When will Vietnam be joining the World Trade Organization? Vietnam is still negotiating with the U.S. I don't think the US Congress will approve any deal with Vietnam unless VN improves its human rights record.



Vietnam, US start critical WTO talks in Hanoi Mon Jan 16, 3:00 AM ET



HANOI (AFP) - US and Vietnamese officials met here for a critical round of negotiations on the communist nation's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), officials said.

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The talks should last until Wednesday, with the two countries trying to reach a breakthrough on several major issues including agriculture tariffs, telecommunications, export subsidies and market access for service companies.

"The meeting started (Monday) morning," an official at the trade ministry in Hanoi said without elaborating.

The two sides last took up the issues in September.

"Vietnam has achieved nine round of negotiations with the US and the two countries have considerably reduced the gap" between their respective positions, foreign ministry spokesman Le Dung said last week.

The remaining differences "are not numerous but very complicated," he said.

On Friday, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said he was convinced both sides were eager to find a common position rapidly in order to pave the way for Vietnam's accession by the end of the year.

Vietnam wanted to join the WTO during its last ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December but it has yet to sign signed necessary bilateral agreements with the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Honduras and the Republic of Dominica.

No new target date has been decided.

One of the requirements for WTO entry is the granting of permanent normal trading relations (PNTR) to Vietnam by the US Congress.

Analysts have said the two countries would have to sign a bilateral agreement very soon to make it possible for the Congress to vote in PNTR early in the year.

Congress will otherwise be reluctant to schedule such a sensitive vote just few months before the November elections, they said.

going to be the end of this year i think

I'm not worried about Vietnam's ability to enter the WTO by the end of this year. I'm more worried if it can add value to its products.

Joining the WTO is not about "adding value to its products". I guess you don't understand what the WTO is for.

No fool, read my post again. When did I say that? Apparantly it is you who don't know what the WTO is for, and why adding value to your products is so important if you join the WTO. So stop trying to be a smart alec and trying to make up replies for the sake of trying to be one.

I think it won't make a difference. The prices for some vietnamese products may be lower because the tariffs would be lower. At least vietnam will be playing by some established rules. Right now, vietnam can't do anything if other countries try to impose any restriction.

@Byron, loser, then why are you talking about adding value to products crap? Clearly joining the WTO is not about adding value to products, it's about removing trade barriers such as tariffs, duties and anti-competitive behavior to create a level playing field.

In that case, you should try to understand what "adding value" means.

READ MY POST AGAIN FOOL. I said I'm not worried about Vietnam joiniing the WTO by the end of this year. In terms of economy I'm more worried about it adding value to its products after it joins. As there will obviously be a flood of foreign competition and if Vietnam cannot add value to its products it will end up being just a source of raw materials and cheap labour.

I clearly specified them as two different things. How is it logically possible for me to say that to get into the WTO, Vietnam must add value to its products and that is what I'm worried about, while at the same time I said that I'm not worried about Vietnam getting into the WTO by 2006?

Next time learn to read and digest information before you make a reply to feed your ego.

Not until there are better law that protect copyright.

-blahahahah all the uS do is talk ..... it is not like they don't abuse people just look at those soldiers who abuse POW in the Iraq prison

I don't think they care about copyright. China is the biggest copyright violator, but it got into the WTO.