Vietnam-US relations during the Covid-19 pandemic 14:49     The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the implementation of plans between Vietnam and the US, but the two sides have maintained the momentum of cooperation and even expanded cooperation in some new areas such as disease prevention. Twenty-six years after the establishment of bilateral relations, the US and Vietnam have become reliable partners with a friendship based on mutual respect. The cooperative relationship is increasingly active and comprehensive, and has developed into a solid partnership in the fields of politics, economy, security and people-to-people exchanges.   The US Secretary of Defense met with Vietnamese leaders during his visit to Vietnam in late July. Cooperation has been expanded in some new areas such as disease prevention and medical equipment supply, forming a stable and efficient supply chain. In late July, three million doses of Moderna vaccine were sent to Vietnam by the US through the COVAX Facility. It arrived at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, to the joy of the representatives of the US Embassy and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Immediately, half of the vaccines were transported to Ho Chi Minh City and half to Hanoi. This shipment of vaccines followed two million doses of Moderna vaccine the US gave to Vietnam through COVAX on July 10. According to the White House, the United States has reached a major milestone in the global immunization effort, as more than 110 million doses of the vaccine from the US have been distributed to 60 countries and territories. The seven countries receiving the highest number of vaccine doses from the US are Indonesia, the Philippines, Colombia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam. The US has praised Vietnam's grassroots health system and epidemic prevention efforts. The Vietnamese government and many localities, businesses, organizations and individuals previously donated protective clothing and medical equipment to the US government, people and the Vietnamese community in the US. In 2020, the US Government aided Vietnam with more than 10 million USD to fight the epidemic and restore the economy. Former US President Donald Trump announced the donation of ventilators to Vietnam. A shipment of 2 tons of antibacterial cloth masks and medical masks donated by Vietnam to New York arrived in the US on July 9, 2020. U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Kritenbrink said: "It is said that in difficulty, we will know who our true friends are. We are very touched that during the time when the United States was fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam donated millions of masks and other medical protective equipment. In these difficult times, masks and protective clothing donated by Vietnam helped to save many American lives." Cooperation for mutual benefit Under US President Joe Biden’s administration, the US and Vietnam have cooperated to improve Vietnam's capacity in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, based on the long-term relationship between the two countries and the US support worth more than 1 billion USD in the past years to help Vietnam develop its healthcare infrastructure. In addition to donating 5 million doses of vaccine through the COVAX mechanism, since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the US has committed US$19.8 million worth of aid to Vietnam. Recently, President Biden announced that the US would provide 500 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to GAVI for distribution through COVAX to 92 low- and middle-income countries and economies as defined by the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC) by GAVI and the African Union. Vietnam is one of these countries. "We are not sharing these vaccines for favors or privileges. We are sharing the vaccines to save lives and save the world from the pandemic,” Biden said. On July 6, the US Embassy in Hanoi presented a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine and mobile testing equipment to the Military Medical Department, Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam. The equipment is a gift from the US Department of Defense to improve mobile testing capacity and enhance pandemic response capacity in Vietnam. Charge d'Affaires Christopher Klein said: “The US and Vietnam have worked closely for over 26 years to build our relationship based on mutual trust and respect. Together, we can overcome the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.” He thanked Vietnam for sending millions of protective clothes to the American people last year and pledged to advocate for more vaccines for Vietnam. “We are ready to support Vietnam during this difficult time and the five million doses of Moderna vaccine that we have given to Vietnam is a testament to this support. Together we will overcome the pandemic and rise stronger,” he said. In exchanges, phone calls and letters to the American leaders, Vietnamese leaders expressed their sincere and deep gratitude to the support of the US government, considering this is proof of the good relationship between Vietnam and the US, sharing in difficult times with the determination to work together to fight the pandemic. Currently, the demand for vaccines from the US is very large. The US is providing aid to nearly 50 countries and territories around the world. To ensure that vaccines reach its partners as quickly as possible, the US has chosen COVAX mechanism as the main distribution channel, as it has been doing with Vietnam. Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang on August 5 stated that in the context of vaccine scarcity as well as the great need for vaccines in many countries, including Vietnam, "we appreciate and say thank you for every donation, even the smallest". US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's two-day visit to Vietnam in late July ended successfully with many practical results, confirming the comprehensive and positive relationship. The upcoming visit of US Vice President Kamala Harris in August will continue to promote the relationship between the two countries, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. VNN