Impressions of visits to Vietnam by US Presidents

(Dan Tri) - Since Vietnam and the US normalized relations, four US presidents have visited Vietnam to strengthen and promote bilateral relations.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on September 5 that US President Joe Biden will pay a state visit to Vietnam on September 10-11, at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Before President Joe Biden's visit, four US presidents have visited Vietnam since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1995.

President Bill Clinton

Then President Tran Duc Luong (left) and President Clinton at the welcoming ceremony in Hanoi on November 17, 2000 (Photo: Reuters).

In November 2000, US President Bill Clinton made an official visit to Vietnam. He was the first US president to visit Vietnam, 25 years after the end of the war.

During his visit, Mr. Clinton met with students at Hanoi National University and visited a primary school in Ho Chi Minh City. He, First Lady Hillary Clinton and her daughter also traveled to a rural area of ​​Vietnam to visit microcredit projects that provide small loans to help rural women escape poverty.

The visit is considered to be of great significance in healing the wounds of war and promoting bilateral relations between the US and Vietnam in many areas. Since 2000, Mr. Clinton has visited Vietnam five times.

Mr. Clinton shook hands with people in the capital Hanoi during his visit to Vietnam in 2006 (Photo: AFP).

Mr. Bill Clinton is considered to have made an important contribution to the normalization of Vietnam - US relations both while in office and after leaving office. Mr. Clinton lifted the embargo, normalized relations between the two countries in 1995 and signed a bilateral trade agreement.

President George W. Bush

President Nguyen Minh Triet hosted a reception for US President George W. Bush (Photo: CBS).

In November 2006, US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visited Hanoi, paid an official visit to Vietnam and attended the 14th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. During this visit, President Bush stopped in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

US President George W. Bush and First Lady visit Cua Bac Church in Hanoi in November 2006 (Photo: White House).

The visit takes place in the context of Vietnam - US relations entering a new phase.

The support of the George W. Bush administration is said to have played a key role in helping Vietnam join the World Trade Organization (WTO) that same year, a major milestone on Vietnam's path to international integration.

President Barack Obama

President Tran Dai Quang at a joint press conference with US President Barack Obama on May 23, 2016 in Hanoi (Photo: AP).

Ten years later, in May 2016, President Barack Obama made an official visit to Vietnam. He visited both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City during his three-day visit.

On this occasion, President Obama discussed with Vietnamese leaders on many areas such as economy, security and regional and global issues. The highlight of the visit was the US completely lifting the ban on lethal weapons to Vietnam and establishing the Peace Corps.

Mr. Obama enjoys bun cha in Hanoi (Photo: Tien Tuan).

In addition, Mr. Obama also interacted with members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), entrepreneurs and the business community in Ho Chi Minh City, and enjoyed bun cha in Hanoi.

The visit comes as the Obama administration pursues a pivot strategy to the Asia-Pacific region, the world's most economically dynamic region.

President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump during his visit to Vietnam in 2017 (Photo: Tien Tuan).

More than a year after his predecessor Obama’s visit, in November 2017, US President Donald Trump officially visited Vietnam on the occasion of the APEC Summit. Vietnam was the only country where President Trump stopped at two locations (Hanoi and Da Nang) during his tour of Asia at that time.

The visit took place at a time when the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership has made unprecedented positive strides and in the first year of his term. This demonstrates the importance the US attaches to its relationship with Vietnam.

US President Donald Trump in Hanoi during the 2019 US-North Korea summit (Photo: Tien Tuan).

In February 2019, President Trump returned to Vietnam. Vietnam was chosen as the venue for the second US-North Korea summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un.

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