Vietnam lags behind region in economic freedomVietNamNet Bridge - Though Vietnam has managed a modest rise in its overall score, it still is at the bottom position in the region in the latest ranking by the US-based Heritage Foundation in terms of economic freedom. The 12 aspects of economic freedom measured in the index are grouped into four categories, namely Rule of law (property rights, judicial effectiveness, and government integrity); Government size (tax burden, government spending, and fiscal health); Regulatory efficiency (business freedom, labor freedom, and monetary freedom); andMarket openness (trade freedom, investment freedom, and financial freedom). However, the gap has gradually narrowed as Vietnam’s economic freedom has increased over the last decade. In 2008, Vietnam’s economic freedom index reached 50 percent, but it was still lower than the Asia-Pacific level. Tuyen affirmed that after two decades of transition, the Vietnam economy has seen platforms established for a more comprehensive market economy.