Vietnam is ruled by an authoritarian communist regime that is committed to retaining its political monopoly in perpetuity and to curtail and even eliminate open expressions of political dissent. In recent years, the country has been engaged in a major anti-corruption campaign that has led to the resignment of high-profile politicians, including the state president.
Despite a challenging global environment and continuing tensions between the United States and China, Vietnam’s economy has shown resilience. It has been supported by robust domestic demand, large-scale foreign investment, increased export-orientated manufacturing and unprecedented growth of the private sector.
Gender inequality is on the rise and the protection of women’s rights remains limited. Furthermore, violations of fundamental freedoms and human rights are common and even worsening during the review period.
