Remarks by Ambassador Michael W. Marine

U.S. Ambassador: Vietnam Is Transforming on the Right Direction

July 3, 2006

The complete version of the webchat is attached below. Some portions were edited in the version posted on Tienphong’s website.

TPO – At 10 am this morning, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Michael W. Marine made his presence at Tien Phong newspaper headquarters to attend the online exchange on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of Vietnam-US relation (12/7/1995-12/7/2006)

Chief Editor Duong Xuan Nam of Tien Phong newspaper began the online exchange by delivering a speech quoted below.

Speech of Mr. Duong Xuan Nam – Chief Editor of Tien Phong newspaper at the opening of the roundtable online exchange on Vietnam-US relation

Distinguished Mr. Ambassador of US to Vietnam, Mr. Michael Marine,

Our good friends,

2006 has been a special year in Vietnam-US relation. It celebrates 1 year after the historic visit to the US by former Vietnam Prime Minister, at that time, Mr. Phan Van Khai. After that visit, Vietnam-US relation has reached new heights and become livelier.

Since the beginning of the year, we have continuously welcomed several visits to Vietnam by top leaders of legislative and executive bodies and great businessmen like Chairman of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of War Veterans James Nicholson, and President of the Microsoft Software Corporation – billionaire Bill Gates. And right now, two US navy ships are anchoring at Saigon port, HCM city to pay a courtesy call to Vietnam.

Late May, after 12 stressful negotiation rounds, Vietnam and the US signed an agreement to conclude bilateral negotiations on Vietnam’s accession to WTO. These days, in Washington D.C, Vietnam’s US friends, including US enterprises who are doing and will do business in Vietnam are canvassing US Congress for early approval of Permanent Normal Trade Relation (PNTR) for Vietnam, creating favorable conditions for Vietnam’s entry to WTO this year.

Another important event awaited by two sides is the coming visit to Vietnam by President George W. Bush in November.

Mr. Ambassador Michael Marine,

Colleagues and friends,

Tien Phong journal is one of the biggest and most prestigious newspapers in Vietnam. It is published nationwide and enjoys a large readership, particularly the youth.

Tien Phong online attracts millions of domestic and overseas Vietnamese readers, including millions of overseas Vietnamese in the U.S.

Up to now, Tien Phong online has hosted various roundtable online exchanges between famous people, who are mentioned in daily headlines of Vietnam newspapers, and readers of Tien Phong newspaper across the globe.

Some of those online exchanges are the those with professors and students of Ohio University, USA; the one between Mr. Mitchell Wolf – Chief Representative of HIV/AIDS Prevention Fund financed by the U.S government in Vietnam and heroes in the fight against AIDS pandemic.

It is our honor today to welcome Mr. Ambassador, Michael Marine to the online exchange with readers of Tien Phong newspaper on Vietnam-US relation, particularly events related to Vietnam’s accession to WTO this year as well as the future of the bilateral relation.

I would like to declare open the online exchange between Mr. Michael Marine, US Ambassador to Vietnam and readers of Tien Phong newspaper.

Thank you Mr. Michael Marine.

Thank you all.

Mr. Ambassador, Michael W. Marine made his speech:

Good morning.  I would like to thank the Tienphong Newspaper for inviting me here today for this chat with the Vietnamese people.  This week, we celebrate the 230th anniversary of the independence of the United States.  This is an important holiday for Americans, when we reflect on our history, freedom and liberty.  It is also a good time to reflect on the bilateral relationship of the United States and Vietnam, to examine where it is and where it is going.  After celebrating the tenth anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations last year, we have many successes that we can point to and much work still ahead of us. The visit of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai to the United States last year was a historic event, and we look forward to President Bush’s visit to Vietnam this Fall to attend the APEC Leaders' Summit. 

As Vietnam continues to make plans to prepare for its entry into the World Trade Organization, we will continue our strong support in this effort and all of the economic, legal and judicial reforms being implemented by the Vietnamese Government.    Since the Bilateral Trade Agreement between our two countries came into force in 2001, two-way trade has increased almost six fold from $1.5 billion in 2001 to $7.8 billion.  The United States and Vietnam have also stepped up our work together in a number of other areas including avian influenza, HIV/AIDS, human rights and religious freedom, academic and cultural exchanges, and high-level visits.  The friendship between the government and people of the United States and Vietnam is stronger than ever.  I am very optimistic about the bright future ahead of us. Thank you for this opportunity to address your audiences today and I look forward to questions from your readers.

After the speech of Mr. Michael Marine – Ambassador, Tien Phong journalists raised questions:

What do you think about Vietnam-US relation over the past years, particularly after the historic visit to the US by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai?

Ambassador Michael Marine: I think I answered this question in my opening speech for the exchange. I just want to say briefly that our bilateral relation is developing month by month. This relationship develops in various fields and it is hard to find a field where the bilateral relationship isn’t improving.

The US Congress is going to vote on PNTR for Vietnam. In your opinion, what is the impediment of this vote? What are your points of view on this vote?

Ambassador Michael Marine: President Bush’s administration advocates approval of PNTR for Vietnam.

At the moment, US Trade Representative, our leading agency on this issue, is working with the US Congress to gain approval of this status for Vietnam.

In passing an act like this in the Congress, people often take the opportunity to review, unofficially, the bilateral relationship in all aspects.

This review is by no means confined to trade issues. Some Congressmen may want to review some other aspects of the bilateral relationship, including human rights and religion freedom, for example. This is the way our democracy works.

Personally, I strongly believe that the US Congress will approve PNTR for Vietnam. What matters here is the question of timing. It is uncertain whether the US Congress will approve PNTR for Vietnam before its August vacation.

What are the procedures of voting on PNTR in the US Congress?

Ambassador Michael Marine: There are two stages for the Congress to review and approve of PNTR. Both the Senate and the House must pass the bill on PNTR. First, Senators and House representatives who support the bill must submit it to the Congress.

The second stage involves defending (hearings). Witnesses will present, before the Senate and House of Representatives, their viewpoints and opinions concerning the bill submitted to the Congress. At the same time, during the process, many US citizens will either express their opinions through letters, emails or meet Congressmen face-to-face (telephone calls) to voice their opinions on the bill.

At present, there is a very strong alliance of US enterprises supporting the Congress approval of PNTR for Vietnam.  There is another group of exiled interests in the U.S. who have expressed their opposition. Besides, there are other interest groups in fields like the garment industry, etc. who have expressed their opposition.

The US Congress has a very tight schedule. The Congress leaders will decide when to review each specific bill. During their review, Members take into account all information they get to decide whether or not to pass the bill. Once the bill is approved by both the Senate and the House, it will be submitted to the President for signature.

In case of differences of opinion between the Senate and the House, the Congress will form a Committee with representatives from both houses to discuss and compromise the opinions.

In your opinion, what is the outlook of Vietnam-US relation after Vietnam enters WTO?

Ambassador Michael Marine: It is clear that Vietnam’s entry to WTO marks an important milestone for Vietnam and it will affirm Vietnam’s active integration into the global economy.

During this process, Vietnam National Assembly and government have had achieved a great deal improving (transforming) the legal framework for business in Vietnam, which has made Vietnam a much more attractive destination to foreign investors. As Vietnam-US bilateral trade agreement led to a remarkable increase in bilateral trade, I expect Vietnam’s accession to WTO will lay the ground for a boom in investment in the country.

Afterwards, Ambassador Michael Marine answered readers’ online questions

The U.S. and Vietnamese governments have had ongoing dialogue on the question of human rights, including our concerns on certain prisoners detained, we believe for expressing opinions on political issues. I am very pleased that a number of individuals have been released in the past 18 months, have in accordance to Vietnamese law and appreciate the fact that officials demonstrated flexibility on this issue. There are still a small group of individuals concerned of interest to the U.S. who are imprisoned and we hope they are released soon. In addition, some people subject to limitations on their freedoms, including surveillance and restrictions on movement.  We think these should be lifted.

Mr. Ambassador, do you think we are on a level playing field when Vietnam enterprises often face invisible barriers in their attempt to break into the US market? (Vo Duy Nghi, 38 years old, 80 Bach Dang, Da Nang city)

Ambassador Michael Marine: I don’t agree with the view that the bilateral trade relationship is unfair. I think the reverse view is actually the right one. Since the two countries normalized trade relations in December 2001, Vietnam’s exports to the US have increased sharply.

The US has become Vietnam’s biggest export market. Millions of Vietnamese have benefited from this increase in bilateral trade.

This doesn’t mean that the two countries’ systems need no adjustment. You can see that from the catfish and shrimp anti-dumping cases. However, I believe that catfish and shrimp raising industries will have recovered well after the anti-dumping decisions.

How will the US government cooperate with Vietnam government in the fight against corruption? (Cong Ly, 27 years old)

Ambassador Michael Marine: US government is coordinating with Vietnam government at various levels in the fight against corruption. This issue has been discussed in many high-level meetings.

Apart from economic development programs funded by US development agencies, US government has also helped Vietnam in technical assistance and preparing documents, including those concerning corruption fighting.

Our message is the same like that of all the other donors: Vietnam has to effectively handle corruption, or else Vietnam market will lose its appeal for attracting business and investment.

However, it is not enough to just say the right things and point out where corruption exists. It is essential to take practical and aggressive actions to punish corrupters, as well as to make all necessary systematic changes to eliminate the breeding ground for corruption.

Is US granting Vietnam PNTR a “friendly handshake” after years of no relation as a consequence of the war?

Ambassador Michael Marine: There is considerable goodwill towards Vietnam and excitement towards the development of the relationship in the U.S. We grant Vietnam PNTR not just of goodwill but also because our Congress believe it is of benefit to the U.S. The task of the U.S. Congress is to bring greatest benefits to the United States.

As I mentioned above, before voting, each member of the Congress will consider all the information they have to decide whether or not they will vote in favor of the bill.

What do you think about Vietnam’s new leaders? (Nguyen Dinh Khiem, 26 years old, Vu Thu, Thai Binh)

Ambassador Michael Marine: I have been in Vietnam for 22 months and during the time, I have met most of Vietnam’s new leaders including the new President and Prime Minister. Of course, at that time, they were in other positions.

I hope to have more discussion with these leaders in their new posts. I also look forward to seeing the Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers whom I haven’t met.

In all my meetings with Vietnam leaders, I can see that they all have high on their agenda the issues of developing the economy and raising people’s living standards. I believe the new leaders will still pay attention to such issues.

Mr. Ambassador, will President Bush bring any special present in his upcoming official visit to Vietnam? (thuthuync@hotmail.com)

Ambassador Michael Marine: Preparation for President Bush’s visit is under way. However, I am not in the position to say what he will bring in his luggage.

I believe President Bush will bring with him a curiosity and desire to find out about Vietnam together with US citizens’ goodwill for Vietnam.

During your term in Vietnam, do you have any plan to visit agent orange infected children, victims of American war? (Nguyen Trung Hieu, 20 years old, Ha Noi)

Ambassador Michael Marine: I often visit localities in Vietnam. I have visited 36 provinces and cities. During my trips, I usually go to see the disabled, including children. Places I visit are those assisted by US government or US non-governmental organizations.

In fact, US government has provided over 33 million USD to help and meet demands of the disabled in Vietnam over the past 15 years.

We do this to help disabled people regardless of the cause of their disability. They need and deserve help.

Agent orange or dioxin is an important matter and needs more attention.

US government is working with Vietnam government in search for a method of cooperation to solve environment pollution in places where agent orange had been stored and used.

Other donors like Ford Foundation and UNDP are also working very hard in this field. I believe we can work together to effectively solve the problem of environment pollution based on reliable scientific research.

Moreover, we are also interested in doing science research on possible damage to human health due to agent orange infection.

We also believe that Vietnam authority and the mass media should provide better information on this issue to Vietnamese citizens.

For example, there are many causes of disability in Vietnam. Therefore, in my opinion, attributing all disability cases to agent orange is not accurate.

What are your opinions on the Vietnamese community in the US? (Tran Hien, 50 years old, tranhien37@yahoo.com)

Ambassador Michael Marine: the Vietnamese community in the US can act as a bridge linking the two nations.

Every time I return to the US, I try to meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the US to share my firsthand knowledge about the current situation in Vietnam.

I can see that their opinions are no longer one-way (uniform) but more and more people are interested in Vietnam and want to come back to Vietnam, to do business in Vietnam and to help the country.

I will continue to encourage the GVN to extend a hand of friendship and welcome to Vietnamese American community in U.S. and to create conditions which will make them feel that now is the time for them to come back to contribute to building this country.

Mr. Ambassador, is US policy toward Vietnam one originating from regime difference or a constructive one of the cooperation trend? (Nguyen Trung Thanh, 29 years old, 237 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Da Nang)

Ambassador Michael Marine: We recognize our political systems are not the same. But there are universally recognized, fundamental human rights that should be made available to all people. Focus in Vietnam has been on improving economic, social conditions. We recognize that these are important and must continue to solidify advances that have been made in these areas. At the same time, we believe for Vietnam to fully achieve prosperity and progress, there needs to be an expansion of space for political activity. To be totally successful, Vietnam needs to utilize all the energy and strength of its people. This means giving greater space for people to come together to express their ideas. So we call for expansion in areas such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, as well as freedom of religion.

After almost 2 years working in Vietnam, what is your feeling about the country? (Nguyen Dinh Tiep, 26 years old, Cau Go, Yen The, Bac Giang)

Ambassador Michael Marine: I have the same feeling about Vietnam like anyone else who has come here. It is a country which is changing rapidly and moving in the right direction. Of course, we also know that many difficulties and challenges remain in Vietnam, but we have all the reasons to be optimistic about Vietnam’s future.

Apart from the natural beauty, and the capacity and diligence of the Vietnamese people, the reason I am optimistic about Vietnam is Vietnamese youth. We can find, anywhere in this country, young people eager for knowledge and ready to contribute to the country.

However, there is one important thing I hope Vietnamese youth should bear in mind. They must preserve their traditions as they embrace the modern world.  They need to think about other people, not only themselves.

I hope these young people will dedicate their time and effort to solving problems like environment pollution, taking care of the marginalized, disadvantaged fellows and handling other national issues like HIV/AIDS and avian flu.

Vietnamese youth can solve these problems and they should do so.

I believe they will do so.

This concluded the online exchange of Mr. Ambassador with Tien Phong readers.