Vietnam’s economy is booming, but its new leader is worried

IT IS A contrarian argument from an improbable contrarian. Vietnam’s economy may be the envy of South-East Asia, having averaged 6% annual growth over the past 15 years, but it is in urgent need of radical reform. So, at any rate, asserts To Lam, who spent eight years running Vietnam’s ruthless security services before becoming general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party last year. He is busy sacking civil servants and amending economic laws in pursuit of a “revolution” to “liberate all productive forces”. “Time does not wait for us,” he warned his comrades soon after taking charge.