It’s unusual to have commentary in the local media whereby a Vietnamese expert tells it straight up. This article in The Leader, however, covers comments by Associate Professor, Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, where he does just that. Specifically, he points out that local firms and foreign firms are playing on an uneven playing field.
“FDI enterprises are strong in capital, technology, experience, and also receive many preferential policies. Many localities have implemented a “red carpet” strategy, giving maximum incentives in a “race to the bottom” style to attract investment to achieve high results,” the article surmises.