Voice of America
Hanoi
14/11/2006
Vietnam has expressed disappointment at the U.S. House of Representatives' failure Monday to approve permanent normalized trade status for Vietnam.
Hanoi was hoping Congress would pass the needed law to highlight Vietnam's position as a rising trade power, especially as it prepares to host a summit with President Bush and other Asia-Pacific leaders this week.
News of the measure's defeat in the lower chamber of the U.S. Congress was a setback for Vietnamese officials, who are proudly showcasing the openness of their booming economy ahead of Saturday and Sunday's summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Le Dung, spoke to VOA after the House of Representatives Monday - in a surprising vote - failed to grant Vietnam "Permanent Normal Trade Relations" status, or P.N.T.R.
"It is very regrettable that the U.S. House of Representatives has not yet approved the bill to grant the P.N.T.R. to Vietnam and that does not serve the interests and the aspirations of the two countries," he said.
He says Vietnam remains hopeful that lawmakers in President Bush's Republican Party will succeed in a new attempt to pass the law before Mr. Bush's arrival in Hanoi for the APEC summit of 21 Asia-Pacific leaders later this week.
Currently Congress has to vote each year on whether to confer normal trading status on Vietnam. Making that status permanent would, among other things, remove quotas that limit the amount of textiles that Vietnam can export into the U.S.
Lawmakers who voted down the measure cited concerns that a flood of cheap Vietnamese textile imports could cost their constituents business and jobs.
For the Vietnamese, news of the trade bill's defeat was tempered somewhat by an announcement from the Department of State, which on Monday said it had removed Vietnam from its list of nations that severely violate religious freedom. That list currently includes Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Le Dung, says Vietnam welcomes the State Department decision as another sign that relations between the two countries - long characterized by post-war bitterness - are growing closer.
"That accurately reflects the reality in Vietnam and goes in accordance with the principles of the U.S.-Vietnam relations," he said. "And also that goes in accordance with the positive developments of the bilateral relations of the two countries over the past years."
The U.S. State Department official in charge of religious matters said Monday that Vietnam had made "significant improvements towards advancing religious freedom." He cited the release of several people imprisoned for their religious beliefs, the reopening of churches, and the passage of laws banning a long-standing practice of rounding up tens of thousands of people and forcing them to renounce their faith.
Hanoi was hoping Congress would pass the needed law to highlight Vietnam's position as a rising trade power, especially as it prepares to host a summit with President Bush and other Asia-Pacific leaders this week.
News of the measure's defeat in the lower chamber of the U.S. Congress was a setback for Vietnamese officials, who are proudly showcasing the openness of their booming economy ahead of Saturday and Sunday's summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Le Dung, spoke to VOA after the House of Representatives Monday - in a surprising vote - failed to grant Vietnam "Permanent Normal Trade Relations" status, or P.N.T.R.
"It is very regrettable that the U.S. House of Representatives has not yet approved the bill to grant the P.N.T.R. to Vietnam and that does not serve the interests and the aspirations of the two countries," he said.
He says Vietnam remains hopeful that lawmakers in President Bush's Republican Party will succeed in a new attempt to pass the law before Mr. Bush's arrival in Hanoi for the APEC summit of 21 Asia-Pacific leaders later this week.
Currently Congress has to vote each year on whether to confer normal trading status on Vietnam. Making that status permanent would, among other things, remove quotas that limit the amount of textiles that Vietnam can export into the U.S.
Lawmakers who voted down the measure cited concerns that a flood of cheap Vietnamese textile imports could cost their constituents business and jobs.
For the Vietnamese, news of the trade bill's defeat was tempered somewhat by an announcement from the Department of State, which on Monday said it had removed Vietnam from its list of nations that severely violate religious freedom. That list currently includes Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Le Dung, says Vietnam welcomes the State Department decision as another sign that relations between the two countries - long characterized by post-war bitterness - are growing closer.
"That accurately reflects the reality in Vietnam and goes in accordance with the principles of the U.S.-Vietnam relations," he said. "And also that goes in accordance with the positive developments of the bilateral relations of the two countries over the past years."
The U.S. State Department official in charge of religious matters said Monday that Vietnam had made "significant improvements towards advancing religious freedom." He cited the release of several people imprisoned for their religious beliefs, the reopening of churches, and the passage of laws banning a long-standing practice of rounding up tens of thousands of people and forcing them to renounce their faith.
6 comments:
The whole knew of how bad doing business and making friend with Vietnam. They steal, they trick, they manipulate, they speculate. Only Hun Sen is idiot enough to seal his freindship with this country. Look at Kampuchea Krom!!!!Who was the master of this land? Can Vietnam return this land to their own landlord in good faith?
DEAR EVERYONE
Please stop respond to YOUR OWN SHADOW. He tries to get your attention. Just ignore him and go on with your regular comments for the article. Thank you so much.
You know Vietnam have caused all the resentment and prejudice toward almost all Asian living The US. Thanks God their stuburness and uglyness have noticed by someone else other than us.
That is what they deserve for being so cruel and inhuman to other people, especially us Khmers.
Too bad that many of us living in The US are being looking at the same way as Vietnamese. Just made made sure when ask where are we from? We are from Cambodia and not Vietnam. Also their accent is extremely annoying to everyone around them.
Vietnam = Vietcong = Butcher, Robber, virus, and annoying. Who care let them eat grass.
Just in case you miss this story: The hardest thing of being Asian, young and pretty living in America is being brand as whore. Even older women, we are ex-whore.
Why? It's because during the Vietnam War in the 70's, many Vietnamse women were prostitutes just like it is today in our country. They are everywhere and to them, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
They slept with American soldiers for money,fun or whatever reason, may be spying and those soldiers, some already had girl friend, fiancee and wife at home.
This was really terrified American Women. Can you blame them?
So becareful out there. You are Cambodian girls and women. Our parents don't raise us to be a whore. Just please remember that, pass on and stay faithful with our partner or husband.
Thanks god that some members of the U.S House of Representatives' still have a brain...
Doing business with Veitnam is like you (the US) going to war with Vietnam all over again...
They will put all you yanky out of work in no time....haven't you learn anything from China! once the Viet become strong economically they will kick you ass again....so don't give them that opportunities...Mr. Bush.
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