Vietnam desires to promote comprehensive partnership with US

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) meets US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo (L).

At the talks, Minh highly appreciated the importance and significance of the US diplomat’s visit to bilateral relations, expressing hope that the partnership will develop flourish in the time to come.

Michael Pompeo showed elation at his first visit to Vietnam and affirmed his nation’s high regard for the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the Southeast nation, while hoping that a strong, independent and prosperous Vietnam will play an increasingly important role in the region.

Host and guest noted with satisfaction the positive and practical progress in bilateral ties and agreed to further deepen the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership for the benefit of the two countries’ people, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The two sides concurred to give priority to intensifying high-level delegation exchanges and meetings, and continue to see trade and investment as the driving force behind US-Vietnam relations. They will actively implement defense agreements and step up education-training cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

They were pleased about the successful implementation of the dioxin detoxification project at Da Nang airport. Secretary of State Pompeo consented to soon launch a dioxin decontamination project at Bien Hoa airport and increase assistance for Vietnam’s recovery from the consequences of war.

Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea situation. They expressed their concern about the complicated developments in the East Sea in recent past, voicing their support for the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of respect for international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea, towards the early conclusion of an effective and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

The two diplomats consented to continue enhancing exchanges and coordination at regional and international forums, maintain ASEAN's central role in addressing regional issues, and promote the ASEAN-US strategic partnership on a stable and effective basis, thus contributing to maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the wider world.

Binh Minh hailed the efforts of the concerned parties to speed up the recent process of peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and affirmed Vietnam’s supports for all constructive efforts through dialogues towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as its continued role as an active and responsible member of the international community in this process.

On the same day, US Secretary of State Pompeo left Hanoi, ending his official visit to Vietnam from July 8-9 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh.