Doi Moi and Vietnamese foreign policy

Domestic and international context of Doi

Moi
The process of Doi Moi in Vietnamese foreign

policy
The Vietnamese foreign relations since Doi

Moi

1. Domestic and international context of Doi Moi

Domestic context

- Vietnamese economy in mid-1980s

Vietnamese governance and society in mid-1980s.
International context
The situation of Vietnam in mid-1980s
The international trend in mid 1980s.
The need for renovation
2

Vietnamese economy in mid-1980s

Subsidized economy Thi bao cp

Mechanism:
Collectivised
Centrally-planned (production, prices, salary),
subsidized
Market forces ignored, no motivation for
production
Policies:
Hasty industrialisation in heavy industry (wartorn, low starting point, small-scale production)
extraordinarily high goals were set for annual
industrial- agricultural growth rates and national
income (in 1976- 1981 Five-Year plan, though
adjusted in 1981-1986 Five-Year plan)

Vietnamese economy and society in mid1980s

Economic problems:
backwardness, low productivity, stagnancy,
inflation
food shortage, consumer goods insufficiency,
unemployment/redundancy, hunger and
poverty
speculation, black economy
Governance and society
Governance: bureaucracy and red tape,
ineffectiveness of government institutions
Society: Social evils/wrongdoings, corruption and
bribery; Lost of trust in government, degradation
of moral values

International context- the situation of

Vietnam in mid-1980s
The hardest time in VNs foreign relations:

isolation and insecurity

The Kampuchea issue became an impediment

to improvement of VNs foreign relations
strong international pressure for VN to
withdraw from Cambodia (UN resolutions)
Two opposite country groups on the matter:
Indochinese states, USSR and most socialist
countries China, ASEAN and US

Vietnam became heavily dependent on the USSR

bloc
5

International context- the situation of

Vietnam in mid-1980s
China continued political and military pressure

against Vietnam
Foreign economic relations:

Within SEV: planned, heavily dependent

US embargo, economic blockage during the
Kampuchea issue period
Bad debts with IMF

Burden from remaining large military , the

Cambodian conflict and border conflicts with China
contributed to further exhaust domestic economy

International trends in mid1980s

International economy:
Internationalisation

and globalisation processes, formation

of international market; science and tech revolution
Change in significance and priority of factors deciding
national power
International politics:
Priority

on economic development
Adjustments in the powers policies new period of Cold
War: peaceful coexistence
New developments in the US USSR China triangle
Reduction in spiritual and material support from the
Soviet bloc

The need for renovation

By mid-1980s:
Domestically, Vietnam was at the height of a

serious and comprehensive socio-economic crisis

(inflation 774,7%)
Externally, Vietnam was embargoed

economically and isolated politically; Under

pressure of the adjustments in the powers policy
and of changes in the international political and
economic situation

2. The process of Doi Moi in

Vietnamese foreign policy
Changes in Vietnamese thoughts about

national interest and international context

The process of Doi Moi in foreign policies
The implementations of Doi moi in

Vietnamese foreign policies

Doi Moi in Vietnamese Foreign Policy

6th PARTY CONGRESS (1986): breaking the blockage;
RESOLUTION 2 (1987): The Cambodian issue and

the role of military

RESOLUTION 13 (5/1988):
Recognising mistakes in FP
Highest priority: development
New foreign policy concepts: Multi-directional

foreign policy; Foreign policy to serve economic

development;
The concept of National security (Strong
economy, sufficient national defense, international
cooperation); The concept of international
obligations
10

Doi Moi in Vietnamese Foreign Policy

7th PARTY CONGRESS (1991): Want to be friends with

all countries: Vit Nam mun l bn vi tt c cc

nc trong cng ng th gii, phn u v ha bnh,
c lp v pht trin
8th PARTY CONGRESS (6/1996): Reaffirm Vietnam want

to befriend with all countries in the world.

11

Doi Moi in Vietnamese Foreign Policy

9th CONGRESS (2001): Vietnam is ready to be a friend,

a reliable partner of countries in international

community, strive for peace, independence and
development..
10th CONGRESS (2006): Vietnam is friend, reliable
partner of countries in international community,
actively participates in regional and international
cooperation..
11th CONGRESS (2011): Vietnam is a friend, a reliable
partner and a responsible member of international
community.

Doi Moi in Vietnamese Foreign

Policy
Ngh quyt TW 13 (5/1988): Thm bn bt th
i hi VII (1991): Vit Nam mun l bn vi

tt c cc nc trong cng ng th gii

phn u v ha bnh c lp v pht trin
i hi VIII (1996): Tip tc thc hin ng
li i ngoi c lp t ch, rng m, a
phng ha, a dng ha cc quan h i
ngoi vi tinh thn VN mun l bn ca tt
c cc nc trong cng ng th gii, phn
u v ha bnh, c lp v pht trin

Doi Moi in Vietnamese Foreign Policy

i hi IX (2001): Thc hin nht qun ng li i

ngoi c lp t ch, rng m, a phng ha, a dng

ha cc quan h quc t, VN sn sng l bn, l i tc
tin cy ca cc nc trong cng ng quc t, phn
y v ha bnh c lp v pht trin.
i hi X (2006): Thc hin nht qun ng li i
ngoi c lp t ch, ha bnh, hp tc v pht trin;
chnh sch i ngoi rng m, a phng ha, a dng
ha quan h quc t. (.) Vit Nam l bn, i tc tin
cy ca cc nc trong cng ng quc t, tham gia
tch cc vo tin trnh hp tc quc t v khu vc.
i hi XI (2011): Thc hin nht qun ng li i
ngoi c lp, t ch, ha bnh, hp tc v pht trin;
a phng ha, a dng ha quan h, ch ng v tch
cc hi nhp quc t; l bn, i tc tin cy v thnh
vin c trch nhim trong cng ng quc t; v li ch

3. The implementation of Vietnamese

foreign policy since Doi moi
The Kampuchea issue
The Vietnamese relations with China
The Vietnamese relations with Soviet

Union and Eastern European

countries.
The Vietnamese relations with the
US
The Vietnamese economic
integration to the world.
15

Resolution of the Kampuchea issue

The Kampuchea issue:

most urgent and of highest priority

Obstacles to all other issues

Vietnam decided to arrive at a solution as soon

as possible
To reduce defense budget
To conclude a war-torn chapter in Vietnams
history, creating a peaceful environment to
focus on economic development
To break diplomatic blockade

16

Resolution of the Kampuchea

issue
Resolution:
Troop withdrawal

- Time points: 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989

- Leading the changes in ASEAN and Western
policies
Political solutions
- ASEAN: Indonesia, JIM 1, JIM 2
- Bilateral negotiations, meetings between
different Cambodian factions
- International conferences, 1991 Paris
Conference
17

Resolution of the Kampuchea issue

Vietnam chose ASEAN to start the process of negotiation

ASEAN wanted a solution to restore stability in the

region
ASEAN countries attitudes differs from each other
ASEANs policy started to differ from American and
Chinese ones
ASEAN wanted a role in the solution
This would facilitate negotiation with other related
countries, esp. China
July 1987: Vietnamese and Indonesian Foreign Ministers
in HCMC
Feb 1988 JIM 1 Jakarta
Feb 1989 JIM2 Jakarta

18

Vietnamese Relations with China

Hostility during the 1980s:

China:

Border

clashes (significantly 1984), hostile propagandas, territorial conflicts

(Spratly Islands incident 1988), Chinas comprehensive strategy to bleed

Vietnam;

In

the Cambodian conflict: Coordinating with US and ASEAN in criticising

Vietnam; support for oppositional forces in Cambodia; negotiating with

Soviet Union to put pressure on Vietnam to withdraw troops

Vietnam:

strong criticism of China (calling China enemy in Constitution);

alert and ready for attacks/another war from China; at the same time
pushing for negotiations

19

Vietnamese Relations with China

Process of improvement and normalisation :
1979-1980: first two rounds of negotiation, ended

unilaterally by China
1987: annoucements from Vietnam, no reply from China
1989: negotiation started
1990: Thnh meeting
1991: Normalisation
Chinas strategy:
Intentional efforts not to proceed normalisation process,
while starting normalisation with USSR (from 1982) and Laos
(from 1986)
Not negotiating with Vietnam while trying to make Vietnams
allies put pressure on Vietnam to accept a Chinese-backed
solution to Cambodia
Using negotiation with Vietnam as political leverage in
negotiation with the powers
Through negotiation with Vietnam trying to put pressure on
20

Vietnamese Relations with China

Vietnams strategy:
Changed attitude towards China
Used measures to reduce tensions: stopped criticising

propaganda, changed the criticising words in

Constitution June 1988, reduced forces at the border
etc. Later supported China in Tiananmen incident
Changed attitude in the Kampuchea issue, withdrawing
troops from Cambodia and Laos
Used other relations (with ASEAN, US) to push up
Vietnamese-Sino normalisation
Implications of normalisation and Characteristics of

Vietnamese-Sino relations after normalisation

21

Vietnamese relations with the United States

Importance of relations with US
Major issues in normalisation
Process:
1987: Vietnams announcements
1990: US announcement
1990: Starting negotiations
1991: Roadmap for normalisation
1991-1994: slow
1994: Lifting of embargo
1995: Normalisation

Implications
22

Vietnamese relations with the Soviet Union

and Eastern Europe
Change in USSRs global strategy and the

importance of relations with Vietnam

Reforms in economic relations
The collapse of USSR and the socialist bloc
Relations with Russia and post Cold War

Eastern Europe

23

Vietnamese Economic Integration to

the world
A matter of high priority

Recognising internationalisation, high-tech revolution

Seeking best position in international labour

allocation and international competition

Increasing effectiveness in foreign economic

relations
Expanding trade, markets, attracting investors

24

Connect Vietnam with the world

Economic Integration
expand markets, develop tourism,
1991: collapse of the socialist system
1991: normalisation with China
1993: reconnection with IMF, WB, ADB
1994: lift of US embargo
1995: membership in ASEAN
1998: membership in APEC
2000: BTA with US
2006: membership in WTO

25

1987: Foreign Investment Law (23 Dec)

liberalise trade, devalue its exchange rate, increase export,

Question
Discuss the process of Doi Moi in Vietnamese

foreign policy?

Question
How did Vietnams foreign policy change

before and after Resolution 13 (5/1988)?

Question
Why did Vietnam adopt the policy of to

befriend with all countries and

diversification and multilateralisation in
foreign relations?

Question
Discuss the process of normalisation between

Vietnam and China? Between Vietnam and the

US?