Vietnam wants continued cooperation with US to resolve war consequences

"We continue to follow with keen attention the decisions made on the U.S.'s part with regard to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Over the past years, through various means and different kinds of cooperation, including USAID, the two countries have engaged in effective collaboration in various fields, including healthcare, environment, climate change, disaster relief and war legacy issues," spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said in a press meet.

Hang was responding to inquiries about the impacts of Trump recently signing executive orders to freeze foreign aid, including demining efforts post-Vietnam War, as well as other activities by USAID.

Hang said the U.S.'s assistance programs have proved to be effective in several Vietnamese localities, bringing better lives to the people.

"The suspension of USAID support projects, especially those pertaining to the removal of UXO and the detoxification of Bien Hoa airport, will have strong impacts on the safety of the people and the environment in the areas where the projects are taking place," Hang added.

Since 1993, the U.S. has supplied around US$200 million for Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) in Vietnam, including the removal of unexploded ordnance and victim assistance.

The U.S.’s supportive activities have been done through projects to provide technical consultancy and information management for the Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC), as well as providing the budget for NGOs and transferring equipment for demining efforts.

Vietnam has around 800,000 tons of unexploded ordnance following the end of the Vietnam War, VNMAC estimated. Around 6.1 million ha of Vietnam, accounting for 18.82% of the country’s total area, are potentially contaminated by explosives.

On Jan. 17, before Trump entered office, the U.S. government had pledged to increase the budget for an USAID dioxin decontamination project at the Bien Hoa airport in southern Vietnam, from $300 million to $430 million.

"Going forward, Vietnam wishes to continue to work with the U.S. in effective and substantive implementation of cooperative activities, thereby allowing the bilateral relations between the two countries to thrive in a long and enduring manner, in the spirit of the Joint Statement between the two countries on the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development," Hang said, adding that cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S. to search for missing U.S. soldiers during the war has also fostered the friendship between the people of the two countries, especially as Vietnam and the U.S. are commemorating their 30-year anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

After entering office, Trump signed an executive order to freeze most foreign aid within 90 days. The Trump administration also closed down USAID offices abroad. USAID is now facing significant budget and personnel cuts per recommendations by the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk.

USAID, established in 1961, focuses on humanitarian aid and developmental support around the world. The agency provides humanitarian aid to over 100 countries on various fields.

17 former U.S. ambassadors to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have issued an open letter urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lift the 90-day suspension of U.S. foreign aid for demining and victim assistance programs in the nations.