Priority is given to upgrading US-Vietnam relations

On the afternoon of April 20, in the first press conference since arriving in Vietnam in January this year, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper discussed the US-Vietnam bilateral partnership as well as the US’s priorities. as an ambassador.

Right time

Mr. Marc Knapper said that since returning to Vietnam as an ambassador in January 2022, he has noticed a great change, especially the strong development of this country. And he spent the first 3 months learning about Vietnam again.

“We have developed our relationship in every way possible. Our relationship has developed in a way that I honestly could not have imagined 15 years ago. Our relationship has developed. what it is today is thanks to the dedication, hard work and goodwill of hundreds of thousands of people from both countries over the past three decades who have worked very hard to build trust between the two sides. promote that relationship of cooperation as well as trust” – Ambassador Knapper shared.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper met the press at the beginning of his term in Vietnam. Photo: HUU HUNG

The Ambassador said that one of the foundations for the two sides to develop bilateral relations is to coordinate in solving outstanding problems after the war, dealing with dioxin pollution hotspots, handling unexploded mines, searching for missing people in the war on both sides.

He said the US priority now is to upgrade the relationship with Vietnam from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership. “This is a responsibility that I am taking on,” he said. He said that upgrading relations between the two countries is certainly not only the ambassador’s personal priority, but also the priority of the US administration.

The Ambassador analyzed that the upgrade of relations not only accurately represents the current relationship between the two countries, but also opens up opportunities to deepen and expand cooperation between the two sides: Strengthening cooperation in the fields of many fields, politics – security, economy, energy…

The increasingly prominent role of Vietnam

Ambassador Marc Knapper emphasized Vietnam’s strong economic growth and its increasingly prominent role in the region and in the world. The administration of President Joe Biden has just announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, an initiative designed to go beyond a free trade agreement.

Through this framework, the US will promote the fields of decarbonization, the digital economy, and strengthen the resilience of the supply chain. The US is talking to friends, partners and allies in the region to invite them to participate in this initiative.

Ambassador Knapper said that the US – ASEAN Summit in May is a great opportunity for the US to welcome regional leaders, including Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

At the same time, he emphasized, since the Clinton administration, all US presidents have visited Vietnam. “I hope to welcome our President to Vietnam in the future,” the ambassador said.

Regarding the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ambassador Knapper said that medical cooperation between the two countries began 15-16 years ago. “So far, the US has provided nearly 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Vietnam, the US will continue to cooperate with Vietnam to deal with the pandemic as long as this is still necessary,” he said. speak.

Regarding economic cooperation, the Ambassador said that there is still a lot of potential. For example, in the energy sector, many US companies want to be a part of Vietnam’s efforts to develop a green, decarbonized economy towards achieving the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

“Vietnamese leaders understand our views and concerns. When we achieve the goal of upgrading relations, it can be said that only the sky is the limit in the relationship between the two countries. Vietnam. and the US will do many things together,” said Ambassador Knapper.