Joe Cunningham: “last year I went to Vietnam with Hal Rogers, chairman, at the behest of Pete Peterson, who is the ambassador, and was…”

“last year I went to Vietnam with Hal Rogers, chairman, at the behest of Pete Peterson, who is the ambassador, and was asked to raise the American flag over Ho Chi Mihn City for the first time for over 25 years. On that trip, I met with the prime minister, Communist prime minister in Hanoi, and I asked the prime minister, ``Why do you not get involved in trade?'' In perfect English, the Communist prime minister said, ``Congressman, we are Communist. If we get involved in trade, we will be out of power as Communists.'' At that moment, I said trade is good. If we take a look at whether there are problems with the trade with China, whether it is humanitarian or whether it is with national security issues, it is in our best interest. That is why Taiwan supports trade with China. They want China in 20 to 30 years to move in a direction of pro democracy, not back to a totalitarian Communist State. Regardless of how one feels on the trade issue, both human rights and national security, it is in the United States' best interest to support the trade with China.”