☕ Afternoon briefing on September 4

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

☕ Afternoon briefing on September 4

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

- President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing and his spouse arrived in Hanoi on September 4, beginning their three-day official visit to Vietnam.

The visit was made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse. Read full story

- The Government has issued Resolution No. 258/NQ-CP, setting out key tasks and solutions to accelerate administrative procedure reform, contributing to achieving double-digit economic growth in the 2026–2030 period.

The resolution, dated August 31, 2026, calls for substantive and comprehensive reform, with a focus on maximum cuts and simplification of administrative procedures and business conditions. It also seeks to shift management from pre-licence inspection to post-licence inspection based on risk management, while strengthening real-time, data-driven oversight and putting people and businesses at the centre of public services. Read full story

- Vietnam’s growing engagement in regional and international affairs, in line with the Politburo’s Resolution No.59 -NQ/TW on international integration, is enabling the country to play a more active role in shaping the international environment and creating new opportunities to deepen the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Gillian Bird said in a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

The diplomat affirmed that Australia highly values Vietnam as an important regional partner. She welcomed Vietnam’s expanding engagement with international partners, including recent high-level visits by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam. Read full story

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Production line at Yadea Vietnam’s smart manufacturing plant, which has an investment of more than 100 million USD, in Tan Hung Industrial Park, Bac Ninh province. (Photo: VNA)

- The World Bank Group’s recent upgrade of Vietnam to the upper-middle-income economy category marks a historic milestone after 17 years of sustained efforts.

However, to escape the middle-income trap and achieve high-income status by 2045, Vietnam must address new development challenges as traditional growth drivers approach their limits. International organisations broadly agree that shifting the growth model from reliance on traditional factors toward technology and innovation is no longer an option for Vietnam, but an imperative of the times. Read full story

- Vietnam’s domestic consumption continued to expand strongly in the first eight months of 2026, while tourism maintained its robust recovery momentum, according to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance.

The total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenues in August were estimated at 679.8 trillion VND (26 billion USD), up 1.6% from the previous month and 14.9% year-on-year. In the January-August period, the figure reached 5.24 quadrillion VND, representing a 13.3% increase year-on-year. Read full story

- As Vietnam undertakes a comprehensive restructuring of its economy to enter a new era, Politburo Resolution No. 79-NQ/TW on the development of the state economic sector (Resolution 79) has been identified as a guiding framework setting out strategic directions and goals for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to develop strongly and sustainably in the new period.

According to Nguyen Thu Thuy, Deputy Director of the State Enterprise Development Department under the Ministry of Finance, a breakthrough aspect of Resolution 79 is its changed view of the role of SOEs. Read full story

- Further improving institutions and enhancing the effectiveness of policy implementation are particularly important for science, technology and innovation to truly become drivers of growth and generate new productivity, said experts.

At a national quality and productivity forum held recently in Ho Chi Minh City, Professor, Dr. Vu Minh Khuong of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy under the National University of Singapore said one of the important shifts in science, technology and innovation policy is for the Government to move from primarily funding research and managing projects to becoming a creator of foundations for innovation./. Read full story

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Head of the Vietnamese Mission to the European Union Nguyen Huong Tra speaks in an interview with the VNA. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam-EU, Belgium ties poised for new heights

The upcoming official visits to the European Union (EU) and Belgium by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam aims to strengthen political trust, deepen ties and translate high-level commitments into concrete action, laying the groundwork for a new phase in relations with both partners.

Politburo member and Standing Member of the Secretariat of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee Vilay Lakhamphong (Photo: VNA)

Laos’ senior Party official concludes official visit to Vietnam

The Vietnamese Party and State leaders welcomed the visit, describing it as significant as the two Parties and States are actively implementing their respective Party congress resolutions and high-level agreements, and seeking to further strengthen the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two countries.

The Vietnamese delegation meet with Desmond Choo, a member of the Central Executive Committee of Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP) and Minister of State for Defence, and Singaporean MP Lee Hong Chuang. (Photo published by VNA)

Vietnam, Singapore promote cooperation through Party-to-Party channel

Nguyen Long Hai, member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Standing Deputy Secretary of the committee, praised Singapore’s experience in personnel training, green transition, digital transformation and economic development, saying these offer valuable lessons for Vietnam.

EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the official visit to the European Union (EU) by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam-EU ties set for new heights with concrete, practical outcomes: Ambassador

The upcoming official visit to the European Union (EU) by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam is expected to provide a chance for the two sides to bring bilateral ties to a new height, EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier told the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visit.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (Photo: VNA)

Top leader’s upcoming trip to lift ties with Denmark, EU, Belgium: Deputy FM

Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s state visit to Denmark and official visits to the European Union (EU) and Belgium is expected to open new opportunities to strengthen the development capacity and strategic autonomy of Vietnam and its partners, delivering tangible benefits to citizens and businesses and contributing to peace, cooperation and sustainable development in both regions and globally.

Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang (right) receives Vilay Lakhamphong, Politburo Member and Standing Member of the Secretariat of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, in Hanoi on October 15 (Photo: VNA)

Minister of Public Security receives Lao Party official

Cooperation between the public security ministries of Vietnam and Laos will continue to deepen and become more practical and effective, with guidance from the senior leaders of the two Parties and States, said Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Commitee and President To Lam speaks at the conference. (Photo: VNA)

Right policies must translate into tangible development capacity: Top leader

The Party Central Committee’s decisions require changes in thinking and coordinated reforms in Party building, leadership methods and personnel work. Right policies must translate into tangible development capacity, demonstrated through the operational effectiveness of the political system, the economy’s competitiveness and improvements in people’s lives.

☀️ Morning digest on October 16

☀️ Morning digest on October 16

Vietnamese leaders' meetings with Politburo Member and Standing Member of the LPRP Central Committee's Secretariat Vilay Lakhamphong, PM Le Minh Hung's dialogue with the youth, and 10 outstanding Vietnamese women honoured by FAO are among news highlights on October 15 evening.

Representatives of Asian consulates in Ho Chi Minh City attend the inauguration of the Friendship Garden in Con Dao. (Photo: VNA)

Asian consulates join friendship journey to Con Dao

the “Friendship journey – The city named after President Ho Chi Minh” programme is expected to lay the groundwork for stronger people-to-people diplomacy between Ho Chi Minh City and foreign partners, contributing to Vietnam’s relations with other countries and to regional peace, cooperation and sustainable development.