Key Events 

• Politburo Set to Grow as Party Prepares for 14th Congress;
• Vietnamese Businesses Brace for 20% U.S. Tariff;
• Hà Nội Seeks Further Talks to Complete U.S. Trade Negotiations;
• Hải Phòng Customs Corruption Trial Uncovers 1.8 Trillion Đồng Smuggling Scheme;
• Floods and Landslides in Northern Việt Nam Leave 16 Dead or Missing;
• Hồ Chí Minh City Launches “Borderless” Administrative Model to Streamline Public Services.

14th Party Congress to Feature Larger Politburo and Centralized Delegate Selection

On July 31, General Secretary Tô Lâm announced that the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam is expected to have between 17 and 19 members in its Politburo—an increase of one to three from the current 16.

The party will maintain its long-standing structure of 200 Central Committee members, including 180 full members and 20 alternates. The Politburo will consist  of 17–19 members, while the Secretariat will have 11–13 members. Compared to previous terms, the upcoming term is expected to add more Central Committee seats for certain positions, regions, and key sectors—particularly within the military party organization—to reinforce the party’s leadership in these areas.