Why Vietnam?

The first handshake between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim in Hanoi. Photo: Zing.vn

Many of the answers given are quite accurate. Domestic and foreign analysts also see positive effects for Vietnam in terms of politics, diplomacy, economy, culture... from this event.

However, there is one thing that needs to be said frankly. After everyone almost agreed on the reason for choosing the location, there was a lingering thought that this choice seemed to be a "favor, a gift" from international giants and that Vietnam was lucky.

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong and US President Donald Trump with delegates attending the signing of a trade agreement between Vietjet Air and General Electric Company. Photo: Phuong Hoa/VNA

Is that really the case? I don’t think so. It was clearly a RATIONAL decision, not an emotional one, from the leaders of the US and North Korea.

This is the prominent factor in the above decision of politicians of the caliber of Mr. D. Trump and Kim Jong-un. Because they and their countries gain a lot of benefits from this decision.

The world will appreciate the decision of these two gentlemen. Just a few points as follows to see their wisdom:

Let's start with the questions: What is the negotiation mission of the leaders of the two countries? Where is the most secure place to ensure their absolute safety? Where will their goodwill be understood correctly and supported most actively and effectively? Where will their messages beyond the specific content of the negotiation be spread strongly?...

So how does Vietnam relate to the above issues?

Remember that Vietnam is the nation that has suffered the most wars of aggression in the world. The history of Vietnam's existence and development is closely linked to the history of fighting against foreign invaders. Too much blood has been shed and bones have been broken on this S-shaped land during the wars to defend the country. The Vietnamese people understand and appreciate more than anyone else the value of the two words PEACE.

US President Donald Trump (left) meets with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at noon on February 27 in Hanoi. Photo: CNN.

A nation that always considers Peace as an aspiration, what better way to "borrow" that image and that country to convey its goodwill!

So what about security? There are not many countries in the world where people and tourists feel comfortable and safe when freely walking around every nook and cranny, when sitting drinking coffee on the sidewalk or when having fun in public places.

You will not see policemen with murderous faces, guns in hand, ready to shoot, standing by to protect you. But rest assured, those who carry bombs and hide guns to “shoot” you will never come near you, because the security forces have “arrested” them before. This is the inevitable result of the motto that the Vietnamese call “people’s security posture”. How unique.

What about the logistics and technical issues for the Conference? It is not a big problem. Spending several tens of millions of US dollars to take care of two friends visiting is normal for a hospitable nation like Vietnam. Technical infrastructure and technology for the press and functional forces to operate effectively are also within the reach of the host.

Furthermore, Vietnam has had a lot of experience in successfully organizing and hosting major international conferences and activities over the years. In many difficult situations of multilateral negotiations, Vietnam always has initiatives and reasonable solutions to resolve, lead and motivate the international community to achieve common goals. APEC 2017 is an example.

Some people also asked: Why weren't big countries like Russia, China, Japan or US allies in Southeast Asia like Thailand or a European country chosen?

In this respect, Vietnam is indeed a special case. Originally a country that was completely embargoed and exhausted (the reason being that it helped the Cambodian people escape genocide), Vietnam has escaped that situation quite spectacularly, and now has friendly and cooperative relations with most countries, entities, and international institutions.

The pillars for Vietnam's success in relations with other countries are the implementation of the principles of equality, respect for sovereignty, and political institutions of other countries. Words go hand in hand with actions, Vietnam always follows the "3 no's" principle that it has set out: no military alliances, no military bases of other countries, no reliance on one country to fight against a third country.

Up to this point, it can be affirmed that Vietnam is the most successful model for healing, developing cooperative, friendly, helpful and sharing relations between countries that were former enemies, between countries with different political regimes.

That is enough to show how successful Vietnam has been in creating value and affirming its position and role in the eyes of international friends. At the present time, considering Vietnam an important element in realizing the goal of creating peace for the region and the world is the right step for the leaders of the US and North Korea.

With a country like that, people can hope and believe in the success of this US-North Korea Summit.