The statement was reaffirmed by Mr Dung while meeting with the officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington DC and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the US on June 23.

He said that his current visit to the US is aimed at promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and the US, particularly in economics, trade and investment as well as in education & training, science & technology and the environment.

He briefed them on Vietnam’s economic situation in recent times, saying the national economy has developed positively despite temporary difficulties such as runaway inflation, price rises, a high trade deficit and fluctuations in the financial market. He said in the past six months, Vietnam has achieved a GDP growth rate of 6.7 percent, attracted more than US$30 billion in foreign direct investment and harvested a bumper rice crop. Thanks to efforts exerted by the entire Party, army and people, the consumer price index has dropped significantly compared to the previous months.

He noted that the US is home to the world’s biggest Vietnamese community, numbering 1.5 million out of more than 3 million living around the world. Most of them turn their hearts to the Vietnamese fatherland through practical contributions. However, some still bear a grudge against Vietnam due to their lack of information and willingness to break with the past.

The Vietnamese PM expressed his hope that the Vietnamese community in the US will help those people change their attitude towards the homeland. He affirmed that Vietnam always opens its doors to its nationals living abroad to return and do business in the homeland. He encouraged Vietnamese nationals in the US to unite, help each other and turn their hearts and minds to Vietnam.

He asked the Vietnamese Embassy and representative missions to constantly promote economic cooperation with the US and care for the lives of Vietnamese nationals in the US.