Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin will pay an official visit to Vietnam from December 23-24.

 The third national workshop on the East Sea took place in Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh on December 19.

 Vo Thi Dung, deputy secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, has been picked to perform the duties of Tat Thanh Cang, the permanent deputy Party chief, during his leave of absence from December 17, 2018 to January 3, 2019.

 The upgrading from Non-Residential to Residential Pontifical Representation shows a stride in the bilateral relations over the past decades.

 Vietnam always attach importance to strengthening and enhancing the traditional friendship and sound cooperation with Cambodia for benefits of both nations, as well as regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development.

 Vietnam’s membership of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) will help the country contribute to maintaining international trade law while ensuring its interests, said Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung. 

 Vietnam and China agreed to enhance cooperation in the management of border gates along their border at a conference held in Hanoi on December 18.

 The third High-level Dialogue on ASEAN-Italy Economic Relations is scheduled to be held in Hanoi on June 5-6, 2019.

 Vietnam has for the first time become a member of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), singing up for a six-year term.

 National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a reception for Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Martin Chungong on December 17. 

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently signed a decision on the establishment of a national committee tasked with making preparations for Vietnam to shoulder the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on December 16.

 Viet Nam should not be too “scared or concerned” of legal disputes between the State and foreign investors, but the judicial system should be prepared to deal with such situations.

 Vietnam’s Border Guard High Command and the General Immigration Department under Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior held a conference on cooperation in immigration and anti-transnational criminals in Phnom Penh on December 14.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on December 13 hosted separate receptions for newly-accredited ambassadors of China and Denmark. 

A new field hospital was established in Hanoi on December 13, aiming to train Vietnamese military medical officers to prepare for a UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

 A ceremony was held in Hanoi on December 12 to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral cooperation in searching for US soldiers missing in action (MIA) in the war in Vietnam.

 Hanoi’s determination of curtailing state employees is among missions to curb state budget deficit which the whole country is striving for.

 Vietnam has taken specific actions to fulfill her commitments to promoting and protecting human rights at national, regional and international levels as a responsible member of the international community. 

The official visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) made by National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan from December 4-7 was described by Korean leaders as an important milestone in the fine Vietnam-RoK relations.