The availability of 30-year money in the United States is what created a middle class here. Something like that in Vietnam would be phenomenal. The command economy struggles with its vested interests. As you open up, vested interests are exposed to competition. They then have to improve their product or they lose out to the companies that come in and provide the consumers with what they want.
Trade is also a political concern.
Or, if you let Adam Smith in the front door, can you keep Thomas Jefferson from coming in the back door. There are two compelling reasons why Vietnam should do this now. One, the longer that they delay economic opening, the longer it will take for economic growth to begin. We are coming out of an Asian financial crisis with predictions of strong growth resuming in the region. If Vietnam wants to get on the next surge of growth, then they have to get up to international standards.