N.A. Chairman hosts U.S. Senate delegation

The Chairman spoke highly of the positive, substantive and comprehensive development of bilateral relations in recent years, while recalling recent contacts and meetings between the two sides, including the phone talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and U.S. President Joe Biden on March 29 and a meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Biden on the sidelines of the expanded G7 Summit in Japan in May.

Vietnam appreciates the U.S. strengthening cooperation with partners the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, Vuong Dinh Hue said, adding that Vietnam hopes the U.S., through new strategies and initiatives, will continue to demonstrate its strong commitment to upholding ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN – U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as well as the Mekong – U.S. Partnership.

Expressing his agreement with Vuong Dinh Hue’s opinions on cooperation in addressing war consequences, collaboration in economy, trade, investment and between the two countries’ legislative agencies, Senate Crapo said the U.S. senator delegation’s visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties, promote opportunities in business and trade, address war aftermath, continue cooperation in searching for servicemen missing during wartime and efforts to clean up dioxin-contaminated areas.

Agreeing with the N.A. Chairman’s view on a record of 123 billion USD in two-way trade between Vietnam and the U.S. last year, Senator Crapo expressed his hope that the figure will continue growing.

The U.S. Senator highly valued Vietnam’s commitments on all four pillars in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) initiative.

According to the U.S. Senator, the two sides can cooperate in multilateral and bilateral cooperation mechanism. This is also one of the U.S.’s current highest priorities to nations, including Vietnam, and the Indo-Pacific region.

He welcomed Vietnam's approach to global trade issues, and wished to work with Vietnam to realize cooperation plans.

During the meeting, both sides spoke highly of the role of parliamentary cooperation in the two countries’ relations, saying that both parliaments have increased mutual visits and contacts in recent times. They supported and hoped to further strengthening the relations between the two parliaments via the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones, to promote cooperation between their legislative agencies and collaboration in areas.

Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said he hopes the two legislatures will continue to expand cooperation in various forms so that U.S. congressmen and Vietnamese N.A. deputies understand more on situation in each country, bilateral relations, especially young parliamentarians; promote the exchange and coordination mechanism between the two countries' parliaments, their committees, friendship parliamentary groups, parliamentary assistants, and soon establish a group of parliamentarians who are in favor of Vietnam – U.S. relations in the U.S. Congress.

Also at the meeting, Vuong Dinh Hue voiced Vietnam's support for the U.S. in its role as the APEC Chair 2023, and hoped that the U.S. would support Vietnam's bid to host APEC Year 2027.

On the East Sea issue, Vietnam highly appreciated the U.S.’s support for Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance regarding the EAST Sea, including ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, and peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hoped for more U.S. congressmen to visit Vietnam to understand the country’s achievements in its process of development and ensuring social welfare.

On this occasion, Vuong Dinh Hue invited the U.S. to attend the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) to be hosted by the National Assembly of Vietnam in this September in Hanoi.

After the meeting, the U.S. Senate delegation attended a working session of the National Assembly.

Source: VNA