President Truong Tan Sang has lauded the US’s commitment to strengthening its long-term cooperation for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific.

At the April 18 reception for US Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy and his entourage in Hanoi, President Sang confirmed that Vietnam attaches much importance to the development of its ties with the US, always seeing the country as its top partner.

He said the time is ripe for the two countries to bolster their partnership as they are sharing a string of bilateral, regional and global interests in terms of economics, the maintenance of regional peace and stability, climate change issues and anti-terrorism.

He spoke highly of the US Senate’s role in stepping up bilateral connection over the past years and held out hope that it will support the reduction trade barriers to Vietnamese goods, the early recognition of Vietnam’s market economy, and Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations.

The President also thanked Leahy for his contributions to helping Agent Orange/Dioxin victims and demining in Vietnam.

Leahy informed his host of the outcomes of his working sessions with Vietnamese leaders, saying the two countries are making result-oriented progress across realms, especially since they set up their comprehensive partnership in last July.

The US hopes for further effective affiliation with Vietnam, especially in economics, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, he said.

He added that his country is also keen on boosting coordination in dealing with war consequences like the healing of Agent Orange/Dioxin pains and the clearance of unexploded ordnances.

Leahy also underscored the importance of the Vietnam-US cooperation in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The US Senator and his entourage said they are happy to see that the two countries’ relations have turned into a brighter chapter.

They gave high estimations to Vietnam ’s reform achievements, saying these enabled the country to better deal with social issues, like poverty reduction and improvement of people’s living conditions.

Leahy arrived in Hanoi on April 16 for his five-day official visit, which aims at further developing the two countries’ bilateral ties.-VNA