Vietnam

Abstract

French policy in East Asia is often explained as driven by Frenchmercantilist ambitions in the rapidly growing markets in the region(Godement 1995; Neves 1995; Bridges 1999). We have seen in the precedingtwo chapters that while this economic account reflects animportant facet of French relations with Japan and China (and withthe NIEs and economically dynamic ASEAN states), it is too onedimensionalto explain French actions in Asia. In the case of Vietnam – where the level of trade and investment exchanges is less significant – economic arguments are even less persuasive. More relevant than theeconomic account, France’s relations with its former colonies inIndochina are characterized by a sense of affinity and shared history,and a desire to keep relations with Vietnam privileged, a weak kind of special bilateral relationship.1