Vietnam’s Ninth Party Congress opens

Clinton arrived in Vietnam for the first visit by a U.S. president since the war. Public encounters carried competing memories: some welcomed engagement, while many refugees and veterans remained...

Clinton delivered a major public address in Hanoi about the future of U.S.–Vietnam relations. The speech invoked reconciliation and shared history, but also promoted economic openness and closer ties....

During the visit, Clinton observed a joint effort to locate the remains of a missing U.S. pilot. Vietnamese and U.S. teams’ cooperation on missing-person accounting had helped open diplomatic...

Clinton’s four-day visit ended after meetings and public addresses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The trip presented normalization as a route toward engagement and shared prosperity. For Vietnamese...

The two governments signed an agreement delimiting territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves in the Gulf of Tonkin. It followed the land boundary treaty and addressed...

The congress concluded after adopting a program for economic and social development. It sought to move Vietnam beyond underdevelopment and toward industrialization while preserving the party’s leading...

The Senate approved the trade agreement, advancing it toward implementation after years of negotiation. The agreement promised lower tariffs and expanded access but also required substantial...

The National Assembly approved ratification, completing a key Vietnamese legal step. The agreement was debated as part of Vietnam’s effort to expand exports and integrate with global markets. Its...

President Trần Đức Lương signed the legislation after National Assembly approval. The signature cleared the way for the agreement to take effect once both governments exchanged implementation letters....

The agreement entered into force after ratification and an exchange of letters, extending normal trade relations and lowering barriers. It marked a deepening of postwar economic links while leaving...