Vietnam-US Relations: Expectations for a Breakthrough Turning Point
(Baonghean.vn) - Twenty-eight years is not a long time in the history of Vietnam-US relations, but what the two countries have achieved has laid the foundation for a pioneering phase and is expected to progress even further in the future.
The visit of US President Joe Biden to Vietnam on September 10-11, 2023, is not only an opportunity for both sides to review the progress made so far, but also to set directions for creating breakthroughs in bilateral relations.
Special milestones
More than a quarter of a century ago, on the night of July 11, 1995 (US time), or the early morning of July 12, 1995 (Vietnam time), US President Bill Clinton officially announced the normalization of diplomatic relations with Vietnam. No one could have imagined that two nations that were once sworn enemies could close the chapter on their painful past and embark on a new chapter in their history. This event held special significance, surpassing the expectations of both those involved and outsiders alike. From this point, Vietnam-US relations made significant progress, culminating in the memorable upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2013. This was the first "framework" established between the two countries since the normalization of relations, setting out frameworks for cooperation between the two countries in many fields and based on fundamental principles such as respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, and international law. According to observers, the past 10 years have been the most robust, comprehensive, and profound period of development in the nearly three-decade-long Vietnam-US relationship.
In fact, after the normalization of diplomatic relations, successive US presidents, whether Democratic or Republican, have chosen Vietnam as a destination for their foreign visits. This demonstrates a strong consensus between the two parties in valuing the relationship with Vietnam. From President Bill Clinton's first visit in 2000, to subsequent visits by Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, all have fostered closer relations between the two countries.
On the Vietnamese side, in June 2005, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visited the United States at the invitation of President George W. Bush. This was the first time a Vietnamese Prime Minister had visited the United States since the war. In recent years, the two countries have had a series of high-level contacts through diplomatic visits and sideline meetings both in the region and on US soil. Most notably, the visit of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to the White House – the first and historic visit by the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam. At that time, the two sides issued a Joint Vision Statement, emphasizing a framework for stable, long-term, and mutually beneficial cooperation, and stressing the guiding principles of the relationship, including the principle of respecting each other's political systems. It can be said that in bilateral relations between countries, high-level diplomatic activities always play the most important role in shaping the level of cooperation and engagement, as well as the importance of each side. Visits between Vietnamese and US leaders have helped to enhance understanding and deepen bilateral relations in recent times.
Outstanding achievements
With diplomacy paving the way, Vietnam-US relations have gained momentum for cooperation in many fields, yielding outstanding results over the past decade. Economic cooperation has always been a highlight in the relationship between the two countries. Over 10 years, bilateral trade has increased more than fivefold, from $25 billion in 2012 to nearly $139 billion in 2022; Vietnam has risen to become the 7th largest trading partner of the United States worldwide. US investment in Vietnam has continuously increased, and investment by Vietnamese businesses in the US is also becoming a growing trend.
Other areas also show positive cooperation, with education being a highlight. Each year, approximately 23,000 to 25,000 Vietnamese students study in the United States; before the Covid-19 pandemic, this number exceeded 31,000 in some years. Vietnam ranks first in Southeast Asia and fifth globally in the number of students studying in the United States. Furthermore, in the tourism sector, visitors from the United States consistently rank among the top five international visitors to Vietnam.
The United States has actively supported Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of war, enhancing the capacity of its coast guard, and assisting Vietnam's international peacekeeping forces. Vietnam, the United States, and other countries actively cooperate in maintaining freedom of navigation and enforcing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the South China Sea. The United States also actively supports Vietnam in combating climate change, rising sea levels, and various health and medical programs in Vietnam.
Over the 10 years of the Comprehensive Partnership, Vietnam-US relations have developed in all aspects, from politics and economics to building trust and creating a mutually beneficial cooperation environment in the shared space of the Asia-Pacific region, including ASEAN, for common peace and prosperity.
Belief in the future
Nearly three decades have passed, and Vietnam-US relations have made significant strides, not only in areas of cooperation that can be measured in numerical terms, but more importantly, in strengthening trust between the two sides and enhancing mutual respect for each other's institutions. This is a crucial foundation for further progress in bilateral relations, especially given the considerable potential for future cooperation.
The strategies, policies, and perspectives of both Vietnam and the United States place this bilateral relationship at the heart of their overall future development. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy clearly states that Vietnam and its partnership play a central role in the U.S. commitment to this crucial region.
In March, during a phone call with US President Joe Biden, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong proposed that the two countries prioritize economic, scientific, and technological cooperation as the driving force for their relationship. According to experts, trade and investment remain the core of the Vietnam-US bilateral relationship. The US seeks a secure and flexible semiconductor supply chain from Vietnam, while Vietnam seeks greater investment and access to the US market amidst global economic volatility. During her visit to Vietnam in July, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen appeared to reinforce the US commitment to supporting Vietnam's economic reforms and global integration, promoting the shift in supply chain operations to give Vietnam a privileged position in the US global supply chain. Vietnam's reforms in its trained workforce, green energy, and highly specialized suppliers are also opening opportunities to attract more US FDI.
According to Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the progress in relations between Vietnam and the United States, while not yet explicitly named, already possesses a "strategic character." The changing domestic and international context over the past decade presents opportunities for both countries to find new avenues of cooperation and define this promising relationship.
U.S. President Joe Biden will pay a two-day state visit to Vietnam on September 10-11 at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. This is President Biden's first visit to Vietnam since taking office in early 2021 and also the first U.S. President to visit at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The event coincides with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries.
