Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2023

September 11, 2023

[*Prime Minister ChÃnh's remarks were joined in progress*.]

Prime Minister ChÃnh. ââand will benefit peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

Mr. President, today is the 11th of September. And on behalf of the leaders of the party, state, and people of Vietnam, I would like to once again extend my deepest condolences to you for the tremendous losses incurred upon the American people following the terrorist attack on the 11th of September, 2001.

Vietnam's position is to resolutely oppose terrorism under all means. And the international cooperation against terrorism is very much important. And this, of course, entail cooperation with the United States in combating terrorism.

And now I wish to hear from you, Mr. President.

President Biden. Well, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your sentiments and concern for those we lost on 9/11.

I'll be going from here to Alaska to speak to several thousand of our troops in Alaska because I'm not going to be able to get back to the site where it occurred. Every year, I'm usually at one of the sites where that actâwhere the terrorist act occurred. But you were generous to think of us.

We last saw each other at the Gâ7. And you emphasized that we have to stand together and we have to stand strong and shoulder to shoulder. You know, that wasâour new comprehensive strategic partnershipâthat's what it's all about because we're both Pacific powers and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific is overwhelmingly in our interest, as well as, quite frankly, in the interests of the whole world. It's in the interest of the whole world.

And strengthening our economic security, climate security, health security together; driving technological innovation in both our countriesâa step toward this goal todayâwe're signing a memorandum of cooperationâto help to strengthen our semiconductor industries. And it's only just the beginning of that. We're just beginning.

And so, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you again for having me here. It's been a wonderful visit thus far, and I'm looking forward to working with you personally and with all the people of Vietnam.

I'm looking forward to having a few moments fromâwith some of the many Vietnamese and American industry leaders. I guess when we break, we're going to get to see them, and I'm looking forward to that as well.

So thank you for having me.

You know, I know most places at home, when theyâthe worst sentence in the English language is, "The President is coming." It means a lot of work for everybody. [*Laughter*]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. And I want to thank your staff for all the work they did to make this summit work so well.

Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 12 p.m. at the Office of the Government. Prime Minister ChÃnh spoke in Vietnamese, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. Audio was not available for the verification of Prime Minister ChÃnh's remarks.

Categories: Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : Vietnam, Prime Minister ChÃnh.

Locations: Hanoi, Vietnam.

Names: ChÃnh, Pháº¡m Minh.

Subjects: Indo-Pacific, economic and security cooperation; September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; Vietnam, President Biden's visit; Vietnam, Prime Minister; Vietnam, relations with U.S.

DCPD Number: DCPD202300772.