General Secretary To Lam assessed that Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit was of special significance, reflecting the long journey the two countries have taken to build the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into the increasingly trustworthy, substantive, and sustainable relationship it is today.
General Secretary To Lam conveyed his greetings to President Donald Trump and extended an invitation for the President and his wife to visit Vietnam soon.
Affirming that Vietnam has always considered the United States one of its top priority partners, the General Secretary expressed his desire to continue strengthening comprehensive cooperation in various fields, for the benefit of the people of both countries.
The General Secretary highly appreciated President Donald Trump's efforts to promote peace and resolve conflicts around the world. Vietnam is ready to participate and play an active and responsible role as a bridge for peace to find solutions to regional and international issues.
The General Secretary expressed his desire for both sides to promote substantive defense cooperation, based on respect for Vietnam's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and foreign and defense principles, contributing to strengthening strategic trust and ensuring peace and stability in the region.
The General Secretary also requested that the US continue to support and strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of war, including dioxin decontamination, mine clearance, support for people with disabilities, and the search for and identification of the remains of Vietnamese soldiers missing in action during the war.
According to the General Secretary, these cooperative activities not only possess profound humanitarian value but also serve as an important foundation for healing past wounds, strengthening goodwill and trust, and opening up a long-term future of cooperation between the two countries.
Minister Pete Hegseth expressed his honor to visit Vietnam – a country playing an increasingly important role in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Minister conveyed President Donald Trump's greetings to General Secretary To Lam, and also highly appreciated the General Secretary's leadership role and prestige in guiding the development of Vietnam-US relations.
The United States values its comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam and supports a strong, independent, and prosperous Vietnam. The U.S. seeks to strengthen strategic cooperation at both bilateral and regional levels, particularly in combating transnational crime, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, officer training, UN peacekeeping operations, and disaster response.
He affirmed that the US will continue to support Vietnam in enhancing its capabilities, modernizing its defense industry, and expanding cooperation programs for training high-quality human resources.
The Minister also acknowledged the outstanding results of cooperation in addressing the consequences of war, including dioxin decontamination projects at Bien Hoa and Da Nang airports, considering these as vivid examples of the reconciliation and cooperation process between the two countries.
The U.S. War Department will continue to work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence to complete ongoing projects and expand cooperation into new areas that align with the needs and capabilities of each side.
General Secretary To Lam suggested that both sides continue to promote the spirit of cooperation based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, for the long-term interests of the people of both countries.
Arrange for President Donald Trump's visit to Vietnam as soon as possible.
Also this afternoon, President Luong Cuong received US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
President Luong Cuong emphasized that Vietnam consistently pursues an independent, self-reliant, diversified, and multilateral foreign policy, being a reliable friend and partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community. Vietnam maintains the "four no's" principle in national defense and contributes to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and the world.
Highly appreciating the results of the talks between Minister Hegseth and Minister Phan Van Giang, the President welcomed the agreement between the two sides to strengthen dialogue, consultation, and exchange of delegations to promote defense cooperation.
The President suggested that the two sides continue to cooperate effectively in the search for and identification of Vietnamese martyrs and American soldiers missing in action during the war, and to strengthen support for war victims in Vietnam.
The President requested that the US side coordinate the early arrangement of President Donald Trump's visit to Vietnam, considering it a new historical milestone in bilateral relations and a driving force to promote strategic cooperation between the two countries.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expressed his pleasure at making an official visit to Vietnam; and thanked the leaders of the Party, State, and Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam for their warm welcome.
The United States values its comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, appreciates Vietnam's growing role and position in the region and internationally, and is committed to further strengthening Vietnam-US relations, especially in defense.
The minister emphasized that the United States supports a strong, independent, and prosperous Vietnam that continues to play a key role in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The United States will continue to work closely with Vietnam in addressing the consequences of war, supporting demining, dioxin decontamination, and the search for and identification of Vietnamese martyrs. The Minister expressed his desire for the two countries to expand cooperation in defense industry, maritime security, training, and capacity building in areas of mutual interest.
Regarding regional issues, both sides expressed support for ASEAN's common stance on the South China Sea, particularly the principle of ensuring freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, and resolving disputes through peaceful means based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tong-bi-thu-va-chu-tich-nuoc-tiep-bo-truong-bo-chien-tranh-my-2458681.html
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