Sweeping Reforms: Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security Absorbs Key Functions

The Vietnamese Magazine -

Key Events

  • Major Government Restructuring in Vietnam: Five Ministries Cut, Police Take On New Roles
  • Decree 168 Continues to Spark Traffic Chaos in Major Cities
  • Facebook Content on RFA Vietnamese Page Suddenly Disappears, Raising Press Freedom Concerns
  • UN Human Rights Chief Urges Vietnam to Respect Freedom of Expression
  • CSIS Report: Vietnam and China Responsible for 98% of Coral Reef Destruction

Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security Takes On New Responsibilities Amid Government Restructuring

Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is set to assume additional responsibilities as part of a broader government restructuring effort, following a series of high-level meetings by the Communist Party’s Central Committee.

On Jan. 25, 2024, the 13th Central Committee held an extraordinary session to advance administrative streamlining, implementing Resolution 18-NQ/TW, originally signed by late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2017. The initiative aims to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency under the principle of “central leadership – local compliance.”

By Jan. 11, 2024, the government had approved a plan to cut five ministries and three agencies, bringing the total to 17 ministries and five government-affiliated bodies. To support the transition, an estimated 130 trillion dong ($5.3 billion) will be allocated for personnel downsizing, affecting 20% of civil servants.

A key development in this restructuring is the decision to dissolve district-level police forces and transfer various functions to the MPS. These new responsibilities include:

  • Managing drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation programs (under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs).
  • Issuing judicial record certificates (under the Ministry of Justice).
  • Conducting driving tests and issuing driver’s licenses (under the Ministry of Transport).
  • Overseeing cybersecurity and information security (under the Ministry of Information and Communications).
  • Ensuring aviation security at airports and aboard aircraft.

Additionally, the MPS is set to take ownership of Mobifone, a major state-owned telecoms company, once the State Capital Management Committee is dissolved.

The Central Committee and National Assembly will convene in February 2025 to finalize the transition plans, which also include consolidating multiple state-run television channels under Vietnam Television.

Decree 168 Enforced, But Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City Still Struggle with Traffic Jams

Despite the enforcement of Decree 168 beginning Jan. 1, 2025, severe traffic congestion continues to plague Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

The government issued Decree 168/NĐ-CP on Dec. 26, 2024, introducing stricter penalties for traffic violations, including a new point-based system for driver’s licenses. Notably, fines have increased significantly, with running a red light now carrying a penalty of 18-20 million dong ($718-$797) for car drivers and 4-6 million dong for motorcyclists.

Fearing these steep fines, many motorists have changed their driving behavior, leading to unexpected consequences. As year-end travel demand surges, major streets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have experienced record-breaking gridlocks.

Authorities have scrambled to implement emergency measures. In Ho Chi Minh City, officials have installed 500 additional right-turn signals at 200 intersections and temporarily allowed vehicles to use sidewalks to ease congestion.

State media has praised Decree 168 as a means to instill better traffic discipline, arguing that it will foster law-abiding behavior among citizens. However, independent sources, including Luật Khoa magazine, have reported growing public criticism.

Many citizens and experts argue that the fines are disproportionately high compared to average incomes, that the country’s road infrastructure remains inadequate, and that there is a risk of corruption or misuse in traffic law enforcement.

With public discontent mounting, authorities may face increasing pressure to review the decree’s effectiveness and consider adjustments to balance law enforcement with practical urban mobility needs.

Meta Under Scrutiny as RFA Vietnamese Facebook Content Vanishes Temporarily

On Jan. 28, 2025, at approximately 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the Vietnamese-language Facebook page of Radio Free Asia (RFA) experienced an unexpected disappearance of all posts from 2024 and 2025, displaying only content from 2023 and earlier. 

This disruption lasted a few minutes before the missing posts reappeared. Similar incidents were reported on the Vietnamese-language Facebook pages of Voice of America (VOA) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The cause of these temporary content removals remains unclear.

This is not the first time that the Vietnamese-language Facebook pages of RFA, VOA, and BBC have simultaneously encountered unexplained alterations.

On Oct. 29, 2020, all three pages had their names changed without clear reason: RFA's page was renamed "Long Live the Communist Party of Vietnam," VOA's became "Long Live Eastern Laos," and BBC's was altered to "The Great President Ho Chi Minh."

These changes persisted for about one to two hours before the original names were restored. At that time, RFA reached out to Facebook for clarification but did not receive a response. Pro-government Facebook accounts in Vietnam expressed approval of these name changes, stating that those names align with the Communist Party propaganda.

The Vietnamese government has previously requested that Facebook restrict access to certain RFA posts within Vietnam. For instance, a Facebook status posted by RFA Vietnamese on January 15, 2025, which included a link to a commentary about General Secretary To Lam, was blocked in Vietnam following a request from the Ministry of Information and Communications. According to Meta's transparency report, in the first half of 2024, Facebook restricted access in Vietnam to over 3,200 items in response to reports from the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information and the Ministry of Public Security.

These incidents highlight ongoing challenges related to media freedom and government censorship in Vietnam. The temporary disappearance of content from prominent international broadcasters' Facebook pages raises concerns about the influence of governmental requests on social media platforms and the implications for information accessibility within the country.

Vietnam Urged by UN to Ensure Freedom for Journalists and Civil Society

From VOA Vietnamese, on Jan. 20, 2025, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk sent a letter to Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, urging the Vietnamese government to ensure that journalists and independent civil society groups can freely exercise their rights to freedom of opinion, association, and peaceful assembly without undue state interference or restrictions. 

This correspondence follows Vietnam's fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2024, with the review's outcomes adopted in September 2024. In his letter, Turk acknowledged Vietnam's recent positive steps, such as promoting gender equality, empowering women, and combating discrimination. However, he also highlighted ongoing concerns and provided recommendations to effectively implement the suggestions Vietnam accepted in September 2024.

Turk emphasized the necessity of facilitating an environment where journalists, media personnel, and independent civil society can freely exercise their rights without state interference. He also recommended that Vietnam enhance cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms and work towards ratifying international legal instruments concerning civil and political rights, the abolition of the death penalty, the prevention of torture and inhumane treatment, and protection against enforced disappearances.

Additionally, Turk stressed the importance of expediting the establishment of a national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles. He called on Vietnam to remove obstacles to freedom of religion and belief and to address all forms of discrimination and violence against ethnic and religious minority groups.

As of now, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not responded to requests for comments regarding Turk's letter.

In September 2024, Vietnam announced its acceptance of 271 out of 320 recommendations made during its UPR. International human rights organizations have expressed disappointment over Vietnam's rejection of several recommendations directly related to human rights defenders, including calls for the release of individuals detained for exercising their fundamental rights.

China and Vietnam Lead in Coral Reef Destruction in South China Sea

A recent analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reveals that nearly 2,900 hectares of coral reefs in the South China Sea have been destroyed due to dredging and artificial island construction by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan. China and Vietnam are identified as the primary contributors, responsible for 98% of the damage.

Since 2013, China has caused the most significant destruction, accounting for approximately 1,900 hectares (65% of the total damaged area). Vietnam follows, having damaged nearly 956 hectares (33%), with much of its activity occurring in early 2024.

The CSIS analysis, conducted by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), is based on satellite imagery assessments. The report highlights that the land reclamation and artificial island-building activities by these nations have led to irreversible environmental damage, altering the structure and health of coral reef ecosystems in the region.

In response to these environmental concerns, the international community has called for legal actions against such destructive practices. Notably, in January 2025, the Philippines announced plans to file a second legal complaint against China for environmental degradation within its exclusive economic zone.

The CSIS findings underscore the pressing need for collaborative regional efforts to protect and preserve the South China Sea's fragile marine ecosystems.

Quick Takes:

Vietnamese Monk Thích Minh Tuệ Walks to India, Attracts Public Interest

Thich Minh Tue's pilgrimage to India has drawn public interest despite minimal state media coverage. On Dec. 12, 2024, he and five companions started their journey from Kon Tum, Vietnam, crossing into Laos.

Following ascetic practices, he walks barefoot, lives on alms, and sleeps in abandoned places. After 19 days in Laos, the group entered Thailand on December 31, aiming to walk 1,300 km before moving to Myanmar.

Doan Van Bau, a former security lecturer, is accompanying him. Meanwhile, a book on Thich Minh Tue’s teachings was recently banned.

Vietnam Blocks Monk from Attending Religious Freedom Summit

On Jan. 26, 2025, Vietnamese authorities at Tan Son Nhat Airport barred Venerable Thich Nhat Phuoc from leaving the country for the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C. Officials cited “national security” issues under Article 36 of Vietnam’s Exit and Entry Law as the reason for the refusal.

Thich Nhat Phuoc condemned the ban as religious suppression, suspecting officials feared he would expose government actions against Son Linh and Thien Quang Pagodas. Human rights groups have raised concerns over Vietnam’s treatment of religious leaders, calling the move an attempt to silence critics on religious freedom violations.

Vietnam Insight: Learn more about Vietnam

‘A Good Chance People Are Going to Die’ After U.S. Halts Funding for Mine Clearing

The New York Times/Sui-Lee Wee and Anton L. Delgado/Jan. 28

“On Saturday, the State Department said it was suspending its global mine-clearing programs for at least three months. It followed a Trump administration announcement of sweeping pauses of U.S. foreign aid. These moves will ripple through many parts of the world where the United States helps pay for disaster relief, aid for refugees as well as health and anti-poverty programs. Even though the long-term effects of the funding pause are unclear, some experts warned of deadly consequences, particularly in places strewn with land mines, cluster munitions and other unexploded bombs.

…

The U.S. Agency for International Development, or U.S.A.I.D., has helped provide treatment to people maimed by these weapons. But the bulk of global mine clearing funding from the United States has come from State Department programs.

…

‘This aid suspension is not sending a good message to the parts of the world who really depend on us,’ said Ms. Koulabdara, who fled Laos for the United States when she was 6. ‘Congress really needs to reconsider this decision and hold our current administration accountable.’’

A Turning Point in Vietnam’s Politics

The Diplomat/Alexander L. Vuving/Jan. 30

“Ten days after taking office as the CPV’s top leader in August, [To] Lam proclaimed a new era, which he characterized as the “rise” (vươn mình) of the Vietnamese nation. With dizzying speed and forceful actions, several political decisions started to shape the new era. The contents of these decisions were not new – they had been discussed for years, even decades – but a lack of either consensus or political will had hampered their materialization.

…

The ‘rise’ of Vietnam will be largely a function of domestic power arrangements and global supply chains. The ongoing government restructuring is changing the internal balance of power, but the largest test of this effort will be the 14th CPV Congress in January 2026. The China-centric configuration of the global supply chains has been one of the biggest obstacles to Vietnam’s rise in the last decades as the ‘China boom’ has disincentivized Vietnam’s economic structure from pursuing technological progress. It is still unclear, however, whether or not the rearrangement of the global supply chains as a result of the end of the ‘China boom’ and the advent of the U.S.-China rivalry will favor Vietnam’s technological upgrading. These conditions may make or break the ‘rise’ of Vietnam.”