Billboards extolling the virtues of Vietnam's ruling communist party now compete for space with international brands such as Heineken, Samsung and Toshiba in this Southeast Asian nation of 90 million. And here in the capital of Hanoi, bicycles and cyclos have given way to high-end scooters, taxis and personal autos as the preferred mode of transportation.
It is an incredible transformation that U.S. President Obama will see during his visit to this country prior to his journey on to Japan for the latest G-7 summit.
But, as economic and geopolitical interests draw the United States and Vietnam together, much unfinished business remains that must be addressed. This includes Vietnam's failing human rights record and incomplete transition to a true market economy.