US-Vietnam relations: A conversation with Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son

In September 2023, the United States and Vietnam elevated bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The move signified a deepening of political and diplomatic ties as well as expanded cooperation on trade and investment; science and technology; climate change; collective security; addressing war legacies; and coordination on regional and global issues, among other areas. The two countries have also established an annual dialogue between Vietnam’s minister of foreign affairs and the U.S. secretary of state to help manage the elevated partnership. As the United States and Vietnam move forward in implementing the partnership, what sort of opportunities lie ahead? What are the challenges, and in what ways are Hanoi and Washington working to bridge their differences? What does this enhanced relationship mean for Vietnam’s role and relations within ASEAN, including how the regional body is navigating escalating U.S.-China competition in Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region?

On March 26, as part of the Alan and Jane Batkin International Leaders Forum, Foreign Policy at Brookings hosted Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son for a keynote address followed by a moderated discussion with Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Jonathan Stromseth.

Viewers submitted questions via e-mail to [email protected] or via Twitter/X @BrookingsFP using #USVietnam.

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