President: Vietnam treasures comprehensive relations with US

President Tran Dai Quang (R) welcomes US Secretary of Defence James Mattis in Hanoi 

Vietnam attaches importance to developing its comprehensive relations with the US on the basis of respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institution, President Tran Dai Quang told visiting US Secretary of Defence James Mattis in Hanoi on January 25.

Lauding the US minister’s official visit, President Quang expressed his belief that the trip will contribute to developing Vietnam-US relations more practically, in line with their comprehensive partnership for peace, prosperity and development of each country as well as in the region and the world.

The State leader noted with pleasure that the bilateral defence cooperation has been deployed in a diverse, practical and effective manner in accordance with a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation signed in 2011, a Joint Vision Statement on defence ties signed in 2015, an action plan for 2018-2020, and agreements reached by their senior leaders.

The President affirmed that Vietnam will fully and effectively cooperate with the US in searching for remains of US missing-in-action soldiers.

President Quang asked the US to coordinate with Vietnam in carrying out a dioxin decontamination project at Bien Hoa airport, to deliver the next Hamilton-class patrol vessel to Vietnam in 2019, and to support Vietnam in launching a level-2 field hospital to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan in 2018.

The two sides should work together closely in organising the visit to Vietnam by a US aircraft carrier in March 2018, while strengthening collaboration in search, rescue and natural disaster response activities, law enforcement at sea, personnel training, military medicine and defence industry, he said. 

Mattis said that the US attaches great importance to the comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and will work with Vietnam in boosting cooperation in all fields.

Holding that the defence cooperation between the two countries is growing effectively, he said that the US is working hard, together with Vietnam, to dealing with war aftermaths such as dioxin decontamination and searching for missing US servicemen.

Regarding regional and international matters, the minister affirmed that the US will support Vietnam’s active role in the ASEAN as well as multilateral forums within the ASEAN framework.

The US will continue backing Vietnam and regional countries in observing the rights to freedom of navigation and aviation in line with international law for common prosperity, Mattis said.

President Quang said he was delighted at the positive and practical progress of Vietnam-US relations in all bilateral, regional and international aspects, and welcomed the US’s commitment to long-term cooperation for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Indo-Pacific region.

In the regional and international aspect, President Quang suggested the two sides continue consulting and coordinating closely with each other at multilateral forums, especially those chaired by the ASEAN.

The President also appreciated the US for its effective cooperation and assistance to Vietnam’s force joining UN peacekeeping operations over the past years, suggesting that the two sides continue working together in the work.

Party chief welcomes US Secretary of Defence

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives US Secretary of Defence James Mattis 

The United States treasures and wants to further enhance its multi-faceted cooperation with Vietnam, affirmed US Secretary of Defence James Mattis when being received by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on January 25.

Mattis spoke highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements as well as the country’s increasing position and role in the region and the world.

He informed the host of practical, diversified and effective collaboration in security-defence between the two countries, especially in participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions, military medical training, maritime security in the East Sea and law enforcement at sea.

The Vietnamese Party chief appreciated the outcomes of Mattis’s talks with Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and expressed his satisfaction with positive development in the two countries’ comprehensive cooperation.

He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, for long-term interests of the two peoples and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

He said that the US Secretary of Defence’s current visit will help speed up the implementation of signed agreements.

He suggested both sides continue efforts to address war consequences, including bomb and mine clearance, environmental detoxification, and search for soliders listed as missing in action, as well as strengthen mutual trust and understanding to further develop the bilateral ties.

Vietnamese, US defence ministers hold talks

Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich (R) and US Secretary of Defence James Mattis 

Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich held talks with US Secretary of Defence James Mattis, following an official welcoming ceremony for the latter in Hanoi on January 25.

The two ministers reviewed the results of defence cooperation between Vietnam and the US in the recent past and agreed on measures and orientations to promote cooperative ties in the coming time, based on a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation signed in 2011, a Joint Vision Statement on defence ties signed in 2015, an action plan for 2018-2020, and agreements reached by their senior leaders.

Both held that the bilateral defence cooperation has been producing practical outcomes in line with the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership, particularly in searching for missing US servicemen, AO/dioxin decontamination, bomb and mine clearance, rescue and humanitarian aid, and UN peacekeeping operation.

The two ministers also discussed a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence applauded the US’s cooperation in a project on dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Airport as well as its support for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

The defence ministries of the two nations also asked their senior leaders for permission to allow an US aircraft carrier to visit the central city of Da Nang in March this year.

After the talks, Lich handed over war keepsakes of US servicemen to Mattis and introduced an exhibition on the outcomes of bilateral cooperation in addressing post-war consequences and joining UN peacekeeping operations.

Mattis is paying an official visit to Vietnam on January 24 and 25. This is the 6th visit to Vietnam by a US Secretary of Defence since the two countries normalised relations in 1995 and the first by Mattis since he took office as leader of the Pentagon.

VNA