During the Vietnam War, Danang airport was one of the key airbases where US military stored defoliants containing lethal dioxin to be loaded on to aircraft to spay over southern Vietnam.

The landmark US$84 million project funded by the US Government is aimed at cleaning up 73,000 cubic metres of dioxin –contaminated land.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh highlighted the great significance of the project saying that it shows proper attention and demonstrates the invaluable support from the US and Senator Leahy in assisting Vietnam in addressing post-war issues.

“This opens up a whole new world of opportunities to enhance bilateral ties,” he added.

For his part, Senator Leahy underscored that the project demonstrates the commitment of the United States to assisting Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of the war.

Cleaning dioxin-contaminated land means eliminating threats to people’s lives and creating economic opportunities, he said.