Vietnam is pushing ahead with efforts to streamline its state apparatus, improve institutions and strengthen national governance capacity, with the ultimate goal to create new growth drivers and enhance its competitiveness and resilience amid a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex global environment, the country’s top leader said.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam on May 29 attended and delivered a keynote address at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue, as part of his state visit to Singapore.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam To Lam and Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong witnessed the exchange and announcement of several cooperation documents between the ministries, sectors, and localities of the two countries on May 29.

Politburo member and Standing Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu on May 28 chaired a working session with the committee’s Inspection Commission to review inspection and supervision work during the first five months of 2026 and outline priorities for the coming period.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of Vietnam To Lam and Prime Minister of Thailand Anutin Charnvirakul witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between ministries and agencies of the two countries in Bangkok on May 28.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam, accompanied by his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on May 27 offered incense and flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site in Udon Thani province, as part of his three-day official visit to Thailand.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of Vietnam To Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of the country are scheduled to pay a state visit to the Philippines from May 31 to June 1.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung has highly valued the role of the US Congress in promoting bilateral relations, particularly through delegation exchanges, parliamentarians' meetings, dialogue between specialised committees, and support for cooperation programmes between the two legislative bodies.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has called for stronger reforms in legislative work, emphasising a shift from a management-oriented mindset to a development-driven one, moving away from “ban it if it cannot be control” toward creating legal frameworks that foster innovation, unlock productive capacity and pool all resources for development.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam chaired a meeting of standing members of the Steering Committee on science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation on May 25, emphasising that basic science research must undergo comprehensive reform to meet the country’s development demands in the new era.

Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man has called for reforms to the settlement of public aspirations to make it more substantive and accountable so that people could see the NA genuinely listens, monitors, supervises and pushes for solutions to their concerns.

Building on a strong foundation of friendship, high political trust and vast cooperation potential, the upcoming official visit to Thailand by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and State President To Lam is expected to create fresh momentum for advancing bilateral relations to new heights in the coming years, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong told the press ahead of the trip.

The 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT RevCon 11) officially concluded at the United Nations headquarters in New York on May 23 after four weeks of deliberations.

A delegation of the Lao National Assembly (NA), led by its Vice President Sounthone Xayachak, on May 23 visited and inspected the progress of the Dakcheung bauxite mining and alumina processing complex, a major industrial project invested by Vietnam’s Viet Phuong group in Dakcheung district, Laos’ Xekong province.

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang on May 22 expressed Vietnam’s reaction to the indictment issued by the US Department of Justice against Cuban General Raúl Castro.

Vietnam highly evaluates and stands ready to create favourable conditions for US tech corporations to invest in the country on the basis of harmonious interests, thus contributing to the bilateral ties and delivering tangible benefits to their citizens and businesses, said General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam.

Vietnam always values and remembers the wholehearted support and sincere sentiments that generations of leaders and people of Russia have extended to Vietnam during its past struggle for national independence as well as in the ongoing cause of national construction and defence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang has said.

Vietnam must develop its materials industry in a green, sustainable and self-reliant direction with international competitiveness, in line with global commitments, while ensuring the highest national interests, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam said at a working session in Hanoi on May 21.

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man on May 21 chaired a working session with standing members of the NA Committee on Legal and Judicial Affairs regarding key tasks for 2026 and the entire 2026–2031 tenure.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung hosted a reception for the UK's Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew in Hanoi on May 20, affirming that Vietnam always attaches great importance to ties with the UK.