The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5 reasons why Vietnam was selected for Trump's second N.Korea summit
When President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet in Vietnam on Feb. 27-28 for a second round of nuclear talks, the world spotlight will shine on a country that has come a long way from the Vietnam War.
The communist-led Southeast Asian nation is now a booming economy and increasingly assertive regional diplomatic player. It is also one of the few nations to enjoy friendly relations with both Washington and Pyongyang.
Experts said that made the selection of Vietnam both practical and symbolic. Here are a few reasons why:
1 Location, location
The host city hasn’t yet been disclosed, but one option is Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, which lies 1,700 miles from Pyongyang, North Korea. That’s closer than Chicago is to Los Angeles, and it means an even shorter flight for Kim than the one he took to Singapore.
Unlike his late father, Kim Jong Il, who was afraid of flying and used an armored train on his rare foreign trips, the young North Korean leader appears comfortable in the air.
2 Security
The Vietnamese public is enthusiastic about playing host to Trump and Kim, and no one expects any protests or other disturbances to mar the summit.
“In terms of security, in terms of friendliness, it’s excellent,” said Vu Minh Khuong, an associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. “Kim Jong Un for sure will be excited about that.”
3 Neutral ground
The U.S. and Vietnam share a bloody history, but the relationship has moved far beyond the 1957-75 war that claimed the lives of 58,000 U.S. soldiers and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese troops and civilians. Since President Bill Clinton normalized relations with Vietnam in 1995, the countries have developed close economic and military ties, centered in part on shared concerns over China’s trade practices and its advances in the South China Sea.
Ties between Vietnam and North Korea go back further. The countries established diplomatic relations in 1950, and eight years later Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founder and Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, visited Hanoi.
4 Eonomic inspiration
A decade a fter the “American War” ended, Vietnam was internationally isolated, a Stalinist experiment in collectiv-
ization having left farmers starving and store shelves barren.
In 1986, Hanoi’s leadership began a “Doi Moi” program of liberalization that reopened the country to the world and produced one of the most stunning economic turnarounds in recent times.
Vietnam’s economy is expanding by 6 percent to 7 percent a year, with bustling small businesses, thriving manufacturing zones and a glittering skyline in Ho Chi Minh City.
The country’s commu nist leaders have embraced t he summit as a chance to advertise itself.
“Vietnam is keen to sell its story worldwide to promote its image, and also to improve the international legitimacy of the ruling Communist Party,” said Le Hong Hiep, an expert on Vietnam at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.
5 A model for reshaping U.S. ties
From bitter enemies to trusted partners, the trajectory of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship could excite a young North Korean leader who is said to be enamored of Western culture (particularly NBA basketball).
Cultural ties have also grown rapidly. Vietnam is one of the largest sources of foreign students to the United States, sending more than 20,000 annually.