Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hosts a welcome ceremony for US President Joe Biden on a State visit to Vietnam (Photo: VGP)

The Joint Statement says the two leaders hailed a historic new phase of bilateral cooperation and friendship by elevating their nations’ relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. The United States supports a strong, independent, prosperous, and resilient Vietnam.

The two leaders underscored the fundamental principles guiding Vietnam–US relations, including respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and respect for each other’s political system, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The two leaders underscored the need to continue deepening political and diplomatic relations, and will promote regular exchanges of delegations and engagements at all levels to strengthen mutual understanding and build and enhance political trust.

Both sides pledged to create favorable conditions and facilitate the further opening of markets for each other’s goods and services, support trade and economic policy, and regulatory measures to achieve this aim; and to address issues such as market access barriers via the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

Vietnam and the United States decided to strengthen science, technology, and digital innovation cooperation, regarding this as a new breakthrough of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The United States affirmed its commitment to increasing support for Vietnam in the training and development of a high-tech workforce. 

President Biden applauded Vietnam’s climate commitments under its Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), as well as Vietnam’s 2050 net zero greenhouse emissions target. The United States committed to assisting Vietnam with both finance and advanced climate technology to fulfill its international climate commitments.

The leaders commended close cooperation between the two countries to overcome the consequences of war, regarding this as a priority in bilateral relations that contributes to the building of mutual trust and understanding.

The leaders underscored their unwavering support for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, without the threat or use of force, as well as freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in the South China Sea (East Sea), respect for sovereignty, and for sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal states over their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in accordance with the international law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Leaders recognized the importance of the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (East Sea) in its entirety, and reaffirmed their support for ASEAN efforts to conclude an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (East Sea), one that is in accordance with international law, including the1982 UNCLOS and does not prejudice the rights of any state under international law.