Less than 10 days after his state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, speaking at the High-level Debate of the United Nations General Assembly in New York (USA) last weekend, US President Joe Biden highlighted the good achievements and promoted the Vietnam-US relationship before the international community.
Mr. Joe Biden emphasized: no one could have imagined that one day, the US President would stand next to the Vietnamese leader in Hanoi and declare his commitment to promoting cooperation at the highest level. "This is a testament to how countries can overcome the past, from adversaries to partners to solve challenges and heal wounds," he said.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh rings the bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, calling on US investors to come to Vietnam, September 22 (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)
On September 10, 2023, the Joint Statement on upgrading Vietnam-US relations to "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" set out major directions for the relationship between the two countries in the coming time, covering over 10 key areas, including many levels of cooperation: bilateral, regional, and global. In particular, economic, trade and investment cooperation is identified as the "core foundation and important driving force" for the relationship between Vietnam and the US.
During meetings with US officials and businesses during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to attend the High-level General Debate of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, combined with bilateral activities in the United States from September 17 to 23, the Vietnamese Government leaders proposed that the US further open its market to Vietnamese goods. Specifically, the US should limit trade defense measures against textiles, footwear, wooden products and especially agricultural products, the livelihood of Vietnamese farmers.
The Prime Minister also asked the US to consider soon recognizing Vietnam's market economy status to further facilitate extensive economic and financial relations between the two countries.
The "Vietnam - United States Joint Statement" on September 10, 2023 also identified a "new breakthrough" for the bilateral relationship as cooperation in science, technology and innovation in the digital field.
At the meeting with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that the two sides create a breakthrough in science and technology cooperation and innovation; and asked the US to support Vietnam in building a supply chain related to semiconductor chips. From the US side, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen gave a positive assessment when considering Vietnam as a key partner of the US in the region. Currently, the US is cooperating with Vietnam to enhance the self-reliance of the regional supply chain and Vietnam is a country with potential in the semiconductor supply chain.
It can be said that the above-mentioned visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has made a strong impression, showing the determination to act to realize the commitments of the Vietnam - US comprehensive strategic partnership. In recent days, domestic public opinion has closely followed the Prime Minister's meetings and working sessions with US partners, paying attention to the discussions on operational orientations to further clarify the opportunities and prospects for the substantive development of the relationship between the two countries.
Another outstanding impression during the trip was that during the meetings, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directly conveyed to US government agencies, business leaders, and the American people positive messages about an open Vietnam, ready in mind and action for cooperation plans, both now and in the future.
Statements and commitments to promote cooperation have been made by both Vietnam and the US. The next important thing is to create real movement in the actions of domestic authorities. At the macro level, ministries, sectors and localities need to carefully study the frameworks, mechanisms and areas of cooperation between the two sides to implement specific activities. One of the most urgent tasks is to continue to improve the policy system and institutional conditions in the country to create an open and stable investment and business environment.
Americans are inherently very rational in their thinking and actions, so clarity in policies and institutional perfection and stability will play a decisive role, becoming a solid foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam-US relations in the coming time.
From a social perspective, it is obvious that each individual and Vietnamese enterprise also needs to strengthen connections and explore opportunities for cooperation and investment with US partners. In order to seek benefits for themselves and their enterprises, as well as contribute to the common prosperity of both countries, it is essential that each individual, organization and enterprise in the country thoroughly understand American culture, the interests of Americans and the United States, the working style as well as the models of cooperation with external partners of US organizations and enterprises.
With the breakthrough being technological cooperation, we can predict that American businesses coming to Vietnam will not place too much importance on the advantage of a large and cheap labor force in our country. Instead, the quality of human resources, especially technological human resources, will play the most pivotal role in attracting and retaining American businesses in our country.
Therefore, from the perspective of someone working in the education sector, I think that Vietnam needs to be more proactive in preparing human resources for the future of Vietnam-US technology cooperation, aiming to form a Vietnamese workforce that can participate in and master modern technologies.
Human resource readiness is also a way for us, through the process of cooperation, working and learning with Americans, to gradually mature to be able to be "autonomous and independent" by establishing "made in Vietnam" technology enterprises in the future.
Therefore, we should not just passively ask the US to provide scholarship opportunities for Vietnamese students. Instead, the State should proactively allocate resources for human resource training plans for the future, especially in the technology sector.
Author: Mr. Nguyen Van Dang has a PhD in Public Administration and Policy from the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, USA. He is currently working at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.
Dantri.com.vn
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