Vietnamese President Luong Cuong met with Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, at Boeing's headquarters on September 21. The meeting was also attended by Vietjet chairwoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, and a Vietnamese delegation.

The order of 200 jets valued at $32 billion with Boeing is the largest aviation order ever between Vietnam and the US. Pope expressed her honour to welcome the high-level Vietnamese delegation, considering the occasion a testament to the growing partnership between the two countries.

Speaking at the event, Thao said, “Every new aircraft not only brings more flying opportunities for passengers, but also fosters trust, employment, and prosperity for the people of both nations. This is a testament to perseverance and faith in a future of long-term, prosperous cooperation.”

She expressed her aspiration to build Vietnam into the international aviation hub with the support of Boeing in training, services, component manufacturing, and maintenance. On this occasion, she extended her gratitude to generations of Boeing leaders and more than 170,000 workers involved in aircraft production, as well as the support of leaders and people of both nations throughout this cooperation journey.

With a total of 576 aircraft on order, Vietjet is among the few airlines worldwide with the largest backlogs amid aircraft shortages. Vietjet currently operates across more than 170 domestic and international routes, carrying over 250 million passengers. The airline has connected Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific region more closely with the world, from Japan, South Korea, India, and China, to Australia and Europe.

President Cuong highly appreciated the cooperation between Boeing and Vietjet, and asked Boeing to continue to deliver on schedule and to consider investing in production and maintenance facilities in Vietnam, thereby creating conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the global supply chain. He said that Vietnam welcomes and creates favourable conditions for US investors for effective and long-term cooperation.

The handover ceremony of Vietjet’s first Boeing 737-8 aircraft coincides with the 30^th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US. The event marks both a major milestone in the commercial partnership, and a symbol of trust, friendship, and Vietnam’s aspiration to rise strongly in a new era.