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The Strategic Vision behind Vietnam's International Trade Integration
[journal article]
Abstract
This paper evaluates the positioning of Vietnam in international trade. It addresses the key question of how Vietnam uses its participation in international trade agreements as a tool to ensure and advance national interest and security through increased economic power. The paper first examines how ... view more
This paper evaluates the positioning of Vietnam in international trade. It addresses the key question of how Vietnam uses its participation in international trade agreements as a tool to ensure and advance national interest and security through increased economic power. The paper first examines how Vietnam participates in the international integration of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and then looks at the importance for Vietnam to be outward-looking; that is, to participate in trade agreements outside the South-East Asian region. Finally, I examine how reforms required under international trade agreements push Vietnam into domestic economic reforms. My conclusion is that the political elite of Vietnam has identified trade, export-oriented growth and international economic integration as international policy preferences and has used international trade integration as a strategic instrument to maximise these national priorities within the regional and international trade system. Therefore, Vietnam has a very strategic view on international trade integration and uses it as an instrument to ensure its national interest and security through increased economic power. Through careful selection of trade agreements, Vietnam aims to position itself in a strategically advantageous position vis-à-vis other economies of the AEC, to ensure continued economic growth through preferential access to key markets and to push through some of the more difficult and sensitive domestic economic reforms, using its commitments under external trade agreements as a lock-in mechanism.... view less
Keywords
Vietnam; international economic relations; foreign trade; international agreement; economic integration; regional integration; economic policy; economic reform; economic growth; ASEAN; Southeast Asia
Classification
International Relations, International Politics, Foreign Affairs, Development Policy
National Economy
Document language
English
Publication Year
2018
Page/Pages
p. 3-38
Journal
Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 37 (2018) 2
ISSN
1868-4882
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed