Vietnam's Commitments On Trade In Services Under The TPP

Vietnam's integration process into global trade has evolved on a cycle of seven years. The first step in Vietnam's international trade integration was the conclusion of the bilateral trade agreement with the United States in 2000. Seven years later, Vietnam became the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) 150th member. Another seven years have passed and Vietnam is now part of the Pacific Rim free trade deal – the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement or the TPP, concluded in Atlanta on 5 October 2015. While commentators have portrayed Vietnam as the biggest winner among the 12 Pacific Rim countries, can Vietnam capitalise on the opportunities the TPP may bring? Significant commitments made by the signatories to the TPP, including Vietnam, would result in a greater flow of trade in both goods and services within the region and hopefully, would increase the size of the pie for all. This briefing discusses key notable commitments on trade in services made by Vietnam under the