COMMENTARIES

Comparing Vietnamese Responses to Chinese and American Public Diplomacy Efforts on Social Media

Dien Nguyen An Luong

In this study, the Facebook posts by the Chinese embassy and consulate in Vietnam were compared with those of the U.S. embassy and consulate over seven months. The findings show that China’s public diplomacy efforts in Vietnam tend to peddle anti-America narratives. But by and large, the Vietnamese public appears more receptive to the U.S. narratives.

Containing the Covid Scourge in South Vietnam

Ha Hoang Hop|Lye Liang Fook

A number of reasons can account for Vietnam’s latest wave of Covid-19 outbreak. These include the more contagious Delta variant, the initial slow response of the authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, the lack of strict application of Covid-19 safety measures, and the slow pace of vaccination due to a shortage of vaccines.