The working visit to the US is the first foreign business trip of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and comes as Vietnam reopens after successfully controlling COVID-19, overcoming a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Comprehensive partnership growing stronger

On August 5, 1995, in Hanoi, US Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam signed the protocol, officially establishing diplomatic relations between the two sides. Soon after, the two countries opened embassies in Washington and Hanoi (in August 1995). In November 2000, President William Bill Clinton visited Vietnam, becoming the first US President to make an official visit to the country. In November 2006, US President George W. Bush paid a 4-day visit to Vietnam to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leader’s Meeting. In June 2007, President Nguyen Minh Triet paid an official visit to the US at the invitation of President George W. Bush.

Box: After Vietnam and the US normalized relations and officially established diplomatic ties, the two sides have overcome the state of conflict to become friends and comprehensive partners.

In June 2008, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited the US at the invitation of President George W. Bush. In July 2013, President Truong Tan Sang visited the US at the invitation of President Barack Obama. In July 2015, the 20th anniversary of the normalization of relations, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid an official visit to the US. After the meeting between the Vietnamese Party chief and US President Barack Obama, the two sides adopted the Vietnam-US Joint Vision Statement, showing the frankness and openness of their discussion on issues previously considered sensitive. In May 2016, US President Barack Obama paid an official visit to Vietnam, where President Obama announced the US’s decision on removing the arms embargo against Vietnam. In May 2017, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid an official visit to the United States at the invitation of President Donald Trump. In November 2017, US President Donald Trump paid a state visit to Vietnam and attended the 2017 APEC Summit from 11-12 November. In February 2019, US President Donald Trump attended the second US-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Summit in Hanoi and had meetings with senior leaders of Vietnam.

Economic-trade cooperation growing dramatically

Along with good political relations, Vietnam-US economic-trade cooperation is seen as the most successful cooperation sector. Trade is the focus, foundation and driving force for the development of the relationship between the two countries. The economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the US is seeing great achievements. The US is Vietnam's largest export market, while Vietnam is the 9th largest trading partner of the US.

Box: Currently, the US is one of Vietnam's largest trading partners. Two-way trade turnover has increased strongly from 450 million USD in 1995 to more than 111 billion USD in 2021. The US continues to be Vietnam's largest export market, and Vietnam is 9th largest trading partner of the United States.

Promoting and maintaining defense-security cooperation

Defense-security cooperation between Vietnam and the US was established since normalization in 1995 and has made positive and substantive progress in dealing with the consequences of war and on to cooperation in various fields. In June 2015, the defense ministers of the two countries signed the Joint Vision Statement on defense cooperation between Vietnam and the US. In particular, on May 23, 2016, within the framework of his official visit to Vietnam, US President Barack Obama announced the complete lifting of the ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam.

Many cooperation opportunities in various fields

In 2000, Vietnam and the US signed an agreement on cooperation in science and technology and established the Joint Committee for Science and Technology Cooperation. The Agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy (Agreement 123) was officially signed on May 6, 2014, opening up great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the potential civil nuclear field.

Box: The working visit to the US by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to create a driving force to promote the development, effectiveness and depth to the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership.

Over the past time, Vietnam and the US have cooperated closely in the fight against COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery. The US was among the countries that provided the most vaccines to Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism./.