Vietnam wants to boost cooperation with the US for the benefit of both countries, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a meeting with US Senator James Webb in Hanoi on July 8.

PM Dung said he appreciated the visit by Mr Webb, who is a member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the East Asia-Pacific Sub-Committee of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His visit coincides with the 15th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countrie.

 

PM Dung asked Senator James Webb to persuade the US administration to provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students, to build a US University in Vietnam, and to refrain from setting up barriers against Vietnam’s exports, especially seafood products such as tra fish and shrimp, which provide subsistence to poor Vietnamese farmers.

 

Mr Webb said he has been impressed by Vietnam’s rapid development in recent years and believes the two countries’ ties will grow and flourish in the future.

 

The US senator pledged to do his utmost to boost the two countries’ cooperative ties in the fields of economics, trade, investment, and education and training.

 

Congratulating Vietnam on assuming the chair of ASEAN, Mr Webb went on to say he is very interested in Mekong river issues and is committed to helping the region cope with climate change.

 

Regarding the situation in the East Sea, he said countries involved should cooperate with each other to ensure peace and maritime security under international laws and any disputes should be settled by negotiations, not by force or threats of force.

 

The US supports the search for a long-term solution to the East Sea issue, said Mr Webb, emphasising that, first and foremost, involved countries must strictly abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

 

Latter in the day, Senator Webb was received by National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien, who said Vietnam and the US need to enhance economic, commercial and investment ties.

 

Mr Kien expressed his hope that the US Congress and Government would facilitate the flow of Vietnamese commodities to the US market and assured his guest that Vietnam attaches great importance to friendly and cooperative relations with the US.

 

He applauded US assistance to Vietnam in dealing with the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin and clearing bombs and mines left from the war.

 

(VOVNews/VNA)