ARTICLES

Russian President Putin’s Visit to Hanoi: Vietnam’s ‘Bamboo Diplomacy’ In Action

Ian Storey

President Putin’s visit to Vietnam was a qualified success for both countries. The Putin regime was able to show that despite Western efforts to isolate it, Russia is not without friends. By hosting the Russian leader, Vietnam was able to honour an old friend and highlight the merits of its bamboo diplomacy.

Anti-Corruption Politics and Shifts in Central-Local Relations in Vietnam

Nguyen Khac Giang

Since 2021, half of the members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam who were removed for corruption were provincial leaders, resulting in a decrease in provincial representation in the Committee from 40 per cent to 28 per cent. Moving forward, Vietnam must strike a balance between its anti-corruption efforts and the need to preserve provincial autonomy, to sustain economic growth at the local level.