Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan(Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Visiting Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh had a reception for US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan inWashington DC on May 13 (local time), part of his activities while on a working visit to the US and the United Nations.
The PM spoke highly of the role and efforts by the USNational Security Council in coordinating with the ASEAN member countries toorganise the ASEAN-US Special Summit, thereby demonstrating President Joe Biden administration’sstrong commitment for the bloc and the region.
Chinh said since Vietnam and the US normalised theirrelations, they have cooperated sincerely, reliably, and responsibly with the willingnessfor constructive exchange of ideas and dialogues when there are differences, thus overcomingdifficulties and maintaining a positive development momentum together. Inrecent years, there has been significant progress following the directionand vision agreed upon by the two countries' senior leaders during Vietnamese PartyGeneral Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to the US in 2015.
The Government leader affirmed Vietnam always considersthe US one of its most important partners, and wished for joint work tocontinue deepening the countries’ comprehensive partnership toward practicaloutcomes and stability, meeting the sides’ legitimate interests and activelycontributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.
He suggested the US further support Vietnam in overcomingthe consequences of the war; building an independent and self-reliant economy; pressingahead with technological and digital transformation; and integrating substantivelyand effectively into the world.
Other sectors for such assistance include supply chainsdiversification and climate change response, he added.
The US official shared the PM’s idea that sincerity, trustand responsibility are the motto for the positive relationship between the twocountries.
He affirmed the US respects independence, sovereignty,territorial integrity as well as differences in the political systems betweenhis country and partners, stressed the US attaches importance to relations withVietnam, and spoke highly of Vietnam’s ability to overcome challenges. Theofficial pledged to continue providing support to Vietnam to cope with suchchallenges as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and risks of supply chaindisruption.
The two sides agreed on the central role of the ASEAN in dealing with regionalproblems as well in the US’s efforts to intensify its cooperation with Asia –Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions. The US official agreed with the PM’sproposal on the need to further clarify the connotation of the initiative onthe Indo-Pacific economic framework of the US.
They also stressed the importance of ensuring peace, freedom, security andsafety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and of settling disputes bypeaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), helping maintain peace,stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world over./.
