On February 17, 2026, the European Union (EU) officially placed Vietnam on its “tax haven” blacklist—an announcement that sent shockwaves through the country’s international image. What makes this particularly striking is that the blow came less than half a year…
The decision by Da Nang City Police to fine a citizen VND 7.5 million for using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a doctored image of a horse “wearing a dress” has sparked a wave of fierce criticism over the Ministry…
General Secretary Tô Lâm’s upcoming visit to the United States in February 2026 to meet President Donald Trump is taking place in a deeply paradoxical context—one in which Washington’s highest diplomatic courtesies are being overshadowed by suspicion from within Hanoi…
On February 15, 2026, the National Election Council officially announced a list of 864 candidates for the 500 seats of the 16th National Assembly. Notably, the full slate includes all 19 members of the 14th Politburo. Accordingly, the election will…
Right after the 14th National Party Congress has just concluded, General Secretary To Lam’s plan to pay an official visit to the United States in February 2026 has become the focus of international observers. Behind the images portrayed by domestic…
The groundbreaking of a temple dedicated to Hoàng Thị Loan—spanning an enormous 6,000 square meters—on February 9, together with the title “National Mother” aggressively amplified by the propaganda apparatus, is in essence a deeply calculating political move. After the “Father…
After the 14th Party Congress, as Vietnam has just entered what is being called a “New Era,” accompanied by promises of national resurgence, the private business community has instead been hit with another administrative shock. The Ministry of Public Security…
On February 9, 2026, public opinion in Vietnam was thrown into an uproar following information that Nghệ An Province held a groundbreaking ceremony to build a large-scale structure officially named: “Temple Dedicated to the National Mother Hoàng Thị Loan —…
Right after the 14th Party Congress concluded with the Public Security faction’s absolute consolidation of power, Vietnamese society has been witnessing an unprecedented wave of anger at new economic-development policies. It began with the shock of Decree 46, which paralyzed…
That the Government had to rush out Resolution No. 09-2024 on the afternoon of February 5, 2026—temporarily suspending the effectiveness of Decree 46 and Resolution 66.13 just ten days after they were issued—is an unprecedented event. It was not only…
Less than a year after Vietnam and the United States officially upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (September 2023–August 2024)—the highest level of diplomacy reserved for especially trusted partners—a contrasting picture appears to be emerging behind the scenes.…
On January 30, 2026, Vietnam’s state-run media simultaneously reported on a legal development seen as potentially explosive for Vietnam–U.S. relations. The Investigation Security Agency of the Ministry of Public Security officially initiated criminal proceedings, naming Dr. Nguyễn Đình Thắng—a U.S.…
Beneath the veneer of “planning, standards, and a rational structure,” the list of nearly 200 members of the Party’s 14th Central Committee is being read by many observers less as a straightforward personnel roster than as a map of hidden…
On January 24, 2026, China simultaneously imposed disciplinary measures and launched investigations into senior figures within the Central Military Commission (CMC), including CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia, sending shockwaves around the world. This is a political upheaval powerful enough to…
Reflections by human rights lawyer Đặng Đình Mạnh after watching the film in Washington, D.C. I never thought I could be moved by documentary films—until I watched The General, a documentary by American director Laura Brickman. It changed my mind.…
On the afternoon of January 23, 2026, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam officially concluded a day and a half earlier than scheduled. The outcome, according to international observers, was hardly surprising: incumbent Tô Lâm was…
The decision to shorten the duration of the 14th Party Congress from six and a half days to five is creating a fast-paced personnel agenda marked by surprises. As early as the third official working day, January 22, the 1,586…
On the afternoon of January 23, 2026, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) will conclude a day and a half earlier than originally scheduled, instead of ending on January 25, 2026. State media has praised…
These days, the power center in Ba Đình is being engulfed by the heat of a historic, no-holds-barred political showdown—one whose outcome will completely reshape Vietnam’s power structure. Although the 14th Party Congress is officially scheduled to open on January…
On the morning of January 19, 2026, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) officially opened in Hanoi, bringing together nearly 1,600 delegates to decide the country’s political fate for the next five years. While state…
Ahead of the opening of the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the picture of top-level personnel is gradually coming into view, even though officially it is still kept under the label of “strictly confidential.” According to various…
A serious food safety scandal has just been uncovered in the city of Hải Phòng, shaking public opinion and sounding an alarm about business ethics as well as the competence of regulatory authorities. On January 7, 2026, Hải Phòng police…
In the early days of 2026, as the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) rushed to complete the final preparations for its 14th National Party Congress, a series of unusual developments at the top of the political hierarchy exposed deep and…
The political earthquake that occurred in the early hours of January 3, 2026, in Venezuela—when President Nicolás Maduro was arrested by the United States—was not merely the end of a dictator, but also a powerful message sent to those who…
In a move described as unprecedentedly heavy-handed in controlling the currency market, the Vietnamese state has issued Decree 340, which will take effect on February 9, 2026. This new regulation imposes harsh penalties on foreign-currency buying and selling on the…
