As the rotary chair of ASEAN this year, Indonesia will need to pay more attention to the ongoing political developments in Vietnam, whose political stability is crucial for the region given its steadily growing economy and international military stature. So far, at least for outsiders, there are no worrying signs from Hanoi amid the struggle for power among the political elite. ASEAN was surprised by the sudden resignation of Vietnamese president Nguyen Xuan Phuc last week, amid an intensifying crackdown on corruption in the country. Only one month before he stepped down, Phuc held talks with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at Bogor Palace in West Java to seal the historic Natuna Waters Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) agreement between the two countries. Phuc was keen to leave a legacy that could serve as a model for peaceful border dispute settlement within ASEAN.
Vietnam’s national leadership struggle will impact ASEAN
