Throughout the last two decades, Vietnam has been undergoing a process of profound transformation which affects not only the economy of the country but also, and increasingly so, its political, social, and cultural life. The considerable rate at which the economy has been growing in the last six years indicates the impact of this process. In foreign policy, the country has completed a radical change of course: Having effected a reconciliation with the People's Republic of China, normalised its relations with the USA, and joined ASEAN, it now enjoys international recognition