Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper have affirmed that they will work towards the elevation of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership to a new height during their meeting in Hanoi on March 21.
Minister Dien said the two countries have complementary economies so there is a lot ofpotential for cooperation not only in terms of energy and climate change butalso in other fields.
Vietnam always considers and wishes the US to be one ofits most important partners, both in words and actions, he said.
He informed the ambassador that Vietnam is making efforts to fulfill its commitments at the 26th UnitedNations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), but the country needscooperation and support of partners, including the US.
Congratulating Knapper on hisappointment as the US Ambassador to Vietnam, he hoped the diplomat will be able to make breakthrough steps to raise the comprehensive partnership between the two countries to a newheight.
The Ministry of Industry andTrade (MoIT) will cooperate effectively and sincerely with theUS to achieve these goals, especially in the fields of each other's potentials andcommon interests such as stabilisation of global supply chains, energy anddigital economy on the principle of harmonisation of benefits, and suitability for thecircumstances, conditions and capacity of each country.
For his part, the USAmbassador to Vietnam said the US embassy is committed to cooperating with theMoIT and the Government of Vietnam to raise the comprehensive partnershipbetween Vietnam and the US.
The US wants to becomeVietnam's most important partner in energy security, food, and climate fields,the US diplomat said, adding that those are areas where Vietnam can collaboratewith the US Government and its private sector.
Knapper highly appreciatedthe approval of the Vietnam Low Emission Energy Project (V-LEEP) which issponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). He hoped that the MoIT willfacilitate the endorsement of a pilot programme on the direct power purchase agreementand the signing of the Letter of Intent on the Clean Energy Initiative.
These methods can help to promote Vietnam's energy transformation as well as createopportunities to welcome investment flows in clean energy into the country,Knapper said.
Relating to the case ofVietnamese honey being investigated by the US Department of Commerce (DOC),Minister Dien urged for the use of appropriate and objective data sources toensure the principle of "fair competition of the World Trade Organisation(WTO) when calculating the dumping margins of Vietnamese enterprises.
Dien emphasised that Vietnam looksforward to receiving a positive, fair and objective review of the DOC in thefinal conclusion of the case, ensuring that it is in compliance with WTOregulations, towards harmonising the interests in bilateral trade and common goalsof the two countries./.