Chronology
U.S. - Vietnam Relations
Updated July 2010
1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010
April 1991 – The George Bush Administration presents Hanoi with a “roadmap” plan for phased normalization of ties. The two sides agree to open a U.S. government office in Hanoi to help settle MIA issues.
April 1991 - Post-War USAID assistance begins when the Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF) using a waiver from the U.S Congress to permit humanitarian activities in Vietnam, begins providing assistance to the disabled.
July 7, 1991 - United States Office for MIA Affairs opens officially for business in Hanoi. This is the first official USG agency present full-time in Vietnam since 1975.
October 1991 - Vietnam supports a UN peace plan for Cambodia. Secretary of State James Baker announces that Washington is ready to take steps toward normalizing relations with Hanoi.
December 1991 - Washington lifts the ban on organized U.S. travel to Vietnam. The U.S. Congress authorizes the United States Information Agency (USIA) to begin exchange programs with Vietnam.
February 1992 - The Joint Task Force – Full Accounting is established with the goal of achieving the fullest possible account of Americans missing from the Vietnam War, including the 2,267 unaccounted for in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
June 1992 – The Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF) receives a waiver from the U.S Congress to permit humanitarian activities in Vietnam.
July 2, 1993 - The Clinton Administration clears the way for resumption of international lending, including that by the IMF and World Bank, to Vietnam.
February 3, 1994 - President William J. Clinton lifts the U.S. trade embargo against Vietnam.
May 1994 - Consular Agreement signed by the United States and Vietnam.
January 28, 1995 – The United States and Vietnam sign agreements settling property claims and establishing liaison offices in each other's capitals.
May 15, 1995 - Vietnam gives the U.S. presidential delegation a batch of documents on missing Americans, later hailed by the Pentagon as most detailed and informative of their kind to date.
June 1995 - Veterans of Foreign Wars announces support for normalization of U.S. diplomatic relations with Vietnam.
July 11, 1995 - President William J. Clinton announces "normalization of relations'' with Vietnam.
August 6, 1995 - Secretary of State Warren Christopher visits Hanoi and officially opens the U.S. Embassy. Vietnam opens an embassy in Washington.
November 7-10, 1995 - Former Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara visits Vietnam.
May 1996 – The United States presents Vietnam with a trade agreement blueprint.
July 12, 1996 - U.S. National Security Adviser Anthony Lake visits Hanoi to mark the first anniversary of normalization of relations.
April 7, 1997 - U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and Finance Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung sign accord in Hanoi for Vietnam to repay debts of $145 million from the former government of South Vietnam.
April 10, 1997 - Senate confirms Douglas “Pete” Peterson, Vietnam War veteran and former prisoner of war (POW), as Ambassador to Vietnam.
May 9, 1997 - Le Van Bang presents his credentials as Ambassador in Washington, D.C.
June 24, 1997 - Secretary of State Madeline Albright arrives in Vietnam on an official visit.
June 27, 1997 – The United States and Vietnam signed a Copyright Agreement.
August 1997 – The U.S. government passes special legislation permitting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist Vietnam in improving trade through a commercial law and trade policy technical program.
March 11, 1998 - President William J. Clinton issues waiver of Jackson-Vanik Amendment for Vietnam, paving the way for OPIC, Ex-Im, TDA, USDA and MARAD activities.
March 26, 1998 - Minister of Planning & Investment Tran Xuan Gia and Ambassador Pete Peterson finalize signing of the OPIC Bilateral Agreement.
July 23, 1998 - The U.S. Senate votes 66-34 to continue funding for the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam based on ongoing cooperation on the POW/MIA issue.
July 25, 1999 - USTR Ambassador Richard Fisher and Vietnam Trade Minister Tuyen agree to a Bilateral Trade Agreement in principle in Hanoi, Vietnam.
July 1999 – U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership (U.S.-AEP) establishes Technology Representative offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
August 1999 – Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Ambassador Pete Peterson dedicate the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and it officially opens for business.
September 1999 - USAID begins a technical program to the Ministry of Trade to support the acceleration of negotiations for the Bilateral Trade Agreement
December 9, 1999 – The Ex-Im Bank and the State Bank of Vietnam complete the framework agreements, which allow Ex-Im to begin operations in Vietnam.
March 13, 2000 - Secretary of Defense William Cohen becomes the first U.S. Defense Secretary to visit Vietnam since the end of the War.
July 13, 2000 - Vietnam Trade Minister Vu Khoan and USTR Ambassador Barshefsky sign a Bilateral Trade Agreement at USTR. President William J. Clinton announces the Agreement at a White House Rose Garden ceremony.
November 16-20, 2000 - President William J. Clinton visits Vietnam, with Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta, USTR Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, Senator John Kerry (D-MA), Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Vic Snyder (D-Ark), Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA). Business delegations and the leadership of the Veterans of Foreign Wars attend.
November 17, 2000 - The U.S. Department of Labor and Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Labor cooperation.
November 19, 2000 – In the presence of U.S. President William J. Clinton, Assistant Administrator for the Asia and the Near East (ANE) Bureau Robert C. Randolph opens the Office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Hanoi.
January 2001 - The U.S. Congress passes the Vietnam Education Foundation Act, which provides annual funding of $5 million until 2019 to enable Vietnamese students to study in the United States.
January 15-18, 2001 - House Minority leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO) and Congressman Ray LaHood (R-IL) lead a Congressional delegation to Vietnam.
July 24-26, 2001 - Secretary of State Colin Powell pays a three-day visit to Vietnam where he attends the ASEAN Regional Forum in Hanoi. It is Powell's first visit to Vietnam since he served in the War in 1969.
September 27, 2001 - USAID launches the Support for Trade AcceleRation (STAR-Vietnam) project to support Vietnam for Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) implementation.
October 16, 2001 - President George W. Bush signs the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) into Public Law No: 107-52.
December 9-14, 2001 - Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung heads a high level delegation to Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco, accompanied by Vu Khoan, Minister of Trade; Tran Xuan Gia, Minister of Planning and Investment; Nguyen Manh Kiem, Minister of Construction; other government officials, and over 60 members from the Vietnamese private sector.
December 10, 2001 - U.S – The Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement is signed in Washington, D.C. by USTR Ambassador Robert Zoellick and Deputy Prime Minister Dung, Trade Minister Vu Khoan.
March 3-6, 2002 - The first Vietnamese-U.S. scientific conference on Agent Orange opens in Hanoi, with the participation of hundreds of U.S. and Vietnamese researchers.
April 8, 2002 – The Ministry of Justice reports that approximately 150 Vietnamese laws are found to be inconsistent with provisions of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
May 6-7, 2002 - Deputy USTR Ambassador Jonathan Huntsman opens the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) Joint Committee in Hanoi.
May 10, 2002 - Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh visits Washington, D.C.
May 18, 2002 - Vice Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu leads a trade delegation to the United States.
June 1-8, 2002 - Minister of Justice Nguyen Dinh Loc visits the United States for meetings on implementation of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
June 12-22, 2002 - Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam visits Texas, New York, Massachusetts and Washington D.C.
2003
April 3, 2003 - Congressman Chris Smith reintroduces the Vietnam Human Rights Act (H.R.1587) into the U.S. House of Representatives.
July 15, 2003 – The Vietnam Human Rights Act is added as an amendment to the House Foreign Relations Authorization Act (HR 1950). The authorization bill passes in the House on July 15 and is sent to the Senate.
July 17, 2003 – The Vietnam-U.S. Garment and Textile Agreement is signed in Hanoi by Vietnamese Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen and U.S. Ambassador Raymond Burghardt.
September 16, 2003 - Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen visits the United States.
October 5, 2003 - Minister of Planning & Investment Vo Hong Phuc visits the United States to promote bilateral investment.
November 10, 2003 - Minister of Defense Pham Van Tra visits the United States to discuss cooperation in regional security promotion.
November 19, 2003 - Navy missile frigate USS Vandegrift docks in Ho Chi Minh City, becoming the first U.S. Navy ship to dock in Vietnam since the end of the War, a symbolic act aimed at boosting relations between Vietnam and the United States.
December 4, 2003 - Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan visits Washington, D.C. and other U.S. cities. The United States and Vietnam sign a Bilateral Aviation Agreement.
December 12, 2003 - Vietnam World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators participate in a Working Party Meeting in Geneva. Bilateral discussions are held with the United States.
December 2003 - Letter of Agreement on Counternarcotics Cooperation is signed by Le Van Bang and Ambassador Raymond Burghardt.
February 10-11, 2004 – Admiral Thomas Fargo, Commander, U.S. Pacific command, paid a two-day visit to Vietnam, stopping in Hanoi and Danang.
February 26, 2004 - First American Corner opens in Danang.
April 2, 2004 - Formation of the Congressional U.S.-Vietnam Caucus, which seeks to monitor and support normalized relations between the United States and Vietnam, with Congressmen Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Lane Evans (D-IL) co-chairs. National Assembly Vice President Mr. Nguyen Phuc Thanh and Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Nguyen Tam Chien host an event to celebrate this occasion on April 28th, 2004.
June 7-12, 2004 - Truong Dinh Tuyen, Vietnam’s Minister of Trade, meets in Washington with key U.S. government officials to discuss Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the U.S.-Vietnam Textile Agreement, and implementation of the U.S.-Vietnamese Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
June 16, 2004 - Vietnam holds the 8th Working Party round of WTO accession negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland. Bilateral negotiations are held with various member countries including Australia, the EU, and the United States.
June 23, 2004 - President George W. Bush designates Vietnam as one of 15 “focus countries” for the $15 billion President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to combat HIV/AIDS globally.
July 19, 2004 – The Viet Nam Human Rights Act of 2003 (H.R. 1587), passes the House of Representatives by a vote of 323-45.
July 22-23, 2004 - Deputy USTR Josette Shiner visits Hanoi to discuss BTA Implementation and Vietnam’s accession to the World Trade Organization.
July 28, 2004 – The USS Curtis Wilbur DDG-54 arrives in Danang, becoming the second U.S. Navy ship to visit Vietnam since 1975. Senior officers of the ship meet local officials and representatives of the Vietnamese Navy Zone 3.
September 15, 2004 - Vietnam is designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the U.S. Religious Freedom Act.
September 19-26, 2004 - Washington State Governor Gary Locke leads a 25-member trade delegation through Vietnam to explore business opportunities for the state.
September 20-24, 2004 - Minister of Justice Uong Chu Luu visits the United States.
October 5, 2004 - Vice Minister of Finance Le Thi Bang Tam visits the United States.
October 18-20, 2004 - Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs Maura Harty visits HCMC and Hanoi.
October 25-28, 2004 - Members of the U.S. Working Party and Vietnam’s World Trade Organization negotiating team meet in Washington, D.C. for another round of bilateral negotiations and discussions on multilateral commitments for Vietnam’s WTO accession.
December 11, 2004 - United Airlines’ inaugural flight from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City, making United the first U.S. carrier to provide direct service between the United States and Vietnam.
January 6, 2005 - The U.S. International Trade Commission upholds the February 2004 preliminary finding that imports have injured, or are likely to injure, U.S. shrimp processors and fishermen. The Panel reaffirms with a 6-0 vote that frozen shrimp have hurt the U.S. industry, but votes 4-2 to scrap tariffs on canned imports, which make up about 0.4% of imports.
March 29, 2005 - The USS Gary arrives in the port of HCMC, marking the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.
May 5-6, 2005 - Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick visits Hanoi and HCMC.
June 19-24, 2005 - Prime Minister Phan Van Khai meets President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C. in the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister in the post-War period. During his visit, the two countries sign an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement, as well as agreements on international adoptions, intelligence, and military cooperation. The Prime Minister, accompanied by more than 100 public and private sector representatives, visit three other cities and sign a number of key business contracts.
July 12, 2005 - 10th Anniversary of the Normalization of U.S.-Vietnam Diplomatic Relations. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon Mansfield visits Hanoi as the White House representative. Anniversary events include several musical performances and a photography exhibit.
Oct. 13-16, 2005 - U.S. Secretary of Health Michael Leavitt visits Vietnam for discussions on avian influenza and cooperation on combating HIV/AIDS through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
January 6, 2006 - Minister of Health Tran Thi Trung Chien and U.S. Ambassador Michael W. Marine sign an Action Plan establishing a bilateral partnership between the United States and Vietnam to prevent HIV/AIDS in Vietnam.
February 20, 2006 – The United States and Vietnam resume bilateral talks in Hanoi on human rights after a three-year break. Department of State Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Barry Lowenkron presents foreign ministry officials with a list of prisoners of concern.
March 1, 2006 – The second American Corner opens in Haiphong.
April 2006 - Amendment to Annex III of the letter of Agreement (LOA) on Counternarcotics Cooperation between Vietnam and the United States is signed between Ambassador Michael W. Marine and Lt. General Le The Tiem, Vice Minister of Public Security.
April 21, 2006 - Visit to Vietnam by Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert.
April 26-29, 2006 – U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson visits Vietnam for discussions with senior Vietnamese officials.
May 14, 2006 - The United States and Vietnam reach a bilateral agreement-in-principle on Vietnam’s accession to the WTO.
May 31-June 2, 2006 – Deputy United States Trade Representatives Susan Schwab and Karan Bhatia visit Ho Chi Minh City to participate in the 12th meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministers. The United States and Vietnam sign the bilateral agreement on Vietnam’s accession to the WTO.
June 4-6, 2006 - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visits Vietnam to discuss ways to broaden defense cooperation.
June 13, 2006 - Senators Max Baucus and Gordon Smith introduce bill S.3495 to grant Vietnam Permanent Normal Trade Rights (PNTR). In the House of Representatives, H.R.5602, a companion bill of S.3495, is introduced by Rep. Jim Ramstad and Mike Thompson.
July 1-5, 2006 - The USS Patriot and USS Salvor visit Ho Chi Minh City.
July 12, 2006 - Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing on granting Vietnam PNTR.
July 13-16, 2006 – Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral William Fallon paid a four day visit to Vietnam, stopping in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
August 17, 2006 – A Letter of Understanding regarding continuing labor cooperation between the U.S. Department of Labor and the Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is signed in Washington D.C.
September 8, 2006 - Visit to Hanoi by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson.
November 7, 2006 - The World Trade Organization formally invites Vietnam to become a member.
November 17-20, 2006 - U.S. President George W. Bush begins a four-day visit to Vietnam where he participates in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' meeting. The President and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visit Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. USTR Susan Schwab attends APEC Ministerial, has other bilateral meetings and participates in other events in Hanoi November 15-18.
December 8-9, 2006 – U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate pass legislation to allow extension of Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to Vietnam.
December 1-11, 2006 - Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan visits the United States to examine higher education management in the United States.
December 29, 2006 - President Bush signs proclamation extending PNTR to Vietnam.
January 11, 2007 - Vietnam becomes the 150th Member of the World Trade Organization.
January 22-23, 2007 - Admiral Gary Roughead, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, pays a two-day visit to Vietnam, meeting with Vice Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, Commander of the Vietnamese Navy.
March 11-16, 2007 - Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem visits the United States.
March 15, 2007 – The U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Maritime Agreement is signed in Washington D.C.
April 8, 2007 - During a three-day visit, Microsoft Corporation Chairman Bill Gates and his wife Melinda meet Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to discuss ways to improve children’s health.
June 18-23, 2007 - President Nguyen Minh Triet visits the United States. The visit includes a call on President George W. Bush to discuss cooperation in the areas of economics and trade. He is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan, and Minister of Post and Telecommunications Do Trung Ta. The Bilateral Trade Agreement Review takes place in Washington. Vice Minister of Post and Telecommunications Nguyan Cam Tu and Deputy USTR Karan Bhatia sign Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) on June 21.
June 25-July 2, 2007 - Minister of Culture and Information Le Doan Hop visits the United States to attend the opening of the Smithsonian Museum’s Folklife Festival “Life on the Mekong.”
July 15-25, 2007 – The USS Peleliu docks in Danang, Vietnam, to support humanitarian medical, engineering, and community service projects.
August 10 – Ambassador Michael Michalak, a career Foreign Service Officer with extensive knowledge and experience in Asia, is sworn in as the United States Ambassador to Vietnam.
September 18 – The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Smith Bill to promote human rights reform in Vietnam.
September 24-29 – Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pays a five-day visit to New York to attend the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly. PM Dung delivers an important speech at the UNGA and had meetings with world leaders to garner support for Vietnam’s bid for a UN Security Council non-permanent seat. He also meets with many U.S. companies and press and visits the New York Stock Exchange.
October 16 – Vietnam is elected as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2008-2009 term.
November – Ambassador Le Cong Phung is appointed as Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S.
January 3 – Steny Hoyer, the U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader, and Roy Blunt, the House Republican Whip visit Vietnam, meet with State President Nguyen Minh Triet, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai , and attend a reception given by National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.
January 22 – Vietnamese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipontentiary Le Cong Phung presents Letter of Credentials to U.S. President George W. Bush.
January 22 – Viet Nam and the US sign an agreement regarding Viet Nam ’s accepting back of its citizens who are given deportation orders for violating US law.
January 24-25 - Ambassador Michael Michalak hosted American Support for Education in Vietnam: A Brainstorming Conference for American Stakeholders. The conference, held in Hanoi, brought together almost 200 representatives from American businesses, educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
March 2-3 – US Assistant Secretary of State, Christopher Hill visited Viet Nam on March 2-3 to find ways to build up the two countries’ relationship.
March 20-21 – Daniel Price, U.S. Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Economic Affairs, visits Vietnam.
April 1 – The Vietnam-US Business Club (VUSBC), under the Vietnam-US Association, made its debut with more than 50 member businesses.
April 3 – Ambassador Michael W. Michalak inaugurated the first American Center in Hanoi which serves as a one-stop source of up-to-date information on all aspects of the U.S.
April 16 – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt visits Hanoi, meets with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
May 15 – The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment convened a hearing on Agent Orange (AO) in Washington, entitled “Our Forgotten Responsibility: What Can We Do to Help Victims of Agent Orange.”
May 2008 – Vietnam send its first workers to the U.S.
May 29 – Vietnam and U.S. hold the 13th round of dialogue on human rights in Hanoi. The US delegation led by the aide to the Secretary of State on human rights, democracy and labor, David Kramer while the Vietnamese delegation was led by the Foreign Minister’s assistant Doan Xuan Hung.
June 19-28 – The USNS Mercy ship dropped its anchor off central Khanh Hoa province to conduct a 10-day humanitarian mission in the country. More than 150 patients, mostly children, underwent operations for birth defects aboard the hospital ship.
June 23-26 – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung officially visits the U.S. as a guest of President George W. Bush. During his meeting with high-ranking U.S. officials including leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives and ministers of the Departments of Defense and Treasury, the PM received positive signals for acceleration of bilateral ties in all areas, particularly in economics, trade, investment and education. The results of the PM’s visit mark a new step forward in bilateral relations.
July 3-5 – U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Director Henrietta H. Fore visits Vietnam and pledges to continue long-term cooperation with Vietnam regarding development assistance through new forms.
August 26 – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung receives visiting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative John Veroneau in Hanoi.
September 11-14 – U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte visits Vietnam and meets with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders of Vietnam ’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education and Training, Defense, and Public Security.
September – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Directorate for Standards and Quality in Việt Nam (STAMEQ), administered by the Ministry of Science and Technology sign a joint declaration on cooperation related to product safety.
October 6 – Vietnam and the U.S. conducted their first ever strategic dialogue addressing political, security, defense and humanitarian cooperation issues, in Hanoi.
October 13 –A delegation from the U.S. Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), headed by its President, Doctor Chris Seiple, visits Hanoi and is welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem. During this visit, the IGE signed a detailed agreement regarding Article Six of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnam - U.S. Association and the IGE on organizing the necessary training on publicizing legal documents relating to religion and belief.
November 17 – Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai meets with U.S. Secretary of State Condolezza Rice in Washington during his working visit to the U.S. to implement high-level agreements signed by the two sides during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit in June 2008.
December 17 –Chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus visits Vietnam, meets with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi, and works with Minister of Industry and Trade, Vu Huy Hoang and Deputy Minister of Education and Training Banh Tien Long.
December 23 –U.S. Democratic Senator from Virginia, James Webb, visits Hanoi and meets with National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien. Senator Webb, who is also member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is in Vietnam to examine the impact of the global recession on the country and prospects for U.S.- Vietnam investments and trade relations.
January 13-16 – A delegation of the Vietnam National Assembly Committee for External Affairs, led by its Vice Chairman Ngo Quang Xuan, visits the U.S. and has meetings with the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, other government officials and business.
January 15-16 - More than 400 educators and officials attended Higher Education in Vietnam: American-Vietnamese Partnerships, an Education Conference organized by the U.S. Mission in Vietnam, Vietnam National University and the Ministry of Education and Training. The event was held in Ho Chi Minh City.
February 9-12 – Assistant to U.S. Secretary of State in charge of Consular Affairs, Janice L. Jacobs visits Vietnam, has meetings with a number of Vietnamese officials to discuss issues connected to the establishment of diplomatic offices, child adoption programs and general consular matters.
April 6-7 – U.S. Senator John McCain visits Hanoi and has meetings with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.
April 15-22 – The secretariat of the Vietnam-U.S.Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council convene in Washington to discuss bilateral cooperation in agriculture, trade, intellectual property protection and labor.
May 12 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem receives a delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, led by its Vice President, Michael Cromartie, in Hanoi.
August 22 – A Vietnamese mission goes to Houston, Texas to prepare for the opening of a Vietnamese General Consulate in the country.
September 23 – State President Nguyen Minh Triet visits New York for the annual session of the U.N. General Assembly. President Triet and his delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and representatives from Vietnamese enterprises, also attend the Vietnam Investment Forum held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Institutional Investor Magazine in New York on September 25.
September 26-27 – U.S. interagency delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg visited Hanoi from September 26-27. The delegation had productive discussions with senior Vietnamese government officials including Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and many others on ways to strengthen bilateral ties and on a range of regional and global security issues including activities in the South China Sea and the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg told reporters at the end of the visit that he was more optimistic than ever about the future of U.S.-Vietnam relationship and cooperation.
September 30- Ambassador Michalak and Ministry of Education and Training Vice Minister Luan signed the long-awaited U.S.-Vietnam Education Task Force Final Report containing recommendations on ways that the U.S. and Vietnamese governments can cooperate to support public-private sector partnerships to improve the Vietnamese educational system and increase the number of Vietnamese studying at American schools. The Report also lays out a roadmap for the development of an American-style university in Vietnam.
October 1-2 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem visits the U.S. at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton. He also meets with Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Howard Berman and five senior senators from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
October 15-17 – As part of their Asian Horizons tour, Music Director Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic visit Hanoi for the first time ever. Concerts are held at the historic Hanoi Opera House on the evenings of October 16 and 17 and televised nationally. The Philharmonic also conducts master classes at the Hanoi Music Conservatory and other outreach events.
October 21 – U.S. House of Representatives passes House Resolution 672 introduced by Representative Loretta Sanchez, (D- CA) of the Foreign Affairs Committee supporting the right of Vietnam's citizens to access websites of their choosing and to have the freedom to share and publish information over the Internet. It also calls on the government of Vietnam to repeal its laws restricting free speech and release all political prisoners, including bloggers and cyber activists who use the Internet to express their views.
Nov 7-10 – Military ties were strengthened between the U.S. and Vietnam when Naval ships USS Blue Ridge and USS Lassen docked at Da Nang port on November 7 for a good will visit. The event marked the first time that two U.S. Navy ships visited Da Nang concurrently. The Admiral of USS Lassen, Le Ba Hung was born in Hue City, but grew up in Northern Virginia, becoming a US citizen in 1985. He is the first Vietnamese-American to command a US naval ship.
November 15-16- “Meet Vietnam 2009” Expo took place in San Francisco, CA jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the San Francisco authorities. The program aimed to promote mutual understanding and boost economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
December 16 – The United States Government and Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) signed a memorandum of understanding laying the framework for implementing environmental health and remediation programs. The MOU established the framework for the cooperation between the Government of Vietnam and the United States to implement health and environment remediation activities relating to Agent Orange/Dioxin.
January 11 – U.S. Senator Christopher S. Bond visits Hanoi. National Assembly Vice Chairman Tong Thi Phong and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem received the visiting Senator.
January 14-15 – U.S. Embassy Hanoi holds third annual Education Conference: Building Partnerships in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges for the U.S. and Vietnam, drawing more than 600 educators from the U.S. and Vietnam for talks on how to reach a variety of educational goals.
February 4-8 – Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs Scot Marciel visits Hanoi. DAS Marciel met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Government, Diplomatic Academy, National Assembly, American Chamber of Commerce and the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha.
February 24-25 - Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, Robert Dohner, Treasury’s highest-ranking official with responsibility for Asia, visits Hanoi and meets with the Deputy Governor of the State Bank, Vice Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Assembly Economic Committee, Vice Chairman of the Office of Government and the Vice Chairman of the National Financial Supervisory Committee.
March 3 - U.S. Consul General Ken Fairfax and Agricultural Attaché Michael Riedel visits Phu My Port in Ba-Ria Vung Tau province to welcome the largest single shipment of U.S. soybean meal to Vietnam. The ship carried approximately 48,000 tons of U.S. soybean meal, which was loaded in Washington State.
March 15 -16 - Secretary Clinton’s Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, Mr. David Goldwyn, visits Hanoi to explore ways to share U.S. expertise and help Vietnam secure its energy resources for the future, through the Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI). He spoke with officials from the Ministries of Finance, Industry & Trade, PetroVietnam and Vietnam Electricity (EVN).
March 16-19 – Nineteen American artists from the Southwest Chamber Music Society visits Hanoi for a cultural exchange program with the Vietnam National Academy of Music titled "Emerging Cultural Leaders: Ascending Dragon Cultural Exchange Program". Activities included residencies, master classes, a cultural leadership forum and a joint public performance at the Hanoi Opera House. (15th Anniversary Event.)
March 25 -Vietnam opens a Consulate General in Houston, TX. Attending the ceremony were Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S. Le Cong Phung, Vietnamese Consul General in Houston Le Dung, and Betty H. McCutchan, U.S. Department of State.
March 27, April 3, April 10 & April 17 - USAID-sponsored MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) concerts held in Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City. The free, ticketed events were designed to raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking.
March 30 - Ambassador Michael Michalak and Vice-Minister of Science and Technology, Le Dinh Tien signs a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Government and the Government of Vietnam concerning cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy.
March 31-April 1 - The United States-Vietnam Climate Change Working Group conducts its first formal meeting in Hanoi. The two nations formed the working group during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s 2008 visit to Washington D.C.
April 10 – 113th Repatriation Ceremony held at Danang Airport honoring the transfer of American remains.
April 12 – Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, Robert Hormats visits Hanoi and meets with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Khiem and his counterparts in the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Investment and Planning.
April 12-13 - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung participants in the Nuclear Security Summit convened by President Obama in Washington D.C. Prime Minister Dung signs the Summit Communiqué aimed at strengthening nuclear security and reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism.
April 19-21 - International Ministerial Conference on Animal and Pandemic Influenza (IMCAPI) draws more than 650 stakeholders from 70 different countries working in the areas of animal and human health. Conference organizers include the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and U.S. agencies including Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
April 20 - Vietnam formally requests that the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) establish a panel on the US ’ anti-dumping measures on certain shrimp products from Vietnam.
April 21 - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vietnam Influenza Program and the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed a Letter of Intent to establish new collaborative activities to identify and respond to gaps in the animal-human interface (AHI) of zoonotic diseases.
April 22- Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs visited Viet Duc High School in Hanoi to mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.
April 22 - The Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam launches its first electronic portal for the Court, the establishment of which was supported in part by USAID. Ambassador Michalak attended the launch event.
May 9 -15 - Jamie Henn, Communications and East Asia Director with the international climate organization 350.org, visits Ho Chi Minh City and Tra Vinh City. Sponsored by the State Department, Mr. Henn traveled to Can Gio District near Ho Chi Minh City, conducted workshops with environment experts, and held a press roundtable.
May 10 -17 - The Pacific Angel 10-2, a U.S. Pacific Command Mission, took place in Can Tho city to provide humanitarian assistance to local residents. U.S. and Vietnamese personnel successfully treated over 12, 000 local patients and fully renovated two village medical clinics in the districts of Tan Thoi and Truong Thanh.
May 12 - A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed creating a partnership between the Mekong River Commission and the Mississippi River Commission. The sister commissions will share research, expertise and experiences related to their river systems. The MOU was brokered by the U.S. State Department and the Nations of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
May 10–14 and 17-21 - Three American hip-hop artists Brandon Albright (Brother Peace), Chenits Pettigrew (Chen Lo), and Kyle Clinton (DJ Scan) visit Hanoi, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho to conduct workshops and multi-media presentations in dance, rap & MC’ing and DJ’ing. The program was part of the U.S. Cultural Envoy Program sponsored by the U.S. State Department. (15th Anniversary Event)
May 18 - U.S. Ambassador Michalak and Vietnam’s Minister of Transportation, Hồ Nghĩa Dũng, sign amendments to the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Air Transport Agreement. The agreement expands the 2003 agreement by liberalizing air cargo services between the two countries.
May 31 – June 12 – The Pacific Partnership 2010 team and their Vietnamese partners deliver humanitarian and civic assistance programs both ashore and onboard the USNS Mercy. Medical personnel treat more than 19,000 patients, engage in 343 consultations, and perform 132 surgical procedures. Engineering personnel complete four renovation projects including a clinic and school for disabled children in Quy Nhon City, and two clinics in Tuy Phuoc District.
June 5 – 6 - U.S. Embassy Hanoi and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra host concerts featuring music by American composer George Gershwin. Conducted by David Alan Miller and including performances by pianist Kevin Cole, both from the Albany Symphony Orchestra (NY). (15th Anniversary Event)
June 8 - The third U.S.-Vietnam political, security, and defense dialogue takes place in Hanoi.
The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh while the U.S. side was led by Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro.
June 17-18 - Lower Mekong Initiative Infectious Diseases Conference held in Hanoi brings together health officials from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam to discuss transnational cooperation to respond to infectious disease threats.
June 17 - National Assembly of Vietnam enacts the country's first comprehensive national law guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities. The new law mandates equal participation in society for people with disabilities and was drafted with the support of USAID technical assistance.
June 22 – 114th Repatriation Ceremony held at Danang International Airport honoring the transport of American remains.
June 30 - Vietnamese Embassy Delegation in the U.S. visit Aircraft Carrier USS George Bush (CVN77) at the Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia. Led by Deputy Chief of Mission Nguyen Tien Minh, the visit is part of the activities to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam relations. Admiral Michelle Howard and Chief Commanding Officer DeWolfe Miller receive the visiting delegation.
July 2 - The U.S. and Vietnam sign an agreement in Hanoi to begin a cooperative effort to deter, detect and interdict illicit smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material. The agreement paves the way for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to work with the Ministry of Finance’s General Department of Customs and other ministries in Vietnam to install radiation detection equipment at ports in Vietnam.
July 4-7 - United States Senators Tom Harkin, Bernard Sanders and Al Franken visit Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City the group commemorates the 40th anniversary of Senator Harkin’s investigation of the Con Son Island “tiger cages”. In Danang, the Senators visit USAID-funded disability rehabilitation and Agent Orange remediation projects, and in Hanoi the delegation meets on labor and trade issues. While in Hanoi, the group meets with Prime Minister Dung and the Standing Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee Secretariat, Vietnam’s National Assembly, Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.
July 5-9 - Senator Jim Webb visits Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho. Senator Webb travels to Vietnam to meet with senior government officials and to give the keynote address at a symposium commemorating the 15th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations. In Hanoi, Senator Webb meets with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Minister Chairman of the Office of the Government Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Kien, Deputy Defense Minister General Nguyen Chi Vinh and Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. In Can Tho, Senator Webb meets with regional and local officials and tours the Mekong River Delta. In Saigon, Senator Webb meets with the rector of HCMC University of Technology, and HCMC People's Committee Chairman Le Hoang Quan.
July 8-9 - Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) with support from the U.S. Embassy Hanoi hold an academic Symposium titled “United States-Vietnam Relations: Toward a Brighter Future” at the DAV. Senator Jim Webb and Vietnamese Standing Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh give keynote addresses. (15th Anniversary Event)
July 12-15 - A delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly Finance and Budget Committee led by Chairman Phung Quoc Hien visited Washington D.C. The delegation met with Senator “Bob” Bennett and Representative C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger.
July 14 - Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell and Ambassador of Vietnam, Le Cong Phung, co-hosted a reception in celebration of fifteen years of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations. Also attending were President Bill Clinton, Senator John Kerry, Senator John McCain, and Congressman Eni Faleomavaega.
Resources on U.S. – Vietnam Relations: