AMBASSADOR AND MIC MINISTER HOP DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001798 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND EB/CIP STATE PASS TO USTR JONATHAN MCHALE AND DAVID BISBEE COMMERCE FOR CORA DICKSON COMMERCE PASS TO NTIA FOR MBAKER,AHEINEMAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS ECON ETRD KIPR VM SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND MIC MINISTER HOP DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION IN TELECOM, ICT SECTORS Ref: A) HANOI 1749 ¶1. (SBU) This cable contains biographical information for INR/B in paragraph 11. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: In his introductory call on the new Minister of Information and Communications, Le Doan Hop, the Ambassador noted Vietnam's cooperation in the ICT dialogue, IPR enforcement and technology licenses. The Ambassador also reinforced the U.S. message on the benefits of a transparent communication environment. Minister Hop, who moved to this position from his previous job as Minister of the newly divided Ministry of Culture and Information, spoke at length of his commitment to openness and the need for Vietnam to learn from the experiences of other countries. End Summary. CONGRATULATIONS AND COOPERATION -------------- ¶3. (SBU) During his October 8 call on Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop, the Ambassador congratulated Minister Hop on his new post at the recently created Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC). The Ambassador noted that our two countries enjoy a very positive relationship in terms of telecommunications. In particular, the Ambassador highlighted three recent examples of cooperation: - The MIC was a key player in the GVN efforts to implement IPR laws, particularly those concerned with signal piracy. This is an issue on which we have worked for some time and which is now seeing positive conclusions; - The United States appreciates the issuance - or impending issuances - of licenses which will allow American companies to test WiMAX technology, allowing for wireless broadband internet access; and, - The initial Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Dialogue, held the previous month, was extremely fruitful and will be useful in pointing the way forward in this area. ¶4. (SBU) Minister Hop congratulated the Ambassador on his posting to Vietnam. He said that he was delighted by the growth in the bilateral relations between our two countries, particularly since Vietnam's accession to WTO. He said he was very happy with increased interest and investment in Vietnam and noted that, in the first nine months of 2007, the United States was third in terms of tourists to this country (320,000),behind only China (460,00 visitors) and Korea (350,000). ¶5. (SBU) The Minister said that he was pleased that U.S. investors seem to be coming to Vietnam with "reasonable" expectations and visions for their investments here, and that this was a good starting point for expanded economic cooperation. Specifically in terms of telecommunications, he stated that he had chaired a number of discussions within the Ministry on the topic and that it was his plan to enhance the "already open and liberalized" telecommunications environment by welcoming ideas for further improvement from interested countries including the United States. He said the Vietnamese economy would grow better with healthy competition for business and human resources. Vietnam, he added, would benefit not only from outside financial assistance, but also from absorbing the knowledge, experiences and expertise from other nations including the United States. LESSONS LEARNED -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Minister Hop told the Ambassador that he had just returned from a visit to the United States last month, and that he had observed four major areas in which Vietnam had much to learn from the Americans: - Infrastructure, particularly in terms of transportation, urban development, ports support, and communications; - Urban and rural planning; - Human Resources development; and, - Regulation and administration of rural areas. Vietnam, the Minister said, must be open to new ideas and flexible in implementing them in order to maximize their benefits. For example, the Ministry is working to make regulations covering internet and network development more open in order to spur more rapid progress. ¶7. (SBU) The Minister spoke at some length about the importance of cross cultural exchange and understanding. He told the Ambassador HANOI 00001798 002 OF 002 about the renowned 19th Century Vietnamese philosopher and reformer, Nguyen Truong To, famous for his innovative ideas and policies. Primary amongst his beliefs was that the best way for a country to progress and improve itself was to open itself to other cultures and ideas, and citizens should be sent out in the world to learn new business practices and ideas in order to develop mutual understanding between nations. Minister Hop noted that Nguyen Truong To had also served as an interpreter for French missionaries - further proof that exposure to other cultures benefited one's own country. A NEW OPENNESS -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador responded that Minister Hop had hit upon some very important themes, and he expressed the hope that the two of them might discuss them further at a later date when both had more time. He agreed with the Minister that Vietnam's openness to new technologies and ideas could allow it to leap-frog over other countries in terms of technology, as well as with the philosophies of Nguyen Truong To that exposure to other thought and culture allowed growth. ¶9. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that the technology to extend broadband and the internet was only as good as the openness of that proliferation. He told the Minister that he had seen stories about Vietnam in the international media that he believed were based on bad information, but that in the absence of an open and free exchange, good and accurate information would be restricted as well. ¶10. (SBU) The Minister said that he believed Vietnam's future success in this area of growth was based on three "Ts" (each word beginning in T in Vietnamese). They were information, knowledge and trademark (or branding). The Ambassador suggested a fourth T - transparency, and then told the Minister that one of the top priorities for his tenure as Ambassador is to double the number of Vietnamese students in the United States, which would represent that exchange of knowledge that the Minister had discussed. Biographic Information -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Minister Hop, who moved to this position from his previous job as Minister of Culture and Information (MOCI) after the August 2 Cabinet reshuffle. Prior to assuming his position at MOCI in June 2006, Hop was Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Ideological and Cultural Affairs Commission. Before that, he was Chairman of the People's Committee and later Party Secretary in Nghe An Province. The Ministry of Information and Communications oversees six broad areas - press; broadcast; printing/publishing; information and communication technology (ICT); posts; and telecommunications. Hop is new to telecommunications and ICT, and has told the press that he must learn quickly in his new job. ALOISI