Why does Vietnam lag so far behind China, despite similar cultures and political systems?

[tranquilium]

Vietnam seems to still embody the good aspect of China's governing efficiency, hence, successful public policies.

What Vietnam seems to have problem with is its direction vis-a-vis major powers. No body seeks a vassal, but, Vietnam can one way or another adopt a policy approach to China akin to that of South Korea.

If Vietnam wants to embark on a speedy industrialization, it has one option: China. Being embedded to the US regional hegemony system will keep it forever a cheap manufacturing base, killing away all the chances to move up in the value chain.

It is easier said than done for Vietnam. For South Korea, it KNOWS it can't challenge any of its neighbors. Hence there is little point of trying to and the South Koreans can set the policy accordingly.

It is a different story for Vietnam. Like I said, China spent more than a decade systemically decimating Vietnam's economy and military, but before that Vietnam was poised to conquer the entire southeast Asia region (which is the whole reason China chose to retaliate against Vietnam so harshly instead of talking it out). Even today it has one of the stronger army in the region. While Vietnam can't actually compete against gigantic neighbor like China, it can actually compete with its southern and western neighbors, such as Thailand and Malaysia. Basically, for Vietnam, there is still potential gain to adopt an aggressive stance with its neighbors.

Think about it this way, South Korea is like someone in a fight with zero chance to win, so there is no point of trying and might as well try to salvage the situation. Vietnam is like someone in a fight with a tiny ray of hope, so it becomes a beast of desperation and will try a lot of things. When you take in this perspective, a lot of things done by the Vietnam government in the recent year make a lot more sense.

Of course, there is also the option of accepting reality and try to salvage what it has left, but most successful individuals tends to fight until there is no hope left and nations are typically more stubborn than individual people.

 

[TaiShang]

It is easier said than done for Vietnam. For South Korea, it KNOWS it can't challenge any of its neighbors. Hence there is little point of trying to and the South Koreans can set the policy accordingly.

It is a different story for Vietnam. Like I said, China spent more than a decade systemically decimating Vietnam's economy and military, but before that Vietnam was poised to conquer the entire southeast Asia region (which is the whole reason China chose to retaliate against Vietnam so harshly instead of talking it out). Even today it has one of the stronger army in the region. While Vietnam can't actually compete against gigantic neighbor like China, it can actually compete with its southern and western neighbors, such as Thailand and Malaysia. Basically, for Vietnam, there is still potential gain to adopt an aggressive stance with its neighbors.

Think about it this way, South Korea is like someone in a fight with zero chance to win, so there is no point of trying and might as well try to salvage the situation. Vietnam is like someone in a fight with a tiny ray of hope, so it becomes a beast of desperation and will try a lot of things. When you take in this perspective, a lot of things done by the Vietnam government in the recent year make a lot more sense.

Of course, there is also the option of accepting reality and try to salvage what it has left, but most successful individuals tends to fight until there is no hope left and nations are typically more stubborn than individual people.

Very interesting phenomenon, strong country trying to contain and tame the aggressiveness of the weak country... Maybe, like you said it is in the nature of national politics. In that regard, regional economic development is the antithesis for Vietnam's aggressiveness. For, in the face of more prosperous and capable neighbors, their hope for some sort of regional domination will be significantly reduced.

 

[Aepsilons]

Well this thread is surprisingly mostly pleasant to stroll through.

I really think we can do it. China had forced Vietnam into open up relationships with multiple countries. It is fine to be assertive but don't push too far that war had happen. Thank gosh this isn't Mao's China. Mao wouldn't fear going to war against he USA, India, and Russia. I really want the Viet to have the chance of lifting our heads up high.

The reality is that China will always be our neighbor. China will always have a factor and a role in Vietnam's growth now and in the future. A friendly relationship if possible should be always be an objective.

Remember this:

bilateral trade between Vietnam-JAPAN/USA is over $75 Billion per annum.

bilateral trade between Vietnam-China is roughly over $60 Billion per annum.

China is not "that" essential considering the massive and lucrative markets from Japan and the United States.

Vietnam seems to still embody the good aspect of China's governing efficiency, hence, successful public policies.

What Vietnam seems to have problem with is its direction vis-a-vis major powers. No body seeks a vassal, but, Vietnam can one way or another adopt a policy approach to China akin to that of South Korea.

If Vietnam wants to embark on a speedy industrialization, it has one option: China. Being embedded to the US regional hegemony system will keep it forever a cheap manufacturing base, killing away all the chances to move up in the value chain.

An exercise of diplomatic capability, my friend. Let the Vietnamese exercise their right(s). :]

 

[tranquilium]

Very interesting phenomenon, strong country trying to contain and tame the aggressiveness of the weak country... Maybe, like you said it is in the nature of national politics. In that regard, regional economic development is the antithesis for Vietnam's aggressiveness. For, in the face of more prosperous and capable neighbors, their hope for some sort of regional domination will be significantly reduced.

Well, I like to quote something I read in a novel: "If you develop nice toys before developing guns, the first person that come with the gun is going to take those toys away".

You have to remember that outside the a handful of countries on this planet, the economic (or rather GDP) does actually translate well into military strength. Countries outside the top few doesn't actually have the infrastructure to directly translate into military. Take India for example, it has a 1.9 trillion USD economy and bigger than Russia, but its military is nowhere near the strength of Russia. This is because Russia possesses the infrastructure to directly translate economic strength to military strength.

Now, while quite a few of Vietnam's neighbors have much larger GDP than Vietnam, the only one actually possessing the military industrial infrastructure is China, hence why the bigger economy of its neighbor serves little deterrent to Vietnam because they can't readily translate the economic advantage to military advantage.

In my opinion, the best way for China to deal with Vietnam is in accordance with the wounded animal analogy. What does hunter do when its prey is wounded? The hunter avoids a head rush and instead drag the chase out and hound the prey relentlessly. What China need to continuously build its strength. Economically, occupy bigger and bigger share of the market. Also strengthen Vietnam's dependency on Chinese market and products. Militarily, use low level, but frequent forces and build relationship with Vietnam's neighbors, sell/supply them with weapons and training. Also use technological advantage to force uneven resource drain in these conflicts. Give it a few decades and there won't be any fight left in Vietnam.

 

[TaiShang]

An exercise of diplomatic capability, my friend. Let the Vietnamese exercise their right(s). :]

Ｔｈｅｙ　ｄｏ　：）　

China, Vietnam see booming trade in agriculturalproducts
By Zhao Tingting －－Updated: 2015-11-05

Farmers at a field near Mekong Delta, Vietnam. [Photo/IC]

China has imported $2.11 billion worth of farm products from Vietnam in the first nine monthsof the year, up 23.1 percent year-on-year, said Shen Danyang, spokesperson of the Ministryof Commerce, on Wednesday.

Citing figures from the General Administration of Customs, Shen said farm product exportsfrom China to Vietnam totaled $2.39 billion in the first three quarters, up 15.3 percent year-on-year.

Agricultural products in China and Vietnam are highly complementary, Shen said. In order topromote the agricultural product trade, the two countries signed a memorandum ofunderstanding on cooperation in the field of trade of agricultural products in 2013.

With the joint efforts of both sides, in recent years, bilateral agricultural trade developed welland saw steady growth, Shen added.

At present, Vietnam is China's sixth largest agricultural export destination, and the 10thlargest source of imports of agricultural products, making them an important part of bilateraltrade.

Vietnam is China's second largest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nationsand China has been Vietnam's largest trade partner for 11 consecutive years.

＊＊＊

China driving force behind massive infrastructure projects in GMS: expert


In an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, Dr. Pham Sy Thanh, director of the Chinese Economic Studies Program under the Vietnam Economic Policy Research Institute, said that since 1992, when the Asian Development Bank (ADB) implemented a number of GMS development programs, China has made great efforts to connect the Chinese province of Yunnan and south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with the GMS countries.

Thanh said that realizing the demand for capital for infrastructure development and for the continued implementation of projects facilitated by the ADB in the last 10 years, China put forth the initiative of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

"The AIIB plays an active role in financing infrastructure projects in the GMS region since both the ADB and the World Bank could not meet the huge demands for capital in pursuing such projects," he said.

According to Thanh, when participating in regional infrastructure project led or funded by China, Vietnam should pay due attention to multiple aspects, such as balancing its interests with those of the Chinese and should have proper regional connections.

"The formation of Southeast Asia's infrastructure network in the Yunnan and Guangxi region would foster development of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia," Thanh said.

Thanh said that Vietnam should have proper connections with the region's infrastructure network to fully tap their potential and avoid wasteful investment.

He said that Vietnam's major infrastructure projects such as the North-South expressway and seaports along coastal provinces will mainly serve domestic demand, adding that the government should also give priority to projects that would speed up intra-regional trade.

"Vietnam's seaports have great advantages, including Saigon Port which lies in international sea routes, but their management is poor, the cost is high and logistics system are insufficient," he said.

Thanh said ASEAN and China's have developed stronger and closer economic bonds since the formation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area.

China is intensifying multilateral cooperative mechanisms with the ASEAN, including ASEAN +1, ASEAN +3, ASEAN Regional Forum and East Asia Summit, Thanh said.

According to an official from the Vietnamese Embassy in China, Vietnam-China cooperation on economy, trade, and investment has played an outstanding role in the overall cooperative relations between the two countries.

In recent years, the bilateral cooperation on economy, trade and investment between China and Vietnam has attained considerable growth and Thanh predicted the two-way trade between Hanoi and Beijing would reach 60 billion U.S. dollars this year.

The Vietnamese market consumes large amounts of Chinese oil and petroleum products, materials and accessories for garment and textile production, machines, equipment, fertilizers, chemicals and steel.

Vietnam, on the other hand, exports crude oil, rubber, coal, seafood, fruits, vegetables, cashew nuts, vegetable oil, woodwork, plastic products, among others, to China in big quantities.

Besides increasingly improving trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and China, ties between the two countries' border provinces are becoming closer and closer.

The seven Vietnamese border provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau and Dien Bien and the two Chinese localities of Yunnan and Guangxi have actively cooperated on various fields, especially on the economy.

The Vietnamese and Chinese border localities have set up commercial areas, border areas and open economic zones to beef up their trade and investment relations. They have also strengthened construction and improvement of border infrastructure such as linking air, road and rail routes, and connecting water supply and electricity grids, contributing to better quality of life of local residents as well as closer trade and economic cooperation between Vietnam and China.

To date, China has nearly 1,180 investment projects with total registered capital of more than 8.4 billion U.S. dollars in Vietnam, ranking 9th among 105 countries and regions having investments in the country, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment.

 

[Aepsilons]

In my opinion, the best way for China to deal with Vietnam is in accordance with the wounded animal analogy. What does hunter do when its prey is wounded? The hunter avoids a head rush and instead drag the chase out and hound the prey relentlessly. What China need to continuously build its strength. Economically, occupy bigger and bigger share of the market. Also strengthen Vietnam's dependency on Chinese market and products. Militarily, use low level, but frequent forces and build relationship with Vietnam's neighbors, sell/supply them with weapons and training. Also use technological advantage to force uneven resource drain in these conflicts. Give it a few decades and there won't be any fight left in Vietnam.

What regional threats?

1. Laos is under Vietnamese protectorate-ship and the country has free range into Laos' territory.

2. Cambodian leadership is under influence of the VCP and the VPA has a powerful influence on the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Not to mention that Vietnam can easily "pincer" Cambodia with a Corp Size Force. The Viets have dominated the Khmer region for centuries now, and the fighting ability of the Cambodian military is inferior to that of the Vietnamese as per recent findings.The Vietnamese have inherited the East Asian brutal warfare spirit.

3. Thailand will not engage the Vietnamese directly; Thailand would not last a week in a open war with the Vietnamese. Period.

Ｔｈｅｙ　ｄｏ　：）　

Its important to understand that when regarding Vietnam, we are referring to a land and people that was considered "Cochin-China" or "Indo-China". This region was the crown center of French imperialism in southeast asia and a source of contention between the British and French in domination. Vietnam was very much considered "Chinese" by foreigners during the age of European Imperialism. Culturally , linguistically, even phenotypically speaking they were considered close to the Chinese. So it is not with merit to assume and suppose that the Vietnamese have the same work ethic as the Chinese, the Koreans or Japanese.

They do. I have seen VIetnamese Americans work in my classroom(s), have seen them in lab works, they are studious and as dedicated as any Chinese, Japanese student i had taught. If i were to base my assumption on Vietnamese capabilty on my students', then I'd say that Vietnam will be an industrialized power within 2-3 decades time.

They are collectivists, practically homogenous, and are success driven, as a whole.

They will rise. It is best not to underestimate our Confucian cousins of the Southeast.

 

[Huan]

What regional threats?

1. Laos is under Vietnamese protectorate-ship and the country has free range into Laos' territory.

2. Cambodian leadership is under influence of the VCP and the VPA has a powerful influence on the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Not to mention that Vietnam can easily "pincer" Cambodia with a Corp Size Force. The Viets have dominated the Khmer region for centuries now, and the fighting ability of the Cambodian military is inferior to that of the Vietnamese as per recent findings.The Vietnamese have inherited the East Asian brutal warfare spirit.

3. Thailand will not engage the Vietnamese directly; Thailand would not last a week in a open war with the Vietnamese. Period.



Its important to understand that when regarding Vietnam, we are referring to a land and people that was considered "Cochin-China" or "Indo-China". This region was the crown center of French imperialism in southeast asia and a source of contention between the British and French in domination. Vietnam was very much considered "Chinese" by foreigners during the age of European Imperialism. Culturally , linguistically, even phenotypically speaking they were considered close to the Chinese. So it is not with merit to assume and suppose that the Vietnamese have the same work ethic as the Chinese, the Koreans or Japanese.

They do. I have seen VIetnamese Americans work in my classroom(s), have seen them in lab works, they are studious and as dedicated as any Chinese, Japanese student i had taught. If i were to base my assumption on Vietnamese capabilty on my students', then I'd say that Vietnam will be an industrialized power within 2-3 decades time.

They are collectivists, practically homogenous, and are success driven, as a whole.

They will rise. It is best not to underestimate our Confucian cousins of the Southeast.

Are you more hyped up about Vietnam than China? Are you cheering more for the Vietnamese than the Chinese people?

 

[Aepsilons]

Are you more hyped up about Vietnam than China? Are you cheering more for the Vietnamese than the Chinese people?

No. I'm trying to give a historical-based analysis of the comprehensive geopolitical geohistorical picture. Its a appreciative retrospective analysis, so to say.

 

[AndrewJin]

Are you more hyped up about Vietnam than China? Are you cheering more for the Vietnamese than the Chinese people?

His viewpoints always contradict his previous points.
Guess it is not "his", but "their".

Vietnam-JAPAN/USA

Japan/USA, son and father?

 

[Aepsilons]

Japan/USA, son and father?

Together we shall rule the galaxy.

Guess it is not "his", but "their".

lol, are you trying to say that my account is by the Japanese self defense force and that there are multiple individuals that use my account? lol.

oh stop it. you're being silly now.

What is this? Puppet and puppeteer relation like Japan-Americano?

As far as i know, Vader was turned to the light side of the force.

 

[AndrewJin]

What is this? Puppet and puppeteer relation like Japan-Americano?

 

[tranquilium]

What regional threats?

1. Laos is under Vietnamese protectorate-ship and the country has free range into Laos' territory.

2. Cambodian leadership is under influence of the VCP and the VPA has a powerful influence on the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Not to mention that Vietnam can easily "pincer" Cambodia with a Corp Size Force. The Viets have dominated the Khmer region for centuries now, and the fighting ability of the Cambodian military is inferior to that of the Vietnamese as per recent findings.The Vietnamese have inherited the East Asian brutal warfare spirit.

3. Thailand will not engage the Vietnamese directly; Thailand would not last a week in a open war with the Vietnamese. Period.

1. Laos is hardly a Vietnam protectorate. Unlike Vietnam, Myanmar or China which participated in the cold war and have taken clear sides in the past. Laos always has a large number of domestic factions. While the pro-Vietnam faction did assume total control for a brief period time in the 1970s and sent other factions into exile, it quickly lost it and the other factions, including pro-China, pro-US and old nobility factions, are invited right back in. Heck the Laos communist part even returned all the previously seize property and wealth. Nowadays Laos has your typical weak central government with location factions and groups controlling their territories. Its economy is mostly influenced by China, followed by Japan.

2. I don't doubt Vietnam military force is stronger than both Cambodia and Thailand forces and I have already stated so in my post. The thing is, being stronger and actually able to carry out territory expansion are two things entirely. The difference between Vietnam in the 1970s and Vietnam today is that Vietnam in the 70s can potentially conquer these territory and brought it under direct control. Vietnam today can't. So it is true that Thailand is unwilling to start a war with Vietnam, but the reverse is also true. From the Chinese perspective, that will work just fine.

An interesting note on Laos. Laos is a good example of the influence Vietnam used to wield in the 70s and why it waned. Back then Laos government and VCP are quite close and used to hold annual summits together. Your description of being a Vietnam protectorate isn't that far off (well, it is more of Vietnam poising to swallow up Laos and Laos has no choice but to take it.) Part of this is the relative strength between Vietnam and Laos. Another huge part of this is the greater geopolitical in the entire western coast of pacific ocean. Back in the 70s, Vietnam sided with USSR. With the US withdrew from South Vietnam, pro-USSR forces had a decisive strategic advantage in southeast Asia region. While China certainly doesn't like it, it already had its hands full with USSR pressure from the north. Other pro-US forces such Thailand are too weak to challenge Vietnam, hence why I said Vietnam was potentially in a position to conquer the entire Southeast Asia region.

However, all this changed with Nixon's visit to China. The China-US alliance in the late 70s to 80s decidedly changed the arrangement of forces in the region. China, now linked with Japan, US, pretty much cut Southeast Asia off from the rest of the Soviet Bloc. With USSR tied up in Afghanistan and wasting resources battling guerrillas and terrorists backed by all four other members of the UN permanent security council, Vietnam suddenly find itself alone against China and the ensuing decade of high pressure border engagement pretty much drain Vietnam dry. The pressure only stopped in the 1990s, where China and US are again enemies and China chose to look eastward instead of southward, but by then, the damage is already done and Vietnam is in no economic or military condition to influence Laos. The former is perhaps more important because with the entire region in unspoken armistice, economic influence are much more effective than military influence. Hence why Japan actually has large amount of influence on Laos economy because it was the wealthiest nation in the east/southeast Asia region in the 1980s~1990s.

 

[vtnsx]

This is what I mean, you are almost begging them to join you in trash talking VN.

Welcome back the enlightened one.

Less talk, do more ... and no war. Keep hard-working at least 10~20 years, then situation might change better ... do remember No War or get nothing.

They already had their chance. The Vietnam war ended in 1975 to date, 2015. That's a whopping 40 years!! The stupid incompetent VCP is to blame. They are stupid and ignorant, China should really crush those incompetents. Those running for VCP are leeches.

Would be a dream to have Vietnam to be where your country is. I think we need at least 30 years of peace to get there.

Vietnam had 40 years of peace and gain almost nothing. It only started today because of China.

Vietnam's SOE has all been embezzled by Nguyen Tan Dung's corrupt family.

And his privatization plan of the SOE will even create bigger gap between the rich and the poor.

Yet, that leech is still running for PM for VCP. How pathetic. His kids are hiding here in North America. The VCP is weak and corrupted to the core. They only won the Vietnam war because the US back out and they took advantage of the Paris Peace treaty and invaded the south.

What regional threats?

1. Laos is under Vietnamese protectorate-ship and the country has free range into Laos' territory.

2. Cambodian leadership is under influence of the VCP and the VPA has a powerful influence on the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Not to mention that Vietnam can easily "pincer" Cambodia with a Corp Size Force. The Viets have dominated the Khmer region for centuries now, and the fighting ability of the Cambodian military is inferior to that of the Vietnamese as per recent findings.The Vietnamese have inherited the East Asian brutal warfare spirit.

3. Thailand will not engage the Vietnamese directly; Thailand would not last a week in a open war with the Vietnamese. Period.



Its important to understand that when regarding Vietnam, we are referring to a land and people that was considered "Cochin-China" or "Indo-China". This region was the crown center of French imperialism in southeast asia and a source of contention between the British and French in domination. Vietnam was very much considered "Chinese" by foreigners during the age of European Imperialism. Culturally , linguistically, even phenotypically speaking they were considered close to the Chinese. So it is not with merit to assume and suppose that the Vietnamese have the same work ethic as the Chinese, the Koreans or Japanese.

They do. I have seen VIetnamese Americans work in my classroom(s), have seen them in lab works, they are studious and as dedicated as any Chinese, Japanese student i had taught. If i were to base my assumption on Vietnamese capabilty on my students', then I'd say that Vietnam will be an industrialized power within 2-3 decades time.

They are collectivists, practically homogenous, and are success driven, as a whole.

They will rise. It is best not to underestimate our Confucian cousins of the Southeast.

You forgot to mention. A smart Vietnamese can be a hazard to his health too.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Yet, that leech is still running for PM for VCP. How pathetic. His kids are hiding here in North America. The VCP is weak and corrupted to the core. They only won the Vietnam war because the US back out and they took advantage of the Paris Peace treaty and invaded the south.

The two major steps how to steal a country's state-owned assets.

1. To bankrupt a good SOE with all sort of graft.

2. To propagate how the SOE cannot run properly, so better to privatize it.

This is the worst form of corruption, to consume all the flesh, but don't even leave a bone.

This crook is planned to put all the state-owned assets into his own pocket, yet so many Viet members here still support him?

Just wait and see, if he manages to privatize those major SOEs, then his family's wealth will easily skyrocket into multi-billion.

When he feels it is the time to legalize his wealth, then he will eventually destroy the VCP and bring back the ROV.

 

[vtnsx]

1. Laos is hardly a Vietnam protectorate. Unlike Vietnam, Myanmar or China which participated in the cold war and have taken clear sides in the past. Laos always has a large number of domestic factions. While the pro-Vietnam faction did assume total control for a brief period time in the 1970s and sent other factions into exile, it quickly lost it and the other factions, including pro-China, pro-US and old nobility factions, are invited right back in. Heck the Laos communist part even returned all the previously seize property and wealth. Nowadays Laos has your typical weak central government with location factions and groups controlling their territories. Its economy is mostly influenced by China, followed by Japan.

2. I don't doubt Vietnam military force is stronger than both Cambodia and Thailand forces and I have already stated so in my post. The thing is, being stronger and actually able to carry out territory expansion are two things entirely. The difference between Vietnam in the 1970s and Vietnam today is that Vietnam in the 70s can potentially conquer these territory and brought it under direct control. Vietnam today can't. So it is true that Thailand is unwilling to start a war with Vietnam, but the reverse is also true. From the Chinese perspective, that will work just fine.

An interesting note on Laos. Laos is a good example of the influence Vietnam used to wield in the 70s and why it waned. Back then Laos government and VCP are quite close and used to hold annual summits together. Your description of being a Vietnam protectorate isn't that far off (well, it is more of Vietnam poising to swallow up Laos and Laos has no choice but to take it.) Part of this is the relative strength between Vietnam and Laos. Another huge part of this is the greater geopolitical in the entire western coast of pacific ocean. Back in the 70s, Vietnam sided with USSR. With the US withdrew from South Vietnam, pro-USSR forces had a decisive strategic advantage in southeast Asia region. While China certainly doesn't like it, it already had its hands full with USSR pressure from the north. Other pro-US forces such Thailand are too weak to challenge Vietnam, hence why I said Vietnam was potentially in a position to conquer the entire Southeast Asia region.

However, all this changed with Nixon's visit to China. The China-US alliance in the late 70s to 80s decidedly changed the arrangement of forces in the region. China, now linked with Japan, US, pretty much cut Southeast Asia off from the rest of the Soviet Bloc. With USSR tied up in Afghanistan and wasting resources battling guerrillas and terrorists backed by all four other members of the UN permanent security council, Vietnam suddenly find itself alone against China and the ensuing decade of high pressure border engagement pretty much drain Vietnam dry. The pressure only stopped in the 1990s, where China and US are again enemies and China chose to look eastward instead of southward, but by then, the damage is already done and Vietnam is in no economic or military condition to influence Laos. The former is perhaps more important because with the entire region in unspoken armistice, economic influence are much more effective than military influence. Hence why Japan actually has large amount of influence on Laos economy because it was the wealthiest nation in the east/southeast Asia region in the 1980s~1990s.

I disagree with your theory. I see this in history books that us Vietnamese never lost to reach our goals.

The two major steps how to steal a country's state-owned assets.

1. To bankrupt a good SOE with all sort of graft.

2. To propagate how the SOE cannot run properly, so better to privatize it.

This is the worst form of corruption, to consume all the flesh, but don't even leave a bone.

This crook is planned to put all the state-owned assets into his own pocket, yet so many Viet members here still support him?

Just wait and see, if he manages to privatize those major SOEs, then his family's wealth will easily skyrocket into multi-billion.

When he feels it is the time to legalize his wealth, then he will eventually destroy the VCP and bring back the ROV.

There is all kinds of problems with SOEs, The Vietnamese in Vietnam will never know this because they live in the bubble. However, many over sea Vietnamese know this and hated the VCP for a long time.