US expert highlights prospects for cooperation with Vietnam

Vietnam and the US have transformed from former enemies to partners, and that is the work of the governments and many individuals in Vietnam and the US over the past three decades.

Mr. Brian Eyler - Senior Fellow, Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center shares about Vietnam-US relations. (Source: VNA)

Responding to the Vietnamese press in Washington (USA), Mr. Brian Eyler - senior researcher, Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center, based in Washington, said that over the past 30 years, Vietnam and the US have transformed from former enemies to partners and that is the effort of the government and many individuals in Vietnam and the US over the past 3 decades.

According to Mr. Eyler, former US President Bill Clinton, former Senator John Kerry, late Senator John McCain and their counterparts in Vietnam have brought this relationship forward and made it the extremely strong and strategic relationship it is today.

He said that the progress of Vietnam-US relations was thanks to the inspiration and energy of many individuals who participated in the Vietnam War and the Americans felt a moral obligation to address the mistakes of this war.

Mr. Eyler expressed that this was a wrong war for America that should not have happened. The war affected the lives of millions of Vietnamese and hundreds of thousands of Americans. Therefore, American veterans have understood the mistakes they made, want to move towards reconciliation and want to see Vietnam as family, as friends and build this new relationship.

Regarding the prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the coming time, Mr. Eyler said that the legacy of war is an important area to continue moving forward. There is still much work to be done, such as cleaning up Agent Orange/dioxin contaminated soil as well as clearing unexploded bombs and mines, and providing support for thousands of people with disabilities.

“Agent Orange can be passed on to future generations and continue to have long-term effects. Therefore, this is an area that requires long-term cooperation,” he stressed.

According to researcher Eyler, the two countries also have other areas of cooperation such as the Mekong River issue and food security.

Mr. Eyler emphasized Vietnam’s role in global food security. However, in the context of climate change, extreme weather and water scarcity, the economic productivity of the Mekong Delta region is facing many risks.

“I think we can provide technical assistance to help farmers in the Mekong Delta transition to higher-value agricultural products,” Mr. Eyler said.

Mr. Eyler said that the US can provide drought-tolerant crops, value-added crops and develop supply chains for Vietnamese farmers and entrepreneurs in the Mekong Delta to increase productivity and income.

“It is an area where sooner or later, cooperation is needed to restore the Mekong Delta, especially when sea levels tend to rise and saltwater intrusion is moving deeper into the Mekong Delta,” he shared.

Researcher Eyler affirmed that throughout the past time, the US has had available resources and partners to support Vietnam in enhancing its adaptability and resilience in this field.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/chuyen-gia-my-neu-bat-trien-vong-hop-tac-voi-viet-nam-320413.html