25 Years of Vietnam-US Relations: Historical Milestones
Many people had doubts when Vietnam and the US announced normalisation of their relations because of existing “war wounds”. However, the Vietnam-US relation has remarked countless memorable events over the last 25 years. These are honored as historical events.
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| July 11, 1995: US president Bill Clinton announced the normalization of relation with Vietnam. |
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| The following day, July 12, Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet announced the beginning of Vietnam – US relation. |
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August 5, 1995: Secretary of State Warren Christopher inaugurates the US embassy in Hanoi as he pays the first official visit by a US secretary of state to Vietnam. |
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| November 2000: President Bill Clinton visits Hanoi, remarked as the first official visit of a US president to Vietnam after the war. He also removes the Embargos upon Vietnam and normalizes the mutual relation. In the photo, the President was shaking hands with people from a balcony, right after his visit to Quoc Tu Giam Temple. |
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May 1997: The two countries exchange Ambassadors: Mr. Le Van Bang becomes Vietnamese Ambassador to the US; Mr. Douglas Peterson as US ambassador to Vietnam. |
March 11, 1998: First time President Clinton announces a waiver that excludes Vietnam from the Jackson-Vanick amendment.
January 1999: Vietnam grants Most Favored Status to American companies working in Vietnam although the two countries dont have bilateral trade agreement yet.
June 19, 2000: The US pledges 1.7 million dollars in humanitarian aid to help Vietnam detect and destroy mines and unexploded ordnance.
July 13, 2000: The two sides sign a landmark trade agreement a quarter of a century after the end of the Vietnam War.
November 16 to 19, 2000: Official visit by US President Bill Clinton to Vietnam.
October 8, 2001: U.S Senate approved the Bilateral Trade Agreement between the U.S and Vietnam.
October 18, 2001: President Bush signed Resolution of ratification of BTA.
November 24, 2001: Vietnam's National Assembly approved BTA.
December 10, 2001: Bilateral Trade Agreement enters effect after exchange of ratification letters by Vietnam's Trade Minister Vu Khoan and U.S Trade Representative Zoelick at Blair House.
December 9, 2004: United Airlines launches the first direct service between US and VN.
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| June 2005: Prime Minister Pham Van Khai had a meeting with President George W.Bush in Washington D.C. This went down as the first official visit of a Vietnamese PM since the end of the war. |
May 31, 2006: Signing of bilateral agreement on Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization.
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November 17 to 20, 2006: First visit to Vietnam by U.S. President George W. The President attends the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Hanoi and visit Ho Chi Minh City. |
December 8, 2006: Approval by U.S. House of Representative of the Bill to extend the Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to Vietnam. Dec 9 2006, the Bill was passed in the US Senate.
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June 18 to 23 2007: Historic Visit by President of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet to the US. |
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June 23 to 26, 2008: Visit to the US by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. |
July 24 to 26 2013: President Truong Tan Sang paid an Official Visit to the US, setting framework for Comprehensive Partnership.
October 2, 2014: The United States partially lifted embargo on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam.
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July 6 to 10, 2015: General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid official visit to the United States, the two countries issued a Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam-US relations. |
August 31 to September 9, 2015: National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung paid official visit to the United States.
May 23, 2016: President Barack Obama announced that the United States completely lifted the ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam.
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May 22 to 24, 2016: US President Barack Obama paid official visit to Vietnam. |
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| November 11 and 12, 2017: U.S. President Donald Trump paid a state visit to Vietnam and attended the 2017 APEC Summit in Da Nang. |
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February 27, 2019: General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received and held talks with US President Donald Trump; and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with President Trump on the occasion of the second US-North Korea Summit held in Hanoi, Vietnam. |
May 6, 2020: Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc talked with US President Donald Trump to discuss bilateral cooperation and COVID-19 prevention cooperation.
Photo: VNA, Getty Images.
