Addressing war legacies matter of trust, duty: US

“10 years after the US and Vietnam launched our comprehensive partnership, we built a relationship that’s dynamic, consequential, and growing stronger every day,” Blinken said in a video sent by the U.S Embassy in Vietnam to the press on Monday.

Vietnam and the U.S. are promoting inclusive economic opportunities, as well as digital connectivity, resilient supply chains, fair trade and infrastructure, Blinken said.

“As we look to the future, we remain focused on addressing the legacies of war. We’ll continue to remove unexploded ordnance, clean up dioxin hotspots, account for the missing, among other joint efforts,” he added.

“We’re growing the ties between our people, which are the foundation of our relationship, enabling more students, researchers, entrepreneurs and tourists to collaborate and travel between our countries,” he said. “I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years takes us together.”

The two countries’ bilateral trade turnover has reached around $140 billion. Vietnam is the eighth largest commercial partner for the U.S., while the U.S. is among the top 10 countries with the most investment in Vietnam.

U.S. FDI in Vietnam has reached over $11 billion, with over 1,200 projects, ranking it 11th when it comes to the countries and territories with the most FDI in Vietnam. Around 30,000 Vietnamese students are in the US, contributing $1 billion to its economy.

Vietnam and the U.S. normalized relations in 1995, and upgraded their ties to a “comprehensive partnership” on July 25, 2023.