Vietnam, US reaffirm strong comprehensive partnership

NSA O’Brien is making a working visit to Vietnam as part of activities to mark 25 years of diplomacy between the two countries.

During the talks, both host and guest were of the view that never before have the Vietnam-US relations developed as strongly as they are now. They reaffirmed the two countries’ desires to strengthen the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership on the basis of respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions for mutual benefit.

They expressed pleasure at and confidence in the positive and comprehensive development potential of bilateral relations, from politics - diplomacy, economy - trade, and security - defense to people-to-people exchange.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh noted that the two countries have flexibly organized activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, including maintaining contact and exchanging congratulatory messages between the two countries’ senior leaders.

He thanked the US Government and the US Department of State for their timely and practical support to Vietnam in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in overcoming the aftermath of recent severe flooding in the country’s central region.

For his part, NSA Robert O’Brien noted with satisfaction the fine development of the Vietnam-US relations, saying both countries have many interests in common with consolidated trust.

The US supports Vietnam to be a strong, independent and prosperous nation that plays an increasingly important role in the region, he said, adding the US is committed to maintaining stable relations and will continue to cooperate with Vietnam to promote such relations.

Both sides agreed to early resume regular high-level visit exchanges, strengthen humanitarian cooperation, and overcome the consequences of the past war, while continuing to increase bilateral trade and investment cooperation for mutual benefit.

Minh welcomed both countries’ efforts to effectively implement the Vietnam-US action plan towards harmonious and sustainable trade. He emphasized the importance of developing energy cooperation in bilateral economic ties and affirmed Vietnam is committed to creating a favorable investment and business environment for foreign businesses, including those from the US, to operate successfully in the long term in the country.

NSA O’Brien pointed out the US’s desire to boost economic, investment and trade ties with Vietnam, citing the recent signing of valuable contracts by US firms with their Vientamese counterparts. He voiced the US’s support for continued dialogue and consultation in order to build stable trade relations.

Regarding security-related issues, Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh highly valued active cooperation between relevant agencies of the two countries, especially through the maintenance of bilateral dialogue mechanisms, while strengthening cooperation in search and rescue and humanitarian / disaster relief.

Both host and guest again expressed their delight at the two sides’ efforts in overcoming the consequences of the war, contributing to building trust between the two countries.

Deputy PM Minh assured his guest that Vietnam and other ASEAN countries will continue to support and coordinate with the US and other countries to actively contribute to maintaining peace, security, stability and cooperation and the rules-based order in the region and the rest of the world.

He proposed that the US continue to support ASEAN’s centrality and promote the ASEAN-US Strategic Partnership as well as the Mekong-US Partnership.

Meanwhile, NSA O'Brien proposed that the two sides continue to strengthen coordination in addressing common challenges, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, security and development in the region and the world at large.

NSA Robert C. O’Brien began a three-day working visit to Vietnam on November 20. He met with Minister of National Defence Ngo Xuan Lich and Minister of Public Security To Lam on November 21.

He is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and deliver a speech before students at Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam before leaving for the Philippine trip on November 22.