Vietnam’s president called on Wednesday for progress on a Pacific trade pact and defended his government’s human rights record as he faced heated criticism from lawmakers on a rare visit to Washington.
Truong Tan Sang is only the second Vietnamese president invited to the White House since the normalisation of ties between the former war foes, which have increasingly found common cause amid unease over China’s rise.
At a luncheon hosted by US Secretary of State John Kerry, Sang voiced hope the 12 nations in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership would strike an agreement “soon” on the potentially landmark free trade pact.
Vietnam has been making sustained efforts to protect and promote human rights
US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, in a separate meeting with Sang, called the pact “a top priority” for President Barack Obama and hoped the negotiations would conclude this year.
Obama has voiced hope the agreement – which, with the recent inclusion of Japan, would cover 40 per cent of the global economy – would help shape Asia’s future by setting international rules.
But members of Congress have warned they may object to the Trans-Pacific Partnership unless Vietnam improves its human rights record. US officials say Vietnam is holding more than 120 political prisoners.
Sang aimed to counter that view, saying he brought on this visit religious leaders who held “straight-forward, open discussions” to give the United States “a better understanding about the real situation in Vietnam”.
“Vietnam has been making sustained efforts to protect and promote human rights so that the people can benefit from the finest results of the reform process,” Sang said.