The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) organized the U.S. - Vietnam Friendship Festival on November 23 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries.
This is the last of four festivals held in many provinces and cities in Vietnam this year, to celebrate 30 years of bilateral relations between Vietnam and the U.S.. Previously, festivals were held in Da Nang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper said that through the event, he wanted to send a message about the friendship between Vietnam and the U.S..
"This festival is an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and three decades of development in the bilateral relationship; promoting progress in expanding bilateral relations to the current heights," the Ambassador noted. "The event also looks to the future, as both sides honor and inspire young people who will continue to push this relationship forward in the next three decades."
According to the Ambassador, U.S. companies have been playing an indispensable role in supporting these goals.
Reviewing the 30-year journey of strong development of the relationship between the two countries, the Ambassador emphasized that the U.S. and Vietnam have cooperated extensively in all fields: trade, investment, education, science - technology, health, security - defense.
Among the pillars of the relationship between the two countries, the Ambassador highly appreciated the importance of educational cooperation - a bridge to promote understanding and mutual understanding between the people and youth of the two countries, with the expectation of bringing Vietnam to the 4th position in the number of international students in the U.S. - compared to the current 5th position.
The Ambassador also said that Vietnamese youth should focus on education, English, STEM, science - technology, engineering and mathematics, which are the keys to future industries.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dong Huy Cuong, Vice President of the VUFO, affirmed in the overall Vietnam - US diplomatic relations, people-to-people exchange has always been an essential source of connection, a solid foundation, a sincere bridge and a strong driving force, fostering understanding, trust and friendship between the two countries.
“In addition to the political trust between the two governments, the emotional foundation and love between the two peoples for each other’s culture and country is very important,” he added.
According to Mr. Cuong, in the coming time, the VUFO will continue to expand its partnerships with universities, research institutes, states and businesses in the US; at the same time, opening up the possibility of organizing an annual forum between the Vietnamese and US people to connect bilateral industries and businesses.
Economically, in the first ten months of the year, Vietnam's export turnover to the U.S. exceeded $126 billion - the highest level ever and increased by 28 per cent compared to the same period in 2024, according to Vietnam Customs. The U.S. continues to be Vietnam's largest export market, accounting for over 30 per cent of the total turnover and playing a leading role in trade prospects in 2026. This figure exceeds the turnover of the whole year 2024, led by billion-dollar groups such as textiles, electronics, agriculture and aquaculture.
In the political and security field, the two countries have strengthened cooperation through the exchange of delegations, especially high-level delegations, implementing dialogue mechanisms and coordinating the handling of regional and global issues, including climate change response and supporting initiatives in ASEAN and Mekong cooperation.
Currently, among the ASEAN members, Vietnam has the highest number of international students in the U.S., with nearly 36,000 students. Many U.S. universities have been implementing research and teaching programs on Vietnam, contributing to improving the understanding of the American people about Vietnamese history and culture.
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