New vitality for Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
WVR - Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States, Chairman of the Vietnam-US Association, shared his thoughts about a special year in the bilateral relationship, from former enemies to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
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| Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh delivered a remark in a farewell event with friends and American politicians before the end of his term as Vietnamese Ambassador to the US in 2018. (Photo: WVR) |
Evaluating the upgrade of Vietnam and the United States to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership a year ago, Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh said that this event not only encapsulated the elevation of bilateral relations between the two countries, but also demonstrates the depth and breadth of Vietnam’s foreign policy.
2023 is a crucial milestone in Vietnam’s foreign affairs, as it created a new strategic position that provided favorable conditions for development, a stable security environment and boosted Vietnam’s position on the global landscape. The elevation of Vietnam-US relations to a new height is a part of the former’s foreign policy. Clearly, this event has created new momentum for the bilateral relations and the implementation of Vietnam’s foreign policy.
Vibrant in all areas
Looking back over the year, Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh commented that the “vitality” of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been blown into every corner of Vietnam-US relations. First, there has been an increase in high-level and all-level contacts. In the last 12 months, the President, Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Planning and Investment, members of the National Assembly and other senior leaders of Vietnam have visited the US, with the upcoming important visit of General Secretary, President To Lam. Meanwhile, the US side also sent congressional delegations and large-scale business delegations to Vietnam. Notably, organized by the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), a delegation of over 50 leading US businesses paid a working visit to Vietnam in March.
Through dialogue mechanisms on diplomacy, defense, economy, human rights, etc., the two sides constantly updated the situation and proposed new action programs, in order to promote cooperation and create further breakthroughs for bilateral cooperation. Commitments, be it large or small, between the Vietnam and the US in all fields from economics-trade, security-defense, education, environment to addressing war legacies are vivid evidences of a vibrant and effective year between the two countries residing on both sides of the Pacific.
Notably, the two sides also initiated new areas in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to promote cooperation such as starting capacity building in the semiconductor industry, training human resources for innovation, energy transition, and green transition. Recently, on September 11, the US announced the launch of a new $4 million ITSI-CHIPS Workforce Accelerator Program to promote capacity building in the semiconductor industry in Vietnam.
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| Vietnam-US Friendship Exchange Festival hosted at Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hanoi on 12 December 2023. (Photo: Vietnam Times) |
People’s diplomacy - a crucial piece
Since the upgrade of Vietnam-US relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, people’s diplomacy, as a central piece of the bilateral relations, has expanded many areas of cooperation. Over the past year, the Vietnam-US Association, under the direction of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), has organized many activities to welcome friendship delegations, traditional friends, along with meetings with veterans and their families from both sides. At the same time, the Vietnam-US Association has continued to promote cooperation with humanitarian organizations to clear bombs and mines and help victims of war.
In addition, the Vietnam-US Association has expanded its participation in new areas such as promoting student and university exchanges; hosting dialogue on religion, democracy and human rights with the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) or the United States Institute of Peace (USIP); joining Vietnamese businesses in attending the SelectUSA Investment Summit in the US…
Another milestone for the Vietnam-US Association that cannot be overlooked was its participation in organizing the first Vietnam-US Friendship Exchange Festival at Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hanoi in December 2023. The festival attracted approximately 3,000 participants with activities introducing the culture, characteristics of the two countries, people-to-people diplomacy through booths showcasing the cuisine, tourism, as well as traditional Vietnamese costumes such as Ao Dai, activities of VUFO, Vietnam-US Association, US non-governmental organizations in Vietnam, trade, health, environment... This belonged to a series of events celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Partnership and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two sides.
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| A ceremony to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Viet Nam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) and the 35th Anniversary of the Joint operation to search for US servicemen who were reported missing in action (MIA) in June 2023. (Photo: Duc Khai) |
According to Ambassador Vinh, throughout the history of Vietnam-US relations, people-to-people diplomacy has always bene a bridge that build trust and enhance understanding between the two countries, turning former enemies to partners, comprehensive partners and now comprehensive strategic partners.
Established on 17 October, 1945, the Vietnam-US Association has gone through ups and downs of the bilateral relationship. During the war, there were still American movements supporting the Vietnamese cause. Later, during the embargo period, many American people supported the removal of the embargo and normalization of relations with Vietnam. Currently, both sides are facing a new context, as they became Strategic Partners with the goal of developing strong, extensive cooperation comprehensively. The 13th National Party Congress outlined the policy of building a comprehensive, modern diplomacy on three pillars: party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, while Directive No. 12-CT/TW of the Secretariat requires improving the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in the new context.
On that basis, the Vietnam-US Association has identified a number of “bullet points” for the upcoming time. First, strengthening relations with the network of traditional friends. Second, expanding the network of the Association’s partners, creating interwoven connections for the benefit of both sides. Third, innovating the method of operation, widening the field of participation, enhancing the understanding of both sides in all fields, not limited to friendly activities and addressing war legacies, but also expanded to promoting cooperation between the two countries in education, climate change, economy - trade, digital transformation, semiconductors, etc. Finally, becoming a catalyst, promoting the connection between the US and Vietnamese partners, especially provinces, localities and businesses.
Looking to the future, Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh said that Vietnam and the US have many advantages and a good momentum for future developments. “Hopefully, the bilateral exchanges in the coming period, including the working visit of General Secretary, President To Lam in the US, will further increasing the attractiveness of Vietnam, adding vitality to promote the bilateral relationship in all fields from politics, diplomacy to economy and people-to-people exchange,” Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh expressed his hope.
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| Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh chaired a discussing session of the Conference themed “US-Vietnam: 10 years Comprehensive Partnership in retrospect and prospects of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development” on December 2023. |
