...The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state run by a collective leadership comprising the Communist Party general secretary, Nong Duc Manh, the prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, and the president, Nguyen Minh Triet. An outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) emerged in 2004. The government arranged for 35m fowl to be slaughtered, but, after disappearing for a couple of months, the disease reappeared in July and has re-emerged sporadically since. The government's procedures have contained, but not eliminated, the threat posed by bird flu. In June 2005 Mr Khai made a historic trip to the US. This was the first such trip by a Vietnamese leader since the end of the US-Vietnam war three decades ago. The National Assembly passed the country's first anti-corruption law. The law, which came into effect in June 2006, holds the heads of agencies responsible for corruption within their organisations. In April 2006 the Communist Party held its tenth congress. Mr Manh was called on to serve...
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