President Biden highlights US – Vietnam relations in UN address

At the beginning of the speech, Biden talked about his long political career, starting with his first election to the US Senate in 1972 when the US was still involved in the war in Vietnam.

“Back then, we were living through an inflection point, a moment of tension and uncertainty.  The world was divided by the Cold War. The Middle East was headed toward war. America was at war in Vietnam, and at that point, the longest war in America’s history,” said Biden. 

According to the president, the US was deeply divided and angry over various issues during that period. Though many issues were resolved in the end, including the end of the war in Vietnam, it was not an easy or simple process for America.

However, through efforts, the US and Vietnam have overcome their differences and built a strong partnership.

Biden then recalled his high-level visit to Hanoi in September 2023 during which leaders of the two countries decided to upgrade bilateral ties to the highest level – the comprehensive strategic partnership.

“We elevated our partnership to the highest level.  It’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for reconciliation that today the United States and Vietnam are partners and friends, and it’s proof that even from the horrors of war there is a way forward. Things can get better. We should never forget that. I have seen that throughout my career,” he said.

Vietnam and the US normalized diplomatic relations in 1995, opening a new phase of cooperation between the two countries in the spirit of breaking with the past, overcoming differences, enhancing similarities, and looking towards the future.

The two countries established their strategic partnership in 2013 before upgrading their ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023 during Biden’s state visit to Hanoi.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam of Vietnam, during his speech in New York on September 22 marking a year of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the US, noted that both countries have overcome numerous differences to become each other’s comprehensive strategic partners, setting a role model in international relations for healing war wounds and building the relationship.

Vietnam is the eighth largest trading partner of the US, with two-way trade turnover hitting US$88 billion in the first eight months of 2024, up 22% year on year. The US is the 11th largest foreign investor in Vietnam, having poured nearly US$12 billion into 1,340 investment projects. Many US corporations have entered the Vietnamese market, such as Boeing, Nike, Amazon, Coca Cola, Google, Facebook and Netflix.