The first ministerial meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son was held today [March 26] in Washington, D.C., the first of its kind since the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in September 2023. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Washington, D.C.

Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Son discussed the advancements made since President Biden's historic visit to Hanoi in September 2023 and reaffirmed the strength of the US-Vietnam relationship.

The Secretary and Foreign Minister talked about how the US and Vietnam can work together more in important areas like education and culture, supply chain diversification, the semiconductor ecosystem, security, and human rights.

In addition, they talked about common regional goals, such as advancing prosperity and stability in the East Sea and an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, connected, prosperous, and secure.

Secretary Blinken said in the time since President Biden’s visit, the two countries have moved forward together in strengthening and deepening their collaboration in critical areas, "everything from semiconductors to supply chains to educational and technological exchanges, people-to-people contacts, and of course, our ongoing commitment to war legacies."

“I think this is a demonstration of not only our commitment to the Indo-Pacific but our commitment to the central role that Vietnam and the relationship between our countries plays in the Indo-Pacific,” stressed Blinken.

He believed that the two sides are using the time to build out what the leaders put in place, which is a strategic partnership that is increasingly comprehensive, even next year when the countries will be celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations.

At the dialogue, Minister Son said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam appreciates Secretary Blinken’s role and contributions to the strengthening of Vietnam-US relations, especially the recent elaboration of bilateral ties, stating that Ambassador Marc Knapper and the team of US Embassy Hanoi are also excellent partners in this process.

Minister Son named milestones in bilateral relations, including the celebrations of 30 years of the lifting of the US embargo against Vietnam (2023), the 30th of normalization of relations (2024), and more than that, as President Joe Biden has said, that CSP would – “helps us to move our relationship in the next 50 years, not one or two years.”

He said Vietnam continues to attach great importance to the relationship with the United States and wants to complete an action plan to move the relationship forward in accordance with CSP, not only the high political exchange between the two countries. The move aims to foster bilateral mutual trust and also to deepen relationships not only in trade, investment, science, technology, innovation, and education but more than that is in semiconductors and chips. 

In addition, people-to-people exchange continues to grow, especially with the large community of Vietnamese students in the US.

He believed that the students would be the bridge of future relationships.