Over the past few days, mass media across every country has continuously reported on a green, clean, beautiful Hanoi, a civilized and secure Hanoi ranked as one of the safest places, honored to be chosen as the venue for the summit between two highly distinctive leaders – US President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un.
It is even more of a point of pride that we organized it smoothly, and it is no exaggeration to use the word “perfect”. From the protocol for welcoming heads of state, accommodation, dining menus, and tightened security, to the infrastructure and equipment serving nearly 3000 reporters arriving to cover the event, everything was executed very well and received much praise from the US President, the North Korean Chairman, as well as foreign reporters.
Green, clean, and beautiful Hanoi is ready for the US – North Korea Summit event
According to various aggregated sources, reporters were all enthusiastic about Vietnamese cuisine and praised the organization of the Summit. Mr. Han Chung-nam (a reporter for the MBC station – South Korea) felt grateful to enjoy famous Vietnamese dishes when arriving to report on this historic event: “I have been in Vietnam since February 24th to cover this historic event. I have experienced famous Vietnamese dishes that I have always wished to try once. Vietnamese Bun Cha is truly very delicious”.
Ms. Song Nam-il, a reporter for the SBS station (South Korea), shared that she highly appreciated Vietnam's preparation for this Summit: “It can be seen that the organization of the US – North Korea Summit in Vietnam this time is truly commendable. You organized every task for foreign reporters to work very well”.
Ms. Song Nam-il, a reporter for the SBS station (South Korea)
According to reports by Ha Noi Moi at the Press Center, reporter Tanaka Yoichiro (Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, Japan) praised the Bun Thang dish endlessly. The lingering, sweet, and delicate taste of the dish made it very difficult for Tanaka Yoichiro to describe, and he said the dish left an unforgettable impression. Reporter Joao Manuel Pimeta (Portugal) praised the Vietnamese food as delicious and attractive after having a meal of rice with fish in sauce, vegetables, and soup.
Or the fact that the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism coordinated with travel agencies to plan and organize for international reporters coming to Hanoi to work during the 2nd US – North Korea summit to participate in short-term tours around Hanoi, Ha Long, and Ninh Binh, surely it was not for no reason, or “just for fun”, or for show? What our Government is aiming for is to use the lenses and pens of media reporters to show the whole world a beautiful Vietnam, with abundant 'golden forests and silver seas', and friendly and hospitable people.
Vietnam's Ha Long Bay is likened by international friends to be as beautiful as a painting
Certainly, no American would come to Vietnam just to enjoy KFC originating from their own country. Just as no Korean would come to Vietnam to find Kimchi, or a Japanese person to eat Udon noodles or Mochi cakes... they want to enjoy and discover everything that belongs to Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese cuisine, originating from Vietnam, and created by Vietnamese people.
That both opens up opportunities and presents challenges for our country, which in recent years has been and is being strongly influenced by the storm of integration. As a Vietnamese person, please do not let any foreigner laugh at us just because we do not understand our national history as well as they do. As a Vietnamese person, please do not say that I do not know what specialties my homeland has, but then be able to recite the names of luxurious restaurants and eateries of another country. As a Vietnamese person, please do not hastily discard good traditional cultural customs, forgetting that an engagement ceremony must have green rice cakes (banh com) and husband-and-wife cakes (banh phu the), or forgetting peanut candy enjoyed with tea, which has long been beautiful in the poetry, music, and painting of the Vietnamese people.
Green rice cake (Banh com) – a specialty of Hanoi's autumn
From the US – North Korea Summit, we need to reflect on what we must do to preserve and promote the good things of the country and the people of Vietnam. So that international friends coming to Vietnam will have to exclaim many more times: 'I have never eaten any cake as delicious as this, your green rice cake is truly wonderful'. Or: 'Hanoi Bun Cha, Hanoi Pho are number 1 in the world'. Or 'Vietnam's scenery is absolutely beautiful, and the traditional customs of the ethnic groups are also multi-colored'. I will certainly return to Vietnam in the not-too-distant future.
