Positive economic development after one- year upgrade of Vietnam-US ties
VOV.VN - Business leaders of the United States have given positive comments one year after the two countries moved to upgrade their diplomatic relations to that of a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, co-operation, and sustainable development.
Ted Osius, president & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and former US Ambassador to Vietnam, said that the two countries are seeing good progress in economic and trade ties. Vietnam currently represents the largest trading partner of the US side, with two-way trade turnover reaching more than US$100 billion.
There are more tourists traveling between the two countries than ever before, with more than 30,000 Vietnamese students having headed to the US to study.
According to former Ambassador Osius, there will be even better results next year which will mark the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, the 50th anniversary since the end of the war in Vietnam for national reunification, and the 80th anniversary of national independence.
The former diplomat assessed that after a year, the two countries have sent many delegations aimed at exchanging co-operation and investment, with the highest frequency of visits and a broad array of business activities.
In the role of president of USABC, he led a business delegation of more than 50 companies, the largest-ever number of firms to Vietnam in March last year. Vietnam is currently developing with a young and hard-working population, as well as significant economic growth, he stated.
He stated that studies highlight that Vietnamese economic growth will reach over 6.6% over the next 10 years. Therefore, firms from the US are highly interested in the Vietnamese market. The upgrade to a comprehensive strategic partnership has consolidated trust, whilst deepening the relationship, he said, adding that the two countries continue to benefit from that decision.
Kishan Alexander, vice president of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and an expert in international insurance, commented that the two countries' upgrading of diplomatic relations to the highest level last year helped to enhance connections between US and Vietnamese businesses.
Consequently, the AACC has contacted and connected with Vietnamese delegations to the US, thus opening up plenty of investment co-operation opportunities.
Currently, the AACC as well as Alexander’s insurance company, are also looking for connections and opportunities which suit the needs of the firm, especially the automobile and solar energy markets.
Alexander is looking forward to his next trip to Vietnam slated for October.
