Hanoi (VNA) – On July 12, 1995 (Hanoi time), US President Bill Clinton and Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet announced the full normalisation of the two countries' diplomatic ties, marking a historic turning point in the Vietnam – US relations.

Three decades later, thanks to tireless efforts from both nations, Vietnam and the US have built mutual trust, becoming friends and comprehensive strategic partners across all sectors. The bilatertal relationship has grown robustly, truly reflecting the spirit of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

From normalisation of relations to comprehensive strategic partnership

The Vietnam – US ties are unique in modern international relations, shaped by a painful history of war. Overcoming that past to normalise relations was a meaningful milestone for both nations, marking the beginning of a journey from reconciliation to deep and enduring partnership.

The milestone was attributed to a long journey marked by relentless efforts from the two nations. A series of negotiations and meetings helped build essential bridges of understanding. These efforts paid off on February 3, 1994, when President Bill Clinton officially announced the lifting of the embargo on Vietnam, a pivotal step toward full normalisation.

On late July 11, 1995 (Washington DC time), US President Bill Clinton officially announced the normalisation of diplomatic ties with Vietnam. On July 12, 1995 (Hanoi time), Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet did the same. This went down in history as a particularly important landmark heralding a new era of bilateral relations.

Following normalisation, the Vietnam – US relations have steadily progressed, marked by milestone after milestone. Putting the past behind, the two countries looked to the future, building a new chapter of cooperation. They officially established a comprehensive partnership in July 2013 and, a decade later, elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development in September 2023.

These milestones reflect significant progress in the bilateral relations, built on respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as equal and win-win cooperation in line with international law. This solid foundation has enabled the two sides to strengthen political and diplomatic ties through regular all-level mutual visits, thus promoting mutual understanding and deepening bilateral connections.

Notable high-level exchanges have marked key moments in bilateral ties. In July 2013, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang paid an official visit to the US, during which the two countries established their comprehensive partnership. In July 2015, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made an official visit to the US. In May 2022, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the US and attended the ASEAN–US Special Summit in Washington, DC. Most recently, in September 2024, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam participated in the UN Summit of the Future and activities at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in the US. The Vietnamese Party leader also held phone talks with US President Donald Trump on November 11 last year, and April 4 and July 2, 2025.

On the US side, its Presidents visited Vietnam during their terms. Bill Clinton paid an official visit to Vietnam in November 2000, becoming the first US President to set foot in the Southeast Asian nation since the war ended. President George W. Bush came to Vietnam for an official visit and attendance at the 14th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2006. President Barack Obama paid an official visit to Vietnam in May 2016, during which he announced the complete lifting of the embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam, removing the final barrier in bilateral ties and marking full normalisation of bilateral relations. In November 2017, President Donald Trump made a state visit to Vietnam and attended the APEC Economic Leaders' Week. He returned in February 2019 to attend the second US – DPRK Summit, becoming the first US President to visit Vietnam twice in a single term. In September 2023, President Joe Biden made a state visit to Vietnam, during which the two sides officially elevated the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.

Most recently, on April 4, 2025, Party General Secretary To Lam became one of the first foreign leaders to talk over the phone with US President Donald Trump to discuss the two countries' relations following the US announcement of new reciprocal tariff policies on many countries, including Vietnam. Just one week later, a Vietnamese delegation travelled to the US for negotiations, demonstrating Vietnam’s proactive and constructive engagement in addressing bilateral economic concerns.

On July 2, 2025, Lam held another phone call with Trump to discuss Vietnam – US relations and ongoing negotiations on reciprocal tariffs. The leaders expressed satisfaction with the strong and positive development of bilateral ties. Trump affirmed that the US will significantly reduce reciprocal tariffs on many Vietnamese exports and pledged continued cooperation in resolving trade-related issues, particularly in priority sectors. For his part, Lam called on the US to soon recognise Vietnam’s market economy and lift export restrictions on certain high-tech products.

The continuous high-level discussions on reciprocal tariffs between the two countries’ top leaders highlight that Vietnam – US relations are now in their prime, and also reflect mutual respect and a shared commitment to further advancing the partnership for the benefit of both nations and their peoples.

Economic and trade ties see key highlights

Building on the expanding political ties, the Vietnam – US economic, trade, and investment links have seen remarkable growth. US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper stated that the Vietnam – US relationship covers many pillars as it has expanded across various sectors over the past 30 years. However, he described economic and trade cooperation as the most prominent.

Since the normalisation of ties, bilateral trade has surged from just 450 million USD in 1995 to nearly 134.6 billion USD in 2024, and reached 79.7 billion in the first half of 2025 as reported by Vietnam Customs. Knapper noted that Vietnam is now the US’s 8th largest trading partner while the US is Vietnam’s biggest export market.

In the past, Vietnam’s exports to the US were largely light industrial goods produced under orders from foreign companies such as textiles, garments, and footwear. Today, the export portfolio has expanded to include processed and manufactured industrial products, as well as high-value agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products. Meanwhile, Vietnam's imports from the US are mainly industrial commodities with high technological content and added value, along with input materials for manufacturing like computers, electronic devices, and components.

Regarding investment, for many years, the US has remained one of the largest foreign investors in Vietnam. As of January 2025, the US' direct investment in Vietnam totalled 11.8 billion USD with 1,429 active projects, ranking 11th out of 149 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation.

Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023, the two countries have witnessed stronger investment links and frequent exchanges of business delegations. US companies have shown growing interest in the Vietnamese market, particularly in areas Vietnam is interested in such as infrastructure development, supply chains, and digital economy.

Some US firms have also provided funding for Vietnamese businesses in clean energy and supported technology transfer. US tech executives, including Tim Cook of Apple, Jensen Huang of Nvidia, and leaders from Qualcomm, have recently visited Vietnam, announcing major investments such as the acquisition of VinGroup’s AI division. That shows the US' strong commitment to supporting Vietnam’s ambition of becoming a regional and global hub for high technology.

Conversely, a growing number of Vietnamese businesses are also investing in the US. In May 2025, the US hosted the SelectUSA Investment Summit, which welcomed a record delegation of over 100 Vietnamese representatives – the largest ever from Vietnam so far. This strong turnout reflects Vietnamese enterprises' increasing interest in the US market.

It could be said that the upgrade of the relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership has deepened mutual trust and expanded the scope of cooperation. Businesses and citizens from both nations are benefiting from this milestone decision.

Beyond trade and economy, Vietnam – US collaboration has expanded meaningfully in science and technology, education and training, healthcare, culture, and tourism, particularly in areas matching the US' strengths and Vietnam's demand.

There are around 30,000 Vietnamese students in the US at present, making Vietnam the sixth-largest source of international students there. According to Knapper, this number continues to grow.

Healthcare is also a crucial pillar of the bilateral relationship. The US ambassador noted that health cooperation began with joint projects to combat HIV/AIDS under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has supported Vietnam since 2005. This cooperation has since expanded to include tuberculosis and COVID-19 combat.

Looking ahead to shared prosperity

The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations (July 12, 1995–2025). Reflecting on this journey, former Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh afirmed that the three-decade journey has seen efforts by both sides to build trust and enhance mutual understanding. The two countries have gradually nurtured their relationship while respecting each other’s political regimes.

Former Deputy Foreign Minister and former Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc perceived that the achievements gained over the last 30 years have generated fresh momentum for both countries to realise the broad and forward-looking cooperation framework outlined in the joint statement issued in September 2023.

In their phone call on November 11, 2024, Lam and Trump reaffirmed their shared desire to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Knapper expressed his hope that 2025 will serve as a pivotal year to further promote bilateral cooperation to a new height and realise the commitments of the comprehensive strategic partnership. He stressed that economic and trade cooperation will remain the key driver behind the overall Vietnam – US relationship.

At a recent press briefing marking the 30th anniversary of Vietnam – US diplomatic ties, Knapper shared insights on the future direction of bilateral relations. Regarding trade, he affirmed that the US aims to ensure a healthy and balanced trade partnership that benefits both countries and promotes shared prosperity.

The US government seeks to ensure that US companies can operate in Vietnam on a level playing field, while creating conditions for Vietnamese businesses to succeed in the US market, the diplomat said.

US business leaders are also highly optimistic about Vietnam as a partner, a market, and a manufacturing hub, particularly for high-tech production, he went on, noting that strengthening the role of the private sector, along with prioritising high-tech industries and digital infrastructure, will make Vietnam an even more attractive destination for trade and investment. He also expressed his hope that more Vietnamese businesses will explore investment opportunities in the US in the near future.

For addressing post-war consequences, Knapper affirmed that related programmes remain ongoing. He noted that following a comprehensive review of US foreign assistance programmes, the key initiatives, including those on unexploded ordnance (UXO), dioxin remediation, support for the disabled, and joint efforts to search for missing personnel (POW/MIA) from the two sides have all resumed after a temporary pause.

🥃 With a solid foundation in place, the two countries are well-positioned to continue working side by side to address challenges and seize opportunities to further elevate their bilateral relationship, thus promoting prosperity in each country and the well-being of their peoples./.