Vi Nam

Viet N Brief
Bi f

Professor Carlyle Thayer

13th Delegation of Young Political Leaders
Australian Political Exchange Council
Hotel Realm, Canberra
December 3, 2009
 Outline of Presentation

① Background
② C
Currentt P
Political
liti l Structure
St t and
d
Government
③ Comparison of Vietnamese and
Australian Political Systems
④ Current Issues
① Background
Z 13th most populous
country - 86m (2009)
Z 45th GDP (ppp) 2008
Z 60th largest GDP
(nominal) 2008
Z High economic
growth rates (7%)
Z Success in poverty
reduction
Human Geography

Z Kinh 86%

Z Tay 1.9%

Z Thai 1.75

Z Muong 1.55

Z Khmer
Kh 1
1.55
55

Z Hoa 1.15

Z Nung 1%

Z Others 4.1%
4 1%
 Still a Developing
g Country
y
Organisation Survey Ranking

Heritage Foundation/The Wall Index of Economic 145 out of

Street Journal Freedom 2009 179
World Bank Ease of Doing Business 93 out of
Report, 2009 183
Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom 166 out of
Index 2009 175
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions 120 out of
Index 2009 180
United Nations Development Human Development 116 out of
Programme Index 2009 182
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness 75 out of
Report 2009/2010 133
 ② Political Structure and
Government
Z Leninist one-party
Z Dual
D l role
l elites
lit
Z Gradual political liberalisation since 1992
Z No pluralism, multi-parties or opposition
Z Market economy
y with socialist orientations
Z Soft-authoritarian
Administrative Divisions
59 provinces
p
5 municipalities
H
Hanoi
i
Haiphong
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City
Can Tho
Mono--organisational Socialism
Mono

Vietnam Communist Party

y

Armed Mass
The State
Forces Organisations
 Party Structure

Congress Central
Politburo Secretary
1,176 Committee
15 members General
delegates 160 members
Viet Nam Communist Party

Nông Đức Mạnh

10th National Congress

April 2006
 Central Committee

160 full and 21 alternate members, required to

meet in pplenary
y session twice a yyear. Three
plenums held in 2008 and 2009.
Vietnam’ss Power elite
Vietnam
Secretary
General

State President Prime Minister

Permanent Chair National

y
Secretary Assemblyy
Party Standing
Secretariat Committee
 The State
President Vice President
Nguyễn Minh Triết Nguyễn Thị Doan
 National
Assembly -
Quố
Qu ốc Hộ
Hộ i

Nguyễn
guyễ Phú
ú Trọng-Chair
ọ gC a
• 500 deputies from 64
administrative units
• Bi-annual sessions
• National Assembly
Standing Committee
 ‘Rule
Rule of Law
Law’

Proceedings broadcast on radio and television,

voting results made public, full-time deputies,
Ministers grilled,
grilled legislation amended
amended, two of the
Prime Minister’s nominees rejected, ‘confidence’
vote,
 Cabinet - Ch
Chíính Phủ
Phủ
(literally ‘government’)

From collective leadership to ministerial responsibility

Deputy
Dep t Prime PM Nguyen
Ministers Tan Dung

Nguyen Pham Gia Truong Nguyen Hoang

Sinh Hung Khiem Vinh Trong Thien Nhan Trung Hai
Vietnam Fatherland Front
Mặt Trậ
Trận Tổ
Tổ Qu
Quốốc
•Vietnam Communist Party
•People’s Armed Forces
•General Confederation of
Labour
•Vietnam Farmers Union
Vietnam Youth Federation
•Vietnam
•Vietnam Women’s Union
•Vietnam Veterans’ Union
 ③ Comparison of Vietnamese and
A stralian Political Systems
Australian S stems
Z No separation of power Z Separation of power
Z One-party Z Multi-party
Z Voting non
non-compulsory
compulsory Z Compulsory
C l voting
ti
Z Unicameral legislature Z Bicameral legislature
Z Politically active armed
forces Z Politically neutral armed
forces
Z Mass organisations
state-controlled Z Civic organisations are
independent
p
Z Media state-controlled
Z Media independent
 ④ Current Issues
a. Recovery from Global Financial Crisis
b. Bauxite Mining
c. Catholic
h li Church-State
h h Land
d Disputes
i
d. Buddhism – Mainstream and Zen
e. Political Dissent
f. Internet Censorship
g The 11th National Party Congress (2011)
g.
 Global Financial Crisis

Z Inflationary crisis 23% (2008) 7% (2009)

Z Lowered growth rates: 8.5%
8 5% (2007) -
6.2% (2008) – 5.5% (2009) – 6.5% (2010)
Z Stimulus Package US$8 billion
Z Prevent recession,
recession concern for social
welfare, poverty reduction and political
stability
Bauxite Mining
g
Controversy
 Anti--Bauxite Coalition
Anti

Some media &

Environmentalists Social scientists
bloggers

Retired
et ed state & Catholic
Cat o c aandd
S i ti t
Scientists
military officers Buddhist leaders

Some NA
Economists Local residents
Deputies
 Bauxite Miningg Controversy
y

Võ Nguyên Giáp National Assembly (May 27)

(May 7)

Deputy Nguyễn Minh

Thuyết, Son La province,
Question and Answer Session
“I hope you pay attention to bauxite
mining in the Central Highlands…”
Catholic Land Issues

Z 20th July
J l incident
i id t att Tam
T
Tòa Church, Quang Binh
province - 11 arrested
Z Alleged
All d police
li brutality
b t lit
Z Gangs assault Catholics
Z O
Orchestrated
h d campaign
i byb
state media
Z 26 July & 2 August
C h li stage mass
Catholics
protests in 3 provinces
Z 8 August 178 parishes in
Vinh
i h diocese
di hold
h ld protests
Tam Tòa Protests
 Buddhism

Unified Buddhist Church Zen Buddhism

Political
Dissent

Hai Phong 16 Aug 08 (above) and Hai

Duong Nam Dinh 7 Sep 08 (below)

Hanoi 28 Jul 08
Haiphong Six On Trial
 Internet Censorship
p
Z Huy Đức, blogged under name ‘Osin’, fired
from Sài Gòn Tiếp
ế Thị newspaper
Z Bùi
ù Thanh
a Hiếu,
ếu, bblogged
ogged as ‘Người
Ngườ Buôn
uô GGió’
ó
(Wind Trader) arrested in August
Z Phạm Ðoan Trang,
Trang blogged about 1954
partition, critical of Chinese territorial claims
Z Nguyễn
ễ Ngọc Như
h Quỳnh,h blogged
bl d under
d
name ‘Mẹ Nấm’ (Mother Mushroom)
Relations with China An Issue
Chinese Unilateral Fishing Ban
Mayy 16-August
g 1,, 2009
Towards the 11th Congress
g January
y 2011
 Contact Details
9 carlthayer@webone.com.au
9 Mobile: 0437 376 429

Thayer Consultancy
P O Box 435
P.O.
Jamison Centre, ACT 2614