Human rights issues in Vietnam – The United States of America relations

Abstract The issue of human rights is a constant concern in U.S. policy towards Vietnam. It has always been the main factor in implementing U.S. foreign policy with Vietnam and other countries in general. To normalize relations with the U.S. Vietnam has actively returned the remains of Americans missing in the war without preconditions, but human rights in U.S. foreign policy are not simple. That is a long process to understand and comply with the human rights requirements of the United States. Although cooperation and struggle in relations between Vietnam and the U.S. going on since the early days of normalization, the difference in awareness of human rights has narrowed. Why these good results? Can the U.S. and Vietnam make new strides in relations? How can differences in perceptions of human rights be resolved? Based on the judgment of scholars and by analyzing the historical activities of the relationship between the two countries, the article is to give crucial suggestions to note in making foreign policy of each country.


PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT
Human rights is an issue that doesn't seem to get much attention when Vietnam has not integrated into the world. But human rights are becoming more and more influential. And most people in Vietnam often talk about it when the Doi moi process (Renovation) in Vietnam is underway the process of international integration in Vietnam is expanding. In the world, the issue of human rights is becoming more and more relevant. It is the top concern in relations between countries. States cannot refuse the USa superpower with enormous influence in international relations. And talking about the US, one cannot refuse to mention the content of human rights in US foreign policy. The relationship between Vietnam and the United States has changed dramatically from an old enemy to a comprehensive partnership, starting with human rights issues. The article participated in the typical case of international relations that everyone interest

Introduction
Vietnam was born after the revolution of national liberation and liberation of the working class in 1945. It opened the era of developing code, and primary rights for Vietnamese people named the right of self-determination of peoples and the free rights of independent peoples, not dominated and colonized by other peoples. To have the fundamental rights of humans, the Vietnamese did not hesitate to fight against foreign forces for 30 years to independence and unification in 1975. Human rights are also content that the U.S. was especially interested in when the decision to normalize relations with Vietnam in 1995. But America still has its view on the issue of human rights in Vietnam. America has ranked Vietnam in "the countries particularly concerned about human rights" (CPC) from 2001 to the present. Vietnam and the United States have many differences in history, politics, economy, and culture, so approaching and resolving the issues about human rights are different. Therefore, the United States restricted the activities of aid or humanitarian implementation in Vietnam. Although there are many issues that Vietnam needs to resolve better for the people, obviously all citizens have the right to freedom of personal life, family, housing, correspondence, and Vietnam has made constant efforts to ensure the fundamental rights of its citizens. Besides its democratic tradition, the Vietnamese people can discuss and give opinions on crucial national issues, democracy and human rights values in Vietnam are undeniable.
It is very different from a handful of Americans when they talk about human rights in Vietnam: "The Vietnamese government is increasingly persecuting its citizens and failing to honor basic human rights, the heavy hands of this regime are to blame for some gross violations that include unlawful incarceration, human trafficking, and torture" (Targeted News Service, 2013b). Such differences, the positive impact on human rights of the United States of America with Vietnam is still pretty far away. Purely by accepting differences in each process step to new international human rights, the actual cooperation.
In another approach, many scholars, when looking at human rights issues in U.S. foreign policy, argue that the relationship between human rights and U.S. foreign policy has traditionally in a model of national interest. Some say that American national interest today certainly includes the United States promoting human rights, and staying away from regimes that violate human rights (Jack, 2003). Or, someone asserts, national interests in American foreign policy can be reciprocal due to "moral sensitivities." Which includes caring for human rights (Cooper & Traugott, 2003). Unconcerned about whether one redefines national interest or argues a more drastic adjustment in morality in the United States, the United States has frequently expressed concern about human rights when cooperating with another country. American diplomats quite often invoke human rights about other countries to the extent that, in some areas, the United States has established a claim to compliance with human rights standards (Kathleen Roberts, 2003). Is that true in the U.S. relationship with Vietnam?
The article uses the qualitative method of history and logic to analyze and evaluate statements, views, comments, and specific actions of the U.S. and Vietnam, it hoped to contribute to clarifying the progress in the relationship between the two countries, in which Human rights issues are always concerned but strongly influenced by other political goals.

Cooperation and struggle (1995-2013)
Since 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam has advocated: "continue to discuss with the U.S. to solve humanitarian problems left by the war and ready to improve relations with the U.S. for the sake of peace and stability in Southeast Asia" (Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam, 1987).
Implementing that policy, Vietnam responds to the requests from the U.S. in solving Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) issues such as providing documents and creating favorable conditions for people to go places to find and ask about the problem. In 1991, Vietnam allowed installation in Hanoi of the Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC). It is the only agency of the U.S. government in Vietnam. In October 1992, Vietnam allowed the U.S. to study the archives of the Ministry of Defense about the fate of MIA.
After the 7th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (June 1991), Vietnam advocated persistently "promoting the process of normalizing relations with the United States" (Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam, 1990). Therefore, during the contacts, Vietnam expressed its willingness to normalize relations with the U.S. without preconditions, maintain dialogue, and affirmed to continue cooperating with the U.S. on the search for missing Americans in a humanitarian spirit. The U.S. side also highly appreciated the goodwill of Vietnam and cooperation in the MIA issue: "from 1974 to 1992, Vietnam handed over more than 300 American remains," especially in allowing investigators to access "live" reports (Mark, 2008). By the end of 1994, the joint efforts between Vietnam and the US JPAC had resulted in the repatriation of more than 150 sets of remains recovered during excavation activities. (Nguyễn Anh Cường, 2012) In 1995, therefore, he declaration of normalizing relations with Vietnam, President Bill Clinton began with the affirmation: "From the beginning of this administration, any improvement in relationships between America and Vietnam has depended upon making progress on the issue of Americans who were missing in action or held as prisoners of war." (Clinton, 1995) Bill Clinton further elaborated on the purpose of the United States of America is normalizing relations with Vietnam: "By helping to bring Vietnam into the community of nations, normalization also serves our interest in working for a free and peaceful Vietnam in a stable and peaceful Asia." And in that process, the U.S. demanded: "These programs require certifications regarding human rights and labor rights before they can proceed. We have already begun discussing human rights issues with Vietnam, especially issues regarding religious freedom. Now we can expand and strengthen that dialog." (Clinton, 1995) Then, is the issue of human rights and religion a constant concern in U.S. policy towards Vietnam? The decision to normalize with Vietnam was later attributed to the Clinton administration only supporting human rights when the U.S. had something else compatible, mainly economic and foreign policy advantages. Human rights are quickly abandoned when they conflict with more economic incentives or overriding political issues. Clinton's deliberate failure to promote human rights in American foreign policy is perhaps the most frustrating paradox of all. (Apodaca, 2006) But in reality, about Vietnam, the above perception seems incorrect when, during the Clinton administration, the U.S. policy on the issue of "human rights" with Vietnam was as follows: to continue to sustain demand human rights issues such as the boat people, POW/MIA, religion, nationalism, personal freedom, freedom of expression, political freedom, business freedom, religious freedom, and freedom of establishment of political parties. For example, on 3 April 2002, in a report of the State Department to the U.S. Congress about the human rights situation in 190 countries in 2001 in the world, America still ranked Vietnam into the group of particular violators of human rights.
At that time, Vietnam reacted and said that although Vietnam had not reached a "perfect point" in human rights, it had done its best for the well-being and happiness of its citizens, a Vietnam Foreign Ministry spokesman said. The American human rights network cited numerous human rights violations in the United States, concluded that the U.S. administration has no right to judge human rights situations in other countries. Americans themselves have reactions.
There are a lot of people in the U.S. who know this one. Such as Bobby Muller, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation [VVAF], on a visit to Vietnam country said that the U.S. State Department's report did not agree with him. He stressed: "We all know about the human rights situation in the United States. The release of the address only complicated relations between the United States and other countries." Said Mr. Jan Scrugg, president of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Foundation, on a visit to Vietnam, urged the American people to come to Vietnam to gain a better understanding of the country: "Vietnam is a friendly and lovely country. Also, the Vietnamese people should do more so that the American people can know more about Vietnam. I do not think that the Americans fully understand present-day Vietnam. As a result, my delegation is here today to see a new Vietnam, not Vietnam of the past." (BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, 2004) Under the Bush administration, Mr. Bush and the Republican Party supported this view on human rights in Vietnam by signing a bilateral trade agreement between Vietnam and the United States. They felt that this was an opportunity to promote economic and political reform in Vietnam and fertile ground for the U.S. policy of "human rights diplomacy." President Bush suggested in a formal statement that the U.S. Congress ratifies the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between Vietnam and the United States. He insisted that the U.S. administration continue to push for improved human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam (The military Gallery, 2002). In support of this statement, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted the "Vietnam Human Rights Act" on 6 September 2001. This Act has taken unfounded identification about the human rights situation in Vietnam and put Vietnam on the list of "countries of particular concern" regarding religious freedom (CPC). The House of Representatives continuously adopts the "Vietnam Human Rights Act" in the continuous years, 2004, 2007, 2012, and 2013. 1 At this point, U.S. policy towards Vietnam may not be as Mertus argues that the president employs a bait and switch strategy, using human rights language to justify the adventure in its foreign policy without any real commitment to human rights. (Mertus, 2004) The Bush administration was quite pragmatic when ratifying the BTA and taking necessary interventions on human rights issues in Vietnam to have economic benefits in Vietnam and expand the value of American human rights to influence Vietnam.
Under the Bush administration, although relations between the two countries continued to strengthen, improving relations became more difficult. The issue of democracy and human rights continues to be an issue that the U.S. persistently promotes. The U.S. uses many methods to pressure Vietnam through bilateral dialogues on human rights, including human rights content in high-level contacts between the two countries. Demanding visits to individuals and the region that the U.S. considers a "hot spot" "ranks" Vietnam in the U.S. State annual report on the human rights situation in the world. The U.S. House of Representatives held many hearings on the human rights situation in Vietnam and passed resolutions condemning Vietnam on human rights. The United States includes Vietnam on the list of "countries of particular concern" on religious freedom (CPC). In addition, the U.S. also openly expressed its disagreement with the one-party political as stated in Article 4 of the Constitution of Vietnam. 2 The U.S. continues promoting relations with Vietnam but shows more interest in religious issues and human rights. The U.S. has increased its interference in the internal affairs of Vietnam, increasing pressure on democracy and human rights. In 1994, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to designate May 11 every year as "Vietnam's human rights day." Until 2013, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "Vietnam Human Rights Bill" five times (2001,2004,2007,2012,2013). In 2003, the U.S. unilaterally stopped the human rights dialogue rounds because Vietnam had not made "substantive progress on human rights." In the 2004 and 2005 International Religious Freedom Report, the U.S. Department of State ranked Vietnam as one of the CPC countries.
In this action of the United States, Vietnam struggled to take willingness measures to work with Congress and the U.S. Government. Through dialogue and exchanges between top-level leaders, Vietnam showed that Vietnam and the United States had mutual common interests; Vietnam has the right to take pride in its achievements in the development of economy, society, and the most basic rights of human beings. All citizens have the right to freedom of personal life, family, housing, and correspondence, and that Vietnam has made constant efforts to ensure the fundamental rights of its citizens. To better exercise democracy, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam has recently issued regulations on promoting democracy at the grassroots level. So that, democratic practice in localities has improved significantly. It is possible to affirm that with its democratic tradition, the Party and the State of Vietnam always create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese people to discuss and give opinions on fundamental national issues. Certain shortcomings in implementing the regulations in several sectors and localities do not reflect the nature of the regime and the Communist Party of Vietnam. The most important thing is that Vietnam realizes these shortcomings to perfect democracy in the country only those with ill intentions against the Vietnam state can distort the character of democracy and human rights in Vietnam. Democracy and human rights values in Vietnam are undeniable. Any schemes to deny this fact and turn back the wheel of history are doomed to failure. (BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, 2006) In addition to the reports of the administrative levels, the actual activities of leaders and politicians have influenced the changes in awareness of human rights issues. It was the result of mutual visits by politicians between the two countries. including the implementation of human rights, and freedom for believers and ethnic minorities. The President welcomed efforts of Vietnam and wanted to have the next progression." (People Newspaper, 2005) In an interview before he visited the United States, Prime Minister Khai stated: "We have no prisoners of conscience in Vietnam" and declared that "political reforms and economic reforms should harmonize." (US Fed News Service, Including US State News, 2005, June 20) As a result of efforts to make the U.S. understand Vietnam better, in 2006, the U.S. government removed Vietnam from the list of CPC, with the perception that Vietnam had "significantly improved" counted in the promotion of religious freedom"and is not "among the countries that meet the threshold" listed on the shortlist. Although Vietnam is no longer on the CPC list this year, the issue of religious freedom and human rights still emerges as a particular annual element in the policy of further improving Vietnam-US relations.
After a visit to Vietnam in 2009, U.S. Senator Jim Webb said: Although there are still personal perspectives about a few specific incidents, there has been undeniable progress in the area of religious freedom in Vietnam, particularly from 1991 to the present. During a two-day visit to Hanoi in 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized that Vietnam's emergence as an Asian economic power depends on its willingness to open its political system. The American envoy said that Hanoi, even as Washington's friend, should expect to face pressure from the West on human rights: "The United States will continue to urge Vietnam to strengthen its commitment to human rights and give its people an even greater say over the direction of their own lives." (Solomon, 2010: A.13) The more open awareness of both sides, along with Vietnam trying to come in the international integration, the more has created conditions for the U.S. to see more clearly efforts of Vietnam in improving living standards (including religion and belief) for the Vietnamese people. Moreover, the prestige and power of Vietnam are also becoming more and more clearly on the international political stage, thus creating a premise for Vietnam-America to step into a new ladder of cooperation.

Comprehensive partners need comprehensive awareness (2013-2021)
Entering the White House, Obama continued the human rights policy of the previous administration. Contain in declaring of the U.S. government, which always use the money to promote democracy and Human Rights in Vietnam, such as: On 7 February 2013, The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor had announced that it expects to award a maximum of four discretionary cooperative agreement grants with the award ceiling for this funding opportunity is $425,000. "The Objectives of the program are 1. Promote Disability Rights: Vulnerable populations often find their fundamental freedoms restricted, and DRL [Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor] aims for proposals that support the freedom of expression and increase access to alternative information in Vietnam to promote disability rights; 2. Promote Freedom of Information: To support freedom of expression and increase access to alternative information in Vietnam, DRL seeks projects that provide tools to increase the privacy of internet users including, but not limited to anonymous web surfing, increase access to blocked websites and radio broadcasts in Vietnam, and promote digital safety; and, or projects which increase the professional skills of journalists, notably investigative journalism skills; and 3. Promote International Religious Freedom: With the recognition that freedom of expression and access to alternative information can bolster religious freedom, DRL seeks projects which expand on the available narrative on religion and religious organizations in Vietnam. That may include programs that help religious organizations engage in productive conversations and activities with government officials regarding status and rights of religious organizations in Vietnamese society." (Targeted News Service, 2013b, Feb 07, 2013a, Feb7) The policy of the Obama Administration is not entirely different from that of most other modern administrations. It is not a policy of isolationism (it entails non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries), nor is it one of interventionism (the policy that will promote regime change), but it has a sharp focus and limited interventions to specific goals such as security, or protection of the rights to life (Amitai Etzioni, 2010). As a result, human rights are more moderately in the Obama Administration. It is why in the conversation between the U.S. and Vietnam in 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama says he had a "very candid" talking with his Vietnamese counterpart about human rights when he hosted Truong Tan Sang at the White House. Obama sitting alongside Sang told reporters that Washington believes all nations should respect freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly. Sang said Vietnam and the United States still have differences in the human rights issue. He said Vietnamese religious leaders in his delegation held "straightforward, open discussions" with U.S. officials to help them develop a "better understanding about the real situation" in Vietnam. Sang also said his government has made "sustained efforts to protect and promote human rights," enabling the Vietnamese people to benefit from "the finest results" of the reform process. (Asia News Monitor, 2013b, July 29) During this time, putting aside things that have not yet the same awareness in the perception of the two sides, including human rights issues, Vietnam and the United States decided to upgrade the relationship between the two countries into a comprehensive partnership. It is the right step for both sides after 18 years of normalizing relations.
An important step forward in the relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam is in large part of economic growth. The middle class in Vietnam has grown substantially in size and has become increasingly vocal in demanding rights and democratic freedoms. At the same time, the Communist Party of Vietnam and the State have more and more confidence in opening up the discourse of human rights to the international community. In 2013, Vietnam successfully bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with the highest number of votes among candidates who are a success that affirms the sound policy of the Party and State on human rights. Vietnam has also engaged in dialogue with Western countries on human rights, including the United States.
Unremitting efforts, Vietnam has fulfilled many Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule and is on track to reach the remaining targets. Ensuring the freedom of speech, press, and information has seen significant achievements. Mass media has developed rapidly with diversified forms and contents, helping transmit information about all walks of life to the people. The press has played a crucial role in protecting social interests and the right to freedom and supervising and inspecting the enforcement of the policies and laws, including those on human rights. Vietnam has also attached importance to guaranteeing the right to freedom of belief and religion. Since the ordinance on Belief and Religion has been promulgated, the religious life in the country has seen positive changes. People are free to practice religious activities, respect the religious policy, and ensure social order and safety, the facilities of the church were built or upgraded while the training of religious dignitaries was maintained and expanded. Religious organizations in Vietnam have actively participated in social activities and made contributions to national development. (Asia News Monitor, 2013a, Nov 18) Many Americans understand this situation in Vietnam, but some are not. U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced legislation to improve human rights in Vietnam. In the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013, Boozman said: "The Vietnamese government is increasingly persecuting its citizens and failing to honor basic human rights. The heavy hands of this regime are to blame for some gross violations that include unlawful incarceration, human trafficking, and torture. We have a moral obligation to stand up to this oppression and lead the charge for change and encourage a democratic environment free from tyranny and violence," (. . .) "The Vietnamese government deeply troubling backsliding on political and religious freedoms and other human rights is and will remain an area of considerable concern to the United States," said Cornyn. "The U.S. must make it clear that it will not continue to support or strengthen ties with a government that cruelly imprisons its citizens and shows a blatant disregard for basic human rights." (Targeted News Service, 2013b, November 05)2013a, Feb7 So, during dialogues, Vietnam has always emphasized the necessity to implement harmoniously civil, political rights and economic, social, cultural rights. Vietnam moreover highlights the difference in the historical, political, economic, cultural, and social context of Vietnam from other countries, particularly from the United States and other Western countries, thus affirming the difference in approach to human rights from other countries. At the same time, Vietnam stresses the principle of national independence and sovereignty, of not using human rights to impose any viewpoint and interfere in each internal affairs.
Although the U.S. administration is still uncertain whether the traditional values of human rights in Vietnam are in Asian values, the U.S. has made two particular cognitive changes. First, it is clear from orthodox socialist notions that the prerogative of economic, social, and cultural rights is always overriding civil and political rights. Emphasis a harmonized approach to all these rights to show that no rights will take precedence or prejudice over others. Second, there is no doubt that the state has to promote human rights from the traditional party-state message that everyone must promote human rights. The people's support for the Party and State and their political participation is a condition for the performance of obligations towards the state, and the elderly are finally aware that the state gives rights to the people and makes the people happy, so the people should show their responsibility to the country. (Bui, 2014) Furthermore, in Vietnam, the implementation of mixed market economic development and the rule of law-based state model leads to increased efforts to legitimize and localize international human rights standards. Vietnam seeks to strengthen ties with the U.S, EU, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and its membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have contributed to the new thinking and values in governance. The ASEAN Charter-of which Vietnam is a signatory and serves as the constitution-has codified adherence to the rule of law and protection of human rights as interlinked and mutually reinforcing governance principles. Meanwhile, the engagement by the government of Vietnam with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism under the UN Human Rights Council has given more vibrancy to the discourse of human rights and has facilitated the participation of different social actors such as NGOs and hybrid actors. 3 Therefore, the relationship between the two countries elevated to a comprehensive partnership (2013). In the report for 2013 on international religious freedom, the U.S. State Department announced on 31 July 2014: "The constitution and some laws and policies provide for religious freedom, establish freedom of belief and worship, and protect nonbelief . . . . Authorities increasingly approved applications for religious training and celebrations. Several major religious events attracted large numbers of followers and participants." (U.S. Department of State, 2015) The U.S. State Department also confirmed that U.S. officials regularly meet with the religious dignitaries and dialogue about freedom of religion with many leaders in Vietnam. In the address of the leader of the White House on 24 May 2016, President Barack Obama said to the people of Vietnam: "The rights I speak of I believe are not American values; I think they're universal values written into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They're written into the Vietnamese constitution, which states that "citizens have the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and have the right of access to information, the right to assembly, the right to association, and the right to demonstrate." That is in the Vietnamese constitution. 4 "So really, this is an issue about all of us, each country, trying to consistently apply these principles, making sure that we-those of us in government-are being true to these ideals." (Obama, 2016). It is the positive result of the foreign policy of both Vietnam and the United States of America. And this also shows that the cooperation relationship between the two countries is always strongly influenced by political views.
Human rights in U.S. foreign policy statements are always an important topic of great concern. The U.S human rights issue is dissimilar in Vietnam has never been an important topic shown in the document of the Congresses of Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). Vietnam concerning the U.S, the human rights issue is only considered a technical job to please the attention of the US. The decision to upgrade relations with the United States is the realization of Resolution No. 22 of the Politburo of Vietnam, dated 10 April 2013: "Strengthening and deepening relations with partners, especially the partner is of strategic importance to the development and security of the country; putting the established relationship framework into reality, creating a mix of interests between Vietnam and its partners." (Báo Điện tử Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam, 2013) That policy of Vietnam continues to emphasize in the 12th Congress (2016) and the 13th Congress (2021) of the Communist Party of Vietnam: "promoting relations with major partners, important partners," (Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam, 2016a), "especially strategic partners, comprehensive partners" (Báo in tử Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam [Online Newspaper Communist Party of Vietnam], 2021) to integrate into the world with an economic focus, and pay more attention to "Promoting international integration in the fields of culture, society, science, technology, education-training, and other fields." (Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam, 2016b) Implementing that policy, Vietnam and the United States have continuously made many specific moves and actions and recognized and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the comprehensive partnership, reflected in the joint statements between the two countries in 2015, 2016, and twice in 2017. It includes the affirmation: "Continuing candid, constructive dialogue on human rights to narrow differences and build trust, interested in promoting human rights with security and sustainable development" (Vietnam Embassy, 2017a) and "Recognizing the importance of ensuring and promoting human rights." (Vietnam Embassy, ,2017b) In addition, after the U.S. Presidential election and after the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in early 2021, the U.S. continues to wish to strengthen cooperation and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the United States. (Vietnam Embassy, 2021) It displays that the U.S. has been unchanging, increased, and concretized its commitment to developing relations with Vietnam that have continued through many presidents, from Barack Obama, then Donald Trump, and now to Joe Biden. On the Vietnamese side continued the policy developed from the 11th Congress of CPV, then the 12th, and now the 13th: "Ensuring the highest interests of the national-state based on principles of United Nations Charter and international law, equality, cooperation, mutual benefit. . . Strengthening and deepening bilateral cooperation with partners, especially strategic partners, comprehensive partners, and other important partners, creating a cross-linking of interests and increasing trust." (Online, 2021) All demonstration that to have long-term cooperation in many fields, the two sides need to put aside their difference in perceptions, especially in human rights issues. And move towards common perceptions that have from both sides.
However, in the annual reports of the U.S. Department of State on the human rights situation in Vietnam, it often encounters the reaction of Vietnam about the lack of objectivity and inaccuracy about the actual human rights situation in Vietnam, many years and up to now. For example, in 2021, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam affirmed: "Vietnam acknowledges that the 2020 Annual Human Rights Report of U.S. State Department has highlighted positive progress of Vietnam in protecting human rights. The report, however, still makes some unbiased judgments based on inaccurate information about the actual situation in Vietnam. Vietnam is always ready to have frank, open, and constructive discussions with the United States on differences of issues, to enhance understanding and contribute to the development of the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries." (Lê Thị Thu Hằng, 2021).
But Vietnam also needs to be aware of the fact that: • America is a great power, and for them, human rights are the heart and center of foreign policy, which on ethical principles and human rights.
• The human rights issue is increasingly interested in discussing trade and economic relations between the U.S. with other countries.
• Promoting human rights is not only a matter of values that is also within the scope of U.S. national security.
• The value of human rights in U.S. foreign policy is increasingly expanding and closely related to democracy, economy, and security.
• The U.S. government is willing to make exceptions to demonstrate its hegemonic awareness of human rights. (Anh Cường, 2017) Therefore, should Vietnam also be familiar with many differences of the annual reports of the U.S. State Department in the perception of the human rights situation in Vietnam? Being familiar with the differences does not mean letting things happen, but gradually adjusting the policy under the general perception of Vietnamese people about human rights while assessing and recognizing the standards of American human rights, which are appreciated highly by the world community.

Conclusion
Human rights have been a crucial factor in U.S. foreign policy with Vietnam. The normalization of the relations between Vietnam and the United States has only been possible due to good faith. Among the most significant factors in achieving bilateral normalization has been cooperation by Vietnam authorities in addressing issues of particular importance to the United States as the MIA/ POW human remains matter. And the adherence to human rights standards as outlined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights on the part of Vietnam.
It appears that the perception and actions of the U.S. government depend a great deal on the perspectives of a small group of individual Americans. Such viewpoints are on ideology, personal feelings, tradition, culture, and views of morality. Those are often very different from and in sharp contrast with those of the leaders and citizens of Vietnam.
Because these differences of perspective can be a stumbling block in improving relations between Vietnam and the United States, it is particular that an increasing number of Vietnamese Social Scientists research then publish scholarly articles on this subject. Increased numbers of papers are published which provide an accurate account of human rights within Vietnam scholars from Vietnam. That will be making a crucial contribution to mutual understanding between peoples of the two nations. Through increased knowledge of the historical experiences within each country from the Vietnamese and American perspective, important bridges of realization will be built and contribute to improving international relations between two nations which each much to gain such an improved relationship.