General Secretary and President: Vietnam - US create a model in international relations

On the afternoon of September 22, New York time (morning of September 23, Vietnam time) in the US, General Secretary and President To Lam attended an event to celebrate the 1st anniversary of upgrading relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; towards the 30th anniversary of establishing Vietnam-US diplomatic relations.

The event was attended by former Secretary of State John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change; Senator Dan Sullivan, many senior officials and former officials in the government, along with many American friends and the Vietnamese community in the US.

Reviewing the history of Vietnam-US relations, General Secretary and President To Lam said that this is a rare process and a model in international relations in healing and building relations after the war.

Although the two countries had their first exchanges more than two centuries ago, they had to go through many challenges and ups and downs, from former enemies in war to friends and developed the relationship into a Comprehensive Partnership in 2013.

"Thirty years ago, perhaps the most optimistic person could not have imagined how Vietnam and the US could overcome the pain of war to build and develop a strong and positive relationship like today," the General Secretary and President affirmed.

After 10 years of implementing the Comprehensive Partnership framework, important steps have been made in strengthening trust and enhancing mutual understanding, creating a solid foundation for the two countries to upgrade their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development in 2023.

The General Secretary and President said that this result is the crystallization of countless efforts to mend and build lasting trust over three decades by many generations of leaders, governments, National Assemblies and people of the two countries.

The General Secretary and President welcomed the encouraging results achieved by both sides after one year of upgrading the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. There is still much room for both sides to continue deepening and developing the bilateral relationship...

General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that more importantly, it helps both sides build trust, an important foundation so that "we can together build a bright vision for the bilateral relationship in the future, so that our two peoples and our descendants will always be good friends and partners of each other" as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated during his historic visit to the US in 2015.

Vietnam - US Relations - A Beautiful Picture Woven by Many People

Looking forward to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-US diplomatic relations in 2025, General Secretary and President To Lam suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen close coordination to effectively implement the Vietnam-US Joint Statement in 2023...

General Secretary and President To Lam quoted the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Over the past 30 years, the two sides have joined hands to create a historical highlight of a model in international relations, like a beautiful picture woven by the contributions and efforts of many people, both typical leaders and those who have quietly worked and whose names are not yet known.

If we compare each action, no matter how small, to a thread, when woven together and linked together, it will weave a picture of the future, weave extraordinary things.

Speaking at the event, former Secretary of State John Kerry shared his personal experiences witnessing the difficulties in the process of normalizing and promoting relations between the two countries.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry affirmed that thanks to the efforts of generations of leaders and people on both sides, today the two countries are not only happy to have found a formula to promote healing and end the war, but also have the opportunity to do what the second President of the United States, John Adams, once said: "Together, we give the young generation opportunities that our generation could not imagine."

As a friend of Vietnam, Mr. John Kerry expressed his wish that next year the two sides will mark the anniversary by looking forward to the future together.

Meanwhile, Senator Dan Sullivan expressed his appreciation for the contributions of generations of US congressmen, such as the late Senator John McCain and former Senator John Kerry, to the process of normalizing and promoting relations between the two countries.

Senator Sullivan affirmed that the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership enjoys bipartisan support from the US, with great potential for development. He also emphasized that the US Congress will continue to support a “strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous” Vietnam, a country with a leading role in the region.

Previously, General Secretary and President To Lam had a meeting with the leadership of the Asia Society Policy Research Institute and some American friends.

The General Secretary and President highly appreciated Dr. Kang Kyung Wha's personal interest and support for Vietnam in his previous position as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea and current position as President of Asia Society. The Vietnamese leaders hope that the Asia Society's Board of Directors will continue to support the strengthening of cooperative relations with Vietnam and ASEAN.

General Secretary and President To Lam also sent his thanks to American friends such as former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russell, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Kritenbrink, Ambassador Marc Knapper... who have made many important contributions to the relationship between the two countries.

After nearly 80 years of national founding and nearly 40 years of renovation, Vietnam is ready to enter a new historical starting point, a new era - the era of the Vietnamese people's rise. Vietnam hopes to continue to receive strong support and companionship from the international community in general and the US in particular in this process.

The Asia Society's leadership and American friends affirmed that they will continue to support the Vietnam - US relationship and are ready to accompany Vietnam in its process of rising up and developing strongly.