Stories from Hanoi · Vietnam

Vietnam has successfully concluded early elections for the 16th National Assembly and People's Council for the 2026-2031 term. The voting process took place in offshore locations approximately 580 km from the mainland. The process included the election of 21 provincial and city party secretaries as delegates.

The Ministry of Education and Training held training sessions for organizing upcoming high school graduation exams across 34 provinces and cities. The exams aim to assess students' abilities, qualities, and creativity, moving beyond general knowledge. The registration period commenced on April 24th. The Ministry of Education and Training is implementing a new approach to learning, focusing on different learning capacities for various groups. Additionally, a new method is being introduced in schools, with a target of one session per week during the final eight weeks of the academic year. Candidates have less than two months until the exam period. The Vietnam Ministry of Defense organized a training conference on April 28 regarding the sampling, handover, and digitization of martyr remains information. The conference utilized both in-person and online formats.

The Vietnam U17 national football team is scheduled to play against Malaysia tonight in a match to advance in the tournament. Malaysia enters the match with momentum after a recent 3-0 victory over Laos. The match is highly anticipated as both teams seek to secure their positions in the competition.

Nguyen Xuan Thang will continue to serve as the Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council for the 2026-2031 term. This appointment is part of the leadership transitions for the new National Assembly. This follows recent structural changes within the Vietnamese political leadership. The Politburo decision establishes the new council to oversee theoretical development in Vietnam.

Vietnam is implementing new programs to encourage sustainable tourism and reduce the financial burden on consumers adopting electric vehicles. This includes experiences like exploring nature combined with conservation and responsible tourism. The tourism sector is working with local authorities to develop new products for visitors to Ho Chi Minh City. This indicates a move from passive resort tourism to active experiential tourism, focusing on quality and value. Vietnam is promoting clothing swap events as a community activity to reduce textile waste. These events allow people to exchange unwanted clothing, refreshing wardrobes without discarding items. This initiative aims to change consumer habits and minimize environmental impact from the fashion industry. The events are organized by organizations like the HCMC Goethe-Institut.

The Politburo has officially decided to establish the Central Theoretical Council for the 2026 term. This body is expected to play a key role in guiding the nation's ideological and theoretical development. The General Secretary is scheduled to attend a conference to announce the formation of this new body. The council aims to maintain political loyalty and steadfastness within the leadership structure. The National Defense and Security Council for the 2026-2031 term held its first session following ratification by the 16th National Assembly. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attended the meeting. The session focused on reviewing the 2021-2026 operational regulations and discussing the draft operational regulations and program for the new 2026-2031 term.

The Vietnamese government is considering a policy to exempt scientists from personal income tax when they perform specific science and technology tasks. The current threshold of 500 million VND per year may be raised to a new level determined by the government. This move is being discussed by delegates in response to public interest in tax policy. The committee stated the proposal aims to respond to community feedback and support small businesses. Officials noted the move demonstrates flexibility in government and National Assembly management to address practical economic needs. Vietnam is considering a policy change to raise the tax revenue threshold for individual business households to 1 billion VND per year. Approximately 2,560,000 households would benefit from this change. The move is expected to reduce budget revenue by approximately 16,650 billion VND compared to last year.

Vietnam's Ministry of Health will submit a draft decree to the government this month to implement the Law on Population following a decline in national birth rates. The proposed mechanism could significantly streamline administrative processes, reducing completion times from years to just one week. The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently reviewing the draft, which is being led by the Government. This draft aims to replace the 2020 regulations concerning income and asset control for officials with positions of authority. The proposal is currently under review by the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Public Security is proposing amendments to the Penal Code for 2025-2026 to address new criminal behaviors. The proposed changes include penalties for cybercrimes such as spreading fake news, electronic money fraud, and social media data manipulation.

Politburo member Nguyen Thanh Nghi has identified 10 key task groups aimed at achieving double-digit economic growth for Vietnam. Total foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached $15.2 billion in the first quarter. The central bank intends to maintain investor confidence through these controlled fluctuations. Vietnam's export of goods and services is expected to exceed projections by approximately 1 trillion USD. Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal said that targets will be implemented through three main pillars. These pillars include a clear, measurable, and practical approach. Specific tasks have been assigned to deputy ministers for various industries with defined timelines. Analysts noted that further time is needed to assess the impact of energy prices and tax policies.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has issued official directive 423 to all ministries and agencies to implement administrative decentralization. The reform aims to reduce bureaucratic barriers, streamline procedures, and enhance national competitiveness by shifting power from central authorities to local levels. This move follows recent central government conclusions regarding the need for substantive administrative restructuring. The reforms included the dissolution of 63 provinces and several ministries to reduce bureaucracy. The restructuring involved merging provinces and eliminating various government offices. Local authorities in Vietnam have issued new regulations requiring civil servants to wear thin collared shirts instead of traditional attire. The government is also conducting a comprehensive review of energy usage to implement long-term electricity savings plans.