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| David Cameron becomes first British PM to visit Vietnam | David Cameron becomes first British PM to visit Vietnam |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has landed in Hanoi for the first ever visit to Vietnam by a British prime minister, saying he was excited to be in a country that had transformed itself into a vibrant society with a young and expanding middle class. | David Cameron has landed in Hanoi for the first ever visit to Vietnam by a British prime minister, saying he was excited to be in a country that had transformed itself into a vibrant society with a young and expanding middle class. |
| Cameron’s trip will take in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, almost 40 years after the US ignominiously pulled out in April 1975 and left the country to a form of Communist rule. | Cameron’s trip will take in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, almost 40 years after the US ignominiously pulled out in April 1975 and left the country to a form of Communist rule. |
| Cameron headed first to the capital to hold separate bilateral talks with the titular head of state, President Trương Tấn Sang, the prime minister, Nguyễn Tấn Dũng, and the Communist party secretary general, Nguyễn Phú Trọng, before flying to Ho Chi Minh City, regarded as the business capital of the country. | |
| On a rain-sodden day and after much uncertainty as to whether to hold the greeting ceremony in the open air, Cameron was met by Dung, and the two leaders inspected the troops, listened to thenational anthems and saw Vietnamese troops parade past, chanting and stamping their feet. | |
| Related: David Cameron vows to tackle trafficking of Vietnamese children | Related: David Cameron vows to tackle trafficking of Vietnamese children |
| The bulk of Vietnam’s leadership saw active service during the war. Sang was in his 20s when he was arrested by the South Vietnamese government; he was released after the Paris peace treaty in 1973. Dũng joined the People’s Armed Forces in 1961, serving until 1984, and was reportedly wounded in action four times. | The bulk of Vietnam’s leadership saw active service during the war. Sang was in his 20s when he was arrested by the South Vietnamese government; he was released after the Paris peace treaty in 1973. Dũng joined the People’s Armed Forces in 1961, serving until 1984, and was reportedly wounded in action four times. |
| Since the mid-80s the party has overseen a pragmatic transformation of the country from a planned to a socialist-led market economy. It is a sign of how fast the Vietnamese economy has grown since unification that Cameron chose to visit the country as part of a wider British diplomatic attempt to build alliances in the region, which may act as a counterweight to China. | |
| Despite the connections of the leadership with the Vietnamese war, the younger population has a harder consumer edge that provides potentially rich markets for the UK exporters. | Despite the connections of the leadership with the Vietnamese war, the younger population has a harder consumer edge that provides potentially rich markets for the UK exporters. |
| Waiting in Vietnam pic.twitter.com/hD1ZuLibAC | Waiting in Vietnam pic.twitter.com/hD1ZuLibAC |
| Cameron said on arrival from Singapore: “I am excited to be visiting Vietnam. I am the first British prime minister to do so. This is a country that has transformed itself in recent years, which is still on the rise, with a vibrant young population and an expanding middle class. | Cameron said on arrival from Singapore: “I am excited to be visiting Vietnam. I am the first British prime minister to do so. This is a country that has transformed itself in recent years, which is still on the rise, with a vibrant young population and an expanding middle class. |
| “There will be opportunities for Britain and British businesses particularly in advanced engineering, infrastructure development, banking and financial services. Just a decade ago, our relationship was one built on aid, now it is one of trade. Last year UK exports were up 10%.” | “There will be opportunities for Britain and British businesses particularly in advanced engineering, infrastructure development, banking and financial services. Just a decade ago, our relationship was one built on aid, now it is one of trade. Last year UK exports were up 10%.” |
| The Presidential Palace in Hanoi. French colonial architecture with a contemporary touch. pic.twitter.com/FZTq54ermE | The Presidential Palace in Hanoi. French colonial architecture with a contemporary touch. pic.twitter.com/FZTq54ermE |
| The British did not actively support the US war in Vietnam despite pressure from the the then US president, Lyndon Johnson, on the Labour prime minister Harold Wilson. In December 1964, Wilson told his cabinet: “Lyndon Johnson is begging me even to send a bagpipe band to Vietnam.” | The British did not actively support the US war in Vietnam despite pressure from the the then US president, Lyndon Johnson, on the Labour prime minister Harold Wilson. In December 1964, Wilson told his cabinet: “Lyndon Johnson is begging me even to send a bagpipe band to Vietnam.” |