Group Urges Tying Trade, Rights in Vietnam

As President Clinton formally cleared one more barrier toward full-scale trade with Vietnam, an Orange County group vowed to continue fighting to ensure that full-scale privileges only come with concessions on human rights issues.

By granting a trade waiver late Tuesday, Clinton exempted Vietnam from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, a Cold War-era law that bans the U.S. government from giving trade and investment funding to nations that do not allow their citizens free emigration.

His decision also makes U.S. companies in Vietnam eligible for financial backing from the U.S. Export-Import Bank and insurance against political risks from the Overseas Private Investment Corp.

Ultimately, the waiver will pave the way for Vietnam to benefit from most-favored-nation trading privileges, which allow Vietnamese goods to be sold in this country at the same, low tariff rates enjoyed by others.

But the Vietnamese American coalition wants to slow down the process and lobby the U.S. government to demand major reforms from Vietnam first, said Westminster attorney Van Thai Tran.

“We’re realistic enough to see that U.S. policy, at least with this administration, is to normalize economic relations with Vietnam,” Tran said. “However, we’ll continue to pressure for human rights and democratic concessions. In other words: Vietnam won’t get a free ride to [most-favored-nation status].”

The group has mobilized Vietnamese Americans in 17 communities from San Jose to Washington to Virginia.

Through faxes, letters and e-mail to the White House, the coalition has attempted to make its opposition clear since January.

Clinton’s action comes as little surprise, Tran said, since the president had indicated in December that he planned to sign the waiver, praising Vietnam’s efforts at liberalizing emigration laws.

But this is hardly the end of the fight, he said. The waiver will need congressional approval in June to be extended for another year.

To that end, the coalition has been busy assembling bipartisan legislative support. Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) have proposed legislation to stop or delay Clinton from normalizing economic ties. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) has joined in a letter with the two congressmen asking to hold off on granting trade privileges.

“Our effort will be ongoing,” Tran said. “This is not over by any means.”