U.S. Trade Expo in Hanoi Draws 5,000 on 1st Day
More than 5,000 people flooded an exhibition hall here Thursday for the first trade expo to feature exclusively U.S. companies since Vietnamese Communists won control of the country 19 years ago.
But after pushing their way past the booths of nearly 45 exhibitors and sweating in a building cooled only by ceiling fans, many left the long-awaited event disappointed, complaining that there were too many industrial products and too few goods for average people to buy.
“There isn’t anything here for me,” said Nguyen Thi To Anh of Hanoi. “Pepsi has drinks and food, but only for show. Hong Kong and Taiwan companies had at their exhibitions things like women’s purses, which people could buy immediately, or they gave away samples of hand lotion, or whatever. The Americans didn’t give anything away.”
Even Vietnamese business professionals, hoping to buy industrial goods, said the selection was too narrow at “Vietnamerica Expo ‘94,” sponsored by Vietnam Investment Information & Consulting of San Diego.
“I’ve been looking forward to buying construction materials directly from U.S. manufacturers, but there are only several of such companies here,” said Tran David, president of APC Ltd., a distributor of construction supplies based in Ho Chi Minh City. He had taken a two-hour flight north just for the trade show.
“Our builders still prefer American products after all these years because the equipment lasts longer,” Tran said.
Half an hour before the 9 a.m. opening ceremony, thousands already had gathered in front of the Giang Vo Exhibition Hall. Organizers had reserved the first two days of the four-day fair for government officials and business professionals, but many curious citizens filtered into the crowd, some wearing conical straw hats, others with children in their arms.
The United States’ stars and stripes and Vietnam’s flag of a single gold star on red background flew side by side at the ceremony.
“I never thought this day would happen,” said George Dang, an Irvine business consultant who attended the expo with his client, Tran. “I have to take a picture of the flags.”
But Hanoi resident Nguyen Van Huynh said he had predicted that the Americans would return.
“In 1973, American soldiers left without fanfare. Several years ago, I was telling my friends that the Americans would come back in 1993 and we’ll be rolling out welcoming carpets for them. You see, I was off only four months,” Nguyen said, smiling.
Red carpets were rolled out, and dignitaries cut ribbons and received flowers from young women wearing pastel-colored ao dai , the traditional Vietnamese dress worn over flowing pants.
VIIC’s managing director, Giang Tran, told the crowd in his opening speech: “You will always be a member of an exclusive club that has been present at an historic event.”
When the doors of the exhibition hall opened, organizers set off firecrackers.
Amelia Fendell, a sales agent for Fosanna Furniture in New York, stared in amazement at the wall of people crowded around her booth, which featured solid mahogany furniture made in Vietnam and kiln-dried to withstand humidity anywhere in the world. The furniture attracted attention because the new kiln-drying technology makes it much stronger than the brittle goods the Vietnamese are accustomed to now.
“I don’t know how to explain why there are so many people here. I think it’s sheer fascination for U.S. products,” Fendell said.
Digital Equipment Corp. International, which has a plant in Costa Mesa, exhibited computers and was scheduled to hold a seminar this morning to introduce its products.
“We just opened an office in Hanoi two days before the expo,” said Norris L. Hickerson, business manager for Digital’s Asia region.
Consumers examined Gillette razors, Kraft’s Cheese Whiz and Frito-Lay potato chips--though none of the chips were available at the booths for visitors to sample. Similarly, PepsiCo representatives brought packages from the company’s subsidiaries, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken, but the cardboard boxes were devoid of actual pizzas and fried chicken.
“Pizza!,” Dang exclaimed as he walked by the Pizza Hut booth. “But our people aren’t used to cheese, so it will be interesting to see how they market this.”
Otis Elevator Co.’s booth had a sample elevator, while Vector Venture Corp. displayed water purification equipment for industrial companies.
As he passed organizers on his way out of the expo, Nguyen Van Huynh left them with this advice: “Next time, try to bring more U.S. products people could buy right away. Things like fashionable clothes. I guarantee you people will buy. Let us soak in goods we can use every day before bringing all this industrial stuff.”
