The Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam held a ceremony in Hanoi on May 15 to celebrate the 212th anniversary of Norway’s Constitution Day (May 17, 1814–2026) and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (1971–2026).

Border and police forces in the northern province of Quang Ninh on May 15 handed over 33 Chinese nationals who had violated Vietnamese law to Chinese authorities.

VOV.VN - Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) are signaling a new phase in bilateral relations as both sides emphasise the need to strengthen political trust and expand practical cooperation following recent high-level exchanges.

VOV.VN - After three years of implementing Resolution 31 of the Politburo, Ho Chi Minh City is entering a new phase of policy planning aimed at expanding its growth space and developing a more flexible governance framework for Vietnam’s largest urban centre.

VOV.VN - Vietnam will carry out a nationwide assessment of the effectiveness of its two-tier local government model after one year of implementation, as the country continues pushing forward administrative reform and state apparatus restructuring.

VOV.VN - Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane have agreed to deepen their traditional friendship and cooperation through a new partnership framework covering politics, economics, education, health care and people-to-people exchanges for the 2026-2030 period.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on May 15 sent a message of congratulations to Magyar Péter on his election as Prime Minister of Hungary.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang has put forward a range of cooperation priorities between BRICS and partner countries at the Expanded BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, underscoring the need to strengthen resilience through both internal capacity and international collaboration.

VOV.VN - Vietnam and Russia are moving forward with the development of a Joint Action Plan for the 2026–2028 period, focusing on areas ranging from nuclear energy and oil and gas cooperation to education, training and regional connectivity.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged citizens to remain vigilant against deceptive online recruitment offers promising “easy job, high pay” abroad, warning that such offers may carry risks of forced labour, exploitation or human trafficking.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man has urged the NA’s Committee for National Defence, Security and External Relations to accelerate reforms in legislative thinking, improve law-making quality, and strengthen oversight of international commitments and parliamentary diplomacy in the remaining months of 2026.

Trinh Van Quyet, Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Chairman of its Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, held a series of high-level meetings in Phnom Penh on May 13 during his working visit to Cambodia.

Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Truong Thang expressed delight at new strides in Vietnam – France ties, especially the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, saying that the move affirms the political will of both nations’ leaders to deepen future collaboration.

VOV.VN - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said sending personnel to features belonging to Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago without Vietnam’s permission violates the country’s sovereignty under international law and is inconsistent with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

VOV.VN - Vietnam is preparing to host the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) in Hanoi in mid-June 2026 under the theme “Shaping a shared future together: Peace, prosperity and people-centered development,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular press briefing on May 14.

VOV.VN - Party General Secretary and State President To Lam met with 85 outstanding members of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on May 14 on the occasion of the organization’s 85th founding anniversary (May 15, 1941 - May 15, 2026).

VOV.VN - Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has called for further clarification of Vietnam’s development model, saying the review of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s 100 years of leadership and 40 years of implementing the national development platform must carry historical depth, theoretical vision and practical relevance for the country’s future development.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh met with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Sports Thongsalit Mangnomek and Chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Training Khamphan Pheuiyavong, as part of her visit to Laos.

VOV.VN - Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to closer cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) during a meeting in Vienna on May 13 with Monica Kathina Juma following her assumption of office as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and Executive Director of the UNODC.

VOV.VN - Vietnam and Saudi Arabia are moving to strengthen cooperation in security and law enforcement as senior officials from both countries discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties in Hanoi on May 13.

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, special envoy of General Secretary and State President To Lam, held meetings and talks with senior leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Pyongyang on May 13 to promote bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The latest administrative reform push, with the issuance of eight resolutions on reducing, decentralising and simplifying administrative procedures and business conditions, is being seen as one of the largest overhauls in recent years, affecting thousands of procedures and processes tied to business activities.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam chaired a working session in Hanoi on May 13 with representatives from ministries, central agencies and relevant bodies to review the organisation and operations of the central steering committees for institutional and legal reform and for judicial reform.

For the 2026–2031 tenure, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) will shift immediately from mere campaign launches to action, and each campaign will be accompanied by concrete emulation criteria, evaluation metrics and on-the-ground models from the start.

VOV.VN - The Office of the President of Vietnam held a press conference in Hanoi on May 13 to announce the Presidential Order promulgating nine laws passed by the 16th National Assembly during its first session held last month.

Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN has held a meeting with Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to discuss the progress of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT RevCon).

VOV.VN - The National Assembly of Vietnam is accelerating digital transformation and artificial intelligence adoption in an effort to modernise legislative operations, improve governance quality and address institutional bottlenecks in Vietnam, according to National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

VOV.VN - Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee, has been re-elected Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) for the 2026–2031 term.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam on May 12 received a visiting delegation from Laos' Vientiane capital, led by Athsaphangthong Siphandone, member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Council.

The Standing Board of the Hanoi Party Committee on May 12 held talks with a high-level delegation from the Lao capital city of Vientiane during their working visit to Hanoi.