Vietnam and US boost cooperation in culture and public affairs
VOV.VN - Representatives of the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the US Department of State signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cultural cooperation and public affairs in Washington DC on March 13 (local time).
The signing of the document was witnessed by Elizabeth Allen, US Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan who was in the US for a working visit.
During their earlier meeting, Allen handed over to Xuan Vice President Kamala Harris’s letter in which the US Vice President appreciated the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023 between the two countries, saying the new framework will help expand bilateral cooperation in the coming time.
Allen affirmed that the US government attaches importance and gives priority to concretizing the new relationship framework, that will bring practical benefits to both sides. She said she was proud to be tasked with boosting cooperation in the fields of culture, education and people-to-people exchanges with Vietnam, which according to her has yielded encouraging results in recent times.
The US will continue to prioritize resources to implement cooperation projects and programmes with Vietnam in these fields, she assured her guest.
Xuan for her part conveyed greetings to Harris, and at the same time, highly appreciated the Vice President’s important contributions to the relationship between Vietnam and the US.
She proposed that the US Department of State coordinate closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries and agencies of Vietnam to realise the comprehensive strategic partnership framework as well as bilateral cooperation, including in the fields of culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.
The two countries should foster cooperation and exchanges in the fields of literature and art, heritage preservation, and education, including student exchanges and university connections, she suggested.
Allen welcomed Xuna’s proposals and said that she would coordinate with relevant agencies of the two sides to concretize orientations stated in the Vietnam – US Joint Leaders’ Statement on the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as the signed cooperation documents.
She briefed her guest on a number of educational and cultural cooperation programmes that are prioritized by both sides in the coming time, such as developing the college and vocational education system, and promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, along with cultural exchange and heritage conservation.
On the same day, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan met with Patty Murray, President pro tempore of the Senate.
She spoke highly of the support of both parties in the US Congress, including Senator Patty Murray’s recent effort in fostering bilateral relations, helping to facilitate the process of normalization and development of relations between Vietnam and the US.
She affirmed that in its foreign policy Vietnam views the US as a strategically important partner and wishes to continue to actively concretize the new relationship framework as well as the agreements of the two countries’ senior leaders during President Joe Biden’s state visit to Vietnam in September 2023, bringing practical benefits to the two countries’ people.
Xuan proposed increasing the exchange of delegations of leaders and parliamentarians of the two countries to strengthen mutual understanding and trust.
Vietnam is ready to hold dialogues and exchanges with the US on divergent issues, she said, recommending that the Government and Congress of the US continue to give high priority to cooperation in overcoming the consequences of war, facilitating trade and investment relations with Vietnam, and soon recognizing Vietnam’s market economy status.
Vietnam welcomes the US to expand relations, actively contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development, and respond to common challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, she added.
The Vice president also proposed that the Government and Congress of the US continue to strongly support ASEAN’s central role, the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-US Partnership.
Murray affirmed that she strongly supports the US’ steps towards strengthening friendly relations and cooperation with Vietnam in recent times. she welcomed Xuan’s proposals and said she would work hard to facilitate the development of relations between the two countries, including concretizing the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
