Positive outcomes in the Vietnam-US relations will create a foundation for the two countries to elevate their ties to a new height, for the sake of their people, and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hanoi on April 15.

The Party chief stressed that the official visit to Vietnam, the first by Blinken in his capacity as US Secretary of State, is of significance as it takes place on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the bilateral comprehensive partnership.

He spoke highly of results of the US official’s working sessions in Vietnam, as well as the strong, comprehensive development of the bilateral relations, saying the important foundations for the development lie with the respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions of each other, for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

The host also highly valued outcomes of his phone talks with President Joe Biden on March 29, during which they compared notes on major orientations for the Vietnam-US relations, particularly high-level meetings and exchanges in order to enhance mutual understanding and expand cooperation in trade-investment, science-technology, education-training and others.

For his part, Blinken conveyed wishes and regards of President Joe Biden to the Vietnamese Party leader, and stressed that the US also highly values the success of the phone talks.

He highlighted the comprehensive, substantive development of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership over the past years, saying the US commits to enhancing cooperation with Vietnam across spheres, especially in trade-investment, science-technology, education-training and climate change response.

The Secretary of State reiterated that the US attaches importance to its relationship with Vietnam, and wishes to advance it to a new level.

He also affirmed the US’s support for ASEAN’s centrality, and its hope for the acceleration of the handling of issues of shared concern through ASEAN mechanisms and frameworks.

In this regard, Trong welcomed the US’s support for concern of Vietnam and other ASEAN countries over regional and international issues.

On behalf of President Biden, the Secretary of State reiterated the invitation to the Party chief to visit the US.  

Trong noted his thanks and asked relevant agencies to arrange the visit at an appropriate time. He also reiterated the invitation to Biden to visit Vietnam. Blinken, in reply, said the US President wishes to visit the Southeast Asian nation at an early date.

The same day, Blinken had a meeting with Le Hoai Trung, head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, during which the two sides looked into orientations and measures to carry forwards outcomes of the bilateral relations, and materialise results of the phone talks between Party General Secretary Trong and President Biden, and of the visit to Vietnam by the Secretary of State.

Prime Minister hosts US Secretary of State

Vietnam considers the United States one of its leading important partners and wishes to promote the comprehensive partnership with the US on the basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institution, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at a reception for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hanoi on April 15.

The PM affirmed that Vietnam is consistent with its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, active international integration; and being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community. Vietnam does not choose a side, but chooses justice and fairness.

At the reception, Chinh welcomed Blinken's current visit, saying this trip, along with contacts and exchanges between the two countries in the past time, especially the very successful high-level phone talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and US President Joe Biden on March 29, is vivid evidence for the development of the two countries' relations. The PM took the occasion to extend his wishes and regards to President Biden and other US leaders.

To further deepen and develop the bilateral relations, Chinh suggested the two sides increase the exchange of delegations and contacts at all levels. He proposed the US help Vietnam to promote cooperation in overcoming war aftermath, and continue to support cooperation between the two countries in important fields such as trade - investment, science - technology, education - training, defence - security as well as in such new areas as digital economy, green transition, circular economy, innovation, climate change response and infrastructure development.

The PM emphasised that the two sides need to continue efforts in promoting harmonious and sustainable trade exchange, suggesting that the US restrict the imposition of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties and other unnecessary measures on Vietnam's exports, especially agricultural products and furniture, which directly affect people's employment and livelihoods.

He called on the US to create favourable conditions for the community of 2.2 million Vietnamese living in the US to continue integrating into, complying with the host’s law, contributing to the development of the two countries' relations.

For his part, Blinken expressed his pleasure to return to Vietnam after more than six years and conveyed wishes and regards of President Biden to high-ranking Vietnamese leaders. He affirmed that the US attaches importance to the relations with Vietnam on the principle of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions, and supports a strong, independent, self-resilient and prosperous Vietnam.

The US diplomat agreed that there is still ample room for cooperation between two sides and it is necessary to continue boosting the bilateral ties on the principles agreed by their high-ranking leaders. He also committed to continuing to fostering the Vietnam-US relations.

At the reception, the two sides reviewed outstanding achievements in their relations, saying that the Vietnam-US relationship has made steps of comprehensive, increasingly stable, substantive and in-depth development, bringing about practical benefits to both countries as well as contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.

The Vietnamese PM sincerely thanked the US for donating COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam and the US diplomat thanked Vietnam for providing medical equipment and supplies to the US in response to the pandemic.

The two sides expressed their delight at the fact that the two countries had reached an agreement on upgrading the headquarters of the diplomatic and consular missions of the two sides. The PM congratulated the US side on the ground-breaking ceremony of the construction of the new US Embassy campus in Hanoi.

The two sides shared their views on regional and international issues of shared concern. PM Chinh welcomed the US to continue to play an active role, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean as well as in the world. He suggested the US continue cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-US Partnership, ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, climate change response and UN peacekeeping operations.

The US diplomat affirmed that the US will continue to strengthen ties with the region, support the central role of ASEAN, and look forward to further increasing cooperation and support for Mekong sub-region countries in responding to non-traditional security challenges.

Foreign Minister holds talks with US Secretary of State

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared the view that Vietnam and the US should continue with their cooperation and promote the bilateral ties on the basis of the principles agreed by their high-ranking leaders, during their talks in Hanoi on April 15.

They reviewed positive developments in the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership over the past time, with two-way trade growing impressively, hitting 123 billion USD last year.

Both highlighted collaboration in the COVID-19 combat, as well as the efficiency of cooperation projects on addressing war legacies, notably the one on dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Airport, along with the increasing number of Vietnamese students in the US.

Vietnam always considers the US a leading important partner and wishes to enhance the comprehensive partnership on the basis of mutual benefits, and respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions of each other, Son said.

He lauded the coordination between the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State over the past time, emphasising Blinken’s role in promoting the bilateral ties, including the recent phone talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Joe Biden, contributing to consolidating trust, creating more momentum, and opening a new period for cooperation between the two countries.

The FM suggested the two sides step up all-level delegation exchanges and contacts this year which marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive partnership, and deepen the bilateral relations practically, for mutual benefits, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

Blinken, for his part, affirmed the importance the US attaches to the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam, and commended Vietnam’s dynamic development, role and position in the region.

He stressed the US’s commitment to respecting political institutions, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam, and supporting a strong, independent, self-resilient and prosperous Vietnam.

The US will set aside more resources and budget to help Vietnam settle war consequences, and further bilateral cooperation in important fields such as trade-investment, science-technology, digital transformation, green transition, and high-quality personnel training in serve of the country’s development, he noted.

The two sides also compared notes on regional and international issues of shared concern.

Son suggested the US continue its active role to contribute to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in Asia-Pacific, Indian Ocean and the world as well.

Blinken said the US backs ASEAN’s centrality in the region, and will work harder to promote cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN-US comprehensive strategic partnership.

The US also supports the Mekong-US partnership, climate efforts and UN peacekeeping operations, he continued.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they agreed on the importance of peace, security, stability and freedom of navigation and aviation in the waters, addressing disputes through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), and fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Source: VNA