Vietnam, US step up comprehensive partnership

ABO/NDO - Nguyen Xuan Thang, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Theory Centre, has had meetings with representatives of US and international organisations and institutions in Washington DC.

Nguyen Xuan Thang (right), Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Theory Centre, has had meetings with representatives of US and international organisations and institutions in Washington DC. (Photo: VNA)

Thang, who is also President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, met with US Congressman Ted Yoho, former Chairman of the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee under the Foreign Affairs Committee in the US House of Representatives; Michael Kratsios, Deputy Assistant to the US President for Technology Policy; and Walter Douglas, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the US Department of State.

The two sides noted with pleasure the comprehensive cooperation and strategic trust between Vietnam and the US, and exchanged their views on better prospects of the bilateral ties in the time ahead.

They discussed regional and international matters as well as their impacts on the Vietnam-US relationship, including the Asia-Pacific situation, the US-China trade tense, policy adjustments of major countries like the US and China, and the US Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

The two sides also touched upon the US’ trade deficit with Vietnam recently.

Thang, who is leading a Vietnamese delegation on the US visit from July 7-17, affirmed Vietnam’s zero-tolerance and serious punishments against trade frauds, which, he said, are to protect the prestige of Vietnamese goods in the international market and ensure common trade principles.

Recent developments in bilateral trade ties have reflected Vietnam’s continuous efforts in improving the quality of its products, restructuring goods and developing new markets, the official said.

The Vietnamese delegation and representatives of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Heritage Foundation and Albright Stonebridge Group exchanged views on security in Asia-Pacific, especially the East Sea, the US-China strategic competition and the Vietnam-US relationship.

At working sessions with representatives from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and research centres and institutes of Elliott University Centre and George Washington University, Thang talked about the possibility of promoting cooperation in education and training as well as knowledge sharing between the two countries.

The US side affirmed that it will engage responsibly to contribute to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development, and ensuring maritime security and safety on the basis of international law in Indo-Asia-Pacific regions.

The US will continue to treasures the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the regional architecture, and realise its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

The US lauded Vietnam’s active contributions to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, and pledged to continue its close coordination with Vietnam when the country assumes the post of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and the ASEAN Chair in 2020.

Thang and his entourage are scheduled to have working sessions with representatives of the University of California in Berkeley and Davis, San Francisco, along with some high-tech groups and leading businesses in the Silicon Valley to explore cooperation in technological transfer and step up collaboration in research and exchanges in digital administration, startup ad innovation, on July 15 and 16.

(Source: NDO)