As digital and smart technology transforms the global economy, Vietnam is pushing a strategy to take advantage of these changes, growing the country’s startup sector and supporting adaptation.
The election of Vietnam’s new national leadership signals the start of a new five-year government that will likely see the country continue on a path of economic success and increasing international leadership.
Vietnam has pushed domestic vaccine development in part to reduce reliance on any single foreign source. But its willingness to share vaccine technology and support production abroad may help raise the country’s geopolitical status among the developing world.
Vietnam has announced its candidacy to join the UN Human Rights Council, basing its case mostly on the country’s successful containment of COVID-19. However, when it comes to Vietnam’s own human rights record, the government has done everything to curtail people’s fundamental civil and political rights.
The Mekong’s normal flow can be restored if large volumes of water are consistently and reliably released from Chinese dam reservoirs. However, China’s water policy shows Beijing is unlikely to change its behavior and the worst for the Mekong is yet to come.
Vietnam faces some of the greatest and most urgent threats from climate change of any country in the world. However, a number of new initiatives are starting to address these challenges, ranging from a national transition to green energy to a UN-backed push for sustainable urban development.
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 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.
The 37th ASEAN Summit, which ended on November 15, saw member states adopt decisive and concrete measures to bolster internal and external cooperation and to overcome major challenges facing the regional bloc, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yet another storm has washed across the Philippines and into Vietnam, showing the severe reality of the climate crisis for Southeast Asia.