This year marks two decades since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Việt Nam. For the first time ever, the Vietnamese Communist Party is sending its General Secretary, Nguyễn Phú Trọng, to Washington, DC, to meet with senior White House officials.
We discuss the implications of this high level visit with Điềm Đỗ, Chairman of the pro-democracy party Việt Tân. As leader of an unsanctioned opposition party, Đỗ and a Vietnamese delegation met with President George W. Bush in 2007 to discuss human rights in Việt Nam. Loa’s Duyên Bùi has this “On the Record”.
Have you ever wondered why such a vast percentage of the Vietnamese population share the surname “Nguyễn”? Nope, they are not all related to each other. Here is Chris Lê on this week’s Vietnamism, Việt Nam’s history with the “Nguyễns”.
Air date: May 11, 2015