U.S. Dept. of State - IIP: U.S.-Vietnam Relations

Text: Bush Sends Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement to Congress
(Agreement enjoys broad support in the Congress)
President Bush sent the Vietnam bilateral trade agreement to the Congress June 8, urging its approval.
In a statement released by the White House that day, Bush said: "This agreement will increase opportunities for U.S. firms by requiring Vietnam to dismantle a wide range of trade barriers, open its services markets, and provide comprehensive protection of intellectual property rights."
"Expanding ties between the United States and Vietnam," he said, "will continue the historic process of normalizing our relations -- a process that began during the first Bush Administration and advanced in the Clinton Administration with the negotiation of this agreement."
Following are the texts of the president's statement and proclamation to implement the agreement:
(begin statement text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
June 8, 2001
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement
Free trade and open markets are at the foundation of my Administration's efforts to promote prosperity and opportunity around the world. Our free trade agenda is designed to engage our trading partners at the global, regional, and bilateral level and to expand economic integration and political cooperation. The history of the previous century teaches us that trade is a powerful tool for improving and reforming economies, and opening up entire societies.
Today I am sending to the Congress the Vietnam bilateral trade agreement, an important part of my Administration's trade agenda. This agreement will increase opportunities for U.S. firms by requiring Vietnam to dismantle a wide range of trade barriers, open its services markets, and provide comprehensive protection of intellectual property rights. Expanding ties between the United States and Vietnam will continue the historic process of normalizing our relations -- a process that began during the first Bush Administration and advanced in the Clinton Administration with the negotiation of this agreement.
This agreement enjoys broad bipartisan support in the Congress, including from many Members who are Vietnam veterans. Enactment of the agreement will provide a solid bipartisan foundation for action on other trade issues.
I recently extended the Jackson-Vanik waiver for Vietnam for one year, based on my belief that Vietnam is making progress on liberalizing its emigration statutes. My Administration will continue to press for improvements in Vietnam's overall record on human rights and religious freedom.
At the dawn of a new millennium, the United States stands ready to shoulder its leadership role throughout the world. Engaging other nations in trade is a vital part of U.S. leadership, and it is a key element of promoting economic growth at home and abroad. I urge the Congress to approve this agreement.
(end statement text)
(begin proclamation text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
June 8, 2001
TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM ON TRADE RELATIONS
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
1. Pursuant to the authority vested in the President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and acting through duly empowered representatives, the United States entered into negotiations with representatives of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam ("Vietnam") to conclude an agreement on trade relations between the United States and Vietnam.
2. These negotiations were conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.) (the "Trade Act").
3. As a result of these negotiations, an "Agreement Between the United States of America and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Trade Relations" (the "Agreement"), including annexes and an exchange of letters which form an integral part of the Agreement, the foregoing in English and Vietnamese, was signed on July 13, 2000, by duly empowered representatives of the two Governments, and is set forth as an annex to this proclamation.
4. The Agreement conforms to the requirements relating to bilateral commercial agreements set forth in section 405(b) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2435(b)).
5. Chapter VII, Article 8:1 of the Agreement provides that the Agreement shall enter into force on the date of exchange of written notices of acceptance by the two Governments.
6. Section 405(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2435(c)) provides that a bilateral commercial agreement providing nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of a country denied such treatment prior to the date of enactment of the Trade Act, and a proclamation implementing such agreement, shall take effect only if a joint resolution described in section 151(b)(3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2191(b)(3)) that approves of the Agreement is enacted into law.
7. Section 604 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2483) authorizes the President to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) the substance of the provisions of that Act, of other acts affecting import treatment, and actions taken thereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, acting under authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including, but not limited to, sections 404, 405, and 604 of the Trade Act, do proclaim that:
(1) This proclamation shall become effective, the Agreement shall enter into force, and nondiscriminatory treatment shall be extended to the products of Vietnam, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement, and after Congress approves the Agreement by joint resolution, on the date of exchange of written notices of acceptance in accordance with Chapter VII, Article 8:1 of the Agreement. The United States Trade Representative shall publish notice of the effective date in the Federal Register.
(2) Effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the date provided in paragraph (1) of this proclamation, general note 3(b) to the HTS, enumerating those countries whose products are subject to duty at rates set forth in Rates of Duty Column 2 of the tariff schedule, is modified by striking out "Socialist Republic of Vietnam."
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
(end proclamation text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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