PM Visit - Springboard for Development of Vietnam-US Relations
Vietnam's Prime Minister Phan Van Khai made a historic trip to the United States from June 19-25, becoming the first government's leader to Washington since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, and marking the 10th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations in 1995. The visit has given a boost to the bilateral relations.
The Prime Minister held talks with US President George W. Bush on June 21 at the White House. They agreed to encourage greater contact between their nations' respective executive and legislative branches, commercial and scientific communities, militaries and citizens; strengthen cultural and educational exchanges; beef up bilateral and multilateral cooperation on such transnational issues as the global fight against terrorism, transnational crime, narcotics and human trafficking; and reinforce cooperation on health and humanitarian issues, including the prevention of pandemics, especially of HIV/AIDS and bird flu.
Khai and some 200 local officials and representatives from the ministries of Trade, Planning and Investment, Finance, Transport, Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs, Education and Training, and Justice, the State Bank, and large enterprises, had many contacts with the US business circle, giving them to a clearer picture of Vietnam in many fields, especially economics, trade and investment. “Vietnam has actively integrated into the world economy. Vietnam has been striving to become a member of the World Trade Organisation as soon as possible,” Khai said in a meeting with representatives of the US business community in Washington on June 21.
During Khai’s visit, Vietnamese companies signed with US partners contracts totaling nearly US US$1 billion, while leading US groups, including Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Motorola, Boeing, General Electrics, Eximbank and New York Life expressed their desire to implement specific cooperative projects in Vietnam. On June 20, Khai witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding between the Ministry of Education and Training and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Microsoft, under which the US software giant is to provide Vietnam with software and computer accessories, and help the country train local schoolteachers about information technology (IT) teachers. The giant also pledged to assist Vietnamese small- and medium-sized enterprises in IT development and application.
On the occasion of Khai’s visit, the United States expressed strong support for Vietnam's accession to the WTO. The two countries’ leaders welcomed the substantial progress achieved on the complete range of issues in the recent bilateral negotiations regarding the obligations of membership and agreed to intensify efforts to resolve remaining issues. Besides, they agreed to work together to create more favourable conditions for increased US investment in Vietnam. Bush pledged to work closely with Vietnam and other members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to make the APEC Summit in Hanoi next year a great success. Khai invited him to pay an official visit to Vietnam in conjunction with his attendance at the summit.
In addition to boosting economic and trade relations, Vietnam and the United States agreed to broaden and deepen exchange and cooperation on health and humanity issues. The two countries inked an agreement on child adoption on June 21. One the same day, Vietnamese Deputy Health Minister Tran Chi Liem held talks with US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, during which they expressed their interest in cooperating in combating bird flu and HIV/AIDS, and discussed provisions of functional rehabilitation services for Agent Orange victims. Liem asked the US Department of Health and Human Services to help Vietnam train health workers in labs and treatment facilities, and join the country in providing functional rehabilitation services for disabled people, particularly Agent Orange victims. Azar affirmed that the department is willing to offer Vietnam funds and technical assistance in the areas. As for issues that remain from the war, the US president expressed appreciation for Vietnam's ongoing cooperation in joint humanitarian effort to achieve the fullest possible accounting for Americans who remain missing in action from the war.
Regarding defense, Vietnam and the United States reached a deal, under which the former will send its military officers to the later for English, military healthcare and technical studies. The military relations between the two countries have gradually improved. In reciprocating the trip to Vietnam by US Secretary of Defence William Cohen in March 2000, Vietnamese Defence Minister Pham Van Tra visited the United States in November 2003. Three US navy ships have called at Vietnam’s ports in the southern and central regions since November 2003.
Khai’s visit had a certain impact on Vietnamese-Americans and Vietnamese residing in the United States. Khai and Bush attached great importance to the efforts of the people in promoting friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries. He discussed his government's efforts to encourage and facilitate visits and investment. There are some 1.3 million Vietnamese residing in the United States, representing nearly half of the Vietnamese community abroad. Although it is a newly formed community, Vietnamese people have been recognised as rapidly integrating into the US society, and having high potential, especially in the fields of education, science and technology.
Although Vietnam and the United States reached broad consensus in many fields during Khai’s visit, some differences one such issues as human rights and religion remain. The two countries reaffirmed their intention to continue an open and candid dialogue on the issues.
Khai’s visit has created a springboard for the further development of Vietnam-US relations. It has opened a new period in the bilateral ties, especially in trade and economic ones. Vietnam and the United States have seen remarkable improvements since their bilateral trade agreement took effect in late 2001, a milestone marking the full normalisation between the two countries, with two-way trade surging to US US$6.4 billion in 2004 from US US$1.4 billion in 2001. The United States was Vietnam’s biggest export market with export turnovers of US US$4.2 billion in 2004.
Vietnamese
