AUGUST 2024
An Indispensable Upgrade
The U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
By Lauren Mai, Gregory B. Poling, and Japhet Quitzon
I
n 2025, U.S.-Vietnam relations will mark two important anniversaries: 50 years since the end of the
Vietnam War and 30 years since the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations. These anniversaries
reect the United States and Vietnam’s long journey toward strong bilateral ties. Ties reached a
new high-water mark in September 2023 when President Joe Biden and the late Communist Party of
Vietnam general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong elevated the relationship to a comprehensive strategic
partnership—the highest in Vietnam’s diplomatic canon. This made clear to every ocial in Vietnam
that the country’s collective leadership prioritizes the bilateral relationship. The same is true of
Vietnam’s recently concluded comprehensive strategic partnerships with Australia, India, Japan, and
South Korea. There is no reason to think that any future leader in Vietnam would seek to slow the
momentum in those deepening relationships.
Strategic Cooperation amid Political Transitions
Trong’s passing on July 19 after more than a decade in power marks a period of political transition that
will continue at least until Vietnam’s 14th Party Congress, scheduled for 2026. But the Communist Party
of Vietnam, regardless of its leader, will continue to prioritize Vietnam’s independence and agency amid
great power competition. This has always been the bedrock of Vietnamese stratey. That means Hanoi
will continue to deepen its relationship with the United States while seeking stable and productive
relations with Beijing where possible.
In 2015, Trong became the rst general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to ever visit the
United States, meeting with then president Barack Obama in the White House. To Lam, now serving
as both president of Vietnam and general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, visited
Washington for meetings with U.S. counterparts in 2019, as has nearly every Vietnamese prime
minister and president in recent years. U.S. ocials have reciprocated that attention, with every
president since Bill Clinton visiting Hanoi at least once during their time in oce.
