If a U.S. congressional delegation actually comes to Vietnam to investigate human rights, freedom of speech, and religious freedom, this will certainly not be a routine courtesy visit. The most sensitive questions are likely to be raised: What are detention…
Behind the U.S.’s recent trade decisions regarding Vietnam may lie an unwelcome message: if the partnership is to go further, Washington wants Hanoi to demonstrate that Vietnam’s development is increasingly aligned with the standards the U.S. considers fundamental. Simply put,…
GDP growth is good news. But if the impressive numbers in the reports don’t translate into people’s daily meals, rent, and incomes, that joy remains a distant reality. A growth target of 10% or higher sounds ambitious, but stepping out…
A story that has left the public stunned: the family of former Vinh Phuc Provincial People’s Committee Chairman Le Duy Thanh voluntarily paid over 1.63 million USD and more than 41 billion VND, but was later refunded 21.3 billion VND…
“Why does it have to be socialism?” — a question that seems simple but cuts right to the heart of the major debate over Vietnam’s path to development. After all, human history has never offered a single, definitive formula for…
From an 18-year-old village police officer to a Major General, and then, at the age of 48, elected to serve as Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee—Mr. To Anh Dung’s journey is certainly a remarkable story. On July…
The debate over human rights has heated up once again as Human Rights Watch (HRW) rejected the claim that the organization exploits human rights issues to interfere with national sovereignty. In response to an assessment raised in an analysis by…
Under the guise of “accelerating progress” and “putting land into use sooner,” a new proposal is sparking heated debate: allowing land to be expropriated before compensation, support, and resettlement plans are finalized. If approved, residents may be required to surrender…
Once known as the “leper village,” Vân Village was isolated for decades by disease, prejudice, and rugged terrain. Yet it was precisely this isolation that inadvertently preserved one of the most beautiful and pristine stretches of coastline in Da Nang.…
The rapid succession of changes in high-level personnel appointments following the 3rd Plenum of the 14th Central Committee is fueling widespread speculation among international political observers about a covert power shift at the highest levels of Ba Dinh.…