State President’s trip expected to deepen Vietnam-US relations
The US remains Vietnam’s largest export market. Bilateral trade has surged from 450 million USD in 1995 to over 123 billion USD in 2022, 110.84 billion USD in 2023, and nearly 134.6 billion USD in 2024. Both sides aim to raise trade turnover to 200 billion USD in the near future.
Hanoi (VNA) – State President Luong Cuong’s working trip to attend the High-level General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) and engage in bilateral activities in the US from September 21-24 aims to further deepen Vietnam–US relations, concretise commitments between high-ranking leaders, and promote cooperation, particularly in economy, trade, investment, and science-technology.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung said that President Cuong’s agenda includes a series of bilateral activities with the US, covering politics, economy, technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. These activities are expected to help maintain stability and foster comprehensive growth in bilateral ties.
The visit comes as 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Vietnam–US diplomatic relations (July 12, 1995 – 2025) and two years of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation, and Sustainable Development (September 2023 – September 2025). It provides an opportunity for both sides to review achievements under the new partnership framework and discuss orientations to sustain stable, substantive, and long-term cooperation.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1995, bilateral relations have expanded steadily, with the Comprehensive Partnership launched in 2013 and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2023. Over the past two years, cooperation has deepened across all fields, especially in addressing war legacies. High-level exchanges have been frequent, including phone talks between Party General Secretary To Lam and the US Presidents. Ambassador Dung noted that in recent several months alone, General Secretary Lam and President Trump held three phone conversations, underscoring strong political engagement at the highest level.
On the basis of growing political trust, economic, trade, and investment ties have expanded robustly. The US remains Vietnam’s largest export market. Bilateral trade has surged from 450 million USD in 1995 to over 123 billion USD in 2022, 110.84 billion USD in 2023, and nearly 134.6 billion USD in 2024. Both sides aim to raise trade turnover to 200 billion USD in the near future.
The US has also been a leading investor in Vietnam, with 11.8 billion USD in foreign direct investment across 1,429 valid projects as of January 2025. Major US firms in technology, energy, and logistics continue to expand in Vietnam, while Vietnamese enterprises are increasingly investing in the US. Notably, the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025 in May drew more than 100 Vietnamese delegates – the largest ever – reflecting strong business interest in the US market.
Beyond trade and investment, cooperation in science-technology, education, health, culture, and tourism has expanded. About 30,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the US, ranking sixth among foreign student groups. Robust cultural and people-to-people exchanges are strengthening mutual understanding and goodwill.
Looking ahead, Ambassador Dung highlighted that economy, trade, and science-technology will remain the most promising areas of cooperation, aligning with Vietnam’s development priorities and the US’s supply chain diversification goals. This creates opportunities for Vietnam to become a trusted partner in global value chains, particularly in technology, clean energy, and sustainable development.
Cultural and tourism cooperation also holds potential. The US will celebrate its 250th Independence anniversary in 2026, providing opportunities for meaningful cultural events. Vietnam, meanwhile, is boosting its creative industries, which stand to benefit from access to and collaboration with the US market.
Education-training is another promising field. Vietnam’s demand for high-quality human resources is rising, while US expertise in advanced education can help improve training quality and further enhance mutual understanding.
With a strong foundation in place, Vietnam and the US are expected to continue working together to address challenges and seize opportunities, further elevating their bilateral partnership./.