Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. (Photo: VNA) PM Chinh highlighted Kerry’s heartfelt sentimentstowards the country and people of Vietnam, as well as his responsibility andenduring contributions to Vietnam-US relations over the past years.
He also praised Kerry for his role in building thetwo-Party consensus in the US in supporting the relationship with Vietnam, especially thesettlement of war consequences – part of the process of reconciliation and trust-building between the people of the two countries.
Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy ofindependence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralisationand diversification of relations, and being a good friend and a reliable partnerof countries worldwide, and an active, responsible member of the internationalcommunity, the PM affirmed.
During the process, Vietnam always considers the USa leading important partner, and wants to work together with the US to promotethe bilateral ties on the basis of respect for each other’s politicalinstitutions and in a stable, effective and substantive manner, for peace,stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, hecontinued.
PM Chinh also appreciated the US’s policy to support a strong, independent and prosperous Vietnam.
He told Kerry that during the three-day stay inWashington D.C, he and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation attended theASEAN-US Special Summit and held practical working sessions with PresidentJoe Biden and senior officials of the US administration and Congress,representatives from Vietnamese and US businesses, experts and scholars.
The two sides agreed to deepen the Vietnam-UScomprehensive partnership in major spheres, from politics-diplomacy toeconomy-trade, national defence-security, education-training, science-technologyand people-to-people exchange, he said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been brought under controlin Vietnam, partially thanks to vaccines provided by international friends,including the US, the PM said, noting that at the ASEAN-US Special Summit, he suggestedthe US support the ten-member bloc in assessing post-pandemic impacts, coveringpeople’s health and spirit.
For his part, Kerry reiterated the US’s consistentview of attaching importance to its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and supportingthe country’s proactive and practical role in the region, and in responding toglobal issues, including climate change.
Expressing his special sentiments towards and impression on the country and people of Vietnam, Kerry promised that in any position, he willstrongly back and work to promote the Vietnam-US relations.
The envoy also affirmed the US President’s resolveto boost global efforts to prevent rising global temperature in the next fiveyears.
Kerry said when he was Secretary of State, hepaid due attention to cooperation in climate change response and energytransition in Vietnam, and had made visits to the country to discuss this issue.
In this regard, PM Chinh said Vietnam has seen climate changeresponse a key, urgent matter that offers both challenges and opportunities forthe country to shift towards a green, sustainable growth model.
Though being a developing nation, Vietnam has joined commitmentsby developed countries to cutting gas emissions, he said, stressing that theseefforts need great support from international partners in the principle ofequality and justice, including the grant of preferential credit loans withstreamlined administrative procedures.
Lauding the US administration’s efforts to promote global efforts in climate change response, PM Chinhsuggested the US continue its coordination with and assistance to Vietnam in termsof resources and finance, especially preferential loans, infrastructure,technology and personnel training.
The Vietnamese government welcomes the engagement ofenterprises under the public-private partnership (PPP) and creates the bestpossible conditions for foreign investors to cooperate with Vietnameseministries, agencies and businesses in energy transition, he said.
Vietnam prefers any method of energy transition andgas emission that would benefit businesses and people most, he emphasised.
Kerry said hewas impressed by Vietnam’s commitments at the 26th United Nations ClimateChange Conference of the Parties (COP26), as well as its approach in energytransition and climate change response, and believed that the internationalcommunity also supports the country in the process with many financial sources.
He stressed that the US government and he himselfwill further closely coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and agencies, andstand ready to provide assistance as much as possible to help the countrydevelop renewable energy, reduce gas emissions and consolidate itsinfrastructure in a sustainable way.
Many major enterprises in the world and in the US areinterested in and willing to invest in and join the energy transition in Vietnam, henoted, suggesting the country make the best use of this opportunity./.
VNA
