PALIKIR, Pohnpei — January 12, 2026 – His Excellency Wesley W. Simina, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), formally received the Letters of Credence from His Excellency Pham Thanh Binh, accrediting him as the first Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the FSM.
The Presentation of Credentials ceremony, held at the Office of the President, marked a historic milestone in FSM–Viet Nam relations. President Simina congratulated Ambassador Pham on his appointment and extended warm greetings to Madame Hoang Thi Huong Giang and the accompanying delegation, noting that their presence underscores Viet Nam’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties with the FSM.
Following the ceremony, President Simina hosted a courtesy call with Ambassador Pham, joined by the Vice President and members of the FSM Cabinet. The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to engage in productive discussions on advancing bilateral cooperation and shared priorities.
President Simina expressed appreciation for the courtesy engagement and reaffirmed FSM’s strong desire to expand and deepen relations with Viet Nam in a manner that is mutually responsive to the needs and aspirations of both governments and their peoples. He reiterated FSM’s intention to seek Agrément for Ambassador K.S. Vincent Sivas, currently serving as FSM Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, to be concurrently accredited to Viet Nam, with residence in Beijing, and sought Viet Nam’s support in strengthening diplomatic coordination.
Climate change was underscored as a critical and cross-cutting issue for FSM, alongside a shared commitment to peace, stability, and sustainable prosperity. President Simina highlighted opportunities for cooperation in climate resilience, agriculture and aquaculture, tourism capacity-building, and infrastructure development. He also emphasized the importance of promoting people-to-people relations, particularly through student exchanges, cultural engagement, and educational opportunities, and expressed optimism about the future of FSM–Viet Nam relations.
Ambassador Pham conveyed his appreciation for the warm welcome and noted the honor of being appointed as Viet Nam’s first Ambassador to the FSM. He expressed full concurrence with the areas of cooperation identified by President Simina and emphasized the significant potential to further strengthen bilateral engagement.
Ambassador Pham highlighted Viet Nam’s experience and strengths in agriculture, including rice production, aquaculture, tropical fruits, and vegetables, and noted opportunities for cooperation in fisheries exchanges and food security initiatives. He also shared Viet Nam’s focus on infrastructure development, including roads, highways, and airports, and emphasized the importance of people-to-people linkages, reflecting Viet Nam’s cultural diversity.
Ambassador Pham acknowledged shared vulnerabilities to climate change and expressed gratitude for FSM’s solidarity and support following a recent tropical storm in Viet Nam. He also sought FSM’s support regarding Viet Nam’s pending official membership in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with the FSM Embassy in Beijing to facilitate closer diplomatic coordination.
The Vice President commended Viet Nam’s development progress and emphasized the value of people-to-people cooperation, particularly in the areas of training, environmental protection, and climate change, which he described as an existential threat to FSM. He noted that while this was the first formal dialogue at this level, it marked a timely and important step toward deeper engagement.
President Simina concluded by reaffirming FSM’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties with Viet Nam and advancing cooperation across mutually beneficial sectors. He wished Ambassador Pham a successful tenure and requested that his warm greetings be conveyed to the leadership and people of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
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