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

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh underscored Vietnam's commitment to strengthening its cooperative relationship with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) during a reception in Hanoi on July 16 for AIIB President Jin Liqun.

At the reception, PM Chinh said Vietnam is pursuing three strategic breakthroughs, one of which is strategic infrastructure in such fields as transport, healthcare, education, culture, sports, climate change adaptation, digital infrastructure, green infrastructure, and circular economy. Read full story

- Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung and deputy head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Valaxay Lengsavad have vowed to effectively realise cooperation agreements between the two Parties and commissions, contributing to further deepening the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity in an effective and practical manner.

During a reception in Hanoi on July 16 for the Lao guest, Trung expressed confidence in Laos' future under the LPRP's leadership. He expected that Laos will continue to reap greater success in implementing the resolution of the 11th National Party Congress, holding upcoming Party Congresses, and performing its roles as Chair of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) this year. Read full story

- A book by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on the National Assembly in the renewal process to meet the requirements of building a socialist rule-of-law Vietnamese State was unveiled in Hanoi on July 16.

The event was co-hosted by the NA Standing Committee, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, and the Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House. Read full story

- The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand is working with competent authorities in Thailand to fact-check the case that four Vietnamese nationals were found dead in a Bangkok hotel, as well as carry out necessary citizen protection measures, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung said.

Local media reported on July 16 that six people, four of them Vietnamese, were found dead at Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in Pathum Wan district. Read full story

- The Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission convened its 43rd meeting in Hanoi on July 15-16 under the chair of its head Tran Cam Tu, during which it looked into disciplinary measures against some Party organisations and members.

Regarding the wrongdoings by the Party civil affairs board of the People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, the commission concluded that the board violated the principle of democratic centralism and working regulations, showed a lack of responsibility and loosened leadership and directions, resulting in the provincial People’s Committee and several organisations and individuals violating the Party’s regulations and the State’s laws on the management and use of natural resources and minerals, with several officials and Party members disciplined and prosecuted. Read full story

- Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi held talks with Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Park Sanwoo in Hanoi on July 16, during which the two ministers inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the two ministries in urban and social housing development.

Nghi said he believes that the MoU will make collaboration between the two ministries more substantive and effective, contributing to the growth of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Read full story

- Singapore-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) has maintained its forecast for Vietnam’s economic growth at 6% for the whole year on the back of the recovery of both domestic and foreign demand as well as production sector in the first half, Executive Director in Global Economics and Markets Research Suan Teck Kin said on July 16.

At the launch of the UBO Business Outlook Study 2024 held in Ho Chi Minh City, he highlighted that motives for the economic growth came from the recovery of the demand for electronic products, stable growth in China and the region as well as central banks’ loose monetary policies, elaborating the economy expanded 6.42% in the first half as compared to 3.42% recorded in the same time last year. Read full story

- Vietnam Airlines passengers should not have too many gripes when it comes to flight arrival and departure as the national flag carrier was named the most punctual airline in Vietnam in the first half, achieving an on-time performance (OTP) rate of 84.1%.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the airline’s OTP is much higher than that of the aviation sector, which was 75.7%./. Read full story