THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF FREE TRADE AND FREE IDEAS REVERBERATES AFTER HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 HANOI 002667 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/S, P, E, S/P, S/PICW STATE ALSO FOR EAP ROTH, EAP/BCLTV, DRL, EB, INR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02667 01 OF 06 081334Z STATE PASS USTR BARSHEFSKY STATE PASS USAID FOR AA RANDOLPH WHITE HOUSE FOR BERGER, SPERLING AND PODESTA WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC PRITCHARD, NEC ROSEN NSC FOR LIEBERTHAL, CHRISTY AND SCHWARTZ USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OKSA/HPPHO TREASURY FOR OASIA SECDEF FOR ISA/EAP STERN USCINCPAC FOR TWINING USDA FOR FAA/AO/SHUETE PARIS FOR SUE BREMNER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/4/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON PINR VM DPOL SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF FREE TRADE AND FREE IDEAS REVERBERATES AFTER HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM REF: A) HO CHI MINH CITY 1766 B) FBIS RESTON VA 190654Z NOV 00 ¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS JAMES BRUNO; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO VIETNAM ELECTRIFIED THE VIETNAMESE PUBLIC -- AND SURPRISED THE COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERSHIP. ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND LINED THE STREETS TO GREET THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY ON THEIR HISTORIC VISIT TO HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE VISIT, THE MESSAGE THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED IN HIS NATIONALLY TELEVISED ADDRESS AND IN BOTH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HANOI 02667 01 OF 06 081334Z PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENTS CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE IN VIETNAMESE COFFEE SHOPS, AS WELL AS IN THE BACKROOMS OF THE PARTY LEADERSHIP. IN ONE DRAMATIC EXAMPLE IN A PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, A PRIEST CONVENED GROUPS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED PARISHIONERS TO DISCUSS THE IDEAS OF FREEDOM AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CONTAINED IN THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. IN HANOI, THE POLITBURO REPORTEDLY WILL MEET DECEMBER 8 TO DISCUSS THE TRIP. ¶3. (C) SUMMARY (CONT'D): FOR THE COMMUNIST PARTY (CPV) AUTHORITIES, THE EFFUSIVE POPULAR REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT UNDOUBTEDLY GIVES THEM PAUSE. POST-WAR VIETNAM HAS SEEN NOTHING LIKE THE RECEPTION THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED, AND THIS IS A VIVID REMINDER THAT POPULAR FEELING FOR THE RULING AUTHORITIES IS, BY COMPARISON, LUKEWARM AT BEST. WE BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT, HIS CALL FOR FREE TRADE AND FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, AND THE OUTPOURING OF POPULAR SUPPORT FOR HIM WILL BE A KEY TOPIC OF DEBATE AS THE CPV LEADERSHIP MOVES INTO ITS PARTY CONGRESS IN MARCH. THIS CUTS TWO WAYS IN THE ONGOING CPV DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GLOBALIZATION. CAUTIOUS IDEOLOGUES SUCH AS GENERAL SECRETARY PHIEU EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO PROCEED CAREFULLY TO SIPDIS GUARD AGAINST WESTERN ATTEMPTS AT "PEACEFUL EVOLUTION," WHILE MORE REFORM-MINDED LEADERS MAY FEEL STRENGTHENED BY THE POPULAR SENTIMENT IN FAVOR OF GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE U.S. AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. END SUMMARY. WIDESPREAD POPULAR SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT... -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) IN THE THREE WEEKS SINCE THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HANOI 02667 01 OF 06 081334Z VIETNAM NOVEMBER 16-19, EMBASSY OFFICERS HAVE MET WITH DISPARATE GROUPS OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS IN PROVINCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS IS THAT VIETNAM HAS NEVER SEEN A VISIT LIKE THIS ONE -- OR ONE THAT HAS HAD SUCH RIPPLING EFFECTS ON THE CITIZENRY. FIRST AND MOST VISIBLY, WERE THE CROWDS. IN HANOI, THE USUALLY RESTRAINED NORTHERNERS TURNED OUT IN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS ALONG THE PATH OF THE MOTORCADE COMING IN FROM THE AIRPORT, GATHERED OUTSIDE THE DAEWOO HOTEL WHERE THE PRESIDENT STAYED, AND CLUSTERED ON THE PERIMETER OF HIS EVENTS AROUND TOWN. THE OFFICIAL MEDIA DID NOT PUBLICIZE THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE, BUT PEOPLE FOUND OUT ANYWAY -- SOME TOLD US THEY LISTENED TO BBC, OTHERS LEARNED FROM VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS WHO PASSED THE WORD TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. ONE WESTERN BUSINESSMAN SAID HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HIS WHOLE STAFF CONVERGE ON HIS WINDOW OFFICE DURING THE WORK DAY ONLY FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE