HCMC – The United States is eager to intensify its partnership with Vietnam to support the country’s drive toward a modern economy, U.S. Consul General in HCMC Melissa Brown said on January 7.
“The United States is excited to intensify our partnership with Vietnam in pursuit of these ambitions,” Brown said at the opening of the Vietnam Vanguard Summit in HCMC. The Vietnam Vanguard Summit 2026 brought together senior leaders from government, business, finance and technology to discuss Vietnam’s growth trajectory as it seeks to become a US$1 trillion economy.
Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Consulate General in HCMC, Brown said the summit focused on “what it will take for Vietnam to reach its ambitious goals,” with discussions centred on finance, innovation and human capital as key pillars of economic development.
From the U.S. perspective, 2025 marked a milestone year, with the two countries celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations. She noted that bilateral trade had grown “from just a few hundred million dollars in the 1990s to more than US$150 billion today.”
Brown emphasized that the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, the U.S. Consulate General in HCMC and the U.S. business community remained committed to supporting Vietnam’s ambitions. “We are committed to harnessing the power of American innovation and working with our Vietnamese counterparts to help improve the business climate,” she said.
Brown also cited recent policy developments in Vietnam, including legislation supporting the development of an international finance center, and an October 2025 announcement by FTSE Russell on a forthcoming upgrade to secondary emerging market status.
