We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
from VIETNAM
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 October 2015
The year 2006 has proven to be another highly successful year for Vietnam's foreign relations. Many events signified Vietnam's growing stature in the international community. Throughout the year, Vietnam hosted visits from top US officials, including the then House Speaker, Dennis Hastert, then Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, and the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. In October, the Asian group of the United Nations nominated Vietnam as the continent's sole candidate for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2008–2009 tenure. In November, Hanoi hosted the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, only eight years after it had joined the organization. However, the single most significant event that has captured international attention and the Vietnamese imagination was Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Eleven years after Vietnam first applied for admission to the WTO, its General Council approved Vietnam's membership at a special session in Geneva on 7 November 2006. After Vietnam's National Assembly ratified its accession package, the WTO announced that Vietnam would formally become its 150th member on 11 January 2007. Of critical importance to Vietnam's full WTO membership was its long-term trading status with the United States. This issue was also finally resolved in 2006. In the evening of 8 December 2006 the US House of Representatives passed a bill granting permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to Vietnam and five hours later, the US Senate passed a version of the same bill. This bill was signed by President Bush and became effective on 20 December 2006.
Vietnam's membership in the WTO represents a political and economic milestone in the modern history of Vietnam. Politically speaking, especially to the Vietnamese people, WTO membership confirms the international community's recognition of Vietnam's efforts in becoming a modern, outward-looking nation. This is particularly important in view of the fact that Vietnam was one of the last Asian countries to be admitted to WTO.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
