General Secretary and President To Lam: Vietnam-US relations are the result of countless efforts to mend ties

Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm: Quan hệ Việt - Mỹ là kết tinh của vô vàn nỗ lực hàn gắn - Ảnh 1. — General Secretary andPresident To Lam and his wife with delegates attending the ceremony to celebrate the first anniversary of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership - Photo: VNA

The event to celebrate the 1st anniversary of upgrading relations to the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and towards the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations (1995-2025) took place on the evening of September 22 in New York (morning of September 23, Vietnam time).

The ceremony was attended by former US Secretary of State John Kerry, Senator Dan Sullivan, many officials and former officials in the administration of President Joe Biden, many American friends and the Vietnamese community in the US, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

Efforts to heal and build trust

Reviewing the history of Vietnam-US relations, General Secretary and President To Lam said that this is a rare process and a model in international relations in healing and building relations after the war.

Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm: Quan hệ Việt - Mỹ là kết tinh của vô vàn nỗ lực hàn gắn - Ảnh 2. — General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife and delegates sing the national anthem - Photo: VNA

The head of the Vietnamese Party and State said that although the first exchanges took place more than two centuries ago, the two countries had to go through many challenges and ups and downs, from former enemies to friends and then to Comprehensive Partners in 2013.

According to General Secretary and President To Lam, after 10 years of implementing the Comprehensive Partnership framework, Vietnam and the US have made important strides in strengthening trust and enhancing mutual understanding, which has created a solid foundation for the two countries to upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023, in line with President Ho Chi Minh's wishes.

General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that this result is the crystallization of countless efforts to mend and build lasting trust over three decades by many generations of leaders, governments, parliaments and people of the two countries.

Welcoming the encouraging results achieved by both sides after a year of upgrading relations, the Party and State leaders said that with the comprehensive and specific content of the new relationship framework, the two sides still have much room to continue to deepen and develop bilateral relations in a stable and substantive manner, bringing more benefits to the people of the two countries as well as contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

And more importantly, according to him, that helps both sides build trust, an important foundation so that "We can together build a bright vision for the future relationship between the two countries, so that our two peoples and our descendants will always be good friends and partners of each other" - as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said during his historic visit to the US in 2015.

Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm: Quan hệ Việt - Mỹ là kết tinh của vô vàn nỗ lực hàn gắn - Ảnh 3. — General Secretary and President To Lam speaks at the ceremony – Photo: VNA

A beautiful picture is woven by many people.

Looking forward to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-US diplomatic relations in 2025, the General Secretary and President suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen close coordination to effectively implement the Vietnam-US Joint Statement in 2023. In particular, it is necessary to increase contacts and exchanges of delegations at high levels; make cooperation in science and high technology (semiconductors, AI), and training of high-quality human resources a strategic breakthrough in the relationship between the two countries.

The Vietnamese leader suggested that the two sides continue to prioritize cooperation in overcoming war consequences, contributing to building and consolidating mutual trust; increase dialogue in a frank and constructive spirit, sharing each other's interests and legitimate concerns; and strengthen coordination, contributing more to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

Borrowing the words of the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln , “The best way to predict the future is to create it,” to conclude his speech , General Secretary and President To Lam once again emphasized that over the past 30 years, the two sides have joined hands to create a historical highlight as a model in international relations.

It is like a beautiful picture woven by the contributions and efforts of many people, both typical leaders and those who are quietly unknown by name and face. If we compare each action, no matter how small, to a thread, when woven together and linked together, it will weave a picture of the future, weave extraordinary things.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his gratitude to the US Government and people for their timely support to the Vietnamese people during the recent typhoon Yagi.

Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm: Quan hệ Việt - Mỹ là kết tinh của vô vàn nỗ lực hàn gắn - Ảnh 4. — US President's Special Envoy for Climate Change John Kerry speaks – Photo: VNA

Speaking at the event, former Secretary of State John Kerry shared his personal experiences witnessing the difficulties in the process of normalizing and promoting relations between the two countries.

He emphasized that thanks to the efforts of generations of leaders and people on both sides, today the two countries are not only happy that they have found a formula to promote healing and end the war, but also have the opportunity to do what the second US President John Adams once said: "Together, we give the young generation opportunities that our generation could not imagine."

As a friend of Vietnam, the former foreign minister expressed his wish that next year the two sides would mark the anniversary by looking forward together to the future.

Senator Dan Sullivan sent his condolences to the families of the victims of Typhoon Yagi and expressed his appreciation for the contributions of generations of US Congressmen, such as the late Senator John McCain and former Senator John Kerry, to the process of normalizing and promoting relations between the two countries.

Also at the event, Senator Sullivan affirmed that the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has received bipartisan and US support, with great development potential, and has made positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Senator Sullivan affirmed that the US Congress will continue to support a “strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous” Vietnam, a country with a leading role in the region.

Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Tô Lâm: Quan hệ Việt – Mỹ là hình mẫu hàn gắn sau chiến tranh - Ảnh 2. — Asia Society Vice President Daniel Russel welcomed General Secretary and President To Lam on the afternoon of September 22 (US time) – Photo: DUY LINH

Previously, General Secretary and President To Lam had a meeting with the leadership of Asia Society and some American friends.

The General Secretary and President thanked Asia Society for giving the Vietnamese delegation a warm welcome and coordinating the organization of the above event.

The General Secretary and President highly appreciated Dr. Kang Kyung Wha's personal interest and support for Vietnam in his previous position as Korean Foreign Minister and current position as Asia Society President, and hoped that the Asia Society's leadership would continue to support strengthening cooperative relations with Vietnam and ASEAN.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam also expressed his gratitude to American friends who have made important contributions to the establishment and implementation of the Comprehensive Partnership in 2013 and promoted the upgrade to the current Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, such as former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russell, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Kritenbrink, Ambassador Marc Knapper, etc.

The General Secretary and President affirmed that after nearly 80 years of national founding and nearly 40 years of renovation, Vietnam is ready to enter a new historical starting point, a new era - the era of the Vietnamese people's rise. Vietnam hopes to continue to receive strong support and companionship from the international community in general and the US in particular in this process.

The Asia Society's leadership and American friends congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in the country's renovation and development, enhancing Vietnam's current international position and prestige.

Delighted with the fact that Vietnam and the US have upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and achieved many substantive results over the past year, Vietnam's friends affirmed that they will continue to support the stable and sustainable development of the Vietnam-US relationship, affirming their readiness to accompany Vietnam in the process of Vietnam's strong growth and development.