The Rise and Rise of Vietnam, an Asian leader

Hosted by: Australian Institute of International Affairs in Sydney

The event will start on: Tuesday, 28 June 2011 6:00 PM

And will end on: Tuesday, 28 June 2011 7:30 PM

At The Glover Cottages, Sydney

124 Kent Street , Sydney NSW

02 9247 8504     nsw.branch@aiia.asn.au

Posted by: nsw   

Vietnam was at war for almost all of the 20th century. But after humiliating the French and the United States, the Vietnamese set about rebuilding their country, including landscapes shredded by Agent Orange, towns and villages bombed by B52’s. They have also provided for a nation of orphans, and reduced the poverty rate to 10 per cent from 50pc in 1990.

How much has changed since the fall of Saigon on April 30 1975 when tanks from the Peoples Army of North Vietnam broke into the presidential palace as the last Americans scrambled for their helicopters, and Nguyen Van Thieu went into permanent exile.  Vietnam is now an undisputed Asian tiger, and one of the few countries in the developing world to have achieved most of the United Nations Millenium goals.

The Communist Party is firmly in control, but the Politburo has adopted the Chinese model of a guided market economy, and improved on it. Open discussion and criticism of government policy is not discouraged, and Western investment, particularly by the old enemy, the US, Japan and Europe is very much in evidence. Saigon (most Vietnamese still call it that) and Hanoi are booming, with property prices among the highest in Asia.

In once defoliated hills of the Central Highlands, coffee now grows in abundance - Vietnam has become the world’s second largest coffee producer, after Brazil. The Mekong delta is still a regional rice and vegetable bowl, though its private enterprise farmers are threatened by environmental damage caused by dams constructed upstream across the border - one of several sources of friction with China.

The story of this country is remarkable. To lead our discussion on the rise and rise of Vietnam will be two observers who have visited the country within the last two months - Tim Harcourt, chief economist of AUSTRADE, and our own institute president, Colin Chapman, vice-president, Asia Pacific of STRATFOR.

Tim Harcourt has just completed an economic study of Vietnam for the Australian Trade Commission. As chief economist Tim analyses the global economy to help Australian exporters and helps Austrade devise its own international business strategies. A prolific author and globetrotter, Tim has visited over 40 countries in the past four years alone. His book The Airport Economist is required reading for those on the move. Prior to his present post, Tim was an economist and industrial advocate at the ACTU. He has also worked for the Reserve Bank of Australia