US a partner of strategic importance of Vietnam: Foreign Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has affirmed that Vietnam always considers the U.S. a partner of strategic importance at a reception for visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink.

At a meeting on Friday, Son said he appreciated Kritenbrink’s contributions to the bilateral ties, and thanked the U.S. Department of State for its part in advancing the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and its close coordination in organising the first Vietnam-U.S. dialogue at the foreign ministerial level in Washington D.C. in March.

Vietnam stands ready to work together with the U.S. to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership in an effective, stable and practical manner, on the basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions, and in accordance with the interests of the two countries' people, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region, the minister said.

He affirmed that Vietnam backs the U.S. to strengthen cooperation with the region to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Kritenbrink, who visited Vietnam from June 21-22, reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to supporting a strong, independent, self-resilient, and prosperous Vietnam.

Recalling Son’s visit to the U.S. for co-chairing the March dialogue, Kritenbrink regarded it as a step forward in concretising cooperation contents of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

The official commended Vietnam’s increasingly important role in regional and multilateral forums, stressing the U.S. attaches importance to and supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) centrality in the regional architecture, and will pay more heed to enhancing the ASEAN-US comprehensive strategic partnership as well as the Mekong-U.S. relations.

The two sides compared notes on specific measures to effectively implement the new cooperation framework in the time ahead, especially intensifying contacts and high-level delegation exchanges, and maintaining the pace of collaboration in economy, trade and investment, the settlement of war consequences, and climate change response.

They shared the view that the countries should strengthen cooperation in emerging fields like innovation, semiconductors, and clean energy transition.

The officials also exchanged opinions on regional and international issues of common concern, and emphasised the importance of handling disputes through peaceful measures in line with the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law, including the East Sea issue, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.

The East Sea is internationally known as the South China Sea.

While in Vietnam, Kritenbrink met Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc to discuss issues within the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive strategic partnership, and others of shared concern.