Vietnam's accession to the WTO: A roadmap for a rational approach in trade liberalization

Aspiring to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) the Vietnamese government is confronted with tremendous political, economic and institutional challenges. Issues to be addressed are not only technical questions such as the tariff regime, industrial and agricultural subsidies, market access for foreign service providers, and the protection of intellectual property rights. More far-reaching will be the consequences of the reform and modernization of the legal system, the privatization of state-owned enterprises as well as a new approach towards taxation and the strengthening of fiscal authorities. In order to ensure a result of bilateral and multilateral negotiations which is beneficial for the country's legitimate development interests, numerous economic and political stakeholders on central and provincial level have to be consulted and must cooperate in a well coordinated manner: