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President To Lam leaves Hanoi for state visits to Laos and Cambodia. (Photo: VNA)

President To Lam sets off for state visits to Laos, Cambodia

President To Lam and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam left Hanoi on July 11 morning for three-day state visits to Laos and Cambodia.

The visits come at the invitations of General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, and Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, according to VNA.

President Lam is accompanied by President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Do Van Chien, Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang, Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung and Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang, among others.

As Lam's first overseas trips since he was elected as the President of Vietnam by the National Assembly last month, the visits reflect the Vietnamese Party and State’s crucial message of attaching the utmost importance to the Vietnam - Laos great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation, as well as the Vietnam - Cambodia good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability.

With a determination to realize high-level agreements, especially the outcomes of high-level meetings between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the LPRP as well as the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the visits will mark a new stage of development in the Vietnam - Laos and Vietnam - Cambodia relations based on equality, mutual benefit, effective cooperation and respect for each other's interests, contributing to consolidating strategic trust, deepening relations with both countries, and enhancing solidarity among Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and within the ASEAN bloc.

Vietnamese exports to EU market enjoy rebound

Vietnamese exports to 27 markets within the EU bloc bounced back in the first half of the year with turnover of US$24.5 billion, according to details given by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The total trade turnover between Vietnam and the bloc throughout the reviewed period reached US$32 billion, of which exports and imports from the EU surged by 14.1% and 5.2% to reach US$24.5 billion and US$7.5 billion, respectively.

Thanks to a rebound in export activities, the country enjoyed a trade surplus of US$17 billion with the EU, up 18.5% against the same period from last year, VOV reported.

Photo: VOV

Insiders attribute the rise in exports to the EU to a significant recovery occurring in key commodity groups such as phones, computers, garments and textiles, footwear, and agro-forestry-fisheries products.

The strongest growth was recorded in products such as computers, electronic products and components, with turnover reaching approximately US$4.1 billion, up nearly 50% on-year. This was followed by machinery, equipment and spare parts with US$3.95 billion, up 22%, and footwear with nearly US$3 billion, up 11.3%.

Meanwhile, aquatic exports to the EU soared by 12% to US$513 million compared to last year’s corresponding period.

With the recovery momentum being maintained in the first half of the year, exports to the bloc ahead in the second half are likely to reach between US$50 billion and US$52 billion

In particular, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is expected to provide fresh impetus for Vietnamese exports in the coming time thanks to commitments set out in preferential tariffs.

President’s visit demonstrates Vietnam’s priority to nurture special ties with Laos: scholar

President To Lam will make a state visit to Laos on July 11-12, his first overseas trip since he took office, demonstrating Vietnam’s top priority to consolidate and nurture the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with the neighboring nation, according to a Lao scholar.

Vice Chairman of the Laos – Vietnam Cooperation Committee Viengsavanh Vilayphone said that the visit will create an opportunity for Lam, his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith and many other Lao leaders to review and evaluate the cooperation ties between the two parties and states over the past time, and exchange viewpoints and reach consensus on orientations, policies and measures to bolster the bilateral ties to a deeper and more effective manner in 2024 and the following years.

Vietnam’s support in the economy and many other sectors has been significant to the Lao Government and people, adding Laos always opens its door for Vietnamese firms, including private businesses that boast financial, science-tech and competitive capacity, the Lao scholar said.

Laos has been the largest recipient of Vietnamese overseas investment so far, he said, adding Vietnam’s projects have helped Laos take care of its residents, particularly those living in the remote and border areas, cited VNA.

Vice Chairman of the Laos – Vietnam Cooperation Committee Viengsavanh Vilayphone (Photo: VNA)

Along with generating incomes and improving local livelihoods, Vietnamese enterprises have contributed to nurturing the special solidarity between the two nations, he underlined.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security handed over the Academy of Politics of the Lao People’s Public Security to the Lao ministry last year, he said, describing the project as an exemplary one in bilateral cooperation.

During his stay in Laos, Lam will witness the signing and exchange of various documents that facilitate Vietnamese firms’ business operation in Laos, he said, adding the Lao side expects more Vietnamese investments in the nation following his visit.

The visit to Laos by President Lam is expected to make contributions to fostering Vietnam – Laos special ties for peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.

Lonely Planet lists 10 must-see attractions in northcentral Vietnam

World renowned travel guide Lonely Planet recently revealed its list of the top 10 must-see attractions in north central Vietnam.

Of the sites, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the north central province of Quang Binh topped the list.

According to details given by the travel guide, the remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 and contains the oldest karst mountains in Asia which were formed approximately 400 million years ago.

“Riddled with hundreds of cave systems – many of extraordinary scale and length – and spectacular underground rivers, Phong Nha is a speleologists’ heaven on earth, and a real treat for anyone who appreciates the sight of nature at its most raw,” it added.

The caves are the region's absolute highlights, although the above-ground attractions of forest trekking, the area's war history, and rural mountain biking means that the park has enough going on to warrant stays of up to three days, VOV reported.

Breathtaking beauty of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

Lonely Planet stressed that more than 100 types of mammals; 10 species of primate, tigers, elephants, and the saola; a rare Asian antelope; 81 types of reptile and amphibian; and more than 300 varieties of bird have been logged in Phong Nha.

Son Doong Cave ranked second, followed by Tu Lan Cave and Paradise Cave.

Rounding off the list of the must-see attractions in north central Vietnam were En Cave, Van Long Nature Reserve, Toi Cave, Trang An, Cuc Phuong National Park, Phat Diem Cathedral, Mua Cave, and Bai Dinh Pagoda.

Vietnam potential to become a major logistics hub

Vietnam has enormous potential to emerge as a global and regional logistics hub, said President of International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) Turgut Erkeskin.

The FIATA President made the above remarks during his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi on July 9.

Prime Minister Pham praised FIATA's ongoing support for the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) in hosting the FIATA World Congress 2025 in Hanoi.

Pham briefed the FIATA President about Vietnam’s robust logistics sector performance, citing an average annual growth rate of 14-16 percent. Specifically, Vietnam's trade with the rest of the world reached nearly US$700 billion in 2023.

Pham spoke highly of FIATA's role in narrowing down the gaps between the VLA and the global logistics community, VGP reported.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) hosts a reception for President of International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) Turgut Erkeskin in Ha Noi, July 10, 2024. Photo: VGP

As the Vietnamese Government is drafting a logistics development strategy for the 2025-2035 period, with a vision to 2045, Pham called for FIATA’s support through information sharing in digital transformation, green transition, and solutions to developing logistics in agriculture and industry.

Pham promised that the Government will work closely with domestic and foreign partners to create favorable conditions for economic, investment, trade and service cooperation activities, with a particular emphasis on developing logistics services to maximize benefits for all parties involved in the spirit of harmonizing benefits and sharing risks.

In reply, Erkeskin expressed his belief that the Vietnamese Government, ministries and agencies will actively contribute to the success of the FIATA World Congress 2025.

He highly spoke of Vietnam's logistics development strategy for the 2025-2035 period with a vision to 2045, especially its focus on digital transformation, green transition, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

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