Transcript: Clinton at U.S.-Vietnamese Business Forum Reception
(Hopes for U.S.-Vietnam partnership in the future)

In remarks at a reception sponsored by the U.S.-Vietnamese Business Forum in Ho Chi Minh City November 19, President Clinton said he hoped his trip to Vietnam "has helped the American people to see Vietnam in a new way, and has encouraged the people of Vietnam to see America in a new way, so that we will have a partnership for the future."

Following is the White House transcript of the President's remarks:

(begin transcript)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

For Immediate Release
November 19, 2000

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO U.S.-VIETNAMESE BUSINESS FORUM RECEPTION

City Hall
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. First, thank you for your warm welcome, Mr. Chairman. And let me thank all the members of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council and the American Chamber of Commerce for bringing us all together today.

I am honored to be here with distinguished members of the United States Congress and my Cabinet and administration; and American business leaders who are interested in Vietnam.

I hope this trip has helped the American people to see Vietnam in a new way, and has encouraged the people of Vietnam to see America in a new way, so that we will have a partnership for the future.

One important element of that partnership is our bilateral trade agreement, and I want to thank all of you here for your efforts to bring it about. There are so many Americans who want to play a positive role in Vietnam's future, including 1 million Americans of Vietnamese heritage.

There are also a lot of American business people who came here many years ago, during the conflict -- people like Jim Kimsey, who is on my trip here -- who have done very well in the high tech economy and other areas, who would like to give back to Vietnam and do something positive to build a better future.

I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the work that you have done here in Ho Chi Minh City to promote private economic growth and to encourage others to be partners with you in the future. And I hope that all of us will be able to celebrate that kind of future because of your leadership and the policies of the government of Vietnam and the willingness of the people of Vietnam to support this new direction.

Again, let me thank all of you for making my family and my delegation feel so welcome in Vietnam. I thank you for your vision for this young and dynamic country; and I am going home determined to continue the partnership we have for a better future for the people of Vietnam, the people of the United States and all those whom we can reach together.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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