Zhou Chao
Recently there have been media reports that Vietnam seems to be further reforming the power structure of its ruling party. The reports suggest that the Communist Party (CPV) in Vietnam is dividing the party’s internal power into three major areas in hopes of achieving a rational division to improve decision-making efficiency. The further improvement of the checks and balances mechanism within the CPV’s power structure also “helps strengthen internal supervision, ensure effective checks on power, and make the selection of cadres more reasonable”. However, as for the credibility of the reports, there is currently no substantial and strong evidence to confirm the authenticity through in-depth investigation and comparisons. That said, it is important to note that in the past decade, Vietnam has undergone profound changes in many areas, including politics, economy, and society.
First, in terms of the political power structure, the highest political power in Vietnam is divided into four major pillars, known as “tứ trụ” in Vietnamese: the General Secretary of the CPV, the President, the Prime Minister, and the Chairman of the National Assembly. These four positions are held by different individuals, reflecting a balance of power. Since 2021, after Nguyễn Phú Trọng stepped down as President, Tô Lâm briefly held both the positions of General Secretary and President for five months before quickly relinquishing the latter. Since then, Vietnam’s highest power structure has no longer displayed a “triple unity” of party, government, and military. Since 2001, the CPV’s Central Committee has abolished the Politburo Standing Committee and retained only the Secretariat, with the number of Politburo members gradually increasing from 7 in the 12th Party Congress to 18 in the 13th Party Congress, showing a general trend of decentralization in the highest power structure.
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