New York (VNA) – President Luong Cuong received US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on September 24 morning (local time), on the sidelines of the High-level General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Vietnamese leader appreciated Rubio’s support for Vietnam and the two countries’ relations amid the 30th anniversary of the relationship normalisation and two years since the elevation of ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Vietnam always views the US as a partner of strategic importance and wishes to join hands with the US to continue implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in an increasingly substantive manner, with respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political regimes, for shared peace, stability, and prosperity, he stated.
The two sides discussed various cooperation areas such as politics – diplomacy, economy – trade – investment, security – defence, science – technology, education, and humanitarian assistance – war legacy settlement.
President Cuong asked the two countries to continue interactions and mutual visits at all levels, especially the high level, to maintain mutual understanding and trust and together effectively handle concerns of each side, particularly the issue of reciprocal tariffs.
He affirmed that Vietnam welcomes US businesses increase cooperation and investment in such strategic fields as the semiconductor industry and the training of high-quality human resources. He called on the US Government to soon recognise Vietnam as a market economy and remove the country from the strategic export control list.
Echoing the Vietnamese leader’s views, Rubio emphasided that the administration of President Donald Trump always considers Vietnam one of the top partners in the region.
He perceived that the countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership should not only be maintained but also develop more substantively, especially when there remains considerable potential for bilateral economic, trade, and investment cooperation and the two sides share common interests in ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in Asia-Pacific.
The stronger bilateral cooperation is, the more opportunities are created for their relations, the Secretary of State noted, affirming that the US is ready to accompany Vietnam during this process for the sake of both peoples.
The same day, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung had a meeting with the US Secretary of State.
Looking back on the countries’ relations over 30 years since the normalisation of bilateral ties, Trung expressed his delight at the progress of the relations, based on overcoming differences and building trust, for the sake of the two peoples as well as for regional and global peace, stability, and development.
Vietnam wishes to serve as a bridge of peace and join efforts by countries in and outside the region to create an Asia-Indo-Pacific region of peace, stability, and development, he remarked.
The Acting Foreign Minister asked both sides to sustain the development momentum of their ties, including meetings and delegation exchanges at all levels, especially the high level.
Regarding economy – trade, he noted Vietnam is always a trustworthy partner of the US and ready to purchase US commodities, particularly high technology products like aircraft and semiconductors, and open its market wide to US goods.
He also proposed the US consider specific factors of the Vietnamese economy during the negotiation of a reciprocal tariff agreement between the two countries.
Vietnam, Trung added, hopes to work more closely with the US in the spheres of shared interest, especially anti-transnational crime, counter-territorism, and cybersecurity.
The official also applauded the US’s decision to maintain war legacy settlement projects in Vietnam, stressing that cooperation in addressing war consequences is one of the important pillars helping to promote the healing of the wounds of war, reconciliation, trust building, and the shaping of foundation for bilateral relations.
In addition, he thanked the US administration for supporting the Vietnamese-American community while speaking highly of the community’s contributions to the local society along with bilateral connections.
Agreeing with Trung’s opinions, Rubio reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Vietnam, and that the US always regards Vietnam as one of the leading partners in the region.
The US will also work with Vietnam to seek every chance for further promoting practical measures to effectively and substantively implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all spheres, he continued.
He added that President Trump hopes the two sides will soon finalise negotiations to carry out the reciprocal tariff agreement, thereby generating benefits for both.
At the meeting, the two officials also discussed some regional and international issues of shared concern and agreed to step up collaboration with respect for ASEAN’s centrality, and to boost practical measures to help maintain peace, stability, and development across the Indo-Pacific region.
Trung also took this occasion to invite Rubio to visit Vietnam in the near future. The US Secretary of State accepted the invitation with pleasure./.
