US Congressman Joaquin Castro (Photo: VNA) 

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc held an online talk onApril 29 (US time) with US Congressman Joaquin Castro of Texas, who is Vice Chairman ofthe House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus onASEAN, on the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership and the ASEAN-USstrategic partnership, including cooperation to cope with the COVID-19pandemic.

During the talk, Ambassador Ngoc and Congressman Castro expressed their joy atthe strong development of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership in various fields.Amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countrieshave worked closely together and supported each other both bilaterally and inthe ASEAN-US framework in epidemic prevention and preparations for economicrecovery, while continuing to promote economic, trade and investment ties.

Thetwo also touched upon the situation in the East Sea and the Mekong-US cooperation.

AmbassadorNgoc informed the US congressman about the efforts of the Vietnamese Governmentand people to perform the double tasks of fighting epidemic and restoring anddeveloping economy activities. He affirmed that at this time of difficulties,ASEAN has remained united and unanimous, and effectively cooperated withpartners, including the US, in addressing the epidemic. He thanked the US forits timely assistance for ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, at a time whenthe US administration, congress and people are also working hard to respond tothe COVID-19 outbreak.

Castrocongratulated Vietnam for initially bringing the COVID-19 epidemic undercontrol, and appreciated Vietnam’s goodwill to support the US. He affirmed thatthe ASEAN Caucus always advocates a strong ASEAN, and supports the US-ASEANstrategic partnership and Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year, including meetingsto be held in Vietnam.

Regardingthe East Sea issue, the congressman affirmed that the ASEAN Caucus and hehimself always protest acts that violate sovereignty, run counter tointernational law and the rules-based order, change the status quo and causeinstability in the region. He voiced support for the elevation of the LowerMekong Initiative (LMI) to a Mekong-US Partnership for sustainable developmentof the Mekong region.

♒ Thetalk between Ambassador Ngoc and Congressman Castro is among many onlinemeetings and talks that the Vietnamese Embassy in the US has conducted with theUS administration, Congress, scholars and business people during the period ofsocial distancing in the US, in order to maintain the development impetus ofthe Vietnam-US relations during the year the two countries celebrate the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic relations (1995-2020)./.