Vietnam and the US have witnessed remarkable progress in their bilateral ties over the past two decades and will continue to work together to deepen their comprehensive partnership in the future, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh. The two sides have agreed on a number of areas for cooperation expansion, including economics, politics, diplomacy, regional collaboration, climate change response and disaster relief, the ambassador told media in Washington D.C. on August 3 following a local ceremony to mark the 20 th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. The diplomat held that Vietnam and the US saw a historical milestone in their bilateral ties when Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited the US for the first time and held talks with US President Obama in the White House. During the visit, both sides issued a Joint Vision Statement and drew out a roadmap and orientations to comprehensively boost the bilateral relationship in the future, he noted. The diplomat also expressed belief that despite differences existing between the two countries, Vietnam and the US will continue their efforts to bolster their partnership, and the relations between the two governments, parliaments and peoples will be fostered for the benefit of both peoples and to contribute to regional cooperation. Ambassador Vinh also asserted that Vietnam and the US have drawn out a number of lessons over the past two decades. Both countries are strongly aware of the need to overcome the aftermath of the war as well as differences to cooperate in the spirit of mutual respect and work together to optimise common interests, he said. Addressing the event, US Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, said the progresses that the two countries have made since they normalised their relationship in 1995 has gone beyond imagination. Over the past 20 years, bilateral ties have developed in various fields, especially economics and education, he said, noting that 17,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in universities and colleges in the US , the highest number among Southeast Asian countries and ranking eighth in the world. However, the Senator also held that the US and Vietnam are facing new security challenges.-VNA