Exclusive: First female US ambassador to Vietnam shares vision for stronger bilateral partnership

Drawing on her experience in Washington and her Midwestern roots, the Korean-American diplomat shared her vision for expanding cooperation with Vietnam in trade, technology, semiconductors, and other strategic areas while honoring the two countries' shared history.

A surprising appointment

When you learned of your appointment as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, what was your husband’s and daughter’s first reaction?

George and Kim, my husband and daughter, were tremendously excited. The appointment came as something of a surprise. It was not something we had anticipated; rather, it was an opportunity that arose unexpectedly, and one we found truly thrilling. They were eager to come here.

My parents, my family, my uncles, and my friends have all been delighted for me. In fact, many of them have already promised to visit. I am pleased, because I believe this has given them an extra reason to focus on and learn about Vietnam, and that is a very positive development. They have told me many times that they are proud of me, and I deeply appreciate that.

Since arriving in Hanoi earlier this month, how have you adjusted to life in the capital, including its culture, weather, and, of course, its famously busy traffic?

It is wonderful to be here in your capital. The welcome I have received since my arrival has been truly heartwarming. The people have been so kind and helpful.

I'm glad I don't have to drive in your traffic. It's a little scary, all the scooters, the cars, the amount of traffic... Here the roads, all kinds of roads, intersections are very complicated.

One of the things I find most pleasant is that my residence is close to Hoan Kiem Lake, so George and I have walked around the lake a few times.

My daughter is a university student and plans to arrive in Vietnam in August. I spoke with her about an hour before this interview, and she was full of excitement about coming. I look forward to that, so we can do more exploring together, not only in Hanoi but hopefully outside the city as well.

We were particularly impressed by the introductory video recently posted on the U.S. Embassy’s Facebook page, in which you describe yourself as an American from a small town in Minnesota. Looking back, how do you feel about your journey, from growing up in rural Minnesota to serving in Washington, D.C., and now as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, one of the United States’ key strategic partners, with bipartisan support?

First of all, it is a tremendous honor to have been selected by President Donald Trump and the Trump administration to represent the United States in Vietnam. Minnesota was a special place to grow up in. Where I grew up, there were a lot of farms.

My parents were both teachers, and I think that really shaped who I've become, respecting hard work, living with integrity and kindness, and valuing service and public service.

If you watched the video, you will remember the image of me as a little girl with braided hair. I don't think that girl would have thought, ‘I'm going to become the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.’ But my parents always encouraged me to try new things and dream big.

It's truly special to be able to bring Minnesota with me. I am not sure how many people know about Minnesota but I look forward to introducing it, along with all the many other shared interests our two countries have.

Several former U.S. ambassadors have told us that serving in Vietnam is both a dream posting and a highly demanding assignment. How do you see it?

I have the incredibly good fortune to have very smart people around me, including people in this room, at the embassy, at the consulate, and back in D.C.. I have an incredible support network and they're doing their best to make sure we represent the United States well and look out for U.S. interests and what's best for the American people.

I really thrive in positions where you can make a difference because there are so many areas of shared interest between the U.S. and Vietnam. We have ambitious, mutual goals and the idea of adding value or making a positive impact for both our countries is something that really motivates me.

Priorities in Vietnam

Your career has been remarkably diverse, from military service to overseeing the appointment of more than a thousand U.S. diplomatic leaders over 14 years. How will your deep understanding of how Washington works help advance the bilateral relationship?

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his statement during the recent ASEAN meetings in the Philippines, emphasized how important this region is. Certainly, a free and open Indo-Pacific benefits the American people -- their prosperity, safety, security -- and a strong, resilient, independent Vietnam benefits both our countries and contributes to that free and open Indo-Pacific.

A number of U.S. senators I met with before coming here emphasized this and asked for my commitment to support, engage, and further the U.S. relationship with Vietnam. They asked me to keep that at the forefront of every engagement once I’m in Vietnam and that's my top commitment.

My priorities are consistent with what the president has said -- deepening economic investment and rebalancing trade, furthering cooperation in defense and security, and strengthening people-to-people ties.

You mentioned defense and security as one of your priorities. Cooperation between the two countries has come a long way, from addressing war legacies to strengthening law enforcement and maritime security. What opportunities do you see for expanding cooperation in this field?

Before I left, I also met with the Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, who had just returned from his own trip, own engagement in Vietnam. My takeaway from our conversation was that he was very encouraged and excited about what we're already doing in defense and security, and he was highly optimistic about where we can go.

U.S. Coast Guard cutters here help support Vietnam's maritime security and law enforcement capacity, training aircraft are helping develop the next generation of pilots as well as joint efforts focused on humanitarian assistance. He also mentioned looking forward to the Defense Expo coming up at the end of the year in Vietnam and hoping for a strong U.S. defense-sector presence there.

Did he share any other insights about Vietnam with you?

It’s his second trip to Vietnam. He described it as a bit of an interesting homecoming. He said, "I'm an American, but coming back here, I understood where my parents and family grew up." He brought his son and introduced him to where his grandparents grew up. He said how special that moment was and how he enjoyed it.

When you addressed the U.S. Senate about taking up your post in Vietnam, you listed war-legacy issues among your priorities. Your predecessor, Ambassador Marc Knapper, told us that his father was a U.S. veteran who served in Vietnam and returned many times, hoping to see the country prosper. How do you view the work of addressing war legacies between our two countries?

At my confirmation hearing, senators from both parties asked whether I personally commit to continuing to advocate for and support these war legacy programs, and I said absolutely.

These programs matter to the people of Vietnam and to the people of the United States. I'm well aware of how foundational these programs have been, and how they exemplify a highly successful joint effort, not only foundational in terms of building trust, but also forward-looking reconciliation.

I'm quite moved by the fact that together we are finding unaccounted-for and missing service members, both American and Vietnamese. I'm deeply pleased that we're trying to assist people with disabilities regardless of cause. The land remediation efforts and the ongoing work addressing unexploded ordnance are things Vietnamese and American people are doing hand in hand, and I find that truly remarkable.

Supporting Vietnam’s development goals

What is the focus of President Trump’s strategic economic cooperation with Vietnam, in your opinion?

It's multifaceted and broad. I'm pleased that there were negotiations last week between senior Vietnamese and U.S. government officials. That's certainly a priority for the president, and I understand those talks and meetings were productive and continuing.

What I see my role focusing on, which very much aligns with the president's priorities, is engaging on behalf of U.S. businesses and the private sector, advocating for their access to the Vietnamese market and for a level playing field for businesses to engage.

I believe American business, industry and the private sector can also support Vietnam's own economic ambitions. I've been reading about General Secretary, President To Lam's hopes for Vietnam's development, and I think the U.S. private sector, business, and employment efforts can be a good partner to Vietnam. We are furthering our own interests while also benefiting Vietnam.

Vietnam has set the ambitious goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045. What can the United States do to help improve human resources and master technology, particularly in the semiconductor supply chain?

This is an area where the U.S private sector can play a big role. We have expertise and interest in manufacturing, technology, and semiconductors. One of the things that make U.S. companies attractive is not just the products and services they bring, but their interest in ensuring that Vietnam's young, talented, skilled workforce stays up-to-date, knowledgeable and skilled.

The other part is educational and institutional exchanges, such as Fulbright, embassy-facilitated programs, and support for English-language instruction through Fulbright or the Peace Corps. All of that together makes the partnership so valuable, supporting the education, training, and development of students and the workforce.

Regarding semiconductors, Vietnam aims to train 50,000 engineers for the industry. Can you elaborate on U.S. support in this area?

I know this is a priority for us. We've engaged with companies that have the relevant expertise to figure out how best to share that knowledge with people here in Vietnam. I look forward to expanding the presence and access of those companies here so that partnership can become even more robust.

I'm also aware of educational exchanges with U.S. academic institutions that have particular strength in technology and semiconductors and those have been among the institutions we've prioritized. Arizona State is one example as they offer a lot of free online training courses, and they're building a facility in Hanoi that will focus on semiconductor training.

What role can Vietnam play in the U.S. friendshoring strategy of shifting supply chains to trusted partners?

I've spoken with a number of companies before I left Washington, D.C.. I took part in several business roundtables, some with companies that have been doing business in Vietnam for some time, others exploring the opportunity.

I think facilitating a level playing field so they can come in and compete here is something that's a priority for me and for the administration. That comes with the products and technology themselves, but also with engaging the workforce, helping them join these companies, and providing the requisite knowledge and expertise.

That covers both economic interests and people-to-people ties and together they strengthen our comprehensive strategic partnership, which is also exactly my goal: to make those linkages and pull those opportunities forward as much as I can.

If an ordinary Vietnamese citizen asked what the comprehensive strategic partnership with the United States means for their daily life, what would you say?

I think the strong bilateral partnership benefits both our peoples. It's been interesting hearing how U.S. products and services are bringing some of the best technologies to Vietnam, and how much Vietnamese people enjoy American apples, cherries, and blueberries.

I'm also energized by the support and training we're able to offer educational institutions as well as some of your English-language efforts.

That's really special because it pulls our people together and will have a broad, lasting impact for Vietnamese citizens as well as Americans.

Learning Vietnamese, hoping to visit all 34 provinces, cities

This is your first time in Vietnam, and the first time with your family. What were your initial impressions? Do you plan to learn Vietnamese, and have you fallen for any Vietnamese dishes yet?

Hanoi is truly a wonderful, vibrant place. Before arriving I had heard that Vietnamese people are friendly and gracious, and that is exactly what I have experienced. I have not spent much time in any other Southeast Asian country, so Hanoi has been an excellent beginning for me.

I am learning Vietnamese. My teacher is very kind, and so far I have learned a little - 'xin chào,' 'cảm ơn,' 'tôi thích xem phim.' I'm going to tell her because she keeps asking me if I'm practicing my Vietnamese. Now I can tell her I actually attempted to say something to Vietnamese people.

When I visited the Temple of Literature, having read a little about Vietnam’s history and the periods the country has passed through, seeing the site with my own eyes felt like looking at history itself -- a powerful experience.

The embassy chefs have spoiled me thoroughly, preparing everything from various noodle dishes and soups. Still, I also enjoy going out to try local food. When my daughter arrives we will embark on a Vietnamese culinary tour, starting with the restaurants nearby.

One of the things I most look forward to during my tenure is setting foot in all 34 provinces and cities of Vietnam.

I love traveling, I love meeting people, and I look forward to experiencing the local cuisine in all the different provinces and understanding more about local customs and culture.

Thank you, Ambassador Wicks. We wish you a successful tenure in Vietnam!