Politics

☀️ Morning digest on August 21

The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

☀️ Morning digest on August 21

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries reported last night by the Vietnam News Agency.

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam on August 20 called on the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) to become a model of Party building, discipline, academic integrity, public resource use, and accountability.

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam speaks at the working session with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics' key leaders on August 20. (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at a working session with the academy’s key leaders in Hanoi, General Secretary and President Lam praised the academy, the Central Council for Theoretical Studies, the academy’s affiliated institutes and the nationwide system of politics schools for their important contributions to Party building and the country’s development over the past time. Read full story

- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam on August 20 received a delegation from the Philippine National Security Council, led by National Security Adviser Eduardo S.L. Oban Jr., who is paying a working visit to Vietnam.

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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam (R) and Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo S.L. Oban Jr. in Hanoi on August 20, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

General Secretary and President Lam affirmed that Vietnam supports and stands ready to coordinate with the Philippines – ASEAN Chair in 2026, and other ASEAN member states to consolidate peace and security, expand avenues for prosperity, enhance connectivity, and promote inclusive, sustainable, and people-centric development. Read full story

- Vietnam’s glorious milestones were brought to life through a special political-artistic programme held on the evening of August 20, attended by National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man and his spouse Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga.

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A performance at the programme (Photo: VNA)

The Hanoi event, organised by Dai bieu nhan dan (The People’s Deputies) Newspaper, marked the 81st anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945–2026), National Day (September 2, 1945–2026), and the 80th anniversary of the Vietnamese National Assembly. Read full story

- President of the National Assembly (NA) of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire Patrick Achi will pay an official visit to Vietnam from August 23 to 26.

The visit is made at the invitation of President of the Vietnamese NA Tran Thanh Man, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read full story

- Quang Ninh province stands ready to facilitate investment and project implementation by Mexican businesses and investors, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Vu Quyet Tien said at a meeting with a high-ranking delegation of Mexico’s Labour Party (PT) on August 20.

The delegation, led by Senator, PT General Secretary Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez, is paying a working visit to the northern coastal province. Read full story

- Vietnam welcomes and hopes that China will continue to simplify visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens entering China, said Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang at the ministry’s press briefing on August 20.

Hang made the statement while responding to a reporter’s question about the latest announcement by China’s National Immigration Administration that starting August 20, 2026, citizens of Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan will be eligible for a 240-hour visa-free transit policy and a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Hainan. Read full story

- Vietnam remains resolute in preventing origin fraud and the illegal transshipment of goods, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on August 20.

Hang made the statement at the ministry’s regular press conference in response to a reporter’s question about the US identifying more than 40 trading partners, including Vietnam, as being at risk of being used to circumvent US tariffs. Read full story

- Domestic petrol and diesel prices were adjusted up from 3pm on August 20, with the Ministries of Industry and Trade and Finance deciding not to make any contributions to or draw from the petrol price stabilisation fund.

Accordingly, the retail price of E5RON92 petrol was capped at 21,833 VND (0.84 USD) per litre, up 598 VND per litre from the previous ceiling price. E10RON95-III petrol was priced at no more than 22,668 VND per litre, an increase of 549 VND per litre. Read full story

- The wildlife rescue, conservation and development centre under the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Management Board in the central province of Quang Tri on August 20 announced that it had coordinated with relevant units in the release of 13 wild animals back into their natural habitat.

The animals comprised five stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides), one Keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii), two pygmy slow lorises (Nycticebus pygmaeus), two clouded monitor lizards (Varanus nebulosus) and three Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica). All are classified as rare and endangered species under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's Circular No. 85/2025/TT-BNNMT./. Read full story

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☀️ Morning digest on August 20

☀️ Morning digest on August 20

Party General Secretary and President To Lam's working session with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam International Fisheries Exhibition 2026, and Vietnam advancing to the ASEAN Cup final after beating Malaysia 2-0 in the second leg of semifinals are among news highlights on August 19 evening.

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Cooperation between the SAV and SAO has been maintained through both bilateral channels and international audit organisations. The two agencies coordinate and support each other within the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) and Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI).

A performance at the programme (Photo: VNA)

NA President attends political-artistic programme celebrating national milestones

The programme contributed to educating younger generations about their responsibility to preserve and build on the achievements of the revolution, while fostering a spirit of enthusiasm and patriotic emulation and encouraging officials, Party members and people from all walks of life to harness the strength of great national unity to join hands in building and firmly safeguarding the nation.

Deputy Secretary of the Quang Ninh provincial Party Committee Vu Quyet Tien (R) presents a painting of Ha Long Bay to Senator, PT General Secretary Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh pledges to facilitate Mexican investment

Quang Ninh hopes to further strengthen cooperation with Mexican localities, organisations and businesses, particularly by attracting investment in tourism, processing and manufacturing, science and technology, education and training, and healthcare.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam speaks at the working session with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics' key leaders on August 20. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics must serve as model of Party building: Top leader

The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics must become a place where new issues are detected early, difficult problems are studied thoroughly, practical experience is elevated into theory, and theory is translated into action so that every cadre graduating from the academy is firmer in political mettle, clearer in theoretical thinking, more responsible and more effective in serving the Party, the country and the people, said top leader To Lam.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van (R) receives Watanabe Tetsuya, President of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), in Hanoi on August 20. (Photo: VNA)

Indonesia-based research institute ready to contribute ideas to APEC 2027 discussions

ERIA attaches great importance to collaboration with Vietnam and stands ready to further promote its strengths in research and policy advice to contribute to the country’s development goals through ASEAN and Mekong subregional cooperation, particularly in energy connectivity, infrastructure, digital connectivity, green transformation and high-quality human resources development.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra (R) receives Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei on August 20. (Photo: chinhphu.vn)

Tightening ties with China remains top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy: Deputy PM

Amid complex, rapid and unpredictable developments in the regional and international situation, Vietnam and China should effectively implement important common perceptions reached by their top leaders, and continuously consolidate and develop bilateral ties, especially in areas of substantive cooperation, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra.

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 20

☕ Afternoon briefing on August 20

A meeting to discuss a project reviewing the five-year implementation of Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW, Vietnam's plan to award 1,500 full scholarships for strategic technology training abroad, and Dak Lak province seeking the UNESCO Global Geopark recognition for Phu Yen Geopark are among news highlights on August 20.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam speaks at the working session with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation on August 20. (Photo: VNA)

Party leadership must closely link with targets, outcomes, accountability: Top leader

General Secretary and President To Lam said the review of the Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW implementation is an important political task in the building of the Party and the political system. It should examine how the Party exercises its leadership and ruling role and how the entire political system translates the Party’s guidelines and policies into action and concrete results.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Legal and Judicial Affairs Phan Chi Hieu delivers a verification report on three draft laws - the revised Penal Code, the revised Criminal Procedure Code, and the revised Law on Organisation of Criminal Investigation Agencies on August 20. (Photo: VNA)

Bill seeks to narrow application scope of death penalty for six offences

Lawmakers on August 20 discussed the Government's proposal and a verification report on the draft revised Penal Code, which narrows the application scope of the death penalty for six offences, retaining it for only four, namely treason, murder, terrorism and illegal drug production.