APEC leaders issue the Hanoi Declaration

The congress concluded after electing a new Central Committee and adopting its political and socioeconomic program. Its agenda linked industrialization and poverty reduction to continued market...

The governments announced an agreement in principle on bilateral market access, a step toward Vietnam’s WTO accession and U.S. congressional consideration of permanent normal trade relations. The...

The agreement formalized bilateral terms negotiated as part of Vietnam’s WTO accession. It moved the two states toward expanded trade after decades of war and a U.S. embargo, but accession also...

The working party accepted the documents spelling out Vietnam’s accession rights and commitments after more than eleven years of negotiations. Completion did not itself make Vietnam a member: approval...

The General Council approved Vietnam’s accession package. The decision marked a major opening of Vietnam’s economy to multilateral trade rules and market access, alongside risks for sectors and...

The National Assembly approved the protocol and directed agencies to review and align domestic law with Vietnam’s commitments. Ratification made the choice to join legally effective within Vietnam;...

Congress approved legislation enabling permanent normal trade relations with Vietnam. President George W. Bush described it as a step in normalizing relations and sharing in the benefits of...

Bush signed the law authorizing permanent normal trade relations with Vietnam. The act completed a major part of the U.S. side of Vietnam’s WTO accession process, connecting postwar diplomatic...

Accession integrated Vietnam into the global trade regime after years of negotiation. It accompanied export-led growth and changes in labor, agriculture, and investment. Membership brought new...

Vietnam’s WTO membership took effect, more than eleven years after its application and negotiations began. Accession expanded its access to global markets and formalized obligations on trade policy....