Since diplomatic relations between the US and modern Vietnam establishedin July 1995, a very short time, US-Vietnam relations are moreimpressive, both the depth of the relationship and the outlook forcontinued deepening, local newspaper reported.
TheHill, a US congressional daily on its July 14 issue reviewedhistorical milestones in bilateral relations. Since February 14, 1994when President Bill Clinton lifted the trade embargo, the United Stateshas become Vietnam’s biggest market. Economic reforms have liftedmillions out of poverty in what is one of the world’s outstandingrecords on poverty reduction.
"Not only have ourtwo countries signed a historic bilateral trade agreement," saidUndersecretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural AffairsRobert Hormats, "but this agreement has increased trade more than 700percent from just over 2 billion USD in 2001 to nearly 16 billion USD in2009."
According to "The Hill", Vietnam has movedahead on a variety of other fronts, becoming a leader in theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations, serving a successful stint atthe United Nations Security Council and working hard on broadening itsrelationship with the US beyond trade.
Vietnamhas cooperated with the US on accounting for the many missing USservicemen from the war. Vietnam has always taken the MIA issue asa humanitarian problem, not a military or diplomatic one. NationalSecurity Adviser Gen. James Jones recognized that the relationship "...started with the great amount of help and compassion that the Vietnamesegovernment showed in all our efforts to recover those who were missingin action."
The paper wrote:
"The Political, Security and Defense dialogue, among others, has becomean annual event that helps fortify the framework for bilateralrelations. Military cooperation today addressed multiple arenas,including peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, disaster response,maritime security, counterterrorism and counternarcotics cooperation,border security, nonproliferation, and exchanges of high-level visits.
"Last month, the bilateral relationship took anotherimportant step forward when the two countries inked a nuclearcooperation agreement. Given American proliferation fears, suchagreements are not easy to reach. US Ambassador Michael Michalakexpressed his hope that " Vietnam builds on its achievements andimplements all relevant international non-proliferation agreements, sothat it can become a model for countries seeking to develop civiliannuclear power." All this indicates that the US has concluded thatVietnam is now a reliable partner in nuclear security andnon-proliferation, noted Vietnam expert Carlyle Thayer, who teaches atthe Australian Defense Force Academy ."
"The Hill" cited Undersecretary Hormats as writing on a State Departmentblog: “Our relationship with Vietnam is a pillar of the US ’spresence in Asia . “We don’t agree on everything... But we want towork out our disagreements in a constructive manner."
National Security Adviser Jones emphasised the need to keep working inthe areas of agreement. "Security in the 21st century is far more abouthow we handle our climate, energy and trade and that kind of scientificcooperation, education, these are things we should be worried about incommon. If we able to do that we all prosper and benefit. That is why Ithink that the future of specifically [the] US and Vietnam[relationship] is very bright."/.
TheHill, a US congressional daily on its July 14 issue reviewedhistorical milestones in bilateral relations. Since February 14, 1994when President Bill Clinton lifted the trade embargo, the United Stateshas become Vietnam’s biggest market. Economic reforms have liftedmillions out of poverty in what is one of the world’s outstandingrecords on poverty reduction.
"Not only have ourtwo countries signed a historic bilateral trade agreement," saidUndersecretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural AffairsRobert Hormats, "but this agreement has increased trade more than 700percent from just over 2 billion USD in 2001 to nearly 16 billion USD in2009."
According to "The Hill", Vietnam has movedahead on a variety of other fronts, becoming a leader in theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations, serving a successful stint atthe United Nations Security Council and working hard on broadening itsrelationship with the US beyond trade.
Vietnamhas cooperated with the US on accounting for the many missing USservicemen from the war. Vietnam has always taken the MIA issue asa humanitarian problem, not a military or diplomatic one. NationalSecurity Adviser Gen. James Jones recognized that the relationship "...started with the great amount of help and compassion that the Vietnamesegovernment showed in all our efforts to recover those who were missingin action."
The paper wrote:
"The Political, Security and Defense dialogue, among others, has becomean annual event that helps fortify the framework for bilateralrelations. Military cooperation today addressed multiple arenas,including peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, disaster response,maritime security, counterterrorism and counternarcotics cooperation,border security, nonproliferation, and exchanges of high-level visits.
"Last month, the bilateral relationship took anotherimportant step forward when the two countries inked a nuclearcooperation agreement. Given American proliferation fears, suchagreements are not easy to reach. US Ambassador Michael Michalakexpressed his hope that " Vietnam builds on its achievements andimplements all relevant international non-proliferation agreements, sothat it can become a model for countries seeking to develop civiliannuclear power." All this indicates that the US has concluded thatVietnam is now a reliable partner in nuclear security andnon-proliferation, noted Vietnam expert Carlyle Thayer, who teaches atthe Australian Defense Force Academy ."
"The Hill" cited Undersecretary Hormats as writing on a State Departmentblog: “Our relationship with Vietnam is a pillar of the US ’spresence in Asia . “We don’t agree on everything... But we want towork out our disagreements in a constructive manner."
National Security Adviser Jones emphasised the need to keep working inthe areas of agreement. "Security in the 21st century is far more abouthow we handle our climate, energy and trade and that kind of scientificcooperation, education, these are things we should be worried about incommon. If we able to do that we all prosper and benefit. That is why Ithink that the future of specifically [the] US and Vietnam[relationship] is very bright."/.
