Vietnam's future growth lies on new communist party leadership

Police officers patrol past a poster for the upcoming 13th national congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam on a street in Hanoi, on Jan 20, 2021. - Reuters

HANOI (Reuters): Vietnam's ruling Communist Party gathers for a congress next week that will help shape the country's global role for the next five years, selecting new leaders and setting policy as tensions bubble with Beijing and Joe Biden settles in at the White House.

The Communist Party's 13th Congress, from Jan 25 to Feb 2, will cement leadership looking to leverage Vietnam's economic success to bolster legitimacy.