US President Bill Clinton arrived for a three-day visit to Vietnam late Thursday night. His trip is full of profound symbolic significance. He is the first sitting US president to visit Vietnam since the Vietnam War. Clinton's personal anti-war record further enhances the significance of his visit. The trip is also bringing much in the way of substantive economic benefits for both sides, as shown by a US$500 million agreement between Vietnam's state-run airline and Boeing Corp -- the biggest transaction of 10 set to be signed by US companies during the trip. Trade relations between the two countries are obviously heading for significant changes, creating more employment opportunities for both sides.
On April 30, 1975, North Vietnam captured Saigon, ending the so-called "American War" and completing the unification of South and North Vietnam. A 20-year-long (1975 to 1994) US economic embargo ensued, leading to the political and economic isolation of Vietnam, an outpouring of refugees, and difficulties in post-war reconstruction.
Clinton's presidency has overseen major shifts in US-Vietnamese relations. First, the economic embargo was lifted on Feb. 2, 1994 and then formal diplomatic relations were established on July 11, 1995. On July 13 of this year, the two sides signed a bilateral economic trade agreement, normalizing their economic relationship. A property dispute between the two has been resolved by the establishment of offices in other's country. The only issues left are the remains of prisoners of war and US soldiers missing in action, as well the cleaning-up of landmines.
Vietnam's continued skepticism toward the US, however, has much to do with the way it has been treated in the post-war era. From Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan to the George Bush administration, Washington continued to view Vietnam with a cold war mentality, seeing it solely as a satellite of the Soviet Union. Therefore, the US continued to isolate Vietnam economically and diplomatically. In addition, some veteran organizations and former South Vietnam officials and officers living in the US continued to live in the past, unable to acknowledge that reform and liberalization have changed Vietnam.
Although Vietnam continues to be a one-party totalitarian country and a rather closed society, it is much more politically stable in comparison with Indonesia and the Philippines. While Vietnam's average annual income per capita of US$350 lags behind most other developing countries, at least the living standard in the cities has largely improved due to economic liberalization.
Even more importantly, 60 percent of Vietnam's 79 million people belong to the post-war generation. They feel no antagonism toward the US. The biggest obstacles toward normalization of relations are political and cultural differences. Even hardliners believe that while the lessons of the war should never be forgotten, it does no good to touch upon old injuries now. They want stability, prosperity and international recognition as well.
To the Vietnamese government, Clinton's visit symbolizes Washington's acceptance of the country's unification and independence, as well as recognition of Vietnam's international status. It is the end-point to decades of anti-colonial struggle.
To Clinton, the trip may be the last diplomatic hurrah of his presidency. In view of the possible resentment by conservatives and Vietnam veterans, he is unable to apologize for the death of millions of Vietnamese during the war, but he can at least acknowledge the suffering of the Vietnamese. That should be sufficient to close the chapter on the war.
The US' participation in the war prevented the spread of communism to other Southeast Asian countries. Now it is time for other Asian countries to help Vietnam back onto its feet.
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