On the afternoon of April 19, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received US Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Minister Thomas Vilsack reviewed and highly appreciated the remarkable development of the Vietnam-US bilateral relationship in recent times, in which economic and trade relations are the pillars and strong driving force. The US has become Vietnam's leading economic partner, on the basis of friendship, mutual respect and mutual benefit.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives US Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack. (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac).
The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of relations, proactive and active international integration; is ready to be a friend, a reliable partner, and an active, proactive and responsible member of the international community.
In its overall foreign policy, Vietnam always considers the US one of its top important partners, wishes to promote the Comprehensive Partnership with the US and supports the strengthening of friendship and cooperation in all fields, of which agriculture is a very important field.
The Prime Minister said that, building on the results of the very successful phone call between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and US President Joe Biden, Vietnam is ready to continue to promote the relationship with the US in depth, effectively and substantially on the basis of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions; in accordance with the interests of the people of the two countries and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region as well as in the world.
In 2022, the two countries' agricultural export and import turnover will reach 15.36 billion USD, of which Vietnam will export 13 billion USD to the US and the US will export 2.36 billion USD to Vietnam. The two sides are also actively promoting a cooperation program to produce vaccines against African swine fever.
The Prime Minister proposed that the US side strengthen cooperation and support in the process of Vietnam promoting rapid, sustainable, modern, and integrated agricultural development, suitable to Vietnam's conditions, building ecological agriculture, modern countryside, and civilized farmers; commercializing and increasing the added value of agricultural products; bringing benefits to consumers and the economies of the two countries, contributing to the comprehensive cooperation relationship between Vietnam and the US.
The Prime Minister suggested that the two countries' Ministries of Agriculture further strengthen cooperation so that each side can diversify its products and supply chains; the US should further open its market to Vietnamese agricultural products; complete procedures to open the market for Vietnamese agricultural products such as coconut, passion fruit, etc.; support the establishment of an irradiation facility in the North of Vietnam to facilitate the export of lychee, mango, grapefruit and dragon fruit; limit the use of unnecessary tools and technical barriers in agricultural trade with Vietnam; support Vietnam in planning and building raw material areas and meeting US standards on agricultural product safety and hygiene; encourage and promote US businesses to invest more strongly and diversely in the agricultural sector in Vietnam.
For its part, Vietnam is ready to open its market and increase imports of some US agricultural products.
The Prime Minister also asked the US Department of Agriculture to strengthen cooperation and support Vietnam in green transformation, climate change adaptation, technology transfer and digital transformation in agriculture; disease control, research and production of vaccines, pesticides, animal feed; increase scholarships and human resource training for the agricultural sector.
According to the Prime Minister, promoting Vietnam-US agricultural cooperation will help consume agricultural products, create jobs and livelihoods for farmers, especially in remote areas, areas heavily affected by the consequences of war, Agent Orange and strongly affected by climate change, especially the Mekong Delta region.
The US Secretary of Agriculture said this was his third visit to Vietnam and each time he witnessed the strong development of Vietnam as well as the relationship between the two countries.
He affirmed that the US side wishes to strengthen bilateral relations with Vietnam, especially trade relations between the two countries; the two sides continue to cooperate and learn from each other's experiences in agricultural development, especially smart agriculture and climate change response.
He said he would discuss and work with the relevant agencies of both sides to promote cooperation areas and contents as suggested by the Prime Minister, including the establishment of an irradiation facility in the North of Vietnam, contributing to supporting Vietnamese agricultural products to best meet the needs of the US market and other markets, expanding the market for agricultural products of both sides.
Vu Khuyen (VOV)
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