Lowry Heads To Vietnam

Washington Gov. Mike Lowry plans to become the first American governor to lead a trade mission to Vietnam since President Clinton restored diplomatic relations this summer, aides said Thursday.

Lowry will travel to Hanoi on Sept. 23 for six days of meetings with government, trade, tourism and business leaders, press secretary Jordan Dey confirmed.

Lowry has made foreign trade a centerpiece of his administration. The Vietnam trip will be his fifth mission since taking office in 1993.

With the exception of having to sidestep diplomatic difficulties between mainland China and Taiwan, the previous trips have involved little controversy.

After Clinton decided to normalize relations with Vietnam, Lowry decided he wanted Washington to get in on the ground floor, Dey said. At the governor’s request, top state trade officials met last week with leaders of the Vietnamese community to explain Lowry’s plans and to seek their understanding, if not their blessings, he said.

Vietnam currently buys a “minuscule” $50 million worth of Washington products each year, including aircraft.

“Taiwan has 22 million people and we export $1.3 billion worth of products to them,” Dey said. “Vietnam, by comparison, has 70 million people. There is … room for improvement.”