Lowry First Governor To Meet Vietnam Leaders Lowry Talks With Trade Officials, Pushes Planes, Farm Products

Washington Gov. Mike Lowry pushed U.S.-Vietnam relations forward a notch Monday by becoming the first U.S. governor to meet with Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi since the Vietnam War ended two decades ago.

Lowry, leading a 20-member trade mission, held talks with Trade Minister Le Van Triet and met with officials responsible for foreign investment and economic planning. He planned to meet today with Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet.

Lowry is the first American governor to visit Vietnam since the United States established diplomatic relations with its former enemy last month. He arrived Sunday night, ahead of a round of talks set for Oct. 5 in Washington, D.C., that aim at reaching a possible trade agreement between the two nations.

In a telephone interview with Olympia reporters, the governor said it’s a long-range project to develop lucrative markets for Washington businesses, but he has some immediate successes in mind, too.

He said Triet described Boeing aircraft as “the product of choice.” Lowry said he’s optimistic the Seattle-based aerospace giant will sell Air Vietnam “$2 billion to $3 billion worth of airplanes over the next 15 years.”

Washington also stands to export entire dairy herds and expertise in the next few years, he said.

“I’m in support of open trade relations,” told reporters in Vietnam after meeting with Hanoi Mayor Hoang Van Nghien.

Lowry, a Democrat, said he favored giving Vietnam low-tariff trade status as soon as possible. By supporting better access for Vietnam to U.S. markets, he hopes to promote his state’s exports of apples, dairy cattle, paper products and Boeing aircraft.