Bush lauds progress at Vietnam stops

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – President Bush paid tribute to new symbols of capitalism in this struggling communist country today and offered encouragement for Vietnam’s battle against bird flu and other public health challenges.

The president was quickly touring this city, once known as Saigon, before flying to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, where thousands angrily protested America’s policy in the Middle East and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The White House said it was confident about security precautions for Bush’s visit despite police warnings of an increased threat of attack by al-Qaida-linked groups.

The president was to spend just six hours in Indonesia, most of it at Bogor Palace, a presidential retreat outside the capital of Jakarta and far from the scene of protests where Bush was denounced as a “war criminal” and “terrorist.”

While President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is a close U.S. ally in the war on terror, Bush is highly unpopular in Indonesia where security forces were probing unconfirmed reports that a suicide bomber was planning to attack during Bush’s visit today. Bogor Police Chief Col. Sukrawardi Dahlan said authorities were investigating a report that a man wearing a suicide vest would infiltrate the protests.

Initially, the White House thought Bush would have to fly to Indonesia on a backup Air Force One. There was a problem with a tire upon landing in Ho Chi Minh City, said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. But a replacement tire was found, and the president is scheduled to fly his regular Boeing 747 to Indonesia.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Bush visited the Vietnam stock exchange, where trading began in 2000 and expanded to Hanoi last year. The exchange initially listed two companies and two bonds. Now, there is trading in 56 stocks and funds on the combined exchanges with total capitalization of $3.5 billion.

The president, wielding a red-handled mallet, struck a gong to open the day’s trading. Bush hit it three times, shook hands with traders on the floor and met with a group of American and Vietnamese business leaders.

“I am very interested in hearing what the opportunities are like and the obstacles you face,” the president told them. “Perhaps the United States can help foster the market economy that is growing here.”

“When I read about the recent economic history of Vietnam,” he said, “I am amazed at the size of the growth and the fact that people are beginning to realize dreams.” Last year, Vietnam’s economy grew by a robust 8.4 percent.

He also was visiting the Pasteur Institute for a briefing on its research on HIV/AIDs and other public health problems.

In a city usually teeming with motorcycle traffic, streets were cleared for Bush’s motorcade. As he rode by, people waved, laughed and cheered. It was a contrast to the subdued reaction of residents in Hanoi, where Bush participated in the summit and conferred with the leaders of China, Russia, South Korea and Japan.

Bush was in Hanoi to attend the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

At the summit, Bush met separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss strategy for yet-to-be-scheduled talks with North Korea. The administration sent U.S. envoy Christopher Hill to Beijing for further consultations.