While the Obama administration now sees Vietnam as a vital cog in America’s pivot to the Asia-Pacific region, Vietnam hopes to strengthen ties with the USA as it battles with China over disputed waters. “They said I could go anywhere else but not to the embassy”. That’s how a Facebook starts. None were not allowed to attend the speech.
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The blogger and Vietnam Right Now contributor, Trang Doan Pham, was arrested the day before – even though she is in a wheelchair following a leg operation – and not released until after the meeting. Quang A said the government disqualified him.
Secretary of State John Kerry said it was China’s own actions in the South and East China Seas that could create a tinderbox. Some activists criticized the move, saying it took away the president’s leverage to push for greater human rights freedoms in Vietnam.
Obama stressed the need to uphold human rights in his remarks to the Vietnamese people and were broadcast on television in a nation that has a dismal record on the issue.
Obama’s speech came a day after he announced the lifting of an arms sales embargo on Vietnam.
“Big nations should not bully smaller ones, disputes should be resolved peacefully”, he said to warm applause from delegates in a country where anti-China sentiment is growing.
“Seeing Obama here is so extremely promising”, says Nguyen, who describes himself as a tech professional and entrepreneur.
Obama’s visit will further be marked by a string of meetings with Vietnamese government bodies and the U.S. President is expected to use the platform to discuss a new boost to relations through the launch of more economic and security initiatives.
Earlier in 1995, the diplomatic relations between the two nations were restored by Clinton, but the USA embargo on the sale of weapons remained in force. At the height of the war more than 500,000 USA troops were involved in the fighting, which killed more than 58,000 Americans and wounded 303,000 over the course of a decade.
Washington has longstanding defense alliances in the region with the Philippines, which is also at odds with China, and Thailand, and organizes annual war games with both.
Obama drew from his personal recollections of the era.
Officials from both sides signed an agreement that will bring an initial group of about 20 Peace Corps volunteers to Vietnam starting next year.
He said progress had been made on rights but added: “Is it as much progress as we want?”
The US is providing maritime security assistance to Vietnam through the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI), the Cooperative Threat Reduction programme, and foreign military financing.
After his speech, Mr Obama met for a second time in two days with celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. In the middle of a downpour, Mr Obama and Mr Bourdain, who ate together at a Hanoi restaurant on Monday, spoke for around 20 minutes at a rustic streetside cafe, surrounded by scores of onlookers.
Obama then traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam during the war.
He will meet young entrepreneurs at one of the co-working spaces that host Vietnam’s budget tech startups, which have been receiving attention from angel investors and Silicon Valley funds.
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Obama ends his trip Wednesday.
