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Author	Dr Dau Cong Hiep
Organisation/Institution	Hanoi Law University
Country	VIETNAM
Panel	Constitutional and Admin Law
Title	State Intervention in the Economy under Constitutional Constraints: A Vietnamese Perspective in Comparative View
Abstract	This paper explores the constitutional foundations and limits of state intervention in the economy, using Vietnam as a case study. While economic liberalization and market reforms have transformed Vietnam over the past decades, the role of the state remains central in directing and regulating economic life. The Vietnamese Constitution affirms the model of a socialist-oriented market economy, which grants the state significant latitude in economic affairs. However, this expansive mandate raises critical questions about the legitimacy, accountability, and legal boundaries of state intervention. The paper argues that the absence of clear constitutional constraints and judicial oversight mechanisms has enabled discretionary and, at times, opaque state involvement in markets. Through a comparative lens, the study examines how constitutional frameworks in other Asian jurisdictions (e.g., South Korea, Singapore) delineate the state's economic role while ensuring legal predictability and institutional checks. The paper also considers Vietnam's international commitments (e.g., WTO, CPTPP) and how these shape the permissible scope of intervention. Ultimately, the study proposes a more structured constitutional approach to economic governance in Vietnam—one that balances state leadership with rule-of-law principles, market autonomy, and protection of economic rights. This contributes to broader debates in Asia on how constitutional law should mediate the tension between state control and economic liberalism in transitional and post-socialist contexts.
Biography	I am currently a lecturer at Hanoi Law University, where I have been teaching since 2014. I hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree in Constitutional and Administrative Law, all from the same institution. I am also currently serving as Deputy Director of the HLU Law Clinic, where I supervise student legal aid activities and contribute to clinical legal education. My academic work focuses on constitutional theory, human rights, the rule of law, and the legal foundations of state intervention in the economy. I have published over 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings in Vietnam, many of which explore the relationship between constitutional design and state functions in transitional legal systems. My doctoral dissertation addresses the legal limits of state intervention in the economy under the framework of the socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam. It contributes to both theoretical and practical understanding of how constitutional law can mediate the balance between public authority and market autonomy. I have also participated in several national research projects and co-authored legal textbooks on Vietnamese constitutional law. As a legal scholar, I am particularly interested in comparative constitutional law, especially within the Asian context. I examine how constitutional frameworks in various jurisdictions shape the relationship between law, governance, and economic regulation. I am committed to promoting legal reforms that enhance transparency, institutional accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights in Vietnam’s legal system.