Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Luxembourg counterpart Xavier Bettel held talks in Hanoi on May 4, affirming both sides’ wish and determination to lift bilateral relations to a new development stage that is more substantive and effective.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and State Secretary of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office Andreas Michaelis co-chaired the seventh Vietnam-German strategic dialogue in Berlin on April 3 to discuss measures to boost bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The central province of Quang Tri has been developing fisheries in a modern and sustainable manner and fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU).

The 1982 UNCLOS boosted the development of Vietnam’s laws on the sea. The Law on the Sea was promulgated in 2012 and took effect on January 1, 2013, becoming the most comprehensive document on matters related to Vietnam’s seas. It provides a clear definition and legal status of Vietnam’s maritime zones, the enforcement of jurisdiction on the sea, the development of the marine economy, etc.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hailed the European Union as a top important partner in Vietnam’s foreign policy during a reception in Hanoi on February 23 for Chair of the European Parliament (EP)’s Committee on Foreign Affairs David McAllister.

The foreign-invested economic sector is an important component of Vietnam's economy and the Vietnamese Government always protects the legitimate rights and interests of investors, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on February 15.

Vietnam has improved the fishery industry to meet requirements on the European Commission's illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing prevention after receiving the "yellow card" warning from the EC five years ago. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien, spoke to Vietnam News Agency about this issue.

Greater efforts are needed to promptly detect, prevent, handle violations related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, especially acts of brokerage to bring Vietnamese fishing vessels to foreign waters for illegal fishing, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Fisheries has said.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will lead a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to pay a state visit to Indonesia from December 21-23 at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

With its potential, advantages and opportunities, the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu would promote green, rapid, sustainable socio-economic development, especially high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, trade, services and tourism, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at a working session with local leaders on December 4.