President Barack Obama (L) meets with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Major press agencies around the world on May 23 carried stories about US President Barack Obama’s announcement of fully lifting the embargo on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam on the occasion of his ongoing visit to the Southeast Asian country.
The US’s AP quoted Obama in a joint press conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi as saying that the move aims to push the normalisation of relations between the two countries as well as remove “a lingering vestige of the Cold War.”
"At this stage, both sides have established a level of trust and cooperation, including between our militaries, that is reflective of common interests and mutual respect," said the US President.
Meanwhile, the French AFP cited the US President as saying the complete removal of the weapon embargo underscores the commitment of the US to a fully normalised relationship with Vietnam.
The move is highly symbolic of a shift in bilateral relations that have seen a surge in trade and cultural exchanges, the AFP said.
China’s Xinhua quoted Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, as saying at a press conference in Beijing on May 23, that China welcomes normal relations between Vietnam and the US.
She said China hopes the improving Vietnam-US relations will benefit regional peace, stability and development, adding that the arms embargo was "a product of the Cold War" and should not continue to exist.
The US’s CNN channel describes the full removal of the weapons embargo to Vietnam as a move to deepen bilateral defence relations.-VNA
