“The past ten years have been the period of strongest and most substantial development of relations between Vietnam and the United States in all fields,” said Vinh, who took office as Vietnam’s ambassador to Washington. in November 2014, more than a year after the two countries strengthened their relations. a global partnership.
Although Vietnam and the United States normalized relations in 1995, they did not have a proper framework for entering into cooperative agreements until they became comprehensive partners.
Since relations strengthened, the two countries have shown increasing interest in political cooperation, Vinh said, highlighting the regular high-level visits of the two sides, including President Barack Obama in 2016, President Donald Trump in 2019. and Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu. Trong in July 2015.
Vinh said Trong’s visit was the first by a Vietnamese Communist Party leader to the United States and therefore carried the most significant symbolic meaning of respect for each other’s political systems.
Washington had some hesitation at the time, and American leaders were unsure whether Obama and Trong should meet, because Trong was the Party leader but not the head of state.
“But then the countries agreed that they were both leaders of the political system and they could meet,” Vinh said.
The two leaders agreed to leave the past behind, look to the future and respect each other’s political system, he said, adding that they even issued a statement envisaging the two countries to further expand their relationships in the future.
Bilateral economic relations have also been strengthened, Vinh said.
Trade turnover between the two countries increased from around $23 billion a decade ago to $123 billion.
As President Trump continued his “America First” policy, Vietnam also took steps to solidify its position in the American business circle, thereby securing benefits for both the United States and itself. even.
Like many other countries, Vietnam has signed trade and investment framework agreements with the United States, buying more liquefied gas and aircraft from the United States, and launching major projects with the United States. , to show that his goal was not for the United States to run a trade deficit. in relations between the two countries, declared the former ambassador, in office until the end of June 2018.
Defense cooperation has also grown strongly, with US aircraft carrier visits to Vietnam and dioxin clean-up projects at former US air bases at Da Nang and Bien Hoa airports. The recovery of the remains of American soldiers missing in action is also an important cooperative project. And the United States even helped Vietnam identify the remains of its own martyrs.
As Vietnam and the United States prepare for President Joe Biden’s first visit to Vietnam next week, Vinh said relations between the two countries have continued to grow stronger. He said the two sides share a respect for peace, stability and order based on international law, including in the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea.
The two countries want to strengthen regional cooperation to confront unconventional security challenges, he said. “Climate change, pandemics, water security and sea level rise are among the priority issues for both the United States and Vietnam.”
During their telephone conversation on March 29, Trong and Biden also agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries.
“We can see that both parties have reached a certain maturity in the basics of developing their relationship and also want to work on raising it to a new level in the times to come, especially as they celebrate the 10th anniversary (of the partnership overall),” Vinh said.
He said Biden’s upcoming visit will deepen and pave the way for further development of relations, consolidating cooperation in current areas and opening up cooperation in new areas, including economy, trade and government. investment.
“The visit will also contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and political trust, thereby helping to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.”
