WHEREAS, Letter of Instructions No. 444 dated 9 August 1976 has included the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the list of socialist countries and other centrally-planned countries;

WHEREAS, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has started to move towards an open economy and is committed to liberalize its markets and integrate into the global market economy;

WHEREAS, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is now a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and is in the process of accession to the World Trade Organization;

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Government to develop and strengthen trade relations with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

WHEREAS, a continued coverage of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by Letter of Instructions 444 is no longer consistent with the country's national interest, as coursing trade between our countries through the Philippine International Trading Corporation is becoming an unnecessary barrier to trade.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

The Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation with Socialist Countries to remove the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from the list of countries covered by Letter of Instructions No. 444.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 30th day of August in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand.


By the President:

RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary