PM Dung made the statement at a reception for US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who attended the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Hanoi on October 29.

Mr Dung thanked the US for its support for flood victims in central Vietnam. He emphasized that the US has made important contributions to strengthening relations with ASEAN, and voiced support for the US’ constructive policies in the region, especially the Greater Mekong Sub-region Initiative and agreed to support the US in becoming a full member of the EAS.

The PM asked relevant agencies to work together to resolve trade conflicts between the two countries. The US has considered turning Can Tho University into a university meeting regional standards and specializing in training, and researching issues related to climate change in the Mekong region. He expressed his wish that the US government and Ms Clinton will continue to provide further support to Vietnam to overcome the consequences of past wars.

On the occasion, PM Dung re-invited US President Barack Obama to visit Vietnam in 2011 and wants to welcome former US President Bill Clinton to Vietnam.

For her part, Ms Clinton affirmed commitments to improve cooperative relations with Vietnam in economics, trade, investment, health, climate change, education and training for the mutual benefits of both countries.

She also praised Vietnam’s success in fulfilling its role as ASEAN President, highlighting recent cooperation between the two countries, especially the contracts signed to purchase Boeing aircraft and buy Microsoft Office copyright. She also asked to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and affirmed US assistance for building universities to study climate change and providing further aid for bomb disposal, clearing up dioxin and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam.

Ms Clinton affirmed US support for ensuring security in the East Sea and asked regional nations to seek long-term solutions to this issue, and follow the joint statement in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).