Full Speech of Obama in Hanoi transcribed

Full Speech of Obama in Hanoi, transcribed by T. T. P. @ www.vnspirit.com 25 May 2016.

Xin chào. Xin chào Việt Nam. Thank you. Thank you so much. thank you to the government and the people of Vietnam. Thank you for this very warm welcome and hospitality shown me on this visit and thank all of you for being here today  Vietnamese from across this great country including so many young people who represent the dynamism and the talent and the hope of Vietnam.

On this visit my heart has been touched by the kindness for which the Vietnamese people are known to. Many people who have been lining the streets smiling and waving. I feel the friendship between our peoples. Last night I visited the old quarter here in Hanoi and enjoyed some outstanding Vietnamese food tried some Bún chả drank some beer Hà Nội. But I have to say the busy streets of this city I’ve never seen many motorbikes in my life. So I haven’t had to try to cross the street so far but when I come back and visit you can tell me how. 

I am NOT the first American president to come to Vietnam in recent times but I am the first like so many of you who came of age after the war between our countries. When the last US forces left Vietnam I was just thirteen years old so my first exposure to Vietnam and the Vietnamese people came when I was growing up in Hawaii with its proud Vietnamese-American community there. At the same time many people in this country are much younger than me. Like my two daughters, many of you have lived your whole lives knowing only one thing and that is peace and normalized relations between Vietnam and the United States. So I come here mindful of the past mindful of our difficult history but focused on the future. Of prosperity security and human dignity that we can advance together. I also come here with a deep respect for Vietnam’s ancient heritage. For millions of years farmers attended these lands. History revealed in the Đông Sơn drums and this bend in the river Hanoi has endured for more than a thousand years. The world came to treasure Vietnamese silks and paintings. And Great Temple of Literature stands as a testament to your pursuit of knowledge. 

And yet over the centuries your fate was too often dictated by Others. Your beloved land was not always your own. But like bamboo the unbroken spirit of the Vietnamese people was captured by Lý Thường Kiệt. The southern emperor rules the southern land our destiny is written in heaven’s book. ("Nam quốc sơn hà" của Lý Thường Kiệt: “Sông núi nước Nam vua Nam ở/Rành rành đã định tại sách trời”). Today we also remember the longer history between Vietnamese-Americans that is too often overlooked. More than two hundred years ago when our founding fathers Thomas Jefferson price for his farm he looked to the rice of Vietnam which he said had the reputation of being whitest to the eye, best flavor to the taste and most productive. Soon after American trade ships arrived in your port seeking commerce. During the Second World War, Americans came here to support your struggle against occupation. When American pilots were shot down the Vietnamese people helped rescue them. And on the day that Vietnam declared its independence crowds took to the streets of this city and Ho Chi Minh evoked the American Declaration of Independence he said “all people are created in the creator has endowed them with inviolable rights among these rights are the right to life the right to liberty and the right to pursuit of happiness”. (Mọi người sinh ra bình đẳng, tạo hóa cho họ các quyền không thể xâm phạm trong đó có quyền sống, quyền tự do, quyền mưu cầu hạnh phúc.) 

Another time the profession of these shared ideals and our common story of throwing off colonialism might have brought us closer together sooner. But instead Cold War Rivalries and fears of communism full dozen the conflict. Rather complex throughout human history we learned once more bitter truth that war no matter what our intentions maybe bring suffer and tragedy. Your war memorial not far from here and with family altars across this country you remember some 3 million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians on both sides who lost their lives. And our memorial wall in Washington, we can touch the names of 58,315 Americans who gave their lives in the conflict. In both our countries are veterans and families of the fallen still ache for the friends and loved ones that they lost. Just as we learned in America that even if we disagree about a war we must always honour those who served and welcome them home with the respect they deserve. We can join together today Vietnamese-Americans and acknowledge the pain and the sacrifices on both sites. 

More recently, over the past two decades, Vietnam has achieved enormous progress. And today the world can see the strides that you are made. With economic reforms in trade agreements including with the United States you have entered the global economy selling your goods around the world. More foreign investment is coming in. And with one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, Vietnam has moved up to become a middle-income nation. We see Vietnam’s progress in the skyscrapers and high-rises of Hà Nội, Ho Chi Minh City. New shopping malls and urban centers we see it in the satellites, Vietnam puts into space. and a new generation that is online watching startups and running new ventures. We see it in the tens of millions of Vietnamese connected on Facebook and Instagram. and you’re not just posting selfies although I hear you do that a lot and so far there have been a number of people who have already asked me for selfie. These are also raising their voices for causes that you care about like saving the old trees of Hà Nội. All this dynamism has delivered real progress in people’s watch. Here in Vietnam you dramatically reduced extreme poverty boosted family incomes and lifted millions into a fast growing middle class. Hunger, diseased, child and maternal mortality are all down. The number of  people with clean drinking water and electricity. The number of boys and girls in school and your literacy rate these are all up. This is extraordinary progress this is what you have been able to achieve in a very short time. And as Vietnam has transformed so is the relationship between our two nations. 

We learned a lesson taught by the better able to do said in true dialogue both sides are willing to change. In this way the very war that had divided us became a source for healing, allowed us to account for the missing and finally bring them home, allowed us to help remove land mines and unexploded bombs because no child should ever lose a leg just playing outside. Even as we continue to assist Vietnamese with disabilities including children we are also continuing to help remove agent orange dioxins so that Vietnam can reclaim more of your life. We’re proud of our work together in Đà Nẵng and we look forward to supporting your efforts in Biên Hòa. We also not forget that the reconciliation between our countries was led by our veterans who once faced each other and back. Thank Senator John McCain who was held for years as a prisoner of war meeting General Giáp (Võ Nguyên Giáp) who said our countries should not be enemies but friends. Think of all the veterans Vietnamese and American who helped us heal and build each other. You have done more in this regard over the years than a former Navy lieutenant and now Secretary of State for the United States John Kerry who is here today. And on behalf of all of us, John we thank you for your extraordinary. Because our veterans showed us the way, because Warriors had the courage to pursue peace, our peoples are not closer than ever before. 

Our trade has surged. Our students and scholars learn together. We welcome more Vietnamese students to America than from any other country in Southeast Asian. And every year you welcome more and more American tourists including young Americans with their backpacks in Hà Nội 36 streets, and shops of Hội An, and the imperial city of Huế. As Vietnamese and Americans we can all relate to those words written by Văn Cao “from now we know each other’s homeland, from now we learn to feel for each other”. (“Từ nay người biết quê người. Từ nay người biết thương người”.) 

As president I’ve built on this progress with our new comprehensive partnership our governments are working more closely together than ever before. And with this visit we put our relationship on a firmer footing for decades to come. In a sense the long story between our two nations that began with Thomas Jefferson more than two centuries ago has now come full circle. It’s taken many years in required great effort but now we can say something that was once unimaginable. Today Vietnam and the United States our partners. And I believe our experience holds lessons for the world. At a time when many conflicts seemed intractable, seemed as if they will never end, we have shown that hearts can change and that a different future is possible when we refuse to prisoners of the past. We’ve shown how peace can be better than war. We’ve shown that progress in human dignity is best advance by cooperation not conflict. That’s what Vietnam and America can show the world. 

America’s new partnership with Vietnam is rooted in some basic truth Vietnam as an independent sovereign nation and no other nation can impose its will on you or decide your destiny. United States has an interest here, we have an interest in Vietnam success. But our comprehensive partnership is still in its early stages of the time I have left I want to share with you the vision that I believe can guide us in the decades ahead. First let’s work together to create real opportunity and prosperity for all of our people. We know the ingredients for economic success in the 21st century. Global economy investment and trade flows to wherever there is rule of law because no one wants to pay a bribe to start a business. Nobody wants to sell their goods or go to school if they don’t know how they’re going to be treated. In knowledge-based economies jobs go to where people have the freedom to think for themselves and exchange ideas and to innovate. And real economic partnerships are not just about one country extracting resources from another. There about investing in our greatest resource which is our people and their skills and their talents whether you live in a big city or village. And that’s the kind of partnership that America offers. 

As I announced yesterday, the Peace Corps will come to Vietnam for the first time with a focus on teaching English. And a generation after young Americans came here to fight. a new generation of Americans are going to come here to teach and build and deepen friendships between us. America’s leading technology companies and academic institutions are joining Vietnamese universities to strengthen training in science technology engineering mathematics and medicine because even as we keep welcoming more Vietnamese students to America we also believe that young people deserve a world-class education right here in Vietnam. 

The reasons why we’re very excited that this fall the new Fulbright University Vietnam will open in Ho Chi Minh City. This nation’s first independent non-profit university where there will be full academic freedom and scholarships for those in need. Students scholars researchers will focus on public policy, management and business, on engineering and computer science, and liberal arts, everything from the poetry of Nguyễn Du to the philosophy of Phan Chu Trinh, to the mathematics of Ngô Bảo Châu. 

But I’m going to keep partnering with young people and entrepreneurs because we believe that if you can just access the skills and technology and capital you need the nothing can stand in your way and that includes by the way the talented women of Vietnam. We think gender equality is important principle. From Trưng sisters (Hai Bà Trưng) to today, strong competent women have always helped move Vietnam forward. And the evidence is clear I say this wherever I go around the world. Families communities and countries are more prosperous when girls and women have an equal opportunity to succeed in school and at work and in government. That’s true everywhere and it’s true here in Vietnam. 

Keep working to unleash the full potential of your economy with the trans-pacific partnership here in Vietnam TPP will let you sell more products to the world and it will attract new investment. TPP will require reforms to protect workers and rule of law intellectual property in the United States is ready to assist Vietnam as it works to fully implement its commitments. 

I want you to know that as president United States I strongly support TPP because you’ll also be able to buy more of our goods made in America. Moreover I support TPP because of its important strategic benefits Vietnam will be less dependent on any one trading partner and enjoy broader ties with more partners including the United States. TPP will reinforce regional cooperation will help address economic data quality and well advanced human rights with higher wages and safer working conditions. For the first time, here in Vietnam, the right to form independent labor unions and prohibitions against forced labor and child labor and it has the strongest environmental protections and the strongest anti-corruption standards of any trade agreement in history. That’s the future TPP offers for all of us because all of us the United States Vietnam and the other signatories will have to abide by these rules that we have shaped together. That’s the future of the is available to all of us so we now have to get it done for the sake of our economic prosperity and our national security. 

This brings me to the second area where we can work together and that is ensuring our mutual security. With this visit we’ve agreed to elevate our security cooperation and build more trust between our men and women in uniform. Will continue to offer training and equipment to your Coast Guard to enhance Vietnam maritime capabilities we will partner to deliver humanitarian aid in times of disaster. 

With the announcement I made yesterday to fully lift the ban on defense sales Vietnam will have greater access to the military equipment you need to ensure your security. And the United States is demonstrating our commitment to fully normalize our relationship with Vietnam. Twentieth century has taught all of us including the United States and Vietnam, the international order upon which our mutual security depends is rooted in certain rules and norms. Nations are sovereign and no matter how large or small a nation maybe its sovereignty should be respected and its territories should not be violent. Big nations should not bully smaller ones. Dispute should be resolved peacefully. 

Regional institutions and the East Asia Summit should continue to be strengthened at what I believe that with the United States beliefs and that’s the kind of partnership America offers this region I look forward to advancing the spirit of respect and reconciliation later this year when I become the first US president to visit Laos. In the South China Sea, United States is not a claimant in current disputes but we will stand with partners in upholding core principles like freedom of navigation and over flight, and Lawful Commerce that is not impeded, and the peaceful resolution of disputes through legal means in accordance with international law. And as we go forward, the United States will continue to fly sale and operate wherever international law allows and we will support the right of all countries to do the same. Even as we cooperate more closely in the areas of described, a partnership includes a third element addressing areas where r governments disagree including on human rights. I say this not to single out Vietnam, no nation is perfect. Two centuries ago, the United States is still striving to live up to our founding ideas. We still deal with our shortcomings: too much money in politics, and rising economic inequality, racial bias in our criminal justice system, women still not being paid as much as men doing the same job. We still have problems and were not immune from criticism. I promise you, I hear it every day. But that’s scrutiny that open debate our imperfections and allowing everybody to have their say has helped us grow stronger and more prosperous. Just said this before, the United States does not seek to impose our form of government on be enough the rights. I speak of I believe or not American values I think they are universal values written into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They’re written into the Vietnamese Constitution which states that citizens have the right to freedom of speech, and freedom of the press, and have the right of access to information, the right to assembly, the right to association, and the right to demonstrate. That’s in the Vietnamese constitution about all of us each country trying to consistently apply these principles    making sure that we those of us in government are being true to these ideas. 

In recent years Vietnam has made some progress Vietnam is committed to bring its laws in line with its new constitution in with international norms under recently passed laws the government will disclose more of its budget and the public will have the right to access more information and as I said Vietnam has committed to economic and labor reforms under the TPP. So these are all positive steps and ultimately the future of Vietnam will be decided by the people of Vietnam. Every country will chart its own path. And our two nations have different traditions and different political systems and different cultures. 

But as a friend of Vietnam why I believe nations are more successful when universal rights are upheld. When there’s freedom of expression, freedom of speech and when people can share ideas and access the Internet and social media without restriction that fuels the innovation economies need to try new ideas happen that’s how Facebook structs, that’s how some of our greatest companies began. Because somebody had a new idea that was different and they were able to share it. When there’s freedom of the press, when journalists and bloggers are able to shine a light on injustice or abuse, that holds officials accountable and build public confidence that the system works. When candidates can run for office and campaign freely and voters can choose their own leaders in free and fair elections, it makes the country more stable. Because citizens know that their voices count and the peaceful change as possible and it brings new people into the system. When there’s freedom of religion it not only allows people to fully express the love and compassion that are at the heart of all great religions but allows faith groups to serve their own communities through schools and hospitals and care for the poor and the vulnerable. And when there’s freedom of assembly and citizens are free to organize and civil society and countries can better address challenges that government sometimes cannot solve by itself. So it is my view that upholding these rights is not a threat to stability but actually reinforces stability and is the foundation of progress. At all it was a yearning for these very writes that inspired people around the world including Vietnam to throw off colonialism. And I believe that upholding these rights as the fullest expression of the independence that so many cherish including here. In a nation that proclaims itself to be up the people by the people and for the people. Vietnam will do it differently than the United States. And each of us will do it differently from many other countries around the world. But there are these basic principles that I think we all have to try to work on and improved. And I say this is somebody was about to leave office so I have the benefit of almost eight years now reflecting on how our system has worked and interacting with countries around the world were constantly trying to improve their systems as well. 

I finally our partnership I think can meet global challenges that no nation can solve by itself. If we’re going to ensure the health of our people in the beauty of our planet than development has to be sustainable. Natural wonders like how long they and Son Doong cave have to be preserved for our children our grandchildren. Rising seas drama coast  and waterways on which so many Vietnamese dependents and so as partners. In the fight against climate change, we need to fulfil the commitments we made in Paris and we need to help farmers and villages and people who depend on fishing to adapt and bring more clean energy to places like the Mekong Delta right so loved the world that we need to feed future generations. And we can save lives beyond our borders by helping other countries strengthened for example their health systems we can prevent outbreaks of disease from becoming epidemics that threaten all of us. And as Vietnam deepens its commitment to UN peacekeeping the United States is proud to help train your peacekeepers and what a truly remarkable thing that is our two nations at one spot each other now standing together and helping others achieve peace as well. So in addition, our bilateral relationship our partnership also allows us to help shape the international environment in ways that are positive.