2009 Assessment

This peer-reviewed country report includes:

Integrity Indicators Scorecard: Scores, scoring criteria, commentary, references, and peer review perspectives for more than 300 Integrity Indicators.

Reporter's Notebook: An on-the-ground look at corruption and integrity from a leading local journalist.

Corruption Timeline: Ten years of political context to today's corruption and integrity issues.

The blurry (and often non-existent) lines between ruling party and the state in Vietnam continue to pose structural challenges to the country's governance reform agenda. Vietnam unfortunately boasts some of the world's most explicit restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and the arrests of bloggers have provided a chilling reminder to those who choose to speak out against the government that they put themselves at personal risk. Independent media is virtually non-existent, with all media outlets being state-run. To even register a new media outlet requires purchasing the right to obtain a license from an existing state-run organ, a dubious gray market few in Vietnam discuss. The courts offer little refuge for those seeking defense from government action, as 90% of judges are members of the ruling party while only 30% have a law degree. State-run enterprises represent a significant source of potential corruption, with strong ties to the party elite and financial records that are so hidden from the public as to be described "state secrets."