Hanoi topped the 2026 Provincial Innovation Index (PII), retaining the leading position for the fourth consecutive year, according to results announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology on October 4.

Vietnam has assigned local governments a target of nearly 900,000 social and rental homes between 2026 and 2030, including more than 191,000 units specifically for rent.

Ho Chi Minh City is using data, digital skills and new “digital destinations” to modernize governance while preserving the cultural heritage of its diverse ethnic and religious communities.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs is stepping up digital transformation and public investment spending after completing 89 of 166 government-assigned tasks with none overdue.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau has instructed the Ministry of Education and Training to consolidate Vietnam’s teacher training network and end teacher education programs at institutions that are not specialist teacher training schools.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has appointed Luong Hoang Thai, head of the Trade Remedies Authority, as Vietnam’s deputy minister of industry and trade.

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang said the city will pursue a range of measures to reduce traffic congestion, prioritizing public transport while encouraging residents to switch to electric vehicles.

Bui Hoang Phuong, the newly elected chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee, has asked agencies and individuals not to send flowers or make congratulatory visits, saying support should instead be reflected through effective work.

Vietnam’s Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Tri Thuc has stepped down at his own request, under a prime ministerial decision effective September 23.

HCMC needs economic growth of more than 13.5% in the fourth quarter to meet its double-digit target for 2026 after falling short of its third-quarter growth scenario.

Vietnam's prime minister has ordered the education ministry to end a shortage of more than 776,000 textbooks by Sept. 25 and determine responsibility for supply failures affecting schools.

Vietnam's State Audit Office referred 13 cases showing signs of criminal activity to investigators in the first eight months of 2026, as it stepped up scrutiny of public finances and potential wrongdoing.

Ho Chi Minh City is seeking greater flexibility to use budget and salary surpluses to improve public-sector incomes, as Vietnam’s largest city looks to retain skilled officials and curb a brain drain.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan has been appointed deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term.

Newly elected Thai Nguyen Chairman Nguyen The Manh has pledged to prioritize economic growth, infrastructure, digital transformation and better living standards in the northern Vietnamese province.

Vietnam is expanding the use of advanced DNA technology to identify soldiers whose remains have gone unnamed for decades, with a national DNA center now holding more than 37,000 remains samples for analysis.

The Vietnamese government has issued decrees defining the functions, responsibilities, powers and organizational structures of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the Ministry of Construction.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a meeting on September 11 with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant ministries and agencies to discuss the restructuring and reorganisation of the fuel distribution system.

Southern Vietnam’s Dong Thap Province has a new government leader, with Nguyen Thanh Nhan, 49, pledging decisive action and sustainable double-digit economic growth.