Looking forward to the future

In July this year we will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the normalisation and establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States. With efforts from both sides we have seen great progress in the relationship between the two countries. As a result of this, we are confident that a bright future will beckon from a range of perspectives and that both sides will benefit.

Ten years ago, in a statement responding to President Bill Clinton's decision to normalise relations with Vietnam, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet said: "The Government and the people of Vietnam welcome President Clinton's decision on the normalisation of relations on July 11, 1995, and express their willingness to work with the US Government to agree upon a new framework for relations between the two countries on the basis of equality, mutual respect for the independence and sovereignty, non interference in each other's internal affairs and for mutual benefit in conformity with the common principles of international law." Over the last few years fundamental points of this framework have gradually taken shape.

First of all, relations are based on a policy of "putting the past aside and looking forward to the future". This policy is expressed in our aspirations to overcome the aftermath of the war and to work closely to write a new chapter in our relationship, which focuses on trade, investment and other fields that will benefit both sides and, at the same time, lay a firm foundation for future relations. From this policy we have seen political, economic and trade relations, and also security and defence relations, cemented and strengthened. Cooperation in education, technology and other fields and cultural exchanges have also been broadened.

In terms of political ties, the two sides have established channels of constructive and straightforward communications at all levels, and exchanged a number of high ranking government delegations in the political, economic, trade and military fields.

High ranking leaders from the two countries have met regularly at regional and international forums, confirming the determination of both sides to build a long term and stable framework of relations.

In the fields of economic and trade relations since the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) took effect in December 2001, two-way trade has grown rapidly, from $1.4 billion in 2001 to $6.4 billion in 2004, and the US has now become the largest market for Vietnamese goods.

These only represent initial results, however, as the amount of trade still falls short of its potential. Moreover, US investment in Vietnam remains quite modest and is much less than it could be. Apart from the BTA, the two sides have also reached other agreements on economic cooperation in a number of different fields.

The two sides have also made great efforts concerning humanitarian issues caused by the war. The Government and people of Vietnam have done all they can to help the US locate soldiers missing in action (MIA). For their part, the US has taken a number of measures to meet the humanitarian needs of Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of the war, such as mine clearance, detoxication and research on the serious impact of Agent Orange/dioxin and other dioxins on human life and the environment. It has also helped us in the aftermath of natural disasters and the spread of disease, as well as supplied information on Vietnamese MIAs from the war.

Positive developments have come about in cooperation regarding science and technology, education, healthcare, labour and culture. Most noticeable includes education, where the two sides have signed an agreement on the principles of educational cooperation to create the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF). Quite a few projects have been implemented in the healthcare sector, such as an HIV/AIDS prevention scheme costing $15 million, cooperative measures in the fight against SARS, and hygiene education and School Nutrition Initiative .

Security and defence relations have been normalised. The US Secretary of Defense and Vietnam's Minister of Defence exchanged visits in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Since 200, US Navy vessels have annually called at Vietnamese ports. The Armed Forces of the two countries have cooperated effectively in dealing with war-related issues such as mine clearance, detoxication and so on. The two countries have also shared information on anti-terrorism. All of these activities provide evidence that cooperation between Vietnam and the US has expanded comprehensively.

However, the two sides still have some outstanding differences regarding the concept of democracy, human rights, and religion, as well as in trade disputes seen recently. Such differences often occur in the relations between two countries with divergent cultures, political systems, and levels of development, not to mention the shared history of Vietnam and the US. More importantly, though, the two sides have established mechanisms for holding dialogue to forge better understanding and to meet each other's concern.

The last 10 years have also been a period of major change in the Vietnamese community in the US. Regular visits to the homeland have become commonplace. Many Overseas Vietnamese in the US have been involved in national construction through investment projects and humanitarian programmes or via knowledge transfer.

In short, Vietnam-US relations have basically become normalised over the last 10 years and gone a significant distance. The relationship has been built under a policy of "putting the past aside and looking forward to the future ", in which cooperation has grown in various fields and differences have been settled in a spirit of dialogue, mutual understanding and trust building. Apart from the expansion of cooperation in various fields, relations between the two countries should now enter into intensive development based on this foundation.

Given the results in the last 10 years, the future is brighter for Vietnam-US relations and I am quite confident that with constructive efforts from both sides, Vietnam and the United States will achieve an even more stable, comprehensive, and long term relationship that will meet the legitimate interests of the people of the two countries and those from Asia and around the world.

(Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien writes exclusively for Vietnam Economic Times on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US)