In recent weeks, authorities cracked down on violations of regulations on the use of English on billboards. Nearly 4,000 signs, including those for top investors Coca-Cola, Daewoo and Sony, have been taken down or painted over, and more than a dozen ad agencies were shut down. Similar zealotry preceded previous Party conferences. Essentially, Vietnam is preparing for its national political convention. Reformists such as Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet are still in control, but need to appease the hardline camp.
Most analysts still expect some forward movement, despite last week's hunkering down.
Bradley Babson, the World Bank's resident representative in the capital, says the draft report has positive points. They recognize the legitimacy of the private sector for the first time. That may be so, but a widening role for the state is not a promising development. Hanoi has over the years halved the number of state enterprises to 6,000. The government continues to hold large stakes in the few equitized firms.