“We are happy about the new president of the United States,” said Ms Huynh, a professor of business administration at a local vocational college. “The United States is tackling the current world economic crisis and if it goes well for them Asian countries will profit from stable economic development. Furthermore, Americans will be more united and there will be no more discrimination on the basis of skin colour.”
Mr Vu, a Catholic professor at a Ho Chi Minh City university, told AsiaNews that “many bookstores are selling a book on the new president Barack Obama. Many people have said they were happy [about his election] when they were asked their opinion, even though they were surprised that an African-American was picked. Still it was a good thing. The strategy of the new president will help human development in the US and around the world.”
Sharing the opinion that prevailed in the survey, the professor said he was hopeful that “the United States will undertake new initiatives in terms of economic development and peaceful relations with all the countries of the world.”
“American potential and plans for social and economic development are truly progressive,” he added. “Obama is an African-American who is intelligent and has faith in himself. He has had great success and this is important in the terms of racial discrimination and a good example for future generations.”
Whether at home or abroad Vietnamese are happy to see Obama as the 44th president 45 years after Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in which the civil rights leader urged the United States to become the great beacon of democracy and liberty for all.
Americans have taken that step and the Vietnamese are happy for their new president.