VIETNAM: NEW ERA

Seventy-one years later, Hanoi has undergone significant transformation, becoming the nation’s leading centre for politics, economy, and culture, while confirming its key role in Vietnam’s path toward reform and international integration.

2025 is a special year as Vietnam celebrates the 80th National Day. On this journey, Vietnam’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations reaffirms the strategic vision and steadfast policies of the Party, State, and Army, reflecting the country’s enduring aspiration for peace, friendship, and cooperation.

At the invitation of General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam is paying a three-day State visit to the DPRK from October 9 to 11, 2025, and will attend celebrations marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

The Vietnamese Party chief believed that with the motto of “taking the people as the root”, “united mind” and “self-reliance”, the DPRK will complete the tasks and goals set by the WPK, opening a new era of comprehensive national rejuvenation.

Resolutions passed at all-level Party congresses must prove practical and feasible, which the Party leader described as the most critical trait of a “good resolution”.

Hosting the signing ceremony allows Vietnam to reaffirm its position as a reliable partner committed to advancing multilateralism. The government intends to ensure the event meets the UN standards and draws broad participation from member states, international organisations, civil society, and technology corporations.

Under prior government resolutions, the PM approved a reform blueprint spanning 14 ministries and ministerial-level agencies. It targets simplification or elimination of 2,051 out of 4,888 administrative procedures, 42% of the total, and streamlining of 2,263 out of 6,974 business conditions, or 32%. Authorities also plan to amend or supplement 466 legal documents to support the changes.

Vietnam’s socio-economic situation has continued to improve, with positive results in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the remarks while chairing the Government’s regular meeting in Hanoi on October 5.

Vietnam has nine scientists ranked among the world’s top 10,000 and about 70 scientists listed in the top 100,000 most cited researchers globally in 2025, according to a list recently released by academic publishing company Elsevier.

Vietnam’s early achievements underscore a robust commitment to green and sustainable development — not only for national benefit but also as a meaningful contribution to global environmental goals.

The Central Public Security Party Organisation for the 2025 – 2030 term opened its eighth Congress in Hanoi on October 4. Party General Secretary To Lam attended the event.

Vietnam’s air transport market handled over 64 million passengers in the first nine months of 2025 (December 15, 2024 – September 15, 2025), an increase of nearly 11% year-on-year, while cargo volume exceeded 1 million tons, up almost 19% from the same period in 2024, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Strong growth in both domestic and international passenger traffic is expected to further boost tourism and related services in the coming months.

State President Luong Cuong on October 3 received the Ambassadors of Finland and Canada and the non-resident Ambassadors of Jamaica, Tunisia, Slovenia and Tajikistan to Vietnam who came to present their letters of credentials.

Swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang clinched the gold medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle final on September 29 at the 2025 Asian Aquatics Championship held from September 28 to October 2 in Ahmedabad, India. This marks the first time in history that Vietnamese swimming has claimed a continental title in a signature event traditionally dominated by powerhouses such as China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

Party General Secretary To Lam requested urgent consolidation of the extension system from the provincial to the communal level, removing unnecessary intermediaries to ensure consistency, smooth coordination, and effective regular operations. He called for properly arranging agricultural specialists among commune-level civil servants.

The 12th Party Congress of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) for the 2025 – 2030 tenure closed on October 2 after four working days. Party General Secretary To Lam attended the event.

In his directive speech at the 12th Congress of the Vietnam People's Army Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 term on September 30, Party General Secretary To Lam urged the organisation to effectively implement the principle of “Two Firmnesses, Two Strengthenings, and Two Preventions” in order to successfully fulfil the orientations, objectives, and tasks of military, defence, and Party building for the 2025–2030 period.

Concluding the Government’s meeting on reviewing and removing bottlenecks for the implementation of the two-tier local government model on October 1, PM Pham Minh Chinh underscored that as long as citizens continue to complain, the Government must work to find effective solutions, and where localities remain underdeveloped, the Government must take responsibility for supporting and driving growth.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered urgent measures to overcome the consequences of heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides triggered by Typhoon Bualoi – the 10th storm to hit the East Sea this year – which has caused severe human and material losses across northern and central provinces.