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Obama Hosts a Top Official From Vietnam at Oval Office Obama Hosts a Top Official From Vietnam at Oval Office
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama said Tuesday that the United States and Vietnam had moved beyond their “difficult history” and would move ahead on trade and security cooperation that could benefit both countries. He warmly welcomed the head of the nation’s Communist Party to the White House and spoke of a future visit to Vietnam.WASHINGTON — President Obama said Tuesday that the United States and Vietnam had moved beyond their “difficult history” and would move ahead on trade and security cooperation that could benefit both countries. He warmly welcomed the head of the nation’s Communist Party to the White House and spoke of a future visit to Vietnam.
Mr. Obama’s meeting with the Vietnamese official, Nguyen Phu Trong, was timed to mark the 20th anniversary of normalized relations between the onetime war enemies. It came 40 years after the fall of Saigon and reflected a deepening of the reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam.Mr. Obama’s meeting with the Vietnamese official, Nguyen Phu Trong, was timed to mark the 20th anniversary of normalized relations between the onetime war enemies. It came 40 years after the fall of Saigon and reflected a deepening of the reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam.
It was also another opportunity for Mr. Obama, who announced last week that he was ready to restart diplomatic relations with another Cold War rival, Cuba, to showcase his determination to deal with adversaries through diplomacy rather than estrangement.It was also another opportunity for Mr. Obama, who announced last week that he was ready to restart diplomatic relations with another Cold War rival, Cuba, to showcase his determination to deal with adversaries through diplomacy rather than estrangement.
“I got an invitation to Vietnam, and I think this is indicative of the remarkable progress that’s taken place in the relationship between our two countries over the last 20 years,” Mr. Obama said in the Oval Office, sitting beside Mr. Trong. “I certainly do look forward to visiting your beautiful country sometime in the future.”“I got an invitation to Vietnam, and I think this is indicative of the remarkable progress that’s taken place in the relationship between our two countries over the last 20 years,” Mr. Obama said in the Oval Office, sitting beside Mr. Trong. “I certainly do look forward to visiting your beautiful country sometime in the future.”
The warm words fell short of an official pledge to visit Vietnam during Mr. Obama’s presidency, and administration officials acknowledged privately that the vagueness was intentional.The warm words fell short of an official pledge to visit Vietnam during Mr. Obama’s presidency, and administration officials acknowledged privately that the vagueness was intentional.
Mr. Obama has made completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a vast trade agreement spanning the Pacific Rim, a top priority for the remainder of his term, and ironing out differences with Vietnam — including its record of trampling on worker rights — is crucial to doing so.Mr. Obama has made completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a vast trade agreement spanning the Pacific Rim, a top priority for the remainder of his term, and ironing out differences with Vietnam — including its record of trampling on worker rights — is crucial to doing so.
Although Mr. Obama is scheduled to travel to Asia this fall for summit meetings, American officials are reluctant to commit him to a stop in Vietnam until it is clear that those gaps can be bridged.Although Mr. Obama is scheduled to travel to Asia this fall for summit meetings, American officials are reluctant to commit him to a stop in Vietnam until it is clear that those gaps can be bridged.
“We discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or T.P.P., and the enormous potential of a high-standards trade agreement that raises labor standards, raises environmental standards, and could potentially create significant job growth and prosperity for both the Vietnamese and the American people,” Mr. Obama said.“We discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or T.P.P., and the enormous potential of a high-standards trade agreement that raises labor standards, raises environmental standards, and could potentially create significant job growth and prosperity for both the Vietnamese and the American people,” Mr. Obama said.
At the same time, Mr. Obama may have been reluctant to accept a direct invitation from Mr. Trong, who is not a head of state but the leader of Vietnam’s one-party government.At the same time, Mr. Obama may have been reluctant to accept a direct invitation from Mr. Trong, who is not a head of state but the leader of Vietnam’s one-party government.
A group of Republican and Democratic members of Congress wrote to Mr. Obama this week asking him to send “a clear message to Hanoi authorities that respect for human rights is essential for a closer economic and security relationship.” They criticized the “authoritarian one-party system” over which Mr. Trong presides, and called the human rights situation in Vietnam “deplorable.”A group of Republican and Democratic members of Congress wrote to Mr. Obama this week asking him to send “a clear message to Hanoi authorities that respect for human rights is essential for a closer economic and security relationship.” They criticized the “authoritarian one-party system” over which Mr. Trong presides, and called the human rights situation in Vietnam “deplorable.”
Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Trong acknowledged the issue during their meeting.Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Trong acknowledged the issue during their meeting.
“We discussed candidly some of our differences around issues of human rights, for example, and freedom of religion,” Mr. Obama said. “But what I’m confident about is that the diplomatic dialogue and practical steps that we are taking together will benefit both countries, that these tensions can be resolved in an effective fashion.”“We discussed candidly some of our differences around issues of human rights, for example, and freedom of religion,” Mr. Obama said. “But what I’m confident about is that the diplomatic dialogue and practical steps that we are taking together will benefit both countries, that these tensions can be resolved in an effective fashion.”
Mr. Trong said the two men had talked about trade and human rights “in a constructive and candid manner.”Mr. Trong said the two men had talked about trade and human rights “in a constructive and candid manner.”
“There has been a bad, difficult chapter in our history,” Mr. Trong said, “but we have been able to rise above the past to overcome differences, to promote our shared interests, and look toward a future in order to build the comprehensive partnership that we have today. As I mentioned to the president in our meeting, the past cannot be changed, but the future depends on our action, and it is our responsibility to ensure a bright future.”“There has been a bad, difficult chapter in our history,” Mr. Trong said, “but we have been able to rise above the past to overcome differences, to promote our shared interests, and look toward a future in order to build the comprehensive partnership that we have today. As I mentioned to the president in our meeting, the past cannot be changed, but the future depends on our action, and it is our responsibility to ensure a bright future.”
The United States and Vietnam have been pressed together in recent years by mutual wariness about a rising China, and in a joint vision statement they issued after their meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Obama and Mr. Trong expressed concerns about developments in the South China Sea, where China and Vietnam have clashed over territorial claims. The United States and Vietnam have been pressed together in recent years by mutual wariness about a rising China. In a joint statement they issued after their meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Obama and Mr. Trong expressed concerns about developments in the South China Sea, where China and Vietnam have clashed over territorial claims.
After the White House meeting, at a luncheon at the State Department, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. marveled at the historic significance of Mr. Trong’s visit, saying he had first run for the Senate as a 29-year-old bent on ending the war in Vietnam.After the White House meeting, at a luncheon at the State Department, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. marveled at the historic significance of Mr. Trong’s visit, saying he had first run for the Senate as a 29-year-old bent on ending the war in Vietnam.