WashingtonDC (VNA) – A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam led byChairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External RelationsHoang Binh Quan paid a working visit to the US from September 10 to 13.

The delegation had working sessions withrepresentatives of left-wing parties in the US, leaders of the Communist PartyUSA, Ben Cardin – Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairsat the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Ted Yoho – Chairman of theAsia and the Pacific Subcommittee at the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs,along with officials of the State Department and the US National SecurityCouncil. They also met with some scholars to discuss Vietnam-US relations andregional and global situations.

At the events, the delegation affirmed theVietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy of treasuring the friendship andcomprehensive cooperation with the US, and enhancing trust to boost the stable,substantive and sustainable development of bilateral relations, thus benefitingthe two countries’ people and contributing to regional and global peace,stability and cooperation.

The two sides also discussed measures to foster bilateralties, especially increasing meetings at all levels, including between parties.They also welcomed US President Donald Trump’s attendance in the APEC EconomicLeaders’ Meeting in Vietnam this November.

They agreed to promote existing cooperationmechanisms, step up economic-trade-investment cooperation to turn it into afoundation and momentum for bilateral ties, and bolster defence-securitycooperation. Vietnam and the US will continue prioritising war consequencessettlement and humanitarian aid cooperation.

More extensive and substantive cooperation willbe fostered at regional and multilateral mechanisms and forums such as APEC,ASEAN and the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Vietnam and the US will also link eachother with the Southeast Asian and North American regions.

The visiting delegation also asked the US tosoon recognise Vietnam as a market economy, be more open to agriculturalproducts of Vietnam, and reduce trade barriers.

Meanwhile, officials of the US administrationand congress and left-wing parties expressed their delight at the progress inVietnam-US relations. They agreed on measures to augment bilateral ties, notingthat they want to strengthen comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam and areready to work with the country to successfully organise the APEC EconomicLeaders’ Meeting later this year.

They highly valued the stature and role of bothVietnam and ASEAN and considered the Southeast Asian nation as an importantpartner in the region. They affirmed that the US will make efforts to tightenrelations and implement agreements with Vietnam. 

The US side also emphasised cooperationpriorities in terms of economy, trade, education-training, science-technology,defence, and war consequences settlement. They pledged efforts to boostbilateral and multilateral trade cooperation in suitable new frameworks.

At the meetings, the two sides exchanged viewson some regional issues of shared concern, including the East Sea situation andthe tension in the Korean Peninsula.

The US side shared the view that it is criticalto promote the settlement of hot spots in the region through peaceful means andbasing on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of theSea, to ensure peace and freedom of navigation in and overflight over the EastSea, and to tackle the risk of conflict escalation towards denuclearisation onthe Korean Peninsula.-VNA