Vol 4, No 1 (2020)
Articles
Looking back on Vietnam - China relations since the establishment of strategic cooperative partnership
Abstract
In 2008, Vietnam and China established a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, thehighest and the most comprehensive diplomatic relations of both countries, and it was also the first time when two countries established this cooperation framework. Vietnam - China relations are seen as ‘wearing newclothes’ or having a new form. However, whether has the actual development or the nature of the relationschanged accordingly to fit ‘the new clothes’? Does Vietnam - China strategic cooperative partnership have any key characteristics of a typical strategic partnership, such as mutual trust, strengthened cooperation andmutual benefits?The paper consists of three parts with the first part discussing the concept of partnership and applying it to the Sino-Vietnamese relationship to explain the reasons why China decided to build this relationship with Vietnam. The second part looks back on the development of Vietnam - China relationship since 2008 by comparing it with that of the previous periods in some areas, including political diplomacy, trade and economy, and national security and defense. On the basis of Vietnam - China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and comparing it with China’s relationship with Laos, a country located on the Indochinese peninsula, the third part provides an analysis and evaluation of Vietnam - China relationship development in this period.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):8-17
8-17
Land conflict among ethnic minorities in the northeast region of Vietnam, 1986-2017
Abstract
The economic reforms ( Doi Moi ) initiated in Vietnam in 1986 led to substantial economic changes,specifically as a consequence of land policy developments but also led to conflict and land disputes among ethnic minority communities. This research aims to evaluate land tenure-related conflict among ethniccommunities in northern Vietnam from the time that the land reform was implemented to the present. Thestudy was conducted on Tay and Dao ethnic communities in Lang Son and Quang Ninh Provinces betweenFebruary and June 2018. It is recommended that careful attention should be paid to the traditional practices of land use by ethnic groups when making adjustments to land policy in order to avoid conflict due to the implementation of inappropriate legislature.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):18-27
18-27
Economic cooperationof Belarus and Vietnam in the context of integration around the EAEU
Abstract
The article analyzes the first results of the development of economic interaction between Vietnamand the Republic of Belarus in the framework of the Agreement on free trade between Vietnam and theEurasian Economic Union. The authors explore the dynamics and structure of mutual trade, other forms of economic cooperation. They found out that main export positions of the two countries are not competing, butrather complement each other and open the way to industrial cooperation. It forms potential for the growth inbilateral economic relations (car assembly plant of trucks MAZ on Belarusian-Vietnamese joint venture“MAZ Asia”, the processing of food products from the Belarusian raw milk).The article emphasizes core factors that affect deepening cooperation and increasing mutual trade between Vietnam and the Republic of Belarus within the Eurasian Economic Union, and main drivers for its reactivation. They are the low competitiveness of national economies on the world market; Russia's dominance as a trade and economic partner; new geopolitical situation; common historical past. The need to reduce the risk of high-country concentration of Belarusian exports, and the active implementation of the open-door policy by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam are highlighted.Based on econometric modeling particular attention is paid to assessing the foreign trade potential between Belarus and Vietnam in the framework of the Agreement due to forecasting Vietnamese exports to Belarus.The conclusion presents the prospects for the development of economic cooperation between the Republic ofBelarus and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and overall integration processes within the EAEC.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):28-38
28-38
Customer relationship management practices topromote mental health services: a study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Abstract
Given the reported high incidences of depression related suicides in Ho Chi Minh City (HCM City)Vietnam, a phenomenological case study was conducted to assess the profiles of mental health providers and their customer relationship practices. The study presents findings from eight in-depth interviews with MentalHealth (MH) doctors and marketers at public and private facilities about activities used to attract and retaincustomers, their effectiveness, and the challenges encountered. The trade publications and also the scholarly literature would indicate progressively increasing use of marketing skills at both public and private MHproviders, through social marketing campaigns, anti-stigma and MH awareness, social media marketing,Search Engine Optimization (SEO), digital platforms, and tech-enabled Customer Relationship Management (CRM), despite the fact that there is a recurring undersupply of mental health care services. In somewhat of a contrast, findings from interviews for the HCM City showed that government-affiliated providers were reactive, dependent on direct transfers and unconcerned about retention or CRM. Investments in CRM and marketing in general were limited and non-strategic in the State sector; marketing communication materials were of limited effectiveness and quality, even among mid-tier private providers. In contrast, upscale private clinics used a repertoire of tools including Facebook Business pages, YouTube.com clips, content-rich websites, blogging, toll-free numbers and workshops. Through innovation and client-focus, upscale private MH clinics derived a major source of business from Word of Mouth (WOM). Some challenges to MH usage that we identified were stigma, gender roles, unethical doctor behaviors, poor quality of MH education, and practice. Also, many providers had a difficult time educating individuals about the symptoms and treatmentof mental illness, and outreaching with the MH service delivery to induce trial.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):39-47
39-47
The 1968 Mau Than eventin South Vietnam and the White House political crisis
Abstract
Tet Mau Than 1968 was the event that made a turning point in decision making in the 21-year warin Vietnam (1954-1975). Tet Mau Than 1968 was a real earthquake, directly impacting the internal situation of the White House, even putting an end to the career of a US President. For these reasons, the Tet Mau Than1968 event in South Vietnam and its consequences always attracted the attention of researchers, historians,and military generals from many countries. “Tet Mau Than 1968” event, many issues have been posed, many comments and assessments about this historical event are still different, even opposing. The article focuses on clarifying the impacts of this event on the political atmosphere of the United States, leading to the crisis of powers in the White House, creating significant changes in Vietnam's war way decisions that Washington pursues.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):48-56
48-56
Actualization of concept of “Vietnamese Taoism” in historical and academic discourses: pantheon, myths and practices
Abstract
The article reconsiders one of the components of Chinese religious syncretism (Confucianism,Buddhism and Taoism) in Vietnam, based on a comprehensive concept of Taoism developed by E. Torchinov. Using various historical sources and previous studies the author reveals fragments of Vietnamesereligious believes and practices that can be identified as Taoist, such as numerology, magic, spiritualtechniques, the pantheon of deities, medical procedures, and institutionalized forms of Taoism.All foreign religions in Vietnam went through the universal cultural stages of translation into the language of local religious traditions. To make the language of the new faith understandable, correspondences wereestablished between old and new characters; for example, Vietnamese spirits were incorporated in Buddhistpantheon. What makes the study of Taoism in Vietnam particularly complicated is the fact that local religious practices were quite similar to Taoist. This is partially because ancient Dongshon civilization was created inthe region of modern Northern Vietnam and Southern China, which some sclolars believe to be the areawhere Taoism originated from. On the other hand, Vietnamese traditional medicine and magic have been developing under the influence of Taoist methods so they became deeply interrelated. Even Buddhist preachers had to master some medical and magical skills to earn the respect of newly converted Vietnamese followers.A special attention is given in the article to spirit possession techniques such as “len dong” that many scholars tend to categorize as Taoist. The differences between Chinese and Vietnamese possession practicesare shown in comparative perspective. Based on the data from author’s field research on spirit possession inVietnam, the conclusion is made that despite some similarities with Chinese Taoist rituals, Vietnamese tradition of communication with spirits of the dead is a part of local ancestor worship and has its own specificfeatures.Although various elements of Taoism have become an intrinsic part of Vietnamese everyday life, hardly anyone recognizes them here as Taoist or foreign by nature. In the same time scholars often put the label of Taoism on whatever phenomena of popular religion or social practices that don’t fit into the categories of Confucianism and Buddhism. To further clarify the status of Taoism in contemporary Vietnam an extended anthropological fieldwork is needed.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):57-67
57-67
The functioning and transformation of phraseological units in the Vietnamese media
Abstract
The article is devoted to the functioning and transformation of phraseological units in theVietnamese mass media. The study material was the media texts of Vietnamese periodicals, mainly electronic, such as the newspapers NhHn dHn, TuÜi trÂ, QuHn Eài nhHn dHn, TiÈn phong, Lao Eàng,NOng nghiÎp and several others for the period 2010-2020. It is noted that phraseological units are one of themost important semantic and expressive means used in media texts. Phraseological units are used in both traditional (basic) and transformed forms. Especially often, phraseological units are used in the headings and subheadings of media texts to attract the attention of readers, enhance expressive coloring and expressiveness, create an ironic effect and engage readers in a language game. The following main types of transformationare considered: formal (structural), semantic, and combined structural-semantic. The types of structural transformation are distinguished: replacing lexical components, expanding the composition of thephraseological unit, breaking the phraseological unit, reducing the component composition. The semantictransformation consists in the literalization of the meanings of the components of the phraseological unit, which in this case is perceived simultaneously in both the literal and figurative sense. In the combined (formal-semantic) transformations, several varieties of modifications are used simultaneously. The necessityof distinguishing between occasional (contextual) transformations and normal variants of phraseological units is indicated. The use in the language of the media of a significant number of new phraseological units not yetrecorded in phraseological dictionaries is noted, examples of such units are given.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):68-75
68-75
Experts’ review of the history and present state of Russia-Vietnam cooperation
Abstract
The article presents the assessments of the leading Russian and Vietnamese experts of the currentstate of Russian-Vietnamese cooperation in various fields. The high level of trust between the leaders of the two countries and regular contacts at the highest level, close cooperation in the international arena and in themilitary and technical field, the spiritual closeness of the peoples of Russia and Vietnam were reminded. Butat the same time, negative moments in the relations between the two countries were also revealed. Scientists drew attention to the fall in the influence of the Russian Federation in the economy, science and culture of Vietnam, the main reasons for this phenomenon were named. Russia has lost its previous positions in most sectors of the Vietnamese economy, due to objective reasons and its own mistakes, and the return of these positions under intense competition in the Vietnamese market is a difficult problem. The tight migration policy of the Russian authorities and the fall of the ruble exchange rate were named among the reasons for the loss of interest in Russia as an object of Vietnamese labor migration. Despite the allocation of the maximum number of quotas for free education for Vietnamese students in Russia, the attractiveness of Russianeducation among Vietnamese youth is far inferior to education in other countries. The main reasons were the problems with employment in Vietnam with Russian language and obtaining high-paid work in Russia after graduation. Low funding of Russian-Vietnamese cooperation in the field of science and technology, as well as culture, poor coverage of the Vietnamese theme in the Russian press were noted. The participants of theRound Table made a number of recommendations with the aim to correct the current situation and expressed the conviction that it is necessary for Russia to inherit the best that existed in the practice of cooperation with Vietnam in the Soviet years.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):76-82
76-82
O zashchite dissertatsii
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):83-84
83-84
The “border war” between China and Vietnam: lessons of the history and modernity
Abstract
This collection consists of articles by Russian and Vietnamese scientists who participated in theRound table discussion on the subject: “Vietnam - China relations: the difficult search for agreement”, held at the Center for Vietnam and ASEAN studies, Institute for Far Eastern studies of the Russian Academy ofSciences, on February 20, 2019 and timed to the 40th anniversary of the 1979 “border war” between Chinaand Vietnam. The volume includes 12 articles by Russian and Vietnamese authors, divided into two parts. The first examines the conflict itself, its causes and consequences, the role of the Soviet Union, the lessons ofthis war. In the second part, the authors touch upon the actual problems of relations between the twoneighboring countries in the period from the normalization of relations in 1991 to the present day.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):85-88
85-88
Vietnam is a “startup country”
Abstract
The review relates to the title “Startups of Vietnam: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in theSocialist Republic” published in the USA in April 2019.In 2018, the Vietnamese leadership publicly committed themselves to turn Vietnam into a “startup country. According to the book’s author the country's remarkable economic performance in the 21st century allowedto implement the most part of what was planned, which turned Vietnam into one of the nodal hub for startupsin Southeast Asia. That's what the American entrepreneur, business consultant and startups consultantAndrew P. Rowan talks about. Witness, participant and initiator of many iconic business projects in Vietnam, the author shares his personal work experience in the Vietnamese entrepreneurial environment, extrapolatinghis experience to regional and global contexts. The book will be very useful for researchers of the countryand regional economy, as well as to business people.
The Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 2020;4(1):89-93
89-93
94-96