Mr Triet, who arrived in Washington from New York the same day, said his current visit to the US aims to strengthen and expand the relations between the two countries and to enhance Vietnam’s role and position in the region and the world. He stressed that generations of Vietnamese people, no matter where they reside, have made significant contributions to Vietnam, particularly during its Doi Moi (Renewal) process over the past two decades. 

“The Vietnamese Party and State consider Vietnamese nationals residing abroad and those in the US in particular an indispensable part of the Vietnamese nation,” said Mr Triet.  

Mr Triet expressed his hope that overseas Vietnamese in the US will preserve national cultural identity, with priority given to teaching the Vietnamese language among young Vietnamese people.   

Earlier, Mr Triet received several American friends in New York. He briefed them on the tremendous achievements Vietnam has made after more than 20 yeas of implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, particularly progress in embarking on the goal of socialism, ensuring social equality and the right of the people to healthcare, education and employment services. 

He thanked the American people for their valuable support for the Vietnamese people in the struggle for national independence, putting an end to the war and trying to bring the two people closer together after the war. 

Mr Triet expressed his hope that Vietnam will receive further support and assistance from those faithful to Vietnam to the country to realise its goal national industrialisation and modernisation, and further strengthen the friendship between the people of both nations.

While meeting with US entrepreneurs, Mr Triet delivered the Vietnamese business community’s message to the US business community that Vietnam wishes to cement economic and trade ties with the US and is ready to welcome US investors, particularly in the field of high-tech industries. 

The same day, State President Triet heard Harvard University lecturers present issues related to tertiary education. US specialists said that Vietnam should invest more in education, especially tertiary education if it wants to be on a par with regional and international levels. They suggested that Vietnam should not apply the education models of other countries, but make its own breakthrough based on its specific conditions as well as its cultural factors. 

Mr Triet said that Vietnam pays special attention to tertiary education development and wants to enhance cooperation with the US in this area. He expressed his wish that US education specialists would further assist Vietnam in developing its education sector.