Speaking to more than 400 students of Hanoi National University on January 8, US Ambassador Marc Knapper expressed his honor to be present at the place where 25 years ago, President Bill Clinton came as the first US President to visit Hanoi after the two countries normalized relations in 1995.
“Today, I am here with you – future leaders in every field – to kick off activities to celebrate 30 years of U.S.-Vietnam relations and reflect on three important themes: education, innovation, and cooperation. These are the foundations for our relationship over the next 30 years, as we move beyond the past and toward the future,” said the Ambassador.
Seeds of Education
Comparing the meaning of the Vietnam-US relationship to the saying “where there is a will, there will come a day when you will reap the fruits”, the Ambassador said that over the past 30 years, the two countries have together sown the seeds of friendship, nurtured the trees so that today they can reap the sweet fruits together, and continue to sow new seeds for the future.
The Ambassador said that education is one of the foundations of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Cooperation programs between Vietnam National University, Hanoi and US organizations have opened up opportunities for learning and innovation. The US has cooperated with Vietnam National University, Hanoi to design curricula for important industries such as semiconductors.
Today, Vietnam is the sixth largest source of international students in the United States. More than 30,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in the United States, and if online programs are included, the number is nearly 300,000 students.
The Ambassador cited the success stories of people like Forrest Li (founder of Shopee, Stanford University graduate), Anthony Tan (founder of Grab, Harvard student) or Vuong Quang Khai (co-founder of Zalo, master's degree from Berkeley University) to show that education is not only the path to knowledge, but also the key to solving practical problems, promoting growth and innovation.
Innovation: The Key to the Next 30 Years
Innovation is key to the next 30 years of the US-Vietnam relationship, and much of our shared success will depend on trade and innovation, said Ambassador Knapper.
30 years ago, the trade turnover between the two countries only reached 450 million USD, but today, this figure has exceeded 124 billion USD.
More and more American companies are investing in Vietnam for projects of technological innovation, creativity and sustainable development. Currently, the US direct investment in Vietnam is about 12 billion USD, a signal of strong US confidence in the skills of the Vietnamese people.
"Our futures are linked together. America invests in Vietnam's success. Your prosperity is our prosperity," the Ambassador emphasized.
Cooperation: The Foundation for Peace and Development
2025 marks not only the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but also 50 years since the end of the war.
The Ambassador cited President Joe Biden’s remarks at the United Nations in 2023 after a state visit to Vietnam: “The relationship between our two countries is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for reconciliation, as today the United States and Vietnam have become partners and friends. It proves that even from the pain of war, there is a way forward. Things can get better.”
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Vietnam-US relations, Ambassador Knapper said that "the trees planted by visionaries in many different areas including education, reconciliation, trade and innovation are bearing fruit today".
The Ambassador urged the younger generation to continue writing a new chapter, "sowing new seeds to reap sweet fruits in the years to come".
