Hanoi (VNA) – Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man hosted a reception for US Ambassador Jennifer Wicks, who came to pay a courtesy call at the start of her tenure in Vietnam, on August 6.
Congratulating Wicks on her appointment as US Ambassador to Vietnam, the host expressed confidence that with her extensive diplomatic experience and deep understanding of the region, the ambassador will enjoy a successful term and serve as a crucial bridge to further advance bilateral relations.
Vietnam consistently regards the US as one of its leading partners, he affirmed, applauding the remarkable strides made in the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across all areas over the recent past.
He noted with satisfaction the continued consolidation of ties between the two parliaments through delegation exchanges, meetings, and collaborative programmes between their specialised agencies, which have helped enhance mutual understanding, boost political trust, and narrow differences.
Chairman Man also welcomed the bipartisan support within the US Congress for Vietnam–US relations.
He called on Wicks to leverage her role by working closely with Vietnamese authorities to promote all-level mutual visits and meetings, especially between high-ranking leaders, while establishing a regular and substantive dialogue mechanism between the two legislative bodies.
The NA leader proposed stepping up economic cooperation as the central pillar and driving force of bilateral relations, adding that the Vietnamese NA stands ready to perfect the legal framework to create favourable conditions and an open investment environment for US enterprises operating in Vietnam.
He also expressed his hope that the US will soon recognise Vietnam as a market economy, asking both sides to bolster cooperation in breakthrough sectors, particularly high technology, semiconductors, digital transformation, innovation, and energy transition.
Regarding war legacy remediation, Chairman Man described it a foundation for trust-building and highlighted its profound humanitarian significance. He requested that both sides continue prioritising close cooperation in dioxin decontamination, unexploded ordnance clearance, support for persons with disabilities, and the search for missing military personnel.
At the meeting, Wicks said it is an honour to assume her role in Vietnam amid such strong growth in bilateral relations. She pledged to serve as a bridge to advance Vietnam–US ties further, and reiterated that the US values its relationship with Vietnam and supports a strong, independent, resilient, and prosperous Vietnam.
The ambassador concurred with her host’s proposals, stressing that the strong partnership between the two parliaments has significantly contributed to the achievements in overall bilateral relations.
She highly valued the progress in inter-parliamentary cooperation, citing key delegation exchanges such as the visit to Vietnam by Representative Michael Baumgartner, member of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee on May 26, 2026, and the upcoming visit by Representative Tim Walberg, Chairman of the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, scheduled for August 12. She also expressed her hope for more delegations from the Vietnamese NA to visit the US.
The diplomat affirmed her readiness to collaborate closely with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities to increase delegation exchanges across all channels and levels.
She agreed that the two sides should swiftly finalise negotiations and sign a reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade agreement.
Wicks underlined strong support for collaboration in emerging fields, notably energy, science – technology, and digital transformation, and reaffirmed the US’ commitment to promoting war legacy remediation./.
