With the recent resignation of Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and two deputy prime ministers sacked ealier this month, Jonathan London, expert on contemporary Vietnam, says this is "a coincidence of internal competition within the party and major missteps by these people in senior positions" adding that this turnover of officials also means "a risk Vietnam is left with few people in positions of authority... who have experience and competency" on the international stage. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES