Vietnam, US increase all-level dialogues

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed on the need for Vietnam and the US to increase delegation exchanges and dialogues to strengthen the bilateral relationship.

The consensus was reached during their meeting in New York on September 22 on the occasion of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.

They discussed how to translate the agreements reached during the visit to Vietnam by US President Barrack Obama in May 2016 into actions.

They agreed to work together to manage differences between the two countries, for the sake of their people, and for peace and development.

Blinken suggested Vietnam and the US utilise the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, to which they are both signatories, to enhance their collaboration in trade-investment, science-technology, climate change response, and national security and defence.

The two officials talked about regional politics and security, including traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

They discussed the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful measures and on the basis of respecting international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, in order to maintain peace, stability, security, and maritime and aviation freedom in the area.

The same day, Deputy PM Minh held a roundtable talk with more than 25 large US businesses, including big investors in Vietnam like Intel, Metlife, Cargill and Coca Cola.

He attributed the thriving relationship between Vietnam and the US to contributions from the businesses.

Vietnam has signed free trade agreements, including the TPP, he said, calling on US enterprises to maximise opportunities afforded by the pacts to step up their investments in the Southeast Asian nation.

The Vietnamese Government will continue to improve the local investment climate to help foreign firms operate in the country, the official pledged.

A number of the US businesses said they are interested in manufacturing, services and finance-banking in Vietnam.

VNA