An overview of the first Vietnam-US Dialogue at the foreign ministerial level (Photo: VNA) This was also the first ministerial-leveldialogue between the two countries since they established their comprehensivestrategic partnership in September 2023.
Describing the dialogue as an importantopportunity to review and promote the implementation of high-level agreements, Blinken affirmed that the US values its comprehensive strategic partnershipwith Vietnam, and supports a strong, independent, resilient, and prosperousVietnam that bolsters regional prosperity and stability and takes on anincreasingly important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) as well as in the region and the international arena.
He emphasised the US’s commitment toimplementing the new relationship framework and agreements of the twocountries' high-ranking leaders.
Son, for his part, asserted the US is a strategically important partner ofVietnam, emphasising that the upgrade of the bilateral relations is a right decisiondemonstrating the strategic vision of the two countries' high-ranking leaders andefforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in accordance with the interests ofthe two peoples, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and developmentin the region.
Vietnam will continue working with the USto implement the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership in an increasingly effective,substantive, and stable direction, while expanding the room for cooperation onthe basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, and territorialintegrity and political institutions to maintain development momentum fordecades to come.
The two officials discussed measures todeepen relations between the two countries. They agreed to promote the foreignministerial-level dialogue to strengthen the close collaboration between the twoforeign ministries in implementing high-level agreements, effectively implementexisting bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and actively coordinate with each other to holdactivities to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the normalisation of the twocountries' relations in 2025.
They also exchanged views on regional andinternational issues of mutual concern. Son proposed the US continue to play anactive role contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation anddevelopment in Asia - Pacific and the Indian Ocean as well as in the world.
Blinken affirmed that the USsupports ASEAN's central role in the region and will maintain cooperationwithin the framework of the ASEAN-US comprehensive strategic partnership. Healso stressed his country’s backing for the Mekong - US cooperation.
The two sides then discussed the East Seaissue and agreed on the importance of peace, security, stability, freedom ofnavigation and overflight in the East Sea; solving disputes through peacefulmeans, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); fully implementing the Declaration on the Conductof Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and working towards an effective andsubstantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)./.
VNA
