The “Chuyện với Thanh” case remains political following the Third Central Committee Plenum.
The Latest: On July 30, the Communist Party’s Central Inspection Commission announced that Nguyễn Quang Thiều, chair of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, had been stripped of all party positions.
- This disciplinary action stems from his involvement in the ongoing controversy surrounding the publication of the book “Chuyện với Thanh.”
The Details: The commission stated that the party cell of the Writers’ Association Publishing House had “lacked responsibility and loosened leadership,” which subsequently caused the Writers’ Association to “fail to properly fulfill the responsibilities of a managing agency.”
- According to the commission, the publishing house also “failed to properly implement the party’s guidelines and regulations […] on publishing activities.”
Furthermore, they noted that the organization had party members who “degenerated in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle,” violated regulations “in carrying out assigned duties and responsibilities,” and breached rules on “what party members must not do and the responsibility to set an example.”
The commission expelled three other key figures from the Party:
- Nguyễn Thúy Hằng, director of the publishing house
- Đào Bá Đoàn, its editor-in-chief
- Nguyễn Văn Yên, head of its Editorial Board, from the Party
The three individuals were previously prosecuted and arrested on July 15 under Article 117, facing charges of conducting anti-state propaganda.
Additionally, the Party Committee of the Vietnam Writers’ Association and the party cell of the Writers’ Association Publishing House were formally issued warnings.
The Lead Detractor: Commenting on Facebook shortly after the news broke, Phan Trung Can, a leading figure in the campaign denouncing the book, noted that “the action is only the party’s disciplinary measure.”
The Background: The controversy centers on “Chuyện với Thanh,” which was published by the Writers’ Association Publishing House in early 2026.
- The book is structured as a dialogue between Thanh, a Gen Z student who is indifferent to history, and Thành, a teacher.
- The book attempts to reconstruct the journey of Hồ Chí Minh—who was then known as Nguyễn Tất Thành—during his years living abroad.
By June, the novel had drawn fierce backlash and heated controversy.
- The campaign to ban the book began with influential figures known for denouncing “The Sorrow of War” and the event on Trương Vĩnh Ký, former soldier Phan Trung Can, and Lt. Gen. Nguyễn Thanh Tuấn.
- Critics levied accusations against the book, claiming it was “rewriting history,” “insulting President Hồ Chí Minh,” and “insulting the Vietnamese nation.”
Facing this intense pressure, the Writers’ Association Publishing House issued a formal apology statement on June 10, halted the book’s distribution, and issued a total recall.
Shortly after, on June 15, the publishing house was suspended for two months and fined 100 million đồng for publishing “very serious false content” within the novel.
Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on July 29, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
