A Case Study of Vietnam—From 1975 to Present
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University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 6-1-2009 From Dependence to Global Integration for Development: A Case Study of Vietnam—from 1975 to Present Phong Thanh Dang University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the International Law Commons Recommended Citation Dang, Phong Thanh, "From Dependence to Global Integration for Development: A Case Study of Vietnam—from 1975 to Present" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 153. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/153 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. FROM DEPENDENCE TO GLOBAL INTEGRATION FOR DEVELOPMENT A CASE STUDY OF VIETNAM – FROM 1975 TO PRESENT A Thesis Presented to Josef Korbel School of International Studies University of Denver In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Dang, Thanh Phong June 2009 Advisor: Professor Edward Thomas Rowe Dang, Thanh Phong From Dependence to Global Integration for Development A Case Study of Vietnam – From 1975 to Present Advisor: Professor Edward Thomas Rowe June 2009 ABSTRACT This study examines the process of Vietnam’s global integration for development in order to conclude that Vietnam has been able to achieve economic development and human development by joining regional and global institutions and working closely with multilateral international development agencies. With proper literature reviews of economic theories and empirical studies, this study determines that Vietnam was able to graduate from dependence on the former Soviet Union and achieved economic development and human development. This study determines that Vietnam has become one of the best-performing developing economies in the world. The Vietnamese people’s standard of living has improved significantly. The World Bank estimates that within 10 years, from 1993 to 2004, Vietnam lifted 30 million people out of poverty. ii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction, Objectives, and Methodology ........................................ 1 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Objectives ................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Methodology and Literature Reviews ...................................................... 4 Chapter 2: The Dependent Period from 1975 to 1985 ........................................... 5 2.1 Military Dependence ................................................................................ 6 2.2 Economic Dependence ............................................................................. 8 2.3 Diplomatic Dependence ......................................................................... 10 2.4 Education Dependence ........................................................................... 11 Chapter 3: The Transitional Period from 1986 to 1995 ....................................... 12 3.1 Economic Development and Human Development under dependence on the U.S.S.R ............................................................................................. 12 3.2 The Communist Party’s Sixth Congress in December 1986 ................. 14 3.3 Detaching from Kampuchea .................................................................. 20 3.4 Normalizing Relations with People’s Republic of China ...................... 22 3.5 Normalizing Relations with the United States of America .................... 26 Chapter 4: The Global Integration Period from 1995 to 2005 and Achievements in Economic Development and Human Development ................... 30 4.1 Achievements in Economic Development ............................................. 30 4.1.1 Trade Liberalization ....................................................................... 30 4.1.2 Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam .......................................... 35 4.1.3 Privatization ................................................................................... 42 4.1.4 Official Development Assistance .................................................. 44 4.2 Joining ASEAN ...................................................................................... 47 4.3 Joining APEC.......................................................................................... 52 4.4 Joining WTO ........................................................................................... 54 4.5 Achievements in Human Development .................................................. 59 4.5.1 Poverty Reduction ........................................................................... 60 4.5.2 Education Development .................................................................. 70 4.5.3 Health Development ....................................................................... 74 4.6 Analysis of the Policy Implementation of Vietnam ................................. 81 Chapter 5: Challenges.............................................................................................. 83 Chapter 6: Conclusion ............................................................................................. 85 Chapter 7: Recommendations ................................................................................. 87 References and Bibliography .................................................................................. 88 iii List of tables Table 1: Military Aid from the U.S.S.R to Vietnam .................................................... 7 Table 2: Economic Aid from the U.S.S.R to Vietnam ............................................... 10 Table 3: Structural Transformation in Vietnam ......................................................... 18 Table 4: Major Changes in Trade Policy in the First Few Years of Doi Moi ............ 18 Table 5: Top Ten Foreign Investors in the Period 1988 – 4/2006 ............................. 40 Table 6: Private Sector’s Share in 1998 GDP (Percent) ............................................ 42 Table 7: Trade Turnover between Vietnam and other ASEAN countries ................. 50 Table 8: The Brief Description of the 7 Poverty Reduction Support Credits ............ 63 Table 9: The Millennium Development Goals and the Vietnamese Achievements .. 68 Table 10: Vietnam’s Human Development Index 2005 ............................................ 79 Table 11: Selected Indicators of Human Poverty For Vietnam ................................. 80 iv List of figures Figure 1: SOE Reduction in Vietnam from 1998 to 2004 ......................................... 17 Figure 2: Exports to China ......................................................................................... 33 Figure 3: Exports to U.S. and EU .............................................................................. 33 Figure 4: Annual Real GDP Growth (%) from 1995 to 2005 .................................... 34 Figure 5: Investment Inflows from 1998 to 2005 ...................................................... 36 Figure 6: Distribution of FDI Projects by Sector ....................................................... 38 Figure 7: Regional FDI by Numbers of Projects and Register Capital ...................... 39 Figure 8: Industrial Employments by Sector in the Period 1997 – 1998 ................... 43 Figure 9: A Glimpse of ODA in Vietnam from 1993 to 2006 ................................... 45 Figure 10: Vietnam: Indicators for Trade Openness .................................................. 57 Figure 11: Poverty Rate in Vietnam from 1993 to 2004 ........................................... 69 Figure 12: Annual Confirmed Malaria Deaths from 1990 to 2003 .......................... 77 Figure 13: Annual Confirmed Malaria Cases from 1990 to 2003 ............................. 77 v Map of Vietnam vi Chapter 1 – Introduction, Objectives, and Methodology 1.1. Introduction Today, the global integration of Vietnam has been considered a success story, particularly with its characteristics of a communist country. The process of global integration is seen from the country’s significant improvements to engage the world by graduating from the status of dependence on the former Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (U.S.S.R), shifting its ideological directions, and by making very crucial steps into regional and global organizations. The time frame to illustrate the process of Vietnam’s global integration is set from the country’s reunification from the Vietnam War in April 1975 to present. Officially, the reunification of the country was set in October 1976. After this, the Vietnamese leadership expected to develop Vietnam into prosperity by adapting a socialism-based economy. However, it failed to achieve both economic development as well as human development in the evidences of internal and external factors. Internally, the export turnover from 1976 to 1985 compensated for only a third of the import turnover and gross foreign trade turnover was very low, averaging only US$ 1.7 billion per year. The quality of life was poor and getting worse. Daily necessities such as food, consumer goods, transport, and health and education facilities were seriously deficient. Meanwhile, rampant inflation reduced the value of salaries and real incomes. Overspending of the state budget