The interview runs in full as follows:

Your upcoming official visit to the United States will be the first to the country by a head of state of Viet Nam. Could you elaborate on the significance of this visit?

I will pay an official visit to the US from June 18-23 at the invitation of US President George W. Bush, an invitation he made when he visited Viet Nam and attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November 2006. The trip will take place in the context of positive developments in the relationship between the two countries and deep and wide cooperation in all fields, bringing practical results and meeting the interests and aspirations of the two countries’ people. I plan to discuss with President Bush and other US leaders specific measures to strengthen the effectiveness and stability in the Viet Nam-US relationship. I will meet with US residents as well as overseas Vietnamese who are living in the US in order to strengthen the friendship between the two peoples and boost the mutual understanding and sympathy between the two nations. I will also meet with US business circles and encourage them to increase their business in Viet Nam.

In short, the visit will be of great importance to strengthening the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the people of the two countries.

Could you make an overall assessment of Viet Nam-US relations since the two countries normalised their diplomatic ties in July 1995 and the prospects for developing bilateral relations?

Since the two countries normalised their diplomatic ties in July 1995, we have witnessed rapid progress in Viet Nam-US relations.

The exchange of visits, particularly visits by high-ranking officials, businesspeople and representatives from mass organisations, have helped strengthen mutual understanding and create a firm foundation for multifaceted cooperation between the two sides.

Two Joint Statements of leaders of the two countries, which were issued in June 2005 and November 2006, affirmed the two countries’ will to develop multi-faceted, constructive and friendly partnership on the basis of equality and mutual respect and benefit in an extensive, sustainable and efficient manner.

Impressive progress has been made in trade-economic relations. Cooperation in humanitarian activities, culture, tourism, sports and the fight against terrorism and trans-national crimes has been gradually expanded.

Although some differences remain, particularly those related to democracy and human rights, I believe that these differences are small as compared with the two countries’ common interests and they should be resolved through dialogues.

With efforts and goodwill of both sides, I believe that bilateral relations would further develop in the future to serve the two nations’ interest and contribute to ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in the Asian region.

Viet Nam is now an official member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), so how do you think the membership will affect economic, trade and investment relations between Viet Nam and the US? Do you have any message to the US business community, particularly those who are planning to invest in Viet Nam?

In conjunction with dynamic economic development, political stability and safety, Viet Nam’s WTO membership, the US Government’s establishment of Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Viet Nam and Viet Nam’s successful organisation of the 14 th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting have helped improve Viet Nam’s position and prestige and make the Vietnamese market more attractive to foreign business circles. Many leading economic groups of the US have decided to put heavy investment in Viet Nam.

I welcome US entrepreneurs to do business in Viet Nam. The Government of Viet Nam will continue to create a favourable environment and conditions for foreign investors to operate in the country.

What is your assessment of the Vietnamese community in the US and their contributions to Viet Nam's development?

With a population of more than 1.5 million, the Vietnamese community in the US represents half the number of Vietnamese living abroad. I am pleased to see that most Vietnamese in the US live a stable life and successfully integrate into the local community while maintaining close ties with their homeland. I felt encouraged by the successes in all fields of Vietnamese in the US, particularly those made by the younger generations.

I highly appreciate contributions by overseas Vietnamese in the US to Viet Nam, both spiritual and material, in the recent past. The State and people of Viet Nam have always respected the profound sentiment Vietnamese people abroad have expressed toward their home country, their sense of national dignity and their wish to contribute to developing Viet Nam into a rich and powerful country. Thousands of overseas Vietnamese with their assets in the US have selected their home country for investment and business operations and they have invested thousands of billions of VND in Viet Nam.

I would like to praise those experts and academics who have made intellectual contributions to national construction, and cooperated with their colleagues inside the country in scientific research, training and experience exchange. Charity activities by overseas Vietnamese have been promoted, thus helping resolve social and humanitarian matters.

I am glad to see that the number of Vietnamese living in the US to visit the homeland has increased year on year. The visits help them better understand the situation in the country, sharing the homeland's joys in the renewal process as well as the difficulties and challenges.

It is regretful that a small part of the community who still haven’t had the chance to visit Viet Nam and due to a lack of knowledge, continue to perform activities that are contrary to the nation's interest and unfavourable for community solidarity.

Vietnamese living in the US have great potential in terms of economy and knowledge. The Vietnamese State will take on more responsibility in the spirit of Resolution 36 of the Party Central Committee's Political Bureau to create opportunities for overseas Vietnamese to contribute to national development, helping to strengthen and promote Viet Nam-US friendship and cooperation.

Source: Vietnam Agency