US Senators Support Vietnam's View on the East Sea

The US senators delegation affirmed their support for Vietnam and ASEAN's stance on the East Sea issue when meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh .

During a meeting with a delegation of US senators led by Mr. Mike Crapo who visited and worked in Vietnam on May 26, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to the Comprehensive Partnership with the US and highly appreciates the fact that the two sides have maintained high-level contacts in recent times, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

The Prime Minister suggested that the two sides continue to promote cooperation in economics , trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, innovation, digital transformation, and climate change response.

He also hoped that senators would support the US in opening its market, limiting anti-dumping investigations and trade defense measures against Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural, forestry and fishery products. The Prime Minister also asked the US Congress to allocate resources for cooperation with Vietnam to overcome the consequences of war and create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) shakes hands with US Senator Mike Crapo at the government headquarters on May 26. Photo: VGP

The US senators expressed their support for a "strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous" Vietnam, and respected Vietnam's independence, sovereignty and political institutions. They said they would strive to promote bilateral relations, wished to strongly develop trade and investment, and supported the negotiation of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to which the two countries are members.

The senators affirmed their support for the views of Vietnam and ASEAN on the East Sea issue, emphasizing the need to maintain peace, stability, freedom, security, and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

Vietnam-US relations were normalized in 1995 and upgraded to Comprehensive Partnership in 2013. Bilateral trade reached more than 123.86 billion USD in 2022, an increase of 11% compared to 2021. The US is Vietnam's largest export market and second largest trading partner.

US foreign direct investment in Vietnam reached more than 11 billion USD, with more than 1,200 projects, ranking 11th among countries and territories investing directly in Vietnam. About 30,000 Vietnamese students study in the US, contributing one billion USD to the country's economy.

Bilateral defense and security cooperation continues to be maintained and promoted. The US has transferred two Hamilton-class patrol boats to the Vietnam Coast Guard and is ready to transfer a third.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, humanitarian cooperation and overcoming the consequences of war between the two countries are given high priority. The US government and Congress continue to increase the budget for the Bien Hoa airport detoxification project, support for people with disabilities in dioxin-contaminated areas, and aid for mine clearance projects.

In March, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had a phone call with US President Joe Biden, suggesting that the two countries make economic, scientific, and technological cooperation the focus and driving force of the relationship. Mr. Biden affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner, supporting an "independent, self-reliant, and prosperous" Vietnam.

Vnexpress.net

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