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Tuesday, 09/22/2026
General Secretary, President To Lam meets with American friends
Viet Cuong - Quang Trung: Tuesday 09/22/2026, 11:19 AM (GMT+7)
On the occasion of attending the High-Level General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly and carrying out bilateral activities in the United States, on the afternoon of September 21, local time, in New York, General Secretary and President To Lam, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, met with American friends.
The event was organized by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in the United States and the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, with the theme "Nurturing Friendship - Building the Future." It was attended by members of the Communist Party of the USA, left-wing friends, traditional friends, peace organizations, veterans, charitable and humanitarian organizations, religious and non-governmental organizations, businesses, scholars, students, and others who have provided valuable support and assistance, and who have been, are, and will continue to accompany and support Vietnam-US relations.
At the meeting, representatives of American friends shared moving stories about their support for Vietnam, contributions to healing the wounds of war, and promoting relations between the two countries. Examples include former soldier Frank Joyce, who led the anti-war movement, bravely visited North Vietnam in 1970, and has since consistently advocated for justice and the rights of peoples; Ms. Virginia Foote, President of the International Center, who made significant contributions to the normalization process and milestones in Vietnam-US relations. In her capacity as President of the International Center, she has implemented many humanitarian aid programs, war aftermath recovery, mine clearance, and support for war victims reintegrating into the community. Professor Edmund Malesky, Professor of Political Economy at Duke University and Director of the Duke Center for International Development, initiated the construction of the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and co-developed the Provincial Public Administration and Governance Efficiency Index (PAPI), making important contributions to institutional reform and improving economic governance in Vietnam's localities.
General Secretary, President To Lam speaks at the meeting
The speakers highly appreciated the immense efforts of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam in socio-economic development and improving people's lives; Vietnam's breakthrough reforms in recent times, making Vietnam a more modern, strong, and prosperous country. They expressed their desire to continue cooperating with Vietnam on its development path.
American friends also shared many meaningful actions that contributed to healing the wounds of war and overcoming its consequences, including the "Peace Houses" project in Vietnam, which has significantly contributed to efforts to alleviate the pain of war; and projects that bring the people of the two countries closer together, helping Vietnam and the United States move towards normalizing relations.
General Secretary, President To Lam presented the Friendship Order to several American friends
Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed that the Vietnamese people do not forget those who stood by them during the most difficult times. The General Secretary and President stated that even during the war, many Americans spoke out for peace, for the right to life and independence of the Vietnamese people. Some, who had never been to Vietnam, felt deep affection and concern for people far away.
The General Secretary and President emphasized that to do these things, many had to overcome significant pressure, accept risks, and even be willing to sacrifice. After the war ended, many continued to be involved with Vietnam. To this day, this commitment continues in many endeavors: helping to overcome the consequences of war, caring for the disabled, supporting education and healthcare, and connecting those who want to work with Vietnam.
General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense received some war memorabilia, presented by a representative of Texas Tech University
On behalf of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam, General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his sincere gratitude to his American friends and their families. He also expressed his appreciation for the affection of friends who came to Vietnam during its difficult times and remained friends through all the changes.
Sharing Vietnam's determination to achieve two 100-year goals of building a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilized, happy, and socialist Vietnam, the General Secretary and President stated that Vietnam has begun many difficult tasks, including reorganizing the development space; restructuring the administrative system, reducing intermediate levels, and delegating more responsibility to local authorities. The General Secretary and President affirmed that all these changes are for the benefit of the people's lives. He expressed hope that children will have better learning opportunities, the sick will receive better care, the elderly will worry less, and families in difficult circumstances will have more opportunities to rise. Therefore, reforms must go hand in hand with social welfare, environmental protection, and care for the vulnerable:
"I share these things because you are people who understand and care about Vietnam. We do not believe that new policies will immediately change everything. There is much to be done from decision to implementation. We need to listen to the people, listen to businesses, and also listen to friends with different experiences and perspectives, to know what is being done well, what needs to be corrected, and how to correct it. Your sincere feedback is always valuable to us. I propose that relevant agencies pay attention to receiving, discussing, and responding to these opinions; when there are cooperative initiatives, let's find ways to implement them together. Those who wish to contribute need to know who to contact, how their proposals are being considered, and what difficulties need to be overcome together."
General Secretary, President To Lam speaks at the meeting
The General Secretary and President emphasized that Vietnam-US relations have also improved over the years, and the two countries have truly become good friends and partners. Among these, Vietnam has always paid special attention to overcoming the consequences of war.
The General Secretary and President stated that although the war ended more than half a century ago, there are still families waiting for news of their loved ones, victims of Agent Orange who need care, and land still contaminated with mines and dioxin. For those living with these losses, every timely assistance is invaluable.
The General Secretary and President expressed gratitude to American friends who have spent many years working with Vietnam on this task. Because behind every piece of information about a missing person is the waiting of a family; behind every cleared piece of land is the peace of mind for people to work and live.
The General Secretary and President believes that the persistence and affection of American friends have provided much comfort and improved living conditions for many people: "Vietnam is implementing the '500-day and night campaign to search, gather, and identify the remains of martyrs.' We will continue to allocate resources to this task and appreciate the support from the US side in the past. I hope you will continue to help connect information, share data, and expertise in database mining to yield more results in searching for and identifying the remains of those who have sacrificed. Those who hold information and those who are waiting are all getting older.
The sooner we act, the greater the chance of helping families find their loved ones. For our part, Vietnam will continue to cooperate closely and create favorable conditions for the search for US military personnel missing in the war. We understand the longing of Vietnamese families, just as we understand the longing of American families."
Delegates attend the meeting
The General Secretary and President expressed hope to continue working with American friends to care for those still suffering from the consequences of war, make land safer, and help more families find their relatives.
To the students, the General Secretary and President hoped they would have the opportunity to hear and learn the stories shared, and that these stories would help them better understand the people who have been attached to and loved Vietnam, and fought for Vietnam when the country was in great difficulty. The General Secretary and President hoped that these stories would further motivate their studies and build their confidence in a bright future for the country as well as for Vietnam-US relations.
On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam presented the Friendship Order to several American friends.
General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of National Defense received some war memorabilia, presented by a representative of Texas Tech University./.
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