Nguyen Khac Giang

Does Vietnam copy the China model? My new research explores the complexities of authoritarian diffusion between these two communist regimes.

Join us for the highly anticipated launch of The State of Southeast Asia: 2026 Survey Report, where we will share key survey findings for discussion and analysis by a distinguished panel of discussants. Register at iseas.edu.sg/mec-events/e-l… #SSEA #ASEAN #SoutheastAsia #SSEA2026

Please join us for this webinar, in which our panelists will analyze the key personnel and policy outcomes of the CPV’s 14th National Congress and their implications for Vietnam’s political, economic, and foreign policy prospects. Registration link in the Comments.

Fulcrum Commentary by Nguyen Khac Giang (@khacgiang) - In an attempt to prevent the latter from drifting too far into China’s orbit, Vietnam has made overtures to Laos in the form of functional cooperation. fulcrum.sg/beyond-brother…

During a brief courtesy call hours ago, President Trump reportedly told To Lam that he’d instruct officials to remove Vietnam from Strategic Export Control lists D:1 and D:3. Trump also said he “appreciated” Hanoi’s efforts to offset trade imbalance but did not mention tariffs.

Vietnam’s top leader To Lam is seeking to hold trade talks with US President Donald Trump next week during a visit to Washington bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Vietnam's leader, Mr. To Lam, is a former security chief who carved his way to prominence and relishes the good life. Mr. Lam is at this point known for being neither doctrinaire nor charismatic. He is charming in small groups. He is willing to take big risks while keeping his full intentions hidden. He is not quite like anything this one-party state has elevated before: a former security chief with a Ph.D.; a pro-business reformer; a divorced father of four; a globalist partial to fine wine and Kenny G. nytimes.com/2026/02/09/wor…

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 for 𝙆𝙎 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙝𝙪 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 and 𝙏𝙪𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙞𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙜 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙏𝙖𝙣 𝙈𝘼 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 Apply at iseas.edu.sg/about-us/oppor… #Scholarships2026 #SoutheastAsiaStudies

2026/4 “Discipline by Design: Vietnam’s Blacklisting Regime and Its Implications for Digital Governance” by Nguyen Khac Giang (@khacgiang) and Dien Nguyen An Luong (@DienLuong85): iseas.edu.sg/articles-comme… #Vietnam #SocialMediaPolitics @ISEAS

VCP's 14th Congress opens next week. To Lam is set to stay, but the bigger story is power: more security/military weight, factions jostling, and a 1970s-born cohort rising. Read my preview for @Diplomat_APAC thediplomat.com/2026/01/vietna…

Vietnam’s 14th National Congress: Power, Reform, and the Next Political Generation @khacgiang thediplomat.com/2026/01/vietna…

Fulcrum Commentary by Nguyen Khac Giang (@khacgiang) and Le Hong Hiep (@lhhiep) - Vietnam’s efforts to eradicate ‘localism’ have created side effects which might undermine proper governance. fulcrum.sg/the-risk-of-vi…

Vietnam has recently adopted a policy of appointing all key provincial leaders from outside the province they govern. In this joint article, @khacgiang and I explore some of the negative implications of this policy and suggest ways to address them. fulcrum.sg/the-risk-of-vi…

This year’s poll shows that Chinese people still hold the highest favorability toward Russia, though it has slightly declined for the third consecutive year. Favorability toward the United States remains the second lowest, but with a slight increase this year.

2025 exposed the Mekong's triple vulnerability: fragile politics, economic stress, climate shocks. With most countries having leadership transitions soon, can the next generation manage it all? My commentary on @east_asia_forum eastasiaforum.org/2025/12/30/pol…

What are the best China books of 2025? @semafor just published its list, packed full of incredible titles, including work by @PatrickMcGee_ @danwwang @evadou @EmilyZFeng Happy to cast my vote for the book of the year on Chinese elite politics, which was "The Party's Interests Come First" by @JosephTorigian "A compelling account of how politics, ideology, and personality shaped Xi Jinping’s father and the Communist Party he helped lead." Thanks to @abrownepek for putting this together!

Delighted to share a new project & dataset now forthcoming from @chinaquarterly, on China's internal security spending. Short thread:

Next month's Party Congress will show whether there's consensus on this direction. You can read the full paper here: iseas.edu.sg/articles-comme…

The tricky part is balancing 3 things at once: socialist orientation vs. market mechanisms, current reliance on FDI vs. building domestic capacity, and integration into global value chains vs. strategic autonomy.

VN has tried industrial policy 3 times since 1986. None really worked. Now there's a new attempt under new leader To Lam. More comprehensive than before, but still facing serious constraints. My new paper for @ISEAS takes a deep dive into his strategy. iseas.edu.sg/articles-comme…