I was lucky enough to visit ASW offices during a very special occasion – President Barack Obama’s official three-day visit to Vietnam. This is definitely a great opportunity to show the world how peaceful and promising Vietnam is, 40 years after the war.

It is an exciting experience to see how the visit has triggered the eagerness and friendliness of the Vietnamese people in general, and citizens in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City specifically. Even though the main roads we’re partly blocked, they cannot restrain the public from crowding the sidewalks and waving at the President of the United States (POTUS) and his escort, maybe out of their curiosity and welcoming tradition. The President was able to dine in a local restaurant (with the famous chef Anthony Bourdain), have a chat on the street side store and visit an ancient pagoda without any security threat. Vietnam is such a peaceful haven!

Putting aside many political and economic decisions like lifting arms ban and $11.3B order between Vietjet and Boeing, the POTUS and his advisors also win the Vietnamese applause and respect through his witty and influential speeches at the National Convention Centre, and later in front of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). YSEALI was launched in 2013, starting from an initiative of President Barack Obama to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia.

Through the official visits of leaders from all around the world and the instant media coverage, I hope Vietnam would successfully convey and transmit the image of an Asian country – full of dynamic, prospects and opportunities.

*The image belongs to Thanh Nien Newspaper and is extracted from this article.