Amid global and regional crises sparked by COVID-19, natural disasters and geopolitical changes, Vietnam has continued to show marked success in the fight against the pandemic and in economic growth, mainly due to strong political will and drastic measures by government and citizens.
Vietnam’s next leader will struggle to measure up to the legacy of outgoing President Nguyen Phu Trong, as the current general secretary of the Communist Party has spearheaded unprecedented anti-corruption campaigns.
Southeast Asia’s autocratic leaders have adored Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy and at times won trade and defense deals without adequate scrutiny of their poor human rights records. The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden will take a tougher stance on democracy and human rights in bilateral deals.
One of the last remaining populations of a rare primate, the Delacour’s langur, lives in forests south of Hanoi. But limestone mining and poaching are pushing the species to the brink of extinction, despite conservation efforts.
The US Treasury Department’s designation of Vietnam as a currency manipulator reflects President Trump’s push to punish countries that have trade surpluses against the US. However, the move is likely to start a new phase of negotiations to avoid harm to both countries’ strategic interests.
The past few months have seen growing engagements between India and Vietnam. While China’s aggression remains a common concern, for India this is also an opportunity to reset its engagements with ASEAN after opting out of the RCEP in November.
Facebook’s reported compliance with the Vietnamese government’s censorship requests does not set an encouraging precedent. The practice is likely to encourage authoritarian regimes as more repressive governments may adopt similar strategies against the tech giant.
Facebook0TwitterReddit0Linkedinemail Southeast Asia’s wind and solar markets will likely be worth $205 billion over the next decade, but key investors in Japan, China and South…
The geopolitics of the Mekong river continue to evolve, with key announcements from China, Thailand and the Mekong River Commission.
Vietnam’s successful response to COVID-19 appears to be giving way to a rapid recovery, drawing international attention to the country’s leadership both domestically and on regional issues for Southeast Asia.