Before the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Biden said he had witnessed several historical events ever since he became a senator in 1972.
"I was 29 years old. Back then, we were living through an inflection point, a moment of tension and uncertainty. The world was divided by the Cold War. The Middle East was headed toward war. America was at war in Vietnam, and at that point, the longest war in America’s history," he said.
Biden talked about his visit to Vietnam back in September 2023, when the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
"Last year, in Hanoi, I met with the Vietnamese leadership, and we elevated our partnership to the highest level. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for reconciliation that today the United States and Vietnam are partners and friends, and it’s proof that even from the horrors of war there is a way forward. Things can get better," he said.
Biden is expected to end his presidency on Jan. 20, 2025.
The U.S. is currently Vietnam’s largest export market, while Vietnam is the 8th largest commercial partner for the U.S. Bilateral trade turnover between the two countries reached $88 billion in the first eight months of the year, a 22% increase from the same period in 2023.
The U.S. is the 11th largest foreign investor for Vietnam, with 1,340 projects and a total capital at over $11.8 billion, since the beginning of this year. Vietnam has 230 investment projects in the U.S., with a registered capital at $1.3 billion. The U.S. ranks 7th among 80 countries and territories that receive investments from Vietnam.