Celebrating one year of establishing the Vietnam - United States Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

On the morning of November 12, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations held a meeting to celebrate the first anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam - United States Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (September 10, 2023 - September 10, 2024). The activity demonstrates the friendship between the people of Ho Chi Minh City and the people of the United States.

Photo caption — Mr. Pham Thanh Kien, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam - US Friendship Association, spoke at the meeting.

At the ceremony, Mr. Pham Thanh Kien, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, Chairman of the Vietnam - US Friendship Association of the City, said that the progress in foreign affairs between Vietnam and the United States is the result of actively cultivating and upgrading the relationship between the two countries to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, towards 2025, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States. US President Joe Biden said that upgrading the relationship between Vietnam and the United States is only the first step in the future of the bilateral relationship. In recent times, Vietnam and the United States have actively implemented many effective cooperation activities in the fields of education development, student exchange as well as cooperation in the field of environmental protection. The two countries have implemented cooperation projects to build resilience for coastal mangrove ecosystems, strengthen the Partnership in the Mekong Delta and promote cooperation within the framework of the Partnership for an Equitable Energy Transition. These projects not only contribute to strengthening cooperation between the people of the two countries but also create practical values for the future. On this occasion, Mr. Pham Thanh Kien expressed his gratitude to the US officials, the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and the American people for their positive contributions to the efforts to deepen the relationship between the two countries, as well as in people-to-people exchange activities. Thereby, contributing to consolidating and strengthening the friendship between the Vietnamese people, including the people of Ho Chi Minh City and the people of the United States.

At the meeting, Ms. Susan Burns, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, was pleased to note that since the upgrade of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, bilateral cooperation between the United States and Vietnam has expanded in many areas, bringing benefits to the people of both countries. Cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, law enforcement, health, exchange between veterans and education are all based on the foundation of mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the people of the two countries. Thanking the City Union of Friendship Organizations for their efforts to deepen the friendship between the two countries over the past three decades, Ms. Susan Burns emphasized that in 2025, the two countries will continue to strengthen their diplomatic relations with many commemorative events; at the same time, she hopes to receive initiatives to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of science and technology, education, improving human resources and creating opportunities for people-to-people exchange.

Attending the meaningful meeting to celebrate the special milestone in the US-Vietnam relationship, Mr. Rafik Mansour, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State, reiterated the statement of US President Joe Biden that the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reflects important steps forward between the two countries. Since then, the two countries have not only focused on economic cooperation but also increased opportunities for mutual innovation.

Appreciating the efforts of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations and the people of the City in developing people-to-people relations between the two countries, contributing to the overall relationship between the United States and Vietnam, Mr. Rafik Mansour hoped that the City Union of Friendship Organizations would continue to promote the achieved results, honor common values and deepen the cooperative relationship between the two countries, together towards the 30th anniversary of the US-Vietnam diplomatic relations in 2025.