Category: Vietnam

The Ideological Divide between Vietnam and the U.S.

On 7 July 2015, Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong met US President Barack Obama at the Oval Office, marking a historic milestone in advancing US–Vietnam relations. However, the trip was largely symbolic as Trong returned to Hanoi with only modest progress on comprehensive US–Vietnam relations. So, when eloquent rhetoric collides with hard logistics, what was the main roadblock in furthering US–Vietnam relations?

The Forgotten Montagnard, Degar, and Other Minorities of Vietnam

Twenty years after the post–war normalisation of Vietnam–US ties, the two nations are increasingly close. This process has sped up with China’s moves in the South China Sea since 2014, although a number of issues still hold the relationship back:  Vietnam wants the embargo on weapons sales gone and the United States wants to see an improvement in human rights.

Assessing Vietnam’s Political and Religious Freedom Scorecard

Human rights — chiefly political and religious freedoms — have been on the American agenda since Washington and Hanoi resumed direct dialogue about a quarter of a century ago. Though bilateral ties have grown vastly broader, US prodding on civil liberties still piques Vietnam’s one-party regime. Scepticism that Vietnam would live up to labour rights promises was prominent in the US debate over the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Vietnam’s Lack of Industrial-Deepening Could Undermine Their Strong Economy

Unlike many countries in Asia, and indeed in the world, Vietnam is for the moment blessed with a raft of positive economic news. However, beneath the surface, structural problems and a lack of industrial deepening persist.

Exports have been growing at 18 percent year-on-year and 10 percent year-to-date. Disbursements in foreign direct investment rose by some 9.6 percent year-on-year with Samsung, in particular, manufacturing not only its smartphones but also TV and computer screens in Vietnam.

Can Vietnam Become a New Asian Tiger When New Leaders are Selected in 2016?

In 2016, Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party (CPV) will convene its 12th congress to select new leaders for itself and the country it rules. With new leaders will come new policies, but those who hope for the second coming of reform (doi moi lan 2) will likely be frustrated. Any changes will be insufficient to turn Vietnam into a new Asian tiger.

Healing War Wounds a Necessary Step for Vietnam Reconcilation

There are certain dates that hold special significance to particular communities of people. For the Vietnamese population, and the many men and women who served in the Vietnam War, 30 April is an unforgettable date. Vietnam celebrates the day as a national holiday, as it marks the liberation of the Vietnamese people from the yoke of colonial rule with the fall of Saigon in 1975.

Improved US-Vietnam Relations are not Coincidental

US–Vietnam relations have come a long way. In 1982, in his report to the Fifth Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Secretary-General Le Duan claimed that US–China collusion constituted ‘a factor constantly threatening world peace, and especially seriously menacing security and stability in Asia’. Today, Vietnam considers the US to be a stabilising factor in the Asia Pacific.

New Rules from the Vietnamese Government to Thwart Labor Disputes

In January 2015, the Vietnamese government issued a decree on the implementation guidelines of the Vietnamese Labour Code. One of the sections of the decree deals with the resolution of workers’ strikes, which happen mostly in foreign enterprises. Though the numbers of strikes nationwide has declined, labour relations reform is still a government concern. The new decree stipulates a long bureaucratic process for strike settlement.