Vietnam looks to WTO help for accession
HA NOI — Viet Nam expects the World Trade Organisation to assist in training human resources and tender advice during its negotiations with partners for accession to the trade body, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan has said.
He was speaking at a reception in Ha Noi on Tuesday to welcome visiting WTO deputy director general, Rufus Yerxa.
Viet Nam has been closed to the international economy – with exports accounting for half of its GDP and direct investment for 13 per cent of GDP and 30 per cent of industrial output – but now needs to integrate with it, Khoan said.
Last year, Viet Nam partially entered both the international and regional economies besides carrying out some reforms and amending some laws to fall in line with WTO rules, he said.
In the upcoming eighth round of talks be held with partner-nations this year, Viet Nam would provide more reports about its economic situation, he said besides fulfilling WTO requirements
However, being a developing country with a low per capita income of US$480, it needs a technical roadmap for the accession process, he pointed out.
Yerxa thanked the deputy Prime Minister for his warm reception and said he appreciated Viet Nam’s determination to enter the WTO.
The deputy director general also asked Viet Nam to step up the reform process to facilitate the bilateral and multilateral negotiations with its partners.
Also on Tuesday, the visiting official met with leaders of the ministries of Trade and Foreign Affairs.
He announced that a press conference would be held on Wednesday to discuss Viet Nam’s accession to the WTO. — VNS
