Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW, issued by the Politburo on May 19, 2026, assigns a broader role to Vietnam's diplomacy and cultural diplomacy in particular.

Vietnam is accelerating preparations for a UNESCO nomination seeking recognition of the traditional Ao Dai (long dress) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Vietnam has approved a new external cultural strategy that seeks to strengthen the country's soft power, expand its global cultural presence and position Vietnam as one of the region's leading cultural and creative hubs by 2045.

Speaking at the recent second meeting of the Central Steering Committee for the Development of Vietnamese Culture, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam identified one of the four major "gaps" emerging from current practices, namely the capacity to transform cultural heritage into data resources, digital knowledge, intellectual property, and national creative capacity.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and UNESCO Việt Nam have discussed a proposal to develop a locality in Việt Nam into the country's Photography City – a national hub for photography and an international destination for visual creativity.