Asia Sentinel

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Functional security organization needed for survival in the 21st century

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Independent political news voice wiped out by mysterious hackers

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Before Vietnam can embark on its global journey, it must first resolve the issue of trust at home

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Hero farmer gets five years in prison

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Southeast Asia Tour, designed to build regional confidence, sows mistrust

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But entrenched interests are likely to get in the way

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Scholars and dissidents deliver a manifesto

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In time Vietnam will change. However, the manner in which it changes will be one for debate.

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Despite the Vietnamese public's lack of trust in the government, despite the government's rights violations, reform remains a distant hope. The path to change is littered with obstacles, and what comes after is equally challenging.

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Round up the usual suspects...

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A multi-party system would be the first step on a long and hard path

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A sclerotic Communist Party resists change

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Freedom of religion, much like freedom of speech, is subject to interpretation by the government

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We conclude a six-part series on land in Vietnam with a look at the public debate on a revised law

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Grievances mount over land tenure laws and little has been resolved

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Unlikely victory for environmentalists

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As the New Year rolls in, tensions in the South China Sea remain as high as ever

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A disheartening step backwards from joining the fraternity of modern nations

High-profile preserve may fall to developers with friends in high places

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If the population got restive, the suitors for primacy would be the US and China

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Former BBC Correspondent barred from conference

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As the United States continues to rebalance its Asia strategy, and as China continues to grow, Asian countries will have to determine their future.

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If the recent intraparty dispute has proven anything, it is that the Communist Party, not its individual leaders, ultimately bears responsibility for Vietnam's failures

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Canada has much to do if it desires a greater role in Asia-Pacific

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The North Sea Commission could serve as a template for a peaceful resolution to Asia-Pacific maritime disputes

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Political infighting masks sensible economic corrections

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China's four possible positions

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The economic deterioration of Vietnam provides the perfect setting for regime change, with a scandal-ridden prime minister seeking to hold onto his position

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Intra-party rivals may pull him down

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Sixty-seven years since Vietnam's Declaration of Independence, the country remains under the thumb of an authoritarian government.

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Before Vietnam can assume any role on the international stage, it must first change at home

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Social media begins to drive opposition to the regime

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The future of the Pacific is uncertain as disputes between nations threaten to destabilize the region

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Core US concerns with Vietnam remain unresolved, the most prominent being democracy and human rights.

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Vietnam passes a new maritime law laying further claim to disputed islands

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A new organization must be formed to address the region's present and future concerns

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Extreme weather events are on the increase

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To the north is China and across the Pacific is the United States, two powers facing off. In the middle and no less a part of this confrontation is Vietnam.

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To effect change in Vietnam’s human rights policies, the Vietnamese-American community must broaden the appeal of their message

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Russia's South China Sea Exploration complicates matters even more

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Under Communist leadership, Vietnam has failed to make its mark on the world. The new Vietnam needs to focus on the future.

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An alliance of convenience becomes a strategic relationship

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Doan Van Vuon: national hero

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The party is living on borrowed time as it drifts aimlessly

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Onetime foes look to close economic, political cooperation

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Destroyed family farm could force changes in Vietnam’s law

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The Wisdom of Farmers

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Shootout in Tien Lang

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This is the first of a three-part series on corruption in Vietnam's land confiscation, which in many ways rivals China's, by David Brown, a retired diplomat with the US Foreign Service who served in several posts throughout Southeast Asia.

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As US power wanes and China's waxes, other countries start looking for allies

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Sustainability or exploitation

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The greatest obstacle to democratic reform in Vietnam comes from its government.

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Any hope for democracy lies with the US.

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Ottawa Says Let Washington Do It

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Continuing growth is matched by stubborn inflation

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Open letter supports local intellectuals, calls for reforms and democratization in effort to stand up to China

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Instead of reform and rehabilitation, arrested drug users forced into involuntary labor and torture

{mosimage}First into the financial downturn, Vietnam looks like first out as well 

{mosimage}The rule of law goes by the board for Cambodia's land sharks

{mosimage}Chinese seek to develop bauxite mines in environmentally and socially sensitive area

{mosimage}Hanoi calls for the removal of a prominent religious figure

{mosimage}Vietnam faces political turbulence as economic woes worsen

Inflation, labor unrest and other troubles threaten the prime minister

Motorcycle tour guides in the Central Highlands take travellers beyond boozy beach resorts

With a booming economy attracting hordes to the stock market, the country needs to be careful to avoid a bust