Socialist Republic of Vietnam

HA NOi — Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has reiterated Viet Nam’s determination to join the World Trade Organisation as soon as possible.

Membership of the WTO would act as a new driving force for Viet Nam, he told delegates attending the forum Viet Nam: Readiness for WTO Accession in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

He also thanked the World Bank for its help to Viet Nam and said that he hoped it would continue supporting the country’s bid for WTO membership.

On Wednesday’s session of the two-day forum focused on the readiness of Viet Nam’s service sectors for WTO membership.

Various ministers discussed the the opportunites and challenges that WTO membership would bring to Viet Nam’s services ranging from investment and industrial property rights to transport and telecommunications.

The delegates said the competition that would arrive with WTO would put these sectors - most of which are highly protected and which account for 40 per cent of the country’s GDP, Gross Domestic Product,- under great pressure.

Post and Telematics Minister Do Trung Ta said Vietnam should gradually open the telecommunications market.

Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Viet Tien suggested that sea transport and aviation should be opened before other sectors that were less competitive.

The policy makers also discussed the social impact of WTO accession, as well as measures to minimise the vulnerability of the poor and workers.

The forum was briefed by experts about the experiences of China, in joining, and and Cambodia, in attempting to join, the WTO.

Cambodia’s Commerce Secretary Sok Siphana listed his country’s experience in dealing with service and investment and said that after having applied in 1994 plans to join the WTO this year.

"Cambodia is committed opening the market in 61 service and sub-service sectors," he said.

"However, we will maintain Most Favoured Nation, MFN, exemptions where supporting laws are not yet in place or where cultural identity must be embraced, such as the audiovisual sector."

Senior advisor to Planning and Investment Minister Le Dang Doanh praised Cambodia’s efforts in achieving a consensus about WTO membership ranging from political parties to businesses, trade associations and international friends both domestically and abroad.

"It took determination and a comprehensive campaign for Cambodia to accelerate negotiations," he said.

The country had shown its firm faith that it was much better to join the WTO early than to do it late and that implementing its commitments would be of great benefit.

Doanh, who was assigned to respond to the foreign experts, also highlighted the experience shared with the forum by Chinese delegate secretary general of the Boao forum for Asia and the country’s chief negotiator for WTO accession Long Yongtu.

"Don’t expect talks, even with friendly partners, to be an easy ride," Doanh warned.

"The key to negotiations is to look for win-win recipe and find points of mutual interests that benefits both you and your trading partners," he said.

The two-day forum goes to HCM City on Friday. — VNS