Vietnam–Australia Partnership Push: Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s state visits to Australia and New Zealand (Aug 9–14) are set to give fresh momentum to the Vietnam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with leaders aiming for deeper, more substantive cooperation and a first-ever visit by a Vietnamese Party and State leader to Australia. Economic Security & Anti-Corruption: On the 70th traditional day of the Economic Police, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man urged the force to strengthen its core role against corruption, economic crimes and smuggling, while proactively identifying new risks tied to data, finance, supply chains and cybersecurity. Diplomacy in the New Era: Vietnam’s 33rd Diplomatic Conference in Hanoi wrapped up, reinforcing that foreign affairs is a crucial and regular task for national development, with the sector urged to turn external engagement into tangible outcomes. Vietnam–Thailand Parliamentary Ties: Thailand’s NA President Sophon Zaram concluded a Vietnam visit marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, with both sides highlighting parliamentary cooperation as a key pillar for implementing the Vietnam–Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Regional Governance Experiment: A Chinese scholar said Hanoi’s “socialist communes/wards” pilot is meant to strengthen grassroots governance under Vietnam’s two-tier local administration model, with lessons expected for wider rollout. Party Statutes Review: To Lam chaired the first meeting of a central steering committee to review and amend the Party Statutes, linking the work to administrative restructuring, decentralisation, power oversight and digital transformation.