Prime Minister's working trip to the United States: Affirming Vietnam's consistent foreign policy

On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will lead a Vietnamese delegation to visit and work in the United States and the United Nations (UN) from May 11-17, 2022 in Washington DC, USA.

The working trip of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation once again affirmed Vietnam's consistent viewpoint in implementing an independent, self-reliant foreign policy for peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralizing and diversifying foreign relations; being a friend, a reliable partner and an active, responsible member of the international community; ensuring the highest national interests on the basis of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law, equality, cooperation and mutual benefit.

At the 9th ASEAN-US Summit held online (October 26, 2021), US President Joe Biden emphasized that ASEAN-US relations are of special importance to the future of the region.

Vietnam builds an independent and self-reliant economy on the basis of multilateralization and diversification of foreign economic relations, avoiding dependence on a specific market or partner, while proactively integrating internationally actively, deeply, substantially and effectively, taking internal strength as fundamental, strategic, long-term and decisive, and external strength as important and breakthrough.

Strengthening and deepening ASEAN-US relations

The Prime Minister's working trip takes place in the context of the ASEAN-US partnership established in 1977, going through many stages, achieving positive results on different levels, including political-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation. After 45 years, trust has been enhanced, trade and investment have been strengthened, and people-to-people exchanges have been promoted.

The two sides regularly have exchanges at all levels through various mechanisms, including the annual ASEAN-US Summit, the East Asia Forum (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), etc.

The United States is a major trading partner of ASEAN with total trade estimated at 362 billion USD in 2021, nearly double that of 2009. The United States has also been the largest provider of FDI in Southeast Asia for many years.

In the context of many complex international and regional issues, strengthening and deepening the ASEAN-US relationship is essential and is a common concern of both sides, including President Joe Biden personally.

In that spirit, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN-US relations, ASEAN leaders accepted the invitation of the US President to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit.

This activity is a continuation of high-level exchanges between ASEAN and the United States, affirming the commitments of both sides to cooperation in building trust, promoting economic and trade relations and enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.

ASEAN and the United States held a Summit in Sunnylands, the United States in 2016. The two sides then agreed to hold the Summit in March 2020 but were forced to postpone it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is expected that at this Conference, ASEAN leaders and the US President will review and evaluate the overall journey of the bilateral partnership over the past 45 years and propose important orientations for developing ASEAN-US relations in the coming time, while also spending time discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Within the framework of the Special Summit, ASEAN and the United States are also expected to have separate, in-depth discussions on cooperation issues of mutual interest such as economy, trade, investment, maritime cooperation and security, post-pandemic response and recovery, climate change response, energy, science and technology, sustainable infrastructure development, etc.

Promoting the spirit of proactiveness, positivity and responsibility, the Vietnamese delegation will fully and appropriately participate in the activities within the framework of this Special Summit, contributing to the discussion and exchange contents in the spirit of sincerity, trust and cooperation, contributing to promoting the ASEAN-US strategic partnership to new heights for peace, stability and sustainable prosperity in the region and the world.

This is also an opportunity for Vietnamese leaders to meet directly with ASEAN leaders to promote bilateral cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received US Vice President Kamala Harris during her visit to Vietnam, August 25, 2021.

More major investment projects between Vietnam and the United States

After 20 years of establishing diplomatic relations, Vietnam - US relations have made great strides on the basis of mutual benefit, respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions.

For Vietnam, the United States is one of the most important partners. Vietnam and the United States established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2013. The United States has repeatedly affirmed its support for an independent, prosperous and developed Vietnam, and wishes to bring relations with Vietnam to a new level.

Bilateral trade turnover increased rapidly and steadily, reaching more than 11 billion USD in 2021, an increase of nearly 21 billion USD compared to 2020. The United States is also a major investor in Vietnam, with 1,135 projects with a total registered capital of more than 10 billion USD, ranking 11th out of 141 countries and territories with FDI in Vietnam.

Recently, large US enterprises continue to pay attention to and invest in the Vietnamese market: Intel announced an additional investment of nearly 500 million USD in its factory in Ho Chi Minh City; Apple's main manufacturing partner (Foxconn) added an investment of 270 million USD in Bac Giang...

The US side expressed its willingness to promote cooperation in areas of interest to Vietnam such as infrastructure development, supply chains, energy, and digital economy. On March 29, 2022, Vietnam's Vinfast Group signed a contract to build a $4 billion electric vehicle and battery factory in North Carolina.

The two countries have actively cooperated in the fight against COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery. The United States is the leading country in providing vaccines to Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism, having provided nearly 40 million doses of vaccines to Vietnam through this mechanism along with many other medical supplies and equipment for epidemic prevention. When the epidemic situation in the United States was urgent, Vietnam supported the United States with personal protective equipment and antibacterial cloth masks, which were highly appreciated and valued by the United States.

Defense and security cooperation and overcoming the consequences of war continue to be maintained and promoted. The two sides continue to strengthen cooperation in areas such as climate change response, education, training, and exchange on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Cooperation between Vietnam and the United Nations is of great significance.

Over the past 45 years since joining the UN (September 1977), Vietnam has always been a responsible member, actively contributing to the common efforts of the UN, notably implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), participating in UN peacekeeping activities, successfully assuming the role of a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term and the role of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, thereby affirming Vietnam's new position and stature in the international arena.

The UN development system plays an important role in supporting Vietnam's socio-economic development. During the 2017-2021 period, the UN supported Vietnam with more than 423 million USD in socio-economic development.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has so far received nearly 50 million doses of vaccine through the COVAX Program (exceeding COVAX's initial commitment of 38.9 million doses) and medical supplies worth 45 million USD from UN organizations.

Vietnam has proposed a resolution to mark December 27 as the International Day for Epidemic Preparedness and Response, which was approved by the UN General Assembly. Vietnam has also contributed US$50,000 to the UN COVID-19 Response Fund and US$1 million to COVAX, becoming a point of entry and treatment for patients under the UN MEDEVAC mechanism.

At the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made Vietnam's strong commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, joining the Global Commitment to Reduce Methane Emissions, the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use, the Declaration on Transition from Coal to Clean Power, and the Global Alliance for Adaptation Action.

In the field of UN peacekeeping, Vietnam has sent 493 military officers to peacekeeping missions; deployed 4 field hospitals No. 2 and 1 engineering team; and is one of the countries with the highest proportion of female participation among the countries sending troops.

The two sides have approved the Vietnam-UN Strategic Cooperation Framework for the 2022-2026 period with key areas being inclusive social development, resilience to climate change, natural disasters and environmental sustainability, economic transformation and governance with a total budget of over 542 million USD, an increase of over 100 million USD compared to the 2017-2021 period.

Over the past 45 years, cooperation between Vietnam and the United Nations has been of great significance, from the period of post-war national reconstruction to the period of breaking the embargo and gradually integrating more deeply into the international community. Vietnam-UN cooperation has achieved good results and had positive effects, meeting Vietnam's requirements and interests in each period, while contributing to enhancing Vietnam's role, voice and "imprint" of contributions at the United Nations.

These results will facilitate the joint efforts of Vietnam and the UN in overcoming existing shortcomings, expanding and further enhancing the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation, actively supporting Vietnam's national development and international integration, and contributing to enhancing the role of the UN in the new era.

Within the framework of the COP26 Conference in the UK, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on November 1, 2021.

Strong commitment and positive contribution of Vietnam

This working trip of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is of great significance in implementing the foreign policy of the Party and State; affirming Vietnam's position and responsibility in ASEAN, promoting ASEAN's position and central role, and promoting ASEAN's cooperation with the United States, an important partner of ASEAN.

The visit is expected to create momentum to promote the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership to develop effectively, in-depth, and stably in the long term in all fields of politics - diplomacy, economics - trade - investment, science - technology, education - training, overcoming the consequences of war...

The visit demonstrates Vietnam's strong commitment and active contribution to peace and stability in the world, contributing to strengthening the comprehensive and effective cooperation between Vietnam and the United Nations in the context of Vietnam and the United Nations celebrating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the partnership (1977-2022); at the same time, taking advantage of the UN's active support for Vietnam's sustainable socio-economic development, self-reliance after the pandemic, response to climate change, implementation of SDG goals, and deployment of peacekeeping operations.

The visit also aims to implement "Conclusion No. 12 -- KL/TW dated August 12, 2021 of the Politburo on the work of overseas Vietnamese in the new situation", demonstrating the concern and care for the Vietnamese community in the United States, wishing overseas Vietnamese to continue to stay attached to the country, making practical and effective contributions to socio-economic development and national defense.