Asian Currents

The Asian Studies Association of Australia

Maximising Australias Asian knowledge
August 2013
ISSN 14494418

Shaky Afghanistan prepares to stand alone

The goal of the United States and NATO to leave behind a modern democratic state in Afghanistan has been abandoned and hopes of achieving this goal are unlikely to be achieved in the near future. And Western aspirations to secure the rights of women are doubtful. Read more.

Cambodias elections a work in progress

Cambodias elections remain a work in progress, with both sides apparently unwilling to compromise. Read more.

The demonisation of North Korea

Australian media articles are dominated by a negative and often sensationalist view of North Korea. Read more.

Dominant Abe faces long and winding road

The July 2013 upper house election has left Japan with a weak and disparate opposition and the Liberal Democratic Party dominant again. But Prime Minister Shinz Abe faces major domestic and foreign policy challenges. Read more.

Rising to the Asian Century?

If Australia is to harness the benefits of the Asian century, it needs to better engage with the region. But with our debate about asylum seekers, we're doing exactly the opposite. Read more.

Turkeys season of protest

June is the start of the main tourist season in Turkey, and of summer holidays for schools and universities. Millions of people throng the public spaces of its cities. This year it was also a season of social protest and police violence. Read more.
Photo: Dilek Cilingir

Irans foreign policy under Rouhani

Irans new president Hassan Rouhani is much better placed than his predecessors to change Irans foreign policies but achieving significant change will be difficult. Read more. Also in this issue Books on Asia ASAA calls for submissions for 20th biennial conference

Vietnams conflicted human rights

Vietnams human rights policy is marked by contradictions and paradoxby increased openness and continued repression. Read more.

Reform in Myanmar
The prospects for ongoing reform in Myanmar and for free and fair elections in 2015 look promisingbut these changes cannot yet be assured. Read more.

Asian Currents August 2013

Vietnams conflicted human rights policy

Vietnams human rights policy is marked by contradictions and paradoxby increased openness and continued repression.
By Carlyle A. Thayer ny assessment of human rights and religious freedom in contemporary Vietnam must confront contradictions in policy implementation and a major paradox. Vietnams 1992 state constitution makes provision for freedom of speech. Article 69 declares [t]he citizen shall enjoy freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of the press, the right to be informed, and the right to assemble, form associations, and hold demonstrations in accordance with the provisions of the law. Contradictions in policy implementation arise from Article 4 that establishes a one-party political system. This article states, [t]he Communist Party of Vietnam is the force leading State and society. At the same time Vietnam confronts a major paradox. Since the last national party congress held in early 2011 Vietnam has sought to proactively integrate with the global system. As Vietnam has sought to expand its relations with the United States and Europe it has come under pressure to improve its human rights situation. For example, US Acting Assistant Secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Joseph Yun, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on 5 June:
we have underscored with the Vietnamese leadership that the American people will not support a dramatic upgrading of our bilateral ties without demonstrable progress on human rights.

The major paradox lies in the fact that Vietnams human rights record has got worse, not improved in recent years, thus making more difficult its self-proclaimed objective of proactive international integration. Because Vietnam is a one-party state there is no independent body to ensure that the freedoms enumerated in Article 69 are observed. The contradictions inherent in this political reality have led to the present situation, where unprecedented political opening up via the internet, and repression, coexist at the same time. In its assessment of human rights in Vietnam, in 2012, Amnesty International concluded bluntly:
repression of government critics and activists worsened, with severe restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly. At least 25 peaceful dissidents, including bloggers and songwriters, were sentenced to long prison terms in 14 trials that failed to meet international standards.

Echoing this conclusion, the US Department of States annual report on human rights, also covering events in 2012, noted a subcurrent of state-sponsored repression and persecution of individuals whose speech crossed boundaries and addresses sensitive issues such as criticizing the states foreign policies in regards to China or questioning the monopoly power of the communist party. Yet the State Department report also observed [o]n the surface, private expression, public journalism, and even political speech in Vietnam show signs of enhanced freedom. A review of human rights developments in Vietnam during the first half of 2013 reveals a continuation of contradictions in implementing the countrys human rights policy and the paradox of its seeking increased engagement with
Continued page 10

Other US officials have linked ending the arms embargo and reaching agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to demonstrable progress on human rights.
Asian Currents August 2013

Vietnams conflicted human rights policy

From page 9

the United States while engaging in increased repression of human rights activists at the same time. In late 2012, Vietnams crackdown on political dissidents led the United States to abruptly cancel its participation in the annual human rights Daniel Baer: dialogue with physically prevented from Vietnam in Hanoi. meeting highThe dialogue was profile dissidents. held in April 2013. The United States was represented by Daniel Baer, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. During his visit he was physically prevented from meeting with high-profile dissidents Nguyen Van Hai (Dieu Cay) and Pham Hong Son. Two months later Baer testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and drew attention to the contradictions in Vietnams observance of human rights. On the one hand, Baer noted:
positive steps such as the release (albeit with restrictions) of activist Le Cong Dinh, facilitation of a visit by an international human rights organization, and a modest uptick in church registrations in the Highlands discussions between the government and the Vatican, and also what appears to be potential positive movement for the human rights of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] persons [and] the flood of public comments about the draft Constitution

It is now known that in late March and April 2013 US and Vietnamese officials began discussions on the visit by President Truong Tan Sang to the United States, the first visit by a Vietnamese president in six years. The United States formally extended an invitation in July and Vietnam accepted. There is no evidence that Vietnam attempted to set the scene for Sangs visit by releasing any high-profile dissidents. There was one possible straw in the wind. On 8 July Vietnamese authorities abruptly postponed the trial of prominent prodemocracy activist lawyer Le Quoc Quan. Yet in contradiction, Vietnam continued to repress dissidents at the possible risk to President Sangs visit to Washington. In MayJune, Vietnam convicted and imposed harsh President Truong Tan Sang: invited sentences on two to visit university students Washington. (Nguyen Phuong Uyen and Dinh Nguyen Kha) and three well-known bloggers (Dinh Nhat Uy, Truong Duy Nhat and Pham Viet Dao). This brought the total of political dissidents and bloggers arrested in the first half of 2013 to 46. Presidents Obama and Sang met in The White House on 25 July. At a joint press conference President Obama stated, we had a very candid conversation about both the progress that Vietnam is making and the challenges that remain. Sang acknowledged differences and revealed that President Obama promised to do his best to visit Vietnam before the expiration of his term in office. A joint statement issued after their meeting listed human rights eighth out of nine topics discussed. The two leaders took note of the benefits of a candid and open dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and narrow
Continued page 11

On the other hand, Baer concluded:

but these steps are not enough to reverse a year-long trend of deterioration. Nor have the isolated positive steps formed a consistent pattern. In increasing numbers, bloggers continue to be harassed and jailed for peaceful online speech and activists live under a continual cloud

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Vietnams conflicted human rights policy

From page 10

Party conservatives are fearful that closer ties with the United States will exacerbate relations with China.

differences on human rights. No mention was made of the human rights issues raised by President Obama. Point eight of the joint statement devoted seven of its nine lines to summarising what President Sang had discussed with his American counterpart. Notably, President Sang affirmed that Vietnam would sign the United Nations Convention against Torture and would invite the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to visit Vietnam in 2014. President Sangs visit was overshadowed by an extended hunger strike by political activist Nguyen Van Hai. Hai founded the Club of Free Journalists and agitated for human rights and democratic reforms. Despite constitutional provisions for freedom of speech, he was imprisoned for 12 years for conducting propaganda against the socialist state through blogs on the internet and articles broadcast overseas. While Hai was imprisoned, President Obama publicly called for his release. Hai began a hunger strike in late June to protest his treatment in prison, including extended periods in solitary confinement. Two days after President Sang concluded his visit, Vietnams Supreme People's Procuracy announced that it would investigate Hais allegations. Hai then ended his 35-day hunger strike. How can the contradictions in Vietnams implementation of its human rights policy be explained? And further, how can the paradox of Vietnam seeking engagement with the United States while intensifying repression at the same time be explained? There are three possible but not mutually exclusive explanations for Vietnams contradictions and paradox.

First, continued political repression is the result of the Ministry of Public Securitys (MPS) bureaucratic process. When a political activist comes to its attention, the MPS routinely begins to assemble a file by gathering evidence. Once the MPS determines that a political dissident has violated Vietnams vaguely worded national security laws it begins a campaign of intimidation and harassment of the dissident and the dissidents family and friends. If the dissident refuses to buckle under the MPS seeks approval from higher authority to arrest and hold a show trial. Why are some dissidents repressed while others are permitted to voice similar opinions without retribution? In other words, why is there a contradiction between increased openness and continued repression? Vietnam openly promotes the internet and encourages its citizens to speak out on a number of issues. However, dissidents will be subject to repression if they cross one wellknown red linemaking contact with overseas Vietnamese, particularly political groups like Viet Tan that are deemed reactionary by the regime. In summary, the MPS concludes that these dissidents are part of the plot of peaceful evolution, whereby hostile external forces link up with domestic reactionaries to overthrow Vietnams socialist regime. Another explanation for the contradiction in simultaneous openness and repression lies in Communist Party infighting. Political dissidents, particularly bloggers, raise sensitive issues regarding corruption, nepotism and the business interests of leading political
Continued page 12

Asian Currents August 2013

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Vietnams conflicted human rights policy

From page 11

Peace builder wins major academic prize

A leading Asian studies scholar from the Australian National University (ANU) College of Asia and the Pacific has won one of the academic worlds most prestigious awardsthe academic laureate in the 2013 Fukuoka Prize. Professor Tessa MorrisSuzuki, from the School of Culture, History and Language, was selected for her outstanding achievements in the field of Asian studies and her work on regional cooperation. Her award comes with a cash prize of 3 million yen (A$33,000). Its the first time the prize has gone to an Australian woman and only the third time an Australian-based academic has won. Professor Morris-Suzuki is researching some of the biggest issues affecting East Asia, including conflict and reconciliation between Japan, China and the two Koreas, and human rights. She is currently undertaking a five-year, multimillon dollar research project on grassroots movements in East Asia as an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow. In awarding the academic laureate to Professor Morris-Suzuki, the Fukuoka Prize Committee noted her outstanding achievements as a scholar working with people at the boundaries of society. Her win is the third time that an academic laureate has gone to a scholar from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, with professors of Asian history Wang Gangwu and Anthony Reid winning in 1994 and 2002 respectively.

figures. In these cases the dissidents are singled out for punishment at the behest of senior party officials or their supporters. In other words, domestic political considerations are the prime drivers of repression. A third explanation argues that increased political repression in Vietnam is orchestrated by party conservatives who seek to disrupt, if not sabotage, the development of closer relations with the United States, particularly in the defence security realm. For example, it is alleged that party conservatives orchestrated the June crackdown on bloggers to sabotage the first visit to Washington by the Vietnam Peoples Armys chief of staff. Party conservatives are fearful that closer ties with the United States will exacerbate relations with China. Bloggers and activists who criticise the governments handling of relations with China are targeted in particular. Party conservatives reject US pressures on human rights, call for increased US funding to address the wartime legacies of unexploded ordnance and Agent Orange, and demand an end to the discriminatory US arms embargo. The third explanation explains the paradox of why Vietnam does not address its human rights record in order to shore up defence relations with the United States in light of its territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea.
Carlyle A. Thayer is Emeritus Professor, The University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

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Xut bn RFI (http://www.viet.rfi.fr)

Chnh sch nhn quyn mu thun ca Vit Nam

ng ngy 2013-08-21 11:34 RFI VIT NAM Chnh sch nhn quyn ca Vit Nam c nh du bng nhng mu thun v nghch l, th hin qua vic tng cng m ca nhng tip tc trn p nhng ting ni bt ng chnh kin. lm r vn ny, gio s Carlyle Thayer a ra ba gi thuyt. Bi vit c ng trn trang web Asian Currents thuc Hip hi nghin cu Chu ca c, thng Tm nm 2013. Bt k nh gi no v nhn quyn v t do tn gio Vit Nam hin nay u phi i mt vi nhng mu thun trong vic thc hin chnh sch v nghch l ln. Hin php Vit Nam nm 1992 c iu khon v t do ngn lun. iu 69 quy nh Cng dn c quyn t do ngn lun, t do bo ch; c quyn c thng tin; c quyn hi hp, lp hi, biu tnh theo quy nh ca php lut . Mu thun trong thc hin chnh sch pht sinh t iu 4 v vic thnh lp mt h thng chnh tr c ng. iu ny quy nh, ng Cng sn Vit Nam ... l lc lng lnh o Nh nc v x hi . ng thi Vit Nam phi i mt vi mt nghch l ln. K t i hi ng gn y nht c t chc vo u nm 2011, Vit Nam tm cch ch ng hi nhp vo h thng ton cu. Do tm cch m rng quan h vi Hoa K v Chu u, Vit Nam phi chu p lc yu cu ci thin tnh hnh nhn quyn. V d, Quyn Tr l B trng Ngoi giao M, ph trch cc vn ng v Thi Bnh Dng, ng Joseph Yun, iu trn trc Tiu ban Chu v Thi Bnh Dng, U ban i ngoi H vin ngy 05/06 : Chng ti nhn mnh vi cc lnh o Vit Nam rng ngi dn M s khng h tr vic nng cp ng k mi quan h song phng nu khng c nhng tin b r rng v nhn quyn . Cc quan chc khc ca M gn vn bi b lnh cm vn v kh v t tho thun v Hip nh Quan h i tc xuyn Thi Bnh Dng (TPP) vi nhng tin b r rng v nhn quyn . Nghch l ln l ch tnh hnh nhn quyn Vit Nam tr nn ti t, khng c ci thin trong nhng nm gn y, do gy kh khn hn cho mc tiu t ra l ch ng hi nhp quc t.

Bi v Vit Nam l mt Nh nc c ng khng c c quan c lp bo m l cc quyn t do nu trong iu 69 c tn trng. Nhng mu thun vn c ca thc t chnh tr ny dn n tnh hnh hin nay, m ca chnh tr cha tng thy thng qua internet v trn p cng ng thi tn ti. Trong nh gi v nhn quyn Vit Nam, trong nm 2012, T chc n x Quc t kt lun thng thng: Vic n p nhng ngi ch trch chnh ph v cc nh hot ng tr nn ti t, vi nhng hn ch nghim trng v t do ngn lun, hi hp. t nht 25 nh bt ng chnh kin n ha, bao gm c blogger v nhc s, b kt n t nhiu nm trong 14 v xt x khng theo chun mc quc t. ng thanh vi kt lun ny, bo co hng nm v nhn quyn ca B Ngoi giao M cng cp n cc s kin trong nm 2012, ghi nhn l c mt xu hng n p v khng b ngm do Nh nc ym tr nhm vo nhng c nhn c cc pht biu vt qua ranh gii v cp n cc vn nhy cm nh ch trch cc chnh sch i ngoi ca Nh nc lin quan n Trung Quc hoc cht vn v s c quyn nm gi quyn lc ca ng Cng sn . Tuy nhin, bo co ca B Ngoi giao Hoa K cng nhn thy l b ngoi, ngn lun c nhn, bo ch cng khai, v thm ch pht biu chnh tr ti Vit Nam cho thy c nhng du hiu t do hn . Mt nh gi v s pht trin quyn con ngi Vit Nam trong na u nm 2013 cho thy vn tip tc c nhng mu thun trong thc hin chnh sch nhn quyn ca Vit Nam v nghch l ca vic va tm kim gia tng cam kt vi Hoa K va y mnh n p cc nh hot ng nhn quyn trong cng mt thi gian. Vo cui nm 2012, cuc n p ca Vit Nam i vi cc nh bt ng chnh kin khin Hoa K t ngt hy b tham gia vo cc cuc i thoi nhn quyn hng nm vi Vit Nam ti H Ni. Cuc i thoi ny c t chc vo thng T nm 2013. i din ca Hoa K l ng Daniel Baer, Quyn Ph Tr l Ngoi trng v Dn ch, Nhn quyn v Lao ng. Trong chuyn thm ny, ng b ngn chn, khng cho gp nhng ngi bt ng ni ting Nguyn Vn Hi (iu Cy) v Phm Hng Sn. Hai thng sau, ng Baer iu trn trc Tiu ban Chu v Thi Bnh Dng, y ban i ngoi H vin M v lu n nhng mu thun trong vic thc hin nhn quyn ca Vit Nam. Mt mt, ng Baer ghi nhn : Cc bc tch cc nh vic th nh hot ng L Cng nh (cho d i km vi nhng hn ch t do), to thun li cho mt t chc nhn quyn quc t thm Vit Nam, v s lng ng k hot ng cng gio gia tng mt cch khim tn Ty Nguyn ... cc cuc tho lun gia Chnh ph v Ta thnh Vatican, v cng nh din bin tch cc tim tng trong vn nhn quyn cho nhng ngi LGBT [ng tnh n, ng tnh nam, lng gii, hon tnh/chuyn i gii tnh] ... [v] trn ngp kin ca cng chng v d tho Hin php ... Mt khc, ng Baer kt lun : Th nhng, nhng bc tin ny khng o ngc xu hng ti t ko di trong nhng nm qua. Cng khng c cc bin php tch cc ring r to dng mt m hnh ph hp. Vi s lng ngy cng tng, cc blogger tip tc b quy ri v b b t v nhng pht biu n ha trn mng v cc nh hot ng tip tc phi sng di m my en ...

Gi y th mi ngi bit rng, vo cui thng Ba v thng T nm 2013, cc quan chc M v Vit Nam bt u tho lun v chuyn thm M ca Ch tch nc Trng Tn Sang, chuyn thm u tin ca mt nguyn th Vit Nam k t su nm qua. Hoa K chnh thc ng li mi vo thng By v Vit Nam chp nhn. Khng c bng chng cho thy Vit Nam tm cch dn xp chuyn thm ca ng Sang bng cch th bt k cc nh bt ng chnh kin ni ting no. C mt du hiu mong manh. Ngy 08/07, chnh quyn Vit Nam t ngt hon phin ta xt x nh hot ng v dn ch ni ting, lut s L Quc Qun. Tuy nhin, vn trong s mu thun, Vit Nam tip tc n p cc nh bt ng chnh kin, c th gy ra ri ro cho chuyn ving thm Washington ca Ch tch Sang. Trong hai thng Nm - Su, Vit Nam kt n v p t bn n khc nghit i vi hai sinh vin i hc (Nguyn Phng Uyn v inh Nguyn Kha) v bt gi ba blogger ni ting (nh Nht Uy, Trng Duy Nht, Phm Vit o), nng tng s t nhn chnh tr v cc blogger b bt trong na u nm 2013 ln ti 46 ngi. Tng thng Obama v Ch tch Sang gp nhau ti Nh Trng ngy 25 thng By. Trong cuc hp bo chung, Tng thng Obama tuyn b, "chng ti c mt cuc tr chuyn rt thng thn v s tin b m Vit Nam ang thc hin v nhng thch thc tn ti. ng Sang tha nhn s khc bit v tit l rng Tng thng Obama ha s lm ht sc mnh ti thm Vit Nam trc khi ht nhim k. Mt tuyn b chung c cng b sau cuc gp, xp vn nhn quyn ng hng th tm trong s chn ch tho lun. Hai nh lnh o ghi nhn li ch ca i thoi thng thn v ci m tng cng hiu bit ln nhau v thu hp cc bt ng v nhn quyn ". Khng thy cp n nhng vn nhn quyn m Tng thng Obama nu ln. im th tm ca tuyn b chung dnh by trong chn dng tng kt nhng g Ch tch Sang tho lun vi ng nhim M. ng ch , Ch tch Sang khng nh rng Vit Nam s k Cng c Lin Hip Quc chng tra tn v s mi Bo co vin c bit v T do Tn gio v Tn ngng n thm Vit Nam vo nm 2014. Chuyn thm ca Ch tch Sang b lu m bi mt cuc tuyt thc ko di ca nh hot ng chnh tr Nguyn Vn Hi. ng Hi thnh lp Cu lc b cc Nh b o t do v hot ng v nhn quyn v ci cch dn ch. Mc d c cc quy nh v t do ngn lun trong Hin php, ng b kt n t 12 nm v tin hnh tuyn truyn chng li Nh nc x hi ch ngha thng qua cc blog trn internet v cc bi trn cc i pht thanh nc ngoi. Khi ng Hi b bt giam, Tng thng Obama cng khai ku gi tr t do cho ng. ng Hi bt u tuyt thc vo cui thng Su phn i cch i x vi ng trong t, trong c vic ko di thi gian bit giam. Hai ngy sau khi Tng thng Sang kt thc chuyn thm M ca ng, Vin Kim st Nhn dn Ti cao ca Vit Nam thng bo l h s iu tra nhng li t co ca ng Hi. ng Hi chm dt cuc tuyt thc vn ko di trong 35 ngy. Vy lm th no c th gii thch nhng mu thun trong vic thc hin chnh sch nhn quyn ca Vit Nam ? Hn na, lm th no c th gii thch c nghch l l Vit Nam tm cch gia tng quan h vi M ng thi cng lc li y mnh trn p ?

C th c ba gii thch, nhng chng khng loi tr ln nhau, v nhng mu thun v nghch l ca Vit Nam. Trc tin, vic tip tc n p chnh tr l kt qu ca qu trnh quan liu ca B Cng an (MPS). Khi mt nh hot ng chnh tr thu ht s ch , B Cng an thng bt u lp h s qua vic thu thp chng c. Sau khi B Cng an xc nh rng mt nh bt ng chnh kin vi phm lut an ninh quc gia c din t mt cch m h ca Vit Nam, c quan ny bt u mt chin dch e da v sch nhiu nh bt ng chnh kin v gia nh, bn b ca ngi bt ng chnh kin. Nu nh bt ng chnh kin t chi s kim ta ca B Cng an, th b ny tm kim s chp thun ca cp c thm quyn cao hn bt gi v t chc mt phin ta. Ti sao mt s ngi chng i b n p trong khi nhng ngi khc c php pht biu kin tng t m khng tr th? Ni cch khc, ti sao li c s mu thun gia gia tng m ca v tip tc n p? Vit Nam cng khai thc y mng Internet v khuyn khch cc cng dn ni ln mt s vn . Tuy nhin, cc bt ng chnh kin s l i tng b trn p nu h vt qua ln ranh m ai cng bit nh tip xc vi ngi Vit hi ngoi, c bit l cc nhm hot ng chnh tr nh Vit Tn m ch coi l phn ng. Tm li, B Cng an kt lun rng nhng nh bt ng chnh kin l mt b phn ca "m mu din bin ha bnh", theo cc lc lng th ch bn ngoi lin kt vi bn phn ng trong nc lt ch x hi ch ngha Vit Nam. Mt gii thch khc cho rng s mu thun trong vic ng thi m ca v trn p l u trong ni b ng Cng sn. Cc nh bt ng chnh kin, c bit l cc blogger, nu cc vn nhy cm lin quan n tham nhng, gia nh tr v li ch kinh doanh ca cc nhn vt chnh tr hng u. Trong nhng trng hp ny, cc nh bt ng chnh kin b li ra trng pht theo lnh ca cc quan chc cao cp ca ng hay nhng ngi ng h h. Ni cch khc, cc tnh ton cn nhc chnh tr ni b l ng lc chnh ca hot ng trn p. Gii thch th ba cho rng vic n p chnh tr gia tng ti Vit Nam c ch o bi nhng ngi bo th trong ng tm cch cn tr gy ri, nu nh khng ph hoi, s pht trin mi quan h gn gi hn vi Hoa K, c bit l trong lnh vc quc phng-an ninh. V d, ngi ta cho rng cc nhn vt bo th trong ng ch huy cuc n p cc blogger hi thng Su, ph hoi chuyn thm Washington u tin ca Tng Tham mu trng Qun i nhn dn Vit Nam. Cc nhn vt bo th trong ng s rng quan h gn gi hn vi Hoa K s lm cho quan h vi Trung Quc xu thm. c bit, h nhm vo cc blogger v cc nh hot ng, nhng ngi ch trch vic x l mi quan h vi Trung Quc ca chnh ph. Cc nhn vt bo th trong ng bc b p lc ca M v nhn quyn, ku gi Hoa K gia tng ti tr gii quyt nhng di sn chin tranh bom mn v cht c da cam, v i M chm dt phn bit i x cm vn v kh. Li gii thch th ba ny gii thch nghch l ca vic v sao Vit Nam khng gii quyt h s nhn quyn cng c quan h quc phng vi Hoa K trong bi cnh c tranh chp lnh th vi Trung Quc Bin ng.

(Carlyle A. Thayer l Gio s danh d, i hc New South Wales c Hc vin Quc phng).

Tng thng M Barack Obama (P) tip Ch tch nc Trng Tn Sang ti Nh Trng hm 25/07/ 2013.)