Vietnam opened its consulate general in Houston city in the US state of Texas on March 25, making it the second of its kind after the first in San Francisco , California .

Prominent at the ceremony were Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Le Cong Phung, Vietnamese Consul General in Houston Le Dung, and Betty H. McCutchan - representative of the US Department of State in Texas as well as Houston officials.

The opening of the consulate general in Texas is expected to further foster Vietnam ’s economic, trade, investment, cultural and educational relations with the US in general and with Texas in particular.

The office would also create a direct link between overseas Vietnamese in the US and their homeland as well as facilitate the settlement of issues related to Vietnamese citizens in the state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son said the opening of the consulate general in Houston city marked an important event in Vietnam-US relations, at a time when the two nations are celebrating the 15th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

Only a few months after the office started operations in the city, Vietnam and Texas have seen their understanding and multi-faceted cooperation much improved, while companies and businesspeople from Houston can now get easier access to information regarding their potential partners in Vietnam, Son said.

The consulate general has made it easier for the overseas Vietnamese community in Texas and its neighbouring states in dealing with consular issues such as the grant of passports and visas.

Many students from Vietnam who are now attending universities and colleges around Texas said they now feel they have a “home” at the consulate general office, the deputy minister added.

For her part, Betty H. McCutchan said the US is happy to be marking 15 years of diplomatic ties this year with the opening of the new consulate general, and that it expects stronger relations between the two nations.

Consul General Le Dung said Texas -- one of the largest states in the US -- is a big training centre and holds a wide range of potentials for cooperation with Vietnam . Texas is also home to a large community of Vietnamese-American, estimated at 450,000 people.

In addition to consular issues, the consulate general will give top priority to promoting cooperative relations between Vietnam and Texas , and the US as a whole, he stressed.

On this occasion, the consulate general introduced Vietnam ’s potentials and its investment environment, and called upon US investors to explore business opportunities in the Southeast Asian country./.