Key Events 

• Việt Nam Bans Economist Print Edition Featuring To Lam on the Cover
• International Coalition Renews Call for Release of Imprisoned Vietnamese Journalist Pham Doan Trang on Her 47th Birthday
• Sweeping Local Government Reform: Vietnam to Launch New Commune-Level Units by July
• THACO Proposes to Lead $61 Billion North-South High-Speed Railway Project
• Vietnam and France Sign Over $10 Billion in Cooperation Deals During Macron’s Visit

Việt Nam Bans Print Edition of The Economist Featuring General Secretary Tô Lâm

Hà Nội has prohibited the distribution of the May 24, 2025, Asian print edition of The Economist, which features Việt Nam’s top leader, Tô Lâm, on its cover. The cover portrays Lâm with two stars over his eyes against a red backdrop, referencing the national flag, accompanied by the headline: “The man with a plan for Vietnam.”

The issue’s main article characterizes Lâm as a “Communist Party hard man” who must transition into a reformer to sustain the country’s economic growth.