The US Ambassador prioritizes promoting the upgrading of relations with Vietnam

Achievements of Vietnam – US relations

On the afternoon of April 20, in the first meeting with the press since the beginning of his working term in Vietnam, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper said he noticed the drastic change and development of Vietnam compared to 15 years ago – when he worked in Hanoi. Vietnam plays an increasingly prominent role globally, the number of American visitors to Vietnam and Vietnamese students in the US increased sharply before the COVID-19 epidemic… However, according to Ambassador Knapper, one thing is not That change is the warmth and hospitality of the Vietnamese people.

Over the past 3 months, Ambassador Knapper has “rediscovered” Vietnam, met with leaders of the Government, businesses, scholars, and tried to travel to Vietnam as much as possible. He has been to Ho Chi Minh City 4 times, visiting Mekong DeltaCan Tho, Hai Phong.

The Ambassador emphasized that, in the past time, the US and Vietnam have expanded their relationship in all aspects, from trade, investment, energy, health cooperation, maritime security, culture, etc. people exchange. “Relationships developed in a way that I could not have imagined 15 years ago,” said Ambassador Knapper.

According to the US Ambassador, one of the platforms on which the two sides develop their bilateral relationship is cooperation in dealing with war legacy, dioxin hotspots, demining, and searching for people missing in war. This is the way to lay the foundation for the relationship between the two countries, build trust, reconcile and build a path to the future.

“The relationship between the two countries has been built on the dedication and goodwill of hundreds of thousands of people over the past three decades. Benefiting from the efforts of my predecessors and generations of both Vietnam and the United States, I will continue to promote the relationship and trust between the two countries. This is a mission that I attach great importance to,” said Ambassador Knapper.

Relationship upgrade

In response to Lao Dong’s question, Ambassador Knapper said that upgrading the US-Vietnam relationship from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic one is not only a priority during his term but also a priority of the government. US government. US Vice President Kamala Harris visiting Vietnam in 2021 underlined the strong desire of the United States that it is time to upgrade relations between the two countries.

2023 marks 10 years since the United States and Vietnam established a comprehensive partnership. According to Ambassador Knapper, this is a great time to upgrade the bilateral relationship, because it not only accurately represents the cooperation between the two countries, but also opens up the opportunity to deepen cooperation opportunities between the two countries. beside. However, the upgrade of relations depends on the workings between the two sides, but Ambassador Knapper expressed his wish that this becomes a reality as soon as possible.

According to Ambassador Knapper, the two countries have done many things together at the government and people level, affecting the lives and livelihoods between the two countries. The US and Vietnam share a common goal of security, promoting prosperity, and working together to create the foundation for the prosperity of the two countries. “If this is not a strategic partnership, then I don’t know what is strategic,” said Ambassador Knapper.

Vietnam’s position in the new Indo-Pacific strategy

Answering Lao Dong’s question about Vietnam’s position in the Indo-Pacific Strategy The new strategy of the US, Ambassador Knapper said, the new strategy announced by the administration of President Joe Biden not long ago can in some way be seen as the roadmap that the US wants to develop with the world in general and Vietnam. South in particular. Part of this roadmap includes upgrading the bilateral relationship, which means strengthening cooperation in all aspects.

Ambassador Knapper noted, when considering the Indo-Pacific strategy “we have an active agenda, to show what the US stands for, not what the US is against”. The United States supports a free and open Indo-Pacific region, in which people of all countries can move freely, goods can be freely traded by sea and air, countries make decisions based on on their own interests, not subject to external coercion.

The US supports building connectivity among countries in the region and supports ASEAN’s central role in solving regional and world problems. The United States wants to ensure that the nations of the region prosper through trade and investment.

“What the US does with Vietnam are all aspects of this strategy. We share with Vietnam the desire for a prosperous, open, connected, and resilient Indo-Pacific region,” said Ambassador Knapper.

Promoting Vietnam-US trade relations in the context of post-pandemic recovery

Ambassador Marc Knapper said that one of the bright spots in the past 3 months since he came to Vietnam was the contacts with the American and Vietnamese business communities. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business communities of the two sides want to make economic and trade relations stronger than before.

“One of my duties is to make sure that the American business there is a level playing field in Vietnam and welcomes Vietnamese businesses to invest in the US. That is why we are excited about the news that VinFast invests in North Carolina. That not only shows confidence in the US economy and American workers, but also shows confidence in the future of US-Vietnam relations,” said Ambassador Knapper.

Regarding the US economic cooperation participation in the region, Ambassador Knapper emphasized that President Joe Biden announced the Indo-Pacific economic framework – built beyond the framework of the trade agreement. commercial. Accordingly, the US not only cooperates with the region on trade and investment, but also expands to other areas such as the digital economy, strengthening the resilience of the supply chain, etc.

Many American companies want to participate in Vietnam’s transition to a greener, cleaner, and to participate in Vietnam’s decarbonization process. Many US companies in the field of renewable energy with modern futuristic technology want to compete in Vietnam and export to Vietnam, thereby promoting the trade relationship between the two countries.

The US is ready to deliver the third patrol boat to Vietnam

Also at the press conference, Ambassador Knapper said that the US is committed to helping improve Vietnam’s maritime security assurance capacity. Part of these efforts is The US has provided two patrol boats to the Vietnam Coast Guard and is ready to deliver the third patrol boat to Vietnam. The two sides are in the process of discussing this issue.

Cooperation in response to COVID-19

Regarding medical cooperation and COVID-19 prevention, Ambassador Knapper said The US has supported Vietnam with nearly 40 million doses of vaccine COVID-19 prevention “because the two countries are friends, not because we expect anything in return. We will continue to cooperate with Vietnam in response to COVID-19 for as long as this requirement of cooperation is still necessary.”