On September 2, 2024, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Bin, wrote a letter to General Secretary and President To Lam, calling for comprehensive and radical changes to Vietnam’s political system. Mr. Bin emphasized that the current political system is in a serious crisis, especially after the death of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Mr. Bin’s letter was made public on his personal Facebook, on the occasion of Vietnam’s National Day, and its content quickly attracted public attention.
Nguyen Dinh Bin, a veteran diplomat who served as a member of the 8th Party Central Committee and held several important positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2008, called on General Secretary To Lam to take advantage of this historic moment to push for strong political changes. According to him, the Communist Party of Vietnam needs to carry out “truly comprehensive and radical political reform” to overcome the crisis and save the Party from current challenges.
Mr. Bin’s letter noted that despite Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong’s efforts to rectify the Party and fight corruption, the country’s situation continued to deteriorate. He said that the more efforts are made to fight corruption, the more serious the situation becomes, causing the Party and the State to gradually “serious deterioration.” Mr. Bin also compared the current situation to the period of the 6th National Congress in 1986, when Vietnam faced a socio-economic crisis and needed strong leadership from General Secretary Truong Chinh to transition to a market economy model.
In his letter to Mr. To Lam, Mr. Bin expressed his hope that the new General Secretary could play a similar role to Mr. Truong Chinh in history, courageously deciding to change the political regime to save the country. Mr. Bin said that “the flag is in Mr. To Lam’s hands” to lead the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Central Executive Committee of the 13th Communist Party of Vietnam to make important decisions for this change.
In addition, in other open letters sent to Party and State leaders, Mr. Bin has repeatedly emphasized that the current political system is facing a deep crisis. His proposals are aimed at “protecting the Party from existential risks and challenges”, and he hopes that the Party will soon “save itself”.
The public reaction to this letter is remarkable, as it is a rare occasion for a former senior official to publicly call for institutional change in the Communist Party of Vietnam. In the context of heated political and social discussions, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Bin’s letter is not only a call for reform but also a reminder of the historical responsibility of the country’s leaders in making important decisions.