But Vietnam’s leaders don’t want that to change. In July, two months before Biden’s arrival, Vietnam’s Communist Party’s Politburo issued a secret order, Directive 24, calling for continued strict control over the country’s population. A copy of the directive was released on March 1 by Project 88, an organization that advocates for free speech in Vietnam.
Vietnam is already a police state, with freedom of speech and assembly restricted and dissidents and civil society activists imprisoned. Since 2021, Vietnamese authorities have arrested or imprisoned six leaders of the country’s climate movement on charges including tax evasion. The new directive suggests that Vietnam’s leaders intend to maintain this approach and are nervous that foreign influence could undermine it. The directive undermines hopes that international trade deals, such as the ill-fated Trans-Pacific Partnership pushed forward by President Barack Obama, will cause Vietnam to loosen its grip on the country. Project 88 said in a statement that the directive “puts an end to this magical thinking.”
Under Directive 24, nine orders were sent to the government and the Party. These include Vietnamese people who “tightly control” those who go abroad for business or exchange. Another order declares that “the formation of independent political organizations within the country shall not be permitted.” There are also restrictions on the formation of independent labor unions. Another order ordered authorities to “take over domestic markets and businesses,” which could result from “being caught by surprise when participating in great power initiatives and strategies” and “allowing foreign investors to take over domestic markets and businesses.” It calls for vigilance to “prevent serious threats to national security.” and occupies an important economic sector. ”
One of the most important orders in the document seeks to prevent Vietnam’s civil society organizations from participating in legislation and policy-making. Vietnam has previously dealt harshly with dissidents and bloggers who try to hold the government accountable for toxic spills. The new directive strongly warns against allowing the emergence of “‘civil society’ alliances and networks, ‘independent trade unions’…”. [and] creating the conditions for the formation of a domestic political opposition. ” The document warns against allowing political groups to mobilize people for “color revolutions” or “street revolutions” against the state.
According to Directive 24, media outlets must combat “populist tendencies, civil disobedience, false views and sabotage by hostile forces, and efforts to promote hybrid foreign cultures that do not conform to national customs and traditions.” It should be sought after. News organizations must also “combat fake news” and “develop rules of civilized behavior in state institutions, businesses, society, and cyberspace.”
In December 2022, Vietnam signed an ambitious agreement with the European Union and G7 countries, Denmark and Norway. The agreement aims to enable Vietnam to meet its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The EU and other foreign governments have agreed to mobilize at least $15.5 billion from public and private investors to help Vietnam meet its climate goals. However, the agreement states that “for the transition to be just and equitable, regular consultations involving the media, NGOs and other stakeholders are needed to ensure broad societal consensus.” There is.
Now, Directive 24 shows that Vietnam is secretly reluctant to meet the conditions of the climate change agreement. Do the authoritarians in Vietnam’s Politburo think that no one notices that they are carrying out repression at home while promising foreigners otherwise? Vietnam’s would-be partners should not tolerate such duplicity in Vietnam.