Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Joseph R. Biden, the president of the United States (the “Leaders”) met and spoke on September 10, 2023, in Hanoi, Vietnam. By transforming their relationship into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the benefit of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development, the two Leaders celebrated the beginning of a new era in their nations’ mutual cooperation and friendship. The United States is in favour of a robust, powerful, autonomous, and affluent Vietnam.
In the ten years since the Vietnam-U.S. Comprehensive Partnership was established by President Truong Tan Sang and President Barack Obama, the two nations have made extraordinary progress in deepening mutual understanding, fostering trust, and enhancing cooperation in all areas of the Comprehensive Partnership. The Leaders emphasised the essential values that govern ties between the United States and Vietnam under this new framework, including respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and each other’s political system, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. To safeguard the interests of the citizens of both nations and promote peace, stability, collaboration, and development in the region and around the world, Vietnam and the United States will continue to expand their cooperation in the following areas.
The two Leaders emphasised the importance of maintaining close political and diplomatic ties and will encourage frequent delegation exchanges and engagements at all levels in order to deepen political understanding and boost political trust. The Leaders agreed that the efficacy of the current mechanisms for interaction should be improved and they plan to create a yearly conversation between the U.S. Secretary of State and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. The Leaders vowed to further foster relationships between the political parties and legislative bodies of the two nations, especially by fostering communication and debate between these bodies on issues of importance and the practical experiences of each nation. The two Leaders will instruct their respective governments to coordinate and successfully carry out the cooperation programmes decided upon by both nations.
In accordance with international conventions to which both countries are parties, bilateral agreements between Vietnam and the United States, and the respective laws of Vietnam and the United States, both countries affirm their commitment to maintaining favourable conditions for the completion of the construction of their diplomatic and consular facilities as well as ensuring that both sides can effectively staff those facilities.
The two Leaders reiterated the significance of economic, trade, and investment cooperation as well as inclusive economic growth that is driven by innovation as the main tenets of the bilateral relationship and its sources of dynamism. Both parties vowed to promote trade and economic policy, regulatory measures, and the further opening of markets for each other’s goods and services. They also agreed to use the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to address issues like market access barriers. In addition to praising Vietnam’s important market-based economic reforms, the United States reiterates its enthusiasm and commitment for a broad, strengthened, supporting, and constructive international community.
involvement in helping Vietnam become a market economy and, subsequently, a market economy country under American law. The United States stated that on September 8, 2023, Vietnam formally requested that the status of its market economy be reviewed. In accordance with U.S. law, the United States will evaluate Vietnam’s request as soon as practicable. The United States respects Vietnam’s continuous efforts to advance macroeconomic stability, protect the safety and soundness of the banking system, and improve the transparency of its framework for managing exchange rates and monetary policy.
The World Trade Organisation will remain at the centre of a multilateral trading system that is non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable, transparent, and founded on rules. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which will provide tangible benefits to the economies, workers, families, and businesses of the two countries as well as the region, has received praise from both sides for the progress made so far. Both parties look forward to further significant progress under the IPEF in the near future.
The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work served as the foundation for the Leaders’ recognition of the significance of respecting globally recognised labour rights. The Leaders also want to move quickly to strengthen aviation and intellectual property rights, notably by negotiating an Open Skies amendment to the U.S.-Vietnam Air Transport Agreement.
The United States committed to providing Vietnam with additional support in the areas of manufacturing, the development of high-quality digital and physical infrastructure, just energy transition, sustainable and intelligent agriculture, and expanded and sustained participation in regional and international supply chains, with a focus on the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. In order to achieve this, the United States International Development Financial Corporation (DFC) wants to keep funding private sector initiatives in Vietnam’s infrastructure, energy and climate efficiency, healthcare, and small business sectors, particularly climate-focused and women-owned firms.
As a new development in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Vietnam and the United States have chosen to intensify their cooperation in research, technology, and digital innovation. The United States reaffirmed its dedication to stepping up its assistance for Vietnam in developing a high-tech workforce. The two Leaders agreed to promote the quick growth of Vietnam’s semiconductor ecosystem and to collaborate vigorously to strengthen Vietnam’s place in the world semiconductor supply chain after acknowledging the country’s enormous potential as a major player in the industry.
In order to achieve this, the governments of the United States and Vietnam announced the beginning of workforce development programmes for the semiconductor industry, supported by $2 million in initial seed financing from the American government and further funding from the Vietnamese public and private sectors.
Vietnam and the US committed to working closely together to support innovation and entrepreneurship.
The two Leaders praised the development of a safe and dependable internet infrastructure in Vietnam and noted its potential to open up new doors for Vietnamese entrepreneurs looking to improve their digital skills and accelerate the development of the country’s digital economy. Subject to congressional notification, these efforts will look to support open and interoperable network architectures by, among other things, investigating the establishment of an O-RAN training lab in Vietnam, securing 5G, and implementing emerging technologies to demonstrate new digital upskilling opportunities to Vietnamese innovators.
The Leaders emphasised the need for ongoing cooperation between top universities in the US and Vietnam, including through joint research projects, training sessions, fellowships, and exchange programmes centred on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines.
The United States unveiled specific strategies to help Vietnam establish a skilled labour force and meet its long-term development objectives. The United States welcomes the almost 30,000 Vietnamese students who are now studying there and will push American universities to take on more of these students. On the beginning of Peace Corps operations in Vietnam and the 31st anniversary of the Fulbright Vietnam programme, the two Leaders expressed their gratitude. Recognising the important need of investing in human capital as a crucial resource for future prosperity, security, stability, and development, they praised the efforts of Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) and its expanding role as a regional hub for public policy training.
Both the United States and Vietnam understood that long-term success can only be attained if people had many opportunities to pick up new skills, share ideas, and gain knowledge of other cultures. In order to share best practises, scientific developments, and educational opportunities, the US and Vietnam will encourage the opening of their universities and laboratories. This will be done with a focus on assisting an increasing number of Vietnamese students, teachers, scholars, and researchers participating in training and educational programmes in the US. Vietnam also warmly welcomes the growing number of American scholars, professors, and students who are doing research, teaching, and studying in Vietnamese higher education institutions, and it encourages American universities to collaborate with Vietnamese universities, including by opening campuses.
In order to facilitate a swift and equitable energy transition, the United States and Vietnam will coordinate efforts in the Mekong and Red River Deltas related to multi-sector climate change adaptation, pollution reduction, the development of climate markets, energy storage technologies, and modernised transmission infrastructure. The Leaders understood the value of collaborating across sectors and with experts from outside the government to develop low-emission, climate-resilient agriculture, biodiversity preservation, pollution abatement, and the resilience of vulnerable people, especially via preparedness for disasters. Vietnam’s attempts to expand the generation of clean energy are supported by the US.
Vietnam’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) climate commitments and 2050 net zero greenhouse emissions goal were praised by President Biden. The U.S. commitment to securing public and private funding for Vietnam’s JETP and cooperation with the international community to ensure its successful implementation while ensuring national energy sovereignty, security, and affordability were both warmly appreciated by general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. In order for Vietnam to satisfy its international climate commitments, the United States promised to support it financially and with cutting-edge climate technologies. The World Bank and other international financial institutions are invited to sponsor initiatives in Vietnam that are related to addressing climate change, energy transition, green growth, and renewable energy infrastructure.
The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has operated in Vietnam for 25 years. The two parties applauded this accomplishment and welcomed the CDC’s decision to open a regional office in Hanoi in 2021. The Leaders recognise the role that U.S.-Vietnam cooperation has played in containing the COVID-19 pandemic and pledge to increase health security cooperation by collaborating on pandemic detection, response, and prevention as well as other international disease risks. In order to combat disease risks at the human-animal interface, sustain advances on immunisation coverage, and promote public health services including laboratory science and One Health workforce training, the Leaders reaffirmed the significance of cooperation. The US reaffirmed its assistance for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
by providing support to vital Vietnamese hospitals like Bach Mai and Cho Ray, with the goal of achieving fully sustainable epidemic control of HIV and ending the tuberculosis pandemic by 2030, in accordance with Vietnam’s international obligations and domestic objectives. As part of cooperation on global health security, the United States supports Vietnam’s efforts to grow its domestic pharmaceutical industry. In this regard, the country expresses its willingness to intensify cooperation in order to make regulatory frameworks more compatible, enabling Vietnam to take an active part in regional and global medical supply chains.
The Leaders praised the two nations’ close collaboration in overcoming the effects of war, citing it as a priority in bilateral ties that helps to foster mutual trust and understanding.
The United States and Vietnam reaffirmed their commitment to finishing the dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Airport, expanding unexploded ordnance removal efforts, increasing support for people with disabilities, regardless of the cause, helping to build the capacity of the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre, integrating provincial and national mine action efforts, and continuing to support Vietnam in finding the remains of its missing and killed soldiers from the war.
President Biden expressed the appreciation of the American people for Vietnam’s steadfast help in locating the remains of American service members who were lost in combat. Vietnam pledged to continue offering full assistance in the search for American service members who have vanished.
The Leaders praised the robust expansion of people-to-people links and agreed to cooperate in advancing study opportunities, business collaboration, professional and academic exchanges, and two-way travel. Both parties intend to work to strengthen ties between various communities, sectors, businesses, youth organisations, and people’s organisations of the two countries through delegation exchanges, joint conferences, and cultural exchanges in the arts, music, and sport; to increase cooperation between states in the United States and provinces in Vietnam in a substantive and effective manner; and to work together in organising events on the anniversaries.
The two leaders recognised that the Vietnamese population in the US had made a significant contribution to the growth of their countries’ relations. The Vietnamese-American community is among the most prosperous, vibrant, and forward-thinking in the country, according to President Biden.
President Biden praised Vietnam for its significant contributions to world peace and stability, including its involvement in United Nations peacekeeping missions as well as its provision of search and rescue and disaster response skills to deal with global natural disasters. Both parties intend to continue utilising the established channels of communication and consultation between the U.S. Department of Defence and Vietnam’s Ministry of Defence, as well as between other agencies and ministries, and to effectively collaborate in humanitarian and constructive initiatives like dealing with war legacies, military medicine, UN peacekeeping missions, maritime law enforcement and maritime security capabilities, and other areas of mutual interest
Both parties agreed to intensify their current law enforcement and security intelligence cooperation; they also agreed to share information and experiences to improve maritime cooperation and efforts to combat transnational crimes, piracy, money laundering, human trafficking, illegal trafficking in narcotics and precursor chemicals, cybercrime, and other forms of criminal activity. The Leaders made the decision to create a track for law enforcement and security dialogue between the pertinent security, law enforcement, and intelligence organisations. Both nations vow to cooperate to combat terrorism and terrorist financing in conformity with the UN Charter and other pertinent international agreements to which both are Parties. Both nations denounce terrorism and violent extremism in all of its manifestations.
The Leaders are open to furthering their mutually agreed-upon mechanisms-based cooperation in the defence trade and industry. The United States is committed to helping Vietnam continue to build its own independent defence capabilities in accordance with its requirements and established procedures.
The Leaders reaffirmed the significance of advancing and defending human rights in accordance with the international duties and the constitutions of each nation. Both nations vowed to continue supporting the advancement and defence of human rights, especially through honest and positive conversations like the annual Vietnam-U.S. Human Rights Dialogue and Vietnam-U.S. Labour Dialogue, which aim to deepen understanding between the two nations and bridge gaps. In order to ensure that everyone, including members of vulnerable groups, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion, they encouraged deeper cooperation.
or sexual orientation, as well as people with disabilities, are able to exercise all of their human rights. The United States and Vietnam underlined the interdependence of human rights, regional stability, world peace, and sustainable development. Both parties acknowledged the contributions that social and religious institutions have made and continue to make in areas like social assistance, health care, and education in both nations.
In order to support one another’s efforts to maintain peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the area and throughout the world, both countries want to improve coordination on regional and international matters of shared concern and interest. The United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus), as well as the wide range of sectoral Ministerial meetings related to ASEAN were among the regional and international fora where both sides agreed to improve coordination and collaboration.
The two sides agreed that multilateralism should be promoted, that international law, including the UN Charter, should be respected, and that open, inclusive regional architecture, with ASEAN playing a key role in it, should be maintained. The United States’ steadfast support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific is much appreciated by Vietnam.
The newly established ASEAN-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 2022 ASEAN-U.S. Special Summit in Washington, D.C., were both warmly welcomed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. President Biden emphasised the US appreciation for ASEAN importance and expressed great regard for ASEAN’s accomplishments. The Leaders also praised Indonesia’s bid to lead ASEAN in 2023 and welcomed Lao PDR’s bid to lead ASEAN in 2024. Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary, welcomed the United States’ contribution as the APEC forum’s host nation this year. President Biden is excited to meet President Vo Van Thuong when they both visit San Francisco in November for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.
The Leaders emphasised their unwavering support for peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law, without the threat or use of force, as well as for freedom of navigation and overflight and unhindered legal commerce in the South China Sea. They also emphasised respect for sovereignty, as well as for coastal states’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction over their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in accordance with international law of the sea, as reflected in the South China Sea Treaty. The Leaders understood the significance of the comprehensive and efficient Reiterating their commitment to ASEAN’s efforts to create an effective and comprehensive code of conduct in the South China Sea that complies with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and does not infringe upon any state’s rights under international law, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the 2002 Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
The Mekong sub-region is crucial for preserving stability, peace, prosperity, collaboration, and sustainable development, the two Leaders emphasised. As the two nations work together to address new challenges and opportunities, such as food security and sustainable water management, supporting communities and their livelihoods, promoting economic connectivity, addressing non-traditional security issues, and working to provide opportunities for human resource development, transboundary cooperation and sustainable development are crucial. The Mekong-U.S. Partnership and other Mekong-focused initiatives like the Mekong River Commission and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) were warmly embraced by both parties. The Leaders committed to closely collaborating with other Mekong nations in order to increase cooperation both within this framework and in the Friends of the Mekong.
The Leaders emphasised the significance of fully implementing the ASEAN Five Point Consensus and echoed ASEAN’s calls for an immediate halt to all hostilities and a de-escalation of tensions between all parties involved in Myanmar in order to foster an environment favourable to the delivery of humanitarian aid and inclusive national dialogue.
In order to defend people’s safety and the infrastructure that is essential to their way of life, both Leaders stressed the need of peacefully resolving any disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter. They also talked about other regional and global issues of shared concern.
Reiterating their support for the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and for its complete denuclearization, the United States and Vietnam urged all parties involved to fully and strictly uphold their international commitments, including those made in accordance with pertinent UN Security Council resolutions.
The two leaders emphasised the importance of creating a thorough, equitable, and long-lasting peace in Ukraine in conformity with international law and the UN Charter.