US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the US and Vietnam are working together on a growing array of important issues and the US will continue to be Vietnam’s friend and partner.

"Our relationship is based on mutual respect and our common commitment to increasing the stability and prosperity of the Asia Pacific region. The US will continue to be Vietnam’s friend and partner as we create a new future of regional and global cooperation to seize the opportunities and address the challenges before us,” the State Secretary wrote in a statement issued on August 31 on Vietnam’s National Day (Sept. 2).

Secretary Clinton said that since 2010 when she visited Vietnam twice to see the dynamic spirit and optimism of the Vietnamese people, the two countries have continued to collaborate, working to broaden cooperation and build a strategic partnership between Vietnam and the US.

“Today, we work together on a growing array of important issues, from enhancing our dialogue on human rights and responding to HIV/AIDS to protecting the environment, bolstering trade and improving our shared security,” she said.

On behalf of President Barack Obama and the people of the US, Secretary Clinton congratulated the Vietnamese people on the occasion of Vietnam’s National Day and wished all Vietnamese people peace and prosperity in the coming year./.