Admiral Swift (former PACOM) and Ambassador Osius discuss; 1) how legacy issues (cleaning up after Agent Orange, finding POW/MIA) have slowly laid the basis of trust; 2) how key visits and US gestures have led to breakthroughs; 3) the role of US veterans and of Vietnamese refugees in building ties; 4) managing sensitive issues (human rights and the long history between China and Vietnam).
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Admiral Scott Swift served as Commander of the US Pacific Fleet (2015-2018). Just prior, he was the Director of Navy Staff in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In his 40-year career, he commanded at all levels and participated in multiple combat operations. Currently, he is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analysis and an Adjunct Professor at the US Naval War College. He is the founder of the Swift Group LLC.
Ambassador Ted Osius served as the US Ambassador to Vietnam (2014-2017). His 30 year diplomatic career included serving as Deputy Chief of Mission Indonesia, Political Minister Counselor India and Senior Advisor on Asia and Trade to VP Al Gore. Most recently, he was the VP for Government Affairs & Public Policy at Google Asia Pacific. He is currently the President & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council.