The United States Office for MIA Affairs officially opened in Hanoi on July 7, 1991, marking the first continuous presence of an official U.S. government agency in Vietnam since 1975. The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi was inaugurated on August 6, 1995, during Secretary of State
Warren Christopher's visit. That same day, Vietnam also opened its embassy in Washington. The
American Center Hanoi, a public library with information about American people and culture, opened in 1997. On July 23, 1998, the U.S. Senate voted in favor of continued funding for the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, underpinning the ongoing cooperation on the
Vietnam War POW/MIA issue. On November 19, 2000, the Office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was inaugurated. In 2008, Ambassador Michael Michalak inaugurated the first American Center in Hanoi. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, China declined to reschedule a previously cancelled visit by Secretary Blinken. This decision was influenced by concerns related to the
2023 Chinese balloon incident. As the U.S. aims to fortify its coalition in South-east Asia to counteract China's influence, Vietnam navigates a precarious balance of fostering cooperation with Washington while maintaining amicable relations with Beijing, especially given the latter's growing
military presence in the South China Sea and its strengthening
ties with Moscow. == See also ==