More than 70 officials of WACDC and Vietnamese diplomats attended the discussion.

Vietnamese Ambassador Le Cong Phung briefed the participants on the country’s land and people, its achievements during the Doi Moi (Renewal) process and the relationship between Vietnam and the US.

Mr Phung said that bilateral cooperation has expanded to many areas since the two countries normalised their diplomatic ties in 1995. He noted that the US is Vietnam’s biggest export market with two-way trade last year reaching US$12 billion. It is also Vietnam’s fifth largest foreign investor, pouring more than US$4 billion into the Southeast Asian nation in the first four months of 2008.

According to Mr Phung, the two countries have maintained a regular exchange of high-level visits, including four talks and meetings between the Vietnamese State President and Prime Minister with the US President over the past four years.

The two countries have also agreed to promote cooperation in other areas such as culture, education, environment and humanitarian affairs such as the search for US personnel missing in action during the war (MIA).

Ambassador Phung answered WACDC members’ questions concerning Vietnam’s economic development and relations between the two countries. He expressed his wish that WACDC members will help Americans get a better understanding of Vietnam, thus contributing to strengthening bilateral ties.