The US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, had a meeting with a number of Vietnamese officials in Hanoi on Feb. 2 as part of his visit to Vietnam .

He met with Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Vu Duc Dam, Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang, Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh, and Deputy Director of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Affairs Vuong Thua Phong.

The two sides expressed their pleasure at the development of the Vietnam-US relations over the past time, both bilaterally and multilaterally, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The two sides discussed measures to further boost bilateral ties, especially in economy, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, coping with climate change and sea level rise.

Vietnam proposed that the US government soon recognise the Market Economy (MES), give Vietnam the Generalised System Preference (GSP) and lift trade barriers imposed on Vietnamese products like shrimps, “tra” and “basa” fish.

The Vietnamese side also said the US should make a more practical move in solving the aftermaths of war, especially projects to clean up the environment and assist Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

Vietnam affirmed its policy of active international integration, under which Vietnam will continue to actively join the US and other partners in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and boosting cooperation within the framework of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI).

Kurt Campbell stated that the US attaches importance to relations with the Asia-Pacific region, contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region and wants to further develop ties with Vietnam towards the strategic partnership.

He stressed that the US wants to continue expanding cooperation with Vietnam in economy, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, and humanity, including accelerating the increase of budget for overcoming the aftermaths of war.

He acknowledged Vietnam ’s proposals on MES and GSP and said he hopeds that the two sides will cooperate in lifting trade barriers.

He expressed his wish that the two sides will soon complete negotiations to sign the Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (123 Agreement) and continue cooperating in the fight against terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and trans-national crimes.

The US official affirmed that the US side supports the settlement of regional disputes, including the East Sea issues, through peaceful measures on the basis of international laws, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) and advocates abidance by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and efforts to reach the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea./.