US Assistant Secretary of State: Vietnam-US trust has never been stronger

(Dan Tri) - US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Kritenbink affirmed the strong trust between the two countries and affirmed that the US invests in Vietnam's success.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Kritenbrink at a press conference in Hanoi on June 22 (Photo: Thanh Dat).

"We have taken our partnership with Vietnam to historic heights. We think it was really historic and important that we upgraded our relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year during President Joe Biden's visit," US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Kritenbrink said at a press conference in Hanoi on June 22. Mr. Kritenbrink, former US Ambassador to Vietnam, visited Vietnam on June 21-22. "I'm here to talk about the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and everything we're doing together. We're absolutely invested in Vietnam's success. We're invested in the shared future of our two countries. That's what I've spent a lot of time discussing while I've been here," Mr. Kritenbrink said. He said the main reason for his visit to Vietnam this time is to promote the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, maintain the momentum and continue to ensure that the two countries are implementing all the agreements that the leaders have made. "I am pleased to announce that we continue to believe that the US-Vietnam partnership has never been stronger than it is today," Mr. Kritenbrink emphasized. According to the US diplomat , the two countries are currently cooperating in most areas, from economic and investment relations to security relations to people-to-people exchanges, continuing to address environmental issues, clean energy and committing to address a series of issues left over from the war. "I think the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would not be meaningful without the tremendous trust between the two sides and what the two countries have built together over the past 30 years. I think strategic trust is at an all-time high. That's probably the most important foundational element of the partnership. What I want to emphasize is that we are really focused on making sure that this partnership brings tangible benefits to the people of both countries," Mr. Kritenbrink added. The US Assistant Secretary of State said that economic and trade relations still play an important role. He said that if you look at the joint statement on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two countries talked a lot about investing in Vietnam's capabilities, including in the information technology sector and building a semiconductor ecosystem here, helping to train and improve the skills of the Vietnamese workforce. "I think it's really important and I think both of our countries benefit when Vietnam is successful. We think this relationship is stronger than ever," said Mr. Kritenbrink. Mr. Kritenbrink said that the trust between the US and Vietnam has never been stronger and deeper than it is now. He affirmed that the practical benefits that the two countries receive from this relationship have never been clearer. "The US is committed to supporting a strong, self-reliant, independent and prosperous Vietnam because we think a successful Vietnam is in the US national interest," the US diplomat declared. The US bipartisanship strongly supports relations with Vietnam When asked about the US's view on Vietnam's foreign policy, Mr. Kritenbrink said the US "respects Vietnam very much". "What I am confident about is that the US and Vietnam have never been more aligned in defining a shared vision of the world that the two countries want to build. So we are very optimistic about our future, with Vietnam being our friend and partner. As friends and strategic partners, we can also talk frankly with each other, even in areas where we have differences," Mr. Kritenbrink shared. Responding to a Dan Tri reporter's question about whether the upcoming US elections will impact Washington's policy towards the Indo-Pacific region in general and Vietnam in particular, Mr. Kritenbrink affirmed that the US still maintains a strong commitment to the region and Vietnam. "I want to emphasize the strong bipartisan support of the US for the US partnership with Vietnam in particular, as well as our commitment and engagement in the Indo-Pacific in general," Mr. Kritenbrink said. According to Mr. Kritenbrink, the US is by far the largest investor in the region. The US currently invests trillions of dollars in the Indo-Pacific region, and that will not change regardless of the election results. He emphasized that bipartisan support in the US for Washington's engagement in the region as well as in its partnership with Vietnam, along with the economic foundation and people-to-people ties, not only between the US and Vietnam, but also between the US and other partners in the Pacific region, remain very strong and will always remain so.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/tro-ly-ngoai-truong-my-long-tin-viet-my-chua-bao-gio-manh-me-hon-the-20240623000251643.htm