For the first time since the government of South Vietnam fell, a Vietnamese president will visit the White House. Invited by President Bush during his trip to Sài Gòn last November, President Nguy?n Minh Tri?t undoubtedly will tout the recent economic progress his country has made and will push for further cooperation between our two countries. While Vietnam has made economic reforms, this is only part of the story. Political dissidents are routinely silenced, and religious freedom is systematically suppressed. President Bush is obligated to press these issues during President Tri?t’s visit.

Since early this year, human rights abuses in Vietnam have intensified. Human Rights Watch characterized the ongoing situation in Vietnam as "one of the worst crackdowns on peaceful dissidents in 20 years." In the past three months, Vietnamese officials have renewed their harassment of religious leaders, political dissidents and student activists. Yet you wouldn’t know it from the rhetoric of President Tri?t, who recently described our differences on human rights and democracy as "small" in comparison to our common interests. Perhaps President Tri?t should be reminded of the example of Lê Qu?c Quân, who was arrested on March 8, only four days after returning home to Vietnam from a National Endowment for Democracy fellowship in Washington. His arrest was no expression of common values.

Religious persecution in Vietnam is widespread. Vietnamese police recently arrested several Catholic democracy advocates and dissidents, including Father Thadeus Nguy?n Vân Lý. Lý, a peaceful dissident, was arrested for "conducting propaganda activities to harm the security of state." Buddhist monks are continually detained and interrogated for belonging to the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. When I traveled to Vietnam, I had the opportunity to meet with the Venerable Thích Qu?ng  Ð? while he was under house arrest, along with other Buddhist leaders, and can attest to their suffering persecution. Mennonite and Protestant pastors still are subjected to ongoing political pressure from the Vietnamese Communist government.

It is likely that Vietnam will release some prisoners of conscience before President Tri?t’s visit. Some will point to them as a sign that Vietnam is making strides toward a more politically liberal society. These efforts should not be misconstrued as anything more than political posturing. The Vietnamese community in Orange County — and indeed the country over — will certainly not be taken in by window dressing.

President Tri?t recently characterized his visit to the United States as a chance to strengthen "the friendship and multifaceted cooperation" between our two countries. Indeed, the U.S. and Vietnam have undertaken significant measures toward a normalized relationship; but the status quo in Vietnam remains unacceptable. If we are to bolster our friendship with Vietnam, as President Tri?t wishes, its government must embrace political pluralism in all of its forms. Silencing dissidents and suppressing religious freedoms are not the ways toward a close partnership.

In their discussions, Presidents Bush and Tri?t likely will discuss our growing trade. And rightfully so; trade between Vietnam and the U.S. is booming. From 2001 to 2005, it more than quintupled, going from $1.4 billion to more than $7.6 billion. While greater trade and investment doesn’t guarantee greater political freedom, it helps. I’m confident that American businesses in Vietnam will speed up reform, but we need more.

By publicly pressing President Tri?t on human-rights abuses during his visit, President Bush will send an electrifying message to the Vietnamese that our future relations will be greatly impacted by Vietnam's treatment of its people. Political dissidents would hear President Bush’s remarks via Radio Free Asia, which I long have backed, and a public condemnation of human-rights abuses would bring a much-needed morale boost to political dissenters fighting for freedom. President Bush can offer just that.