U.S.-Vietnam Relations Are Moving in the Right Direction

In an interview during the 15th anniversary of normalization of relations between Vietnam and the United States by People’s Army newspaper, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh said that the two countries should continue to improve relations after having overcome many obstacles and put aside the past.

Deputy Minister, please provide your evaluation of the 15-year relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. and the significance of this relationship for the integration process of Vietnam?

In the past 15 years, relations between Vietnam and the United States have seen strong growth. Politically, there were five visits by senior leaders of Vietnam and the U.S. to the capital of the two countries. Both sides issued three joint statements in 2005, 2007 and 2008 to confirm the mutual benefit and the basic principles of relations based on “partnership, support, cooperation on many fronts based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.”

Regarding trade and investment, the U.S. became Vietnam’s largest export market. Even in 2009, when the world and the U.S economies were in crisis, Vietnam was still considered one of the few successful export countries to this market with over $12.3 billion in exports. Notably, on direct investment in 2009, the U.S. rose to become the top investor in Vietnam with a capital of up to $9.8 billion, accounting for 25 percent of total FDI in Vietnam.

The relationship has made great strides in education, training, science, and technology with many positive results, bringing practical benefits to the peoples of both sides, especially in education and training. Both countries have cooperated regarding rising sea levels caused by global warming, clearing the bombs and mines left over by the war and handling the issues caused by the consequences of Agent Orange. Relations between the two countries in the field of security and defense also began to transform based on visits at all levels — most importantly, the mutual visits by defense ministers and leaders of the two countries’ security sectors — which has strengthened cooperation in the fields of rescue, disaster relief, language training, combating terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking and money laundering.

In the framework of partnering, friendship and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, Vietnam will continue to strengthen relations with the United States for the benefit of the two countries and actively contribute to maintaining peace, security, stability and development in Asia.

The normalization of diplomatic relations and building positive relationships, friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S. has brought real benefits to people in both countries. Establishing diplomatic relations with the United States has created more opportunities for Vietnam’s economy, trade, education and training as well as science and technology. The U.S. benefits from relations with Vietnam as well. Because Vietnam is a safe destination and has a stable political environment, it is profitable for American investors; the business law environment is showing increasing improvements.

Currently education is a highlight in bilateral relations. Educational prospects for cooperation between both sides are great and the number of student exchanges between the two countries will continue to increase. This is a good opportunity aimed at contributing additional highly skilled manpower for national industrialization and modernization of the country. Besides, in recent years, nuclear technology became a new area of cooperation between Vietnam and America. The two sides signed a memorandum on cooperation in nuclear energy. It opens up opportunities for cooperation in the civil nuclear sector; several U.S. corporations with world leading nuclear power technology have expressed interest in the nuclear power development in Vietnam.

Need to Overcome Three Major Issues

Could you tell us about the difficulties and challenges that need to be resolved in the relations between the two countries for this relationship to continue growing?

During the process of normalizing relations between the two countries, we have overcome many obstacles, put aside the past and are looking toward the future. However, there are some issues for which the two countries need to continue their efforts toward improving.

Firstly, business and investment are the foundation and impetus for the development of bilateral relations and have made positive, encouraging progress over time, but they are still not commensurate with the potential of each party. Vietnam’s economy is small; it has production capacity for labor intensive goods but limited capital. Because the American economy is the world’s leader, it has the ability to import labor-intensive products and has advantages in capital, science and technology. Naturally it will use this to its advantage, but America should control itself in creating trade barriers (especially surrounding dumping), recognize the market economy of Vietnam and provide Vietnam with trade preferences.

Second, Vietnam and the U.S. must cooperate in healing the consequences of war in order to bring peace and friendship between the two peoples. Vietnam consistently regarded the cooperation in searching for missing American soldiers from the Vietnam War a humanitarian duty; it has cooperated fully with the U.S. government on this issue. The U.S. is just now taking the first steps to resolve the environmental and health consequences of Agent Orange. As each day goes by, public opinion grows stronger about America’s responsibility. This is an area where the U.S. government should do more.

Third, the two countries have different opinions about and ways to deal with human rights, historical circumstances and political regimes; both sides need to continue dialogue in the spirit of frankness and sincerity to handle the differences in these issues. It is the most effective way to narrow the differences for the interests of both peoples.

Deputy Minister, please tell us what you think about the prospects and the development of the relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. in the future?

With the continuous efforts of the governments and people of both countries and normalized relations, one can say that the relationship is moving in the right direction. The wounds of war are gradually healing, the distrust and suspicious feelings are lessening gradually through frank dialogue, and the countries are cooperative in many areas. The two countries affirmed their common interests and principles for the framework of the relationship: friendship, cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit. This will be the basic direction for development of bilateral relations in the coming years.

Next, both countries need to continue maintaining, strengthening and building relationships, maintaining political diplomacy through visits and contacts by leaders of the two countries. Besides that, the two countries should further strengthen relations in trade, increase mutual imports and exports, bring down trade barriers and promote and exchange views on trade agreements, economy and strategic ties. The two countries should boost cooperation in the fields of science, technology and education. The two countries need to do better in humanitarian cooperation and continue to concentrate on the missing American soldiers, solving Agent Orange problems, clearing bombs and mines and public health. Also the countries must enthusiastically promote cooperation on issues such as disaster relief and search and rescue. For the remaining differences of opinion and to identify new areas of cooperation, the two countries should maintain an active dialogue on political issues such as security, defense, democracy, human rights and religion.