• Nodypex2023

[TRAN Thi Thuy Duong] Asia-Pacific countries and the “spaghetti bowl”: Buy it or leave it – The case of Vietnam

TRAN Thi Thuy Duong

Vice Editor-in-Chief, the Vietnamese Journal of Legal Sciences

Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law

 

Besides being members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Asia-Pacific countries participate to regional trade agreements (RTAs), as well as international investment agreements (IIAs). Vietnam is also the case. This “diversification” of international economic cooperation can be explained by many advantages. However, some issues may be raised, in particular those related to the complexities linked to the implementation of many multilateral and regional rules. To manage this situation is even more complicated for developing countries, including Vietnam.

We will firstly evaluate the legal problems related to Vietnam’s participation to diverse RTAs and IIAs in addition to the WTO. Secondly, we will propose some solutions to these problems. All these analyzes will be made in comparison with the situation in some other Asia-Pacific countries which have similar problems as Vietnam’s.