Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (right) and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman (Photo: VNA) Speaking at a reception for US Deputy Secretary of StateWendy Sherman in Hanoi on June 13, Son thanked the US administration andCongress, including the Department of State, for their warm welcome for theVietnamese delegation during their trip to the US last month for theASEAN-US Special Summit and visits to the US and the UN.
The minister also congratulated the US on itssuccessful organisation of the summit, which, he said, demonstrates the country’slong-term commitments to enhancing cooperation with ASEAN and supporting the bloc’scentrality, and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and developmentin the region.
For her part, Sherman also affirmed the importancethe US attaches to the comprehensive partnership, saying the US consistentlybacks a strong and prosperous Vietnam and wishes to advance the relationship ata suitable time.
Reviewing the US trip by Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh last month, she said it has created momentum for the bilateral ties,especially in economy, trade and investment.
The US will continue its intensive, extensive andresponsible cooperation with Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, and strengthencollaboration with ASEAN member countries, she pledged.
The two sides compared notes on specific measures tostep up the bilateral cooperation in such areas as high-level delegationexchange, pandemic prevention and control, post-pandemic socio-economicrecovery, investment, trade, war consequence settlement and the construction ofrepresentative offices of the two countries.
They also exchanged views on regional andinternational issues of shared concern like connectivity initiatives in theIndo-Asia-Pacific region, the East Sea issue, sustainable development, educational cooperation in the Mekong sub-region, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The same day, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs HaKim Ngoc had a meeting with Sherman, during which the host suggested the USDeputy Secretary coordinate with the Vietnamese side to accelerate the visit toVietnam by President Joe Biden this year.
Ngoc called for the US’s sharing of informationabout regional initiatives and its further support to Vietnam in the settlementof war consequences and clean energy transition.
Sherman spoke highly of Vietnam’s participation inthe launch of the discussion on Indo-Pacific economic framework, which offersan opportunity for Vietnam and other regional countries to contribute to theformation of common standards and rules for potential cooperation fields likedigital economy, clean energy transition and economic resilience improvement.
The US and countries are willing to help Vietnamwith resources, finance and technology to fulfill its commitments at the UnitedNations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and address war consequences, shecontinued.
Sherman also announced the US’s additional fundingof 19 million USD for bomb and mine clearance in Vietnam.
Regarding regional and international issues ofshared concern, the two sides emphasised the significance of observing basicprinciples of the United Nations Charter, respecting independence, sovereigntyand territorial integrity of countries, ensuring security, safety and freedomof navigation and aviation, and peacefully settling disputes in line withinternational law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (1982 UNCLOS).
They consented to continue their close coordinationat regional cooperation frameworks, especially ASEAN mechanisms and Mekongsub-regional cooperation.
During her stay in Vietnam from June 10-13, Shermanpaid a courtesy visit to Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party CommitteeNguyen Van Nen, and had meetings with head of the Party Central Committee’s Commissionfor External Relations Le Hoai Trung, and Deputy Minister of National DefenceHoang Xuan Chien./.
VNA
