U.S.-VIETNAM RELATIONS

Secretary Powell and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dy Nien, July 25. (Rathavary Duong - AP/Wide World Photos-Pool)

WHAT'S NEW

The United States is committed to full normalization of diplomatic, political and economic relations with Vietnam. Among the issues in U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relations are POW/MIA accounting, resettlement opportunities abroad for Vietnamese refugees, economic and commercial cooperation, protection of intellectual property rights, repayment of sovereign debt, security dialogue, and law enforcement cooperation. Obtaining the fullest possible accounting of American POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War continues to be America's highest priority with regard to Vietnam.

On December 10, 2001, the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) took effect. Under the Jackson-Vanik Amendment to the Trade Act of 1974, a bilateral trade agreement and certification of freedom of emigration are necessary for the United States to establish conditional Normal Trade Relations (NTR) -- formerly called most-favored-nation (MFN) trading status -- with non-market economies such as Vietnam. This conditional NTR is subject to annual review by Congress.