Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam met with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on March 12 as part of his official visit to the city state, during which the leaders emphasised complementary strengths of the two countries.

Lam congratulated Singapore on maintaining its impressive growth momentum and effective policies in support of its people, especially low-income earners. Read full story

- Party General Secretary To Lam on March 12 met with Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Seah Kian Peng, who affirmed that Lam’s first official visit to Singapore holds great significance for the future development of bilateral relations.

Seah highlighted that the official elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, making Vietnam Singapore’s first Comprehensive Strategic Partner within ASEAN, not only is a historic milestone, but also opens up numerous future cooperation and development opportunities, thereby contributing to regional growth. Read full story

- Party General Secretary To Lam on March 12 visited the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy under the National University of Singapore where he delivered a policy speech on Vietnam’s science, technology, innovation and digital transformation policy in a new era, and opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

Lam, who is on an official visit to Singapore, emphasised that the two countries are experiencing unprecedented rapid changes in the digital era and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things, that all are reshaping the way people live, work, and connect. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Nicola Beer in Hanoi on March 12, during which he proposed the bank and Vietnam sign a new-generation official development assistance (ODA) agreement with a larger financial scale, more preferential interest rates, simpler procedures, and less stringent conditions.

This can not only provide financing for the public sector, but also support financial access for the private sector, Chinh suggested. Read full story

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 12 called on the Électricité de France (EDF) to expand investment in green and clean energy in Vietnam, while also supporting Vietnamese partners in developing nuclear power projects.

Receiving French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet and EDF's Senior VP Government and International Affairs Erkki Maillard in Hanoi, Chinh appreciated the role of French partners in general and EDF in particular in the projects currently operating in Vietnam, which have contributed to developing the Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in an increasingly intensive, substantive, and effective manner. Read full story

🀅 - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has welcomed the US-based Pacifico Energy (PE)’s plan and commitment to investing in Vietnam’s energy sector, particularly its survey for an offshore wind power project in the south central province of Binh Thuan province.

During a reception in Hanoi on March 12 for PE Chairman Nate Franklin, the PM affirmed Vietnam’s focus on fast and sustainable development and highlighted new and renewable energy as a strategic priority. He stated the Government is committed to enhancing cooperation with foreign investors, particularly those from the US, as part of efforts to strengthen the Vietnam – US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Read full story

- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on March 11 emphasised his country's desire to enhance cooperation in various fields with Vietnam.

Receiving Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt and Lebanon Nguyen Huy Dung, who presented his credentials from President Luong Cuong to Joseph Aoun in Beirut, the Lebanese President said he admires Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements and will direct Lebanese agencies to collaborate closely with Ambassador Dung to ensure his successful tenure. Read full story

- The State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on March 12 agreed to cooperate in safeguarding the integrity and stability of the countries’ capital markets, while fostering their connectivity.

This collaboration will focus on strengthening the regulatory framework for digital assets in Vietnam. Read full story

- The seventh International Exhibition and Conference for Horticultural and Floricultural Production and Processing Technology (HortEx Vietnam 2025) kicked off in Ho Chi Minh City on March 12, expecting more than 15,000 visitors.

The three-day event, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC), has attracted 303 exhibitors and nearly 400 brands from 30 countries and territories, including Austria, India, Belgium, Germany, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Israel, the US, Japan, and France. Read full story

- Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in the northern province of Ninh Binh holds exceptional natural and cultural significance, carrying an economic value of 213 billion USD, experts told a recent international workshop.

The valuation emerged from a joint study by Italy’s Santagata Foundation for the Economics of Culture, Germany’s Leibniz Institute for Ecological Urban and Regional Development, and the School of Interdisciplinary Science and Arts at Vietnam National University – Hanoi. Read full story./.