NA Vice Chairman: Vietnam considers US among top important partners
Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Vice
Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai has affirmed that Vietnam always considers the US one
of its top important partners.
During a reception in Hanoi on February 15 for
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in Hanoi on February 15, Hai hailed the
US’s support for a strong, independent and prosperous Vietnam.
Vietnam wishes to promote its comprehensive partnership
with the US in a more practical and stable manner on the basis of respecting
independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political regimes of each
other, toward lifting bilateral relationship to a greater height, he said.
He added that Vietnam also welcomes the US’s
strengthening of comprehensive and responsible cooperation with the Asia-Pacific
and Indian Ocean. Vietnam stays ready to partner with the US in regional and
global issues of shared concern, making contributions to peace, stability,
cooperation and an order based on international law in the region,
including maintaining freedom, safety, and security of navigation and
overflight in the East Sea in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Hai stressed that Vietnam always values
comprehensive partnership with the US, with economic-trade-investment-financial
cooperation as a focus and important driving force.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and the US rose by 11% annually
last year to over 123 billion USD. The US remains Vietnam’s biggest importer
while Vietnam is the US's ninth largest trade partner globally and biggest partner
in ASEAN.
Vietnam will continue to maintain
macroeconomic stability, ensure major balances of the economy, make comprehensive and synchronous economic reforms, improve the business environment to facilitate the expansion of foreign enterprises. Vietnam considers the area with foreign
investment as an important component of the economy and encourages foreign firms
to invest more in Vietnam, especially in fields where Vietnam has demand and
businesses have strengths, he said.
He proposed the US continues holding
dialogues with Vietnam on market economy issues (MES), while considering the
application of market economy principles on a sectoral basis, and organising the
next dialogue on this issue in the near future.
The host said Vietnam values the Indo - Pacific Economic
Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), stays ready to discuss with the US and other
relevant countries towards building an open, comprehensive, balanced, flexible,
and rules-based economic cooperation framework that meets legitimate and
rightful interests of all parties concerned.
Congratulating the US’s hosting of APEC 2023, Hai
said Vietnam supports the theme and priorities of APEC Year 2023
and agrees to enhance cooperation to accelerate economic recovery,
comprehensive linkage and connectivity and sustainable growth, and maintain the
role of APEC as the leading forum in the region for economic cooperation and
connectivity. Vietnam also commits to close collaboration toward the success of
APEC Year 2023.
He wished both sides would continue
sharing opinions on issues of shared concern such as promoting a free, open and
transparent trade environment, enhancing the empowerment of women; coping with
climate change, developing the digital economy and training human resources.
Tai, for her part, affirmed that the US always considers Vietnam
an important partner in the region.
She informed the host about priorities and plans for APEC Year
2023, the potential and prospects of IPEF for promoting high-quality
investment, building resilient regional supply chains, inclusive and
sustainable economic growth, addressing common regional challenges and seizing
new development opportunities.
The guest stressed that Vietnam’s participation in
the IPEF plays an important role in its success.
She also wished that both sides would continue stepping up
bilateral economic and trade ties, and enhancing discussions on labour,
environment, digital trade, agriculture and intellectual property./.