It’s been 50 years since the war between the United States and Vietnam ended and nearly 28 years since the two countries normalized relations. In that time, the two nations have forged a relationship that is robust, dynamic, and consequential, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a recent visit to Hanoi. His focus, said Secretary Blinken, remained “on how the United States can continue to support Vietnam’s success – which is good for the Vietnamese people, for Americans, and indeed for the entire region.”
“Our countries are collaborating on an incredibly broad range of shared interests, and we believe that by supporting Vietnam’s ambitions we advance our own, from the creation of American jobs and the strengthening of American businesses, to progress on the climate crisis that affects us all, to preventing pandemics,” he said.
The United States and Vietnam work together on the international stage to promote broad-based prosperity in Vietnam and throughout the region, said Secretary Blinken. “We’re also growing our bilateral economic partnership,” he said.
“The U.S. is helping Vietnam double down on key reforms it’s embraced – including on labor, intellectual property, fair trade – which have made it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world,” he said. “We believe that Vietnam can achieve its goal of becoming a connected, high-income country by 2045 by pursuing growth that lifts up all communities, while building resilience to adapt to climate change.”
Indeed, “We know Vietnam is increasingly vulnerable to threats posed by the climate crisis,” said Secretary Blinken. “As Vietnam takes steps to become a leader on climate energy transition, the United States is investing in that tremendous potential. We’re launching new bilateral climate initiatives … which do everything from conserving ecosystems and reducing emissions from rice farming in the Mekong Delta, to expanding a market-driven clean energy system and scaling up adoption of electric vehicles, to leveraging our private sectors to drive climate action.”
And last but not least, “We’re finalizing the transfer of the third U.S. Coast Guard cutter to Vietnam, complementing a fleet of 24 patrol boats and other equipment, training, and operational facilities that we’ve provided since 2016. All of these efforts bolster Vietnam’s capacity to contribute to maritime peace and stability in the South China Sea,” said Secretary Blinken.
“The United States is committed to supporting a strong, prosperous, independent, and resilient Vietnam. And we respect Vietnam’s right to shape its future under its own political system.”
