Vietnam remains hot place despite no deal from DPRK - US summit

After the February 27-28 summit was concluded without a deal, Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “In the last two days, Vietnam and the international community have kept a close eye on the important summit between the DPRK and the US in Hanoi.”

“Vietnam fully supports the process for peace and denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula. US President Donald Trump and DPRK Chairman Kim Jong Un have affirmed that the meeting in Hanoi was an important step forward in the dialogue between the two sides. Via the dialogue at this summit, the top leaders of the two sides have made a positive and constructive effort and discussed many important issues related to peace and denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula.”

Vietnam was applauded for doing a very good job in organising the DPRK-US Summit

“As the host of the summit, Vietnam has also made great efforts and thorough preparations in all areas, ensuring security and absolute safety during the summit, and demonstrated its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, co-operation, and development, and being a reliable member of the international community.”

“The role, status, and preparations of Vietnam for the summit have been highly commended. Vietnam shares the international community’s hope that all sides continue the dialogue to resolve issues in the Korea Peninsula, as well as boost relations between the US and the DPRK, and we stand ready to continue playing a role in constructing and creating peace, and co-operate with each other to speed up the peace process in the Korean Peninsula.”

President Trump told Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, “I very much appreciate the hospitality [of Vietnam]. It was really something special. We got off Air Force One last night and I drove down the boulevards, and I saw all of the buildings under construction and how Vietnam is thriving.”

The US leader also told Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc that he was quite impressed at Vietnam’s achievements. “Coming in from the airport, seeing everything that’s been happening and been built, even since last year when we were spending time together during my second trip. You’ve made tremendous progress and it’s a great thing for the world to see. And now the world is actually watching and they’re looking at Vietnam.”

On February 28, President Donald Trump told a press conference with hundreds of reporters in Hanoi, after his discussions with DPRK Chairman Un, “Thank you, prime minister and president of Vietnam. We are in Hanoi. It’s an incredible city, and what’s happened over the last 25 years has been incredible for the people of Vietnam, the job they’ve done, economic development. Really something special. So I want to thank all of the people of Vietnam for having treated us so well.”

Right after he left Vietnam on Air Force One a few hours later, President Trump wrote on Twitter, “Thank you to our generous hosts in Hanoi this week: President Trong, Prime Minister Phuc, and the wonderful people of Vietnam.”