In most Vietnamese cities, police are notorious for stopping motorists or walking into the thousands of small workshops that line the bustling streets and extorting money. Tax collectors are reported to pocket a portion of collected funds. Bureaucrats who issue commercial, real estate or building licenses must be paid off. Customs officials demand bribes. Smuggling, drug running and crime are on the rise.
Factories turn out fake products.
Business fraud is widespread. Prostitution and gambling are rampant. Only 3 percent of Vietnam's 75 million people belong to the party. Vietnamese and foreign correspondents said most Vietnamese ignored the Eighth Party Congress in late June, even though it was billed as an important political event. The dissident, Nguyen Ho, is 80 this year and has been a Communist since 1937.