Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan has suggested the US pay attention to sharing experience and cooperation in agricultural science and technology during a meeting with Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack on the occasion of her attendance at the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on March 14.

The Vice President highly appreciated the Secretary of Agriculture's enthusiasm in promoting agricultural ties between the nation and the US and hoped that he will continue to support the development of bilateral relations in an extensive and substantial manner in line with the newly established framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Xuan affirmed that the Vietnamese side considers the US to be a strategically important partner and wishes to work hand in hand to actively implement the comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as bilateral agreements reached by senior leaders during President Joe Biden’s visit to Vietnam in September, 2023, in which agricultural ties and agricultural trade remain a priority area.

She emphasized that for the nation, agriculture is determined to be the pillar of the national economy and is thereby a measure of the country's level of sustainable development. The country is in the process of accelerating agricultural transformation in a green, clean, and sustainable direction, while also improving the quality and value of agricultural products.

The US is a country that boasts developed agriculture, with the structure of agricultural products being complementary to Vietnam. The two sides therefore have huge potential to further strengthen agricultural links, she went on to say.

Xuan asked the US to support the country in its successful agricultural transformation, remove trade remedy measures and technical barriers against Vietnamese agricultural products, and provide technical support to help local products meet US market access standards.

She also suggested the US support the building of models for sustainable agricultural development and climate change response in the Mekong Delta region.

On behalf of President Biden's Government, Secretary Vilsack welcomed the Vietnamese Vice President and the delegation to Washington, DC.

The Secretary of Agriculture highlighted the significance of the Vice President's visit as a contribution to speeding up the implementation of the new relationship framework, including agricultural co-operation.

Sharing some positive impressions during his visit to Vietnam, Secretary Vilsack noted the recent development of Vietnamese agriculture towards modernity, sustainability, and resistance to climate change, as well as applauding agricultural co-operation between the two countries in recent times.

He underscored the importance and potential of stepping up agricultural ties between the two countries and a number of prioritized co-operation contents such as training and scientific and technological research. This is along with exchanging experience in developing smart, sustainable, low-emission agriculture, as well as supporting women and youth’s engagement in the agricultural sector.

Secretary Vilsack affirmed that he will closely co-operate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam to gradually open the market for more and more agricultural products from both sides.

VOV