While Vietnam became a centrally planned communist state after the war with the United States ended, economic reforms in the 1990s have helped drive the creation of a subnational government framework. while the center still exerts substantial control, the subnational governments have some discretion.

Provinces have greater power and authority over lower levels. Popular participation and grassroots demand for a political voice have grown, but the country remains a one-party state, centrally driven for the most part.

The country has moved forward with its decentralization framework, but implementation is uneven. Subnational governments play dominant roles in agriculture, forestry, irrigation, fisheries, power, water, education, and health.

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