HANOI (AP) President Joe Biden opened his first visit to Vietnam on Sunday saying the two nations have a chance to shape the Indo-Pacific for decades to come evidence of how far the relationship has evolved from what Biden referred to as the bitter past of the Vietnam War that ended almost a half-century ago.

Vietnam is elevating relations with the U.S. to the level of a comprehensive strategic partner, Vietnams highest tier of international partnership.

Biden, meeting with the countrys leaders, welcomed the move and said he hoped progress could be made on climate, the economy and other issues during his 24-hour visit to Hanoi.

We can trace a 50-year arc of progress between our nations from conflict to normalization to this new elevated status, Biden said as he and Nguyn Ph Trng, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, announced the new relationship status at party headquarters.

The U.S. president, who has described himself as being part of the Vietnam generation although he did not serve in a war, called Vietnam a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community. He noted that Vietnam War veterans such as John Kerry, Bidens climate czar, and John McCain, the former Republican senator from Arizona, found ways to build a relationship with Vietnam after the war.

Both men saw so clearly, as I and so many others did, how much we had to gain by working together to overcome a bitter past, he said.

Trong pledged that his country will work hard to implement the agreement. Only then can we say it is a success, he pledged.