As the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) moves from law enforcement into energy and tech, the line between national security and corporate profit is blurring, undermining Vietnam’s claims to market-economy status.
In standard diplomatic and economic protocols, an international energy deal is the domain of trade ministries or state utility providers. Yet, in Vietnam, a recent high-profile meeting signaled a profound shift in the country’s power dynamics.
It was not the Minister of Industry and Trade, but Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang, who hosted the CEO of US-based Nebula Energy to discuss the acquisition of a 49% stake in the Cai Mep LNG terminal project.
To casual observers, this might look like cross-sector cooperation. To seasoned analysts, it is the clearest sign yet that Vietnam’s powerful security apparatus is expanding its mandate from…
