trade reached US$7.3 billion in 2024 and topped US$5 billion in the first nine months of 2025. Imports of Kuwaiti crude oil ensure a stable supply for the Nghi Son refinery, which supplies more than 35 percent of Vietnam's domestic fuel demand. Meanwhile, Vietnam's exports to Kuwait have become more diversified, ranging from agricultural and aquatic products to machinery, electronics, and wooden furniture.

Ambassador Nguyen said that the two countries can expand cooperation in oil, gas, and energy, including emerging areas such as renewable energy. Vietnam has the potential to become a major oil storage and distribution hub in Southeast Asia, while both sides can partner in solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects by combining Kuwait's financial resources with Vietnam's engineering capabilities.

Vietnam also welcomes more investment from Kuwaiti funds and sees opportunities to collaborate on major projects that could help shape new financial centers in the region. Vietnam can serve as Kuwait's gateway to Southeast Asia, while Kuwait can help Vietnam access Middle Eastern and neighboring markets.

In addition, Vietnam's strength in agricultural and aquatic exports allows it to provide stable, diverse and Halal-compliant food supplies for Kuwait. Enhancing this cooperation would support Kuwait's food security while helping Vietnam develop Halal-certified agricultural value chains and expand into GCC markets.

The diplomat also suggested that both countries should work toward establishing direct air routes and boosting tourism promotion, as Vietnam is becoming a popular destination among Kuwaiti travelers.

Vietnam, Laos promote trade, investment cooperation toward 5 bln USD trade target

The Embassy of Laos in Vietnam and Viet–Lao AZ JSC on November 14 co-organised the 2025 Laos–Vietnam Investment and Trade Promotion Conference in Hanoi, aiming to translate high-level commitments into concrete cooperation opportunities to expand bilateral trade and investment.

Speaking at the event, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh emphasized that Vietnam–Laos trade relations, built over more than six decades, are rooted in the special solidarity nurtured by the two Parties, Governments and peoples.

The two countries share more than 2,337 km of border across 10 Lao provinces and nine Vietnamese localities - areas with significant development potential and strategic value along the East–West Economic Corridor.

While bilateral trade, particularly border trade, has recorded positive results, the ambassador noted that challenges remain, especially in ensuring stable and sustainable border trade development and optimizing each side’s strengths.

She stated that enhanced cooperation will directly aid in reducing poverty, fostering rural development, and improving the livelihoods of border communities. Additionally, it will contribute to establishing peaceful, friendly, and cooperative borders. This collaboration will help both sides work towards achieving a trade turnover target of 5 billion VND in the coming years.

The conference featured discussions on investment and trade promotion mechanisms. Experts highlighted new policy updates and incentives aimed at transforming Laos from a landlocked country into a regional land-link hub, as well as presenting strategic investment opportunities designed to attract at least 1.7 billion USD in FDI annually, according to VNA.

Director of the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Nguyen Anh Son speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Director of the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Nguyen Anh Son said that both governments have implemented important cooperation measures, including the 2024 Vietnam–Laos Trade Agreement and the landmark Vietnam–Laos Border Trade Agreement, which provides the legal foundation to boost bilateral trade. Over the past decade, two-way trade has doubled from 1.1 billion USD in 2015 to 2.25 billion USD in 2024.

In the first nine months of 2025 alone, bilateral trade reached 2.36 billion USD, up 57% year-on-year and the highest level in a decade. Border gates and economic zones have been upgraded, facilitating trade flows and supporting border residents.

Son recommended that both sides prioritize resources for transport infrastructure connectivity, develop logistics hubs at key border gates, modernize customs procedures and enhance electronic data exchange. He also urged the expansion of business networking, trade promotion programs and training on preferential tariffs and rules of origin.

Also at the conference, the Viet–Lao AZ JSC (Vietnam) and the Hung-Aloun Logistics (Laos) exchanged their MoU on strategic cooperation in logistics and distribution. The agreement marks a new chapter in cross-border supply chain cooperation and reflects the strong commitment, strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Vietnam, RoK seek new drivers to advance comprehensive cooperation

Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) convened the 20th meeting of the Vietnam-RoK Joint Economic Committee in Seoul on November 14, aiming to review progress since the last gathering in 2022 and chart out new directions to deepen cooperation across a wide range of fields.

The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong and Korean Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hee-sang.

At the meeting, the two sides assessed development steps in trade, investment, development cooperation, labor, economic security, energy, infrastructure, banking, science-technology, climate change and other priority areas. Both sides highlighted the substantial achievements recorded in the past time, particularly since Vietnam and the RoK upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022, noting that bilateral cooperation has expanded strongly, underpinned by mutual benefits, trust and understanding.

In trade, the RoK remained Vietnam’s third-largest trading partner in 2024 (after China and the US), ranking as Vietnam’s third-largest export market and second-largest import market. Vietnam’s exports to the RoK reached 25.6 billion USD, while imports totalled 55.9 billion USD. In the first eight months of this year, bilateral trade hit 57.7 billion USD, up 7.3% year-on-year, with Vietnam’s exports rising 10.6% to 18.7 billion USD and imports down 5.8% to 39 billion USD.

The RoK is also Vietnam’s largest foreign investor. As of the end of September, Korean investors operated 10,301 valid projects with combined registered capital of 94.2 billion USD, topping both capital value and number of projects among 154 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Korean enterprises contribute roughly 30% of Vietnam’s total export value.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has 114 investment projects in the RoK, worth 37.7 million USD, mainly in science-technology, mining, manufacturing and repair of motor vehicles and machinery.

In development cooperation, the RoK continues to designate Vietnam as a top priority partner for official development assistance (ODA). Recent commitments include 200 million USD in grant aid and 4 billion USD in concessional loans.

Labor cooperation also remains a cornerstone. More than 43,000 Vietnamese workers are currently employed in the RoK under the Employment Permit System (EPS), mainly in manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, construction, shipbuilding and forestry. This makes Vietnam the largest EPS labor-sending country. The EPS program for 2023–2025 has yielded notable results, including Korean-language tests for about 90,000 candidates, with around 26,000 successful applicants sent to work in the RoK. The rate of workers overstaying illegally has dropped significantly to 19%, better than the target agreed by both sides.

Other labor schemes, such as the E7, E8 and E10 visas, also demonstrate strong demand from Korean employers and effective supply capacity from Vietnamese service providers and local authorities. Vietnam is currently the leading supplier of skilled workers in the RoK, with nearly 14,000 individuals employed in specialized fields.

Both sides agreed to intensify collaboration in semiconductors, telecommunications electronics, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, new energy, biotechnology and nanotechnology, VNA reported.

The 20th meeting of the Vietnam-RoK Joint Economic Committee takes place in Seoul on November 14. (Photo: VNA)

They will promote joint research programs, expand technology transfer among enterprises and research institutions, develop R&D centers, train high-tech engineers, and share experience in building dynamic innovation ecosystems and policies supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.

Beyond these priority sectors, the two sides also discussed measures to resolve outstanding issues and advance cooperation in energy, infrastructure, climate response and the RoK's foreign direct investment in Vietnam.

Vietnam proposed strengthened coordination to implement the Action Plan signed in April 2025 to raise bilateral trade to 150 billion USD by 2030 in a more balanced manner. Vietnam also called on the RoK to streamline import procedures for select Vietnamese agricultural and food products.

As Vietnam enters a new development phase with the aspiration to become a high-income developed nation by 2045, the Vietnamese Government urged the RoK to encourage major Korean corporations to expand investments in priority sectors, including infrastructure development, high-tech electronics manufacturing, semiconductors, AI, renewable energy, smart cities and specialized industrial complexes along value chains.

For the 2026–2030 period, both sides will prioritise major projects in transport and urban infrastructure, high-tech facilities and higher education. They also agreed to work closely to implement projects funded by the 200-million-USD ODA grant package and framework agreements under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and the Economic Development Promotion Facility (EDPF).

Vietnam further requested continued non-refundable ODA from the RoK, particularly for Phase 2 of the Vietnam–Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST).

Vietnam and Czech Republic boost digital transformation cooperation

Vietnam and the Czech Republic shared experience in the field of national digital transformation during a working session between experts of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Digital and Information Agency of the Czech Republic in Prague on November 13.

The working session was held as part of a working visit to the Czech Republic by a delegation of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

During the meeting, Ondrej Menousek, Director of the Electronic Government Services Department, introduced the Agency’s operating model, highlighting its role as a leading institution driving the digitalisation of public administration in the Czech Republic.

Established in 2023, the Agency has quickly become the central body responsible for managing and planning digitalisation initiatives under the Strategic Plan for the Digitalisation of Czechia by 2030. It has played a key role in improving the quality of digital public services, promoting online communication between citizens, businesses and government bodies, and strengthening state governance through digital technologies.

Sharing notable achievements, Menousek emphasized the launch of the eDoklady application in 2024, which enables citizens to store digital versions of their national ID cards and driving licences on their mobile phones. This makes identity verification more convenient without the need for physical documents and has contributed significantly to improving the Czech Republic’s ranking in the EU Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI).

He affirmed that the Digital and Information Agency is ready to share the Czech Republic’s digital transformation experience to support Vietnam in accelerating its journey towards an effective and transparent digital government, VOV reported.

Vietnamese and Czech experts share experience during the working session.

For his part, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice President of the Academy and Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Theoretical Council, noted that both the Czech Republic and Vietnam share a common orientation in promoting national digital transformation to build a digital government, digital economy and digital society. He said that Vietnam is making strong efforts to develop large-scale citizen databases that integrate key types of data such as social insurance, taxation and health records.

He also acknowledged challenges such as shortages of high-quality human resources and inconsistencies among ministries and sectors during implementation. Nonetheless, Vietnam remains determined to advance rapidly and effectively in digital transformation - a global imperative. He emphasized that the upgrade of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership earlier this year has created new opportunities for cooperation, with digital transformation being one of the priority areas.

On 12 November, the Vietnamese delegation held a working session with Charles University, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe.

The two sides discussed prospects for cooperation in training, thematic conferences, joint courses and research programs on public policy, political economy and international relations, as well as expanding academic, student and PhD exchanges.

Vietnam-China border trade fair 2025 to open in Lao Cai

The Vietnam-China international trade fair 2025 is scheduled to take place at the Kim Thanh Exhibition Center in Lao Cai province from November 20 to 24, aiming to promote trade and cooperation among businesses from Vietnam, China, and other Asian countries.

With more than 500 booths set up by Vietnamese and Chinese businesses, and those from other countries, the fair introduces a wide range of farm produce, seafood, building materials and handicrafts.

In particular, booths to promote investment, trade and tourism will be held, focusing on quality products that have high demand and are chosen for import-export activities.

As part of the fair, there will be a conference to introduce mechanisms, policies and investment projects, and economic and trade cooperation talks between Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Yunnan (China), along with a session introducing import-export policies and facilitating trade connections between Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises, reported VOV.

Vietnam-China border trade fair is expected to attract many visitors this year. (Photo: congdankhuyenhoc.vn)

In addition, a Megalive program showcasing and selling products at the fair is expected to attract large crowds, offering visitors a chance to experience and purchase featured goods directly.

The event continues to serve as an important platform for strengthening trade links, promoting quality products, and fostering regional cooperation between Vietnam, China, and neighboring countries.

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