Leaders of the ASEAN member countries have signed the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers after 10 years of negotiations.

ASEAN and China agreed on a 10-year plan through 2027 to protect the coasts and marine resources in the East Sea while trying to settle territorial disputes in the waters, said a document issued on November 13 by involved parties' leaders.

 The US’s White House has issued a statement on outcomes of the Vietnam visit of President Donald Trump, declaring that the state visit reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership.

 The annual startup promotion event Techfest Vietnam 2017, themed “Ecosystem connect”, began in Hanoi on November 14.

 Vietnam and Luxembourg signed in Hanoi on November 14 a General Cooperation Agreement between the two governments, the third of its kinds between the two countries since 1995.

 The 14th National Assembly (NA) on November 14 approved a resolution on the central budget allocation in 2018 with 88.39 percent of the deputies voting yes.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held separate meetings with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN Summit and related summits in Manila on November 14.

 The Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission on November 14 issued a report on its 19th session which took place in Hanoi from November 7-9 under the chair of its head Tran Quoc Vuong. 

 Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Le Luong Minh on November 14 stressed that a legally-binding Code of Conduct (COC) is necessary to ease tensions over territorial claims in the East Sea.

The 14th National Assembly continued its 17th working day in Hanoi on November 14 as part of the ongoing fourth session. 

 Da Lat city of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong will host the first Vietnam Coffee Day on December 9-11, announced Pham S, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee at a press conference held on November 14.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has expressed appreciation for ties with partner countries and lauded their commitments to building the ASEAN Community and upholding its central role in the region. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The waiving of tuition for pedagogy schools was done to attract excellent students, but budget allocations to the schools remain modest.   

VietNamNet Bridge - Apple Vietnam has asked that some requirements on import examination be removed  to shorten the time needed for customs clearance. 

Though experts all agree that SEZs must be run with ‘special political institutions and outstanding policies’, they dare not ‘make a breakthrough’ and design regulations which go beyond the current legal framework.

VietNamNet Bridge - The news that over 400,000 tons of sludge may be submerged into the sea to create a passageway for a port has caused concerns among residents in Binh Dinh Province. 

 Craft beer brewers are trying to shape a new culture among Vietnamese drinkers.

 HCMC has put forth a plan to build Metro Line No.3A from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Tan Kien in Binh Chanh District that together with the Metro Line No.1 will connect the western, central and eastern parts of the city.

 About 88% of the antibiotics in the cities are sold without a prescription and the number in the rural areas is even higher at 91%.

 Despite growing interest among international groups, Vietnam might have to pivot to domestic investment in developing the eastern spur of the North-South Expressway project amid a lack of a guarantee mechanism for foreign investors.