Teqball, Karate Secure Vietnam's First Medals at ASIAD 20

Vietnam has secured its first two medals at ASIAD 20, with Teqball and Karate athletes bringing home bronze, signaling a promising start to the games. In the bronze-medal bout at Toyohashi Gymnasium in Toyohashi city, Japan's Aichi prefecture, Bui Ngoc Nhi delivered a confident performance to beat Singapore’s Leong Wai Yee Shannon 4–1. In the bronze-medal match on the morning of September 20, Nguyen Hoang Minh Tan and Trinh Gia Nghi put on a confident display, overcoming their Indian opponents with a straight-sets victory of 2–0 (12–9, 12–6). Vietnamese teams are travelling to Japan in separate groups according to their competition schedules. Shooting, karate and sepak takraw are among the teams carrying high expectations after winning gold medals at ASIAD 19. The Vietnamese delegation is targeting at least four gold medals at ASIAD 20. Concurrently, Vietnam's top leadership is actively engaging in high-level diplomacy. General Secretary and President To Lam’s trip to attend the high-level General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and engage in bilateral activities in the US, followed by a state visit to Canada, is of strategic significance. This diplomatic push reaffirms Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, as well as its growing role on the international stage. International scholars suggest the trip will not only help deepen the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership but also highlight Vietnam’s constructive role and responsible contributions to addressing global security and development challenges. Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Jim Nickel stated that the upcoming state visit to Canada by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam will create significant political momentum for bilateral relations. Vietnam is Canada’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, and both sides are seeking to diversify markets and supply chains, leveraging the CPTPP framework. These diplomatic activities concretise Vietnam’s foreign policy of openness, independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, diversification, and multilateralisation, reflecting a renewed approach to foreign affairs. Vietnam is also taking on an increasingly active role in multilateral cooperation, with its engagement with the United Nations evolving from receiving support to making greater contributions. Economically, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung hosted a reception for the CEO of FTSE Russell and a delegation of global investment organisations, engaging in dialogue aimed at improving Vietnam's investment environment. The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of continued improvements to Vietnam’s legal framework to remove institutional bottlenecks, unlock resources, and create stronger foundations for socio-economic development. These developments suggest a multi-faceted strategy for Vietnam, combining sporting achievements to boost national morale with strengthened international engagement in diplomacy and economics.