 "President of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Thanh Kien (C) and Vice President, Phan Thi Hong Xuan (L) offer flowers to U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Susan Burns. (Photo: SGGP)")
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Pham Thanh Kien, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council and President of the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City, affirmed that the relationship between Vietnam and the United States has undergone a challenging journey.
He noted that it was perseverance, goodwill, and mutual trust that enabled the two nations to overcome historical obstacles and move toward the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023.
The two countries have developed increasingly bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, including economics, education, defense, innovation, and sustainable development.
Alongside these advancements are ongoing efforts to address the legacies of war, such as the return of wartime artifacts, the clearance of unexploded ordnance, and the remediation of chemical contamination.
These achievements are not only the results of efforts of the two governments but also outcomes from the persistent support of people's organizations and businesses and dedicated individuals on both sides.
On this occasion, Mr. Pham Thanh Kien expressed his deep appreciation to the U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Susan Burns, for her dedicated efforts in fostering friendship between the people of Vietnam and the United States, particularly with the people of Ho Chi Minh City.
In her speech at the gathering, U.S. Consul General Susan Burns noted that over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the United States and Vietnam have worked together to build a forward-looking partnership.
Today, the two nations are trusted partners, with a friendship grounded in reconciliation and the principles of mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political systems.
The U.S.–Vietnam bilateral relationship is stronger than ever, as the two countries advance trade and economic ties and elevate their cooperation through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City highly appreciated the people-to-people diplomacy between Vietnam and the United States, with education serving as a pillar of this relationship. More than 30,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in the United States, making Vietnam the sixth-largest source of international students at U.S. universities.
She affirmed that the U.S. diplomatic mission in Vietnam is committed to expanding partnerships between Vietnamese and American institutions of higher education, enabling both countries to benefit from the talents of students and educators.
