CONTRIBUTORS

Dr Nguyen Khac Giang is Visiting Fellow at the Vietnam Studies Programme of ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. He was previously Research Fellow at the Vietnam Center for Economic and Strategic Studies.

Articles by Nguyen Khac Giang (40)

The Domestic Calculations of To Lam’s Foreign Policy

Nguyen Khac Giang

Domestic factors seem to impel Vietnam’s top politician as he jetsets around the world, ahead of an all-important Party congress.

To Lam is Institutionalising Politics Again

Nguyen Khac Giang

Few had expected To Lam, Vietnam’s top leader, to rebuild the same institutions that he had dismantled.

Elite Competition and Narrative Inconsistency in Vietnam’s Propaganda Apparatus

Dien Nguyen An Luong|Nguyen Khac Giang

This Long Read argues that Vietnam’s propaganda apparatus is increasingly shaped by internal tensions between two informal but influential elite coalitions. On one side are conservative actors embedded in the military and ideology apparatus, who prioritise ideological orthodoxy and regime security. On the other are reformist pragmatists, often drawn from diplomatic and economic institutions, who place greater emphasis on performance legitimacy, international engagement, and administrative modernisation.

Grooming New Champions: To Lam Prepares for Private Sector-Led Growth in Vietnam

Nguyen Khac Giang

Resolution 68, issued in May 2025 by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, marks one of Vietnam’s most dramatic economic policy shifts since Doi Moi. It elevates the private sector from junior partner to the “most important force” of the economy. However, success hinges on overcoming entrenched interests, managing ideological resistance within the CPV, and ensuring disciplined execution of reforms.

Vietnam Should Keep its Credit Caps and Carry on Structural Reforms

Nguyen Khac Giang

Vietnam’s rapid credit growth in the first half of 2025, and Prime Minister Chinh’s call to further open the floodgates, are concerning. The government must not gamble hard-earned stability for ephemeral monetary expansion.