Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Vietnam has made breakthrough progress in multilateral negotiations on its admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The WTO's Working Committee on Vietnam also highly valued the results of bilateral negotiations Vietnam have conducted with a number of countries, said Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu.

Tu, who is also General Secretary of the National Committee for International Economic cooperation, has talked with the Vietnam News Agency on the progress of Vietnam's negotiations in order to join the WTO and the difficulties the country is facing in the process. The following is the full text of the interview.

Question: First of all, could you please give our readers an overview of the negotiations Vietnam has conducted in order to join the WTO?

Answer: Vietnam has been conducting negotiations on its WTO entry for 10 years now, and has concluded 11 multilateral negotiation sessions. It has also completed bilateral negotiations with 22 out of 28 partners requiring bilateral talks, including many major partners such as the European Union, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea and Singapore. We have yet to conclude bilateral negotiations with the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.The WTO's working committee on Vietnam highly valued the results of bilateral negotiations Vietnam has conducted. The committee considered these results decisive progress and urged Vietnam to strive to conclude bilateral negotiations with the remaining partners within 2005 so that the country can take procedures to join the WTO as soon as possible. In multilateral negotiations, Vietnam has also made leaping progress, especially its commitment to implementing most WTO treaties at the time of its entry, including treaties of great importance to WTO members such as those on intellectual property, investment, import-export tariffs, customs, animal and plant quarantine, and anti-subsidisation. The Vietnamese government has pledged to apply the same rates of service charges for both domestic and foreign-invested businesses by the end of this year. During the negotiation process, the Vietnamese delegation has answered some 2,800 questions regarding the transparency of policies. The WTO's working committee on Vietnam especially appreciated Vietnam's law-building programme to meet the WTO's requirements. The committee considered this a great effort of the Vietnamese National Assembly and a manifestation of Vietnam's great political determination. With most of necessary laws already adopted or to be approved within this year, Vietnam is one of the first countries that have a complete legal system in place before joining the WTO. In particular, Vietnam's building of a common law for domestic and foreign investment has attracted great interest and won approval from its partners. The law on intellectual property, likely to be approved by the National Assembly during the on-going session, is also highly valued. The US considers this a priority in its bilateral negotiations with Vietnam.

Question: According to your opinion in your capacity as the Head of the Government negotiation delegation, what are the difficulties of Vietnam at present time? Which partner among the remaining partners is considered most difficult?

Answer: According to my opinion, difficulties in the negotiation process are in two respects: first, the difficulties in negotiating table, and second, difficulties related to negotiation partners' political goodwill. For Vietnam, difficulties at negotiating table now are sensitive matters in economy, such as too high standards in banking, telecommunications and cultural service required by partner countries. All partners, which have concluded negotiations with Vietnam, had made concessions and ympathised with Vietnam - a developing country at a low level, with the economy being in a transitional period. Other negotiation partners still persist with their high requirements that Vietnam is continuing to negotiate for their sympathy, so that they will be flexible in solving the remaining obstacles. In regard to the second difficulty - the political goodwill of the remaining partners, Vietnam is continuing a diplomatic campaign to make the partners translate their political support to Vietnam's bid to join the WTO into practical activities of concluding WTO negotiations with Vietnam. Among the remaining partners, results of the recent negotiations with Australia are very good. The country's attitude is positive and constructive. Next week, Vietnam- New Zealand negotiations will take place in the capital of New Zealand. These two partners are positive and Vietnam hoped to conclude negotiations with them soon. Vietnam and the US have signed and implemented a bilateral trade agreement on the basis of WTO principle, which has been considered as the first favourable condition for the two countries' bilateral negotiations. Moreover, Vietnam has also received active and strong support from President G. Bush during Prime Minister Phan Van Khai's recent visit to the US. Therefore, Vietnam is actively preparing to reply the US's requirements, while requesting the US negotiation delegation to turn favourable conditions in relations between the two countries and President G. Bush's political goodwill into practical activities to early conclude negotiations with Vietnam. To this end, Vietnam asked the US to be flexible and not to put forth too high requirements for the Vietnamese economy and requirements beyond the regulations of the WTO. The conclusion of negotiations with the US is very important for the conclusion of Vietnam's entire process of WTO negotiations.
Question: As the deadline of joining WTO is coming, what do you think about the adaptability of Vietnam's economy once it joins the organisation?
Answer: First of all, it can be said that joining WTO will bring many opportunities for businesses as well as the economy of Vietnam. It means that there will be a global market for Vietnamese goods and services, creating equality for businesses joining the global market. Vietnam then will take the initiative in participating in the WTO's institutions instead of remaining passive as at present. 

Earlier, Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Nguyen Tam Chien, in response to Voice of Despite being a developing country with low income level, Vietnam has offered high market access commitments to meet the US interests and concerns. Our offers are also fully in line with WTO membership requirements. To date, Vietnam and the US have made substantial and significant progress. It is our hope that with the high-level political commitment agreed upon in the Vietnam - U.S. Joint Statement in June 2005, the US side will step up our bilateral talks for an early conclusion" said the Ambassador.
America Nov. 4th, said the US is indeed one of the partners that play important roles in Vietnam's WTO accession and stressed that Vietnam has made utmost efforts to conclude the bilateral negotiation with the US as soon as possible. "Despite being a low income developing country, Vietnam has offered high market access commitments to meet the US interests and concerns. Our offers are also fully in line with WTO membership requirements. To date, Vietnam and the US have made substantial and significant progress. It is our hope that with the high-level political commitment agreed upon in the Vietnam - U.S. Joint Statement in June 2005, the US side will step up our bilateral talks for an early conclusion" said the Ambassador.

Source VOV and Embassy of Vietnam