Vietnamese President to visit US: Spokesperson

President of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang will pay an official visit to the United States of America from July 24-26 at the invitation of President Barack Obama, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi has said.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi said at a regular press conference in Hanoi on July 18 that President of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang will pay an official visit to the United States of America from July 24-26 at the invitation of President Barack Obama.

The visit aims to affirm Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, multilateralisation, diversification of relations, and proactive international integration, said Nghi.

President Sang will hold talks with President Obama to exchange opinions about major directions of the two countries’ bilateral ties, especially in economics, trade, investment, science, technology, education and training, and humanity, he added.

He further revealed that the two sides will discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern, adding that President Sang will meet representatives of the US Government, Congress and a number of international organisations and businesses in the US as well as the Vietnamese community in the country.

Answering a question on the possibility of upgrading the relations between the two countries during the visit, Nghi said since Vietnam and the US normalised their relationship in July 1995, bilateral ties between the two countries have been developing positively.

The two sides have agreed on establishing a relationship of active partnership and friendship, developing multifaceted cooperation, mutual respect and benefit. The upcoming visit of President Sang has a significant meaning in continuing the promotion of their bilateral ties in a deeper and wider manner in the future, he said.

Spokesperson Nghi also answered a number of questions d uring the press conference.

On why Vietnam has yet to put its fisheries hotline into operation to handle the recent case of the Vietnamese ships chased by Chinese vessels in Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago, Nghi said the two sides are continuing to implement the agreement on establishing a hotline to receive unexpected cases relating to sea fisheries.

“We hope that once the hotline is operational, the two sides can rapidly and timely exchange information and measures to tackle unforeseen cases relating to fisheries,” said Nghi.

Speaking about China’s move to issue the first identity cards and resident cards for its citizens in the so-called “Shansha city”, the spokesperson said Vietnam’s stance on the so-called “Shansha city” has been repeatedly clarified. The above-mentioned act violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos and was totally valueless.-VNA

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