Việt Nam is calling on all East Sea claimants to urgently join forces in tackling the environmental degradation offshore before it’s too late, said a deputy minister yesterday.

Việt Nam will actively support and share experiences so that Laos can fulfill its presidency of ASEAN in 2016 as well as successfully organise the ASEAN Summit.

Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh met with Polish President Andrzej Duda yesterday on the occasion of attending the 26th Global Summit of Women in Warsaw capital city.

In the first half of 2016, foreign donors committed a total amount of $2.56 billion to Việt Nam as official development assistance and preferential loans – an increase of 61 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh and Laos Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith vowed to reinforce co-operation and solidarity between both ministries and nations during talks yesterday.

A total 496 candidates have been elected to the 14th National Assembly after results of the elections held on May 22 were announced by the National Election Council (NEC) yesterday.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc yesterday said he was pleased to see the development of the strategic partnership between Japan and Viet Nam while receiving the special advisor to the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance, Tsutomu Takebe, in Ha Noi.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân has asked for the World Bank’s support in policy consultations and called for further funding to help stabilise Việt Nam’s economy.