Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on April 8

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on April 8

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

- Party General Secretary and State President To Lam chaired a ceremony at the Presidential Palace on April 8 to announce the Politburo's decisions on the organisation of the Government Party Committee and present appointment decisions for members of the Government for the 2026–2031 term.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, former Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, along with senior Party and State officials. Read full story

- Prime Minister Le Minh Hung will serve as Chairman of the Central Council for Emulation and Commendation.

The PM has signed Decision No. 638/QD-TTg dated April 8, 2026, on the consolidation of the council. Read full story

- The National Assembly on April 8 voted to approve the resolutions on the appointments of Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, and other members of the Government for the 2026-2031 term, as part of its ongoing first session.

The Government for the 2026-2031 term now includes Politburo member, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and six Deputy Prime Ministers, namely Politburo member, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc; Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van Giang; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra; Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung; Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau; Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang. Read full story

- The upcoming official visits by Poliburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu to Laos and Cambodia are expected to reinforce political trust, deepen substantive cooperation, and elevate the comprehensive partnership among the three neighbouring countries, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visits, Cuong said the trip, scheduled for April 9–10, is made at the invitations of Vilay Lakhamphong, permanent member of the Secretariat of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Samdech Say Chhum, Vice President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and Chairman of the Standing Board of the CPP Central Committee. Read full story

- As global instability and rising travel costs reshape tourism trends, Vietnam is increasingly positioning itself as a safe, accessible and cost-competitive destination, drawing a growing influx of international visitors and strengthening its reputation as a resilient and trusted tourism hub.

Data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) show that Vietnam welcomed nearly 2.1 million foreign visitors in March 2026, raising total arrivals in the first quarter to 6.76 million, up 12.4% year-on-year. The figure represents a record high for the first quarter and marks the first time the country has received more than two million international visitors for three consecutive months. Read full story

- Party General Secretary To Lam, in his inaugural speech as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the 16th National Assembly (NA)’s first session in Hanoi on April 7, declared that his top priority in both the Party’s and the State’s highest positions is to drive rapid and sustainable national development and improve all aspects of people’s lives.

The foremost focus is to thoroughly follow the principle that “people are the root,” strongly upholding the people’s role as the central actors and ultimate beneficiaries of every development gain, he said. Read full story

- Vietnam has approved an action programme to implement the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan, aiming to deepen regional integration and enhance the country’s role within ASEAN.

Under Decision No. 608/QĐ-TTg, the Prime Minister endorsed the programme for the 2026–2030 period, with orientations extending to 2031–2035 and a longer-term vision to 2045. The initiative seeks to translate the strategic priorities of the AEC into concrete actions aligned with Vietnam’s development conditions. Read full story

- Vietnam’s decision to have Party General Secretary To Lam concurrently holds the position of State President is expected to speed up decision-making and strengthen the country’s diplomatic standing, enabling him to engage on an equal footing with other heads of state, according to Japanese media outlet Nikkei.

The Japanese newspaper on April 7 reported that Vietnam’s National Assembly had elected Party General Secretary To Lam as the country’s new State President with the absolute consensus from attending deputies. It noted that the consolidation of the roles of Party General Secretary and State President is likely to enhance Vietnam’s international profile in high-level diplomatic engagements./. Read full story

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