Stories from 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.

Traffic is moving slowly in several areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Projects scheduled for continuous construction through the holiday include VNDai 2, VNDai 3, Nuc Giao An Phu, My Thuy, and Tang Long Bridge. Management teams will remain on duty 24/7 to ensure project deadlines are met. The donation includes 400 million VND for public works during the 2026 Ha Sanh campaign. Additional funds include 200 million VND for the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross and 150 million VND each for the Navy Command and the Ho Chi Minh City Police. Vehicles have formed queues exceeding 4 km on Vo Tri Road. Traffic is reported as chaotic at the inter-ward roundabout and highway entrance due to heavy truck and car volume. Traffic police and civil defense forces are on-site attempting to manage the congestion.

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.

Vung Tau city has experienced a significant tourism boom in the first quarter, with a 25% increase in visitors compared to the same period last year, reaching 1.5 million tourist arrivals. To maintain this growth, the city is enhancing its services through AI virtual assistants and community technology teams. Local authorities are also proposing major infrastructure projects to improve connectivity. Vung Tau serves as an industrial and maritime hub with an area of 6,772 square kilometers and a population exceeding 14 million people. The city contributes approximately 23-24 percent of the national GDP and nearly 30 percent of the total national budget. It functions as a financial, technological, and international transport center. Tran Hoang Ngan was reportedly honored by the city council.

Police Colonel Tran Van Hieu led a delegation to Cho Ray Hospital on April 20 to visit two firefighters injured during a factory explosion. The blast occurred when a drum of solvent exploded approximately 10 meters from the officers while they were performing duties. The injured personnel remain under intensive medical observation.

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.

The People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City has opened the first-instance trial for a major drug trafficking case involving Vo Ba Thi Sinh and five Laotian nationals. This represents an increase of over 220 percent compared to previous periods. Major projects involve corporations from South Korea, Singapore, China, and other nations. Targeted sectors for development include high technology, semiconductors, innovation, data centers, logistics, digital economy, and green growth. The total investment value reached 2.71 quadrillion VND. Ho Chi Minh City will invest more than 2.939 trillion VND in local development, according to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee office on April 28. The announcement was reported by VOH. The investment follows a change in the fuel price management schedule due to the upcoming April 30 and May 1 holidays.

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.