*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017 *

**Remarks at a State Banquet Hosted by President Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam in Hanoi, Vietnam **

*November 11, 2017 *

*President Quang.* Mr. Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, distinguished American guests, ladies and gentlemen: On behalf of the leaders and people of Vietnam, I warmly welcome Mr. President and the high-level American delegation to Hanoi, Vietnam, on a state visit at the most vibrant time of bilateral relations.

Leaders of the two countries attach great importance to the bilateral comprehensive cooperation. The presence of Mr. President and the distinguished American guests in Hanoi at the invitation of Vietnamese leaders is a testimony to that, as well as to the strong vitality of our relationship.

My congratulations to Mr. President on your productive, successful days within the APEC Economics Leaders' Week in Danang city, with significant contributions to the overall success of the summit. I particularly appreciate Mr. President's impressive speech at the APEC CEO Summit with a message reaffirming the strong and long-term commitment of the United States to the Asia-Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the nearby region. As an Asia-Pacific power, the United States has been and will be playing a very important role to the regional countries, and we want the United States to promote that role in a more active manner.

Mr. President has stayed in Danang and is now in Hanoi. I believe you and other members of the delegation will better receive the hospitality and friendliness of the Vietnamese people accorded to you and the American people, as well as enjoying the beauty of Hanoi in fall.

Mr. President and distinguished American friends, the relationship between Vietnam and the United States has had a longstanding history. In the early years of the previous century, President Ho Chi Minh, a hero of national liberation and a great man of culture, as honored by UNESCO, was on his voyage in search of national salvation. He made a stop in Boston, Massachusetts, a cradle of the American Revolution.

The time he stayed and worked in the U.S. made him believe in the United States and American people as a partner and friends. Right before the establishment of the Vietnam Democratic Republic in August 1945, President Ho Chi Minh had expressed the desire to meet American friends.

Rising above the ups and downs of history, Vietnam and the United States are now friends and comprehensive partners with mutual respect—respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and respective political systems—making joint efforts for the Asia-Pacific of peace, stability, cooperation, and development. Since the normalization of relations two decades ago, leaders and people of the two countries have shelved the past, overcome differences, built on similarities, looked to the future, and unceasingly forged bilateral friendship and cooperation.

With the efforts of the leaders and people of the both countries, the momentum of bilateral, comprehensive partnership has been well maintained and promoted since the taking office of President Donald Trump. Cooperation has continued to grow, becoming more productive and substantive in a range of areas, such as politics, foreign affairs, economic, trade, health care, humanitarian issues, science and technology, exchange of people, which benefit both sides. We are happy to note the completion of main components of the Danang Airport Remediation Project.

President Donald Trump's visit to Vietnam represents an important milestone and the best moment in the history of bilateral relations, opening up a vast future for new pages in the bonds between our nations. I wish to share Mr. President's words: "No dream is too big, no challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach." In the regional and international landscape of tremendous changes, I believe the comprehensive, stable, and mutually beneficial relations between Vietnam and the United States will be a positive factor, significantly contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

In this warm and friendly atmosphere, may I invite, Mr. President, American and Vietnamese friends to raise our glasses: To the ever-expanding relations between Vietnam and the United States, to the health of Mr. President, the two countries' leaders, and to you all present here tonight.

Thank you.

[*At this point, President Quang offered a toast.*]

*President Trump.* President Quang, I would like to thank you very much. This is a very, very special time to be with you and the great people of Vietnam. We have come a long way, the United States and Vietnam. We've seen it from both sides of the picture, and this is the pleasant side.

You are doing a spectacular job, your people are doing a spectacular job, and in the United States, likewise, we are doing very, very well. We've had the highest stock market we've ever had, we have the lowest unemployment in 17 years, and people are pouring back into our country in the form of manufacturers, car builders, and others.

I toured Vietnam today. I was through the streets of Hanoi, and it's incredible to see, incredible to watch, and it's truly one of the great marvels. It really is something to behold. I would like to congratulate the people of Vietnam, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on an outstanding job.

I would also like to send my condolences on Typhoon Damrey, which was devastating and a great loss of life in Vietnam. And please give my regards and our sympathies to everyone. I know you will rebuild, and the families will slowly rebuild. Very tough to recover from that kind of a loss. But please, on behalf of the United States, our condolences.

And at the same time, our congratulations on a job well done. Vietnam has truly become one of the great miracles of the world, and it's very impressive. No matter where you come from, no matter who you are, when you look at what's happened in Vietnam, there is nothing more impressive.

Thank you very much for this honor, and I look forward to seeing you, Mr. President, many, many times over the future. Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 8:30 p.m. at the International Convention Center. President Quang spoke in Vietnamese, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. *Categories:* Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : Vietnam, President Quang*.*

*Locations: *Hanoi, Vietnam.

*Names:* Quang, Tran Dai*.*

*Subjects:* Economy, national : Improvement; Vietnam : Economic growth and development; Vietnam : President; Vietnam : President Trump's visit; Vietnam : Relations with U.S.; Vietnam : Typhoon Damrey, damage and recovery efforts.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201700846.