Vietnam in the Post-Cold War era : New Foreign Policy Directions <Article>

As a special phenomenon in the human's history, the Cold War during its beginning, existence and ending, has changed the face of our world; its impacts and remnants have contributed significantly to shaping a new world order. For countries, adjustments and changes of national strategies are indispensable in attempts to create or at least get favorable positions in the new world order. Such adjustments and changes have had great impacts on the small and medium countries--pieces on the world's grand political chessboard of the leading superpowers (Brezinski, 1999). Vietnam is not an outsider of this process. The most important thing for Vietnam is to determine suitable national policy and development strategy so that it will neither be excluded from this strategic game nor be abused, exploited, controlled by big countries, causing negative impacts on the country's interests. This strategy also has decisive influences on the country's effort to overcome crisis, integrate with the international community, maintain national sustainable development while keeping independence and national sovereignty.