Vietnam’s 13th National Party Congress to select new leadership

Vietnam’s 13th National Party Congress will be held from today until February 2nd to select new leaders for the next five years and set the socio-economic course for the next decade.

One of the main concerns about the congress is whether Vietnam will embrace its emerging middle power status in its next 10-year agenda. Middle powers are defined by two criteria— achieving rapid economic development and leveraging its growing influence to bridge the gap between developed and developing countries. Vietnam already has one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia. Additionally, it has expanded its role in promoting ASEAN-led platforms for negotiations among major powers.

However, since both the US and China are Hanoi’s biggest trading partners, rising Sino-American tensions have hindered its export-driven growth. While Hanoi prefers upgrading its comprehensive partnership with Washington, it does not want to be trapped in an anti-China relationship with the US.

Expect Hanoi’s priority to be promoting more sustainable growth by diversifying trading partners and improving domestic supply chains before framing its middle power strategy.

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