Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for enhanced measures to bring the Vietnam-New Zealand trade value to 3 billion USD at the earliest while hosting a reception for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters in Hanoi on June 5.

Expressing his delight over the robust development of the bilateral ties over the past time, PM Chinh suggested the two sides enhance connectivity of the two economies which are complementary in their nature, and affirmed that Vietnam welcomes New Zealand enterprises to bolster investment in the Southeast Asian country in the fields of their strengths. Read full story

- Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters co-chaired the second Vietnam-New Zealand Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Hanoi on June 5.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive and effective development of the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership across politics and diplomacy, economy-trade-investment, national defence-securitty, education-training, sci-tech, agriculture and people-to-people exchange. They appreciated and agreed on numerous specific measures to realise the outcomes achieved during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to New Zealand last March. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai held phone talks with US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen on June 5, noting that her Vietnam visit in July 2023 paved the way for the upgrade of bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership during US President Joe Biden’s official visit to Vietnam two months later.

Deputy PM Khai congratulated Yellen on economic achievements made under President Joe Biden's administration, particularly in economic growth, job creation, and macro-economic stability. He stressed that the US’s stable economic growth is significant to the global, regional and Vietnamese economies. Read full story

- Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen Luong Tam Quang hosted a reception for Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration under the US Department of Homeland Security David Pekoske in Hanoi on June 5.

At the event, Quang highlighted the cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and US agencies, including the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice in the fields of counter-terrorism, settlement of criminal cases, and arrest and handover of wanted criminals. Read full story

- Ho Chi Minh City is determined to exert its utmost efforts to further strengthen the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos for the benefit of their people, said Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen.

During a local reception on June 5 for head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee's Inspection Commission and the Central Anti-Corruption Commission of Laos, and President of the Lao State Inspection Authority Khamphan Phommathat, Nen assured his guest that the municipal Party Organisation, authorities and people in particular always attach great importance and give top priority to consolidating, preserving and enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. Read full story

- A series of Cambodian media agencies have recently run articles emphasising Vietnam’s conservation efforts targeting the languages and scripts of ethnic minority groups, especially Khmer people in the Mekong Delta. Read full story

- A project on improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange was launched in the southern province of Binh Phuoc on June 5, with the support of the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Mai Xuan Tuan said that Binh Phuoc is currently home to 12,716 PWDs, of whom 522, or 4.1%, are AO victims. Read full story

- A seminar took place in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on June 5 to explore the potential of nature-based solutions (NbS) for the sustainable development of the central Truong Son region, one of Asia’s largest continuous natural forest areas facing serious biodiversity loss from climate change and human activities.

Co-hosted the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam), the WWF-USA, the WWF-Denmark and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the event was part of the Nature-Based Solutions Origination Platform, a new WWF initiative focused on high-quality and high-integrity NbS that will deliver impactful results for people, climate and nature across tropical forest landscapes. Read full story

- The south central province of Binh Dinh is set to stage the 2024 Teqball World Series for the first time in Asia from June 6-9, heard a local press conference held on June 5.

The tournament, co-hosted by the International Teqball Federation (FITEQ), Saigon Sports Investment Co. Ltd, the provincial People's Committee, and the provincial Department of Culture and Sports, draws a total of 115 athletes from 52 countries. Read full story./.