Transcript: Interview with Phan Van Khai

TWP: Vietnam is making an effort to join the international community. How do you see your relationship with the United States vis-à-vis China, another great power in the region? How are you balancing the two relationships?

Khai: Vietnam is expanding its relationship with the United States. China is a big neighbor of Vietnam. During the last 20 years their reforms have also been very successful. We also would like to study the successful lessons of China's reforms and openness policy. With their successes, China has become a major power in economics, science and technology and is ensuring that their defense and military power will be developed very strongly in the future. Therefore, we also would like to develop good neighborliness and strong partnership with the two countries. However, I would like to reaffirm to you that Vietnam will continue with the foreign policy of independence and sovereignty. We do not belong to any bloc. We do not have any ally. But we need to have fair play with all countries. We need to have good partnerships with all countries in the world. As you know, Vietnam has played an increasingly active role in ASEAN. We will also participate actively in the coming East Asia summit. This is an open-ended mechanism. We'd like to see Australia, New Zealand and India be members of the East Asia summit. We also have a good relationship with Japan, the European Union and also would like to have good relations with the United States and India. We also would like to maintain good relations with Russia and other traditional friends. Last year, I also made a visit to Africa. This is our foreign policy, to be a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the world.

TWP: Re avian influence, what tangible steps is the government taking to ensure that Vietnam is providing details of cases and virus samples from birds and human beings to international health experts, like the WHO?

Khai: With the ebb and flow of the outbreak of avian influenza in Vietnam, the prime minister and deputy prime minister are involved in the fight against the disease. We have set the target that within two months, the disease must be contained within Vietnam. After the disease has been quarantined and contained, we also have to make . . . efforts to prevent the reoccurrence of the disease. . . . Due to the limited capacity and conditions in scientific research facilities, therefore, we are working closely with the international community, WHO, FAO and even the United States, Japan and Australia. A sample has been provided for international experts and foreign countries to carry out joint research. We hope that with the cooperation from other countries that have more advanced health sector, we will be able to develop an effective vaccine to contain the virus in the future.

TWP: Will you announce any new specific steps to open up more churches?

Khai: That is their freedom. If the criteria and conditions are met, they may apply for the opening of churches. You may see more churches, pagodas, chapels in Vietnam now. Since I was a boy to now, I haven't seen the number of churches and pagodas grow so quickly as now. They are beautiful churches and pagodas.

TWP: You'll be meeting with Kofi Annan. Will you be making any gestures toward the United Nations, perhaps through UN Peacekeeping?

Khai: Yes, in the future, we will try to fulfill our obligations.

TWP: Including UN peacekeeping?

Khai: Depending on our conditions, Vietnam's still a poor economy. We are now also trying to train some people, including military personnel so that we may be able to participate in peacekeeping. We might have some expertise in landmine clearing, medical staff. You know our condition. Vietnam is still a poor country.