US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker speaks at a ceremony celebrating the 81st anniversary of Việt Nam's National Day. VNA/VNS Photo

WASHINGTON DC – US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker on September 16 described Việt Nam as an important partner of the US in Southeast Asia.

Speaking at a ceremony celebrating the 81st anniversary of Việt Nam's National Day (September 2, 1945 – 2026), hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy, Hooker said the two countries have coordinated in a range of important areas, including war legacy remediation, the clearance of bombs and unexploded ordnance left over from the war, security cooperation, economic development, education, cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges. She also noted the development of joint work in technology, investment and aerospace.

"Our relationship today is a testament to our shared commitment to reconciliation and to looking to the future, to bringing prosperity and security for both our peoples," said the Under Secretary.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyễn Quốc Dũng stressed that from a country once defined by war and poverty, Việt Nam has grown into the 32nd largest economy in the world, with GDP surpassing US$500 billion. Today, Vietnam is confidently stepping into a new era of modernisation and growth, steadily working toward upper-middle-income status by 2030, and high-income status by 2045.

"This past July, our two countries marked 31 years since the normalisation of our diplomatic ties. 31 years is not just a number. It embodies the journey

through which two former adversaries learned to build a brighter future based on shared interests," he noted.

The Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership continues to see real progress across all ten pillars, with cooperation in economy, trade, investment, war legacy remediation, education, culture, people-to-people exchanges and advanced technology further expanding.

"Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is a precious asset. It represents one of the more improbable success stories in the history of international relations. And it deserves to be treated as such: safeguarded, nurtured, and kept in perspective; never reduced to any one area that may feel most urgent in the moment," he stated.

For his part, Senator Steve Daines spoke highly of the strong development of bilateral relations over the past more than three decades.

Daines highlighted the huge potential for collaboration, particularly in trade, investment, technology and artificial intelligence (AI). He expressed his confidence in Việt Nam's future development and prosperity, and affirmed his commitment to continuing to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

As a former US serviceman, Congressman Seth Moulton lauded the resilience, spirit of reconciliation and magnanimity of the Vietnamese people in overcoming the legacy of war and building friendly relations with the US. They are now friends and partners, working together to build a more secure and prosperous future through trade, education-culture exchanges and efforts to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Congressman Abraham Hamadeh congratulated Việt Nam on its 81st National Day and spoke highly of the rapid development of Việt Nam-US relations, particularly in the areas of economy, trade, diplomacy, culture and people-to-people exchanges. He noted activities connecting Vietnam with Arizona and expressed his desire to continue promoting cooperation among localities, educational institutions and people of the two countries.

On the occasion, Hamadeh presented Dung with a statement included in the Congressional Record of the US House of Representatives to mark Việt Nam's 81st National Day and the conclusion of the ambassador's tenure in the US.

The statement recognised the Vietnamese diplomat's contributions to strengthening bilateral relations, expanding connections among government agencies, legislatures, academics and businesses of the two countries, as well as promoting cooperation in war legacy remediation, thereby contributing to further deepening the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. VNA/VNS