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

– General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam NguyenPhu Trong held phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 26,during which the two leaders discussed and agreed on several major orientationsto step up bilateral cooperation in the coming time in many fields such assecurity-defence, trade, culture, and tourism.

The Party chief congratulated Putin on hisre-election as President of the Russian Federation for the 2024 - 2030tenure with a record number of votes in the country's modern history, sayingthat this reflected the trust and support of the Russian people for thePresident's leadership in steering the Russian Federation's development in thenew era.

- Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head ofthe subcommittee for socio-economic affairs ofthe 14th National Party Congress, chaired its 2nd meeting inHanoi on March 26 to discuss a draft report on the evaluation of thefive-year implementation of the socio-economic development strategy in2021-2030, as well as orientations and tasks for socio-economic development for2026-2030.

PM Chinh acknowledged and spoke highly of theenthusiastic, intellectual, and responsible opinions of the subcommittee’smembers, and other delegates.

- Politburo member, permanent member of the Party CentralCommittee’s Secretariat and head of the Party Central Committee’s OrganisationCommission Truong Thi Mai hosted a reception for visiting Director of theInternational Department of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party ofKorea (WPK) Kim Song Nam in Hanoi on March 26.

The Vietnamese Party official warmly welcomedthe DPRK delegation to visit Vietnam from March 25 to 28 in the context thatthe two sides are looking forward to commemorating the 75th foundinganniversary of the diplomatic relations.  

– Vice National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai came to theRussian Embassy in Hanoi on March 26 to pay homage to the deceased and offercondolences on the heavy casualties in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hallin the suburbs of Moscow on March 22 evening.

In the condolence book, Hai wrote: “We wereextremely shocked to hear about the barbaric terrorist attack on March 22,2024. The NA and people of Vietnam sincerely wish to offer the deepestsympathies and condolences to the State, the Federal Assembly, and people ofRussia.

– Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang andvisiting Permanent Under-Secretary at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth &Development Office Philip Barton shared the view on the need for Vietnam andthe UK to enhance cooperation in various spheres. 

At their meeting in Hanoi on March 25, theofficials suggested the two countries foster collaboration in finance, banking,education-training, science-technology, and maritime economy, among otherfields.

– Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front CentralCommittee Hoang Cong Thuy hosted a reception in Hanoi on March 26 for ViceChairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s PoliticalConsultative Conference (CPPCC) Wu Xinbao, affirming the construction anddevelopment of Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership asa top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy and long-term strategy.

Thuy expressed his belief that the Chinese people,under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, with General Secretaryand President of China Xi Jinping as its core, will continue to achieve evengreater victories, building China into a prosperous, modern, civilised anddemocratic socialist country with an increasingly important position on theinternational stage.

- The Thai Nguyen University (TNU) in the northern provinceof the same name, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Society of Soil Science(VSSS), on March 26 opened the 16th International Conference of the East andSoutheast Asia Federation of Soil Science Societies (ESAFS) themed “HealthySoils for Sustainable Development”.

The ESAFS conferences is a series of scientificmeetings organised every two years to share updated experience and knowledgeamong soil scientists, particularly within East and Southeast Asian countries.It is also a platform to promote research and development, and disseminate theacquired knowledge and technology related to soil sciences./.