Third Republic of Vietnam

The Provisional National Government of Vietnam was formed by former soldiers and refugees from the former South Vietnamese regime on 21 October 1990 and was officially founded on 16 February 1991, led by Prime Minister Dao Minh Quan, who was elected by the representatives of three generations of Vietnamese diaspora in the United States. He succeeded Mr. Nguyen Tran who was elected as Prime Minister previously.

In November 2018, Prime Minister Quan Minh Dao was reelected as the new President of the newly created "Third Republic of Vietnam". The inauguration ceremony was held at the base in Adelanto and at the Hilton Hotel. Participants came from numerous countries, including Australia and Vietnam. During the ceremony, the US government's staff gave speeches and expressed hope that the newly elected President would work closely with the US.

In January 2018, the government in exile was labeled by the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security as a "terrorist organization", claiming the group was responsible for plans to commit "acts of terrorism and sabotage, and assassinate officials."[1]

People affiliated with the organization have been arrested and convicted in Vietnam of "operations to overthrow the people's administration". Citing that the Third Republic of Vietnam aims to overthrow the government, and linking them to an arson at a police facility and a bombing at an airport, officials have charged several dozen political activists, resulting in prison sentences of up to 14 years.[2][3]

Outside of Vietnamese media, there is very little coverage of the organization or their alleged connection with terrorism. The communist Vietnamese government routinely jails activists, including US citizen Michael Nguyen in July 2018 while on vacation with his family. He was accused of planning a protest at an APEC event in 2017, and was recently sentenced to 12 years in prison.[4][5] The U.S. Embassy spokesman in Hanoi stated the DTVNCH is not designated as a terrorist group by the US Department of State.[1]

Quan Minh Dao has always expressed opposition towards the current Vietnamese government, seen notably in his letter to a California court:[6]

Dear Judges of the Court:

I, the undersigned, Mr. Đào Minh Quân, an ethnic Vietnamese, a U.S. citizen and symbolically a citizen of the free world. I am acting as Prime Minister of The Provisional National Government of Vietnam by virtue of voting of the people, consisting of three generations, aged from 18 to over 60. This government was formed in exile since October 21, 1990, in the USA.

With all due respects, on behalf of the people whom I represent, I would like to file a petition to The Court requesting an investigation on war crimes such as genocides, torture, repression, terror, massacre done by the Communists of Vietnam and China since Hồ Chí Minh started the communist regimes in our fatherland of Vietnam. Under the protection of the law of the international tribunal of the ICC and that of the United States of America, we allege these crimes against all criminals involved throughout the period of 1930's, and continuing to this very day. These criminals must be tried and prosecuted under the provision of the law to the full extent. They must be brought to a public hearing in an open court and the judicial proceeding will be administered by my representing attorneys without the need of my presence.