US Ambassador to Vietnam receives Friendship Medal

On January 13, 2026, in Hanoi, authorized by Politburo member and President Luong Cuong, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung awarded the Friendship Medal to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper.

The Friendship Medal is a noble award of the Vietnamese State to individuals and groups abroad who have made great and positive contributions to building, consolidating and developing friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Vietnam and countries around the world. The awarding of the Friendship Medal to Ambassador Marc Knapper demonstrates the recognition of the Vietnamese leaders and people for the Ambassador's important contributions to promoting, consolidating and developing the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the US throughout his term in Vietnam.

Immediately after the Medal awarding ceremony, Minister Le Hoai Trung received Ambassador Marc Knapper on the occasion of the Ambassador's end of his term in Vietnam and preparing to return home. The meeting took place in a friendly and respectful atmosphere, at the time when the two countries had just celebrated the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

At the meeting, Minister Le Hoai Trung congratulated Ambassador Marc Knapper on successfully completing his term of office; highly appreciated the Ambassador's important contributions in promoting the increasingly deepening and substantive Vietnam-US relationship in many fields, especially the two countries upgrading their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2023. The Minister affirmed that the active role of Ambassador Knapper has contributed to creating strong momentum for bilateral relations, especially in the fields of politics - diplomacy, economy - trade, national defense - security, education - training, science - technology, humanity and overcoming the consequences of war.

The Minister emphasized that Vietnam always attaches importance to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US; highly appreciates the close coordination between the US Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam in implementing high-level agreements and specific cooperation programs, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries; suggested that the two sides continue to closely coordinate and effectively implement the nghiulent programs agreed upon by the two countries' senior leaders, on the basis of respect for the independence, sovereignty and interests of each country, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Speaking at the reception, Ambassador Marc Knapper expressed his deep gratitude for the warm welcome of the leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the effective cooperation and support of Vietnamese agencies, ministries and branches over the past 4 years. The Ambassador affirmed that he was proud to contribute to the strong development of bilateral relations, especially upgrading the relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, thereby enhancing political trust, expanding trade and improving the effectiveness of cooperation in many areas such as defense - security, humanitarianism, overcoming the consequences of war, energy, science - technology. The Ambassador reaffirmed that, regardless of his position in the future, he will always be a friend of Vietnam, continuing to support and accompany the development of Vietnam - US relations.

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