US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper remained excited when he shared about the upgrading of the US-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership a year ago which he called “historic.” 

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper speaks at the seminar celebrating the 1st anniversary of the upgrading of US-Vietnam relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership held in Hanoi on September 19. Photos: Linh Pham/The Hanoi Times

“I think it’s been an important year for us because it really allows us to expand virtually on every aspect of our countries. This is a relationship which demonstrates the very close and revealing status for the prosperity of the two nations,” Knapper shared with The Hanoi Times.

To take an example of fruitful relations, the ambassador talked about the all-sided cooperation in different fields namely investments, education and training, science and technology, health, environment, and climate change.

“These are all areas of our ties and. I think we ultimately share the goal of improving the lives of our people while promoting security and peace for our peoples and the rest of the world.”

He said the US focus is working with Vietnam to develop high-tech manufacturing that helps build a stronger and then higher value of semiconductors.

Regarding hi-tech investment, he named American leading companies like Intel and others that have made it into Vietnam to promote things like assembling, testing, and packaging of semiconductor wafers and things like chip design.

He said the two sides discussed the ecosystem to ensure that investors have access to reliable, resilient, and renewable sources. Knapper talked about Vietnam’s approval of the Decree on the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) which the US Government applauded.

The US Mission to Vietnam through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) since 2017 on the design, development, and finalization of the DPPA. 

Many young people come to the seminar to hear the ambassador's sharing.

Another field Knapper highlighted is workforce development as hi-tech investors seek to come to Vietnam to expand existing manufacturing facilities or invest in new ones. Therefore, training human resources is part of the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In this regard, reskilling workers are needed in areas like electrical engineering, computer science, and STEM fields, which are “very exciting aspects of our two countries” as the ambassador said.

He went on to say that days ago, a cooperative program was kicked off between the US Department of State, Arizona State University, and Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC) to focus on planning, investment, and programs to promote STEM education.

He said the growth of the relationship was marked by cooperation in the health sector, security and defense proved through high-profile visits made by American navy ships. At the same time, the US Government transferred one more Coast Guard vessel to Vietnam which will arrive in the next few months as part of efforts to expand Vietnam’s defense modernization program.

The ambassador stressed the efforts in addressing the war legacies by cleaning up unexploded ordinance at hotspots and assisting people with disabilities.

Knapper became excited when he talked about next year’s plans. “As we look forward, we have a lot to be proud of as next year we will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of normalization between the two countries. He called it a big deal and a remarkable story thanks to efforts by very courageous people in both countries. He said it’s the bold step of seeking to normalize relations between our two nations after 20 years of separation since the war ended in 1975. He honored individuals from both countries who dared to work as bridges to tighten the relationship.

He said it’s just how far the two countries have come and this relationship continues going. “I think it is limitless in many ways to develop the relationship and we have so much to do together for shared peace, security, stability, and prosperity. As we look forward, I am very proud to see our two countries work together.”

He affirmed that the two countries support each other and respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as political systems. “We truly want to Vietnam that is strongly independent and prosperous and resilient. And through this upgrade over the past year, we've seen the United States taking concrete steps to ensure that our two countries getting closer together but also sharing peace and security for our peoples and generations.” 

The seminar attracts a large number of visitors.

US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was declared on September 10, 2023, by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the United States Joe Biden “for the purposes of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development,” and “the United States supports a strong, independent, prosperous, and resilient Vietnam.”

The new comprehensive strategic partnership will strengthen cooperation across 10 key areas: political and diplomatic relations; economic, trade, and investment ties; science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation; education and training; climate, energy, environment, and health; war legacy resolution; cultural, people-to-people connections, sports, and tourism; defense and security; human rights promotion and protection; and collaboration on regional and global matters.

James Borton, a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Foreign Policy Institute, highlighted the role of the U.S. Congress in fostering trust between Washington and Hanoi. He specifically mentioned the late Senator John McCain, a former Navy pilot and POW, and Senator John Kerry, a fellow Vietnam War veteran, for their efforts in reconciliation over the decades.

Borton also noted that Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy played a crucial role in securing Congressional funding to aid Vietnamese citizens affected by unexploded ordnance and landmines. Other key figures include Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Mike Crapo, Rep. Jason Smith, and Rep. Trent Kelly.

Additionally, Dr. Andrew Wells-Dang, who heads the Vietnam War Legacies and Reconciliation Initiative at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), emphasized that addressing the war’s aftermath has not been a point of division but a factor that has brought the two nations closer together, strengthening the US-Vietnam relationship in a unique way.

“Together, we will realize the aspirations of the people of our countries for a bright and dynamic future that contributes to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation, and development across a crucial region and the world at large,” read the Joint Statement.