Vietnam PM Keeps Post as Economic Struggles Continue

Vietnam PM Keeps Post as Economic Struggles Continue

 HANOI, VIETNAM — Vietnam's prime minister appears to have survived a leadership challenge this week over his handling of the poorly-performing economy. 

Communist Party officials ended any speculation¹ that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung might lose his job when they concluded a top-level party meeting on Monday.

The 175-member party central committee met for two weeks to discuss a long list of topics, ranging from economic reform and land use to education.

The run-up to what is usually a low-key event attracted international attention following several arrests over a banking² scandal and the publication in political blogs of material highly critical of the 62-year-old prime minister, whom many blame for the country’s economic crisis.

Mistakes acknowledged

In a nationally broadcast speech at the conclusion of the meeting, party secretary Nguyen Phu Trong apologized for the mismanagement of the struggling economy.

Trong said the party had made some big mistakes, especially in not preventing corruption⁴ and deterioration⁵ among some of its members. He added, however, the one member who deserved punishment would be spared.

Many believe that person is the prime minister.

Vietnam analyst⁶ Tuong Vu, a professor at the University of Oregon, said Dung’s rivals clearly failed to oust⁷ him from power, but Trong’s speech should be interpreted as a warning to the prime minister’s supporters.

“They tried first in the politburo, they failed. They brought it to the central commission, they failed. And now they have to put a spin on it and so they will try to admit defeat and try to mobilize support for their faction⁸, and send a warning message to the prime minister's faction,” said Vu.

Faltering⁹ ascent¹⁰

Dung established his political support base by achieving high economic growth rates. Under his command, Vietnam was focused on becoming the world’s leading shipbuilder. That goal was derailed by the global financial crisis, followed by massive corruption scandals.

In the run-up to the meeting, some analysts¹¹ predicted Dung would be ousted¹² by his rivals, President Truong Tan Sang and Party Secretary Trong.

Regional security analyst, Professor Carl Thayer, said a dramatic change was not very likely, though, given the makeup¹³ of the country's powerful central committee.

“About 40 per cent on the central committee are on there because of him. That’s just a ball park figure. Those people would resist having him removed because it would unravel¹⁴. The problem with a system like this is nothing is independent. Everything is dependent on the party,” he said.

Economic reforms

Thayer said the prime minister may have retained his position, but his power has been undermined.

Prime Minister Dung was given an agenda to reform state-owned enterprises and sort out the banking system. Further investigations¹⁵ into shipbuilding giants Vinashin and Vinalines also were singled out.

Economists¹⁶ say the results of the meeting are good news for investors¹⁷, who could have more confidence that economic reforms finally will  be carried through.

Dung is now in his second term and will be of retiring age by the time the next party congress convenes¹⁸. This also will affect his political power, said Thayer, as people are less likely to ally themselves with him.

“If you’re hanging on to Nguyen Tan Dung, he’s going to be lame³ duck. He’s going to be 65 by the next congress. He had his two terms in office, like an American president he has a second term. In the end power begins to wane,” said Thayer.

Others disagree, saying Dung could well remain in power, but with a different title, perhaps in the position of party secretary.

Analysts say the high-tension rivalry¹⁹ between the country’s top leaders is symptomatic of the shifting relationship between state and party. Associate professor Vu said the state has become so rich and powerful in recent years that party leaders like Trong are losing control.

“There has been a natural process of economic reform that brings more power to the state and causing the ideology²⁰ that the party represents, system which the party controls, is losing relevance,” said Vu.

It may be years in the future, but observers say change is inevitable²¹ for Vietnam as economic reform eclipses communist ideology and the legitimacy²² of the party.

1 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

2 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

3 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

8 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

9 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

10 ascent   

n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高

参考例句：

• His rapid ascent in the social scale was surprising.他的社会地位提高之迅速令人吃惊。
• Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.伯克按动电钮，电梯开始缓慢上升。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

13 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

14 unravel   

v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开

参考例句：

• He was good with his hands and could unravel a knot or untangle yarn that others wouldn't even attempt.他的手很灵巧，其他人甚至都不敢尝试的一些难解的绳结或缠在一起的纱线，他都能解开。
• This is the attitude that led him to unravel a mystery that long puzzled Chinese historians.正是这种态度使他解决了长期以来使中国历史学家们大惑不解的谜。

15 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

16 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

18 convenes   

召开( convene的第三人称单数 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The Premier convenes and presides over the executive meetings and plenary meetings of the State Council. 总理召集和主持国务院常务会议和国务院全体会议。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法
• Chinese woman tenth the National People Congress convenes grandly today in Beijing. 中国妇女第十次全国代表大会今天在北京隆重召开。

19 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

20 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

21 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

22 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。