Party chief calls for closer friendship between Vietnam, Belarus
Party General Secretary To Lam had a meeting with representatives of the Belarusian Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (BSFCRFC), the Belarus-Vietnam Friendship Association (BVFA), and former Belarusian experts who had supported Vietnam in Minsk on May 11 (local time) as part of his two-day State visit to the country.
The Vietnamese leader expressed his delight to meet Belarusian comrades and friends who always stay close to Vietnam, including experts that provided wholehearted support and assistance to Vietnam during difficult times in the past. Over the past 30 years since Vietnam and Belarus established diplomatic ties in 1992, despite many challenges, the solidarity and friendship between the two countries' people have remained strong, warm, and full of trust, he stressed, noting that this is a valuable asset of the two nations.
Vietnam consistently attaches importance to its traditional friendship with Belarus and wishes to further strengthen cooperation across all fields for the mutual benefit of the two nations, and for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and around the world, VNA reported.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam shakes hands with a Belarusian veteran with outstanding contributions to Vietnam. (Photo: VNA) |
Lam stated that the Vietnamese people will never forget the strong support and heartfelt assistance given by the former Soviet Union and Belarus today to Vietnam during its struggle for national independence and reunification in the past, as well as in its ongoing national construction and defense efforts.
He emphasized that Vietnam highly values the role of the people in fostering a peaceful and stable environment for development. He spoke highly of efforts and active contributions of the people’s organizations of the two countries to promoting people-to-people exchanges and important projects, thereby strengthening friendship, mutual understanding, and cooperation between the Vietnamese and Belarusian people.
Welcoming the dynamic, creative, and practical activities of the BSFCRFC and the BVFA in recent times, the Vietnamese leader called on them to work closely with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association to continue organizing deeper exchange activities that involve people from all walks of life, scientists, businesses, and especially young people, towards deepening their understanding and ties, thus strengthening the bilateral friendship.
He also urged the associations to promote connections and serve as a bridge for universities, professional organizations, and businesses of the two sides to set up partnerships in education - training, culture, and trade - investment.
The Party chief underscored the vital role of people’s organizations in preserving and passing down to future generations the legacy of steadfast friendship and enduring cooperation between the people of Vietnam and Belarus, contributing to strengthening and further developing the traditional friendship between the two nations, he stressed.
Earlier the same day, General Secretary To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation paid tribute at the Victory Monument in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. The site is a revered destination for both locals and international visitors to honor those who sacrificed their lives during the Great Patriotic War.
Vietnam–Russia Business Forum spotlights potential for stronger economic ties
The Vietnamese Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russian, and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia co-hosted the Vietnam–Russia Business Forum at noon on May 11 (local time) in Moscow.
The event was attended by General Secretary To Lam, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, other high-level Vietnamese officials, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi, representatives from various ministries, agencies, localities, and a large number of Vietnamese and Russian business representatives.
In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshenko emphasized that Russia and Vietnam share a longstanding friendship and immense economic potential. The two countries can cooperate across numerous areas, from innovation and digital solutions in traditional industries to energy and agriculture.
He said the core goal of Russia–Vietnam bilateral cooperation is to develop concrete projects and deliver meaningful two-way investment outcomes. He also called for continued efforts to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese and Russian enterprises to invest in each other’s markets.
General Secretary To Lam congratulated Russia on the successful and solemn Victory Day celebration, describing it as a historically significant event for humankind.
He shared that at his meetings with Russian leaders, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to revitalizing traditional relations to meet new demands and bring practical benefits to the people of both countries, while making positive contributions to regional and global development.
He highlighted the vital role of the business community in realizing high-level agreements on socio-economic development, particularly in key areas such as energy, industry, science and technology, and human resource training.
He also urged stronger efforts to boost bilateral trade to a level commensurate with both countries’ potential, noting the major responsibility this places on the business sector. He expressed hope that the forum would result in many new cooperation agreements that capitalize on each country’s strengths and boost sustainable growth.
General Secretary Lam proposed stepping up cooperation in trade, investment, and transport, expanding e-commerce and labor cooperation, especially as Russia has high demand, and asked that Russia create favorable conditions for Vietnamese researchers in key fields like nuclear science and fundamental physics.
He affirmed that Vietnam welcomes and facilitates foreign investment, including from Russian enterprises, cited VOV.
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| Inauguration of TH fresh milk processing plant. |
On this occasion, senior leaders from both countries jointly launched the TH fresh milk processing plant in Kaluga province, marking a significant step in the Vietnamese dairy group’s high-tech dairy farming and milk processing project in Russia.
The virtual inauguration was held with a live connection between Moscow and the plant in Kaluga, with production lines officially starting operations after the ceremonial button press.
The opening of the TH dairy plant took place at a meaningful time, as Vietnam and Russia celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and deepen political trust. Leaders of both countries have agreed on directions to elevate their comprehensive strategic partnership and traditional friendship to new heights.
Located in the Kaluga special economic zone (Borovsk district), about 100 km from Moscow, the TH fresh milk processing plant spans nearly 15 hectares. It has a planned capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day, with Phase 1 operating at 500 tonnes. The plant uses only fresh milk from TH’s high-tech farms in Moscow and Kaluga provinces.
At the forum, seven cooperation agreements were signed in the presence of the two countries’ top leaders. These covered various fields such as historical research, people-to-people exchange, tourism, transportation, trade, investment, and biomedical collaboration.
Vietnam to consolidate into 34 provinces and 3,321 communes by 2025
The Government has officially approved a resolution on the administrative reorganization scheme for 2025, reducing the total number of provincial-level and commune-level administrative units across Vietnam.
34 provincial-level administrative units
According to Resolution No. 125, the Government approved the proposal by the Ministry of Home Affairs to restructure provincial-level units in 2025.
Out of 63 current provincial-level administrative units, 52 will undergo consolidation, while 11 will remain unchanged. These include Hanoi, Hue, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Cao Bang, VNN reported.
The proposed reorganization includes 23 merger plans, resulting in the creation of 23 new provincial-level administrative units. After restructuring, Vietnam will have a total of 34 such units: 6 centrally governed cities (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Can Tho, and Ho Chi Minh City) and 28 provinces (Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Ca Mau, and An Giang).
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the public consultation process and subsequent votes by all levels of People's Councils showed overwhelming support. The national average approval rate reached 96.19%, with 100% of People's Councils at the provincial, district, and commune levels in 52 provinces and cities voting in favor of the reorganization.
3,321 commune-level administrative units
At the commune level, the reorganization will reduce the number of units from 10,035 to just 3,321 — a decrease of 6,714 units or 66.91%.
A total of 128 communes will remain unchanged due to meeting specific criteria related to natural area, population size, or geographical isolation.
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| The vast majority of citizens expressed support for the administrative reorganization plan. Photo: Hoang Ha |
The new configuration will include 2,636 communes (xa), 672 wards (phuong), and 13 special administrative zones (đặc khu). Of these, 3,193 are newly established as a result of mergers, consolidations, or boundary adjustments.
Regarding governance, the plan introduces two new standing committees at the commune-level People’s Council: the Legal Affairs Committee and the Socio-Economic Committee.
The People's Council of each commune will consist of a chairperson, one vice-chairperson, and the heads and deputy heads of the newly established committees, as well as other elected delegates. Official positions will be organized in accordance with the amended 2025 Law on Local Government Organization and subsequent guidance from relevant authorities.
For the commune-level People's Committee, the executive body will include a chairperson, two vice-chairpersons, and other members as defined by the new law. Specialized departments and other administrative bodies under the commune-level People's Committee will follow government regulations.
The National Assembly is expected to officially pass the resolution on provincial-level administrative mergers on June 24.
The proposal concerning commune-level units will be reviewed and approved by the Standing Committee of the National Assembly in the near future.
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