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Accordingly, 489 out of 490 deputies participating in the vote voted in favor, accounting for 97.80% of the total number of National Assembly deputies, demonstrating strong consensus on the need to further refine the legal framework for the operations of Vietnam’s overseas representative missions.

The National Assembly voted to pass the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Overseas Representative Missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with a high approval rate.

Prior to the vote, deputies heard Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, on behalf of the Government, present a summary report on the reception, explanation, and revision of the draft Law. The report noted that the Government had fully incorporated the verification opinions and feedback from National Assembly deputies, ensuring that the draft Law is consistent with the Party’s guidelines, constitutionality, legality, and coherence with the legal system, as well as compatibility with international treaties to which Vietnam is a party.

One of the notable contents is the supplementation and expansion of the functions and tasks of representative missions to meet new requirements. Accordingly, the draft Law adds several areas of work such as agriculture, advocacy for the recognition of cultural heritage, and the promotion of the Vietnamese language abroad; at the same time, it adds “enterprises” to the entities entitled to consular protection. Provisions on notification responsibilities in emergency situations or under the direction of competent authorities have also been clarified.

The Government has also reviewed and clarified the roles of representative missions in the fields of economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, science and technology, and innovation; mechanisms for coordination between representative missions and localities; as well as the implementation of tasks related to preserving and promoting the Vietnamese language.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, on behalf of the Government, presented the summary report on the reception, explanation, and revision of the draft Law.

Regarding organizational structure and personnel, the Law supplements principles for reallocating staffing among representative missions based on task requirements and operational areas; stipulates criteria for ambassadors, emphasizing their capacity to implement digital transformation; and revises certain concepts such as “specialized diplomatic titles,” adds the position of “Chargé d’Affaires,” and provides that the maximum extension of an ambassador’s term shall not exceed 36 months.

In terms of policies, the draft Law adds provisions on tuition support for children accompanying officials up to the completion of upper secondary education; clarifies regulations on concurrent duty allowances, insurance, mechanisms for adjusting living costs, and measures to prevent policy abuse. Issues related to public investment, financial management, foreign currency use, and special mechanisms for project implementation at representative missions have also been reviewed to ensure consistency with current legal regulations, including the Law on the State Budget.

The adoption of the amended and supplemented Law aims to address existing limitations and shortcomings of the current Law (promulgated in 2009 and amended in 2017), while enhancing the effectiveness of overseas representative missions in the new context. The Law is designed to strengthen professionalism, modernize foreign affairs work, meet socio-economic development requirements, and promote decentralization and delegation of authority, ensuring the coherence and unity of the legal system.

The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Overseas Representative Missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will take effect on July 1, 2026.

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