Vietnam+Security+Council

Question Answers: Government:

1. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a single party communist state, in which only political organizations endorsed by the Communist Party are permitted to contest elections.

Ideologies:

2. Vietnam is officially committed to socialism as its defining creed, but free market reforms known as Doi Moi, private ownership has been encouraged.

Domestic Issues that Influence Foreign Policy:

3. Intense poverty is a large domestic problem within Vietnam, and the nation has begun to open itself up to capitalism and trade liberalization that is expected to boost its economic growth and lower poverty by 3%.

Major Events in history:

4. Both the Indochina (1946-1954) and Vietnam (1963-1976) wars were pivotal in Vietnam’s history. The Indochina war involved Vietnam’s independence from France and opposition towards Japanese occupation. The Vietnam War gave way to Vietnam’s communist government.

Ethnicities, Religions, Languages:

5. Ethnicitces: Vietnamese, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Chan Religions: Buddhism, Hao Hao, Cao Dai, Christianity, indigenous beliefs, Islam Languages: Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, Khmer, local languages

Geography that affects foreign Policy:

6. Neighboring powerful China, Vietnam often sides with China in global disputes.

Bordering Countries:

7. Vietnam is bordered by Laos, China, and Cambodia.

Allies:

8. Vietnam currently has no country disputes and appears to have close ties with Australia China, Japan, ASEAN and European countries.

Enemies:

9. While the US and Vietnam have signed a peace agreement, the two countries still have yet to fully mend their relationship since the Vietnam War.

Economy:

10. Vietnam has the second fastest growing economy and is now the largest producer of cashews, second-largest producer of rice, and third largest oil-producer in Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s currency is the dong, in which 17,440 dong is equivalent to 1 US dollar.

GDP:

11. Vietnam has a GDP of approximately 70,943 (in millions of USD) and is ranked 60th in GDP across the globe.

UN Membership:

12. Vietnam became a member of the UN on September 20, 1977.

Participation in Various Organizations:

13. Vietnam belongs to the intergovernmental organization ASEAN **(**Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the regional organization FES ( Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung), and the trade organization WTO (World Trade Organization).