Expats In Hanoi Look To Welcome Trump And Kim In Hope For World Peace

Expats in Hanoi as well as tourists are in agreement that the Vietnamese capital is exactly the right place for high-level discussions aimed at world peace.

As the second Trump/Kim, summit gets under way, North Korean and USA flags are flying around the city’s Hoan Kiem Lake and in its streets, and the fast-developing Southeast Asian nation is waiting with bated breath for a positive result. The summit is dominating the news, and schoolchildren are being encouraged to talk about the meeting in class. Many Vietnamese are wearing Trump/Kim T-shirts and, however the talks develop, are well aware of the significance of Hanoi as the venue.

One American businessman who’s lived in the country for almost a decade told local media the hosting of the meeting is a major event, given the all-too recent

history of the three states. It’s a huge deal, he said, to see an American president of the country once the enemy of both North Korea and Vietnam itself sitting down at peace talks with NK’s leader. Vietnam’s recent full recovery from two disastrous wars has been amazingly fast, he added, noting the city’s development into a high-rise modern capital with malls and a growing middle class.

At a time when violence and political disruption seems to be taking over many world countries, the chance to end the tension in this part of Asia is significant for many reasons, with peace between the formerly warring nations being the main aim. Hanoi has welcomed world leaders in the past, including former president Barack Obama in 2016, with thousands taking to the streets to welcome him.