Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held meetings with leaders of foreign countries and international organisations on the sidelines of the ongoing Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C. on March 31 (local time).

 It is necessary for related sides to avoid taking unilateral actions that complicate the situations and affect the negotiations and delineation in the waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf, said Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang.

 Preparations for the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils for 2016-2020 are being conducted in line with the law and progressing smoothly, according to the National Election Council (NEC)’s Office.

 David Sapterstein, Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, and a delegation from the US Department of State took a fact-finding tour in Vietnam from March 26 to 31.

 Chairman of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly Zulkifli Hasan has pledged to do his best to foster ties between Vietnam and Indonesia as well as their legislatures.

 Vietnam congratulates Myanmar on the establishment of its new Government, said Foreign Ministry Vice Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang on March 31.

 Unilateral actions taken in the waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf should be avoided as the delineation of the area is being negotiated by Vietnam and China, said Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang.

 The National Assembly deputies continued their plenary session in Hanoi on March 31.

 Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang answered questions regarding citizen protection abroad during a regular press conference in Hanoi on March 31.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended a working dinner marking the opening of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC on March 31 (local time).

 On March 31, the newly-elected National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan presented the NA Standing Committee’s nomination of Public Security Minister Tran Dai Quang for the post of State President.

 Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington DC on March 31.

 National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan was elected as the new Chairwoman of the NA and the National Election Council (NEC) on March 31 with a majority of votes.

 Vietnamese National Assembly deputies called on the government to show the greater determination in protecting the country’s sovereignty in the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos.

 Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh and his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan hailed the third border defence friendship exchange between the two countries as a success following their meeting to review the event in Guangxi province on March 30.

 The Vietnamese Defence Ministry handed over a defence e-portal to its Lao counterpart during a ceremony in Vientiane on March 30.

 The National Assembly debated the draft Law on Signing, Joining and Implementing International Treaties (revised) and conducted procedures to relieve the NA Chairman and head of the National Election Council on March 30.

 Vietnam and Algeria exchanged practices in judicial reforms and court procedures during a talk between Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court Truong Hoa Binh and his Algerian counterpart Boudi Slimane in Hanoi on March 30.

Head of the Western Border Department under the Foreign Ministry’s National Border Commission Thai Xuan Dung has stressed the need for continued coordination between Vietnamese and Lao border localities.

 President Truong Tan Sang asked Samsung Group of the Republic of Korea (RoK) to help Vietnam develop the support industry during a reception for Han Myong Sup, Samsung Vietnam’s General Director, in Hanoi on March 30.