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Leaders of participating countries speak at the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia. (Photo: TASS)

Vietnam proposes initiatives at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang put forward three initiatives at the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, in order to increase economic links between countries in the Eurasian region.

At the opening ceremony, Quang underscored the need for solidarity, cooperation, and responsible behavior of all countries to overcome common challenges.

He emphasized the importance of cooperation based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, mutual respect, and compliance with the United Nations Charter and international law.

According to the Vietnamese official, cooperation needs to be an open, inclusive mechanism that encourages the participation of all countries taking into account the level of development and characteristics of each party, while ensuring environmental sustainability, social harmony, and economic efficiency.

He highly appreciated President Putin’s Greater Eurasian Partnership Strategy on connecting regional economic integration processes, including the Eurasian Economic Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to create resonance and spread benefits to all parties.

To increase economic links between countries in the Eurasian region, Quang proposed developing inter-national transport corridors from East to West and North to South, linking transport projects implemented in regions of Russia with ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan and other regional cooperation frameworks to form new corridors connecting economic centers across the continent.

He stressed the need to enhance trade and investment cooperation to further open markets, expand investment, remove barriers, and facilitate trade and travel of people and businesses, cited VOV.

Vietnam is ready to be a bridge to promote cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and ASEAN, hoping the two sides will soon study the possibility of formulating a free trade agreement, said Quang.

He also suggested promoting cooperation on green transformation and digital transformation, which he said is an inevitable trend in the world and a strategic choice to ensure the future of countries.

He called on developed countries to share experiences and support developing countries, including Vietnam, in building policy mechanisms, attracting resources, and applying technology, along with developing digital infrastructure, green infrastructure and training high-quality human resources.

Vietnam welcomes and actively engages in international economic cooperation and connectivity initiatives for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the wider world, he affirmed.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister encouraged business communities of Vietnam and Russia to increase exchanges and further promote priority areas such as trade, high-tech, scientific research, renewable energy, digital transformation, green transformation and education.

He assured that the Government of Vietnam always accompanies the business community to ensure their success in the end.

Foreign ministries of Vietnam, Thailand to reinforce cooperation

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son talked over the phone with his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa on June 7.

Congratulating his counterpart on being appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Son asked the two sides to continue cooperating to implement the outcomes of the fifth meeting of the Joint Committee for Vietnam - Thailand Cooperation in Bangkok in April this year, including enhancing mutual trust and cohesion through increasing all-level delegation exchanges, promoting cooperation in the pillar areas of defense, security, trade, investment, culture, education, tourism, transport, and people-to-people exchange, and establishing a working group for carrying out the “Three Connections” strategy.

Maris affirmed that Vietnam is a partner of great importance to Thailand in the region.

He agreed to maintain close ties between the two foreign ministries to help further strengthen the Vietnam - Thailand strategic partnership, according to VNA.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa hold phone talks on June 7. (Source: VNA)

During the talks, both officials agreed to work closely to prepare for the coming all-level visits as well as bilateral cooperation mechanisms, particularly the fourth joint Cabinet meeting to be co-chaired by the two Prime Ministers.

They also emphasized the importance of economic and trade links, adding that coordination will be boosted to enhance connectivity between the countries’ localities and businesses.

On this occasion, Son invited Maris to visit Vietnam. Appreciating the invitation, the Thai minister noted Thailand attaches importance to the relations with Vietnam, and that he will arrange the visit as soon as possible.

This was the first discussion between the two ministers since Maris was appointed the top diplomat of Thailand on April 30.

Scorching heat wave poised to return to northern region next week

After having enjoyed mild weather for several days, the northern region of Vietnam will be hit by a scorching heat wave next week, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

The hot spell, the first of June, is forecast to begin on June 12 and then quickly spread across the northern and central regions, said meteorologists.

However, before experiencing the hot weather, local residents will have to endure periods of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some areas will even receive heavy rains, reported VOV.

A scorching heat wave will return to northern region next week.

June will see between one or two hot spells bake the northern region, and heat waves are likely to appear more often in July and August than the average in many years, said Vu Van Hoa, director of the Hydro-meteorological Station of the Northern Delta region.

The average temperature across the country will be 0.5-1 degree Celsius higher than the average for many years, especially in the Central and South Central regions.

Vietnam participates in series of ASEAN meetings in Laos

Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, who is also head of Vietnam’s delegation to the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM), has attended a series of the bloc's meetings in Vientiane, Laos on June 6-7.

The events, consisting of the SOM, the Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ EXCOM), and the 17th ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group (ACCWG) on Timor-Leste's ASEAN Membership Application, aimed to comprehensively review the preparations for the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings, scheduled to take place in Vientiane from July 24-28.

At the meetings, the Vietnamese deputy minister actively participated in and made significant contributions to the discussions, particularly on implementing the bloc’s priorities for 2024 and orientations for building a strategy to realize the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2045, cited VNA.

Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet (5th from left) in a group photo at the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting, (Photo: VNA)

He lauded ASEAN's common approach to deepening relations with partners and promoting the signing of the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty by nuclear weapon states (NWS). The official also highlighted the bloc’s role and approach in supporting Myanmar, including humanitarian assistance to its people.

Viet affirmed that ASEAN must maintain its common stance on the East Sea issue as outlined in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Maintaining and Promoting Stability in the Maritime Sphere in Southeast Asia dated December 30, 2023, particularly the principles of upholding international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982); exercising restraint and resolving disputes peacefully; fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea, and developing an effective, substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the waters in accordance with international law, especially UNCLOS.

Vietnamese universities up in world rankings

Six Vietnamese universities are named in the QS World University Rankings 2025, including one in the top 500 and one entering this list for the first time.

On June 5, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the 2025 World University Rankings, with six Vietnamese universities in the list.

The HCM City-based Duy Tan University ranked 495th, also the highest-ranked university of Vietnam, followed by HCM City-based Ton Duc Thang University at 711-720, up 10 places.

Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City moved from the 951-1,000 group to 901-950, up 50 places while Hanoi University of Science and Technology remained in its position in the 1,201-1,400 group. This year, Hue University appeared in the rankings for the first time, belonging to the 1,201-1,400 group.

The US has the highest number of universities on the list, with 197 universities, followed by the UK with 90 and China with 71, VNN reported.

Six Vietnamese universities in the list.

This is the 13th consecutive year that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US topped the list.

Imperial College London rose four places to second. Oxford University and Harvard University held third and fourth places, respectively, while Cambridge University fell three places to fifth.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia has the most universities in the list - 28, followed by Indonesia with 26, Thailand 13 and Vietnam 6. Singapore has only four universities in the list, but two of which are among the top 20.

The QS 2025 ranks more than 1,500 universities from 105 countries and territories around the world based on 9 criteria, including Academic reputation (30%); Recruitment reputation (15%); Ratio of scientific staff/students (10%); Number of citations/scientific staff (20%); Rate of international scientific staff (5%); Rate of international students (5%); International research network (5%); Employment rate of graduates (5%); Sustainable development (5%).

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