Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui

HANOI — Vietnam’s leaders sought to boost their flagging legitimacy by asking the public for suggestions on constitutional reform. What they got instead was rare open criticism of one-party rule, a fired journalist turned poster boy for dissent, and another lesson on how the Internet has changed the rules of governance.

Five years ago, Vietnam was South East Asia's go-to place for foreign investment, rivalling China as the low-cost manufacturing centre of choice in the region.

“ In the current context, cooperation in this field(strategic ties) should be enhanced to cope with challenges, such as terrorism, transnational crimes, maritime security and safety, including the increased friendly exchanges between the two armed forces”. — Vietnam President Truong Tan Song, October 09, 2011

Chairman of the Office of the National Assembly Nguyen Hanh Phuc said the NA will allocate half a day for the first-ever vote of confidence for high-ranking officials in the 5th NA session in May 2013.

It is not every day that a Vietnamese national assemblyman publicly confronts a sitting prime minister and Politburo Standing Committee member live on national TV, suggesting that the latter resign. Yet that was what transpired last week, when lawmaker Duong Trung Quoc spoke out against Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Vietnam's prime minister made a rare apology on Monday for problems gripping the economy and called for the ruling Communist Party to work with the country at large to implement reforms more quickly and ensure order in its finances.

BANGKOK — The political future of Vietnam's prime minister is hanging in the balance as communist party chiefs gather for talks overshadowed by financial scandals and economic malaise, experts say.

HO CHI MINH CITY – In what was once one of Asia's most exciting emerging markets, Nguyen Van Nguyen sees only gloom ahead. Since 2008, his business in southern Vietnam's economic capital has suffered through two volatile bouts of inflation, peaking in August 2011 at 23 percent -- at the time, Asia's highest inflation rate.

HANOI — A Vietnamese-American pro-democracy activist has been arrested and accused of terrorism for allegedly trying to sabotage liberation celebrations commemorating the end of the Vietnam War, state media said Sunday.

HANOI - Vietnam has arrested four more men linked to an organisation accused of plotting to overthrow the communist government, state media said Monday.

Vietnam deputy prime minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has ordered better labour policies because strikes continue to occur, with 2011 recording twice the number compared to the previous year.

Here under are Vietnam’s top ten events in 2011 selected by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA):

A delegation of top leaders of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and Vietnam Fatherland Front laid a wreath at the mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, commemorating the 66th anniversary of Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day - September 2.

The prime minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung has proposed to retain his cabinet structure for the 2011-16 term at the 13th National Assembly on Monday.

Vietnam needs accelerated thinking on reform in various areas.