National Assembly deputies debated the draft bill on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) during the ongoing third meeting on May 23.

 Spain regards Vietnam as an important partner in Asia-Pacific, King of Spain Felipe VI told visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at a meeting in Madrid on May 23.

 Cooperation between Vietnam and Spain, on the basis of the strategic partnership towards the future set up in 2009, has developed soundly over the past years, the two countries’ top diplomats have said.

 Law makers discussed adjustments to the 2017 law and ordnance making programme as well as draft contents of the 2018 programme at the ongoing third session of the 14th National Assembly (NA) on May 23.

 The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia is working with local authorised agencies to verify the information that 23 Vietnamese fishermen were allegedly arrested for illegal fishing in Malaysia’s territorial waters.

 Vietnam-Spain strategic partnership

 At the third session of the 14th National Assembly on May 22, the legislature heard the Government’s report on the implementation of socio-economic development and State budget tasks in 2016 and in the first months of 2017.

 Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), received a delegation of Cambodia’s Defence Ministry led by its Undersecretary of State Phuong Siphan in Hanoi on May 22. 

 The National Assembly (NA) heard reports on State budget balance and audit in 2015 by government members during a working session in Hanoi on May 22, under the chair of NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien. 

 Exchanges and cooperation between the youth are a foundation for China-Vietnam relations, Vice President of China Li Yuanchao told a delegation of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee on May 22.

 National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has called on the Party, people and army to strengthen solidarity to overcome challenges to fulfilling 2017’s socio-economic development missions.

 President Tran Dai Quang has expressed his appreciation for the relations between Vietnam and Canada, wishing to bolster the bilateral multi-dimensional cooperation in a more practical manner.

 President Tran Dai Quang told Russian Minister of Economic Development Maksim Oreshkin at a meeting on May 21 that he will make a State visit to Russia in June at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

 Vietnam and Indonesia should actively prepare for the 7th session of the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation to seek more ways to achieve a trade value of $10 billion as set.

 The third plenary session of the 14th National Assembly opened in Hanoi on the morning of May 22 with the opening ceremony broadcast live on national television and radio channels.

 The Vietnamese Government will facilitate conditions for Japanese enterprises to land their investment in Vietnam, making contributions to promote friendship and cooperation relations between the two countries, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc gave a reception in Hanoi on May 20 for US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer who is in Vietnam for the 23rd Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade. 

An international workshop on the East Sea was held at the Asia-Africa Institute under Hamburg University in northern Germany, drawing many leading scholars and researchers.

 The Vietnamese delegation, as an invited guest, has called for G20 countries to promote inclusive development at the third G20 Sherpa Meeting in Munich, Germany, on May 18-19.

 The National Assembly’s first meeting session this year will be focused on scrutinising and voting on 13 draft laws, announced NA Deputy General-Secretary Le Bo Linh yesterday.