(Dan Tri) – According to experts, the upgrade of the relationship between the US and Vietnam to a comprehensive strategic partnership is considered a leap forward and opens a new historical period for the bilateral relationship.
On the afternoon of September 10, during the state visit of US President Joe Biden to Vietnam, leaders of the two countries agreed to upgrade Vietnam - US relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Thus, after 9 years, Vietnam - US relations have been upgraded from Comprehensive Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership level.
To date, Vietnam has had Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with five countries: China, Russia, India, South Korea and the United States.
“A leap in depth”
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong chaired the official welcoming ceremony of US President Joe Biden on September 10 (Photo: Manh Quan).
Major General Le Van Cuong (former Director of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Ministry of Public Security), assessed that the Strategic Partnership has political and security depth. “The two countries have a strategic relationship, which means there is certain trust in the political and security fields. Only countries that achieve a certain level of political trust will establish strategic relations," Mr. Cuong commented. People intellectual.
According to Mr. Cuong, the scope of the comprehensive relationship is "face-to-face", ie wider, but thinner, not as thick and deep. Therefore, the elevation of Vietnam and the US from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategy is a change in both quality and quantity. This proves that the relationship between Vietnam and the US has passed a comprehensive 10-year journey, reached a certain level of political trust and decided to upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
“So this relationship has enough depth, necessary thickness in terms of politics, in terms of security, and at the same time it has a very wide spectrum across all fields. This is a development that I think is a turning point in the Vietnam-US relationship," said Major General Le Van Cuong.
However, according to Mr. Cuong, in international relations, terms such as strategic partnership and comprehensive strategic partnership do not always have a unified perception. For example, Vietnam has very good relations with some countries but is only at the strategic partnership level, not yet a comprehensive strategic partnership.
That may just be due to perception and not due to the nature of that relationship. Each country may use different terms and concepts.
President Vo Van Thuong receives US President Joe Biden at the Presidential Office on September 11 (Photo: Manh Quan).
Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong (former Vietnamese Ambassador to the US, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs) also commented that upgrading Vietnam - US relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is a new and strong development step in the relationship. relationship between the two countries.
“The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is the highest level in Vietnam's foreign relations with other countries around the world. Vietnam currently has a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with five countries including China, Russia, India, South Korea and the United States. With the upgrade of relations with the US to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, for the first time Vietnam has a Strategic Partnership or Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with all the leading important partners in its foreign policy. Vietnam, including all 5 permanent countries of the United Nations Security Council", Mr. Cuong discussed with People intellectual.
Master Hoang Viet (Ho Chi Minh City University of Law) told People intellectual that comprehensive strategic partnership is understood as the highest level in Vietnam's external relations with other countries, showing mutual trust and commitment to each other in the deepest, strongest and most lasting way. This is of special significance because Vietnam and the US used to be former enemies and the relationship between the two countries also has many problems, so the fact that the two countries have become the current Comprehensive Strategic Partnership shows the level of trustworthiness. each other was much higher.
Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong said that the upgrade of relations between Vietnam and the US to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is a leap forward in bilateral relations.
“I consider this to be a leap forward in the Vietnam-US relationship after 10 years of establishing the Comprehensive Partnership. As General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed in a press conference with President Joe Biden: Since the two countries normalized relations in 1995, especially after establishing the Comprehensive Partnership in 2013 , the relationship between the two countries has developed strongly, deeply, substantially and effectively. This is the basis for the leaders of the two countries to decide to elevate the Vietnam-US relationship this time," Mr. Cuong said.
“This is also consistent with the interests of the two peoples and in line with the two countries' development plans in the coming years in the context of the new situation. Just as the name of this relationship is Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development, I think that is also appropriate and beneficial for peace, cooperation and development of the region. region as well as the world," Mr. Cuong commented.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong, this is the "ripe time" for the leaders of the two countries to decide to upgrade relations, because the Vietnam-US relationship has undergone development, has been tested and especially after 10 years. In the year of establishing the Comprehensive Partnership, the two sides have made very strong developments.
“From two former enemies, Vietnam and the US have gradually built trust and after 10 years of establishing a Comprehensive Partnership, that trust has been significantly enhanced and consolidated. This is the basis for the two countries to upgrade their relationship," Mr. Cuong said.
“New historical period”
US President Joe Biden met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 11 (Photo: Manh Quan).
Assessing the Vietnam-US relationship, Major General Le Van Cuong said that the US President Joe Biden's state visit to Vietnam and the two sides' decision to upgrade the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership have reflected the degree to which the US President Joe Biden has made a state visit to Vietnam. political trust between the two countries. The two sides have passed 50 years since signing the Paris Agreement in 1973.
During the 10-year journey of the Comprehensive Partnership (2013-2023), the results of the relationship in the fields of economy, science and technology, human resource training, economy, diplomacy, security... compared to 18 years ago, that is, 1995 when the two countries normalized relations.
According to Mr. Cuong, the past 10 years have created a necessary and solid foundation for Vietnam and the US to enter the current Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and this relationship will be a historic period in the near future. new.
“Perhaps the first thing is that in the coming time, the field of economy, trade and investment will be a booming field, developing the relationship between Vietnam and the US. The most important field is the field of trade and investment. I believe that there will be more American high-tech corporations in Vietnam to invest more, the market of Vietnamese goods and services will land in the US with more diversification of products and quantities," he said. Cuong commented.
According to Mr. Cuong, scientific and technological cooperation accompanied by human resource training and handling global problems will also witness strong development. In terms of politics and diplomacy, there will be closer relations on both bilateral and multilateral levels so that Vietnam and the US can have a common understanding and coordinate to solve current global challenges such as climate change. Climate change, energy crisis, food crisis...
"Another important thing is that in terms of politics and diplomacy, in the near future there will certainly be many shuttle visits from Washington to Hanoi at high levels, at the summit and ministerial levels, and perhaps groups of experts will Work more often, be busier. Those are the prospects that we can imagine the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the US will develop deeper and broader in the future," Mr. Cuong predicted.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong, in the current world situation, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, countries are focusing on economic recovery and development. The Resolution of the 2030th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam clearly states the country's goals, including the goal of striving by 2045, Vietnam to become a developing country with high middle income and by XNUMX, Vietnam The South became a developed country with high income following socialist orientation.
These are very big goals and in order to do that, the XIII Congress also affirmed that Vietnam needs to make use of all resources both at home and abroad to serve development goals.
"Elevating relations with the US is also consistent with the guidelines outlined by the XNUMXth Congress on foreign affairs, as well as the country's development goals," Mr. Cuong said.
Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong said that, through the speeches of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Joe Biden, the two sides also considered this a historic visit, opening a new page in the relationship between the two countries. determine the cooperation contents in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which will inherit the cooperation contents, including 9 priority areas, which the two sides agreed when establishing the Comprehensive Partnership 10 years ago. . However, that content will be raised to a new level.
For example, cooperation in the field of economics - trade - investment, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has emphasized that strongly promoting economic - trade - investment cooperation and inclusive economic growth innovation continues to be the central foundation and driving force for the two countries' relations, and the two sides agreed to create breakthroughs in cooperation in science and technology... The two sides also agreed to cooperate in other fields. new things that we did not discuss 10 years ago such as digital transformation, digital economy, green economy, high technology...
During a press conference with President Joe Biden, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also affirmed that establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership is a very important first step. According to Mr. Cuong, in the near future, relevant ministries and sectors of both countries will embark on implementing the implementation of the agreements of the senior leaders.
“Opportunities for cooperation now extend to many fields, the question is how to grasp those cooperation opportunities. Not only relevant ministries, but also businesses and people of the two countries are also important factors in realizing the agreements of senior leaders," said Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong.
Major General Le Van Cuong also noted that, although the relationship between Vietnam and the US has been upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, "it is not always rosy or like cars running on the highway". Besides the basic advantages, new opportunities and opportunities, the two countries' relationship still has challenges hindering development that both sides need to overcome, such as overcoming the consequences of war and strengthening trust. politics…
He also said that although there are some differences, they do not change the trajectory of bilateral relations between Vietnam and the US and the inevitable trend is that Vietnam plays an important role in the design of the US global strategy. According to Mr. Cuong, while promoting relations with the US, Vietnam also needs to balance other relationships.
“It is necessary to tell the world that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the United States is based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and serves the interests of both countries. This relationship not only serves the interests of the two countries but also contributes to promoting the trend of peace, stability and cooperation in the region in particular and the world in general. This is Vietnam's clear stance that needs to be emphasized for the international community to support," Major General Le Van Cuong emphasized.
