Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and US President Joe Biden at a joint press conference in Hanoi on September 10. (Photo: VNA)In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the US diplomat said that the elevation of the US-Vietnamrelationship to the highest level of Vietnam's diplomatic relationship showsthe already strong, growing and enduring ties between the US and Vietnam.
This is the foundation for a sustainable and win-winpartnership with shared opportunities and joint efforts in coping with globalchallenges in the future, he said.
Regarding the potential of cooperation between the US andVietnam in the coming time, the ambassador said that leaders of the twosides have outlined a broad range of fields where the two countries are goingto work together even more closely on issues that matter most to their future,especially the economy.
The US is currently the number-one export market of Vietnam,while Vietnam is the eighth biggest trade partner of the US, he noted.
The upgrade of the US-Vietnam relations to a comprehensivestrategic partnership makes the bilateral partnership deeper and more comprehensive acrossvarious fields of science, technology, innovation, digital economy,semiconductors – all places where the two sides can enhance economic growth togetherand promote the security of our supply chains, he stated, adding it also helpsfoster the US-ASEAN relations.
The diplomat said that during meetings with Vietnameseleaders, President Biden reaffirmed commitments to ASEAN centrality and pledgedto cooperate more closely with the association at multilateral forums such asthe East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and other ASEAN-ledmechanisms.
Therefore, by strengthening its relationship with Vietnam,the US adds value to its strengthening of relationship with ASEAN as a whole,stated the ambassador.
“Whenever we strengthen our relationship with one of theASEAN member states, it only enhances our ability to work with and throughASEAN as a whole. And I think you saw that in the leader's statements, and yousaw a reaffirmation in the statement between our two leaders of ASEANcentrality and the US commitment to ASEAN,” he said.
Ambassador Abraham also highlighted the cooperationpotential between the US and ASEAN, noting that last year, the two sides also elevatedtheir relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
In terms of economy, the US is currently the leadinginvestor of ASEAN with over 6,000 US companies operating across ASEAN memberstates, generating a lot of economic activity, including hundreds of thousandsof jobs.
The diplomat said that the US Mission to ASEAN is focusing onfinding ways to strengthen those already strong ties on the economic front andon all fronts.
The US has supported the association in developing the ASEANSingle Window to lower customs barriers between ASEAN member states to make iteasier for businesses that are doing business across ASEAN.
“It's good for ASEAN economic integration, it's good foreconomic growth in the region, and it saved traders doing business across ASEANover 4.4 billion USD since the inception of the programme,” stated Abraham.
He said that the US is working to support the establishmentof an ASEAN power grid, as an important component of inclusive and sustainableeconomic growth is access to reliable and clean energy./.
VNA
