Contemporary Vietnam

Ian Jeffries is Honorary Professor in the Department of Economics at Swansea University, UK.  His recent publications include two volumes covering the Economic and Political Developments in Contemporary China, alongside many books in the Routledge series, Guides to Economic and Political Developments in Asia, covering China, North Korea and Mongolia.

1. Socialist Economies and the Transition to the Market (1993).`This weighty tome can be unreservedly commended ... Students and their teachers can learn a great deal from this book ... Excellent! Ian Jeffries has done us all a service' - Alec Nove, Europe-Asia Studies`A personal tour de force by Ian Jeffries' - Economics of Transition`This book will serve as an invaluable source of information for anybody with an interest (academic, business or otherwise) in the area. Simply brilliant!' - Paul Nunn, Manchester Metropolitan University2. A Guide to the Socialist Economies, 1990`Jeffries has produced a useful reference guide that will doubtless become a standard in the field and a valuable addition to academic libraries' - Journal of Comparative Economics`... a very welcome addition to the library of publications on the socialist world ... It is more than a textbook - it is also a reference book and a guide. Jeffries covers a vast area ... a truly formidable task to catch up with all the changes that are taking place in these countries, and the author does it with great success' - International Affairs3. North Korea: a Guide to Economic and Political Developments, 2006 ‘... provides ample sources of information for recent events, including refugee and nuclear issues … [and] the current economic situation … By making extensive use of quality newspapers and periodicals … the author presents us a broad picture of what North Korea looks like … it will be an indispensable source’ - Pacific Affairs‘Books on North Korea are still rare and it is a welcome sign of change that in recent years the number of publications has slowly picked up … fascinating reading …' - Korean Studies Review 4. China: a Guide to Economic and Political Developments, 2006‘This book is highly useful not only to casual China watchers … but also to researchers and academics' - International Affairs

• Introduction and summary 1. Political developments: Political background. A chronology of political developments since the Tenth Congress of the Communist Party held 18-25 April 2006. The Vietnam War (the human toll). Communist Party membership. The boat people. Religion. The internet. Demography. AIDS. SARS. Bird flu. Swine flu. 2. Economic developments: Economic background. The economic system. Financial and exchange rate policy: developments since October 2006 (including the global financial crisis). The state sector. Privatization and stock markets. Foreign trade. The World Trade Organization (WTO). The Asian financial crisis. Foreign debt and aid. Foreign direct investment. Outward investment by Vietnamese firms. Agriculture. Economic performance. Postscript Bibliography Index