Vol 2, No 4 (2018)

The article presents the conclusions of a study of two closely related topics. In the framework of the first, the development of the political situation in Vietnam is considered under the influence of the Renewal policy (Doi Moi) on the basis of the SWOT analysis. The main focus is put on the most acute problems in the field of security and the conditions for their successful overcoming. The second section is devoted to the Russian-Vietnamese relations; the emphasis is made on identifying the reasons for their low efficiency. The author identifies security problems that can be solved only with the support of the Russian Federation, but not China and the United States. It was concluded that the low efficiency of cooperation between Russia and Vietnam hinders its development, despite the coincidence of the strategic interests of the parties.

Currently, Vietnam is one of Cambodia's key trading partners and its role is steadily growing. During 2000-2016 the share of Vietnam in the volume of foreign trade of the country almost doubled. It became possible to achieve such impressive results of the mutual trade growth largely due to a wide practice of using both countries advantages of cross-border trade, which accounts for 80-90% of mutual trade. Cross-border trade between two countries has overcome several stages of development -from the level of self-organization and self-government to the development of state programs and the achievement of interstate agreements, which, in fact, have become the basis for regional policies to boost the economic development of the Great Mekong subregion, as well as backward frontier territories, with the subsequent creation of special frontier trade zones. Cross-border trade promotes economic development of border regions, foreign trade of the country as a whole and serves as a stimulating factor for the development of international integration processes. At the same time, it certainly has its negative consequences. It’s often "suspected" of having informal practices. And these "suspicions" are confirmed. In the border areas, smuggling and fraud have always existed and are still widespread. This report assesses the scale of cross-border trade, its organization, structure, and weighs the positive and negative consequences.

Dong Du movement refers to a revolutionary trend of Vietnamese to go to Japan for study. The first Go to Japan/Dong Du movement, from 1905 to 1908, led by Phan Boi Chau, paved the way for the next Dong Du movements in the XX century. However, to help readers visualize the three movements of Dong Du associated with the development of the Vietnamese - Japanese relations in the XX century, the article explores the circumstance and conditions of formation, development and results of the first wave of Dong Du movements (the Vietnamese youth is going to Japan to study and for revolutionary purposes). The author clarifies the position and the role of Phan Boi Chau and the Dong Du movement not only in the Patriotic movements against French in Vietnam but also in the establishment and development of friendly relationship between Vietnam and Japan in the XX century.

The article presents the outcome of the international scientific conference “Marx 200: the ideas of Karl Marx on the relationship between social justice and democracy and its current relevance”, organized by the Institute of Philosophy of the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences and the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation of Germany in Vietnam. The article provides excerpts from individual reports, analyzing the ideas of Karl Marx from the contemporary viewpoint and showing, how the Vietnamese scientists seek to unite the thoughts of K. Marx with the main provisions of the renewal policy being implemented in Vietnam after the VI CPV Congress.

In the monograph «Asian models of reform. Opportunities and challenges for Russia» a team of leading Russian orientalists-economists explores the transformation of socio-economic systems and the creation of conditions for the sustainable development of Eastern countries that were previously a part of the world socialist system: China, Vietnam, North Korea, Mongolia.