He conveyed the best regards from the Vietnamese State President and other senior leaders to President Obama and his wife, adding that Vietnamese leaders and people are looking forward to the US President’s official visit to Vietnam.

Ambassador Cuong highlighted the positive developments of Vietnam-US relations over the past 16 years since the two countries normalized their ties, providing a firm foundation for increasing cooperation in politics, national security and defence, economics, trade, investment, education, health care and science and technology.

Both countries have also worked together on humanitarian, regional and global issues such as searching MIA soldiers, dealing with the consequences of Agent Orange, coping with climate change, anti-terrorism and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Mr Cuong said the focus of his term will be on lifting the relations between the two countries to a level of strategic partnership for mutual benefits and for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

President Obama congratulated Mr Cuong on taking office and pledged to help him fulfill his tasks. Mr Obama expressed his thanks to President Nguyen Minh Triet and other Vietnamese leaders and also his wish to visit Vietnam soon.

Vietnam and the US need to continue developing cooperative relations into a new partnership and share interests in maintaining stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Obama said.

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties at ambassadorial level in May 1997, four Vietnamese ambassadors have been accredited to the US.