Since the waiver was first granted in March 1998, it has been an essential component of our policy of engagement with Vietnam. I am confident this extension of the waiver will continue to advance U.S. national interests in Vietnam. Before opening our discussion of the current state of U.S.-Vietnam relations, I thought I might take a brief retrospective look at the history of our relationship. In three weeks we will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the normalization of United States - Vietnam diplomatic relations. This year also marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the fall of Saigon.
Anniversaries provide a useful opportunity to put relationships into some perspective.
Progress since 1995 has been much smoother, quicker, and more sustainable. As an example, our successful and cooperative emigration programs have paved the way for nearly 500,000 Vietnamese citizens to resettle permanently in the United States. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of this subcommittee and the members of the House for their continuing interest in U.S.-Vietnam relations. Your visits to Vietnam, meetings with Vietnamese leaders visiting Washington, and other congressional interventions on a wide range of issues have reinforced our policy of engagement. The House and its members have made clear, both privately and publicly, to Vietnam's leaders and its people that the United States remains committed to enhanced U.S.-Vietnam relations.