Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue (L) meets with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Washington DC on June 25 (Photo: VNA)Washington DC (VNA) – Senior USofficials affirmed that their country attaches importance to the friendship andcomprehensive cooperation with Vietnam while meeting with Deputy Prime MinisterVuong Dinh Hue in Washington DC on June 25.
The Vietnamese Deputy PM, who is also a member of thePolitburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is making an official visit to theUS from June 25-27.
At the meeting with US Secretary of State MikePompeo and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, Deputy PM Hue reiteratedVietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, multilateralisation anddiversification of international relations, and active integration into theworld.
Vietnam attaches importance to and is ready topromote the comprehensive partnership with the US in the interests of the twopeoples and for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and development inthe region and the world, he stressed.
State Secretary Pompeo emphasised the respectfor the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the Southeast Asiannation. He agreed with Hue that the two sides need to enhance bilateralrelations on the basis of the agreed principles. He also highly valued Vietnam’sdynamic development, role and position in the region.
The US supports a strong, independent andprosperous Vietnam and is ready to cooperate with the country in issues ofshared concern, he noted.
Discussing ways to bolster the comprehensivepartnership, both sides agreed to increase mutual high-ranking visits, trade,investment, and cooperation in energy, defence-security and settlement of warconsequences.
They affirmed that the two countries sharecommon interests in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, development,respect for international law in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and resolvingdisputes peacefully in line with international law, including the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They also underlined the needfor respecting all diplomatic and legal processes and effectively and fullyimplementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).They supported the early signing of an effective and substantive Code ofConduct (COC) in the East Sea.
The meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan (Photo: VNA)Regarding other regional issues, the Vietnameseside applauded the outcomes of the summit between the US and the DemocraticPeople’s Republic of Korea on June 12 and affirmed that Vietnam is willing tocooperate with and support all constructive efforts to solve disagreementsthrough dialogue and actively contribute to the peace, security and stabilityin the Korean Peninsula.
Meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin,Deputy PM Hue said Vietnam treasures opportunities of economic-financial cooperationwith the US.
He asked the US Department of the Treasury toset up a dialogue channel with the Ministry of Finance and relevant ministriesand sectors of Vietnam so that the department would have sufficient informationwhen it assesses bilateral trade ties and Vietnam’s exchange rate policy.
The US department was urged to push for thefinalisation of procedures for ratifying the bilateral agreement on theavoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion with respect totaxes on income. It was also asked to resume ODA and preferential loans forVietnam and increase direct and indirect aid programmes throughnon-governmental organisations to carry out humanitarian and developmentassistance projects in Vietnam.
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin welcomed Deputy PMHue’s visit, which he said reflects the Vietnamese Government’s goodwill anddetermination to push forward with realising the commitments reached by theirleaders.
He said there remains much room for the twocountries to bolster trade and investment partnerships, adding that he hopes tovisit Vietnam as soon as possible to promote these cooperation opportunitiesand soon turn his country into a leading trade and investment partner ofVietnam.
Speaking highly of Deputy PM Hue’s proposals,Mnuchin noted that he will assign relevant agencies of the US to consider thoseideas.
At a meeting with US Deputy National SecurityAdvisor Mira Ricardel, Deputy PM Hue voiced his delight at the substantiveexpansion of the comprehensive partnership in bilateral, regional and globalaspects, especially after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to the US inMay 2017 and a State visit to Vietnam by President Donald Trump in November2017.
Vietnam welcomes the US to continue playing anactive role to help maintain peace, stability, cooperation and development inthe Indo-Asia-Pacific and the world, Hue said. He stressed that a strong andindependent Vietnam with continued reform, successful integration into theworld and growing important role in ASEAN and the region will be useful for the US to realise its policytowards the region.
Ricardel affirmed the importance of the comprehensivepartnership between the US and Vietnam, which has an important role in the US’simplementation of its policy in Asia-Pacific. She shared her guest’s viewpointthat a strong, independent and reformed Vietnam will benefit the whole region,including the US.
In terms of regional and global issues, Ricardelsaid the US respects international law, security and safety of navigation inand overflight over the East Sea and supports the peaceful settlement ofdisputes. The US also appreciates Vietnam’s support for President Trump’sefforts in the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue meets with Senator Mazie Hirono (Photo: VNA)Talking to Senator Mazie Hirono, Ranking Memberof the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, Deputy PM Hue thankedthe senator for supporting Vietnam-US relations. He valued the US Congress’srole in strengthening the countries’ relations, asking it to continue helpingVietnam to address war consequences and reinforce trade ties.
Hirono said she supports stronger bilateralconnections in all fields, particularly in economy-trade, war consequencessettlement, parliamentary cooperation, and coordination to contribute to peace,stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, includingthe freedom, security and safety of navigation and aviation and the peacefulresolving of disputes in the East Sea.
She shared the view that there remain manychances for the countries to develop bilateral ties. She expressed her wish tovisit Vietnam in the near future.-VNA
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