When completed, the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi will play an active role in expanding diplomatic , security, and trade relations between Vietnam and the United States.
The US Embassy complex has a total budget of 1.2 billion USD, on a land area of 3.2 hectares.
The design of the US Embassy Complex will be a combination of modern urban landscape and the natural beauty of Hanoi city. The construction materials are inspired by Ha Long Bay.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared: "This is a special joy, a day I have been waiting for a long time. I have heard about this project since I was Deputy Secretary of State...". He thanked the Vietnamese Government and the staff of the US Embassy for their efforts to "make this historic day a reality".
The Secretary said the event had been years in the making and was the culmination of the dedicated and creative work of many American and Vietnamese diplomats. The new embassy represents a major step forward in strengthening the important partnership between our two countries and peoples.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that in 1995, his predecessor - Secretary of State Warren Christopher visited Hanoi to normalize diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.
"The embassy was a big part of that effort. It looked a little different when the embassy had fewer than 30 American staff. And they did much of their work using an interesting technology that allowed them to communicate instantly with colleagues around the world: the fax machine. Since then, a few things have changed. Email has replaced fax. And our embassy has grown from a small team to a collective of more than 600 American and local staff," the secretary of state shared.
The US Secretary of State emphasized that over the past 27 years, the connection between Vietnam and the United States has also become increasingly strong, this year, the two countries celebrate 10 years of Comprehensive Partnership. The two countries have cooperated on everything from improving public health, to expanding inclusive economic opportunities, to accelerating the clean energy transition.
The new embassy building will be eight stories high and large enough to accommodate all staff, the US Secretary of State said, adding that the embassy will also be able to quadruple the number of consular counters it has now, allowing it to issue visas and passports to more people more quickly.
It is estimated that during the 6 years of construction, the project will provide jobs for about 1,800 local workers, while contributing an additional 350 million USD to the Vietnamese economy.
The architecture of the Embassy is also a fusion of cultures and two countries. The complex was designed by an American firm and was inspired by the combination of Vietnamese landscape and Hanoi urban architecture.
The building's foundation will be made of basalt – a type of stone found in both Vietnam and the United States.
The Embassy's architecture is also a testament to the two countries' shared commitment to ensuring environmental sustainability and strong resilience to climate change .
"We will build much of the embassy complex from recycled materials and the embassy's design will be both energy efficient and reduce the risk of flooding during major storms," the secretary of state announced.
Concluding his remarks, Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared: "In 1995, when Secretary Christopher opened our Embassy building in Hanoi, he talked about building a bridge of cooperation between our two countries. At that time, no one could have imagined the strong developments in the relationship between our two countries, after nearly three decades, we all see clearly. The new Embassy building is also a bridge between our two countries. With this new complex, we will be able to promote more connections, along with relationships, innovation and opportunities."
Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Duong Duc Tuan said that the project is an effort that has been carried out over many years by the two countries with the active participation of many agencies.
Right before the US Secretary of State's visit, the Hanoi People's Committee approved the detailed planning of the remaining part of the Cau Giay New Urban Area at a scale of 1/500 in the planning block marked D30 - this is an important condition for implementing related procedures to implement the agreement to build the Embassy headquarters.
The Hanoi People's Committee will continue to closely coordinate with central agencies and the US Embassy in the construction process, supporting the project to achieve its goals and progress.
Secretary of State Blinken's visit takes place on the occasion of Vietnam and the United States celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership.
Explaining the importance of Vietnam, US Assistant Secretary of State Kritenbrink said that Vietnam also supports the international order based on standards, many large US businesses are expanding their investment here and Vietnam is an important link in the global supply chain.
"We consider Vietnam a trusted partner in the Mekong, a leader in ASEAN and an important member of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework," Mr. Kritenbrink affirmed.
VNA
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