Vietnamese Ambassador visits US Air Force Academy

NDO/MOFA- Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh made a visit to the US Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado last week, during which he met with USAFA vice Superintendent Colonel David Harris and held discussions with the academy’s leaders and students.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh and USAFA vice Superintendent Colonel David Harris. (Photo courtesy to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh and USAFA vice Superintendent Colonel David Harris. (Photo courtesy to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

At their meetings, both sides applauded the development of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership across various fields, including in national defence and security, and the cooperation in regional and international matters of shared concern.

They highlighted the visit to the US by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in May 2017 and US President Donald Trump’s visit to Vietnam in November the same year, as well as the recent visits by the two countries’ defence ministers.

Colonel Harris and the academy’s leaders briefed Ambassador Vinh on the USAFA’s international cooperation programmes in the fields of training and research, including exchanges of students for both short and long terms.

Apart from national defence, the academy also has strengths in other spheres such as information technology, cyber security, administration, mechanics, international relations, and languages, they said.

The hosts revealed that the academy is working to build a suitable cooperation programme with Vietnam and is scheduled to send a delegation of students to the country and several other Southeast Asian nations for information, language and cultural exchanges over this summer.

Ambassador Vinh expressed his hope that Vietnam and the US will promote their comprehensive partnership, including collaboration in training and capacity building in national defence and security. The diplomat also shared Vietnam’s viewpoints on a number of regional and international issues.

Established in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the USAFA is one of the five major military academies of the US (along with the United States Military, Naval, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine Academies), with 4,200 students under 29 departments. The USAFA has developed a range of international cooperation programmes with its partners, including many countries in Asia and ASEAN.