Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on April 24

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

☕ Afternoon briefing on April 24

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam on April 24 held phone talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

vnanet-potal-tong-bi-thu-chu-tich-nuoc-to-lam-dien-dam-voi-thu-tuong-australia-8723543.jpg
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam on April 24 holds phone talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. (Photo: VNA)

In the phone conversation, PM Albanese congratulated General Secretary Lam on being elected State President by the 16th National Assembly. He affirmed that Australia attaches importance to and wants to further strengthen ties with Vietnam across all fields. Read full story

- National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man said that after 12 days of active and urgent work marked by a spirit of innovation and scientific thought, the first session of the 16th-tenure National Assembly (NA) has officially concluded.

The session, closed on April 24, accomplished a wide range of key tasks, including consolidating the State apparatus and electing senior leadership positions in accordance with the Constitution and laws. Read full story

- The National Assembly (NA) on April 24 morning adopted a resolution setting out a goal of achieving rapid and sustainable national development, with average GDP growth of at least 10% per year in the next five years, while maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, ensuring major economic balances, and comprehensively improving living standards.

The resolution on the socio-economic development plan in the 2026-2030 period was passed on the last day of the first session of the 16th NA (NA), with 494 out of 494 deputies present voting in favour, representing 100% approval among those in attendance and 98.9% of all NA deputies. Read full story

- The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has granted a licence for the establishment of a wholly foreign-owned bank to the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), marking a new step forward in attracting international financial investment and expanding the presence of Korean financial institutions in Vietnam.

The information was announced during a working session between SBV Deputy Governor Nguyen Ngoc Canh and Chang Min Young, Chairman and CEO of IBK, as part of President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung's ongoing state visit to Vietnam. Read full story

- Vietnam has rolled out a cross-border QR payment service with the Republic of Korea (RoK), marking a new step in financial connectivity between the two countries and supporting growing tourism and trade flows.

The service was launched in Hanoi on April 23 by National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) in cooperation with GLN International, with Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam and Hana Bank as settlement banks. Read full story

- Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have been ranked among the top five fastest-growing urban centres in the world, according to a newly released Growth Hubs Index ranking by Savills.

The recognition underscores Vietnam’s rising role in regional and global value chains, driven by strong structural advantages and accelerating urban development. Read full story

- After a prolonged period of suspension, the Dung Quat bio-ethanol plant resumed operations in early 2026 and has produced its first batch of E100 ethanol.

Following these initial results, the plant is continuing to implement innovative solutions with the aim of reaching 100% of its operating capacity in April, ensuring its readiness to supply the maximum volume of ethanol for blending E10 biofuel petrol. Read full story

- Vietnam has, for the first time, introduced a national standard for adventure tourism, outlining requirements for hiking and trekking activities, with a strong focus on the safety of participants, group leaders and support staff.

The country’s adventure tourism sector is expanding rapidly, drawing young travellers and international visitors to activities such as trekking, caving, kayaking and paragliding. However, safety and management challenges remain. The newly issued national technical standard TCVN 14602:2026 – ISO 3021:2023 is seen as a significant step towards bringing greater consistency and oversight to the sector, particularly in hiking and trekking./. Read full story

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