President Tran Dai Quang (R) and US President Donald Trump (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam and the US issued a Joint Statement, affirming to continuestepping up the bilateral comprehensive partnership, at the end of the State visitby US President Donald Trump on November 12.
The following is the full text of the Joint Statement.
“1. At theinvitation of President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang,President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump paid a State visit toHanoi, November 11 – 12, 2017. The two leaders discussed measures tostrengthen and expand the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countriesbased on mutual understanding, shared interests, and a common desire to promotepeace, cooperation, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific. Both leadersreaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties on the basis of previous JointStatements between the two sides, respect for the United Nations Charter andinternational law, and each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorialintegrity, and respective political systems.
“2. President Trump congratulated Vietnam on hosting a successful Asia PacificEconomic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang. The two leaders reaffirmedtheir intent to continue high-level contacts and exchanges of delegations, andto strengthen existing dialogue mechanisms, including party-to-party dialogues.Both sides highlighted the expanding and mutually-beneficial economic relationsbetween the United States and Vietnam, and underscored their shared desire tocreate jobs and favourable conditions for commerce and business in bothcountries.
“3. The two leaders pledged to deepen and expand the bilateral trade andinvestment relationship through formal mechanisms, including the Trade andInvestment Framework Agreement (TIFA). They welcomed the return of marketaccess for US distiller’s dried grains into the Vietnamese market and newmarket access for Vietnamese star apples into the US market. They committed toseek resolution for remaining agricultural trade issues, including siluriformes,shrimp, mangos, and to promote free and fair trade and investment in priorityareas, including electronic payment services, automobiles and intellectualproperty rights enforcement.
“4. The two leaders welcomed the announcement of more than 12 billion USD innew commercial agreements during President Trump’s visit. Both leaders alsowelcomed expanding bilateral energy ties, including discussions betweencompanies from both sides on Vietnam’s import of liquefied natural gas from theUnited States, as well as steps by Vietnam to enhance its capacity for solarpower generation with the support of the United States.
“5. The two leaders underscored their commitment to deepen defensecooperation and shared resolve to address regional security challenges. PresidentTran Dai Quang thanked the United States government for the transfer of aHamilton-class Coast Guard cutter to help improve Vietnam’s maritime securityand law enforcement capabilities. Both leaders welcomed the plan for the firstvisit to a Vietnamese port by a United States aircraft carrier in 2018. Theyaffirmed the 2018 – 2020 Plan of Action for US – Vietnam Defense Cooperation toimplement the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Advancing BilateralDefense Cooperation and the 2015 Joint Vision Statement on Defense Relations,strengthening bilateral defense relations in areas of maritime security,humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, andovercoming war legacy issues. In this regard, the two leaders welcomed theearly visit of the US Secretary of Defense to Vietnam.
“6. The two leaders underscored that the two countries would deepen andgradually expand security and intelligence cooperation, enhancing informationsharing and joint training on issues of mutual concern. The leaders expressedthe intent to strengthen cooperation on cyber security through increasedexchanges of delegations and information sharing, in order to promote an openand secure cyberspace. President Tran Dai Quang expressed interest in closercollaboration on aviation safety and security and counterterrorism.
“7. Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation to addressthe legacies of war. In this regard, President Tran Dai Quang expressedappreciation for the United States’ contribution to the successful dioxinremediation at Da Nang Airport and welcomed the United States’ commitment tocontribute to remediation at Bien Hoa Airport. He welcomed further USassistance for persons with disabilities. President Trump expressed hisappreciation for Vietnam’s full and continued cooperation in accounting for USpersonnel still missing from the war, and pledged to cooperate with Vietnam inits efforts to locate its missing soldiers. The two leaders committed tocooperation in the removal of explosive remnants of war.
“8. Both leaders affirmed their support for enhancing people-to-people ties tostrengthen mutual understanding, cooperation and friendship between the twopeoples, including through professional and academic exchanges, the launch ofthe Fulbright University Vietnam, 500.000 USD in Vietnam Education Foundation(VEF) alumni grants, and the arrival of the first ever Peace Corps volunteersin Vietnam.
“9. President Donald Trump and President Tran Dai Quang welcomed the exchangeof agreed minutes on the intent of the United States to acquire the “D30” sitein Hanoi for the construction of a new Embassy facility, in accordance with thelaws of both countries. President Donald Trump reiterated US support for Vietnamto acquire better diplomatic and consular facilities in the United States.
“10. The two leaders recognised the importance of protecting and promotinghuman rights.
“11. The two leaders discussed and welcomed initiatives to preserve peace andstability and to advance cooperation and development in the Indo-Pacific. Theyrecognised the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) in the region, and pledged to respect and to support the centrality andunity of ASEAN in the evolving regional architecture. [Both sides expressedsupport for ASEAN to play a stronger role in addressing traditional andnon-traditional security issues, such as terrorism, natural disasters andhumanitarian crises, illegal drugs, and transnational criminal organisations].Both sides committed to deepening the US – ASEAN Strategic Partnership based onthe principles outlined in the 2016 Sunnylands Declaration. They welcomed the50th anniversary of ASEAN’s founding and the 40th anniversary of ASEAN – USrelations, and looked forward to commemorative activities, including the ASEAN– US Commemorative Summit in Manila on November 13, 2017.
“12. Both leaders expressed grave concern over the DPRK’s nuclear weapons andballistic missile programs and tests, which violate United Nations SecurityCouncil resolutions and threaten international peace and security. They urgedall countries around the world to fully and strictly implement all relevantUnited Nations Security Council resolutions, and agreed to deepen bilateralcooperation to ensure their effective enforcement. The two leaders agreed onthe importance of the peaceful denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
“13. The two leaders underscored the strategic importance to the internationalcommunity of free and open access to the South China Sea, the importance ofunimpeded lawful commerce, and the need to respect freedom of navigation andover-flight, and other lawful uses of the sea. The two sides reiterated thestance on the South China Sea in the previous Vietnam - US and ASEAN - US Jointstatements, including their call on parties to refrain from escalatory actions,the militarisation of disputed features, and unlawful restrictions on freedomof the seas. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to the peaceful settlementof disputes in accordance with international law, including full respect forlegal and diplomatic processes. They called for the full and effectiveimplementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South ChinaSea (DOC), and an early conclusion to an effective, legally binding Code ofConduct for the South China Sea (COC). They further called for all SouthChina Sea claimants to clarify and comport their maritime claims in accordancewith the international law of the sea as reflected in 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea and to implement their international legalobligations in good faith in managing or resolving these disputes.
“14. The leaders noted that, as a partner of the Mekong River Commission(MRC) and a founding member of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), the UnitedStates supports the efforts of the Lower Mekong countries to sustainably managethe region’s water and environmental resources for the benefit of all.President Tran Dai Quang acknowledged the United States’ leading role inreducing global carbon emissions and innovating clean energy technologies, andthanked the United States for its assistance to Vietnam in advancing climatemitigation and adaptation.”-VNA
VNA
