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144

Vietnam elects Communist Party chief as president, echoing China's power structure (apnews.com)

submitted 17 hours ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

35 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Vietnam unanimously elected Communist Party General Secretary To Lam as president for a five-year term, consolidating his control over both the party and the state.

The move departs from Vietnam’s tradition of shared leadership, in which the jobs have typically been held by different people, and echoes power structures in China under Xi Jinping and neighboring Laos.

It has been widely expected since Lam’s reelection as Communist Party head in January, when observers noted that his consolidation of party authority positioned him to assume the presidency as well.

all 36 comments

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[–] duncan_bayne@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

"elects"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Vietnam

Elections in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam are held under a one-party political system led by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

[–] Tolc@lemmy.world -1 points 56 minutes ago

Yah and? Do you consoder elections valid only when there is threat of far far right taking all your rights

[–] bufalo1973@piefed.social 1 points 3 hours ago

One party but different people to elect. Just like primaries.

[–] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 5 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

The spread of communism was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 hours ago

Vietnam has been communist for decades. This article is about the head of the communist party becoming the head of state, when previously they were separate roles filled by two different people, both from the communist party.

This isn't about "communism" per se, it's about consolidation of power under one individual, in a system where those two roles were traditionally separate.

Like, imagine if the president of the US was also the speaker of the house and the senate majority leader. Oh wait, he basically functionally is currently because of a spineless Congress doing his every bidding. So you can see the problem here, right?

I'm not saying it'll be just as bad, as I don't know anything about Lam. But at the very least, it sets a dangerous precedent. He might be a fine upstanding guy, but what's stopping the next guy from being worse? Or the guy after that? That's why tradition and precedent can be so important in politics.

[–] orbitz@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

I'm sure they'll have free and fair elections going forward....in that great China similar power structure. That's what always happens when electing one of them authoritarians after all. I hope the best for the people of course.

Edit: I will say I have no idea of the ballot options and even if they had a fair election now or if other was worse.

[–] Tolc@lemmy.world 1 points 55 minutes ago* (last edited 55 minutes ago)

You have al to learn about leninist parties. Cuba is way more democratic than america, keep crying.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 7 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

god forbid vietnam wants communism.

[–] Wataba@sh.itjust.works -1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Go die for putin you bootlicker.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 54 minutes ago)

Go die for trump you bootlicker.

see, i can be a grasping asshole for no reason too!

[–] Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org 6 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Oh good. Are we going to go back in? Or are we just going to choke them economically?

[–] ramble81@lemmy.zip 10 points 12 hours ago

Nah, no oil. Trump has other toys he’s playing with.

[–] workerONE@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Trump's son Eric is building a 1.5 billion dollar golf course there.

[–] Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org 1 points 10 hours ago

So it'll be a soft takeover.

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 5 points 16 hours ago (3 children)

Unanimously, right.

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 3 points 8 hours ago

"It's not democracy without the constant threat of the far right stripping my rights and destroying my economy"

[–] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 14 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

I assume they are elected by parliament, not by general election. Not an uncommon practice.

[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 13 points 14 hours ago

It's the National Assembly that elected him. It's like a Parliament, but there are no Executive or Judicial branches that are independent from it.

The Assembly seats 500. A unanimous vote still shows that people are afraid to cross the leader. Like Republicans with Trump, only there are no Democrats. There are a handful of "Independents," with the vast, vast majority being Vietnamese Communist Party members.

[+] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today -19 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Yes that's generally how democracies are supposed to work. After filtering out the unqualified candidates there should only be one obvious choice.

There's no question on who the best plumber or carpenter is, why should that be any different for political work?

[–] EightBitBlood@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

ThErE's No QuEsTiOn oN wHo ThE BeSt PluMbEr is... "

Yes there absolutely is and always will be a question on who the best fucking plumber is.

"BEST" isn't some kind of universally defined state of being. What's "BEST" is completely fucking subjective and SHOULD be determined by a network of experts or peers, as that's likely how your are determining what's BEST for you.

As THAT IS HOW EVERYONE DEFINES WHAT IS "BEST."

Whose the best plumber in your area?

Did you check Google? And find someone with 500 reviews that are all 5 stars?

How about Yelp?

How about the Better Business Bureau?

Wow. Every single resource available that can determine who the "BEST" plumber is comes from a collection of unique inputs from others that have a shared experience of using that plumber. All whose collected perspectives on Google reviews let a sentient jar of mayonnaise like yourself determine who the BEST plumber is.

Whats BEST is completely subjective at best, and not easily determined by anyone but a panel of experts which you clearly use without noticing on a near daily basis.

At worst, BEST is an ever changing non-existing state that can never be determined without other fixed inputs.

Whose the BEST basketball player?

Is it Michael Jordan or LeBron James?

ARE BOTH THE "BEST" DEPENDING ON HOW THAT QUESTION IS ASKED?

Oh shit, looks like you need additional input to determine what the BEST even is in literally every single interpretation of it imaginable.

Maybe you should hire a panel of experts to figure out who THE BEST IS at that moment. Or maybe a massively broad review of everyone's opinion to determine from the masses who the BEST IS TO THEM.

OH SHIT THAT'S DEMOCRACY AND THE OBVIOUS FUCKING BENEFITS THAT ADDED EXPERTISE AND PERSPECTIVE PROVIDES.

What is BEST isn't simple to determine at all. Your entire argument is garbage. And based on a laughably dumb and short sighted perspective that doesn't hold up to the most basic scrutiny.

[–] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

WHY DO YOU THINK CHINA DOESN'T HAVE DEMOCRACY?

It does.

And what's 'best' is easy to determine. You get the corpus of people doing the job, all of whom have interest in not colluding on who's best for at the job because they all want that spot, and they decide who is best at the job.

That is democracy manifest.

That is just not UNIVERSAL DEMOCRACY, because SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW A BALLCOCK FROM HIS COCK AND BALLS DOES NOT NEED TO VOTE ON WHO IS THE BEST PLUMBER.

Your incredibly terrible analogy only describes what is the best business to shop from, which makes sense that consumers of that business should vote for that.

But people that have never ordered a plumber SHOULDN'T VOTE ON WHO THE BEST PLUMBER IS.

In your own analogy you argue AGAINST UNIVERSAL DEMOCRACY AS NONE OF YOUR EXAMPLES HAVE IT.

You shouldn't rely on people that know absolutely nothing about what they're voting on to vote for those things. That SHOULD BE FUCKING OBVIOUS.

How do you determine the best etc? CONSENSUS BY PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAINED TO KNOW WHAT'S BEST.

There is an objective way to measure effectiveness at any job, period. If there isn't, it's not a job. It's a hobby.

Pick the best, and when it's unclear, you vote.

Hence Chinese Meritocracy, every union that has ever existed, and why China has better democracy than the west where every idiot votes on everything despite not knowing anything about the thing they're voting on.

In short, THANKS FOR AGREEING THE CHINESE WAY IS BEST.

Edit: To be clear:

"Oh shit, looks like you need additional input to determine what the BEST even is in literally every single interpretation of it imaginable. Maybe you should hire a panel of experts to figure out who THE BEST IS at that moment. "

THIS IS THE THING YOU ARE ARGUING AGAINST. THIS IS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS AND LAYERS. THIS IS LITERALLY HOW THE ENTIRETY OF CHINESE SOCIETY WORKS. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST YOU GAVE CHINA'S DEMOCRACY AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CHINA SHOULD BE.

[–] LordMayor@piefed.social 15 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

That’s the dumbest thing I’ve read today. Either you forgot the ‘/s’ or you don’t understand democracy and haven’t ever hired a plumber or carpenter.

[+] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today -7 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Hows that liberal democracy working out for you? I don't think any leader in a western liberal democracy has had more than 60% support, and they've all been universally disliked by the time they've left office.

Almost like you objectively cannot determine the capability of someone based on a popularity contest with no actual rules.

Almost like you should have strict rigid standards and only have those with years of experience in a field vote for the best one amongst them.

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 11 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

It's not a flaw of liberal democracy. Its a flaw of unanswerable heirachies of power. You know, the sort of thing the parties and Xi are speed running. There have been decent leaders under liberal democracy. But power in the form of bourgeoisie money always interferes. Just as the power of the bourgeoisie in China in the form of the party and those in power interferes.

[+] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today -9 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Who do you think is the bourgeoisie in China and why do you think Xi, who has to win reelection every time and started as a farm boy in rural China is somehow an unanswerable dictator?

Like you understand China regularly executes billionaires, strips companies of their power and wealth, including and especially all executives, nationalizes the resources of the rich on a VERY consistent basis, and has no function for rich people to influence government, right?

Like you have actually researched how China's government works from Chinese sources and come to your own conclusion and not just listened to NED (cia) funded organizations like RFA who regularly just make shit up with no sources specifically to create a negative view of China in order to justify sanctions and military action while demonizing the most successful example of actual democratic socialism to have every existed, right?

Only a complete ninnyhammer would just accept the conclusions drawn for them by the CIA and it's leaf companies and not actually research how things work.

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 6 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Who do you think is the bourgeoisie in China and why do you think Xi, who has to win reelection every time and started as a farm boy in rural China is somehow an unanswerable dictator?

He's president for life. He no longer faces election. The bourgeoisie can come from anywhere and any class. There is no background that makes you immune from becoming part of the bourgeoisie. But in the future I've got this handy trick you can use to identify bourgeoisie. I call it the "definition".

Like you understand China regularly executes billionaires, strips companies of their power and wealth, including and especially all executives, nationalizes the resources of the rich on a VERY consistent basis, and has no function for rich people to influence government, right?

China regularly murders all those who cross the party. Bourgeoisie and proletariat alike. It's not a virtue. That the party allows and supports the existence of such a petit bourgeoisie in any capacity is damning to anyone who isn't a hypocrite campist. That you think the wealthy and powerful have no purchase or influence over themselves is cute though.

I don't take the US government at it's word. And I'm not such a gullible fool to take China's at theirs like some people either. My family suffered genocide at the hands of the US, Canada, and the Soviet Union. I've met people who themselves or their family been targeted by chinas government for oppression. If you want to dismiss every non Chinese government source, that's willfully ignorant, but consistent. Just like the liberals so many that glaze China claim hate while behaving so similar.

Only a complete ninnyhammer would blame the CIA for every criticism of China's government.

[+] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today -7 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

He's president for life. He no longer faces election.

This isn't true.

He faces election every five years.

The change you're confusing is there are no term limits, so he can be elected again in 2028, should the NPC so choose (which they won't since he'll be retired by then.)

The bourgeoisie can come from anywhere and any class. There is no background that makes you immune from becoming part of the bourgeoisie. But in the future I've got this handy trick you can use to identify bourgeoisie. I call it the "definition".

Cool, Xi, and the entirety of the people's congress falls outside that definition.

So what definition are you using that is entirely different from Marx's?

China regularly murders all those who cross the party. Any sources to back up this claim?

Bourgeoisie and proletariat alike.

Except the death penalty specifically targets the Bourgeoisie, as it in was originally only envisioned for it and besides murder and treason there are no crimes a proletariat can perform to get a death sentence, period.

It's not a virtue. That the party allows and supports the existence of such a petit bourgeoisie in any capacity is damning to anyone who isn't a hypocrite campist. That you think the wealthy and powerful have no purchase or influence over themselves is cute though.

Everything here is unsubstantiated nonsense, I do hope you look into any independent sources to try to back this up though.

I've met people who themselves or their family been targeted by chinas government for oppression

Got any names or sources? I very much doubt it was 'oppression,' and not 'they committed a crime that's a crime everywhere and gave you a sob story.'

If you want to dismiss every non Chinese government source, that's willfully ignorant, but consistent. Just like the liberals so many that glaze China claim hate while behaving so similar.

Give me a non-NED source for any of your claims.

Period.

Change my mind. Every single time I have asked this of a sinophobe, they have only provided NED sources.

So if you have non-NED sources, give me them.

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 5 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Its true. Though a bit hyperbolic for effect yes. Xi has used the party to eliminate other possible contenders and rivals. Making the "elections" less democratic and merit based than the flawed liberal democracy you're ridiculing. I'd say it was ironic. But this is literally the sort of behavior people have come to expect from people who behave like you.

Xi and many in the party fall squarely in the definition of bourgeoisie. Your denial doesn't count for anything.

And about the death penalty only being for bourgeoisie. That's bullshit too. They simply reclassify anyone they want to kill as bourgeoisie or drug criminal, no harm no foul. Much like the corrupt western nations who's example they're following. And if some of these people that they're killing are bourgeoisie but Xi Jinping is not. You're using a very hypocritical definition.

Your criticisms of unsubstantiated nonsense would carry more weight if you weren't projecting BTW. Not one of these large states or their mouthpieces are trustworthy. Not the US, not Canada, not Russia, not China, etc etc etc. Be consistent. If you're only going to accept the word of China. You've no business criticizing anyone over unsubstantiated nonsense.

[–] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today -1 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

Literally every single thing you've said here was wrong.

The majority of Party arrests in the last 5 years have been Xi's appointees and supporters. (which isn't surprising given he's had majority support)

Also no, they don't 'reclassify' anyone. They do not magically give people millions of dollars just to execute them, do you actually hear yourself when you have these thoughts or are you just a complete blank inside?

I still see ZERO SOURCES supporting your beliefs, and they are BELIEFS, by the way. Come on, just one single non-NED backed source and I'll admit I'm wrong. Just one. One single one.

[–] stickly@lemmy.world 1 points 25 minutes ago

The majority of Party arrests in the last 5 years

Lmfao OK so this is eating shit straight from the horse's ass. They feed you this sound bite but then say the number of arrests and executions is a state secret. They're talking out of both sides of their mouth and you just shut your eyes to the dissonance.

Everything is working perfectly as expected and above board, except for when it isn't. But even when it isn't it actually is, source: trust me bro

"Give me one source that I won't arbitrarily subject to a genetic fallacy. Just one single one."

[–] athatet@lemmy.zip 3 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

You didn’t post any sources either.

[–] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today -1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

You are the one making outrageous claims, ones that are not reflected in a single legitimate source not funded by the NED.

[–] athatet@lemmy.zip -3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

No I’m not. Pay more attention to who’s talking perhaps.

[–] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today 2 points 1 hour ago

Maybe read before posting.

[–] stumu415@lemmy.zip 1 points 12 hours ago

Finally someone who has a better understanding how China actually works.

And for the commentar below, actually it's not only the so called opposition that gets imprisoned or executed. Lately they have been going after Xi's appointees and allies.