THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 47 STONE FRUIT DIPLOMACY From the Golden State to the Land of the Blue Dragon ON THE U.S.-VIETNAM RELATIONSHIP The significant progress made in agricultural trade over the last 30 years highlights the mutual benefits and promising future of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership. BY MARC GILKEY Marc Gilkey is a Senior Foreign Service officer who has served with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for more than 30 years. He is currently posted in Bangkok as a Career Minister, where he serves as the regional manager for South Asia, and will be heading to Japan this summer. He has served previously in Afghanistan, Mexico, India, Belgium, and Colombia, in addition to assignments in Washington, D.C. He is a Navy veteran. He wrote for the FSJ in 2019 on avocado diplomacy in Colombia, in 2022 on agricultural work in Afghanistan, and in 2024 on pomelo diplomacy for work in Thailand. The year 1995, when the United States and Vietnam officially normalized diplomatic relations, was a major turning point, unlocking a new era of cooperation and engagement. Deeper diplomatic relations are often led by increased trade and cooperation, and trade in agricultural products is often at the center of that cooperation. Nations have come to the table for thousands of years to negotiate, cooperate, and trade the bounty and surplus provided by agriculture. The significant progress made in agricultural trade and other sectors highlights the mutual benefits and promising future of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership. The International Service (IS) wing of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) plays a unique and pivotal role in facilitating global agricultural trade. IS maintains a Foreign Service cadre stationed in U.S. embassies, enabling direct and immediate engagement with international partners to facilitate trade and prevent disruptions. Besides working to expand U.S. agricultural trade, the Foreign Service works to safeguard and strengthen it through technical cooperation. FOCUS
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