Info4Migrants

VIETNAM Country profile

Project number: UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615 1 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM 332,210 km2

POPULATION 92,477 mln

GDP per capita $1,910 CURRENCY Dong (VND)

Language VIETNAMESE

2 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM COUNTRY BACKGROUND

CHINA

LAOS

THAILAND

CAMBODIA

Official name: the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Location: South-Eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of , Gulf of Tonkin, and South Sea, alongside China, , and

National Flag Capital: Hanoi

Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March), subtropical climate in northern Vietnam with distinct 4 seasons.

Ethnic Make-up: 54 ethnic groups. Kinh (86.2%), Tay (1.9%), Thai (1.7%), Khmer, Hoa (Chinese), Hmong, Cham, and other minor groups.

National emblem Religions: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs and Mus- lim. 3 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM VIETNAM FACTS

Capital Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital and second largest city (af- ter Ho Chi Minh City). Hanoi has been a major political city in Vietnam since it was established in 1010, and served as the capital of French Indochina and .

Language

Vietnamese is a tonal language that can be compared to Cambodia’s official language, Khmer. With each syllable, there are six different tones that can be used, which change the meaning. This often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the language.

There are other languages spoken as well, for example Chinese, Khmer, Cham and tribal languages spoken by tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions. There are some similarities between Vietnamese and Southeast Asian lan- guages, such as Chinese, but Vietnamese is thought to be a separate language group, even though it is a member of the Austro-Asiatic language family.

In written form, Vietnamese uses the Roman alphabet and accent marks to show tones. This system of writing, called quoc ngu, was created by Catholic missionaries in the 17th century to translate the scriptures. Eventually this system, particularly after World War I, replaced a system using Chi- nese characters (chu nom), which had been the unofficial written form used for centuries.

4 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM VIETNAM FACTS

Nguyen surname As of 2012, about 36 million people, constituting ap- proximately 40% of all Vietnamese around the world, share the same family name Nguyễn.

Nguyễn ranks 4th on the list of the world’s most com- mon surnames, only after Li or Lee (with more than 120 million people), Zhang (100 million), and Wang (92.88 million). The Vietnamese surname is also becoming the most popular one in Australia.

New Year Tết, or Vietnamese New Year, is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. The word is a short- ended form of Tết Nguyên Đán, which is Sino-Vietnam- ese for “Feast of the First Morning of the First Day”. Tết celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese variation of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, where the date usually falls between the months of January and February. Vietnamese New Year, the first day of spring, carries with it all the rebirth connotations that Easter has in the West.

There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person’s house on the first day of the New Year (xông nhà), ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year’s greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.

Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hop- ing for a better upcoming year.

5 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM VIETNAM FACTS

Food Vietnamese food is a blend of Chinese and Thai styles and it is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world, with its combination of fresh ingredients like fresh herbs, seafood, fruits and vegetables along with fish sauce, shrimp paste, soy sauce and rice.

Religion Most Vietnamese consider themselves non-religious, though many still attend religious services. Vietnam’s government does not require an official religion, though it only recognizes Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Cao Dai, and Hoa Hao.

The main religion practiced in Vietnam is also the oldest one, Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism, along with Confu- cianism and Taoism, are considered the “Triple Religion” that all work with one another. Vietnamese culture also practices ancestor-worship, like much of Asia.

Hoa Hao (a form of Buddhism) and Cao Dai are two religions of Vietnamese origin. Cao Dai is not generally accepted as a form of Buddhism.

Vietnam War The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochi- na War, and also known in Vietnam as Resistance War Against America, was a Cold War era proxy war that oc- curred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 Novem- ber 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975.

6 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

1 January: New Year’s Day incense burning in temples 1 May: International Labour Vietnam takes part in the in- is performed in their mem- Day ternational celebration of the ory and honor. The holiday True to its working class first day of the first month of features bronze drum per- ideology, Vietnam honors the the Gregorian calendar. formances, parades on stilts, laborers on this day and their folk song contests, and drag- economic and social contri- Moveable date in January - on parades. butions to the country. February: Lunar New Year The “Feast of the First Morn- 30 April: Independence Day 2 September: National Day ing”, or simply “Tet”, is the On this day in 1975, Saigon Commemorates the day most important occasion of was captured by the Commu- when President Ho Chi Minh all Vietnam public holidays. nist-backed Viet Cong, ending declared Vietnam’s indepen- The week leading to Tet is the Vietnam War with the dence from colonial forces. very busy as families clean United States on the losing On this day in 1945, Ho Chi their homes, settle their side. The “Fall of Saigon” led Minh read a declaration of debts, buy new clothes, to the reunification of North independence from France. personal effects and other and South, which for years However, sovereignty would needs for the coming year, have been divided ideologi- only come after the Vietnam cook food to last through the cally. War, when Northern Viet- festivities, and reconcile with nam, backed by communist themselves and others to On this day, there are military China, finally won. To mark leave behind any ill will. parades, cultural performanc- this turning point in the coun- es that highlight the triumph try’s history, the yellow-star- Moveable date in April: of Vietnamese revolution- red-background Vietnamese Hung King Festival aries, and fireworks that sig- flags are flown everywhere, On this day, people pay trib- nal the hour when the South and the streets and billboards ute to the Hung kings who Vietnamese government are flooded with pictures of were instrumental in found- finally surrendered. “Uncle Ho.” ing Vietnam. Ceremonial 7 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM AMAZING FACTS ABOUT VIETNAM

• Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashews in the world, and the second largest exporter of rice.

• Although Vietnam is a devel- oping country, it has a literacy rate of 94%.

• Among all developing countries, Viet- nam has one of the lowest unemploy- ment rates.

• An estimated ten million motor bikes travel on the roads of Vietnam every day.

• Ruou ran ( wine), a Vietnamese specialty of rice wine with a pickled snake inside, allegedly can cure any sickness.

• The has six different tones. A change in tone changes the meaning of the word.

• Vietnam is world-famous for its animal wildlife. This wildlife – which includes elephants, buffa- loes, tigers, monkeys, rhinoceroses, and turtles – attracts thousands of tourists to Viet- nam each year.

• Local people prefer Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City, which was imposed by the government in Hanoi.

8 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM SOCIAL CULTURE

Respect for parents and ancestors is an and women chafed under social mores that important virtue in Vietnam. The oldest demanded obedience to their fathers and male in the family is the head of the family husbands. In the countryside, however, tra- and the most important family member. His ditional Vietnamese family values remained oldest son is the second leader of the fami- strong. ly. Sometimes, related families live together in a big house and help each other. The trend toward adopting Western values continues in South Vietnam after the divi- Vietnam Culture vs Western Values sion of the country in 1954. Many young The French introduced Western values of people embraced sexual freedom and the individual freedom and sexual equality, movies, clothing styles, and rock music which undermined the traditional Vietnam- from Western cultures became popular. But ese social system. in the North, social ethnics were defined by Vietnam Communist Party’s principles. In urban areas, Western patterns of social behaviour became increasingly common, The government officially recognized equal- especially among educated and wealthy ity of the sexes, and women began to ob- Vietnamese who attended French schools, tain employment in professions previously read French books, replaced traditional at- dominated by men. tire with Western-style clothing, and drank French wines instead of the traditional wine At the same time, the government began distilled from rice. Adolescents began to enforcing a more puritanical lifestyle as a resist the tradition of arranged marriages, means to counter the so-called decadent practices of Western society. Traditional values continued to hold sway in rural areas and countryside, where the concept of male superiority remained common.

In the 1980s, the Vietnamese government adopted an economic reform program that encouraged foreign investment and tourism development.

As a result, the Vietnamese people have become increasingly acquainted with and influenced by the lifestyles in developed countries of Southeast South East Asia and the West. 9 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM VALUE SYSTEM

The Vietnamese value system is based on move out of their native villages or prov- four basic tenets: allegiance to the family, inces. This deep attachment to the native yearning for a good name, love of learn- village explains the lack of horizontal mobil- ing, and respect for other people. These ity in Vietnamese society. tenets are closely interrelated. The concept of “good name” Allegiance to the family The value that the Vietnamese place on the The most important factor in the value concept of “good name” cannot be under- system of the Vietnamese is, no doubt, the estimated. To the Vietnamese, a family. The family is the center of the Viet- good name is better than any namese common man’s preoccupation and material possession in this the backbone of Vietnamese society. By vir- world. By securing a tue of the principle of collective and mutual good name for him- responsibility, each individual strives to be self, a man can com- the pride of his family. mand respect and admiration from Misconduct of an individual is blamed not his fellow country- only on himself, but also on his parents, men. siblings, relatives, and ancestors. Likewise, any success or fame achieved by an individ- A rich and pow- ual brings honor and pride to all members erful person with of his family. The Vietnamese child is taught a bad reputation is from early childhood to readily forget him- looked down upon, self for the sake of his family’s welfare and while a poor man harmony. Central to the concept of family with a good name is is the obligation of filial piety which is con- respected. sidered the most essential of all virtues in Vietnamese society. There are three ways to ac- quire a good name: either by he- The profound love for and attachment roic deeds, by intellectual achievements, to the family is extended to the physical or by moral virtues. Leading a virtuous life set- ting in which the family is located: the is the easiest and surest path to a good native village. The native village is not only name for there are few opportunities in our the place where he the child was born and everyday life to be heroic and few people brought up and where his parents and are endowed with exceptional intellectual family live, but also a place where his their qualities. ancestors are buried. Many Vietnamese, especially people in the rural areas, never The virtues most cultivated are the sense 10 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM VALUE SYSTEM

of honor, honesty, righteousness, modesty, learning does not spring from purely disin- generosity, and disdain for material gains, terested motives. The lure of prestige and virtues most extolled by the Confucian the prospect of improved social status are doctrine. In view of the strong solidarity of among the strongest incentives to the pur- the Vietnamese family, it is not surprising to suit of knowledge. Education represents the know that the Vietnamese strives for a good essential stepping stones to the social lad- name not only for himself, but also for his der and to good job opportunities. It is the parents and children. prime force of vertical mobility in Vietnam- ese society. Love of learning The Vietnamese people in general seem to Concept of respect have a great love for knowledge and learn- The Vietnamese common man is expected ing. They seem He seems to have particular to show respect to people who are senior to respect and admiration for learned people. him in age, status, or position. At home, a Like the virtuous man, the learned man person should show respect to his parents, enjoys great prestige in Vietnamese society. older siblings, and older relatives. This is Often, they are the one and the same man. expressed by obedience in words and ac- The Vietnamese conceives that knowledge tion. Respect is a part of the concept of filial and virtues are but the two complementary piety. aspects of the ideal man. Outside the family, respect should be paid People associated with knowledge and to elderly people, teachers, clergymen, learning (scholars, writers and teachers) supervisors and employers, and people in have always been highly respected, not only high positions. Learned and virtuous people by the students but also by parents and enjoy special respect and admiration. But people from all walks of life. respect is not a one-way behavior. The Viet- namese also expect other people to show Learning is considered more valuable than respect, by virtue of theirthe age, status, or wealth and material success. Rich people position. Special respect is gained by lead- who are not educated are often looked ing a virtuous life, by accomplishing certain down upon by other people, and they heroic deeds or by achieving a high degree them- selves feel inferior to learned peo- of intellectuality. ple who are poor. In the traditional social system the scholar ranked first, before the Respect is expressed by specific behaviors farmer, artisan, and tradesman. and linguistic devices inherent in the Viet- namese language. It is one of the essential Even nowadays, the learned man is held factors in the value system of the Vietnam- in high esteem and respect. The love of ese people. 11 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM IMPORTANT TIPS

Table Manners

• Wait to be shown where to sit. • The oldest person should sit first. • Pass dishes with both hands. • The most common utensils are chopsticks and a flat spoon. • Chopsticks should be placed on the table or a chopstick rest after every few mouthfuls or when pausing to drink or speak. • People hold bowls close to their faces. • Hold the spoon in your left hand while eating soup. • Meals are typically served family-style. • Try to finish everything on your plate. • When you are finished eating, rest your chopsticks on top of your rice bowl. • Different dishes are served at the same time or one after another. Dishes are not nor- mally served in separate plates as in Western style.

Dining and Entertainment

• The Vietnamese style of dining is chopsticks and rice bowls. Hold your rice bowl in your hand; it is considered lazy to eat from a rice bowl that is on the table.

• The host may serve guests, but will usually just invite everyone to begin helping them- selves. Food is placed on dishes at the center of the table from which each person helps him/herself.

• An offer of tea at a reception or meeting is a ritual form of hospitality and should not be refused.

• Alcohol drinks are often offered to the guests, the choice depends on their age and status.

12 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM IMPORTANT TIPS

Gifts Collectivism

Flowers are normally given only by men to Vietnam is a collectivist society in which the women. needs of the group are often placed over Always wrap a gift in colorful paper. the individual. Family and community con- When visiting a Vietnamese home, bring a cerns will almost always come before busi- gift for the hostess. A gift for children or an ness or individual needs. Family in particular elderly parent is also appreciated. plays an important role in Vietnamese soci- Give items useful for daily activity, like de- ety. signer soaps, cosmetics, lamps or framed pictures for the home. Nursing homes are only for elderly who Don’t give handkerchiefs (symbols of a sad have no children to care for them. It is al- farewell). Most Asians consider the Western ways the responsibility and honor of the son habit of using a cloth handkerchief and then to move his parents in with his family when returning it to your pocket to be barbaric. they can no longer care for themselves. In business, give whiskey. Business gifts are quite common nowadays and have become a must especially during special occasions like Lunar New Year. Only gifting people with money might be interpreted as a bride. Try to save your business gift giving until you are invited to your colleague’s home.

If invited to a Vietnamese home: • Bring fruit, sweets, flowers, or incense. • Gifts should be wrapped in colourful pa- per.

Especially for Women

In the major cities, little sexual discrimina- tion exists, and Vietnamese women receive equal pay for equal work. In the country- side, men are still bossthe leaders. Western women should dress conservatively in Viet- nam. When dining with a Vietnamese man, a western businesswoman should arrange to eat in a public place and should insist upon hosting.

13 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM PEOPLE IN VIETNAM

A long struggle for independence has given the Vietnamese a deep sense of na- tional pride. Vietnamese value their independence and get offended by people who ignore or violate it. Families are very strong and help each other in all needs.

Body Language Meeting and Greeting Summoning someone with a curled index The Vietnamese generally shake both hands finger, as is done in the West, is only done when greeting and when saying good-bye. by the boss. To beckon someone, extend Bow your head slightly to show respect. your arm, palm down, and move your fin- Bow to the elderly who do not extend gers in a scratching motion. Only beckon their hand. Vietnamese women are more someone who has a “lower” status than inclined to bow their head slightly than to you. shake hands.

Men and women do not show affection in When greeting someone, say “xin chao” public. (seen chow) + given name + title. The Viet- namese are delighted if a Westerner can Always use both hands when passing an properly say “xin chao” (because Vietnam- object to another person. ese is a tonal language, “xin chao” can have six different meanings, only one of which is Touching children on the head is only done “Hello”). by parents, grandparents, etc. 14 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM DOS AND DON’TS

Greeting Don’t cause Vietnamese to “lose face” You should greet people in their na- The concept of “saving face” is extremely tive language which is “Xin Chao!” important in East Asian social relationships. for “Hello!” and always use “Thank Avoid behavior that causes embarrassment you” which is “Cam on!” with bent to another party, and hold back behavior that can be misconstrued as overly aggres- head when you get something from sive. Don’t wheedle or insist. Most impor- them. It shows how much you re- tantly, don’t lose your temper in public; try spect them and how grateful you to be cool and collected whenever possible. feel. Dos and Don’ts in Business When it comes to greetings, there • Seniority is highly respected; the oldest are no differences to the way West- person should be greeted first ern people greet each other. • Vietnamese negotiate always and about everything; manage the game and don’t give in too soon General Don’ts •Make sure you are being personally in- • Avoid public displays of affection with a troduced to new business contacts on the member of the opposite sex. right level • Do not touch someone’s head. • Invest adequate time in developing new • Pass items with both hands. business relations and getting to get to • Do not point with your finger – use your know each other hand. • Try to listen to what your business partner • Do not stand with your hands on your is really telling you; Vietnamese don’t say hips. ‘no’ in a direct waydirectly • Do not cross your arms on your chest. • Never loose your patience or temper; • Do not pass anything over someone’s don’t show any negative emotions head. • Take the superstitious beliefs of your • Do not touch anyone on the shoulder. business partner seriously; don’t make any • Do not touch a member of the opposite jokes about it sex. • Address your business partner with his • Shorts should only be worn at the beach. third or last name and add professional or • The foot is considered unclean; do not government titles if possible (e.g. Ngyen show the soles of your feet and don’t touch Van Tran would be Mr. Ngyen or Professor anything else with your feet but the ground. Ngyen)

15 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM CORPORATE CULTURE

The Vietnamese can be very flexible and accommodating when situations occur that are beyond the control of one of the parties involved.

Corporate Culture ments, and then monitor them closely. Business cards are usually exchanged when meeting for the first time. Give and receive Dress a business card with both hands. For business, men should wear conservative but casual suits and ties. Women should The Vietnamese are generally quite punctu- wear a conservative dress or a business-like al and expect foreigners to be the same. blouse and pants.

Individual connections are not as important Business Etiquette and Protocol as in many other Asian countries, because Always wait for a woman to extend her no one holds absolute power to make a hand. If she does not, bow your head slight- decision. You cannot rely on one person in ly. a particular organization to safeguard your Appointments are required and should be interests. made several weeks in advance.

The Vietnamese willingness to avoid un- Silence is also common in meetings where pleasantness can sometimes lead to great someone disagrees with another but re- misunderstandings. “Yes” may not mean mains quiet so as to not cause a loss of “yes.” When the Vietnamese say “No prob- face. lem,” you can take it to mean “Yes, there is a problem.” The spoken word is very important. Never make promises that you cannot keep, to as Double and even triple-check all commit- this will lead to losinga loss of face.

16 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM ECONOMY OF VIETNAM

With its large population and great geographic location, Vietnam is likely to be one of the biggest markets of the future.

With an estimated 90.5 million inhabitants as of 2011, Vietnam is the world’s 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-most-populous Asian country. In 1986, the government instituted economic and political reforms and began a path towards inter- national reintegration. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth has been among the highest in the world since 2000, with such high growth set to continue. Vietnam has the highest Global Growth Generators Index among 11 major economies, and its successful economic reforms resulted in it joining the World Trade Organization in 2007.

Vietnam Economy

The Vietnamese economy is a developing planned economy and market economy. Manufacturing, information technology and high-tech industries now form a large and fast-growing part of the national economy. Though Vietnam is a relative newcomer to the oil industry, it is currently the third-largest oil producer in , with an output of 400,000 barrels per day. Deep poverty, defined as the percentage of the population liv- ing on less than $1 per day, has declined significantly in Vietnam, and the relative poverty rate is now less than that of China, India, and the Philippines, giving rise to a middle class, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Global Trade in Vietnam

Since the early 2000s, Vietnam has applied sequenced trade liberalisation, and in July 2006, Vietnam updated its intellectual property legislation to comply with TRIPS, and it became a member of the WTO on 11 January 2007. Vietnam is now one of Asia’s most open economies: two-way trade was valued at around 160% of GDP in 2006. As a result of several land reform measures, Vietnam has become a major exporter of agricultural products. It is now the world’s largest producer of cashew nuts, with a one-third glob- al share; the largest producer of black pepper, accounting for one-third of the world’s market; and the second-largest rice exporter in the world, after Thailand. Other primary exports include coffee, tea, rubber, and fishery products.

17 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM