Head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Vuong Dinh Hue discussed the progress of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with US Trade Representative Michael Froman in Hanoi on April 22.
Vuong Dinh Hue declared that Vietnam and other TPP member nations welcome the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill that is being considered at the US Congress and hope for early approval of the bill.
The Party official noted that the TPP negotiation is of importance to Vietnam-US economic ties, and suggested the US take into account Vietnam’s core interests relating to accessing markets for garment and textile, footwear and farm produce.
He urged the US to soon recognise the market economy in Vietnam, stressing that the country will spare no effort to narrow the economic gap with other regional countries.
Vuong Dinh Hue also expressed his concern over the US Agriculture Department’s catfish inspection programme and called for the elimination of the programme.
The US trade representative affirmed the US’s determination to press ahead with the negotiation in order to wrap it up within this year. He pledged to work with the US Agriculture Department in a bid to avoid causing negative impacts for Vietnam.-VNA
