Introduction

This report presents a comprehensive assessment of Turkish sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is considered in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military.

Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.), without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) forms the Cumulative Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust the statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a common 10-question questionnaire with a 10-point scale with one open question. In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and expert specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used to bring all the data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final value of the index is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates. Below is an analysis in each area, a final summary table and the main conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of Turkish sovereignty.

Political sovereignty 60.2

Vietnam is not subject to international UN Security Council sanctions, which confirms its compliance with international law and the absence of external pressure through sanctions mechanisms.

Vietnam demonstrates a high degree of political independence and institutional autonomy. There are no foreign military bases on the territory of the country, which is enshrined in the official defense doctrine of "no four" — a fundamental rejection of the deployment of foreign military facilities.

Participation in UN peacekeeping operations is moderate — 277 military personnel and experts for 2025, with permanent missions including hospitals, officers and engineering units. This reflects a balanced approach: active participation in international security without excessive involvement that could limit political maneuver.

Political and administrative institutions operate at an average level of efficiency. E-Government Index (EGDI) The UN is 0.7709 (2024), which indicates the active development of digital public services. The World Bank estimates the effectiveness of the government at -0.07 (on a scale of -2.5...+2.5; close to the global average), reflecting the need for further administrative reforms. Political stability is at a moderate level (index -0.43), while the country avoids significant internal conflicts. Corruption control remains a challenge (-0.41), although the Government has stepped up anti-corruption campaigns in recent years.

The "Voice and Accountability" indicator (-1.00) reflects a centralized political system with limited public competition, which is typical of Vietnam's one-party governance model. At the same time, the system ensures stability and consistency in the implementation of long-term development strategies.

Data completeness assessment: All key indicators of political sovereignty are available from global sources (UN, World Bank), providing 98% coverage. Individual indicators (military bases) are confirmed through official doctrinal documents.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• How effectively does Vietnam balance political stability and the need to increase governance transparency?

• What mechanisms allow the country to maintain the independence of its foreign policy in the context of regional geopolitical competition?

Economic sovereignty 59

Vietnam's economic sovereignty is characterized by dynamic growth, low dependence on external aid, and a high degree of integration into the global economy. The country is demonstrating steady economic growth with a real GDP rate of 5.1% (2023), which is significantly higher than the global average. GDP per capita by PPP is $16,386 (2024), classifying Vietnam as a lower-middle-income country, but with rapid progress.

Macroeconomic stability is supported by a moderate level of public debt (33.6% of GDP in 2024) and a controlled budget deficit (-3.0...-4.0% of GDP). However, international reserves cover only 2.37 months of imports (2024), which is lower than the 3 months recommended by the IMF and creates vulnerability to external shocks.

Vietnam's economy is characterized by extremely high openness: foreign trade turnover is 165% of GDP (2023), which makes the country one of the most open economies in the region. Export diversification is high (HHI index 0.13), which reduces dependence on individual product groups.

Dependence on official development assistance is minimal (0.1-0.2% of GNI), emphasizing economic independence. Food security is under control, although there is moderate import dependence on cereals (15-20%), requiring imports of 19-20 million tons annually. At the same time, Vietnam is the largest exporter of rice in the world, which ensures foreign exchange earnings and food stability. The share of food in imports is 8-10%, which is an acceptable level.

Data completeness assessment: The main macro indicators are obtained from official sources (World Bank, IMF, FAO), providing 94% coverage. Individual indicators (budget balance, import dependence) are estimated based on ranges from official reports.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• What measures are needed to increase international reserves to a safe level without limiting economic growth?

• How to optimally use high trade openness for technological upgrade while minimizing external risks?

Technological sovereignty 49.2

Technological sovereignty is the most vulnerable area for Vietnam. Spending on research and development accounts for only 0.42% of GDP (2021), one of the lowest rates in the ASEAN region, which critically limits innovation potential.

Patent activity is extremely low: only about 0.3 PCT patents per million inhabitants (2023), which indicates a weak inventive base. The digital infrastructure is developing unevenly. 79% of the population has Internet access (2022), which is the average for the region.

Fixed broadband Internet covers only 22 subscribers per 100 people, and the international bandwidth is only 0.178 Mbit/s per user, a critically low indicator that limits access to global digital resources.

Human capital in the technology sector is developing gradually: enrollment in higher education is 33% (2022), while the share of STEM graduates is estimated at 28-32% of the total. This creates the basis for future technological development, but the current level is insufficient for rapid industrialization.

The main structural problem is the critical import dependence on high—tech equipment: about 43% of all imports fall into the HS84-85 categories (electronics and mechanical engineering), while HS85 (electronics) accounts for 34.8% of imports.

This makes Vietnam vulnerable to disruptions of global supply chains and technological sanctions.

Data completeness assessment: Key metrics are obtained from UNESCO, ITU, WIPO and national customs statistics, providing 87% coverage of indicators. Some indicators need to be updated for later periods.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• What strategy will increase R&D spending to the regional level (≥1% of GDP) in the medium term?

• How can we develop the localization of the production of electronic components without losing competitiveness in global supply chains?

Information sovereignty 62.1

Vietnam demonstrates a moderate level of information sovereignty with strong positions in cybersecurity and national control over the media space. The National CERT (VNCERT/CC) has been functioning since 2007, providing coordination of the response to cyber incidents. In the ITU global cybersecurity index, the country ranks in the top 30 with a score of 0.69 (2020), which indicates advanced mechanisms for protecting critical information infrastructure.

The Internet infrastructure is developing, but remains limited. There are only 3 Internet traffic exchange points (IXPs) per 100 million people (0.3 per 10 million inhabitants) in the country, which creates bottlenecks in the network architecture. The number of autonomous systems is about 100 active ASNs, which is insufficient for a country of this size and increases dependence on transit traffic.

The media space is characterized by the complete dominance of the national language and state control. More than 95% of the media operate in the Vietnamese language, which supports cultural and informational integrity. According to the 2016 Law on the Press, 100% of the media are under domestic control, while direct private ownership of the media is prohibited. This ensures information sovereignty, but limits media diversity.

Weaknesses include the low density of the IXP infrastructure and the limited number of autonomous systems, which increases the latency and cost of Internet connections, as well as creates potential vulnerability points for external traffic control.

Data completeness assessment: Infrastructure indicators are derived from ITU, VNNIC and APNIC, media characteristics are derived from national legislation, providing 91% coverage.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• What regulatory and investment measures will accelerate the development of the IXP/ASN ecosystem to reduce dependence on transit?

• How to balance information security and the need to develop a competitive media market?

Cultural sovereignty 78.5

Vietnam's cultural sovereignty shows a contrasting picture: strong traditional foundations with weak institutionalized cultural production. There are 9 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List (including the recently added Yen Ty — Vinh Nghiem — Conchon complex)./Kepbak" in 2025), which confirms the international recognition of the Vietnamese cultural heritage. The participation of the population in traditional practices remains high — more than 60% of citizens regularly participate in national festivals and traditional events (2023).

This shows a living connection with cultural roots and the preservation of national identity at the everyday level. However, institutional support for culture is limited. Government spending on culture is only 0.3-0.5% of GDP (2022), which is significantly below the level of developed countries.

Book publishing is poorly developed — 250-350 titles per million inhabitants (2023), which is several times less than the regional leaders. Film production is limited to 40-70 feature films per year (2019-2023), which is not enough to saturate the domestic market with national content.

Attendance at cultural institutions is low — 0.3-0.5 visits to museums and theaters per capita per year (2023), indicating poor cultural infrastructure development or low accessibility. The trade balance in cultural goods is close to zero (2022), which means there are no significant cultural exports with growing imports of foreign content.

Data completeness assessment: UNESCO and national statistics indicators provide 85% coverage, some indicators are estimated based on ranges and proxy data.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• What mechanisms of state support are capable of scaling up national cultural production without loss of authenticity?

• How to develop the export potential of Vietnamese cultural products in the face of global competition?

Cognitive sovereignty 65.4

Vietnam's cognitive sovereignty is at an average level with positive development dynamics. The Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.766 (2023), placing the country in 93rd place in the world - the category of high human development. This reflects significant progress in recent decades in education, healthcare, and living standards.

Investments in education amount to 4.3% of GDP (2022), which is in line with UNESCO recommendations for developing countries. Adult literacy has reached 96% (2022), demonstrating progress in basic education.

Higher education enrollment is 33% (2022), which creates the basis for the development of a skilled workforce, although this figure is still below the regional average. The quality of education according to international standards is at an acceptable level. In the PISA 2015 test, Vietnamese schoolchildren scored 495-525 points, close to the OECD average.

In TIMSS 2019, fourth graders scored 496 points in mathematics, demonstrating the competitiveness of basic education. The national curriculum is fully localized with regular updates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education (MOET), which ensures the transfer of national values and knowledge. Brain drain is estimated at a moderate level of 5-8% among graduates with higher education (2020), which is a manageable indicator.

Weaknesses include the relatively low enrollment in higher education and the need to improve the quality of STEM education to support the country's technological development.

Data completeness assessment: Education and human development indicators are available from UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, providing 92% coverage.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• How can we accelerate the expansion of higher education without reducing the quality of specialist training?

• Which talent retention programs are most effective in reducing brain drain in a globally competitive environment?

Military sovereignty 54.6

Vietnam's military sovereignty is characterized by moderate defense capabilities with an emphasis on territorial defense and gradual modernization. Military expenditures amount to 2.0-2.3% of GDP (2018-2023), which corresponds to the regional level and reflects the balance between defense needs and economic development. There is a positive trend in military spending (2023-2024) related to modernization programs.

Vietnam's armed forces are significant in number, with about 482,000 troops (2019), making them one of the largest in Southeast Asia. This provides sufficient potential for territorial defense and control of extended land and sea borders. The country is developing its own military-industrial complex, including shipbuilding, repair facilities and the production of UAVs.

This reduces dependence on imports in individual segments, although full autonomy remains elusive. The diversification of arms import sources is high — 4-6 major suppliers over the past 5 years (2019-2023), which reduces the risks of unilateral dependence. The key principle of defense policy is the doctrine of the "four no's": no military alliances, no foreign military bases, no use of territory against third countries, no use of force in international relations.

This ensures strategic autonomy, but limits the possibilities of collective defense.

Data completeness assessment: Data from SIPRI, the World Bank, and national sources provide 88% coverage. Individual indicators (density of border control) require departmental data.

Possible questions for expert discussion:

• Which areas of defense industry development will have the maximum effect on reducing import dependence in critical weapons systems?

• How to optimize the structure of defense spending between the maintenance of personnel and technological modernization?

Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths: economic dynamics, political independence, human capital, food security. Vietnam is showing impressive economic growth (5.1% of GDP), maintaining a low level of public debt (33.6% of GDP) and minimal dependence on external aid (0.1-0.2% of GNI). The absence of foreign military bases and sanctions confirms political sovereignty. High literacy (96%) and a localized education system ensure the development of human capital. The status of the largest rice exporter guarantees food security.

Weaknesses: technological backwardness, insufficient reserves, weak cultural production, limited network infrastructure. Critically low R&D costs (0.42% of GDP) and minimal patent activity (0.3 PCT patents per million people) limit innovative development. International reserves cover only 2.37 months of imports, creating vulnerability to external shocks. Import dependence on high-tech equipment reaches 43% of imports. The weak development of the cultural industry (250-350 books per million inhabitants, 40-70 films per year) and the low density of the IXP (0.3 per 10 million population) limit cultural and information sovereignty.

Overall assessment. Vietnam's total sovereignty index is 429.0 out of 700 possible points (an average of 61.3%), which places the country in the middle segment of the global ranking. The data show that Vietnam is a developing sovereign state with strong positions in political independence and economic dynamics, but with significant challenges in the technological and cultural spheres.

The sovereignty profile indicates the need to prioritize technological development (increasing R&D to ≥1% of GDP, developing patent activity), strengthening financial buffers (increasing reserves to 4-5 months of imports), and developing network infrastructure (increasing the number of IXPs and ASNs). At the same time, it is necessary to support national cultural production and expand access to higher education in order to strengthen the long-term foundations of sovereignty.

Strategic priorities should include: accelerated technological modernization with localization of production in key sectors, creation of financial reserves to increase resilience to external shocks, investments in human capital through the expansion of STEM education, and the development of a national cultural industry to preserve identity in a globalized environment. Solving these tasks will allow Vietnam to significantly strengthen all aspects of national sovereignty and raise the integral index to the level of developed countries in the region.