This year marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, which was launched by then-Presidents Obama and Sang in 2013. As this milestone is commemorated, both countries express their commitment to expanding their partnership in the years to come. The U.S.-Vietnam relationship has grown rapidly since the establishment of bilateral relations in 1995, with cooperation spanning across various areas including economics, politics, security, people-to-people ties, science and technology, health, climate, energy, education, and human rights, among others. Vietnam and the United States are now strong and growing partners who share the vision of an open, connected, prosperous, resilient, and peaceful Indo-Pacific.
One of the foundational elements of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership is the joint effort to address the legacies of war. The United States and Vietnam have worked together to account for missing U.S. servicemembers from the Vietnam War era, bringing closure to their families. Additionally, the United States is supporting Vietnam in addressing issues such as unexploded ordnance, dioxin remediation, and support for people with disabilities. In March, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced an additional $73 million for dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Air Base, further underscoring the commitment of the United States to addressing the legacies of war in Vietnam.
Bilateral trade and investment between Vietnam and the United States have also grown significantly over the past three decades. In 2022, Vietnam-U.S. trade in goods exceeded $138 billion, a remarkable expansion from virtually no economic links when ties were established 28 years ago. The United States is now the largest export destination for Vietnamese goods, while Vietnam buys U.S. products such as cotton and soybeans, and hosts investment by major U.S. firms. Vietnam and the United States are also making progress toward finalizing text on all four pillars of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), as Vietnam is one of the 14 launch partners. Moreover, Vietnam has been a supportive partner of the U.S. 2023 APEC host year. Over the past two decades, USAID has provided support to Vietnam in improving its business enabling environment through legal and regulatory reform, capacity building, private sector competitiveness, and workforce capacity.
Security cooperation is another important aspect of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership. The United States and Vietnam collaborate on programs that include support for Vietnam’s Coast Guard, countering transnational organized crime, combating human trafficking, drug trafficking, precursor chemicals, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. They also work together to enhance Vietnam’s maritime domain awareness to protect its sovereignty and on judicial reform. Several annual dialogues focused on defense partnership and law enforcement ties, as well as human rights, are conducted between the two countries to further strengthen their security cooperation.
The commitment to addressing climate change and promoting clean energy is also a significant area of cooperation between Vietnam and the United States. In 2022, Vietnam signed a $15.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership, which will bring considerable investment to help Vietnam achieve its ambitious targets of limiting greenhouse gas emissions, capping coal capacity, and accelerating the adoption of renewable energy. USAID has been providing support to Vietnam’s transition to a clean, secure, and market-based energy sector through various initiatives, including the Vietnam Urban Energy Security activity and Vietnam Low Emission Energy Program II (V-LEEP II), announced by Vice President Kamala Harris during her visit to Vietnam in August 2021. The Department of State is also providing a $3 million grant to construct an innovative battery energy storage system pilot.
