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WASHINGTON: Facing political and economic pressures
at home, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and Vietnamese Premier
Nguyen Tan Dung travel to Washington this week for talks with US
President George W. Bush.
The visit by Arroyo, a US ally in
the “war on terror,” is expected to finally put an end to
tensions caused by her pullout of Filipino troops from the US-led
coalition in Iraq in 2004, experts said.
“I don’t think the pullout
substantively impacted the US-Philippine relations, but in the
political sense, it created an impression that there was space
between the US and Philippines,” said Walter Lohman, an expert
with Washington-based Heritage Foundation.
The Tuesday meeting will also
give the unpopular leader some political capital to remain in office
until her term ends in 2010 after she survived several political
impeachments amid rumors of military coups, he said.
“The meeting is not necessarily
an endorsement of any of her policies but will be demonstrating a
certain respect for the constitutional order in the Philippines as
she is the elected President,” Lohman said.
Mrs. Arroyo, whose popularity is
the lowest in three years as soaring prices slowed growth and
slashed incomes, is expected to discuss military counter-terrorism
cooperation and steps to liberalize bilateral trade with Bush, who
is in his final six months in office and also unpopular.
Prime Minister Dung and President
Arroyo could raise with Bush issues such as energy pricing and
subsidies, and rising inflation amid rocketing oil and food prices
impacting their economies in a “very serious way,” said Ernie
Bower, former president of the US-Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (Asean) Business Council.
“I think they will come to ask
the US President about what US policy is on these issues, and what
they can do about it,” Bower said.
Vietnam’s problems
Vietnam has been battered by
double-digit inflation, a widening trade deficit and a plunging
currency and is concerned about a possible pullback in foreign
investments fueling Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing economy.
In May, inflation in Vietnam had
surged to 25 percent year-on-year, with prices for rice and other
grains shooting up 68 percent, according to Vietnam’s bureau of
statistics. Labor unrest is also growing in the communist state.
“The question is whether they
can sustain growth and manage inflation,” said Bower, now a
regional business consultant.
Vietnamese officials are
currently discussing with Washington the possibility of launching
negotiations to forge a bilateral investment treaty during Dung’s
visit, during which several business deals with US multinational
corporations will also be signed.
Still, US companies are concerned
about Vietnam’s economic troubles.
“American businesses are
worried about rapidly rising inflation and the impact it is having
on their costs and on local labor,” said Murray Hiebert, senior
director for Southeast Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce.
“Rising food and energy costs
have also led to workers going out on strike,” he said. Vietnamese
authorities said about 30 strikes have taken place so far this year.
Vietnam’s human rights record
will also come under scrutiny during Dung’s visit. Several rights
groups plan to hold protests in front of the White House during the
Bush-Dung meeting.
“The surest way to deepen the
US-Vietnam bilateral relationship is to stand with the Vietnamese
people, supporting their aspirations for freedom and democracy,”
said Duy Hoang, a central committee member of Viet Tan (Vietnam
Reform party).
US lawmakers have joined with
Viet Tan and other human rights advocacy groups in urging President
Bush to send this “clear message” to Prime Minister Dung, he
said.
Many Vietnamese are harassed, put
under house arrest or jailed for posting articles on the Internet,
speaking out against corruption or calling for democracy, Hoang said.
--AFP
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