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Once enemies and now
partners, The United States and Vietnam have built ties with each other through
trade and educational exchange, and leaders of our two nations have pledged to
develop them further.
Meeting in Washington with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on
October first, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. is committed to
strengthening ties with Vietnam and working more closely on vital security
issues. "This is a region vital to global progress, prosperity and peace
and we are fully engaged on a wide range of issues," Secretary Clinton
said.
Our two countries agreed to normal diplomatic relations in 1995 and since then
have developed strong economic ties. Last year, two-way trade between the U.S.
and Vietnam was more than fifteen billion dollars, an increase of one thousand
percent since 2001 when a formal trade agreement took effect.
In their discussion, the Secretary and Foreign Minister said they will work to
develop greater cooperation on education, science and technology, and security.
Already more than 10,000 Vietnamese students are studying at U.S. colleges and
universities, and they would like that number to increase.
As Vietnam intensified efforts to help citizens suffering in the aftermath of
Typhoon Ketsana, which ravaged coastal areas of Central Vietnam last week,
Secretary Clinton also offered assistance for victims of the storm, the worst
to hit the region in many years.
