Vietnam’s head of state leaves under a cloud
Investors should worry about the state of the country’s politics
The Communist Party of Vietnam is among the most secretive bodies on Earth. The façade it presents to its own people and to the world is one of circumspection, conformity and consensual order. So to lose one head of state early last year, departing under a cloud of corruption, was careless. To lose a second, Vo Van Thuong, in late March is downright disconcerting. It is not just ordinary Vietnamese who should care. So, too, should foreign investors, who have bet big on Vietnam as the hottest economy in South-East Asia.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Catching rats and breaking pots”
From the March 30th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Is India’s education system the root of its problems?
A recent comparison with China suggests that may be so
Meet the outspoken maverick who could lead India
Nitin Gadkari, India’s highways minister, talks to The Economist
The Adani scandal takes the shine off Modi’s electoral success
The tycoon’s indictment clouds the prime minister’s prospects
Priyanka Gandhi: dynastic scion, and hope of India’s opposition
Poised to enter parliament, she may have bigger ambitions than that
The Caspian Sea is shrinking rapidly
This has big implications for Russia, which has come to rely on Central Asian ports
Racial tensions boil over in New Zealand
A controversial bill regarding Maori people punctures its relative harmony