Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and ahigh-ranking delegation of the Government left Hanoi on the night of May 28  (Vietnam time) for an official visit to theUnited State from May 29-31 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

This is the first official trip to the US byNguyen Xuan Phuc as the PM of Vietnam and also the first time since the twocountries had new leaders that a Vietnamese senior leader will meet withPresident Trump.

The Vietnamese delegation includes Deputy PM andForeign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Minister of Public Security Sen. Lt. Gen. ToLam, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, Minister ofPlanning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Industry and Trade TranTuan Anh, and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong,among others.

Vietnam and the US have recorded positivestrides in their relations in all spheres since they set up a comprehensivepartnership in July 2013 on the basis of respect for each other’s territorialintegrity, political regimes and development path, for the sake of bothcountries’ interests and for peace, stability and development cooperation inthe region.

On December 14, 2016, PM Phuc had phone talkswith President-elect Trump. In April 2017, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Minhpaid an official visit to the US during which the US side handed over to him Trump’sletter, in which the US President invited PM Phuc to visit the US and affirmedthat he will visit Vietnam to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting 2017.

After the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam and theWhite House of the US announced the official visit to the US by PM Phuc, on May23 (US time), the co-chairs of the US Congressional Caucus on ASEAN - CongresswomanAnn Wagner of the Republican Party and Congressman Joaquin Castro of theDemocratic Party - issued statements welcoming the trip. They said they attachimportance to the partnership with Vietnam and expressed their belief that thevisit will enhance Vietnam-US relations and the cooperation for a peaceful andprosperous Asia-Pacific.

On May 24, Senator John McCain, Chairman of theSenate Committee on Armed Services, sent a letter to PM Phuc, welcoming thevisit and considering it as an important step to intensify links between thetwo countries and a priority of the US. He also assessed the development of thetwo sides’ partnership as substantive since they normalised their diplomaticties, adding that bilateral relations are now developing more strongly thanever.

The official visit by PM Phuc aims to continuerealising Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance,multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, proactive andactive integration into the world, build on the attained outcomes, and further promoteVietnam-US cooperation.-VNA