Environmental factors, global geopolitical tensions, and the capacity for self-upgrade are the three major uncertainties Vietnam is facing at the moment. Deciphering these intertwined challenges, in their various forms, can help shape Vietnam’s success in the new era. Policy issues from the story of unclaimed waste containers At major ports in Vietnam, there are always places full of unclaimed shipping containers. By the end of 2024, more than 8,000 such containers had been left unclaimed at major ports across the country. Many of these containers were imported from developed countries under the guise of recyclable materials, but the majority of them do not meet environmental standards. This not only limits the operational capacity of the port system but also creates a significant pollution risk, especially since Vietnam lacks sufficient technology to process certain hazardous waste types. This is not just a problem for Vietnam. Countries in the region, from Malaysia to Cambodia, have unexpectedly become the “new global waste disposal sites” of the world, especially after China’s decision to ban the import of plastic waste in 2018. In terms of plastic waste alone, by the end of 2022, Vietnam was the fifth-largest importer of waste in the world. This story […]