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

- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Samsung Electronics Park Hark-kyu in Hanoi on May 9, calling on the firm from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to view Vietnam as a strategic manufacturing and export base.

The government leader applauded Samsung’s efforts and determination while doing business in Vietnam. Read full story

- Chairman of the Nagano prefectural council Nishizawa Masataka said on May 9 that the Japanese prefecture wants to receive more Vietnamese guest workers and apprentices in the coming time.

Speaking at a meeting with Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan in Hanoi, the Japanese official said that Nagano is a prefecture with the highest average life expectancy in Japan. Thus, the local authorities have paid much attention to health care for the public. Read full story

- Vietnam rejects the unobjective, prejudiced and imprecise judgements about the reality in the country made in the 2024 annual report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), emphasised spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.

She made the remark while replying to the media’s question about the issue at the ministry’s regular press conference on May 9. Read full story

- Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang noted Vietnam’s attention to the BRICS membership expansion while addressing the ministry’s regular press conference on May 9.

When asked about the possibility of Vietnam’s engagement in BRICS – a group of major emerging economies, she said that as a responsible and active member of the international community and following the foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, independence and self-reliance, Vietnam is always ready to take part in and actively contribute to global as well as regional multilateral mechanisms, organisations, and forums. Read full story

- Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang on May 9 said that Vietnam welcomes the US Commerce Department’s consideration of upgrading Vietnam to 'market economy' status.

Speaking at the ministry’s regular press conference, Hang said that Vietnam welcomes the DOC for holding the hearing on the recognition of Vietnam's market economy on May 8 and this is an important step in the process of considering the recognition. At the hearing, the Vietnamese side presented arguments, information, and data affirming that the Vietnamese economy completely meets the criteria of market economy status. At the same time, it emphasised that Vietnam's economy is doing even better than many economies that have gained market economy status. Read full story

- Vietnam is an attractive destination for enterprises from Dubai, the UAE, who has demand for trade in goods and investment in multiple fields like logistics, finance, and technology, heard a forum held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 9.

Describing Vietnam as attractive to Dubai investors and traders, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah held that the Southeast Asian country boasts strong growth potential thanks to its favourable economic policies, firm infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and strategic location. Read full story

- World record holder Le Van Cong won two gold medals at the World Para Powerlifting Organisation's Pattaya World Cup 2024 in Thailand.

This is the third stage of the World Cup series and will last until May 11. Vietnam sent six best athletes Nguyen Binh An, Dang Thi Linh Phuong, Chau Hoang Tuyet Loan, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Huynh Ngoc Phung and Le Van Cong to the tournament./. Read full story