Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gives a reception for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hanoi on April 15 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam considers the United States one of its leading important partners and wishes to promote the comprehensive partnership with the US on the basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institution, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at a reception for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hanoi on April 15.
The PM affirmed that Vietnam is consistent with its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, active international integration; and being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community. Vietnam does not choose a side, but chooses justice and fairness.
At the reception, Chinh welcomed Blinken's current visit, saying this trip, along with contacts and exchanges between the two countries in the past time, especially the very successful high-level phone talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and US President Joe Biden on March 29, is vivid evidence for the development of the two countries' relations. The PM took the occasion to extend his wishes and regards to President Biden and other US leaders.
To further deepen and develop the bilateral relations, Chinh suggested the two sides increase the exchange of delegations and contacts at all levels. He proposed the US help Vietnam to promote cooperation in overcoming war aftermath, and continue to support cooperation between the two countries in important fields such as trade - investment, science - technology, education - training, defence - security as well as in such new areas as digital economy, green transition, circular economy, innovation, climate change response and infrastructure development.
The PM emphasised that the two sides need to continue efforts in promoting harmonious and sustainable trade exchange, suggesting that the US restrict the imposition of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties and other unnecessary measures on Vietnam's exports, especially agricultural products and furniture, which directly affect people's employment and livelihoods.
He called on the US to create favourable conditions for the community of 2.2 million Vietnamese living in the US to continue integrating into, complying with the host’s law, contributing to the development of the two countries' relations.
For his part, Blinken expressed his pleasure to return to Vietnam after more than six years and conveyed wishes and regards of President Biden to high-ranking Vietnamese leaders. He affirmed that the US attaches importance to the relations with Vietnam on the principle of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions, and supports a strong, independent, self-resilient and prosperous Vietnam.
The US diplomat agreed that there is still ample room for cooperation between two sides and it is necessary to continue boosting the bilateral ties on the principles agreed by their high-ranking leaders. He also committed to continuing to fostering the Vietnam-US relations.
At the reception, the two sides reviewed outstanding achievements in their relations, saying that the Vietnam-US relationship has made steps of comprehensive, increasingly stable, substantive and in-depth development, bringing about practical benefits to both countries as well as contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.
The Vietnamese PM sincerely thanked the US for donating COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam and the US diplomat thanked Vietnam for providing medical equipment and supplies to the US in response to the pandemic.
The two sides expressed their delight at the fact that the two countries had reached an agreement on upgrading the headquarters of the diplomatic and consular missions of the two sides. The PM congratulated the US side on the ground-breaking ceremony of the construction of the new US Embassy campus in Hanoi.
The two sides shared their views on regional and international issues of shared concern. PM Chinh welcomed the US to continue to play an active role, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean as well as in the world. He suggested the US continue cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-US Partnership, ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, climate change response and UN peacekeeping operations.
The US diplomat affirmed that the US will continue to strengthen ties with the region, support the central role of ASEAN, and look forward to further increasing cooperation and support for Mekong sub-region countries in responding to non-traditional security challenges./.
