The door is open for the US and Vietnam to raise bilateral relations to a new height, especially in Texas , according to its Secretary of State.

Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade made the remarks at a meeting on Feb. 9 with Vietnamese Consul General Le Dung in Houston , the state’s capital, mentioning trade, investment, education and health as particular areas for cooperation.

During the function, she welcomed the establishment of Vietnam ’s Consulate General in Houston expressing delight at the recent progresses in two-way ties.

Andrade and Dung discussed the potential for collaboration in a wide range of areas, firstly in trade.

Vietnam is now the world’s second largest coffee exporter and the US is the largest coffee consumer. Texas has incentive policies aimed at developing the Houston sea port into a central gateway for coffee imports.

Andrade and Dung expressed the hope that Vietnamese coffee would soon arrive at the Houston port.

Aside from coffee and agricultural products, Vietnam exports a wide range of items, including textiles and apparel and woodworks. Meanwhile, Texas is well-known for exporting cotton, wood, petrochemicals and high-tech products.

Texas’s important position among US states and its fast and stable development—even in the midst of the global financial crisis--as well as its other strengths and potentials were critical factors leading Vietnam to set up a consulate general in the state, said Consul General Dung.

Dung underlined his belief that the presence and active operation of the Vietnamese consulate general will help deepen relations between Vietnam and Texas .

The Vietnamese diplomat called on cooperation and support from the US Department of State, authorised agencies, enterprises and citizens of Texas .

He took the occasion to convey an invitation from Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem to Texas Governor Rick Perry and Secretary of State Andrade to visit Vietnam./.