HO CHI MINH CITY -- As Vietnam purges political and business leaders in an anti-graft campaign that peaked with a rare presidential ouster last week, a key question has arisen: How will this affect the global factory hub?
Some predict business as usual, saying the Communist Party's rule-by-consensus principle and lack of a personality cult set it apart from President Xi Jinping's China and allow economic continuity. Others believe the internecine politics are pushing security-minded forces to the fore, at the expense of those friendly to foreign investors, and that the space for debate and innovation is shrinking. Which of these proves right will affect a fast-growing economy that has become indispensable to the supply chains of producers from Apple to IKEA.
