ASEAN economic mission in Vietnam
ASEAN economic mission in Vietnam
HANOI (AFP): A senior ASEAN economic delegation has begun a six-day visit to Vietnam to determine what economic role the communist country will play in future ties with its richer neighbors, a senior diplomat said yesterday.
The visit by the 15-strong group is the first such trip here by high-level Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officials since Vietnam applied to join the association in October.
"It is an extremely important trip for both Vietnam and ASEAN," the ASEAN diplomat said.
"They have come to study the economic conditions, economic situation and economic policy in Vietnam ahead of Hanoi's expected entry into the organization in July," he added.
"The main goal is to be briefed and to see how Vietnam can participate in ASEAN economic cooperation after it joins. This is especially important considering the fact that the level of economic development here is much lower than in other ASEAN countries," the diplomat, who required anonymity, said.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and was paradoxically founded in 1967 to stand up to fears that Vietnam's communist government harbored expansionist plans for the region.
The diplomat said the trip was unlikely to have any effect on Vietnam's application to join the group, but added it would be crucial in deciding Vietnam's economic role within the group and for establishing what changes Hanoi would have to make after joining.
He said the delegation -- made up of ASEAN's top economic officials and of cadres from member states -- was not charged with drawing up any concrete suggestions or plans, but would instead report its findings directly to ASEAN's economic ministers.
"The nuts and bolts -- like Vietnam lowering certain tariffs -- will have to be decided at a later date, but the visit will help in letting Hanoi know what it will have to do," the diplomat said.
Since Vietnam launched its first drive towards membership by becoming an observer in 1993, a number of issues have emerged that have needed to be overcome, including a shortage of English speakers among Vietnamese officials.
Threats of an end to promotions for bureaucrats who failed to master ASEAN's lingua franca have hastened improvements while the foreign ministry has been widely consulting the group's members on how to adapt.
At a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Bangkok in July, the members agreed to admit Vietnam, which has had to overcome lingering political and economic suspicions to win backing from countries that were once among its foremost rivals.
Growing trade and investment links have been vital in breaking down some barriers, with more than US$1.5 billion of investment here from ASEAN members.
The group met senior trade, foreign affairs, state planning committee and state bank officials earlier Monday and will also visit Danang and the southern commercial capital Ho Chi Minh City.