New Delhi: Vietnam, under President To Lam and its Communist Party leadership, plans to downsize its government apparatus by 20 percent. The restructuring includes reducing the number of ministries from 18 to 14, dissolving four government agencies, and shutting down five TV channels.
This comes amid widespread layoffs under US President Donald Trump, Elon Musk’s DOGE-related moves, proposals to shut down agencies like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Argentinian President Javier Milei’s aggressive push to shrink government and deregulate the economy.
Vietnam has come a long way—from its wars with the French and the Americans to receiving US aid and rebuilding its economy under Deng Xiaoping-style governance. Today, it stands as the world’s largest exporter of electronics and a major player in the global textile industry.
Vietnam is also the world’s largest manufacturing hub after China, having moved ahead of India in the competition for the China+1 seat.
In Episode 1610 of #CutTheClutter, Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta discusses how Vietnam became an exporting powerhouse and tourism hub and the reforms sweeping the country as it attempts to hold on to its power in the Trump era.
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