CSIS seminar spotlights Vietnam - US relations

Washington D.C (VNA) – A seminar on Vietnam – US relations was held by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C on January 23, bringing together officials, congressmen, scholars, and representatives from the US business community.

CSIS President John Hamre stated that the seminar aimed to respond to the increasing interest in the US, especially after the two countries upgraded their relations.

In his pre-recorded speech sent to the event, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son applauded CSIS for its initiative in organising the seminar and deploying a research programme on Vietnam.

Highlighting the historic progress in the relationship between the two countries in 2023, Son said the decision to upgrade the bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, stability, and sustainable development reflected the fruitful development of the Vietnam - US ties after nearly three decades since the normalisation of their diplomatic ties, and 10 years since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership.

The upgrade of the bilateral relationship will open up many new opportunities for cooperation, benefiting both sides and contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world, Son said.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung reviewed significant milestones in the Vietnam - US relationship, especially the decision to upgrade the relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership, saying that this was a historic decision, and also a fitting development step based on the progress and achievements attained in the bilateral relationship.

The diplomat stressed that the comprehensive strategic partnership is the inheritance and continuation of existing cooperation foundations and platforms, including the fundamental principles guiding the bilateral relationship over the past time, especially the respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, and political regimes, deepening the agreed-upon pillars of cooperation and expanding cooperation to new priority areas.

Economic, trade, investment, and innovation cooperation has continued to drive the bilateral relationship, while scientific, technological and digital partnership has been a new breakthrough, he said.

Dung affirmed that Vietnam is determined and committed to fully implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership and turning high-level agreements into specific actions and measures for the performance.

Attending the seminar from Vietnam, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Dr. Can Van Luc, Chief Economist of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), and other delegates discussed measures to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in different areas such as security, strategy, trade, technology, and energy.

Delegates expressed their joy and optimism about the prospects of the Vietnam-US relationship. They underlined the necessity to effectively implement the new cooperation framework, especially in the areas of trade, investment, digital economy, ensuring supply chains, coping with climate change, and addressing post-was consequences.
  
The seminar was part of the CSIS US - Vietnam Initiative deployed this year, which aimed to increase exchanges between officials and scholars from both countries, helping to promote mutual understanding and seek initiatives and ideas to further expand the Vietnam-US partnership./.