Vietnam
Although Vietnam's historical record of leadership in the revolution and its military power and proximity will not cease to exist, Laos struck out ahead of Vietnam with its New Economic Mechanism to introduce market mechanisms into its economy. In so doing, Laos has opened the door to rapprochement with Thailand and China at some expense to its special dependence on Vietnam. Laos might have reached the same point of normalization in following Vietnam's economic and diplomatic change, but by moving ahead resolutely and responding to Thai and Chinese gestures, Laos has broadened its range of donors, trading partners, and investors independent of Vietnam's attempts to accomplish the same goal. Thus, Vietnam remains in the shadows as a mentor and emergency ally, and the tutelage of Laos has shifted dramatically to development banks and international entrepreneurs.
Read more about this topic: Foreign Relations Of Laos, Bilateral Relations
Famous quotes containing the word vietnam:
“I was proud of the youths who opposed the war in Vietnam because they were my babies.”
—Benjamin Spock (b. 1903)
“Thats just the trouble, Sam Houstonits always my move. And damnit, I sometimes cant tell whether Im making the right move or not. Now take this Vietnam mess. How in the hell can anyone know for sure whats right and whats wrong, Sam?”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (19081973)
“I told them Im not going to let Vietnam go the way of China. I told them to go back and tell those generals in Saigon that Lyndon Johnson intends to stand by our word, but by God, I want something for my money. I want em to get off their butts and get out in those jungles and whip hell out of some Communists. And then I want em to leave me alone, because Ive got some bigger things to do right here at home.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (19081973)