Vietnam's president to visit the United States
Vietnam's relations with the United States are set to enter a new phase when President Nguyen Minh Triet makes an official visit to America next week. This is the first visit to the U.S. by socialist Vietnam's head of state since reunification in 1975. The United States is Vietnam's largest export market and economic and commercial issues are expected to feature prominently.
Strategic issues will feature as well. Last month, President Triet concluded a successful visit to Beijing where he declared that China was a 'leading partner' and 'cornerstone' of Vietnam's foreign policy. Triet's forthcoming visit to Washington has been carefully calibrated to balance Vietnam's external relations.
Bilateral ties between Hanoi and Washington reached an all time high in 2006 when the United States removed Vietnam from the State Department's list of Countries of Particular Concern, and approved Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade Organisation.
President Triet and his entourage will seek to build on these foundations. Triet will symbolically visit the New York Stock Exchange to signal Vietnam's growing integration into the global economy. Vietnamese officials are expected to ink a deal with Boeing valued at U.S. $1 billion for the purchase of aircraft capable of flying non-stop to the United States. An agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy is also on the cards.
The Vietnamese President will be accompanied by a party of 200 Vietnamese businessmen. They will hold trade and investment discussions with representatives from a wide range of American industries who are interested in taking advantage of Vietnam fast growing economy and investment climate.
At the official level, Vietnam and the United States are expected to sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement which will create an official forum for the discussion of bilateral economic issues. It could lead to a Free Trade Agreement sometime in the future.
The two presidents are scheduled to meet at The White House on June 22nd. They are expected to discuss trade, economic relations, health, development, cultural and educational issues. President Bush will also express his 'deep concern' over the human rights situation in Vietnam. Indeed, human rights issues surfaced in March-April and nearly derailed Triet’s visit.
Vietnam's crackdown on seven leading pro-democracy activists provoked an outcry in Congress and calls for Vietnam to be put back on the list of Countries of Particular Concern. At one point, the U.S. reportedly informed Vietnam that a visit by its president would be 'inappropriate' at this time. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was dispatched to Hanoi and was given an unusual audience with President Triet. Vietnam then moved quickly to diffuse the issue, announcing privately that it would free three dissidents in advance of Triet's visit.
Neither Vietnam nor the United States want human rights issues to become the focal point of their bilateral relationship. Senior retired U.S. officials have recently highlighted Vietnam’s potential role in regional affairs. Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Joseph Nye, former Assistant Secretary of Defense, wrote that in the next fifteen years Vietnam could reach 'its potential and contribute more to the overall effectiveness of ASEAN.' Former Secretary of Defense William Perry and Ashton Carter, former Assistant Secretary of Defence, suggested that Washington could pursue 'deeper military partnerships with the Philippines, Singapore, India and possibly Vietnam.'
Vietnam and the United States have been quietly stepping up security cooperation. In late 2006, the U.S. approved the sale of non-lethal military equipment to Vietnam. Earlier this year, Vietnam agreed to participate in the U.S. Global Threat Reduction Initiative by converting its nuclear reactor to low enriched uranium and stepping up security at sites storing radio active waste. Vietnam also quietly attended a meeting of the Proliferation Security Initiative in New Zealand. Vietnam will carry even more weight in security matters when it becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council this October.
President Triet's visit to Washington will further consolidate the growing economic relationship, gradually advance cooperation in security matters but is unlikely to alter the way Vietnam treats its political dissidents.
By Carlyle A. Thayer - Radio Singapore International - June 16, 2007.
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