Trong chuyến về thăm Hà Nội lần đầu tiên vào tháng 11 năm 1991, ông Bùi Kiến Thành đã đề nghị Chính phủ Việt Nam trả tự do cho toàn bộ sĩ quan quân đội và cựu viên chức chính quyền Cộng hòa (Miền Nam) Việt Nam vẫn còn bị giam giữ từ năm 1975. Hai tháng sau, đề nghị của ông đã được Chính phủ Việt Nam chấp thuận, một quyết định tích cực đã được đưa ra. Cuối năm 1992 tất cả những người bị giam giữ đều được thả ra khỏi trại. Những người từng bị giam giữ và gia đình của họ được phép xuất ngoại và hầu hết trong số họ, trên 500,000 người, đã được tái định cư ở Mỹ theo Chương trình “Humanitarian Operation (HO). The Orderly Departure Program” bởi Chính phủ Hoa Kỳ. (1)
Ông đã đăng hàng trăm bài viết trên báo chí Việt Nam và xuất hiện thường xuyên trên các chương trình truyền hình Việt Nam. Ông thường được các phương tiện truyền thông quốc tế phỏng vấn, chẳng hạn như BBC, Đài Tiếng nói Hoa Kỳ, Đài Á Châu Tự do, Kyodo, Tân Hoa Xã, Reuters, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, v.v.. Các bài viết của ông có thể được truy cập trên Google dưới tên “Bùi Kiến Thành” và các chương trình truyền hình qua “Video YouTube Bùi Kiến Thành”.
Để ghi nhận những đóng góp cho Việt Nam, Bùi Kiến Thành đã được Mặt trận Tổ quốc Việt Nam phối hợp với Báo điện tử Vietnamnet trao tặng danh hiệu “Vinh Danh Nước Việt” vào tháng 2 năm 2005.
Bui Kien Thanh (K. T. Bui)
US citizen, born in Quang Nam province, Vietnam in September 1932. Graduated from Columbia University New York City in 1954, Bui Kien Thanh came back to Vietnam to serve as Special Assistant to Prime Minister (and then President) Ngo Dinh Diem whom he met while at Columbia. His main task was in charge of issues relating to national security and hi-level relations with the US government.
In 1956 he was sent back to the US for advanced training in Banking and Finance. In 1957 he was appointed Chief Representative of the National Bank of Vietnam in New York City, in charge of relations with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and coordination with the major US Commercial banks for the implementation of the US economic aid program for Vietnam.
Upon his return to Saigon in 1958, he was put in charge of organizing the Bank Examinations Department for the National Bank of Vietnam with the assistance of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In recognition of my service, in 1959 he was awarded the “Certificate of Achievement” in Banking by the International Cooperation Administration of the US Government.
In 1959 Bui Kien Thanh left the public sector and became President CEO of American International Underwriters Vietnam, Inc. an American insurance group with offices in 130 countries and territories.
From 1966 through 1991 he went to France and became a real estate developer in the South of France.
Since the early 1980’s as the Vietnamese economy fell in ruin and poverty stalked the land from North to South, the Government of Vietnam sent a delegation to meet with Bui Kien Thanh in Paris for recommendations relating to Vietnam's transition from a centralized planning system to a market-oriented economy. Bui Kien Thanh is recognized as having contributed to the drafting of the Renovation Resolution (ĐỔI MỚI) that was passed by the 6ĩth Congress of the Vietnam Communist Party (December 1986) that set the foundation for economic reform, ushering in the principles of free enterprise and democratization of the political system from “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” to Government of Law . He returned to Vietnam in 1991.
During his first visit to Hanoi in November 1991, Mr. Bui kien Thanh recommended to the Government of Vietnam to release all the military officers and former officials of the Republic of (South) Vietnam still in detention since 1975. Two months later a positive decision was made. By the end of 1992 all the detainees were released. The former detainees and their families are permitted to leave the country and and most of them, over 500,000, were resettled in the US under the Humanitarian Operation (HO) Program. The Orderly Departure Program” by the United States Government. (1)
From 1991 to 1995, Bui Kien Thanh assisted the Vietnamese Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related ministries in improving relations with the United States, the POW and Missing in Action (MIA – POW) program, resolving issues of Foreign Assets Claims, recovering Vietnamese assets confiscated by the US after the war.
- Contributed recommendations to building large business groups, necessary for Vietnam economic growth, worldwide competition, and international integration (1992-1993).
- Organized the “Vietnam Infrastructure Summit Conference” in Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, Roanoke, and Atlanta. This was the first summit conference on economic cooperation and infrastructure development bringing together high-level Vietnamese officials, headed by the Minister of Energy, to meet with American political and business leaders (May 1995).
- Negotiated the investment license for American International Group – AIG – to develop the 1,000 hectares Dinh Vu Economic Zone, the largest foreign owned industrial zone, in Hai Phong (1992-1995).
- With Morgan Stanley, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment, organized a seminar in Hanoi on “The Issuing of Sovereign Bonds on the International Capital Market”. (August 1995).
- Organized a visit to the United States by a delegation headed by the Minister of Industry to assess the conditions for “The Development of the Power Sector” (1996).
- Organized the “US-Vietnam Business Forum on Cooperation and Industrial Development” in Washington D.C. Sponsored a visit by a delegation headed by the Minister of Industry, Arrange a MOU between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and the US Department of Energy on the development of the energy sector in Vietnam. (1997).
- Assisted the Ministry of Industry and Electricity of Vietnam to prepare and execute the first international tender to select the BOT developer for Phu My 2-2 720 MW gas fired power plant in Vung Tau Province (1996-2001). This power complex has now grown to over 4000 MW with total investment in excess of US$4 billion.
- Assisted the Vietnam Maritime Administration to develop the 1,500 km2 “Van Phong International Transshipment Port and Economic Zone” in Khanh Hoa Province, with potential to become one of the largest seaports in the ASEAN Region. (2002-2006).
Presently, Bui Kien Thanh continues to advise the Government of Vietnam on economic development issues, monetary policies, bank reform, trade and investment development.
He has published several hundred articles in the Vietnamese press and appeared frequently on Vietnamese TV programs. He is often interviewed by international media, such as the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Kyodo, Xinhua, Reuters, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, etc., His writings may be accessed by Google Search under the name “Bui Kien Thanh” and TV appearances via “YouTube Videos Bui Kien Thanh”.
In recognition of the services rendered to Vietnam Bui Kien Thanh was awarded the title “Vietnam National Glory” by the Vietnam Fatherland Front in association with Vietnamnet News Service, in February 2005.
GƯƠNG MẶT "VINH DANH NƯỚC VIỆT"
Chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành
Vietnamnet/NVX 08:31' 24/12/2004 (GMT+7)
CITATION FOR THE “VIETNAM NATIONAL GLORY” AWARD
Bui Kien Thanh, Finance & Economic Expert
Vietnamnet/NVX 08:31' 24/12/2004 (GMT+7)
Bùi Kiến Thành với Tổng Bí thư Nông Đức Mạnh
Bui Kien Thanh with General Secretary Nong Duc Manh
Thành tựu:
- 1954 – 1956: Trưởng phòng Ngoại hối, Ngân hàng Quốc gia Việt Nam.
- 1956 – 1958: Đại diện Ngân hàng Quốc gia Việt Nam tại New York, lúc 24 tuổi là người trẻ nhất trong số các đại diện ngân hàng trung ương tại Hoa Kỳ, một kỷ lục chưa ai vượt qua được.
- 1959 – 1965: Chủ tịch, Tổng Giám đốc, American International Underwriters, Vietnam, Inc. (AIU) – công ty thành viên của American International Group (AIG). Ở tuổi 27, ông là Chủ tịch công ty trẻ nhất trong số các công ty thành viên của AIG, một kỷ lục chưa ai vượt qua được. Chỉ trong vòng vài năm cầm quyền, Chủ tịch Bùi Kiến Thành đã đưa AIU lên vị trí Số Một trong số hơn 30 công ty bảo hiểm trong nước và quốc tế đang hoạt động tại Việt Nam lúc bấy giờ
- 1965 – 1983: Phát triển bất động sản ở Pháp.
- 1983 – 1984: Kiểm soát viên, Văn phòng khu vực AIG Chicago.
- 1984 – 1992: Chuyên gia tư vấn độc lập về Việt Nam.
- 1993 – 1996: Cố vấn cấp cao thường trú của AIG, tại Hà Nội, Việt Nam. AIG là một trong năm tập đoàn tài chính và bảo hiểm hàng đầu thế giới có văn phòng tại 130 quốc gia và vùng lãnh thổ.
- Từ 1996: Cố vấn cấp cao của KHM, Inc.
• Đóng góp cho Việt Nam:
- 1980 – 2003: Tham gia kiến nghị xây dựng Chính sách Đổi Mới và các vấn đề liên quan đến việc Việt Nam chuyển từ cơ chế tập trung sang nền kinh tế thị trường.
- 1991 – 1992: Đóng góp kiến nghị giải quyết vấn đề tài chính do Liên bang Nga chấm dứt mọi viện trợ kinh tế cho Việt Nam.
- 1992 – 1993 Góp ý về chính sách xây dựng các tập đoàn kinh doanh lớn cần thiết cho phát triển đầu tư và hội nhập quốc tế.
- 1991 – 2003: Góp ý về xây dựng chính sách đối với Việt Kiều.
- 1991 – 1995: Tư vấn về luật pháp biển, các vấn đề biên giới biển. Hỗ trợ Ban Biên Giới Chính Phủ nghiên cứu cơ sở luật pháp quốc tế bảo vệ chủ quyền Việt Nam trên thềm lục địa, khu vực dầu khí trên biển Đông.
Hỗ trợ Bộ Ngoại Giao và các Bộ ngành liên quan cải thiện các mối quan hệ với Hoa Kỳ, chương trình tù binh và mất tích trong chiến tranh (MIA – POW), giải quyết vấn đề tài sản tịch thu của công dân Mỹ sau chiến tranh, (thu hồi tài sản Việt Nam bị nhà nước Mỹ tịch thu sau chiến tranh v.v…)
- Năm 1994 - 1995: Tư vấn cho chính phủ về an ninh trên biển Đông và Diễn đàn An ninh khu vực.
- Tháng 05, 1995: Tổ chức “Hội nghị Thượng đỉnh Đầu tư Phát triển cơ sở hạ tầng Việt Nam” tại Washington D.C, New York, San Francisco, Roanoke, và Atlanta (Mỹ). Đây là hội nghị Thượng đỉnh hợp tác phát triển đầu tiên giữa các viên chức cao cấp của Chính phủ Việt Nam với các lãnh đạo kinh doanh Mỹ.
- 1992 – 1995: Kêu gọi Tập đoàn Tài chính Quốc tế Mỹ (American International Group – AIG) đầu tư xây dựng và vận hành Khu Công Nghiệp Đình Vũ, Hải Phòng, diện tích 1,000 ha với vốn đầu tư dự kiến 500 triệu USD.
- Tháng 8/1995: Cùng với Morgan Stanley, Bộ Tài chính, Bộ Kế hoạch và Đầu tư tổ chức hội thảo tại Hà Nội về “Việc phát hành trái phiếu chính phủ trên thị trường vốn quốc tế”.
- Tháng 12/1995: Với K&M Consulting (Mỹ), tổ chức hội thảo tại Hà Nội về “Giải pháp tài chính cho phát triển ngành điện”. - Tháng 9/1996: Tổ chức đoàn thăm Hoa Kỳ do Bộ trưởng Bộ Công nghiệp dẫn đầu để đánh giá các điều kiện “Phát triển ngành Điện”
- Tháng 3/1997: Cùng Hàng không Parsons (Mỹ) và Bộ Xây dựng tổ chức hội thảo tại Hà Nội về phát triển “Trung tâm trung chuyển hàng không khu vực” tại Khu kinh tế mở Chu Lai.
- Tháng 6/1997: Tổ chức “Diễn đàn doanh nghiệp Việt - Mỹ về hợp tác và phát triển công nghiệp” tại Washington D.C. Tài trợ chuyến thăm của phái đoàn do Bộ trưởng Bộ Công nghiệp dẫn đầu, ký Biên bản ghi nhớ giữa Bộ Công nghiệp Việt Nam và Bộ Năng lượng Hoa Kỳ về sự phát triển của ngành năng lượng ở Việt Nam.
- 1996 – 2001: Cố vấn/Tư vấn cho Bộ Công nghiệp và Điện lực Việt Nam chuẩn bị và thực hiện đợt đấu thầu quốc tế đầu tiên lựa chọn nhà phát triển BOT cho Nhà máy điện khí Phú Mỹ 2-2 720 MW tại tỉnh Vũng Tàu. Tổng vốn đầu tư 480 triệu USD.
- 2000 – 2003: Cố vấn/Tư vấn cho Bộ Công nghiệp lập đề án nghiên cứu tiềm năng nguồn điện địa nhiệt miền Trung. - 2001 – 2003: Cố vấn cho Công ty Truyền thông Dữ liệu Việt Nam (VDC), Tập đoàn Bưu chính Viễn thông Việt Nam (VNPT) và Bộ Bưu chính Viễn thông, Viện Cổng Phát triển Việt Nam, một nền tảng Internet được tài trợ bởi Ngân hàng Thế giới và Quỹ Cổng Phát triển.
• Các dự án trong tương lai:
- Hỗ trợ Cục Hàng hải Việt Nam phát triển “Khu kinh tế và trung chuyển quốc tế Vân Phong” rộng 1.500 km2 tại tỉnh Khánh Hòa, có tiềm năng trở thành một trong những cảng biển lớn nhất trong khu vực ASEAN.
- Hỗ trợ GLOBAL VILLAGE FOUNDATION (Hoa Kỳ) xây dựng trung tâm dạy nghề cho trẻ mồ côi và trẻ em đường phố tại tỉnh Quảng Nam.
Achievements:
- 1954 – 1956: Chief of the Foreign Exchange Service, National Bank of Vietnam.
- 1956 – 1958: Representative of the National Bank of Vietnam in New York, at 24 years old he was the youngest among the central bank representatives in the United States, a record that has not been surpassed.
- 1959 – 1965: President, General Manager, American International Underwriters, Vietnam, Inc. (AIU) – a member company of American International Group (AIG). At 27 years old he was the youngest company President among AIG’s member companies, a record that has not been surpassed. Within a few years at the helm, President Bui Kien Thanh has led AIU to the Number One position among more than 30 domestic and international insurance companies operating in Vietnam at that time
- 1965 – 1983: Real estate development in France.
- 1983 – 1984: Controller, AIG Chicago Regional Office.
- 1984 – 1992: Independent consultant on Vietnam.
- 1993 – 1996: AIG Resident Senior Advisor, in Hanoi, Vietnam. AIG is one of the top five global insurance and financial groups with offices in 130 countries and territories.
- Since 1996: Senior Advisor to KHM, Inc.
• Services rendered to Vietnam:
- 1980 – 2003: Contributed recommendations to formulating the "Doi Moi” (Renovation) Policy, and issues related to Vietnam's transition from a centralized system to a market-oriented economy.
- 1991 – 1992: Contributed recommendations to resolving financial issues resulting from the Federation of Russia ending all economic aids to Vietnam.
- 1992 – 1993 Contributed recommendations to building large business groups, necessary for Vietnam economic growth, worldwide competition, and international integration.
- 1991 – 2003: Contributed recommendations on policies toward the overseas Vietnamese community.
- 1991 – 1995: Advisory services to the Government on the Law of the Sea, maritime and frontiers issues. Assist the Government Frontier Committee to perform a study of the legal bases of Vietnam’s claim of sovereignty over the East Sea Continental Shelf and the offshore oil basins.
Assist the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant Ministries and agencies on the improvement of relations with the United States, MIA-POW issues, settlement of foreign asset claims (Vietnamese assets seized by the US and vice versa).
- 1994 - 1995: Assist the relevant Ministries on security issues on the East Sea, and the Regional Security Forum.
- May, 1995: Organize the “Vietnam Infrastructure Summit Conference” in Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, Roanoke, and Atlanta. This was the first summit conference on economic cooperation and infrastructure development bringing together high level Vietnamese officials, headed by the Minister of Energy, to meet with American political and business leaders.
- 1992 – 1995: Negotiate the investment license for American International Group – AIG – to develop the 1,000 hectares Dinh Vu Economic Zone, the largest foreign owned industrial zone, in Hai Phong with expected investment capital of 500 million USD .
- August, 1995: With Morgan Stanley, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment, organized a seminar in Hanoi on “The Issuing of Sovereign Bonds on the International Capital Market”.
- December, 1995: With K&M Consulting (USA), organized a seminar in Hanoi on “The Financial Solutions for the Development of the Power Sector”.
- September, 1996: Organize a visit to the United States by a delegation headed by the Minister of Industry to assess the conditions for “The Development of the Power Sector”
- March, 1997: With Parsons Aviation (USA) and the Ministry of Construction, organize a seminar in Hanoi on the development of a “Regional Air Transshipment Center” at Chu Lai Open Economic Zone.
- June, 1997: Organize the “US-Vietnam Business Forum on Cooperation and Industrial Development” in Washington D.C. Sponsor a visit by a delegation headed by the Minister of Industry, Arrange a MOU between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and the US Department of Energy on the development of the energy sector in Vietnam.
- 1996 – 2001: Advisor/Consultant to the Ministry of Industry and Electricity of Vietnam to prepare and execute the first international tender to select the BOT developer for Phu My 2-2 720 MW gas fired power plant in Vung Tau Province. Total investment US$480 million.
- 2000 – 2003: Advisor/Consultant to the Ministry of Industry to prepare a study on the potential of Geothermal power sources in Central Vietnam.
- 2001 – 2003: Advisor to Vietnam Data Communication Company (VDC), Vietnam Post and Telecom Corp. (VNPT), and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication to develop the Vietnam Development Gateway, an Internet platform sponsored by the World Bank and the Development Gateway Foundation.
• Future Projects:
- Assist the Vietnam Maritime Administration to develop the 1,500 km2 “Van Phong International Transshipment Port and Economic Zone” in Khanh Hoa Province, with potential to become one of the largest seaports in the ASEAN Region.
- Assist the GLOBAL VILLAGE FOUNDATION (USA) to build a vocational training center for orphans and street kids in Quang Nam Province.
(1) Hoa Kỳ H.O. chương trình dành cho Việt Nam: Các trại tù cải tạo trước đây đã di cư sang Hoa Kỳ thông qua tiểu chương trình của ODP, Hoạt động Nhân đạo (HO). Chương trình Khởi hành Trật tự đã giúp hơn 500.000 người tị nạn Việt Nam nhập cư vào Hoa Kỳ trước khi chương trình này kết thúc vào năm 1994.
(1) United States H.O. program for Vietnam: Former reeducation camp prisons immigrated to the U.S. through the ODP's subprogram, Humanitarian Operation (HO). The Orderly Departure Program helped over 500,000 Vietnamese refugees immigrate to the U.S. before it ended in 1994.
Chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành (1932, Mỹ): Có nhiều đóng góp có giá trị giúp Việt Nam trong phát triển đầu tư và hội nhập quốc tế về kinh tế, tài chính.
Financial expert Bui Kien Thanh (1932, US): He has made valuable contributions to Vietnam in terms of investment development and international economic and financial integration.
“DÂN GIÀU NƯỚC MẠNH”
(Trích từ sách “Bùi Kiên Thành, Người Mở khóa Lãng du” (2020) Trang 250-254)
PEOPLE RICH COUNTRY POWERFUL
Extract from the book: “Bui Kien Thanh, the Wandering Door Opener” page 250-254
(How to achieve a Revolution without bloodshed)
“…. In 1976, Mr. Pham Hung became Deputy Prime Minister (in 1981 the title was changed to Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers), from 1980 he also served as Minister of the Interior, the predecessor of the Ministry of Public Security. It was he who directed and coordinated the meetings with me to seek advice, recommendations, to rebuild Vietnam’s economy, after the war with China in 1979 in the North, and Pol Pot in the South, while being subject to a total embargo by the US."
"How did you answer them?"
“I said: 'I'm a ‘capitalist’ by training and conviction. Since you come to me, we must be truly honest with each other, let's establish a clear relationship. You know what I was like, what I did in the past, from the days when I was a friend with Mr. Ngo Dinh Diem before he took the position of Prime Minister, then President until he was overthrown and killed by the Saigon military. I have always been a non-believer in communism. Therefore, the first step is that we quietly close the door and talk with each other, without anyone knowing and not letting anyone know. Who knows, it's not beneficial for you but dangerous for me, there are people when they learn that I sit and talk with the communists, they immediately consider me as an enemy. Second, I'm willing to contribute frankly, sharing what I know. My opinion is only advisory, you use what can be used immediately, and leave what can't be used immediately for later consideration.' The visitors said that after the war it was not easy for them to find people who would agree to sit down and talk with them. So, we agreed on the working methods, not discussing any ideology but only issues that are useful to the country."
"And what were the first things to discuss?"
“The visitors said: 'Because Vietnam's economic situation is at a dead end, we need to make change, but we don't know much about the capitalist system nor the market economy, so we need advisory from people with experience working in the free enterprise system like you.'
Seeing that they are truly willing to seek advice and ready to listen, I said: 'According to the dogma of communism, all the means of production must be state-owned and operated; the people, from the top leaders to the common citizen, are all proletarians, not permitted to hold any wealth, nor properties. Not holding any wealth means being poor. You are implementing a strict policy of ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’, eradicate the bourgeoisie, set up agricultural cooperatives, blockading all the roads and rivers, shutting down all the markets, forbidding all commercial activities, not a single chicken is permitted to get pass the village checkpoints.... the result is impoverishment the people. Think again, if you build a regime based on the foundation of poor people, how do you expect to achieve ‘Freedom, Independence and Happiness’? When the people are poor, the country is weak, if China hits again, what will the people have in their hands to defend the country? From ancient times, from Greece to Qin Shi Huang, to Rome….. no country could build into a great power based on an impoverished people. Now you go back and talk to the leaders of Hanoi, if you want a strong country, you must have rich people. I suggest you think: If the people are rich, the country will be strong. It's not my personal opinion, but the collective wisdom that is needed right now.'
“They said: 'Mr Thanh, what you said makes it difficult for us, because the word RICH is the bourgeoisie, the word RICH is the enemy of the proletariat. You ask us to report to our leadership: "Make the people rich, the country will be strong", we do not dare to say. If we open our mouth to say that they won't let us come back, there is a risk that our work will be interrupted.'
So I said that if we don’t agree with each other on the idea that it requires a rich people to make a strong country, then we have nothing to talk about. In the end, I wrote the concept down on a piece of paper, sign it, and gave it to the visitors to take back to Hanoi.
“Has the leadership in Hanoi agreed to that?”
“After a few months of waiting, the emissaries finally came back to announce that the leadership had approved the concept 'People rich, Country powerful', then we went into specific discussions.
“I told the visitors: First of all, the basic principles of the market economy are efficiency in production and exchange of products. If you want to achieve efficiency in production, you must apply what is known as “relative advantage” in economic relations, that is, if you want to produce anything, you must arrange for the right people, with the best skill and competence, to do the job. A tailor is a tailor, a shoemaker a shoemaker because the tailor's relative advantage is good tailoring, and the shoemaker's relative advantage is good shoemaking. If we now put the tailor in charge of making shoes and the shoemaker to make dresses, the economy will not produce good products, neither quantity nor quality. So that is the fundamental principle for economic growth.
“The second problem is that once there are products, there must be an exchange. When the shoemaker makes 10 pairs of shoes, he can't hug or chew them, and when the tailor makes 10 dresses and has no one to wear, what would he do with them all?
The two sides must exchange their products with each other, when there is an exchange, there is trade. If you forbid exchange and trade, you do not allow people to sell products, and force them to bring all their products to the State cooperatives to distribute, that is, without trade and exchange, how would the economy develop?
“In the early 1980s, what you said didn't seem so simple?”
“It sounds very simple, but in reality, it is not that simple at all. At that time, Mr. Pham Hung was Deputy Prime Minister, then Prime Minister, in Hanoi and Mr. Vo Van Kiet was Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. Mr. Nguyen Van Linh shuttled back and forth between Saigon and Hanoi. Mr. Kiet took the position that whatever the Party did not forbid, let's try it. He then allowed factory managers to find raw materials by themselves instead of waiting for the Central Planning Commission to distribute to them. For example, an iron and steel factory would look for scrap metal for raw materials, a plastic factory looks for waste plastic... When the leader gives the green light, people will do just fine. Such small positive actions gradually spread from Saigon to the provinces in the South. By January 1983, seeing that the pilot activities in the South were effective, a select group of leaders of the Politburo, including Mr. Vo Chi Cong, Pham Van Dong, Truong Chinh... gathered in Da Lat to examine the situation, with Vo Van Kiet and Nguyen Van Linh, on the achievements in Saigon. The group decided to support the new initiatives. From then, the reform team gradually drafted up documents on economic reconstruction issues, and brought them to the VI Party Congress in December 1985 for debate and finally obtained approval for the ‘Multi-players Economy’ reform known as ‘DOI MOI’ Policy . In 1986, Nguyen Van Linh became General Secretary and made fundamental changes during his tenure."
“To abolish the river blockade, open up trading activities, remove the centralized subsidized economy, and move towards a market economy, was a challenging task. The important aspect was how not to cause serious social unrest, like sitting on a boat that needs to make a sharp turn, if the crew is not skillful, the boat would capsize. How to obtain the party members' consent for the radical changes? Before it was a centrally controlled Bolshevik type state economy, now it's a multi-players economy. That is to say, abandoning the centralized system, the bureaucracy and subsidies, and changing over to operating according to the market mechanism. The official language of the “Doi Moi Policy” is “Vietnam is a multi-sectors economy, operating according to the market system, with the management of the State……..”.
But it is not enough to get there, the party hardliners still ask why is it necessary to change the economic course like that. The answer is “ for a prosperous people, powerful country, a democratic, civilized Society, with Liberty and Justice for all”.
Thus the full official designation of the “DOI MOI POLICY” is: “Vietnam is a multi-sectors economy, operating according to the market system, with the management of the State, for a prosperous people, powerful country, a democratic, civilized Society, with Liberty and Justice for all”.
The End justifies the Means. The goal is undeniable, no one can object. Although a bit lengthy, but this long phrase is extremely important for the majority of party members to be convinced.
It’s a torturous process known as “Scientific Dialectic”, the science of words manipulation to persuade the party members to accept the radical change in economic policy, because the Party hardliners still dominates the Party infrastructure.
Starting to advise the Government of Vietnam right from the process of preparing for the important “DOI MOI” milestone of the Vietnamese economy, Bui Kien Thanh shared:
“The transformation from the dark nights is thanks to Party leaders’ creativity and responsibility. I'm happy to have contributed some ideas to accelerate that process."
16/05/2023
Vietnam Business Insider
Chuyện kể cuộc đời Doanh nhân Bùi Kiến Thành: Người Việt đầu tiên được đào tạo về tài chính tại Hoa Kỳ
28/02/2019
Bùi Kiến Thành's biography - From Ngô Đình Diệm's Assistant to Making a Great Contribution to Changing Vietnam's Economy I Tiểu sử ông Bùi Kiến Thành - từ trợ lý Ngô Đình Diệm đến góp công lớn thay đổi nền kinh tế Việt Nam.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0_lgZ3t_x8&t=24s
15/09/2009
Cuộc đời và sự nghiệp chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành - phần 1
(Phỏng vấn kể chuyện: BTV Diệu Thảo)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYHF-CUxSHU&list=PL7yXuQie3X6c0WiVR-ZC5ZSwqnWoqQKUf
Cuộc đời và sự nghiệp chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành - phần 2
(Phỏng vấn kể chuyện: BTV Diệu Thảo)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45QWogZ1_2s&list=PL7yXuQie3X6c0WiVR-ZC5ZSwqnWoqQKUf&index=2
Cuộc đời và sự nghiệp chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành - phần 3
(Phỏng vấn kể chuyện: BTV Diệu Thảo)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5sZ-bLZmd4&list=PL7yXuQie3X6c0WiVR-ZC5ZSwqnWoqQKUf&index=3
Cuộc đời và sự nghiệp chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành - phần 4
(Phỏng vấn kể chuyện: BTV Diệu Thảo)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c_VcneSQhc&list=PL7yXuQie3X6c0WiVR-ZC5ZSwqnWoqQKUf&index=4
Cuộc đời và sự nghiệp chuyên gia tài chính Bùi Kiến Thành - phần 5 (hết)
(Phỏng vấn kể chuyện: BTV Diệu Thảo)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb6ugjGoa4I&list=PL7yXuQie3X6c0WiVR-ZC5ZSwqnWoqQKUf&index=5