This was part of his trip to attend the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) and conduct bilateral activities in the US.
On this occasion, FPA Chairman of the Board of Directors Henry Fernandez presented the Vietnamese leader with the FPA Medal, the association’s highest honour awarded to individuals who demonstrate a spirit of responsible internationalism and contribute to broadening public understanding of international affairs.
In his address, General Secretary and President Lam expressed his sincere gratitude to the FPA for presenting him with its medal, an honour that recognises a spirit of responsible international engagement.
This also acknowledges the contributions made by the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam to global peace, cooperation, and development, as well as to the Viet Nam–US friendship, he noted.
He shared Viet Nam's perspective on three key issues: responsibilities regarding the changes unfolding across the globe; the journey that has brought Viet Nam and the US from the past to their current relationship; and the shared responsibility to further advance bilateral ties in the time ahead.
The General Secretary and President emphasised that the world is undergoing epochal changes, opening up immense opportunities for development. At the same time, however, the world continues to face significant uncertainties.
Given this reality, all nations—large or small—share a common responsibility for the peace, stability, and development of humanity. Major powers must make contributions commensurate with their influence, while small- and medium-sized nations need to proactively propose initiatives and participate in addressing shared challenges, he said.
Regarding the Viet Nam–US relationship, he affirmed that the value of a sense of responsibility has become increasingly evident. To achieve the status of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership today, the two countries have to overcome losses, differences, and a lack of trust.
Driven by humanity and a sense of responsibility, Viet Nam has demonstrated great goodwill and actively cooperated in the search for US service members missing in action (MIA), efforts that began years before the normalisation of relations. These persistent endeavours have helped hundreds of American families find their loved ones.
On the US side, individuals who had served in the Viet Nam War such as Senators John McCain and John Kerry, veteran Bobby Muller, and many other friends pioneered the path toward normalisation and fostered friendship between the two countries.
The profound lesson from this journey is that a sense of responsibility and mutual respect can enable nations to overcome deep-seated differences, according to the top Vietnamese leader.
Reflecting on Viet Nam's achievements over the more than eight decades since gaining independence, including 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), and the goal of becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2045, General Secretary and President Lam stressed the need to continue combining national strength with the strength of the era.
The Party and State of Viet Nam are committed to a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and multilateralisation and diversification of external relations. Viet Nam wishes to enhance relations with other countries, and identifies the US as one of its leading partners, he affirmed.
The changing global landscape requires both countries to look beyond past achievements, he went on, adding that the Viet Nam–US relationship must contribute more tangibly to the development, security, and prosperity of each nation.
Underlining major strategic directions, the General Secretary and President said that first, the two countries should maintain the momentum of their relationship and establish a stable, long-term political foundation truly commensurate with their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Viet Nam stands ready to work with the US to step up mutual visits and meetings at all levels. It hopes to improve the effectiveness of dialogue mechanisms and engage in frank, sincere exchanges with the US on issues of mutual concern, while persistently and appropriately addressing differences. Defence and security cooperation should continue to develop in line with the needs, capabilities, policies, and interests of each side, thereby contributing to regional peace and stability, he noted.
He called on Viet Nam and the US to deepen economic, trade, and investment cooperation to generate new value. As they complement each other in terms of markets, resources, and technology, they should transform this complementarity into business opportunities, jobs, and tangible benefits for enterprises, farmers, workers, and consumers in both countries.
Viet Nam attaches importance to and stands ready to discuss US concerns regarding trade balance, market access, rules of origin, intellectual property, and supply chain security, the leader continued, noting it also looks forward to both sides ensuring a stable and predictable trade environment and facilitating the flow of each other's goods, services, and investments.
Pointing out the need to make science – technology and innovation a new driving force for bilateral ties, General Secretary and President Lam expressed his hope that the two countries will focus on training semiconductor engineers and AI experts; connecting research efforts among universities, research institutes, and enterprises to translate research findings into production; and enhancing the Vietnamese enterprises’ capacity to participate in technology supply chains.
Viet Nam will push ahead with refining its institutional framework, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of investors, and strengthening the protection of intellectual property, data safety, and cybersecurity. It also attaches great importance to policy enforcement consistency, and to listening to and promptly addressing challenges faced by businesses, he stated.
In addition, he emphasised the importance of continuing to leverage the unique value of the Viet Nam–US relationship, forged through the process of healing and reconciliation to turn into a sustainable social foundation.
He pledged that Viet Nam will continue to cooperate actively and effectively in the search for US service members missing in action during the war in Viet Nam. He also called for continued US partnership in addressing dioxin contamination, clearing unexploded ordnance, and supporting persons with disabilities, as well as in sharing battlefield records and archival information, and providing DNA analysis support for the "500-day campaign" to intensify the search for, recovery, and identification of Vietnamese martyrs’ remains.
The leader proposed elevating their regional and global coordination to jointly contribute to peace, cooperation, and development, affirming that there remains significant room for the two countries to deepen their cooperation.
The General Secretary and President noted that the journey of Viet Nam–US ties, marked by many ups and downs, shows that the sound relations between the two countries not only serve the practical interests of their respective peoples but also actively help with peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and the world.
“It is our responsibility to safeguard these achievements, steadfastly cultivate trust, and translate cooperation commitments into tangible results for the people,” he added.
At the event, General Secretary and President Lam shared his views on a number of issues of interest to participants, and highlighted Viet Nam's development policies over the recent past and directions for the coming years.
In his welcoming remarks, Fernandez expressed his admiration for the dynamism of Viet Nam's economy following his field visits, highly valuing its recent socio-economic development achievement, particularly in poverty reduction and people’s life quality improvement.
He said Viet Nam maintains comprehensive strategic partnerships with major economies, including the US, and possesses an extensive network of free trade agreements that provide broad access to foreign markets. He also commended the role of General Secretary and President Lam in driving robust reforms that foster the country's continued development.
The FPA is a leading and prestigious foreign policy forum in the US. For over a century, it has helped bring foreign policy closer to the public and foster a respected platform for dialogue on major issues facing the US and the world.
